When the Haddock family returned to the Great Hall roughly an hour later, they were all in suspiciously good moods. The spouses, their son, and the Night Fury all walked with their heads high, greeting others with hand gestures, demonstrating broad smiles and radiating with shameless satisfaction. People weren't quite sure what to make of this, but one thing was clear – this kind of happiness could only have come from pulling some serious dirt on somebody. And everybody prayed it was somebody else.
The family made their way towards Spitelout and Bloodybee, who were enjoying themselves on the dance floor. Bloodybee noticed them first.
"Where have you been?" she asked happily, failing to notice the malice behind their smiles.
"Oh, we just needed to make a trip to the latrine," said Valka carelessly. "You wouldn't believe what an interesting book we found on the way."
She lifted a book, which she had been holding under her armpit. Nobody noticed it before, since her suspiciously good mood stole their attention, but now all the eyes fell on the volume. A book with a solid leather cover, secured with a belt.
Bloodybee's eyes snapped wide open as she pulled the book from Valka's hands. Agitated, she opened it and scanned the content. As she looked up at the chief's wife, her skin paled by a good couple of shades.
"Where'd you get this?" she asked in a weak voice.
"Oh, is it yours?" Valka asked with mock concern. "How strange. I found it on a trip to the latrine. Completely unguarded. You're lucky I value books so much. Otherwise I might have used it to wipe my butt," she chuckled.
Bloodybee stared at her is complete disbelief.
Deeming the result satisfactory, Valka smiled sweetly, giving the captain a pat on the cheek. She then turned to her husband, idyllic and carefree like the first sign of spring. "So, darling, shall we dance?"
Stoick nodded, offering her his arm and beaming all over his face. "With pleasure, my love. Hey, Rusty boy!" he yelled jovially. "Sing us something bouncy!"
Rusty hurried to take the lead singer's spot. The band readied their instruments. Stoick and Valka wasted no time and drifted into a dance, forgetting the Viking lot and what not. Meanwhile Spitelout eyed the mother of his children worriedly. She looked as pale as if all the blood had evaporated from her veins.
"Bibi?" he asked carefully.
She didn't answer. She turned her back and left the Hall in a dashing sprint. He did however catch a glimpse of her eyebrows lowering, veins pulsing, and jaws clenching. It was safe to assume that whoever was guarding her ship right now was about to get a thrashing that will make Avalanche's scolding look like hugs and kisses.
(…)
Bog Burglars known as Snowflake and Mudpie – who had been designated to watch over the Sparrowhawk that night – were enjoying themselves as much as the circumstances allowed. They danced on the deck, singing happy songs. Admired the stars. Made up creepy stories and attempted to scare each other.
But the fate that befell them easily outdid everything they could've imagined.
All of a sudden a powerful punch massacred Snowflake's nose and threw her off her feet. Then Mudpie bent into halves, as a well aimed kick drilled into her stomach. Immediately another blow sent her spinning. Snowflake barely had time to open her eyes when something grabbed her leg and smashed her against the still spinning Mudpie. Both women fell to the ground, whereupon somebody's legs hammered onto their rib cages and somebody's hands grabbed their throats.
The attacker was their captain, Bloodybee. And she was mad as a Monstrous Nightmare.
"I'll have your heads for this!" she yelled savagely.
Snowflake and Mudpie stared at her in complete shock, struggling just to keep breathing. The captain's palms felt like heated iron against their throats, and her face looked so red it seemed to be catching fire.
Fortunately, the air supply chain was restored rapidly, as the attacker needed her arms to flash a book in her victims' faces.
"What is this? What. Is. THIS?!" she demanded, eying her subordinates dangerously.
The two women knew this object very well. "Umh… your rutter?" uttered Snowflake, who was lucky in that she got trapped by Bloodybee's crippled hand, and thus recovered from the choking a tad faster than her comrade.
"Exactly!" yelled Bloodybee. "All secrets of the sea, maps of all lands I've been to, all my knowledge on navigation and geography is in this book!" she roared, clapping her crippled hand against the precious volume. "And you two imbeciles let it get stolen?!"
