Chapter 12 - What Happens Here:
Hiccup did not want to risk his identity and goals to be spilled.
"Nope. That's the silliest thing I've ever heard of." He joked back at the guy.
"Right?" Acknowledged the guy.
Hiccup stood up painfully, and walked around the cell. The cell only had a gravel ground and nothing else.
"No toilets… I assume we just go in the cell?" He whispered to the guy.
He nodded. "Disgusting I know, but yes."
"Ugh." He mumbled. He could smell the stink of it from other people's cells.
Hiccup relieved himself, then sat down and began dabbing his wounds again. He gave a look outside his cell, the cell on his opposite side was empty. But the other had the guy in it.
"I'm Alrik. I'm twenty three years old and spent two of them in here I'm pretty sure."
Hiccup turned and looked at him. "I'm Hiccup. I'm fifteen years of age, not far off sixteen and I got here yesterday. Nice to meet you."
From what he could see of Alrik, he had very light blonde hair. His eyes were blue, and he had a small nose.
He was very thin. Hiccup wasn't sure if he was tall because he was sitting down against the bars with a large cloth on his back.
"Likewise." He responded, nodding. "Hiccup?" He added, smiling to himself. "Like that's actually your name? As in its spelt like Hiccup as if you have a hiccough in your throat?" Alrik chatted on.
"Thank you, for summing that up." Hiccup deadpanned, giving him a blank look.
Alrik laughed. "Sorry, just haven't heard of such a name."
Hiccup had enough dabbing of his wounds as it stung too much, and put the cloth down. He looked at Alrik and asked, "If you've been here for two years, can you tell me as much as you can about this place?"
Alrik looked at him, surprised. "You don't know about this place?"
"I don't know much, that's why I'm asking."
Alrik faced him and drew in a long breath.
"All right, generally newcomers stay in their cells for the first week since they arrive here. The guards come once in the morning and evening every day to give out a pitiful amount of yucky food and water to all prisoners."
"After half an hour since they gave you the meal, they come back and take the cups that had the water and the plates which have the food. The food is usually dragon, because it's the cheapest and in the largest supply. I was involved in some forest clearing a few days ago, and while I was carrying some wood I passed the prison for the dragons."
"They have lots of them, so that's why I assume they are the cheapest."
"Anyway, for the first week they keep you in the cells, then if you're willing, fit enough and well behaved, they ask you to go to the slave office for selection. Which is a big building at the entrance and exit of this prison. Also all the food exports go out through it."
"They line you and other prisoners up, for the myrkian Vikings, including residents, some soldiers and guards for us to become a slave for their use."
"If you get picked, you have to do exactly what your master says at all times without question. We are free of charge to them."
"If you don't get picked, you're thrown back here. If you disobey any order, misbehave or commit a crime, the minimal punishment is ten whip lashes and two weeks back here."
Hiccup listened intently, taking in every word.
"Why are you in here then if you were in the forest a few days ago?" Hiccup asked.
The guy sighed, and scratched his forehead. "I reached a breaking point at one stage when my master asked me to carry far more than I could possibly carry. I tried to pick up the wood he told me to, but it was too heavy. He rambled on about threatening me that I was committing a crime, so I had enough of him and I kicked him in his crotch."
Hiccup drew a smile, his first since he got here. "Good on you."
The guy smiled too. "I got twenty lashes and four weeks in here starting from yesterday. Brand gave me a cloth too, but I can't stand. I haven't even moved since yesterday. But it was worth it."
Hiccup hissed as he dabbed his wounds, "I'm so sorry man. That must be so painful. I can't imagine. I only had seven whips."
"You've had seven and you can move that much? Wow you've got some strength dude." Awed Alrik.
"Thanks…" Hiccup muttered.
"Well, I might try and get some sleep, if it's possible," said Hiccup, now lying down on his stomach and placing the cloth on his back wounds. He rested his cheek on the ground and faced towards Alrik.
"Yeah. Night Hiccup." Alrik murmured. Closing his eyes and staying in the same position.
"Night Alrik."
It took a fair while before sleep came for Hiccup, the gravel and dirt certainly wasn't a bed or comfortable in any way.
His thoughts as he lay there went to Toothless. Hoping that he was all right. Oh how Hiccup would apologise so much if- no… when, he saw him again.
It was all my fault, I shouldn't have told Toothless to fly over again. We should have just stayed in Dyflin for longer, he was so right.
I'm sorry bud.
I know you're alive. I just sense it. I promise you bud, I will not let you die.
I will find you, and get us out of here even if it's on my last breath.
Waking up in the morning was easier than he had ever remembered. Not having any shade or comfort, the sun as well as the stinging cuts in his back and even the dirt sanding against his face and chest resulted in a speedy wake up.
"Get up bro! Get up! They'll be here any minute!"
Hiccup sat up far faster than he should have in response to the urgency of Alrik's voice. His wounds giving an excruciating crack of pain searing into his back and he muffled a wincing cry with his hand.
