A Fistful of Dragons

Part 6: The Hunt

Six: The Hunt

Gustav became aware eyes were on him when he ran his errands in the morning and found Alvin's men almost everywhere he went. He knew that he was a marked man-even though he was only a twelve year old boy-because his father had been accused of cheating at cards, in debt and then murdered by Dagur and his older sister was held hostage by the same man. The boy had been allowed to roam free in the town because he couldn't go anywhere-and because the townsfolk of Berk had taken the young boy to their heart. Acting as impromptu errand-boy, page-boy for weddings and funerals (far more of the latter than the former, to be honest), baker's assistant and general dogsbody, Gustav was always willing to help, even though he was homeless and worried for his sister every single day.

He had finished helping Sven the Silent get the loaves out of his oven and was running bread back for Gobber and the twins when he heard the words 'Get 'im-Alvin wants the brat as hostage!'. Grey eyes popping, the boy sidled round the back of the bakery and saw three armed Outcasts waiting for him. He ducked back and wondered what he could do...and then he heard a psst! He glanced around wildly-and saw the twins crawling round the back of the bakery.

"What are you doing?" he hissed. Ruff looked up.

"Looking for you," she hissed back. "Al's men seem to be on your tail..."

"Well spotted!" Gustav said sarcastically.

"And we all know that isn't good news, G!" Tuff muttered from the floor. "C'mon...we oughtta get you out of here..." Startled but trusting the crazy twins, Gustav dropped to his knees and began to crawl between the two undertakers. They scrambled between the barrels of beer, sacks of grain and bales of wood to reach the edge of the plaza. There were still a number of men between them and the saloon...and no safe way round. Ruff drew back and gestured to the boy and her brother hauled back into the shadows, tapping along the barrels until they found one only a quarter full. With a sigh, they poured the beer away and shoved the boy into the damp and malty space, then began to carry the barrel away from the bakery. The men peered intently at the bakery as the twins sneaked past them.

They were both laughing hard as they arrived in the yard behind the forge and saloon and dropped the barrel, helpless at the dumb expressions on Alvin's men's faces. There was a long pause and then Gustav hammered on the barrel to be let out. After a pause, they remembered they were supposed to be rescuing him so they prised the top off the barrel and let the damp and beer-stained boy out. He staggered around dizzily and then handed them their rather crushed bread. He gave a wave, took two steps and collapsed onto his face.

"Oops? G?" Tuff asked in an almost apologetic voice.

"What've ye done tae the laddie now?" Gobber grumbled, limping out of the forge and picking up his dusty and beer-soaked bread. "Hmm...I see Sven has tried a new flavour...beer. Well, it beats cockroach..." He dragged the boy up and peered into the dazed eyes.

"Hey, Gobber," the boy murmured. "Mind if I stay here a while?" Frowning, the old blacksmith peered at the twins.

"Don't look at us!" Ruff protested. "Al's men are after him. I suspect Snotface is trying to find some way to persuade Astrid to join him in the Outcast compound..."

"As if she has any say about staying with Dagur," Gobber sighed. "Egil Hofferson was a good man and never even played poker, let alone cheated! Dagur then murdered him before he could appeal to the visiting Marshal and took the girl as hostage-against Gustav's life and the supposed 'debt'. Kidnapping Gustav wouldn't work but would torment that poor family and lass more..." He turned to the boy who was trying to flatten his beery black hair. "Kid, you can stay here as long as you want...just try to stay out of trouble..." Gustav gave his cheeky grin.