Selene

Chapter Forty-Two: Strategy

"Success?"

Artorījos asked via Myrddin.

"Yes." Hiccup tried not to yawn. Dawn was breaking and they had barely just touched down in Fo'Dhia.

Carrying the mindbender all the way back through the night turned into a much longer trip than anyone had expected. He wouldn't stop trying to take the metal off his antennae and was successful in crashing both Windshear and Hookfang once, and Sleuther twice. By the time they dropped him and Mush off on the outskirts of town the dragons were so tired they didn't even care about breakfast, all they wanted to do was stretch out in the sun and sleep all day. Of course there were those who had no excuse >cough< Ebony and "Stormfly" >cough< except that they liked the idea of being incredibly lazy. Trooper on the other was stretching his wings to welcome a new day.

Fo'Dhia had changed since the gang left. There were more people in the city and they were busy. Rows of sharpened swords lined one end of the blacksmiths shop, dull ones the other. The sound of the blademill told them the owner was hard at work... and judging by the amount of finished blades he could easily have been going all through the night. Two neat rows of carts filled with food, supplies and bandaging took up the town square, and on either side cattle, mules and donkeys waited in make-shift paddocks to be hitched up.

"We have the Mindbender and are keeping him just outside the city with a friend of Myrdd-Dragonai's. Dragonai's. Friend of Dragonai's"

The King scowled, his own appearance like someone who had just pulled an all-nighter. "And where pray tell did that wily wizard wander off to?"

"...You know, I never actually saw him leave."

"I did," Camicazi chipped in. "It was spectacular. He snuck out into the woods, flung what I can only assume was magical dust onto the ground, and burst into a pillar of smoke and flame! I ran to see if any toasty bits had been left over but there was nothing, not even a burn spot on the ground."

Tension rose in the Viking group as the Wotādīni King pondered such nonsense.

"Hmph, typical. Well at least the old coot remembered to return Myrddin before vanishing... last time he was lost for weeks."

Narrow looks were sent Myrddin's way, who made a point of avoiding eye-contact.

"Well rested my faithful servant?" A sneer took over Artorījos face.

"W-well..." Myrddin stumbled for an excuse.

"Good I thought so. They're setting up in the war room go oversee it."

The King turned back to Hiccup as Liam stepped in to take Myrddin's place. "Chief Haddock I'm about to meet with my men to discuss battle strategy, if you would join us I would be very grateful of you. And as a translator Liam is welcome too, of course."

"Thank... you You're Majesty." Hiccup stuttered, exchanged looks with Liam before glancing back at his exhausted gang making their way up the castle stairs. No rest for the weary, it seemed.

In the courtroom a collection of Artorījos most trusted advisors, including Leon, Myrddin, a few other officers and a handful of farmers huddled around a table bearing a large map. Soldiers guarded the door allowing entrance only by the nod of either Myrddin or Artorījos himself... but that didn't stop the scattered Nightfurries who seemed to have taken a liking to the room. They walked, curled up or stretched out in random places all over, taking mild and somewhat belittling interest in the goings on at the table.

Trooper arched his back and narrowed his eyes as they passed under an red deer head supporting two jet black furries... Kevin and Thunder, if Hiccup remembered right. The feline-like creatures stared down, one regally raising his wings, the other warily crouching.