Tact and Wit (A Viggo Grimborn Fanfic)

2- Horizon

"Argghh! Work, you good-for-nothing beast! Come on, do something!"

Orinth jerked awake from the sound of Ryker's yelling, her shoulder protesting in pain. She looked around the makeshift medical tent but saw no one nearby except for a few unconscious hunters. Grunting, she rolled off the cot and walked outside to investigate Ryker's tantrum.

Pushing away the flap of the tent, she saw Ryker still yelling at the cause of his anger: a Gronkle.

The poor dragon was chained down and clearly being forced to make Gronkle Iron for the hunters.

Orinth walked closer, making eye contact with the exhausted dragon; her eyes hardened as she turned to Ryker. She knew better than to challenge him, although she felt compelled to help the pink Gronkle.

"What have you been feeding this Gronkle, Ryker?" she asked, trying to keep her tone neutral despite her disdain of the man.

"What do you think you stupid girl? I've been giving it all the right rocks for iron, and it still can't manage to do anything right!" he turned back toward the dragon, raising his arm to swing at the pink boulder-class. It cowered away from Ryker, and, upon closer inspection, Orinth saw swollen, raw wounds from previous abuse. This dragon wasn't even able to produce iron anymore. The damage was clearly too severe for any activity but rest and healing.

At this sight, Orinth raised her voice, "Ryker, this Gronkle can't make iron because she has been beaten and abused!"

Clearly that was not the correct response.

Ryker growled, turning, reaching around to hit her. 

Ducking, Orinth spun around behind him, but she hesitated. Hitting him would only enrage him further, and her shoulder was definitely not ready for an intense fight.

Seizing the opportunity, Ryker rounded on her, grabbing her injured shoulder and slamming her into the nearest tree. Sword drawn, he swung, narrowly missing her neck and instead embedding the dragon-proof weapon deep in the oak behind her.

Orinth gaped in shock, breathing heavily, as she still clawed at his hold on her, hissing from the increasing pressure he was putting on the still-open wound.

Viggo strolled up leisurely behind the pair as if he had been watching all along.

"Now, dearest brother, if you don't mind, I'd like to have a word with our guest here. Please do try to restrain yourself," he chided.

Ryker turned on Viggo, narrowing his eyes in a challenge. The younger brother returned to stare with a strong-willed one of his own. Backing down, Ryker stomped away, scowling.

Orinth fell to the ground, her vision spotty from the intense pain she had experienced. 

Viggo knelt next to her, waiting for her senses to return. She steadied herself and rose to her feet, ignoring Viggo's offered hand. She opened her mouth to question why he had really intervened, but he spoke quickly.

"Rider, I believe yesterday you asked me to prove that your dragon was alive and well. I intend to prove this to you. If you would please follow me," he announced, although his last statement more of an order than a polite request.

Orinth strode after him, although not trusting his motivation, still eager to see her dragon.

She caught up with the taller man, and she was surprised that he continued conversing with her.

"You know, had I not intervened, my beloved brother may very well have done some serious damage to you, if not gone too far and killed you."

"Well, jee, Viggo, how shall I ever repay you? I'm sure you'd be devastated if I wasn't around as an asset to your plan anymore," Orinth replied, although sarcastic, not all too comfortable with the fact that Ryker could indeed have quite easily killed her.

"Despite your negative views of me, I do actually value human life. Although, yes, you are correct, the loss of a bargaining chip is indeed something I would like to avoid," his smug reply did nothing to lighten her opinion of him.

He continued, "Perhaps you should consider improving your form. I hear you are more of a tactician, but your form is truly pitiful."

"I was fighting for my life, and you're judging my form?" she asked, incredulous.

"Of course," he replied, "Your tact and wit will serve you as well as any blade, in or out of battle. Remember that. Furthermore, my brother is a fool, and he can be easily outwitted despite his considerable strength."

Orinth turned her gaze to the ground, mulling over his comments, and his interest in improving her fighting. The rest of the walk was spent in silence.

*

"Here we are, rider," Viggo's words reached her ears a second after she laid eyes on her dragon, trapped in a dragon-proof cage. 

She rushed over to him, reaching through the square bars to pet his scales reassuringly. Viggo observed from a few feet away, clearly perplexed with how the dragon and rider had such a bond.

"I will never understand what Hiccup and his riders see in such beasts. Either way, he is safe and sound as promised," he paused, "Rider, I would like to test your dragon's apparent loyalty."

Orinth frowned, untrusting of Viggo's intentions. Nonetheless, she was absolute in her faith in Phoenyx.

"Sure Viggo. I don't know what you've got planned, but I'm confident that Phoenyx and I can prove how strong our bond is. Maybe you'll even begin to understand what that bond is like.

"Very well," Viggo strode up to the cell, throwing the lock off of the cage and motioning the large Timberjack outside, "Dragon, here is your beloved trainer, and there is the endless horizon: freedom, forever," he paused, assuredly.

After a brief pause and a soft roar at Orinth, Phoenyx flew straight from the island out to the vast expanse of the archipelago.

His rider stared off after him, dumbfounded and shocked.

Viggo smirked and led her away, "Do you see now that the beasts only care for their own survival? You may have been a caregiver to that dragon, but he has no care for you or your survival," he spoke purposefully as if to further drive home her complete abandonment.

He led her back through the main hunter camp, to a tent she had never seen before.

"Since you cannot occupy our medical tent indefinitely, I have arranged for this tent to be provided for you. I'm sure it is much better than the cold, hard ground, so you should be grateful. I have also instructed my hunters not to harass you, as a small favor," he stopped outside her new residence, seemingly waiting for a thank-you.

"Thanks, I suppose. Now if you don't mind, I'd rather be alone to think, so, goodbye," she said, bluntly, hoping to get him to leave so she could enjoy some peaceful solitude.

"Very well, goodnight then, dragon rider, enjoy your solitude," emphasizing the word as a final emotional reminder of the loss she had just suffered.