Chapter Sixty-Six: The kindness of strangers
At the entrance of the camp they were greeted with spears hold up under their noses. The man in the lead; maybe in his mid-forties with dark brown skin, short black hair and piercing black eyes, wearing a wide dark-blue trousers and a long-sleeved shirt with a black belt tightly wrapped around his waist at which two very long slightly curved swords, named sabers, hung, stepped for and with his spear only inches from Hiccups nose-tip away he growled: "Don't take another step."
They stopped.
Next to him, Toothless growled, eyes fixed on the shaft of the spear. Hiccup knew the dragon was about to jump at the man, but if that happened all chances for peaceful talking would be gone.
To his surprise it was the old woman that spoke up.
"Oh for goodness sake Garret let them through. Can't you see that they are ready to drop on the spot with exhaustion?"
Garret scowled. "They brought it here!" "It chased them here! They had no choice." Garrets fists were clenched around the shaft of the spear. "We just lost it!" he shouted and Hiccup heard a slightly desperate tone hidden deep beneath the anger.
"The old woman's face softened. "We'll never fully lose it. Can you lose your shadow? No? Well, it's the same with the beast."
Defeated Garret motioned to lower for everybody to lower their weapons.
"Help them." He muttered before fixing his gaze for the first time really on them.
He stared Hiccup in the eyes for a second.
Then he looked at Toothless, who hadn't stopped growling yet.
"Tell your beast to be quiet. And if they eat any of our goats and sheep we will eat them. Understood?" Hiccup nodded. "Understood, thank you."
Garret stopped for a second in his tracks and glanced back at Hiccup, nodded slightly and turned around.
While walking away he asked: "Will your barrier hold witch? Will she seal us away from the beasts glowing gaze?" The old woman sighed. "For now she will."
They were let through the many rows of tents, along barns full animals, bonfires and working places.
A lot of people got out of their tents to see what the trouble was about. The women were dressed in brightly colored growls with embroideries all over them. Pink, red, purple, yellow, bright green, orange, everything really. Many had shawls wrapped round their head as a protection against the sun. Some covered their entire face and only left out the eyes, some only draped them nicely around their head and shoulders.
The men were dressed more darkly in dark blue and black and deep purples sometimes. They were the only ones armed and seemed to be in charge.
They all had dark brown skin and black hair though some wore it long, even the men. Some had braided them or decorated it with feathers and pearls.
The men that helped them let them into a huge dark green tent with dried herbs hanging outside.
Inside it was pleasantly cool and dark which was bliss to Hiccups eyes after all the brightness.
He was forced to sit down and a water-skin was hold to his lips. Greedily he drunk as much of the life-saving liquid as he could.
"Not so fast young friend, you'll make yourself sick." Someone said with a chuckle and took the water-skin from him.
Hiccup opened his eyes (he hadn't realized he'd closed them) and looked at the man who knelt in front of him. He was probably in his late twenties and looked a lot like the other men here but instead of a saber he carried a medical kit with him over his shoulder.
"My name is Torren. I'm the healers apprentice and you are a serve case of dehydration, malnutrition and exhaustion. You need a proper meal, lots and lots to drink and a good night's sleep, don't you agree?" Hiccup shook his head. "Not yet. Where is Kate?" "The girl that came earlier on the back of the black beast?" "Yes!" "My sister's with her. She too is an apprentice to our healer." "I need to see her." He intended to get up but Torren pushed him back down.
"Not yet. She's in dire need of help and you will only be in the way. Rest, you can see her tomorrow." "I don't think I can."
Torren pulled a small veil from his medical-kit and handed it to him. "This is a simple sleeping draught. It'll help."
Hiccup eyes it warily. "No offence but it's not like I know any of you and I really don't fancy waking up with a slit throat." Torren smiled. "I understand. But be assured, none of us is that much of a coward to kill someone in his sleep." He assured him smiling slightly.
"What about my other friends?" Hiccup asked.
"They'll be giving the same treatment. You all rest and get your strength back and tomorrow we'll chat about what has driven you to come here of all places."
Hiccup knew it was the best and right thing to do. And Torren was right; he could barely keep his eyes open.
