The Clue of the Missing Socks - Chapter 32

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The Clue of the Missing Socks

Chapter 32

          “If these two pieces here and this egg are the same then that would mean…,” Asvord said puzzled.

          “My two halves of stone are actually two dragon egg halves,” our mother remarked.

          How’d you come to find you egg shells?”asked Elsa.

          “Your father gave it o me on the same voyage he died,” mother said as she sat on her bed behind us my sisters and I turned to face her.

          “As you well know,” our mother started.  “Sigvald and I had gone on several voyages together around the world.  The one your father died on, we were returning from the land east by northeast of Berk; several weeks travel from Berk.  We had in our cargo a gift, a chest, from that land.  It had in it precious metals that were great for weapons, fine cloths that were rather rare at the time, and a small but generous amounts of gold for that time."

          “This egg shell,” she said hold the shell parts. “was found by your father while he was exploring a cave deep in that island’s mountain.  Sigvald loved exploring new lands and discovering unique artifacts; this egg shell being one of them.  He gave it to me because of the beauty reminded your father of me. As you can see on your egg and on my egg shell parts, they both have a beautiful pattern of dark blues, reds, and blacks on it.  Because this was a gift from Sigvald, I never accepted any of the many offers I received for my shell parts.  The prince of that land said that had seen a few of the ‘stones’ around, but none quite as magnificent as this one.  The prince also warned of renegade vikings that had been scourging that region.”

          Our mother paused for a moment for a tear came to her eye, but she fought it back.

          “One of our rival traders who had tried several times to trade less quality goods at the same price than ours to every customer we had, kept presenting me with offers, valuable trades, and offers with valuable trades included that were very tempting because they more than tripled the average offer I had gotten that week we stayed at the island.”

          “On the return voyage back to Berk, we were attacked by the renegading  vikings.  Sigvald had feared an attack was imminent because a thick fog had settled over the ocean, even though it was still mid-afternoon.  Though it was a rather cold day and there was a thick cloud cover.  Our crew put up a great fight, with me included, to the point we had almost won.  However, those renegading  vikings launched a counter attack but the several of the Grapple Grounder dragons.  None of us had ever seen this dragon in battle.  We had heard about the speed attacks it would do, but we never actually saw one.”

          “We were finally able to rid and drive away the grounders, only leave less than five.  By the time we had done this, our enemy had taken pretty much all our cargo that we had traded for as well as the gift chest.  Our crew was still fighting on both ships, when Sigvald and I leapt to the enemy ship to fend off them in an effort to get back our cargo.  Moreover, to rescue some of our crew that had been captured.  I was the last one to get back on our ship, while your father was still locked in combat with the leader on the enemy ship.”

          I could see mother fighting back even more tears.

          “Sigvald told me to get back to our ship and get it to safety to protect me and the crew, for we had rescued all of our crew members.  I was about ready to go back for Sigvald, but couldn’t because both ships were drifting too far apart from each other.  My first mate said, ‘We can’t go back after your husband because we have no way of pursuing the enemy ship because we are down wind and we do not have enough oars to move the ship.’  I ran to the edge of our ship to watch the fight that was happening on the other ship between your father and the leader of the renegading  vikings.  The leader couldn’t handle Sigvald’s swordsmanship skills.  I watched in horror because suddenly a viking knocked over one of the smaller masts the fell on Sigvald pinning him under it.  He couldn’t even reach his sword to protect himself.  A Grapple Grounder jumped at him, but Sigvald punched it out of the way.”

          “Just then the enemy ship disappeared into the fog and I couldn’t see what was happening on the other ship.  Sigvald yelled out for me to stay safe and protect his kids, and he would return, somehow.  I heard him yell out in pain, but I couldn’t save him because I was helpless,” she finished as she couldn’t hold back the tears anymore and put her head in her hands and just started to cry.

          Both my sisters and I hugged our mother tight.

          “You will always have us mother,’ I said.

          We all hugged for several minutes.

          After we were done hugging, Asvord said, “So since this is a dragon egg, what kind and type of dragons this.”

          “Is it a Grapple Grounder egg?” asked Elsa.