The accusation was most surprising and absolutely terrifying.
"What? No, captain, we wouldn't!" blurted Snowflake.
"Nobody's been to your cabin, we swear!" added Mudpie.
"Oh really?" Bloodybee rose her eyebrows. "Then how come the chief's wife just waltzed into the Great Hall with my rutter in her hands?!"
Snowflake and Mudpie were astonished.
"She did?"
"But that's impossible!"
"YOU are impossible!" Bloodybee jumped to her feet and rushed towards her cabin. "See for yourselves how well you guarded my…"
At this point she swung the door wide open, looked inside, and went still.
This scared her subordinates even more than her outburst.
The two women got to her feet, walked towards their captain, and peeked into her cabin. There, in the middle of the floor, was a puddle. A puddle of urine.
Urine. On the floor. In a Bog Burglar captain's cabin.
All three women were speechless for a moment.
"HOW?" uttered Bloodybee finally.
"Wow…" whispered Mudpie in awe. "Could she have hidden behind him?"
The question earned her the captain's undivided attention.
"Umh…"
"EXPLAIN."
Mudpie gulped. It seemed she had to finish gathering the wood for her funeral pile.
"Right. So, umh. The boy came here. Hiccup. On his Night Fury. Said the party was dull and he wanted some real fun."
"Then his father came too," added Snowflake. "Said we have a contest. Rope pulling. We against the dragon."
"We won."
"Yup."
Bloodybee considered them sternly. "Which way did Hiccup come to the ship?" she asked, crossing her arms.
"From above. Landed right there," Snowflake pointed at the ship's bow, which was directly opposite from the door to the captain's cabin at the stern of the ship.
"And the chief?" Bloodybee continued the investigation.
"Normally, through the footbridge."
"Did you see him walk in?"
"Well, no," admitted Snowflake. "Came in when we were talking to Hiccup."
"But t'was only a moment, he can't have done anything," insisted Mudpie.
Bloodybee sighed. "Okay, moving on. Where were you all positioned when this contest was going on?"
"Hiccup and dragon were pulling t'wards the bow, into the air," explained Snowflake. "We were standing here, pulling t'wards the stern. The chief was standing behind us."
"But he can't have done nutting', M'am!" assured Mudpie. "All the time he cheered for Hiccup."
"Yup, he didn't move from this spot, sure thing," agreed Snowflake.
"In other words," started Bloodybee, "the boy made sure you looked away, the father made so much noise you wouldn't hear a thing, and their compliance was free to access my room?"
The two subordinates looked at each other, then at their feet. This really did sound like the most probable scenario. And made them look like total imbeciles.
Seeing their embarrassment, Bloodybee sighed and asked on "How long did this contest last?"
Mudpie hesitated. "Do no. Kinda long."
"Five minutes maybe," offered Snowflake.
"Five minutes!" revolted Bloodybee. "A dragon that could've pulled the both of you into the sea in mere seconds wrestles you for five minutes you don't find it a wee bit suspicious?!"
"But it was crippled!" Mudpie blurted. Wrong move. Bloodybee grabbed her by the tunic and threw her into the open cabin, face-straight into the puddle.
"I should have the two of you keelhauled all the way from here to Bog Isles!" she roared, again turning as ferocious as a Monstrous Nightmare. Her subordinates cowered, knowing very well they were in for severe consequences. Especially now, realizing just how badly they let themselves be fooled.
In the five minutes they pulled the rope Valka had broken the captain's cabin's lock, sneaked inside, found the rutter, and left unnoticed. And she still had the nerve to piss on the floor.
They never noticed she was there.
Impossible as it seemed, the size difference between the woman and her husband made it possible. Stoick was so vast the slim Valka could easily have hidden behind him. Moreover, since she rides dragons on daily basis, she is bound to have a real tight grip, and should have had no problems holding onto her husband's back while keeping her legs off the ground. Add to that the fact that Stoick wears a huge chiefly cape, and it becomes quite probable he could have smuggled his wife aboard.
