Heir and Pride

Chapter Twelve

Twelve.

The sounds of banging slowly roused him from his stupor and he moved his head, everything hurting. He didn't have the strength to move, to even make a sound. He struggled to breathe and wondered if they would just go and leave him to die. But the door slammed open and Gobber lumbered in, outlined by the sunlight of the next day, taking in the battered shape lying on the floor in one searing expletive. Then Hiccup found himself scooped in big, gentle arms and his broken shape borne down the hill to the house of the Elder.

Gothi, Elder of Berk and the premier healer, had been surreptitiously watching the Dragon Training class and had been astonished and fascinated by his progress. She gasped as he was carried into her little house and motioned to the table instantly, while bending to scoop up her herbs. The boy was semiconscious and moaning through split and bloody lips, his face swollen with bruising and both eyes blacked and swollen. His breathing was irregular and shallow, indicating broken ribs-four, if she was any judge-and his body was shivering in pain. Her tiny, gnarled hand tenderly stroked the bloody auburn hair off his battered face and sighed. Hiccup's green eyes fluttered as open as they could.

"E-Elder...?" he whined. She nodded and stroked his face gently. "S-sorry..." he murmured. He closed his eyes.

"What happened, laddie?" Gobber asked, his voice edged with anger. Hiccup shuddered as cold water was gently dabbed against his bruised face. The broken boy gave a dry sob.

"Too dark..." he lied, too ashamed to admit the girl of his dreams had planned and led his beating this time.

"That Snotlout..." Gobber snarled but the boy gave a wince.

"N-nothing...n-new..." he gasped and his eyes snapped open as Gothi dabbed his broken cheek. "Pain..." His eyes were wide with distress. Gothi gently rested a bowl against his lips and trickled a bitter tasting liquid into his mouth. He swallowed because he knew she would not hurt him and then he lay back. "W-will I d-die?" he asked shakily. It was the first time he had asked the question and the fact a boy could ask such a thing made both Elder and Blacksmith share a horrified glance. Gothi shook her head but the expression in her eyes was angry. This wasn't how the Hooligan Tribe treated its members.

"Gothi says no," Gobber admitted, "but you are hurt. You're gonna be off class for days..." Hiccup's eyes snapped open and he whimpered. Toothless would be waiting. Toothless who had nothing to eat. His best friend...

"N-no...have to get back..." he gasped and began to struggle. Gobber rested a soft hand on his chest-but it was more than enough to hold him helpless.

"Take it easy, lad," the blacksmith soothed him. "You've taken a bad beating this time. You need time to heal-or you'll do yourself permanent harm!" The boy lay back, not caring that tears leaked from his desperate emerald eyes. Toothless was alone and helpless and Hiccup was betraying him. He had to get out. He had to get to Toothless!

oOo

Olaf Hofferson inspected his daughter as she polished her axe and glared at the blade. "My love, you will melt that blade of you stare at it much longer!" he told her gently. She raised her blue eyes and he saw there were shadows on her face, as if she had slept badly.

"Sorry, father," she said listlessly. "I was just..." And her voice tailed off. What had she just been doing? Just recalling how she had disobeyed her father's request? Just recalling how she had abused a boy who had trusted her? Just recalling how she had organised the others to beat and brutalise Hiccup. Just recalling his pleading eyes and sobbing breaths as she had crushed him. And just feeling more ashamed than she ever had in her life.