Chapter 12 - Always a step ahead
Hiccup was woken from his light doze by the sound of voices outside his door. He rubbed at his eyes sleepily as he sat up. It was now the afternoon of the fifth day of the offering period and the second of his confinement. Since the previous morning he had been receiving a steady stream of visitors and although part of him was glad of the company he was exhausted. There had been little respite in which to rest and gather his thoughts but it seemed selfish to complain. Everyone was well meaning and after all he had been the one to ask Symon to stop by when he could. Camicazi and Thuggory were trying to help him out of friendship and the Elder was a visitor he could hardly refuse. It was just that the constant visits had taken more out of him the he would have realised possible and in a small moment of peace he had made the most of the opportunity to rest, falling asleep. However, it seemed that moment was now past and he was once again about to receive visitors.
Symon, who brought him his meals, seemed enthralled by his adventures and dragon training. Not a meal went by when he hadn't asked Hiccup about one of the stories the Elder had told him. How Hiccup had found the treasure of Hamish the II, how he had dared go to Breakneck Bog. Whilst it had been good to talk Hiccup found the admiration uncomfortable and had to keep reminding Symon that he hadn't done these things alone. It seemed that the Elder had made him out to be some kind of Hero.
The Elder as promised had been to see him as well but her questions leaned towards his relationship with Alvin and Dagur. She wanted to know everything about his encounters with them. He had told her how Alvin had been hunting him ever since he had learned to train dragons and how Dagur had tormented him since they were small children. He had even told her what he knew of their plan to trap him and get the Hooligans thrown out of the alliance. Much of it she already knew or had guessed but it was clear that this confirmation of their evil antics concerned her. However Hiccup couldn't see what she would be able to do about any of it. Both Chiefs had met all the requirements of the temple and despite the terrible act of making Hiccup the Hooligans nominated sacrifice they had still acted within the law. Unless some proof could be presented to the council of their treachery there was no way they could be cast out. He wished he could tell her more but as yet Camicazi and Thuggory had been unable to discover anything further.
Hiccup stood and stretched. If his calculations were correct his father should be arriving on Berk at some point that afternoon. Hopefully by this time the following day he would be able to enjoy the freedom of the complex again and put this whole horrible experience behind him, maybe even start to enjoy the festivities and forget about Alvin and Dagur.
The door to the room opened and he looked around expecting to see Symon, the Elder or even his friends but it was none of these. To his shock he came face to face with Alvin and Dagur who stood there with grins plastered across their faces that made Hiccup feel sick and afraid. He took a step back in alarm.
"H...How did you get in here?" he asked in shock.
Dagur and Alvin looked at each other and smiled.
"Aw..I'ccup I thought you would be glad to see us," Alvin drawled.
"After all Hiccup we are your ticket out of here," Dagur added moving forward.
Hiccup stepped back further but was stopped when the back of his legs met the edge of the table. How had they got past the guards? Surely the Elder had told them not to let these two in.
Keeping a wary eye on the pair he started to edge his way along the table to try and free himself from his trapped position and create some distance between them. As far as he could see neither of them had any visible weapons. They would have had to leave them at the door but that didn't mean they didn't have any concealed about them and both were more than capable of attacking him with their bare hands. Hiccup lacked the hand to hand skills and wouldn't have the strength to fight back directly but he might have the chance to cry out and alert the guards to his plight. He opened his mouth to do just that when Dagur was suddenly upon him, clamping one hand across Hiccups mouth to silence him. He then wrapped his other arm around him to pin Hiccups arms to his side and pull him back against his chest. Hiccup struggled but he knew it was no use. Dagur was older and stronger than him.
"Now, now Hiccup that isn't going to help any of us, don't you want to know why we're here?" Dagur said in his ear.
Hiccup continued to thrash, trying to break free from Dagur's grasp but Alvin's next words made him freeze.
"Don't you want to know why yur Daddy isn't coming back for you I'ccup?" he said softly looking at Hiccup with a look of hateful amusement.
Hiccups eyes widened in alarm at this. What did Alvin mean?
"If you're a good little dragon boy I'll let you go and we'll tell you," Dagur said mockingly.
Against his better judgement Hiccup relaxed in Dagur's arms. What choice did he have? He had to find out what Alvin had meant? Feeling Hiccup relax Dagur loosened his grasp and seeing that Hiccup would offer no further resistance he let him go and slowly moved his hand away from Hiccups mouth.