The Haddock family hoaxed Bloodybee's guards – and thus Bloodybee herself.
All the muscles in the captain's body clenched. This was a disaster. An utterly, completely, earth-shattering disaster. One she couldn't wipe under the rug. Everybody saw Valka's triumph in the Mead Hall. Everybody knew she had burgled a Bog Burglar. Stolen Bloodybee's rutter from her very own ship.
And it was Bloodybee's own fault, since she had entrusted her ship to these two morons.
The captain eyed Snowflake and Mudpie dangerously. The two imbeciles were still cowering, awaiting the blows she was yet to deliver. She was tempted, sure thing. But she also knew how to prioritize.
"You two clean this place up," she told her subordinates sternly. "And don't you dare mention this… BONUS to anybody."
Chances are Valka would boast about her achievement to anybody who'd listen, but that wouldn't stop Bloodybee from trying to save her face somewhat.
"Yes Ma'am," muttered the two unfortunate guards, grateful for the time being to still be alive.
Done with the imbeciles, the captain focused her attention on the Mead Hall. She had some business to settle.
(...)
Valka was having a great time, dancing, drinking, and being merry. People were wondering what exactly had happened, but neither she, nor her boys were going to spill the beans. The escapade was their little secret. A deliciously sweet secret. And quite a leverage over Bloodybee. Now that she knew what they were capable of, she'll mind her tongue some more. And if she won't, they might very well come up with another scheme to embarrass her. It was surprisingly enjoyable.
Then, inevitably, came the point when the Dragon Whisperer needed to relieve herself. Thus she went to the latrine and did her business.
And then, as she was tying her leggings, she was approached by Bloodybee. Who was holding a bucket of water, a towel, and a piece of chestnut soap.
This was a rather surprising sight.
"I'm used to thinking of people as either weak or strong," spoke the captain without preamble. "Like I told my daughter, in this job, you are either perfect or dead. There is no in-between. But you?" she gestured to all of Valka, making a face. "You, Valka Wrinkly, are a mystery to me. On the one hand, you clearly are a formidable warrior, capable of surviving in complete wilderness on your own, and pretty damn clever, judging by the feat you pulled on me. Not to mention all this dragon whispering stuff. Yet, you act and talk as if you just came ashore from a land far, far away. Half the time you're as skittish as a deer. We praise you, and you get defensive. As if you wanted nothing to do with Vikings. As if you were disgusted with us. With your tribe. With Vikings in general," she exclaimed, horrified as though it was a scandal of the century. "And the way you handled this situation with our kids? What exactly were you trying to achieve? Do you honestly not understand what message you communicated to everybody in the Hall? Or maybe you understand everything, but cannot stop yourself from acting the way you do? In that case, I am beginning to understand why you thought your family would be better off without you," she concluded sternly.
As the Bog captain was delivering this speech, the Dragon Whisperer could do nothing but stare. And wonder if perhaps she has had a mug or two too many. She did consider the possibility of Bloodybee seeking revenge on her, she gladly would have accepted a challenge to a duel, but this? Snotlout's mother really did not seem like a person who'd seek to talk things over with somebody who stole her prized possession. What sort of game was this woman playing?
After a few seconds of silence, in which Valka didn't respond, Bloodybee shifted nervously and stretched her arms, offering her interlocutor the bucket.
The gesture helped Valka snap from the shock. She still wasn't quite sure if the words registered by her brain were the same words that the captain produced, or what the Bog Burglar's motives were, but it didn't matter. She wasn't particularly willing to get involved in a debate. Or waste energy wandering if she was being praised or insulted.
"Think whatever you want, Bloodybee," she said finally. "I honestly couldn't care less."
She attempted to walk past the other woman, but Bloodybee wouldn't let her.
"But I DO care," she insisted. "I want to understand."
Valka shook her head. "I'm afraid we just don't speak the same language, Captain. This isn't going to work."
"Exactly – we do NOT speak the same language," agreed the Bog Burglar. "Until now we assumed we do, at least I did, don't know 'bout you, but anyway, we do know NOW. We can treat each other accordingly. I think it is worth giving a try."
