Chapter 9

Hiccup enjoyed the party after the Thaw Feast that Stoick threw in his honor. It was not big or flashy, just really them and their closer friends. And it ended up being more of an end of Thaw Fest Party by the end. But Hiccup was not complaining, he was happy to have won, but also happy that Thaw Fest was now past and he could focus his attention on other problems again.

First of all he had to get both Snotlout and Astrid to start acting civil towards each other again. Something he felt personally was a lost cause already, but that did not mean he was not going to give up right away. He just hoped he could set up some sort of truce before it came to true full blown fights, when his father would have to step in.

The second thing was to begin mapping out the islands around Berk better. They had small general maps and Trader Johann kept several sea charts. All of which showed much of the area around Berk. But no one had ever made a full map of the area before. Indeed much of the northern part of the map was unfilled, with only Dragon Island being marked down in those waters.

Yet Hiccup knew there had to be more out there, not just because he felt there was more, but rather because he knew there to be more. Dragon Island while the northern most marked island had several past it which were relatively unexplored. And there were islands other Vikings had sailed to by accidents, some which boosted many strange things.

Hiccup also felt that the northern waters would yield the best chance of finding his mother if she was still alive. That dragon that had taken her had been part of a raid after all. Though the odd thing was that that type of dragon had never been seen before, nor again after said raid. It was like Toothless in some ways, they knew that it was real dragon. But so few had seen it, that it was basically an unknown in all other aspects.

The next day, Hiccup got up early and went down to the lookout point near the edge of the village. Pulling out his spyglass he looked about for Johann's ship. The man normally made his way up north not long after Thaw Fest. As by then the ice had melted enough that his ship could safely travel without risk of being crushed by the floating blocks of ice.

Johann, Hiccup remembered, was a rather interesting person. He was well known for his tall tales, but the things he could find were marvels. Johann had acquired several batches of squid ink which Hiccup had traded for all of it. Hiccup had found the Ink far better than his normal charcoal pens. And would often use the ink when he wanted to make something a lot more permanent.

Though this time, Hiccup was not hoping to get more ink, he still had three bottles of ink left. Rather he was looking for information about the northern seas, and maybe some odd news about dragons. Or if he was lucky a story about a dragon rider. After all, even if most of Johann's tales were fanciful stories, each one of them held some form of truth.

It was a tale last year, as Johann made his last stop by their Island before the winter began, that he had said something to catch Hiccup's attention. It was about a dragon, and a rider in a mask who had been seen flying out by the northwest islands. Hiccup at the time had dismissed the story as Johann's normal foolishness, but now he was not so sure.

If what Johann said was true, it could very well mean his mother was alive. But until Johann had arrived Hiccup would have to wait to confirm the story. Assuming of course that Johann even remembered it. Looking up into the sky, Hiccup saw the twins and Fishlegs going about the morning patrol, which reminded him that he would have to explain to Johann about the dragons.

"Great that is going to be so easily," Hiccup growled out, flopping back onto the ground feeling a headache coming on.

Johann for his good points could not really keep a secret. It was just not in his nature to do so. And with Dagger now a threat hanging over them, if Johann found out, it would only be a matter of time before Dagger did as well. After all Johann stopped by all the villages and traded with them, whether they villages were enemies with each other or not.

Johann and his ship was considered natural and to attack it would undoubtedly cause a lot of problems. Not big ones, but as Johann was the most reliable means of getting news between islands; attacking him could cause all the islands to become isolated really quickly. There were other traders who sailed the seas of course, but none of them had the speed nor range Johann seemed to be capable of maintaining by himself.

"Well I guess there is no use for it," Hiccup said finally sitting up several minutes later.

Getting up, Hiccup got into the saddle on Toothless's back and the pair took off. They were not going to join in patrols that morning, but Hiccup and Toothless never gave up the chance to for a flight about the island.

It was a few hours later when they showed back up at the Village, having enjoyed a long flight through the island of Berk. They had found in their long flights a few caves to explore later, though for now, it was time to see if trade Johann had arrived. Stoick, who was normally among the first to great Johann, mostly to get the news, was standing at the same lookout point Hiccup had used that morning.