"We really have nothing to fear?" he asked silently. "I'll make sure you don't have to." Hiccup stared a few second into his eyes, expecting to see a lie or at least not the whole truth. But nothing. Torren calmly returned his gaze. Hiccup nodded. "Thank you." And then uncorked the bottle and drowned the potion. It tasted horrible but he imminently felt the drowsiness spread through him, clouding his mid with soft mist. "Just doing my duty as healer." Torren said as he helped Hiccup lay down on a cot made from furs. Hiccup shook his head. "No, at least not just. Believe me; I've often been in the situation to be somewhere new and not welcome. This is by far the friendliest welcome I've ever had." "They held spears into your faces." "Could have been worse, you could have tried to eat us..." he mumbled as he felt himself slip away from the world of the awake.
"You're one strange kid." Torren said smilingly and covered him with a blanket. Hiccup only managed a wordless mutter before he was asleep.
…...
First his dreams were filled to the brim with sand. And it was hot and he was thirsty and Darkness's words echoed through his head. "Don't thank me yet…"
When he thought he would drown in the hot sand he felt as if a hole opened underneath his feet and swallowed him whole.
He landed in a heap on hard cold stone.
When he looked up he was sitting in a destroyed street of some giant city.
It didn't take him look to figure out which city.
Loki and Thor were walking through the ruble and debris.
Both looked tired and exhausted.
Still they were arguing.
"You can't. Face it Loki." Thor snapped at his little brother.
"I promised you dickhead." Loki snapped back and kicked against a boulder the size of a horse. It went flying through the air and in some distance you could only hear the crash of it, when it came down again.
Thor snorted.
"I really don't see what you like about humans."
"That's because you never met one properly. All you care about is that they give you offerings every now and then." Loki growled.
Thor shrugged. "What's wrong with that? Loki, listen to yourself! We're not met to interfere with human kind so much. It's the reason of these wars. Everyone is supposed to stay on his side of the universe."
Loki shook his head. "I don't believe that."
Thor groaned. "Oh please, not again." He sighed.
He stopped and grabbed Loki by the shoulders, forcing him to look at him.
"If that human is what we believe he is, then he doesn't need us. Your place is here with us." Loki looked angry but sad at the same time.
He freed himself from Thor's iron-grip.
"I belong where I'm needed. By doing nothing and letting things unfold by themselves we cannot guide them!" he said. "Isn't that what you wanted, when you begged father to not kill the boy? You said that if we tried to take over the control we would not be able to save anyone. You said it was fates will to let things happen the way they are supposed to happen." "Maybe. But that doesn't mean that I'll just abandon them."
Thor now looked angry. "See, that's the problem with humans. You grow attached to them, you start to care for them and that's a weakness." "It's a weakness to care for those I love? If it was, I wouldn't keep your back free during all these battles, brother." The last word he spat out.
Thor groaned and rubbed his face.
"No, I didn't mean it like that. But Loki, humans get hurt and die, that's the way of their world. You cannot protect them from everything and that is why you can't and won't go!" "I promised I'll be there more." "And yet he managed perfectly without any of us." Loki clenched his fists.
"I don't want to break that promise." "You'll have to." Thor growled and strode away, leaving Loki standing alone in the destroyed street of Asgard.
"The forces of Darkness are marching on us again. Be ready for battle brother." Thor said over his shoulder.
…...
Hiccup woke with a start and for a second he was irritated. Where was he? It smelled strongly of dried herbs and something that was cooking over a fire.
There were many colors around him and a thick fur was keeping him warm.
Right…Kinkal. They had found a camp of…nomads probably and the people here had offered them shelter. For now…
He sat up, groggily and rubbed his eyes. He felt rested but he could still feel the exhaustion of the last week in his bones.
Besides that he was famished.
He sniffed. It smelled like some kind of broth.
But honestly, anything would do it now.
"Ah, sleeping beauty awakes." He turned around to find George sitting on his cot with a bowl of food in his lap. Josh was still passed out, snoring contently a few feet next to them.
"What time is it?" Hiccup asked and yawned.
"Past noon already. Been awake for maybe fifteen minutes myself. Torren was hear and said we should take as much food as we want when we wake up. Didn't argue with that." Hiccup nodded. "You did thank him, did you?" George rolled with his eyes. "Honestly Hiccup I wasn't raised by barbarians unlike some others here. I do have manners, you know?" "No, not really, you never show them." George just rolled with his eyes and continued eating.