Valka hesitated, sensing that whatever decision she makes right now will have severe consequences.
On the one hand, she had no wish for the company of this woman. All of their previous interactions left her confused and insecure. Any action or utterance hinting on good will on behalf of the captain seemed to have been an act, a camouflage for greed and cunningness. Bloodybee was a warrior at heart, a woman who took whatever she wanted without regard to anybody else's feelings. A woman who tortured her own child and insulted Valka for having compassion. Could this sort of a person really be willing to sort things out? Without any hidden agenda? This wasn't the way Vikings solved their problems.
On the other, the Dragon Whisperer could not disregard Bloodybee's better moments. The respect she held for the sea. The way she spoke of combining strength and humility. The appreciation she expressed for Valka's metaphor with hair, basically admitting she loved Spitelout – or at least considered him close to her heart. In moment like these Bloodybee appeared to be wise, empathetic, and warm. Could that have been a show? Or maybe there was more to this savage woman than it seemed?
Either way, this was an amazing opportunity to talk to the Bog Burglar in private, and elicit some honest answers. Answers Bloodybee could not afford to voice in public, fearing for her reputation. Explanations that could help Valka understand this tribe, which was allied with her own. And possibly learn something about Bloodybee that was worth knowing.
Valka sighed. In the end, she could not afford to turn down an offer like this. Worried she may have been, but also curious of the way the other woman's brain worked. Also, she had to take into consideration the best interest of her tribe. She was the chief's wife, she had to practice diplomacy. She had to at least try.
"Fine," she said finally. "But it has to work both ways. I am going to explain why I acted the way I did back when Hiccup was trying to save Avalanche, then you tell me how you perceived my actions. After that I am going to tell you how I felt watching you discipline Avalanche, and you tell me why you handled this situation the way you did. Does this sound reasonable to you?"
Bloodybee considered the offer for a moment. "Yeah, let's do this," she agreed, having hesitated only briefly. She then put the hygiene accessories on the ground and got straight to the point. "Why did you interfere with that situation?"
Valka was suddenly anxious. She had all the best intentions, but her miserably poor social skills were a significant obstacle in communicating with pretty much all human beings. Then again, Bloodybee seemed to have learned this by now.
Deciding not to think of failure this early into the conversation, Valka focused on remembering her exact thought and feelings from before. If they were to understand each other, she had to be as thorough as possible.
"Because I wanted to show my son that I was there for him," she responded carefully. "I wanted him to know I approve of his actions and that he has my support. I wanted Avalanche to know somebody is not okay with her being treated like this, even more so that her own parents acted like it was none of their business. I also wanted Snotlout to know that it is wrong to harm others for his own amusement."
As Valka spoke, Bloodybee seemed surprisingly calm and attentive. Which augured well for the future.
"I know that I should have used my authority as his commander to make him stop," continued Valka, "but I wasn't thinking about ranks and power structure at that point. I just wanted him to release his sister. Does this make sense to you?"
"It does," replied the Bog Burglar. "Although your way of thinking sounds childish."
Valka resisted the urge to make a face. She wanted an honest exchange of opinion and this was exactly what she was getting. If it was to turn into a heated argument, it would not be because of her.
"So, how did you perceive my actions?" she asked, bracing herself for severe criticism. Fortunately, Bloodybee didn't seem particularly happy about having to voice it.
"Hiccup is the future chief," stated the captain. "He's practically a man already. He really should be fighting his own battles. He should have been able to enforce his will on Snotlout. By coming to his aid you showed the world that you don't think him capable of getting his shit done. Do you think anybody will take him seriously now, that you solved his problem for him? You damaged his image. And yours. But you already know that. Honestly, neither of you knows how to work with people."
The opinion, though not very favorable, was delivered in a serious manner, pretty much without malice or cockiness. It made it easier for Valka to analyze it soberly.
"So you're saying I made my son look bad by standing up for him?" she inquired. "And that by not coming to your daughter's aid, you showed her you treat her like an adult?"
"Yes," said Bloodybee without a hint of doubt. "Ask any adult out there and they'll tell you the same."
