Dragons: The New Chief

Chapter 25: Every Rose Has it's Thorn (Part 3)

Okay, I am so sorry about forgetting about the shout out...so that's why I am posting another chapter for you guys. But, congratulations to SecretlyNerd for getting it right!!! Give 'em a follow! But I have to give emmabuoni55555 a shout out as well, A for effort! Okay, I won't keep you anymore, onto the chapter.
~
"They're called Siphons." Valka said, reading some notes that Gothi had scribbled in some sand on the floor of Astrid's bedroom.

After she had fainted, Valka carried the unconscious girl back to her house, which caused an uproar between the villagers, wondering what happened. Once Hiccup saw his mother carrying his fiancee, he dropped what he was doing to go to her side after telling Toothless to go home. Gothi had arrive a little while ago, walking into the room to see Astrid lying on her bed, Valka standing at the end of the bed with Finn while Hiccup sat at her side, holding her hand.

"What are Siphons?" Hiccup asked, looking around the room.

Gothi, who was wearing a mask over her nose and mouth, pulled out one of the blue flowers that Hiccup had picked. He grabbed it from the elder, inspecting it.

He looked up at them, questioning. "The flowers did this?"

Gothi nodded and wrote something else in the sand.

Valka looked over it, reading. "She says that anyone who smells the pollen directly will fall ill. They are called Siphons because..." Her eyes grew as she read on.

"Because?" Hiccup asked.

"Because they slowly suck the life out of the person. The pollen is a poison, so when inhaled it spreads through the body. It is often used for executions because it is a peaceful...death. It only takes a day, two at the most." Valka sighed. "We both smelled them as well."

"Did anyone else?" Hiccup asked his mother.

"No...wait," Valka said, looking up from the writing. "Eir, Lokes daughter. Astrid gave four flowers and she smelled them."

Hiccup stood abruptly. "What of an anecdote?" He asked.
Valka sneezed as Gothi wrote in the sand again. "She has one, but is missing one ingredient." Valka sniffled.

Hiccup watched his mother carefully, remembering what she said happened to Astrid before she fell.

"Mom, please sit." He said, walking over and put a hand on her shoulder.

She nodded and let him help her into the chair he was in before she sneezed again. When he saw her shiver, he took Astrid's extra furs and placed them over his mother.
"Wha-what about you?" She said weakly.
"I feel fine right now, I need to get Eir and send the gang to go find the ingredient." He said then looked to Gothi. "Can it spread from person to person?"

She shook her head.

"Then I am going to send the gang over so Gothi can tell fishlegs what to look for, then I am going to get Eir." Hiccup said and when his mother didn't respond he looked back to see her, fully unconscious in the chair.

He sighed. "It looks like i'm on a time limit."

Gothi nodded as he left the house. He didn't have to go far to find the gang, they were all sitting outside of Astrid's house. They had all been worried about their friends after hearing from Eret, who was in the great hall when Astrid fainted, that they were ill. Everyone stood up from the steps when they heard the door open.

"Hiccup!" Fishlegs yelled. "Are you alright?"

"Thank Thor ya'll are already here, I need you to go to Gothi, Fishlegs, she needs something for the anecdote." The chief said.

"Anecdote? For what?" Snotlout asked.

"Astrid is sick...as am I, my mother and Eir." Hiccup explained.