Riders of B E R K

Part 26: A quiet trip to the village

I spent the rest of the afternoon revising my schedule with Gothi. She explained that I would have to take account of Dragon Rider duties but that she still wanted to complete my trauma training programme and I was very grateful that she hadn't sacked me for ruining her plans. But-unexpectedly-she threw a hug around me and assured me that I was her protege and she would make sure I got my skills and competences signed off as soon as possible.

By five, I was in the garage with my warm army-issue coat, a pink woolly beret, scarf and gloves and Hiccup wandered in wearing his leather jacket, the shoulder still stained darker with blood and a cross-patch of silver duck tape over the ragged gash. I stared at him. "What?" he asked defensively. "It's my only coat!" And I felt ashamed, my cheeks burning. He shrugged. "Don't get out much," he admitted. I led him to a Jeep 4x4 which I had the keys for and hopped into the driver's seat.

"Have you got a license?" I asked. He looked up and blushed as he slid into the passenger's side..

"Um...did Driver's Ed back home but never actually got a license and not a UK one so...um...no," he said, his rambling a sure sign that he was deeply embarrassed.

"So I'm the designated driver," I sighed and accelerated out of the tunnel and out into the twilight. Hiccup's hands tightened on the seat and his face went tight. "Oh, come on!" I protested. "How fast exactly does Toothless fly?"

"About 700mph," he said, "but then I'm in control! And I think if he tried, he could go supersonic..."

"And you're scared about my driving?" I repeated.

"Um...yeah," he admitted as we accelerated down the slope and skidded onto the B road that ran round the glen. I grinned.

"Chicken!" I called.

"You try driving with Ozzie and see if you are so..." he retorted and then fell silent and I felt terrible again.

"Hiccup, I'm..." I began but he shook his head.

"He was the only one who actually took me out of the base and even then it was kinda unusual," he murmured. "But he used to drive like an Indycar driver-I guess I should have been grateful it wasn't Dagur, right? So not a great passenger. Sorry." I slowed down and glanced at the clock: we would make the shops easily and the village was only a couple of miles up the road.

"I have a couple of parcels to pick up and then we are having a meal," I told him sternly. "So if you could manage not to bring on a Dragon attack or kidnapping attempt in the next couple of hours, I would be ever so grateful!" His green eyes flicked up and a small smile tilted his lips.

"How grateful?" he prompted me. I put my foot down and we lurched forward.

"Grateful enough not to drive like an F1 driver!" I grinned and he closed his eyes.

"Ohh, that is going to be two dragon attacks for that!" he promised. I made a loud clucking noise and he laughed. I joined in, relieved that he could still raise a smile. The village was in sight and I slowed as we pulled into the pub car park. When I killed the engine, he slid out gratefully and walked quickly round to my side, opening the door and offering me a hand. He sketched a slight bow. "Milady," he said softly and I gave an astonished smile. It was such an amazingly old-fashioned thing to do. I took his hand-which was cold-and slipped down, slamming the door behind me.

"Thank you, Dragon Boy," I smiled at him and then squeezed his hand. "But why...?" He looked self-conscious again.

"Um...you get raised by a really strict and often absent father and when he wants you to learn something you desperately try to do it because you want him to be proud," he said quickly and rubbed the back of his neck, awkward. "So...um...manners, etiquette...were all drummed in pretty hard when I was younger. Sorry." I pulled him closer.