Valka had mixed feelings about this. "With all due respect, I doubt our children would agree with you," she voiced her concerns.
Bloodybee shrugged. "I am well aware they wouldn't. They're just kids, they don't know any better."
"And yet you insist they should be treated like they DID know," Valka pointed out. She feared she might come off a little aggressive, but this seemed like a good moment to express herself a little firmer. "Do you honestly think it is in your daughter's best interest if you hold her to the same standards you do the rest of your crew? Wouldn't it be better for her if you cut her some slack? After all, she is still a child."
The Bog Burglar didn't reply instantly. She considered her crippled hand and slowly massaged the stumps. As she did so, she seemed to be thinking, wandering into the deepest nooks oh her mind. And from those depths she returned with a story.
"Many years ago I was sparring with a classmate, a girl much smaller and weaker than myself," she narrated calmly, still massaging her stumps. "All the time I've called her names and bragged about my own superiority. All of a sudden, she made an unexpected turn and took two of my fingers. I'm not sure which one of use was more surprised. At first, it didn't even hurt. I don't think I understood that I was crippled for life. All that mattered was that she made me look bad. I was so pissed I jumped at her, pinned her to the ground, and beat her in blind fury. I didn't notice when she reached out for her dagger and pointed it right at my fist. That cost me another two fingers."
Valka listened attentively, amazed that she was being treated with a tale this personal. Especially from somebody whom she got to know as devoid of feelings and deeper relationships.
Perhaps this confession served as self-imposed penalty for having underestimated Valka before. Or, unlikely as it seemed, the proud captain had to bare her soul to another woman every now and then. And considered Valka appropriate for the purpose, based on criteria the Dragon Whisperer could not determine. Whatever the reason, Bloodybee seemed more human now than she had through the entire day.
Finally, the captain met Valka's eyes. And her face left no doubt that the story she just told cast a shadow on her entire life. And remembering it was not at all pleasant.
"How old do you think I was when that happened, huh? 13. A little older than Avalanche is now. So no, I am not going to cut her some slack. I am going to hold her to the same standards as I do my crew, because I want her to live a long, satisfactory life. Even if she lives all of it hating my guts."
Having hear this, Valka was moved to the core. And knew in her heart of hearts that the woman in front of her was the true Bloodybee. The Bloodybee who compared dragons to ships, who believed that Vikings had to be strong and humble at the same time, who admitted – indirectly as it may have been – that she did care for her family.
She wasn't mistaken before. Behind this cocky demeanor was a heart capable of love.
The conclusion was further supported by the captains wan half-smile and the following question.
"I suppose this makes sense to you, doesn't it? After all, you chose to stay away from your family so that Hiccup had a chance at surviving to adulthood and becoming a proper Viking. You'd rather never see him again than know your influence brought him to his doom. You said so yourself. Why you act so surprised when I do pretty much the same, I have no idea."
Realization spread across Valka's brain.
"Is that what you meant back then?" she asked, astonished. "When you said that I, of all people, should not be asking such questions?"
"Of course," said Bloodybee, looking puzzled. "What else did you think?"
"That you were berating me," admitted Valka. "For criticizing your parenting when I have abandoned my own son."
"You kidding?" frowned Bloodybee. "Why should I be berating you for something I admire you for?"
"Oh, I don't know," scowled Valka. "I just…"
She stopped, overtaken by anxiety. It was happening again. A little confusion, a seed of doubt, and suddenly she found herself on the edge of what could and could not be endured. Instantly she redirected all her energy into calming down, regaining the balance and proceeding with the conversation. She could do this. She could…
But should she?
"I don't understand people," Valka sighed, too tired to keep the defenses up. "I do my best, but it's so darn hard. I know combat, I know dragons, but people make me freeze up. I don't know how to play your games. I get sick of searching for the right words. I'm sick of wondering if I'm being insulted or praised, if my words could be seen as insult or praise, I just cannot stand it. I want to hop on a dragon and get the hell out, to free myself from their judging stares and backstabbing and deriving pleasure from causing harm to others. It makes no sense."