"Any sign of him?" Hiccup asked, walking up behind Stoick, Toothless by his side.

"Indeed," Stoick said and pointed out towards something on the sea.

Hiccup narrowed his eyes and spotted that indeed there was Johann's ship coming into port. It would be a few more minutes before it was docked though. Hiccup smiled and turned to go and grab more spyglasses. Johann loved the things, mostly because they were very tradable. Most of the current chiefs had at least one. And it was becoming common practice for a ship to carry one or two on longer voyages. Johann had made it clear that he would grab Hiccup's entire stock if he could.

Once this was done, Hiccup took off back towards the docks, Toothless not too far behind. But as Hiccup reached the wooden ramp that lead from the top of the cliffs down to the docks Hiccup slowed.

"Toothless I need you to stay here for a little bit," Hiccup said turning to Toothless.

Toothless gave Hiccup a rather questioning look at this. But curled up on edge of the board so he could better watch what was going on down below. Hiccup chuckled and knelled down by Toothless and rubbed his cheek lightly.

"It is just I need to explain to Trader Johann about what is going on, before you show up. To prevent any chance of him attacking you," Hiccup explained, getting only a grumbling response from Toothless.

Hiccup smiled and shook his head. He could not really blame Toothless for wanting to stay by him all the time. They were becoming increasingly inseparable, Hiccup learning many of Toothless's odd habits and learning how to translate Toothless's shift in mood. While Hiccup could not perfectly understand the dragon, it was closing in on that point.

So once Hiccup was sure Toothless would not follow him down the ramp till he called. Hiccup set off down the ramp to Johann's ship which had only pulled in a few moments ago. Stoick was already talking with Johann getting the latest news when Hiccup walked up.

"Oh Hiccup my boy, it is good to see you," Johann said, turning when he noticed Hiccup, a while smile breaking across his face.

Johann unlike many of the others people that were seen around Berk, had never disliked Hiccup. True Johann found Hiccup at little odd at times, but the simple fact was that many of Hiccup's ideas were rather useful to the trader. Johann was actually looking forward to seeing Hiccup's finished Bola thrower later when he closed up the shop for the night.

"Hay Johann," Hiccup said, taking off the pack and holding it out, "I got what you asked for a large supply of Spyglasses."

Johann grin only grew as he opened the pack and glanced into it. Nodding happy, he moved over to a large chest and carefully placed the Spyglasses into it. Turning back he returned the pack to Hiccup before gesturing about the ship.

"Considering the request I have had for these, I will give you the run of my ship. Just let me know what you find," Johann said.

Hiccup grinned back at Stoick spoke, "Anyway Johann, I do have a bit of news that I would like to share with you. And you with the other chiefs, but be careful with it."

"Oh what is that?" Johann said looking a little intrigued now.

"Last year, not long after you stopped by Hiccup was able to bring a stop to our war with the dragons. He with some luck downed a dragon befriended it…" Stoick said, continuing on with the talk as Hiccup tuned him out.

Hiccup began going through the many things Johann had. But nothing really seemed to catch his fancy. Gold trinkets were nice, but rather pointless. Weapons were so common on Berk, one had merely glance about to see two or three close at hand. Hiccup moved and then went down into the lower level of Johann's ship, and came to the lesser known items. Books and scrolls, and sometimes supposed magical items.

Going through them carefully, Hiccup began looking for sea charts, as well as books on Dragons. He found the chart's simple enough. Johann had three selves devoted to them, as they had sometimes as much value as Hiccup's spyglasses did.

Taking them down, Hiccup began carefully going over each in turn. He skipped over many of the Southern Isles maps, as well as those that covered welled documented areas. And within the course of an hour, had amassed a small pile he would love to claim. And he was about to head back up, and a small glint of light caught his attention.

