Chapter 3 - History Lesson
Hiccup stood at the docks and watched as his father bellowed orders to the crew of the 'Peregrine Falcon' and the last items were loaded into its hold. The sun had barely broken the horizon but final preparations were well underway.
He longed to continue the conversation from the previous evening with his father but he knew that now wasn't the time. There would be time enough after they had set sail and were out into the open sea. He sighed, he should really help but he was afraid of getting in the way. Sailing wasn't really his thing. He was happy to man an ore when required but flying was more his style. He turned at the sound of heavy paws bounding up behind him. Toothless wasn't in the best of moods that morning owing to Hiccup waking him early with his bustling around the room. He gave a wide toothless yawn as he reached Hiccup and nuzzled him dozily. Hiccup scratched him between the ears and smiled as Toothless started to purr. Behind Toothless he saw the one other person had wanted to see most that morning, Astrid. He had been afraid of waking her too early to say his goodbyes but he guessed that with her father being on the council she had been woken early like Toothless and had come to see them off.
"Morning Astrid," he said smiling and moving towards her noticing that she was wrapped up in a thick cloak against the chill.
"Morning handsome," she said stifling a yawn.
He wrapped his arms around her waist and their lips met briefly in greeting.
"Well you're still alive so it can't have gone that bad with your father last night," she said sleepily snuggling into his embrace.
Hiccup grimaced.
"Well I wouldn't say that. I really messed up this time Astrid but we talked and I think everything's Ok now," he said recalling the night before.
"See I told you it was just one of those chief vs. father moments," she said smiling and looking up at Hiccup.
He smiled back.
"You were right, as always. You know I don't think we have ever talked like that before. I think he finally understands me and I think I understand him now. Guess that's all we needed to do, talk. Do you know something? He told me last night that when he was my age he spent his time chasing after my mother and after all those lectures he's been giving me about duty and responsibility. I mean I would never do anything like that," Hiccup said indignantly.
Astrid smiled and raised her eyebrows.
"Oh really, so what am I then?"
Hiccups face turned a shade of red and he started to splutter his apologies.
"I didn't mean, well, I did, but I don't mean you Astrid…its different…you and me..."
"Really," she said in sweet innocence.
Hiccup slumped in defeat. He was digging himself deeper and the last thing he wanted to do was fight before they parted.
"Sorry," he apologised.
She pecked him on the cheek.
"That's alright you can make it up to me during the trip," she said enjoying his discomfort.
Hiccup looked at her in confusion.
"During the…what do you mean?"
She smiled at him again.
"Your Dad didn't tell you did he," she said in amusement at his confused look.
"Tell me what?" he said in impatiently.
"I'm coming with you."
"Y…you are," he stammered in disbelief. It was then that he noticed that in addition to the thick cloak she wore there was a bag strapped across her back along with her battle axe and sword.
"How…When…?" He said with a stupid grin crossing his face.
"You Dad came to see me last night. It must have been just before you talked because he was in a bit of a temper. I think he came to see if I was ok after our 'dangerous' flight. Really he needs to get some prospective. We've done way more dangerous things then that and….."
"Astrid," Hiccup said loudly in frustration as she wandered off topic.
"Oh yes, well he seemed to calm down after a bit and then out of the blue he asked if I would accompany you on the trip. I said yes of course straight away."
Hiccups face lit up.
"You're really coming with us," he said happily, embracing her tighter.
"Yep, can't get rid of me that easily Hero," she said putting her arms around his neck and pulling him into a deep kiss.
"Is it to much to ask for you two to give a hand?"
They broke apart quickly and turned to see Gobber clunking his way up the dock side towards them.
"I can see you have your hands full Hiccup but do you think you could free them up long enough to give a hand with the real work," he said indicating to where the final preparation for sail were being made.
"Sorry Gobber, we got carried away," Hiccup said sheepishly.