Hiccup felt vulnerable, trapped with these two in the same room as him, no weapons at his disposal but his need to understand over rode his fear. He clenched his fists and glared at the pair in turn.
"Explain, what did you mean by 'not coming back'? What have you done?" He demanded, feeling more angry now than afraid.
"That's better Hiccup," Dagur said now leaning against the table in a relaxed manner and crossing his arms across his chest.
"What did you mean by not coming back?" Hiccup repeated through clenched teeth.
"Not coming back, as in left you to die, as in bye bye Hiccup," Dagur crowed in his annoyingly high voice.
Alvin chuckled and the sound filled Hiccup with dread.
"You must have realised I'ccup that we would anticipate Stoick running back to Berk. You forget we know about yur dragons, unlike the rest of these pathetic excuses for Vikings that roam this temple," Alvin said with mirth.
"What have you done?" Hiccups asked, unable to keep the anxiety from his voice.
"Let's just say your father will receive a warm welcome home, we've left him a little 'present' when he reaches Berk," Dagur laughed.
"The fact is your father can't help you now I'ccup, yur fate is in our hands. Do you know what awaits you on the seventh day? Do you know how they plan to sacrifice you?" Alvin said drawing closer.
Hiccup said nothing, feeling trapped as Alvin approached and his anxiety grew. Alvin saw that his suspicions were correct. Hiccup knew nothing of what awaited him. His distress amused him and he smiled evilly.
"It's a shame they got rid of the old alters. I would have loved to have seen you bent back over one, struggling. Seeing the fear in yur eyes as they brought the knife down to cut out yur heart but it seems they have another fate lined up for you I'ccup."
Hiccup gripped the table behind him for support as Alvin taunted him, drawing even closer.
"Oh they have something much more interesting. Have you never wondered how offerings are sent to the Gods these days?" Alvin continued enjoying Hiccups obvious unease.
Hiccup was focused so intently on Alvin that he jumped when Dagur leaned close to his ear and whispered the next words that chilled his soul.
"They burn them."
Hiccups eyes widened in fear, his mind reeling.
"Not that it will take long for you to join your mother in Valhalla, you being such a scrawny runt an all," Alvin taunted. So close now that Hiccup could feel his breath on his face.
Hiccup suddenly pushed past them. Swerving around Alvin and dodging away from Dagur's outstretched hand as he made to grab him. Free now Hiccup began to back up towards the far wall, trying to put some distance between them. It couldn't be true. They were just taunting him, trying to scare him in order to get him to agree to join them. His father was going to get back in time. He wasn't going to die like that. It was all a lie.
"There no point denying it Hiccup," Dagur said as he stalked closer to him.
"Your fate has been in our hands since you set foot on this Island. You're life ours to do with as we please. You don't have anywhere else to run now Hiccup. You will join us, and willingly to save your own life."
Dagur looked at Alvin and then turned back to Hiccup.
"You have just two days left Hiccup, what's your answer?"
Hiccup clenched his fists and glared at the pair but before he could give his answer the door crashed open and Symon and a temple guard flew through it looking angry and concerned. Hiccup noticed that it was not one of his normal guards.
"OUT," Symon shouted angrily, his whole body shaking in fury as he pointed to the door.
Dagur and Alvin just nodded at Hiccup and started to step out of the room.
"Don't take too long to think it over Hiccup, you only have two days," Dagur said as they left.
Symon's apologies were many once the two Chiefs had left. It seemed that the temporary guard put on his door was only aware that Hiccup was allowed visitors and not that he was meant to bar access to anyone.
Hiccup accepted the apology absently but his mind was elsewhere. Try as he might he could not just brush Alvin and Dagur's threats and words aside. He was shaken by the encounter and as much as he wished it otherwise he was afraid that their words had been more than just an attempt to taunt and upset him. There might be some truth to what they had said but how much of it was true he didn't know. He needed to find out.
Symon was still muttering apologies when Hiccup held up his hand. Symon immediately fell silent.
"Symon, I need to ask you something," Hiccup said quietly, his voice shaking slightly.
"Of course Hiccup anything," Symon said eagerly, hoping to make amends for the terrible mistake.
