The Blacksmith's Apprentice

Eighteen: The Call of the Sky

Disclaimer: I don't own any lyrics (or part thereof) that may accidentally appear in this chapter.

Eighteen: The Call of the Sky

After the fruitless hunt, Dagur had retreated to his flagship to brood and Hiccup had headed back to the forge, retrieving his newly-moulded components and finding a rasp to smooth off the edges and ensure they fit the gears he had envisaged. He wasn't feeling hungry, because his insides were unsettled by the excess mead and the anxiety from too long in the company of Dagur's brand of sadistic craziness. And, of course, he felt sick from witnessing the dragons being slaughtered with glee by the laughing Berserker. He really was at a loss to understand what made the other man tick, to comprehend a mindset that killed for fun, that tormented and manipulated people for amusement and threatened to destroy a whole other tribe on a whim.

He sat back and carefully rasped a gearing smooth, running a calloused finger along the improved edge. He hadn't even sketched out the plan in detail, the solution to the problem so obvious he could envisage the details of it easily. Carefully, he laid the gearing down and lifted a rod, checking the alignment.

"I thought I'd find yer here," Gobber said and Hiccup shrugged.

"It's where I'm happiest," he admitted. Gobber peered at him and frowned.

"What's that yer doing, laddie?" he asked, indicating to the pieces with his hook. Emerald eyes flicked up guiltily and Hiccup sighed.

"Something I'm working on for Astrid," he said slowly. "Um...haven't actually taken any good iron, by the way. It's recycled from your 'bits and bobs' drawer and from those contraptions I recycled from the back." Gobber stared at the young man, his eyes averted and he sighed.

"The other iron was for Astrid, wasn't it?" he guessed and Hiccup nodded.

"Boarface threw me back and when I hit the bench, her axe fell and shattered," he admitted. "Astrid couldn't afford a brand new axe-and she is the best warrior in the village. The breakage was my fault so I replaced it. And I paid for the iron..." Gobber felt his inners cringe, recalling the time Hiccup had served in the freezing jail for the metal to replace that axe-one which the blacksmith knew he should've replaced anyway. He patted the young man lightly on the shoulder and Hiccup's head ducked lower.

"I'm sorry," Gobber offered gruffly. "That wasnae fair." Hiccup shrugged. "And what is it I heard about you breaking Mildew's plough?" As expected, the head snapped up and emerald eyes looked up from under the bangs, wary but not apologetic.

"It was beyond mending...especially when he started telling me I was a runt who should have been drowned at birth," he explained. Gobber's brow dipped and the young man steeled himself...but Gobber began to chuckle.

"Now while I am not completely happy when yer cheek me customers, I have made it clear that I willnae tolerate rudeness tae my assistant...and when it's Mildew, even more so!" he exclaimed. "Good work, laddie. He's refusing tae let yer touch his replacement so he can wait...right at the bottom of the pile!" There was a pause and Hiccup's lips curled into a smile. Gobber paused as he turned away. "By the way, lad-good thinking in shutting Snotlout up and dealing with Dagur! We all heard what Snotlout said...and what you did. The Chief knows what you did for us. Hoark and Ack, too..." Hiccup nodded absently.

"Thanks, Gobber," he sighed and then paused. "Has he sighed yet?"

"The signing is in the morning and then he'll stay for the raid," Gobber sighed. "Yer may have tae hide out here a bit longer..." Hiccup gestured to his components.

"At least I've got something to keep me busy," he admitted and turned back to his tasks as the blacksmith ambled to the forge and began to mend the next weapon in the pile.