"That I can see lad, now get on that boat before you get your father in a bad mood again," he said gruffly.
Blanching at the prospect Hiccup gave Astrid a final quick kiss before heading down the docks at a run to join his father on the Falcon.
"Glad you're joining us missy," Gobber said as they both watched Hiccup help to lower the main sail.
Astrid turned to Gobber.
"So am I, and thanks Gobber. I know you helped convince Hiccups father to invite me along," she said.
Gobber shrugged.
"Ah Stoick's not so bad, he's just not very observant about these sorts of things. He's got too much Cheifing to do. I just mentioned that you two would miss each other and that's why you both went out when you shouldn't have. He was the one to suggest you came along."
"Well I'm glad you helped," she said standing up on her toes and planting a kiss on the smiths cheek. Astrid didn't normally show her softer side. That was reserved for Hiccup. After all she did have a reputation to maintain but she was grateful to Gobber for intervening.
"Well get to it missy it's not a pleasure jaunt, there's work to do," Gobber said blushing.
She smiled and ran down to join Hiccup.
It had been several hours since they had left Berk and the progress so far that morning had been steady with a good wind filling the sails. The Falcon was now well ahead of the main fleet, being the fastest boat, but this was part of the plan. The Falcon would make land fall on the island of Thor in two days time to get the tribal gathering underway. The 'Blue Whale', a slower and bulker vessel would take three days to make the trip and would land a day after the Falcon with its precious cargo of offerings. The remainder of the fleet had been divided to act as an honour guard for the Falcon and protection for the Whale.
Hiccup leaned up against the rail and watched as the boat cut through the water, white foam swirling out from its side. He was glad that he didn't get sea sick anymore. When he was younger his father had taken him and the other young members of the tribe on a few fishing trips but Hiccup had embarrassed himself by being violently ill every time. That hadn't helped much with his once reputation as Hiccup the Useless. What sort of Viking got sea sick? Thankfully that was behind him now. Years of flying on Toothless had hardened his stomach and he no longer felt sick from the rolling motion of the boat. It was ironic, even on his first flight on Toothless, which had been far more stomach churning than a simple boat ride, he had never got air sick. Guess that was something else that made him different. He looked up as the wind caught the sail above causing it to give a loud boom. He was glad there was a breeze he really wasn't in the mood to row. Astrid came up beside him.
"You look bored," she said.
Hiccup turned to her.
"No, not really, just caught up in my memories. Do you remember when I used to get sea sick?"
Astrid rolled her eyes.
"Oh yes, I remember. I also remember the clean up," she said and punched him playfully on the arm.
Hiccup rubbed at the spot.
"Ow. Oh yeah I forgot about that," he said sheepishly.
Astrid shivered suddenly and Hiccup realised she wasn't wearing her cloak.
"Come here," he said and wrapped his own cloak around her.
She snuggled back against him.
"Better?" He asked as he buried his face in her hair.
"Better," she breathed.
They looked out over the foaming blue expanse of the sea for a while, enjoying being in each other's arms. They were happily oblivious to anything or anyone around them until a deep cough brought them back to their senses. They started apart and turned to see an amused Stoick standing there.
"Might I borrow my son for a moment Astrid?"
"Oh sorry Chief, of course," Astrid said as she disentangled herself from Hiccups arm and cloak.
"You can have him back when I'm done lass," Stoick said amused.
She smiled and quickly pecked Hiccup on the cheek before going to the far side of the boat to find her own father.
"Sorry son," Stoick said apologetically as he took a place beside Hiccup at the rail.
"That's Ok Dad," he said turning to look at his father.
"Astrid and Gobber told me what you did Dad. I..I just wanted to say thank you."
Stoick smiled and placed a hand on his son's shoulder.
"You're welcome. I was harsh on you yesterday. I forgot what it is like to be young and in love." His eyes grew distant for a while and Hiccup guessed he was thinking about his mother.
