Chapter 11 Back to Normal

The smell of chicken stew filled my nose. I quickly opened my eyes. I was back in my room. As I sat up a sharp pain ran through my head. Flashes of what happened the day before came into view. Beserkers, a knife, a girl who nearly died. I forced myself to get out of bed and walk to the mirror. As I stared at my reflection I noticed a scar along my cheek and I red mark around my neck. Visions of Scyth flashed in my head. The pain instantly returned. 

"Best to forget that day." I told myself. "Easier said than done."

I slowly walked down to the kitchen. In the back of my head I knew that what happened yesterday, people would treat me differently now. Instead of hate they would love me, instead of sneering they would smile, which was nothing I was used to. Having that done by family is natural, I could handle that, but the entire village acting like that... I shivered at the thought.

 "Look who's up." I heard Dad say as I made my way down the stairs. 

"How are you feeling, dear?" Mom asked. This seemed to be the normal thing they would say in the morning, but they're eyes gave away that they were terrifyingly worried about me. 

"Fine." I answered.

"I made your favorite." Mom gestured to the bowl next to the empty seat on the table.

"Thanks Mom." I said as I sat down and started eating. There was a stiffness in the air while we ate. 

It was getting a little to awkward for my liking so I decided to leave. 

"I'm going to go." I said.

"But you haven't finished your breakfast yet." I said. 

"Not hungry." I said as I shut the door behind me. I walked through the village, trying to hide my face with my hair. I could feel the burning stares of everyone as I walked by. I was nearly out of the village until I forgot to grab my dagger. As I thought of that word, it made me shiver. Dagger, Scyth, Beserker: words that would now haunt my thoughts.

 I ran back through the village trying my best to ignore all the stares and whispers around me. When I finally made it back home, I opened the door just a crack before I stopped. Voices from inside caught my attention. 

"They've gone too far this time!" The voice belonged to Grandpa.

"Don't you think we know that? What are we going to do?" It was Mom this time. 

"Those Berserkers think they can do what ever they want. We'll show them. Hiccup, plane for an attack." Grandpa said. 

"I guess it's come to that." Admitted Dad. 

"Get the other dragon riders and go see what you can figure out about what they're doing." Grandpa Stoik added.

"And not a word to Freya, she has enough to deal with." Mom told them. They nodded in agreement. I quickly shut the door as I saw them coming. I ran to the back of the house. I wasn't about to go through the village a third time. I took the long way to the beach instead.

   I took a scoop of the warm sand into my hand and let it fall out. This was the first time I felt as ease since, well, the last time I've been here. Stormcloud welcomed me by perking her ears and widening her violet eyes.

"I'm back girl." I said as I walked up to her. She sniffed at me and gave a small growl. 

"I guess you can smell them on me huh?" Stormcloud huffed out a puff of air from her nose. 

"Don't worry, they're gone."  I whispered. I wrapped my arms around her head, giving her a hug.  A purr arose from her throat as she nuzzled up to me. After a while I pushed her away and followed the rocks to the top of the hill, still on top of Stormcloud's wing. 

"Better see what I can get done." I whispered to myself.  Stormcloud stared up at the rock hill and then to me. She laid her head and and huffed.

"Gee, thanks for the support." I said sarcastically. I swiftly made my way up the rock hill. As many times as I've done it, climbing it just seemed natural by now.

I've been pushing rocks down into the ocean until I pushed one rock in and heard a splash. I looked over the edge and saw that the tide came in. Stormcloud drowning by the up coming tide wasn't what I was worried about, I was worried about getting home on time. I looked up to the sun and it was about to hit the mountain top. 

"I geuss I still have time to get food." I said to myself. I hopped fro m rock to rock and made my way down to the warm sand. "How about it, want some food?"  I asked her. Stormcloud roared in delight. "I'll be right back, then." I patted her head and then ran off to the village.

I didn't notice it until I came to the village. The thing that stopped me was confusion. Comet worked at the shop that sold food and I had no idea if he was still there or not. I was torn because I didn't know if I wanted him there or not. I was still angry with him, so why did I want him there? I weird feeling arose from my stomach and into my chest. I took a long sigh to calm down. If he was there it would only mean trouble. Keeping this in thought, I walked through the village and into the market place.

Walking up to the booth that I knew all to well, I checked my bag to see if I had enough money to buy a small chicken; only just. When I finally reached the booth, who turned around was Comet's cousin. I felt like my heart sunk down a little in disappointment. 

"Hey Freya." He greeted. 

"Hello Sven." I acknowledged. Since he was Comet's cousin I saw a lot of him, and got to know him, but I wouldn't consider him a friend.  

"What can I get for you?" He asked.

"Chicken." I answered. As he prepared the chicken we broke out in a conversation I didn't want to be apart of. 

"I heard about what happened the other day." He suddenly said.

"Oh, from who?" I asked politely. I may have the reputation to be a brute, but that didn't mean I was.

"Comet. He told me about the Beserkers." He answered. I didn't reply. "So just because of that, this is free." He said as he placed the chicken on the small wall separating us.

"There it is." I thought in my head. "It was a matter of time before Freya the brute became Freya the girl that deserves special treatment."

As he noticed me hesitating he then tried to persuade me. 

"C'mon, just take it. You of all people deserve it." 

"Really, cause it didn't seem that way three days ago." I blurted out. After I said that I felt a little guilty, but over all I felt good to say what I was thinking. But then again, that's how I got my reputation. Sven fell silent and had a blank expression in his eyes. I then took the chicken that was placed on a wood plate with a woven top to cover it and walked away.

"Comet really likes you, you know." He said while I was still in ear-shot. I stood blank for a minute confused on why he would say that. I replayed what happened since I joined the academy.

"I know." I told him. I walked away back to the beach. 

At the beach Stormcloud was so excited to see me with food she stood up. Or at least she tried. She instantly laid back down when she remembered she was still trapped. Sympathy crept up on me as I walked toward her. I placed the chicken in front of her and removed the lid. Stormcloud sniffed at it for a second before devouring the entire thing within a few hungry gulps.

"Maybe I should feed you more." I said after I passed my shell-shocked state. Stormcloud responded by licking the remains of chicken from her face. I gave a small giggle of amusement at her. "Bye Stormcloud."

As I walked away from the beach a wave of exhaustion struck me. I felt like I'd never get her out from under those rocks. Each time I tried to push them off, it felt like they were multiplying each time I saw them. I sighed in frustration and headed home to bed.