Chapter Seventeen: A town, a map and a plan
Since he'd taken his first flight on Toothless' tail, flying had felt like the most natural to Hiccup in the world.
Now was no exception.
They soared high above the clouds through the evening air.
Now, that they were leaving the loneliness of Durgonheim behind them and flew towards more populated places, Loki had advised them to travel by night and rest at day.
The three of them had departed the same day Hiccup had woken up after the attack. Loki was needed in the heavens, fighting the first fingers of darkness that crept into the worlds and Hiccup had to continue his travel.
The wound on his arm wasn't bad but it would leave a scar. It still hurt but it was on his right arm and Hiccup was left-handed, so it was no big deal.
After they had crossed Durgonheim, they had landed at the sea. It was completely different from the coasts Hiccup was used to.
He only knew rocky coasts, stony beaches and sharp cliffs.
These coasts where sandy; soft white sand, covered with palm trees Hiccup had read about and the sea gleamed in a turquoise he didn't know.
Where they landed, not far away, was a town. Not too big not too small. It was surrounded by a stone wall and had a little harbor.
Fishing boats sailed in and out, fishermen talked in foraging languages Hiccup could understand all of, children were playing in the sand or swan in the sea.
Fish dried in the hot sun and the bright white stone hurt in Hiccups eyes as he emerged from the woods.
Since it was the first time in nearly two or three month that he talked to humans, he had bathed and dressed in his best pair of black leggings, a dark brown tunic with a matching belt and a black fur waistcoat.
He'd put on both boots to hide his fake leg. It would just raise questions. Since he'd seen a lot of men armed, he carried his daggers along but he didn't dare to take his sword.
Toothless wasn't happy about Hiccup going on his own but Hiccup was running low on food and he needed a few other things.
Beyond that he missed human interaction. Sure he had Loki but please, it wasn't the same.
And Toothless, even though he could understand the dragon just perfectly, was no replacement.
And Hiccup was still a human.
Confident he made his way into town. It was a mess like he'd never seen it before. The houses were colorful, flowers bloomed everywhere, the people were wearing very bright and colorful cloth, there was loud talking and laughing and Hiccup couldn't help but smile.
He followed the flow of people towards a marketplace.
There he traded a few things he had spare for a bit of food, bandages and some nice Icelandic cod for Toothless.
Then he asked an old tailor where exactly he was. She smiled at him with only half of her teeth left and asked: "You're not form here?" After his encounter with the wild Durgonheimers a few days before, Hiccup was careful what to say.
"I'm from the west. But I couldn't stay in my village, so I decided to travel a bit. But I have no clue about the world." The seamstress laughed again. "Well my boy, you are in the beautiful town of Kerala (AN: It's a place in India my father once went. I thought it was fitting. By the way, I'm gonna use more of those names along the story. Any similarities to real life are just coincident.). We are not many but we manage to life good."
Hiccup hesitated to ask the next question.
"What is the easiest way to get to Derandolia?" "Oh, that would be of course by ship. Unless you can fly." She laughed at her own joke and Hiccup forced himself to do the same. If she knew…
"Yeah. But I mean which direction from here?" She shook her head. "I'm sorry my boy. That, you will have to ask the sailors. Go to the harbor. Ask for a guy named Will. They will know who you mean. He's someone who traveled every bit of this world. I'm sure he will help you." Hiccup smiled. "Thank you very much." "No problem. You seem like a nice young man. I hope you will find somewhere nice to live." He smiled too but again it was forced. "Yeah, me too. Thanks again and good luck. May the gods bless you." She smiled and said: "May they keep you safe." "They try their best."
Hiccup could have punched himself. He didn't want to say that out loud.
But the old Lady ignored it. "Good luck." He nodded and walked away.
The old lady was right. He asked the first sailor, a guy in his early thirties, where to find a guy named Will and he pointed at an old cabin on the landing base and said something about: "Curing his hangover." Hiccup thanked him and walked over to the cabin.
It was nothing special, two broken windows, a door that didn't close fully and a narrow roof.
Hiccup opened the door carefully and stepped inside.
Inside it was gloomy and smelled bad.
Loud snoring welcomed him and when Hiccups eyes adjusted to the dim light he saw that the cabin only had a small bed in one corner, a fire pit in the middle and a table with a broken chair in it.
In said bed laid a men and was snoring so loud, it challenged Toothless' snoring.
He was tall, his feet reached over the end of the bed. His skin was flayed by sun and wind, his hands and arms were scarred, his hair turned grey around the temples but otherwise it was black. He had a big nose that looked like it was often broken. His chin was wide and the forehead flat. He ears were very big and he had a small beard. He was still fully dressed in shaggy trousers, a ripped open shirt over another one, and a belt with a knife in it and a hat was still on his head. The only thing he wasn't wearing were his muddy boots that stood next to the bed.
Hiccup slowly walked around the fire pit and stopped in front of the men.
