A Storm from the East (A Viggo Lovestory)

Chapter 8

When Eos woke up, she felt stone underneath her. The air was cold and damp. She was in a cave. When she opened her eyes, she saw metal bars in front of her.

Locked up in Dragon Hunter prison. Great.

„Ah, good, you're awake. I was starting to grow worried.", a voice spoke from beside her.

Locked up in Dragon Hunter prison with Viggo. Even better.

Taking a deep breath in she calmed herself. Yes, she didn't quite like the guy, but what had happened to her wasn't his fault. She had to remember that. Maybe this was her chance to actually get to know the new Viggo Grimborn.

„How did they get you? Are the other Riders okay?", Eos asked.

„The others got out fine, I believe, but I didn't see them freeing the Death Song."
Eos nodded and got up to take a look at the bars. Maybe she could find a way to get out of here.

„As for me,", Viggo continued. „When I saw that that Dragon Hunter had caught you I tried to help you and Eurus."

„How'd that work out for you?", Eos giggled lightly, sarcasm dripping from her words. But in the back of her mind she was kind of touched. He had gotten caught trying to rescue her. Maybe Hiccup was right and he wasn't so bad. At least not anymore.

Viggo chuckled lightly. „I suppose you were right.", he said.

Eos, deciding that the cell door couldn't be broken, sat back down next to Viggo.

„About what?", she asked.

„About me and Leiptr not being ready for battle. They caught us fairly quick.", Viggo almost sounded dissappointed.

Eos looked at him in understanding. She knew what it was like to think that you were unbeatable with a dragon.

„When you get a dragon, it may feel like you can do anything. But you have to stay clear and remember, that you aren't the dragon. You and the dragon are a team and in a team, everyone fights. And not for himself but for the other. In your mind, the dragon should always come first. That's how you win battles. Or at least that's a part of it.", Eos explained.

"May I ask what the other part is?"

"Enough training.", she said sarcasticly.

Viggo chuckled lightly at that. A warm feeling grew in Eos chest. They definitly had the same humor. Maybe they could be friends after all.

"Do you know where our dragons are?", Eos asked.

Viggo was about to answer when a new voice joind their conversation.

"Trust me, they're exactly where they should be.", Krogans voice boomed through the cave.

Instinctivly Eos reached for her hood and mask but noticed they were gone. Fear overcame her. She knew, what was about to happened would be bad.

"Looking for these, princess?", Krogan asked, holding the hood and mask up. "So, the Protecters are back in the Archipelago? Where's Hákon, hm?"

"Don't bother asking for him, he's not here.", the girl answered with a cold tone.

"So you're all alone? No big, strong brother to protect you? Oh, poor little princess.", Krogan mocked.

"Cut it out, Krogan!", she yelled. "I'm not a princess."

"You're the daughter of a chief and in the east, that is called a princess, am I correct? Stop denying it.", Krogan continued his childish banter. To Viggo it almost seemed like these two had had conversations like this for years.

Eos looked down and pulled her knees to her chest. If she could, she would jump at him.

"Oh, stop tormenting her, Krogan. What are you getting out of this?", Viggo asked in a defensive tone.

„Viggo, you better watch your mouth. Last time I tried to kill you, you lived. This time you won't be that lucky.", he said with a threatening voice. „And as for what I'm getting out of this. Our princess here posseses a lens.", he said. „I'll see you two tonight.", and with those words Krogan walked off as quick as he had appeared.

There was a long silence. Viggo wasn't quite sure what to do. Eos seemed upset, but he didn't know her well enough to know what she needed right now. He wasn't even sure what people usually do in this situation. Normally he wouldn't mind and carry on whatever conversation they had had before but in the past two weeks he's spent with the Riders they really did grow on him, just like Eos did. They didn't seem to trust him a lot just yet and they had good reasons for it but the fact that they were making an effort touched his usually so unmovable soul. Well, if they could make an effort, so could he.

„I suppose you don't want to talk about what just happened, especially with me, but if I can be of any assistence then please let me know.", Viggo said with a warm tone.
„Well... you basically already know half of it, I might as well tell you.", the girl began. „I'm from The Island of the Protecters. My father's the chief and my brother, Hákon, is the next in line. Our job has always been to protect rare and endangered dragons to make sure the natural balance of species stays the way it's supposed to be. In return, the dragons help us with defending our island and with harvesting and with fishing and all that kind of stuff.", she explained.

„Forgive me, but how is that connected to Krogan and the mask you are always wearing?", he asked, curiosity coming over him.

„Well, as you can imagine, protecting dragons that Hunters prefer to hunt, doesn't really make you popular with them. Krogan and his imployer know about us and them knowing that I am here to help the Riders might set something off between the Hunters and the Protecters again.", she explained.

„Again?", Viggo asked.

Eos cursed herself in her mind. Why did that had to slip out of her mouth? She looked into Viggo's eyes, one brown and one gray, blinded by scorching lava. She saw curiosity in them. Not hate, not any bad intentions.

„You really don't know, do you?", Eos asked.

„I'm afraid I don't.", was his reply. She gave a deep sigh and looked at the ground.

"When I was only five years old, my village was attacked. They were shooting flaming boulders, arrows, ballistas... everything they had. My mother took my brother and me to our great hall, were we would hide with the others, while my father and his brother let our men into battle. We did win that night, with the dragons help, but the great hall caught on fire because of one of the boulders. My brother grabbed me and got me out of there, but we lost our mother in the fire. We never found her remains, so we don't know if she burned to ashes or if the Hunters took her.", Eos told him.

"Wait.. the Hunters?", Viggo asked.

"It was your father who attacked us that night, Viggo."