Turning back, and setting down the scrolls carefully, Hiccup looked about for the source of the light. His eyes soon came to rest a small book, which had a dragon skin cover. Intrigued at this, Hiccup pulled the book down and opened it up. What he saw caused him to pause, in the book on the first page was a colored drawing of the two rings and the pearl like gem.

"Could this be the same items," Hiccup asked himself, eagerly turning to the next page.

However, Hiccup's hope, as high as they had been were dashed. The writing, if one could call it writing, was unreadable. Either the writer had been very unskilled with a quill, or they were writing in a language that Hiccup was rather unfamiliar with. Hiccup, was leaning more towards the later, as very few people were allowed to write down things in books at random, when paper could be so hard to acquire.

Continuing through the book, Hiccup saw the same writing continued on through all the pages. But there were also several pictures and diagrams as well. All of which showed one man and several dragons, or some sort of man dragon hybrid. And by the time Hiccup had reached the end of the book, he was sure that it was important.

He could not read it, yet, but that would only be a matter of time. He just needed to figure out a way to translate what had been written. Only question was whether it was another language or some sort of code. So closing the book, and gathering up the maps, Hiccup went back onto the main deck.

"Ahh, Hiccup, I see you found somethings worth trading," Johann said.

Hiccup nodded glancing about. It seemed rather quiet at the moment and he noticed Toothless had come down from the upper parts of the dock to rest on the lower levers next to Johann's ship. But as he glance up towards the dock entrance back into the Village, Hiccup saw that several people were on their way down right at the moment.

"Indeed, I found several maps and this book," Hiccup said, setting down the items on a large box.

Johann nodded and checked each of the item in turn. He only stopped for a few moments glancing at the book, as if it was something he had forgotten about.

"You fancying some exploration?" Johann asked, "Your Father mentioned something about a theory about your mother."

"Well, if he told about Toothless and our riding them," Hiccup said, getting a nod form Johann, "Then it is rather possible that the rumors you heard last year about that dragon rider, might be real. It could be my mom, she was always kind towards dragons."

"My lad, that would be rather amazing indeed. Though I sadly, doubt it to be true," Johann said, before nodding to the scrolls, "But I will not deny you what you need. Though I might ask, what is your interest in this book? I must admit I have never seen anything else like it."

"Well, the front page shows three items, two rings and a pearl like gem. When defeating the Red Death, we found similar items. So it is possible they are the same items," Hiccup explained.

Johann nodded, a small grin on his face, "An excellent idea, indeed. Only problem is translating it. I have, because of my on curiosity, looked into that, but no one seems to be able to read it. But if you wish to trade for it, then I have no problem. Though I do ask you tell me if you find out anything."

"So, all the maps and book for the spyglasses then?" Hiccup asked.

"Yes, indeed. Though I am not quite sure what I will have in trade for you Bola thrower. Your father mentioned rather impressive," Johann said, looking a little put out.

Hiccup nodded, looking thoughtful as he filled the pack with the scrolls and then book. Then glancing at Toothless, Hiccup had an idea.

"See if you can find any good metal samples. I know that is not your normal trade items, but if you can find some good metal that is light but strong, it would help me with Toothless's tail," Hiccup asked, turning to Johann.

"Well no promises, but I will see what I can do," Johann admitted, "Though there are some villages and town down farther south that might have what you are looking for."

"In that case, take the thrower with you. It might help in your trades, and I can make more of them now that I got the design down," Hiccup said.

"Ahh, I like the sound of that," Johann said, letting out a loud chuckle, before saying, "this is why I love Berk. Friendly people that know how to help a man make a living. It is always a pleasure doing business with you Hiccup."

"And you Johann, I must be going now, I got a new project ahead of myself, and a big one at that," Hiccup said, as he left the ship, and walked over, waking Toothless up.

"Well, good luck Hiccup," Johann said, before turning to greet the people that had just shown up.

Hiccup smiled to himself and nudged Toothless till he was fully awake. With that done the pair was off into the air and back to Hiccup's house to drop the new items off. Hiccup could only smile as he sat the pack with the items in his room. He only hoped that they were as useful as he had hoped.