37 A Nice Place To Visit
(but I wouldn't want to die there)
"Well... okay... but you're really not going to like this" Darius sighed as he prepared to give his report.
"Like it or not, we have to know" Kylan insisted.
"Besides that, not knowing would be dangerous" Stoick agreed.
"Alright then... I understand you must have been very cautious when you attacked the border post and crossed into New Loran, but the guards managed to get a runner away when they saw you approach, and that runner made it to a village down the road. The villagers sent a rider to the Garrison Fort eight miles from here and so as we speak, there is a large force of soldiers and cavalry somewhere behind us, on their way here."
"Just as well you turned us around when you did Stoick" Kara noted "or else we would have run straight into them."
"I suggest you take your horse back Kylan, ride up to the front of the column to inform General Thurston that we had better not make any rest stops."
"I agree" she replied as Darius dismounted and returned Kylan's horse to her "and well done Mr. Gershwin."
"Indeed Darius" Stoick nodded "We owe you much for this."
"Really?" the spy was shocked "You're not angry that I brought you bad news?"
"You brought us bad news... that we needed to know" Stoick declared "Why would we be angry?"
"Oh I am going to enjoy working with you" Darius smiled at the confused Viking Chief.
"Err... that's good... I think... but how did you find out all your information anyway?
"Didn't Hiccup and Astrid tell you; I'm very good at what I do."
Stoick did like Darius Gershwin, but he also was beginning to understand why Hiccup had not trusted him at first; there is something a little unsettling about a smugly grinning spy.
"It doesn't matter how many times I see it, I'm still amazed every time I see a dragons powers of recovery."
The battered and bruised Hiccup lent back against the foremast watching Toothless as he bounced around the mid deck, following the exploits of the other dragons as they flew in the distance keeping the enemy at bay.
"Well you may be the Dragon Master, but you still need to take your time" Astrid was firm "That was quite a hit you took... plus you nearly drowned."
"Nothing's gonna happen to me as long as I've got you by my side" the young man declared as he took Astrids hand and pulled her down into his lap.
"Ahem... excuse me" the ship's captain attempted to tactfully interrupt the amorous couple.
"Just a minute" Hiccup mumbled out of the side of his mouth "almost finished."
"Well... when you're ready, Lord Boron requests your presence on his flagship."
"Come on Babe" Astrid pulled away and leapt up "Back to work."
"Work work work; that's all it seems to be these days.
"Oh stop complaining" Astrid huffed as helped Hiccup to his feet... err... foot.
"How did you get Boron's message so fast without a dragon?" Hiccup asked the Captain and was shown two bright flags that were used to send signals from ship to ship.
"That's clever; it's like hand signs that can be seen at a longer distance" Astrid was impressed "I may steal that idea."
Hiccup stumbled a little while walking over towards the railing to get his over excited dragon.
"I think I'd better drive" Astrid declared as she helped support him.
With Stormfly flying along side, Astrid piloted Toothless up to check on the other Dragon Riders first before she took Hiccup over to the flagship.
"How goes it Snotlout?" Hiccup asked.
"Hookfang hasn't got another shot left in him" Snotlout replied "but fortunately the enemy doesn't know that; so all we have to do is fly around threateningly and they'll keep their distance."
"Good work; hopefully they'll be satisfied with the fact that we're retreating. We're headed over to see Boron so keep it up and we'll be back soon."
"Okay... no hurry" Snotlout waved still relishing having his own dragon back.
On the deck of the flagship, the former king of Elydonia smiled broadly as the dragons touched down nearby.
"We were very glad to see you" Boron admitted on their arrival "I don't think we could have held out much longer without help."
"You were just lucky we came across the ground forces when we did" Astrid declared.
"And that Kylan told us you were here" Hiccup added "I assume you know that everyone has already been rescued?"
"Yes, we got the message by signal flag" Boron informed them "but Astrid's presence was also a clue. I wanted to ask if you could stay with us until we are well away from New Loran; I'm sure those ships would attack again if they saw you leave."
"Sure thing; we were only expecting to turn you around. If we'd known you were under attack we'd have brought more dragons" Hiccup admitted.
"Maybe someone should go back and tell your father what happened" Astrid noted "He might send us reinforcements."
"Good idea... but he would be very disappointed to hear you refer to him as 'My father'... and not... Dad."
"It's bad enough when Stoick gets like that... SO DON'T YOU START" Astrid huffed.
"Do you how beautiful you are when you're angry?"
"That explains why you're always PISSING ME OFF!"
"Watch your language Astrid" Hiccup smirked "There are sailors present."
Stoick was worried about the slow pace being made on the long march back to the Elydonian border, and he wished he still had his dragon so he could go and see how far the enemy was behind them.