As Hiccup got himself something form the put that hung over the fireplace in the middle of the tent he asked: "Any word on Kate?"
George sighed. "She's alive, so much Torren told me. And she'll probably pull through but she's not well yet."
Hiccup nodded, relieve spreading in his chest.
"Do you know what they plan to do next?" he asked. George shrugged. "No one's been talking to me except Torren and that old lady that saved us from the purple thing in the sand."
Again Hiccup nodded.
The entrance to the tent opened and Torren stepped in, a tray with mugs and a steaming pot of tea in his hands. He smiled when he saw Hiccup awake.
"How are you feeling?" "Much better, thank you."
Torren nodded and handed each of them a mug with tea. "Drink up. It doesn't taste well but it'll help your bodies." Hiccup nodded. George was more hesitated but drowned the green brew too.
"How is Kate?" Hiccup asked between sips. "As good as expected. We managed to get rid of both the poison and the infection. She's resting but it's too early to tell how great the real damage is." Hiccup nodded. "Can I see her?"
Torren sighed. "You really are a stubborn boy, you know that?" "That's what I've been told." "Then I suppose it has no use to keep you here. You probably would g be your own. And let me tell you that would be not so wise." "Why?" George asked with a full mouth. So much for having manners.
"Because word has spread that the beast had appeared again. And that it's kinda your fault." Hiccup frowned. "But it's not." Torren snorted. "Try to tell that people who live their whole life in fear of this one beast."
Torren got up again and dusted his trousers off.
"Come on. You still need to rest and Thea will want to have a look on you." "Thea?" "Our healer. You met her. She's the one that saved you back there." Hiccup nodded.
"Where are our dragons?" "Outside." "You…have no problem with that?" Torren shrugged. "There is not much alive out there. Certainly no dragons. Or at least not many. I just think lack of experience makes it okay-ish for us to have them here. Well, most of us." Hiccup nodded.
Torren confidently made his way through the tents. Where ever he went Hiccup received many glares, frowns, and scared looks and disgusted scowls but also curious and uncertain faces.
He was glad when Torren opened one tent and mentioned for him to get inside.
It was similar to the tent they stayed in.
Hiccup spotted Kate in an instant and hurried to her side.
She was pale but had no fever anymore. She was sleeping deeply and her breaths were deep and even.
He sighed. Gods, it was true, she was alright.
He stroke her forehead and mumbled: "Told you I would find a way to safe you."
Behind his he heard the entrance opened again and turned around to see who it was.
Next to Torren stood a girl.
And, oh boy, she probably was the most beautiful girl he'd ever seen.
She had deep chocolate brown skin, an elfish face that looked very fragile with high cheekbones, slightly pointy ears, and a snub-nose and almond-shaped eyes the color of a strange and exotic bluish-silver. Raven-black hair, braided to hundreds of little plaits framed her face. Colorful clay-beads were braided into some and made soft noises whenever they clashed together.
Her white teeth were like pearls and her lips were full.
She was dressed in light-blue robes and had a headscarf loosely wrapped around her head.
And she stared at him.
"Ah, hello Hope." He turned around to Hiccup. Then he frowned. "I never asked what your name was." He said. "I'm Hiccup." "Well Hiccup, meet my sister. Hope, this is one of the refugees." "I know." She said stiffly and moved to Kates other side. She began redressing the wound.
The swelling had gone down and the redness was reduced to a pale pink. The holes were staring to close.
"How long were we out?" Hiccup wondered.
"Two days." Torren said.
"It cannot have healed this fast in two days." Hiccup said unbelievingly. "Perks of magic." Hope said and finished fastening the bandage. She got up.
"Thank you." Hiccup said and offered her a smile which she didn't return.
"Whatever." With that she was gone.
"You must excuse my sister. She suffers from nightmares since our parents died and she's afraid of the beast. Like most of us. So excuse her is she's not too friendly." Hiccup nodded.
"Well, you should go and rest too. You can come back later." "You'll tell me when she wakes?" "Of course."
As they walked back they didn't notice Hope who stood hidden behind one of the tents, shivering despite the usual heat.
He hands were clenched and she fought the tears.
No, please no. They had to be dreams. It couldn't be true.
Hope was afraid.