𝓑𝓮𝔂𝓸𝓷𝓭

Chapter 24 - Infiltration

Two of Throk's finest soldiers stood to attention, below Johan's boat, both dressed in their black uniforms, but altered to blend in more.

Johan clapped his hands together, the hunters walking along the jetty stopped what they were doing and looked up at the trader.

" Hunters and ruffians from across the archipelago, I am proud to introduce, my esteemed employer." Johan announced, before he was shoved out of the way, by Eret.

" Enough with the theatrics Johan, we have business to conduct." Eret walked down the gangplank, the two hooded figures flanked his sides.

Eret was dressed in a light cream tunic, that was accented by black and aqua dragon scales, finally, a bearskin robe hung around his shoulders.

Johan scowled at Eret, before passing one of the hooded figures the man's chest of gold, as they walked along the jetty up to Viggo.

Him and Ryker we're overseeing the arrivals, only just spotting Eret, Viggo eyed him suspiciously, as Eret stood before him.

" Sir?" Viggo asked, looking up at the tall black-haired man, Eret placed a hand on the hilt of his sword.

" Eret, son of Eret, finest dragon trapper in the Northern Archipelago." Ryker sneered at him, as Eret smiled smugly.

" Of?" Ryker asked, Eret rolled his eyes, before shaking his head.

" I am a nomad, I don't stay in one place." Eret gestured to his guard and opened the chest, revealing the amount of money.

Eret was about to walk past Viggo, but the Grimbourn grabbed his arm, looking closer at him.

" There is one thing, I feel like I know you from somewhere." Viggo squinted, taking a closer look at Eret, who sighed deeply.

" Alas, my previous Business partner might have mentioned me at some point, I believe you knew of him." Viggo Smiled, Ryker pushed past him and looked Eret right in the eye.

" My brother asked you a question, does he know you from somewhere, not who he's heard you from." Eret rolled his eyes and backed away from Ryker.

" Does it matter, my former partner did tend to leave information out?" Eret walked past Ryker and patted him on the shoulder.

Ryker reached for his sword, but Viggo stopped him, allowing Eret to walk on past, with the hood figures following behind.

" We don't want to refuse the man's money, now do we dear brother." Eret passes Viggo a coin, before walking up a set of stairs, whispering to the hooded figures.

Viggo turned, to see Johan setting up his trade supplies, he motioned for Ryker to deal with and the bald man obeyed.

" Turn it around, just because your Eret boy's transporter, doesn't mean you can stay!" Ryker pointed at Johan, who had fear flashing through his eyes.

" Says who?" Jahan asked, holding his hands together, looking down at the buff dragon hunter.

" Leave, you don't have the gold or the constitution to stomach this." Ryker demanded again, Joahn nodded.

" While you do make a valid point, my employer does bring your brother an offering." Johan gestured to the hatch down to the lower decks.

" What kind of offering?" Ryker asked, as he walked onto the ship, Johan opened the hatch and revealed his stock.

" Get Viggo, he needs to see this." Ryker commanded one of the hunters, Johan stopped them from going any further.

" I did say it was an offering, I would simply offload it and be on my merry way." Ryker stepped forward and glared at Johan.

" Well, you better move, Viggo needs to see this." Just as Ryker finished, Viggo stepped onto the ship.

" No need, big brother." Viggo stood next to Johan, who was sweating drastically and rubbing his hands.

" Mr Grimbourn, what a pleasant surprise." Viggo walked past Johan and stepped down into the ship.

He looked at the five dragons locked in cages, the Gailslash caught his eye and he took a closer look at it.

" As I was endeavouring to inform your brother, my employer wanted to present you with these dragons for your auction, as a sign of respect." Johan bowed, not daring to look into Viggo's eyes.

" And perhaps, for you to allow safe passage in my trading lanes?" Johan asked, as a hunter pushed past him and began unloading the dragons.

" Trader Johan, perhaps I've judged you a bit too hastily, this is a splendid and most generous gesture." Viggo began to walk up the steps, but his foot stepped on a broken floorboard.

The board bent down into the lower level of the ship, which is where Hiccup and the riders were hiding, with Toothless.

They looked up at the ceiling, knowing that if they made a sound Viggo would find them, Hiccup ushered everyone behind Toothless.

" The downside of an old ship, not nearly the quality of the ones found in your fleet." Johan bowed his head, he was really hoping Viggo wouldn't ask him anymore than he had.

Viggo held the coin Eret had handed him in his hand and the dropped it, right through the crack, it fell right onto the hardwood floor.

The riders looked at it, Hiccup brought his finger to his lips and gestured for everyone to remain silent.

Viggo looked at Johan, eyes narrowed and stern, Johan smiled nervously up at the dragon hunter.

" The trade has been a bit, sluggish as some would say, my stores are as empty as a poor man's pockets." Johan answered, chuckling slightly, Viggo walked out of Johan's ship, the trader letting out a relieved sigh.

" Oh dear, my frail heart cannot deal with another of those." Viggo ran back into Johan's ship, before slamming the plank down and leaning to look into the ship's bowels.

Viggo stood up, turning to Johan, as Toothless pulled his wing down, as dust fell onto Dagur's nose.

He sniffed, Hiccup, Heather, Astrid, and Throk shook their heads, just as he was about to sneeze, Mala covered his mouth.

The others sighed silently in relief, as Viggo looked down at Johan, the trader smiled up at Viggo, before passing him a note.

Viggo looked at the note then at Johan, who winked, Viggo now knew who his outside source was and smiled.

" We accept your terms, Johan, sorry for my brash behaviour, I sometimes don't know how to control myself." Johan and Viggo shook hands, the trader returned to his usual act.

" Have Eret and Johan's dragons unloaded immediately and place them in the correct class divisions!" Viggo yelled up to his men, before walking out of the ship, the note in his hand.

Viggo unrolled the note and read through the information, he smirked, perhaps he was going to make more gold than he could ever dream off.