"What's wrong Chief?" Kylan asked as she returned to the rear of the column.
"Oh... I'm just worried about the slow pace we're making; I wish I still had my dragon so I could go and see how far the enemy is behind us."
"We could always slow them down a bit" Kylan grinned.
Stoick liked the look of the smirk on Kylans face. It reminded him a little of Tuffnuts appetite for destruction, but with intelligence and cunning behind it.
"I don't know what you're planning in that scheming mind of yours... but I'm in."
From their vantage point high in the sky, Fishlegs and Meatlug could see the Elydonian forces marching slowly north from quite a long way off, but it was the smaller group half a mile behind them that drew his attention.
"Mr. Stoick sir!" one of the farmers in Kylans Special Delay Force called out as he threw another huge tree branch on the pile.
Stoick put down his axe and looked up to see what the man was pointing too.
"AHH... FISHLEGS" he declared as the happy Gronckle set down "Did you find the ships?"
"Yes Chief; they were under attack, but we helped drive off the enemy. They're on their way back to Port Yoric now, but Hiccup would like you to send some more Dragon Riders to help with the escort."
"Is it urgent lad; are they in danger?"
"Well... a bit" Fishlegs admitted "the Imperial Navy is keeping its distance for now, but they still outnumber us and the dragons have all reached their shot limit."
"So they'll need a few hours rest" Stoick pondered "I'll send Hiccup a few dragons as soon as they get back from the border, but what about Meatlug; has she got any fire left in her?"
"All I have to do is feed her some rocks, and she'll be hotter than Gobbers forge."
"Good... then give her some of the rocks on the side of the road, and then go and see how far away the troops are?"
"W-what t-troops?" Fishlegs shivered; he'd had quite enough of overwhelming forces for one lifetime.
"There are men and horses on their way here; that's why we've built this bonfire wall, all the way across the road from the forest edge on one side, to the ditch on the other."
"And you want me to take them on... by MYSELF?" the young man's voice cracked.
"No of course not; just find out their number, and how far..."
"STOICK!" Kylan called out as she climbed over the wooden pile "I can hear them in the distance... and they're getting close."
The Viking Chief bent over and picked up a few rocks.
"Alright then Fishlegs; forget all that and just feed your dragon."
As they fed the Meatlug the biggest stones they could find on the side of the road, Kylan called back her men an ordered them to return to the column as fast as their legs would carry them. The sound of horses, wagons and marching boots increased steadily with the passage of time until Kylan declared that she could see the enemy coming over a rise in the road.
"Time to light up the barrier" Stoick decided "Start a few Gronckle lava spot fires along the outside, then grab one of the Elydonians and fly him back to the others."
"Right Chief" Fishlegs nodded; flying off to carry out his orders."
"A horse can carry two as well Stoick" Kylan offered.
"Good; then you grab one of your men as well, and get out of here."
"Don't you want to..." she began.
"I'll stay with the rest of the men... protect their backs during the retreat."
"Of course you will" she smirked "I'll be back."
Stoick hurried along the road as the flames began to rise across the wall of wood. He saw Meatlug fly overhead before she and Fishlegs landed ahead of him to pick up one of the retreating allies. Glancing behind him, the Chief saw the first of the enemy soldiers making their way around the wall of fire; he could see they were finding it difficult to move with any speed across the rough ground and this made him smile. The New Loran force would have to take time to regroup on the northern side of the flaming barrier, putting more space between them and the Elydonians. If they did not regroup, they would not be able to attack as a large force making defence easier; either way Stoick looked at it, the fire wall was doing its job.
"COME ON YOU LOT; PICK UP THE PACE" he shouted at the men running in front of him.
Stoick now regretted sending all the dragons back to the border in one hit. Even though he did not know about the Imperial Force behind him at the time, he was mentally kicking himself for not being more cautious and only sending half at a time. A dragon with two riders is still better than no dragon at all. The allies ran on, desperate to put as much distance between them and their enemy as they could manage, when a new sound filled their ears; it was the sound of galloping horses.
They all looked back to see five cavalrymen had broken away from the main force, and were gaining rapidly on Stoick and his allies. They were too few to take on all of the Elydonian invaders, but they only wanted to chase down the fleeing saboteurs, and it appeared to Stoick that the pursuers just might pull it off.
I am beginning to wonder if I am over using the running gag of making a statement, and then having a character say the exact same thing as dialogue. Then again... who cares; I love doing it ;-D
A short time ago, I had to stop writing while I had some eye ops; fortunately having my teeth done tomorrow won't slow me down much (but I may dribble a bit on the keyboard though).