The cloth on his back fell to the ground, and it had dried out now. Hiccup much more slowly sat up and crossed his legs.
"Who'll be here an-" Hiccup began but was interrupted.
"The guards! They hand out food remember? Like I said! Now shh! Talking in the daytime to another prisoner is a crime!" Alrik whispered rather quickly.
Hiccup looked at him and saw that he had not moved once since the previous night. He was still sitting in the same position with his back against the bars and the cloth in-between.
He looked around and sure enough, guards with the same uniform that he saw yesterday started walking into the prison cells area with plates and cups.
The auburn haired teenager wasn't actually hungry, his last big meal was back on Dyflin, and after that the fish that Toothless caught him this time for breakfast yesterday morning.
But he figured he should eat. He had no idea how long he could be here for and if the meals are small, best to eat as much as possible.
The smells of the food wafted into his nose. It didn't smell particularly nice, as a matter of fact it smelt awful. It nearly made him sick. Strange, that scent seemed rather familiar to Hiccup…
Then, as the cage door was unlocked by a guard and the food and water were placed on the ground, he realised why it smelt familiar.
Alrik did say last night the food was dragon.
Hiccup looked at the food in disgust, it was a slab of dragon meat. The skin was rather red and the whole size of the meat was only about the size of his hand.
The fifteen year old teen wasn't certain, but pretty sure the skin matched a Monstrous Nightmare. He peeked up and looked over to Alrik, of whom the guard delivered the meal and put it next to him.
He was devouring the food. He looked up at one point and mouthed, 'ugh,' then he looked at Hiccups plate and saw it hadn't been eaten.
Alrik nodded towards his own plate and pointed at it, mouthing 'eat it, or worse.'
Hiccup looked at the meat, and picked it up with his hands. Nearly shaking with fear and disgust.
What would Toothless think? What would any dragon think of me eating this?
Hiccup made up his mind. He refused to eat it. He isn't hungry and he will not eat dragon.
He put the slab of meat back onto his plate.
Then he took the cup of water and drained it down his throat.
Hiccup chanced a glance at Alrik, who pointed at the plate with a worried look on his face. Mouthing 'eat it!' He shook his head in response, determined.
Within about twenty minutes, the guards came back and started collecting their plates and cups.
A particularly young looking guard in his high-twenties at least, in the normal long-sleeved uniform but looking very muscly and intimidating waltzed up to Hiccups cell, unlocked the door and looked at the plate.
"Not hungry kid?"
Hiccup shook his head.
The guard lent down and picked up his plate and cup. Then stood up.
"Then I suppose you won't need to eat for the next few days. Seeing that you're not hungry."
Hiccup didn't respond.
The guard kicked some gravel at him.
"Answer me kid!" He yelled.
"You didn't ask me a question." Replied Hiccup, stating the facts. He heard a sharp gasp intake of breath from Alrik in the nearby cell.
The guard smiled. "Aye, I didn't. Well I shall ask you one then. Would you prefer to have no food at all till you die in this cell, or would you like to have the standard dragon we give out?"
Hiccup looked right up into his face, showing no expression. "Neither."
The guard gave a cruel chuckle. "All right, no food for three days it is."
With that, the guard stepped out and locked the cell before he left to join the other guards.
The day passed slowly and painfully. The worst thing about the day was the sun. It shone very brightly onto him, burning his body. By the time it was evening and things were starting to cool down, his body was a bright pinkish red.
Twice during the day, the medic Brand who was in chains, delivered wet rags and took the old ones back to wherever he went. Either some medical place or maybe even the medic cell.
His wounds were healing, but it was taking time. He was sure those scars would stay for many months if not years.
Hiccup had chosen not to look at or talk to Alrik all day, as the guards patrolling around the cells kept looking for someone to do something wrong.
As it was approaching evening, the guards started filing out again from the gates. Each with identical plates and cups of food as earlier this day. Hiccup sat down in the cell as they approached.
The same guard that came earlier on once again came to Hiccup's cell. Only holding a cup.
He said nothing and didn't even look at Hiccup when he placed it onto the ground. He turned around and left.
Hiccup stood up and walked over to the cup of water and drank it. Then walked back to his original spot and sat down.
He glanced at Alrik, who was eating his food. He looked at Hiccup a few times, with worried looks.
As Hiccup sat there, waiting for the guards to come back, he began drawing in the gravel. Just random circles and shapes with his fingers, before he started going more elaborate. He ended up drawing the twin mountains to east of Myrka. Eventually he even drew Toothless.
That great toothless expression of his always brought a smile to him. His other characteristics too, like his floppy ears. Thinking on that thought he wasn't sure how many ears Toothless actually had.
Then there were his eyes, those large magnificent acidic green eyes of his. Showing so much intelligence and emotion.
Getting distracted, he began to hear footsteps. He looked up and saw the uniformed guards returning to collect the stuff.
Hiccup wiped out the drawings in the gravel and waited expectantly for the guard to return.
