A Fistful of Dragons

Part 7: Debts

Seven: Debts.

"You lost my Night Fury!" Dagur screamed at Ryder and the man just stared at him, mouth agape.

"Sorry-how did I do that? Oh wait-I wished up a bunch of army soldiers to snatch him from our grasp!" he snapped back sarcastically. Dagur fumbled for his gun.

"You mouthy streak of..." he began as Ryder dropped his hand to the butt of his pistol was well.

"Then what were you doing?" Viggo asked him, his eyes locking on the battered shape. Ryder gave a small shrug.

"I saw one of your men knocked from his dragon in the melee and I went after him. He was on a ledge but before I could grab him, one of the stray Night Fury blasts took him out..."

"YOU WORK FOR ME!" Dagur screamed.

"Sorry, I thought we were working together!" Ryder called back, grimacing as he grabbed at his injured arm.

"So did I," Viggo growled and turned his glare back on the Berserker leader. Dagur pouted like a sulky child.

"Shall I just go and find you another one?" Ryder asked and Dagur glared at him.

"You belong to me! You work for me! And you will do exactly what I say or I will kill your wretched dragon!" Dagur roared. Flapping backwards, Ryder glared at him icily.

"Yeah, you're good at that," he commented.

"Dagur! Daylight is wasting and our profits aren't increasing! Either we attack the army or we go hunting for other dragons that we can put through the auctions!" Ryker shouted at him from Viggo's side, their matching Nightmares flapping their wings in perfect unison.

"Fine-you go find some more boring and very uninteresting and common dragons while those soldiers get away with my glorious Night Fury!" he grumbled. "We're going back. And you..." He glared at Ryder. "You cost me my Night Fury so you can owe me the market value...five thousand!" Ryder stared at him.

"How-how did you come up with that?" he asked. "I mean, I had nothing to do with losing your dragon. Maybe you should send the bill to the Army...though I'd doubt that they'd cough up five thousand for a dragon you never owned and they have captured for their own reasons!"

"But you belong to me," Dagur shouted at him, his eyes fey with rage. "And that means I decide your fate-and how much you owe me. You knew the deal when you accepted it, Ryder. Don't try to worm out of it now...you won't like the consequences!"

"I already don't like the consequences," he growled. "Some thanks for saving your life, Dagur! I should have let your precious Night Fury blast you to ashes!" The Berserker started and his eyes narrowed...but Savage leaned close and spoke to him. There was a brief argument, out of earshot from the watching Ryder and then Dagur gave a growl.

"Get back to the compound!" he shouted. There were groans: it was a long flight and they would be back close to nightfall. "And you-get that shoulder seen to. I'm not having you slacking off!"

"Definitely should've let that dragon crisp him," Ryder muttered as they turned back to Berk.

oOo

It was dusk when they arrived back and though he had to stable and feed Hookfang, Vorg had repeated Dagur's orders. Reluctantly, Ryder sat in the little room overlooking the yard. He really wasn't keen on having the burn treated because he always tended himself, but Dagur had insisted-because Ryder had saved his life. The stranger was already regretting the action for the penalty that had been levied on him when his day got even worse and Astrid walked in, holding a bowl of water and a box of bandages and ointments. He groaned.