She groaned, shaking her head in exasperation. She hated saying those words. Hated her insecurities. Hated how she always seemed to hurt either herself or her family. And above all, inevitably, hated herself.
"You were right about me," she told Bloodybee. "I may look like a Viking, but I am an outsider. And I doubt that could ever change."
She honestly couldn't tell why she said all this. Maybe because of Bloodybee's earlier confession. Maybe because she no longer cared what kind of impression she made on the captain. Or maybe, quite simply, she needed to let it out. Whatever the reason, the dame was broken. And there was no returning the current from where it came.
Bloodybee considered her words in silence.
"You remind me of Butterbeater," she said finally.
Valka looked at her, startled. "Who?"
"That girl who cut my fingers off," explained Bloodybee. "The girl we all made fun of, since she made it so darn easy. She had the strength and the brains, but not the spirit. Literally everybody could beat her black and blue, and she wouldn't fight back. Even when she did attempt to stand her ground, she'd hesitate to land a serious punch. Pathetic, truly pathetic. Until that story with my fingers, that is," she smiled sheepishly. "Nobody bullied her anymore after that. And guess what? That did not make her happy," she revealed in astonishment. "Quite contrary, it sickened her. It sickened her that she had to cripple a fellow Bog Burglar to earn some respect. That nobody recognized her numerous advantages until she showed how ruthless she could be. She actually told me that," the captain shuddered at the memory. "I didn't understand what her problem was. Why would she question the rules our tribe lives by. Why turn her back on the society now that it was finally willing to accept her. Why make such a big deal of something so normal," she made a face, as if such an attitude annoyed her even now. "I didn't get it. But I wasn't going to let somebody who made me go through living hell get lost in self-pity," she declared, a spark of determination flashing in her eyes. "So I told her to woman the hell up. To make people respect her for who she was. To reach out for what she really wanted, cause Thor himself knew she had the guts to achieve it. Heck, I was even ready to destroy the enemies she makes along the way. The only thing I was not ready to do was to let her potential go to waste," she stated firmly, fired up by the emotions she recalled.
Valka found herself intrigued by the story. "And... what happened then?" she asked.
Bloodybee smiled widely. "We've sworn sisterhood in blood and have been supporting each other ever since."
Valka stared at her in disbelief. The blood brotherhood – or blood sisterhood – was the most sacred bond that could unite two people of the same sex. Blood sisterhood meant limitless loyalty for all eternity. Sworn sisters guided one another in virtue and honor, keeping no secrets from each other and holding each other above anyone else. To take such an oath with somebody you had to trust this person with your life, be willing to lay your head for them. To take such an oath with somebody who crippled you for life was pretty darn impressing.
Meanwhile Bloodybee narrated on. "Butterbeater has since become an acknowledged ship builder. She's the one who made Sparrowhawk and still does all the repairs. Every time I get back from a voyage I visit her and we celebrate. Until Avalanche was old enough to travel with me I've been leaving her with Butterbeater. We're pretty much family. Not bad for the rocky start we had, neh?"
Valka couldn't argue with that. "Indeed it is," she acknowledged, smiling.
Bloodybee beamed at her words. "I see the two of us going the same path," she said smugly. "I'll cover your back when you deal with my tribe, and you will lend me your special talents if I ever need them. Whatcha think?"
Valka couldn't help but smile. She figured they would have arguments and misunderstandings in the future, but it seemed that they were also capable of getting along. For her, that was enough.
"I'd like that very much," she replied, sincerely happy.
Bloodybee clapped her hands. "Splendid! Let us shake hands," she started to extend her hand, but stopped midway, suddenly remembering something. She picked up the bucket she had left on the floor and offered it to Valka. "On second thought, you might want to wash your hands first," she offered, smiling sheepishly.
Valka let out a laugh. Something was telling her that she has managed to make a friend and the two of them were in for a great deal of fun.
AN:
Thus ends Arc 1 of 2. The next chapter - chapter 1 in Arc 2 of 2 - will be called "Earth-shattering development" ^_^