He unlocked Hiccup's cell, and picked up the empty cup.
"Thirsty but not hungry." Stated the guard, smiling at him.
Hiccup nodded. Expressionless.
"See you tomorrow kid."
With that, the guard left and locked the cage again.
As the evening passed, Alrik was fidgeting constantly with the gravel, drawing and then wiping out things.
As it gradually fell into night time, Alrik began making scraping noises in the gravel now, obviously desperate to talk to him.
Having a quick glance around, keeping his ears listening and his eyes open, there was no sign of any guard around.
"It's all right Alrik." Hiccup whispered, just in case. Looking at him.
Alrik snapped his head up to look at him.
"You are either brave and determined, or very stupid."
Hiccup laughed.
Alrik however, looked quite serious.
"Hiccup, you may not approve of eating dragon, but you're gonna get real sick if you don't eat. Prisoners are only given dragon, you won't get anything else."
Hiccup sighed. Realising he was right. He would have to eat soon.
"Okay." He gave in.
There was a silence for quite a while. Hiccup began thinking about what he saw when he was flying over Myrka on Toothless.
He remembered he had seen a massive arena like stadium. He wondered what that was used for, if it was used at all.
"Hey Alrik, is there anything else you can tell me about Myrka?"
"There's a little more I can say, yes. Actually I should have mentioned it before. You probably don't know, but there's an arena towards the north of the markets. But just before the castle."
"It's the fighting arena. Myrkians often gather into the arena to watch prisoners fight soldiers. It's done to see who the best fighter is and the soldiers always win. I guess Myrka's army gets bored of waiting for some tribe to attack. They also get sick of patrolling the castle and markets I suppose. So they practice their sword fighting on prisoners."
"Only selected prisoners can go. That means when selection day comes at the end of the week, which is four days from now, prisoners that are selected to become slaves are eligible to go. Your master will decide if you're going. Generally you won't have a choice if you're told to go or not."
"They usually do it one at a time. The prisoners almost always lose of course because they are not allowed to harm the soldier. The soldier can harm but not kill the prisoner. If one person disarms the other and is in a winning position, meaning the one on the ground is defenceless and can be killed, the person holding the other at his mercy wins."
"I do not know what happens to the prisoner if he or she wins. I think the old prisoner who works with Brand in the medical cell said that he has known one person who did win. But he said he never saw the person again after whosoever won." Alrik finished.
"Interesting…" Hiccup spoke, taking it all in again.
Alrik looked at him.
"You're not considering going into that, are you?"
Hiccup smiled. "Maybe. But listen Alrik, I've got one more question to ask you."
"Go ahead."
"Do you know anyone called Kormak?"
Alrik tilted his head and brought his hand up to his chin as if in deep thought.
"The name sounds familiar, but I don't know who it is. Why do you ask? Is he a friend?"
Hiccup nodded. "Something of that sort hopefully, yeah."
The twenty-three year old looked at him confusedly. "Hopefully something of that sort? What in Thor's name do you mean?"
"Never mind. It doesn't matter. Just let me know if you find out anything about him."
Alrik gave him a suspicious look. "Where are you from? You seem different than everyone I've met."
Oh no. Keep it together Hiccup. Don't spill your identity and goals here.
Hiccup waved a hand in the air, dismissing it. "Don't worry about it."
"No! Why have you asked so many questions? You sound as if you almost want to be here. Are you a spy or something trying to find out how things work?" When Alrik said that, he actually looked excitedly hopeful. He obviously would like the idea of Myrka being overthrown.
Who wouldn't? Hiccup thought.
Far away from the prison cells, in a hidden underground cavern connected to the arena, the dragon of the night lay awake.
Strapped in chains, muzzled and only able to breathe through his nose, he was deep in thought.
All thoughts of his pain he was and still is going through, the lashes from the whips, and most of all, the destruction of one of his tailfins which was sawed off his tail, were gone.
He had more important things to think about. The restoration of his flight would have to come later.
He had seen it. Since the first time he had laid eyes on it, he knew exactly what it was. He would recognise it anywhere.
This is going to be tough. Thought Toothless.
I know uniting the Six is our mission. But this is totally unexpected. I see what Gothi said had a deeper meaning that I had anticipated.
I remember Hiccup saying that Gothi said to "gather and unite the Six." So, that must mean what I think it means. Great ice of Bewilderbeast, this will be hard. But with Hiccup's help it'll be a little easier.
What Toothless was thinking about is something that will be of great importance to Hiccup and himself.
The manager of the Viking battles in the arena, and also the manager of the weapon making forge, is a young woman.
Toothless was introduced to her when the soldiers discovered his extraordinary fire power. And what it can do to help forge weapons. The soldiers wanted their weapons to be welded from the Night Furies fire.
But the thing about her that had kept Toothless thinking for hours, was a symbol on her arm.
It was a dragon mark. And not just any dragon mark. It was the mark of the Night species rival.