          I replied, “I don’t think so.  For one thing if it were a grounder egg, wouldn’t Steinson already know how to thatch the egg because he has, or really now had, two Grapple Grounders in his possession?  While I was looking around in his headquarters, I saw several pictures and pages written on the just the Grapple Grounder alone.”

          Mother added, “That would make sense.  So the grounders are the key or part of the key to hatching the egg.”

“That is what I originally thought about the egg when I first heard and saw this egg; but I wasn’t sure,” I stated.  “I got distracted and couldn’t clearly think about the egg when we were trying to escape the clutches of Vemund Steinson.  And we obviously succeeded in that.”

          “The rain sounds as if it has passed on, so why don’t’ we pay Hiccup a visit and ask him about the egg?” suggested Elsa.

          “Sounds like a good idea,’ I said standing up and walked out of the room.”We still have about a half day to investigate any clues about the egg.”

          I opened the door and very chilly breeze whipped past my face.  I glanced at the clouds.

          I closed the door and cautioned the others saying, “Even though the rain has passed on the clouds will still produce…,”

          I was interrupted by a very loud crack of thunder.

          “The clouds will still produce.. that,” I finished, as I was “so rudely interrupted” by the lightning strike.  “Grab your winter tunic and stuff because it.. is.. chi-lley.”  After I grabbed my winter tunic, Elsa handed me the egg from mother’s room.

          We all went and got our winter tunics and warmer skin caots and stepped outside our house.

          “Where are you going mother?” inquired Asvord.

          “Very early this morning I set a salmon trap near the falls at the beach, by now I should have a good catch,” she said as she put on her coat and clipped the belt that she had sewn on the coat.  She had a leather holder for a knife on the left side of the belt.  The knife was a bone from an old Bonenapper dragon.  She said our father had carved a matching set of blades for himself and our mother.  Father still had his on the last time mother saw him.

          We hugged our mother before she left.  Me and my sisters said, “We love you.”

          She replied, “I love you guys with all my heart.”

          Our mother then departed and walked off in the direction of the falls.

          I walked around to the back of the house followed by my sister to our dragons.  Even though it was a short ride, we may get to track down more clues after we talk with Hiccup, possibly Fishlegs, and/or consult The Book of Dragons.

          It was only a five minute ride to Hiccup’s house.

          We landed by his house, got off our dragons, and motioned them to wait next to the house.

          I knocked on the door three times and waited for him to come to the door.  He called out he was coming.  When he opened the door we exchanged greetings.

          “When did you get back?” asked Hiccup.

          “About an hour, hour and a half ago,” I replied.

          “Well come in,” Hiccup said as he motioned for us to sit down near his work desk.  Toothless had been watching the fire, but came over next to Hiccup who turned around his chair at his desk and sat down.  My sister and I also grabbed some chairs and sat down too.

          “I gather you were successful in you mission?  Did you find any additional clues?” asked Hiccup.

          “Yeah we were successful and we did find out some interesting clues.” I spoke and began retelling the adventure on Outcast Island.
 

          I told Hiccup about Vemund being a traitor, also how I saw a mysterious man that went by the name of “DB”, how we now have both Grapple Grounders, and also the egg that is valuable to them.

          “And here is that dragon egg,” I revealed to him the egg from from my saddlebag I brought in.

          “It’s beautiful,” said Hiccup.

          Asvord then said, “We wanted to come over and see if you know what kind and type dragon egg this is.”

          “I have never seen any dragon egg like this,” said Hiccup as he examined the egg closer on his desk.  Toothless came over and sniffed the egg.

          “What do you think bud?” asked Hiccup.  “What kind of dragon could it be?”

          Toothless kind of smiled and made a rumbling noise as if he like the egg.

          “Looks as if Toothless likes the egg,” observed Elsa.

          Hiccup picked up the egg, turned towards us and said, “I had planed an Academy meeting tonight.  Want to come?”

          “Sure,” my sisters and I agreed.

          “We could ask Fishlegs about this mysterious egg to see if he or The Book of Dragons has any information on it,” said Hiccup as he grabbed is thicker skin tunic that he wore in the winter months.

          We all exited Hiccup’s house, we then all mounted our dragons, and flew to the Academy.

          “Maybe there we can shed some light on the subject of finding out what type dragon egg this is,” concluded Hiccup as we took off.