A Saga Of Ice And Fire

Chapter Eighteen - Hiccup , The Useless

Hiccup was bleeding. It wasn't a deep gash or anything of that sort but the thing still stung. A lot.

Clutching his left hand in his right and muttering the few curses he knew under his breath, he struggled to shoulder open the wooden workspace door in the blacksmith's forge to try and get to the shelf where Gobber usually kept the stack of clean cloth whenever he had a cut or something like that. Keeping his bleeding hand elevated , Hiccup pulled the sturdy wooden stool and shoved it next to the wall on which the shelf was mounted, too high for him to reach without an assist. As he rummaged around, he realised that he'd never really learned how to properly tend to wounds and-given the line of work he was actively a part of on a daily basis-it was a serious oversight on his part.

He'd spent the morning and afternoon tinkering around, working on a dual edged axe for Spitelout, his cousin Snotlout's father . Even though he'd gotten himself a jagged cut on his forearm by barely even grazing the edge of the weapon, he at least knew the thing was efficient enough and was able to do it's job properly-at least there was that.

Finding the wrapping cloth he was scavenging around for, he stepped down from the stool and made his way over to the work table nearby.
He then proceeded to gingerly wrap the injured cut on his hand and cover it underneath the clean cloth , securing it in place by pulling it tight with his teeth, nearly wincing as he pulled it a bit too tight.

As he proceeded to place the first aid chest back on it's shelf, a tattered , yellowing map of the known lands spilled out onto the floor . As he proceeded to pick it up and put it back, the drawing of a piece of land with the word 'Arendelle ' crudely etched over it caught his eye. As his gaze lingered over the word, his mind wandered back to nearly three years ago.

"I wish it didn't have to end so soon." Elsa sighed , the corners of her mouth crinkling into a sad smile.

"Yeah..... Yeah , me too." Hiccup mumbled as she untangled herself from his hug and stood back.

They stood by the entrance to the Arendellian royal ship, the dauntless, as a big, beefy red headed viking made his way past them and walked towards the gangplank connecting the ship to the Viking vessel that had arrived to pick him up . Hoark, one of his father's lieutenants, had come to collect Hiccup instead of his own father, who was apparently away visiting one of the other tribes for some urgent matter.

"Tha's the last of em. " Hoark grunted as he hauled the last of Hiccup's luggage over his back , a smile barely visible beneath his walrus-esque matted red beard. "Ah'll be waitin bah the ship. Whenever yer ready, lad."

"Can't Hiccup stay longer ?" Anna pleaded, gazing at her father as Hoark disappeared past the railing . " Couldn't he stay with us at least until we get back to Arendelle, Papa?"

The king and queen exchanged a silent look with each other before the King spoke. "I wish he could, dear. But Hiccup's papa also would want to spend time with his son, wouldn't he ?"

" But he gets a whole three years! We only get like four months! It's not fair!" Anna sighed , her eyes downcast before turning back to Hiccup . " Promise to come back soon ?"

"I promise." Hiccup nodded , putting on a smile that he knew didn't quite reach his eyes but she wasn't one to notice such things and he knew that.

"Oh!" Elsa suddenly exclaimed, her eyes wide as saucers. "One second-I got you something .Just wait here !"

As they watched in confusion, the princess raced back and disappeared lower deck ,returning a few moments later , holding what appeared to be a leather-back book in her hand.