He carful pocked his arm and asked: "Mister Will?" No respond. Instead the giant turned around and continued snoring. Doing that he lost his hat and it fell next to Hiccup.
"Mister Will." Again Hiccup pocked the man in the arm. Harder this time. Still no respond. Hiccup started to shake his shoulder. "Mister Will! Wake up!"
Gods, it was easier to wake Gobber the morning after a drinking contest the evening before.
Hiccup looked around. There was a bucket with water standing in one corner. He shrugged. Will didn't leave him other options.
With pep he poured the water over the sleeping sailor.
The effect was almost imminently. Will, whatever-his-last-name-was, shot up like a cannonball looking franticly around, his knife in hand.
Hiccup jumped back and raise the hands.
"Woo-ha, calm down! I come in peace!" he yelled.
Wills grey eyes found him and narrowed down in anger. "Kid! Seriously! You don't wake someone by pouring water over them! Do you want them to die from shock? Get out!" he yelled and jumped out of the bed. He was even taller than Hiccup had assumed. He couldn't stand straight in the cabin. "Well, you didn't leave me a chance, you were that fast asleep." "Still. And now get out!"
The sailor grabbed a dry part of the bed sheet and started to dry himself. When he realized Hiccup was still there he stopped and growled: "Didn't you hear me, get out." "No."
"Fine. So what was so important that you had to wake me at this early god's forsaken hour?" Hiccup raised an eyebrow. "It's like late noon." "Exactly! Still early! Is that all? Then get out."
The man walked past Hiccup to a big chest he hadn't noticed until now and opened it, searched a bit and emerged with a glass bottle filled with a see-through liquid. But the way Will swallowed it, Hiccup had trouble believing that it was water.
"My name is Hiccup sir and I…" "I didn't ask for your name, I wanted to know what you want." Hiccup tried to stay calm. "And leave the 'sir' it's Will."
Hiccup tried a smile. "Will" he started "I need to know what's the best way to get to Derandolia. I was told that you have experience in traveling. Can you help me?"
Will eyed him a moment, in one hand he had the alcohol, in the other he was still holding his knife.
"Derandolia? What does a dwarf like you want there?" "That's my business." Will just raised an eyebrow and took another sip from his bottle.
"Do you have a boat?" "Yes." Hiccup lied. "Do you have a compass?" "Yes." "A map?" "Yes." "Then you don't need my help. No get lost."
Hiccup counted to ten.
"Yes I do need your help. I'm not experienced enough and my map isn't very accurate." Will turned around to him. "And what do you want me to do dwarf? Sail you there myself?" "My name is Hiccup. And no. I just want some advice." Will sighed. "If I give you an advice, will you go and let me sleep?" "Yes." "Okay. Then listen up. Never bet all your money in a poker game, never sleep with the same person, shave yourself and get the hell out of my house." "Believe me, there is nothing I would love to do more. But not until you give me a decent advice." Will groaned. "Stubborn as a donkey." He cursed. Well, my parents were Vikings, Hiccup thought but didn't say it out loud.
He folded his arms and waited. "Fine." Will barked and searched his box again.
He seemed to find what he was looking for and smacked another map on the table.
It was different then Hiccups. Hiccup's was one that showed ever part of the world. This one was all about the southern sea and it's benchmark was lower. It showed the coast of Durgonheim and the wide sea of the south and all the islands and the mainland of the other nations.
Will marked a point in Durgonheim. "Here's Kerala. From here you sail over to this island. It's called 'Terra Mater'. Be careful this time of the year the riptides are bad an there are some nasty currents all around the islands." He drew a line to a heart-shaped island. "From here you have to sail around these islands" He drew wiggly lines around four islands. "Make sure you land on the right island. The others are inhabited by some dangerous animals and cannibals. Believe me; you don't want to meet those." "Yeah, I know." Hiccup muttered under his breath. "What was that punk?" "I said thanks for the advice." "Good. They're called 'Horrible-Death-Lands'. The island you are supposing to land is called 'I-just-made-it-out-alive'. Next comes a big piece. To 'Slim Finger'. But the water here mostly is very still. You only have to look out for pirates. They sometimes cross into these waters." He drew another long line between the fifth island and a long slim one. "From here it's only a matter of time until Derandolia come in sight. If you make until here, you will be good. If you don't, well, that sucks for you." He rolled the map together, shoved into Hiccups arm, grabbed him be the scruff of his neck and threw him out onto the landing base. "And now get lost and let me sleep." With theses charming parting words Will slammed the door shut. Hiccup pulled a face, got up, dusted himself of and walked back to where Toothless was awaiting him. But he couldn't help smiling smugly.
"Derandolia, here I come."
Hey Guys, I have a few questions!
First: How do you like Will?
Second: Should I make that Toothless and Hiccup can actually understand and talk to each other?
Third: How do you like it so far?
And, if that's not clear jet: I'm sorry for any mistakes and so on but English isn't my mother language. Sorry.
And thanks for the reviews! Please keep on! If you do, I do!