"You might not like what I'm about to ask," Hiccup said still quietly as he moved towards his bed.
He took a deep breath to steady his nerves.
"If my father does not come back by the seventh day...how will I be...you know..sacrificed?" Hiccup looked at the young apprentice willing his answer to be different from the one he feared.
Symons face paled.
"Hiccup...I..."
Hiccup collapsed onto his bed and put his head in his hands.
"Tell me," he said simply before looking once more at the apprentice.
The young man's eyes showed a deep sadness and he started to tremble.
"Th...they normally use fire to s...send the offerings to the gods," he said quietly.
Hiccup's heart lurched in fear. It was true, it was all true.
"So...they will... burn me," he said surprised at how calm his voice sounded when he was in so much turmoil inside.
Symon hung his head.
"I don't know...it..it's possible," he said finally.
Hiccup dropped his hands to his knees and hung his head. If this was true then it was also possible that Alvin and Dagur had been telling the truth and found a way to delay his father. What had been done to Berk? Was Astrid ok? A small part of his mind that was fighting to stay rational found it ironic that even though he had just learned terrible news he was still thinking of and concerned for others.
"Hiccup, are you OK?" Symon asked tentatively.
Hiccup said nothing. Feeling it was time to leave Symon made for the door.
"I'll let the Elder know what has happened. I promise that they will not be allowed to get in here again," he said before leaving Hiccup to his dark thoughts and fears.
Many hours had passed since his confrontation with Alvin and Dagur and it was now dark outside. Hiccup hadn't notice, nor did he care. He was in turmoil again, his chest felt tight and he tried to fight the waves of fear and anguish that washed over him as his emotions took hold. It was a battle he was losing fast.
He had tried to push the fear aside, to be brave, to show his friends, tribe and family that he was optimistic and confident that everything would turn out right in the end but here he was, back at square one. This was how he had felt two days ago when Dagur had pointed at him and demanded that his father sacrifice his life for the good of the tribe. This was how he had felt when he had seen the look of grief on his father's face when he had learned that an appeal had been unsuccessful. Right from that moment his fate had been sealed however hard he had tried to convince himself otherwise.
He longed for someone to wrap their arms around him, tell him it would be Ok and for the first time in many years he found himself thinking of his mother. He had few memories of her but he knew she had always been there for him. He wished he could once more feel her gentle embrace. Hear her soft comforting words.
'Help me mom, please help me,' he pleaded silently wishing in his heart for her to hear his pleas of anguish and help him in some way even though he knew it was hopeless.
He curled up on the bed and began to sob in despair, the battle finally lost. His chances of rescue were now slim and he could deny it no longer, he was alone and terrified of what awaited him. Many hours later when he had cried his fill, Hiccup fell into a fitful slumber exhausted and drained not knowing what the next few days would bring.
Many miles away, out at sea Astrid lurched to a sitting position, her hand flying to her chest. She had been woken by a sharp stabbing pain and she clenched her fist over her heart. Something was wrong, terribly wrong.
Staggering to her feet she looked around the deck of the Falcon, trying to identify the source of her concern but all was calm. It was well past midnight now and approaching the dawn of their third day at sea, the sixth day of the offering period. The storm and fog had delayed them badly and they were nearly a full day behind schedule. There was still time to reach Berk and return to the temple before the end of the seventh day but it was cutting it closer than they would have liked.
She looked around and took in the familiar landmarks of the sea stacks they used to train and race around on their dragons. They were nearly home. However this knowledge did not alleviate the deep feeling of anguish and pain she had felt in her soul. She didn't know how but she was sure that it was because of Hiccup. He was in pain, emotional or physical? She didn't know which, she just knew at that moment she had felt his turmoil in her heart as though it were her own.
Suddenly there was a sharp cry of alarm from the lookout and the crew began to rush towards the rail, she ran to join them. As the Falcon came round the northern headland the sky took on a deep orange glow and the air became thick with smoke and the smell of burning. Astrid found that she was holding her breath in fear as they neared the village. There were cries of anguish and outrage from those around her and she let out an anguished moan of her own at what she saw. The village showed the evident signs of recent attack and some of its buildings were still burning. How long ago the attack had taken place she couldn't say but the devastation was evident. Alvin and Dagur had been a step ahead of them once again and had made their final move.