Viggo's Terrible, No Good, Very Bad Days

Part 12-Allergies

Achoo!

Ryker twitched, then relaxed. This was the fourth time Viggo had sneezed in the last hour and it was starting to drive Ryker insane. The two brothers were in the hold of a ship belonging to one of their trading partners, a merchant of furs. Viggo had wanted to find some better cold resistant furs for a trip further north later in the year, but it seemed like perhaps it hadn't been such a good idea.

"Are you alright?"

"Shut up. I'm fine."

Ryker rolled his eyes. Sure Viggo was fine. People's voices were supposed to be scratchy and raw, and their eyes were supposed to be red. Viggo sneezed again and Ryker's hands tightened into fists, fighting the urge to drag his brother out of that ship and all the way to a healer.

"This isn't something that I'm going to let you brush off Viggo. You're starting to wheeze. If you collapse in here I'm going to carry you back to our ship in my arms like a new bride." Viggo snorted and it turned into a coughing fit that made him double over. "Fine. I may be allergic to these pelts. See where I've touched them?" Viggo pulled up his sleeves slightly to reveal angry, raised scarlet rashes all over his wrists and hands.

Sighing, Ryker came to a quick decision. "Go up on deck and ride your dragon back to the ship. Wash your hands and change your clothes, then get some salve- I have some under my bed that you can use. I'll handle the purchase and have it stowed on a seperate ship. You should have shown me sooner, just get out of here before your throat swells up. Idiot."

To Ryker's surprise, Viggo actually followed his orders. His hasty retreat told Ryker that he was likely much more uncomfortable than he had wanted to reveal, but at least he would be away from the furs. Ryker finished his inspection, paid for the furs, and made his own way back to the ship.

Once he arrived, Ryker found Viggo in his cabin, going over reports from his southern ships. The smell of salve was heavy in the air, and Ryker nodded when he saw the sheen of it across several areas of Viggo's skin.

"Feeling better?"

Viggo grunted, but Ryker saw a small smile on his face.

"Next time you feel like that make an excuse. I'll back you up, nobody ever needs to know. But you need to know that it could have been much worse. You could have stopped breathing, and not even our healer would have been able to help. Promise me that you won't die from something that stupid."

Viggo burst out laughing, surprising Ryker into grinning widely. "It would be a dumb way to die. Alright then, I promise." The brothers then separated back to their normal duties, and for both, it would be a struggle not to laugh.