"I thought we could continue where we left off yesterday. That is assuming you still want to learn," Stoick said as he came back to himself and looked at Hiccup.
Hiccup nodded.
"Yeah I do."
"Ok well we covered what the 'Time of Offering' is. What would you like to know next?" Stoick asked leaving Hiccup to decide on his educational path.
Hiccup thought for a moment.
"What is the offering? I mean I've seen that we've loaded the Whale with food, drink and furs but why?" He asked.
Stoick took a moment to think through his answer.
"I explained about the need to make an offering. Well the offering has to be something that the tribe consider of value. They have to make a sacrifice of sorts. The greater the sacrifice the more committed a tribe shows itself to be and the more likely they are to gain the gods favour."
Hiccup brought his hand to his chin in thought.
"So it has to be something that the tribe really needs or will miss and we offer up food, drink and furs?" He asked.
Stoick nodded.
"Yes, and can you think why?"
Hiccup resumed his thinking.
"Well Berk isn't the most hospitable of places, it's rocky, cold and the soil is poor. Growing anything is difficult."
Stoick nodded again and let his son continue his line of thought pleased that he understood so fast. Hiccup had always been a quick thinker.
"So for us the most precious thing to the tribe is food and warmth," Hiccup said hoping that he was on the right lines and showing suitable enthusiasm. Stoick smiled, pleased with Hiccups answer.
"Yes that's right. Each year we try to produce more food then we need so that we have sufficient to take to the temple and present as our offering. The other tribes will work on the same lines. If they rely on trade it may be gold or if they live somewhere cold it may be clothing or furs. As long as it is of value to them then it can be presented as an offering. Its hard work but it's better than the alternative," Stoick said but Hiccup saw him hesitate as if he was thinking about something he would rather not say.
"What's the alternative?" Hiccup asked curiously.
Stoick hesitated again but encouraged by Hiccups questions he seemed to come to a decision. Hiccup needed to know. After all this was the history of their tribe however terrible it was. This lesson was important.
"Hiccup in ancient times we weren't always so….civilised. Nowadays when we meet we take part in a harmless game of trying to outdo each other, who can present the finest clothing, the largest hoard of gold, the most food. It has an important purpose but it's a game. The 'Time of Offering' has become a kind of annual festival and many of us have forgotten the real reason as to why we do it this way. Back in the time of our ancestors the meeting of tribes was a bloody affair. We believed that to receive the Gods favour you had to be the only one to make an offering. To gain that honour the tribes would fight each other."
He looked at the dark blue water for a moment. Hiccup waited.
"Each year the tribes would gather on the shores of the Island of Thor and select ten of their best warriors. A great battle would then ensue between these chosen few until only one tribe's warriors remained standing."
"That's terrible," Hiccup said shocked
"Aye, it was. The victorious tribe would win the honour of making their offering, their sacrifice to the gods."
Stoick looked at Hiccup.
"It's one of the reasons we now use the event as a time to cement peace with each other. The time of fighting is still fresh in our tribal memories and although we may have had skirmishes in the past none have been as bloody as the battles fought during the 'Time of Offering'. The consequences of loosing were terrible indeed."
"What consequences?" Hiccup asked in trepidation a little shocked at his own tribe's bloody history.
Stoick suddenly turned and looked directly at his son.
"Rather than present its own offerings the winning tribe would demand each of the defeated tribes give them something of theirs to present as an offering, something they held precious."
"That doesn't seem that bad," Hiccup said thinking that food or clothing was not such a terrible thing to lose after such a defeat.
Stoick looked at his son, a serious and frightening look on his face. Hiccup started to have a horrible feeling of foreboding about where this was going.
"Remember what I said Hiccup, it wasn't like it is today…we weren't so….civilised. These were terrible times, times of blood and blood is a precious thing. The winning tribe wouldn't select material things from the defeated tribes they would select a sacrifice, a human sacrifice."
Hiccup felt his own blood run cold.