17 Did I Already Mention

17. DID I ALREADY MENTION THAT THE PAST HAS A WAY OF CATCHING UP WITH THE PRESENT? 'It was a gift,' said Hiccup. All three heads of the Deadly Shadow started in surprise, for it is unusual for a human to speak Dragonese. And then the three heads spoke eagerly, again with that unbearable note in their voices, as if they had been longing for something for a very long time, and were thinking that the something they had long past hoped for was about to be snatched from them. 'So you are not the owner of this necklace? Who gave it to you? Where are they? Are they alive?' The questions came from three directions at once, and delivered in those strange confusing voices it made Hiccup's head reel, as if the heads were speaking in some echoing confusing cave. 'He was my friend… He is alive… I hope he is alive… I am looking for him…' pleaded Hiccup. 'That is why I am here.'

Now the voices were stern, with an edge of menace. 'But you did not steal it? You are telling the truth? The boy who owned this necklace is alive?' Hiccup swallowed. 'I really, really hope he is, because he is my best friend,' said Hiccup. At that moment, Hiccup could see Fishlegs so clearly in his head, skinny Fishlegs with his sarcastic sense of humour and his glasses askew. For a moment it was as if he really was standing right there beside them, about to make some remark about the general all-round terrifying-ness of the Deadly Shadow himself. 'Look at us!' hissed the heads of the Deadly Shadow. 'Look at us! Look at us! Look at us!' The hissing was all around him. The three heads were whirring round him, confusing him, sliding back and forth and in and out of visibility… They were like a maze of mirrors… Where had he heard that phrase before? Hiccup had trained himself to hold a dragon's gaze– no easy feat, for a dragon's gaze is hypnotic. If you hold it too long you find your will bending to theirs, or you are sick or pass out. Certain dragons have a gaze that is almost like

a truth drug, it seems to drag the truth out of you, whether you want it to or not. And of course, triple the eyes, triple the strength. Hiccup forced himself to look into the dragon's six great glistening eyes, which were now flecked with the reflection of the sky and it was like they were boring right into his head, into his very mind, and wandering around in the mazy passages in there. And then there was a sucking sensation, as if they were dragging the thoughts out of him. Not surprisingly, within seconds Hiccup felt dizzy, then sick– as you would if you had somebody wandering around inside your own brain– until he had to close his eyes before he passed out. The dragon unclosed its fist of sky from around Hiccup's limp body, and from that of Camicazi. And the hand that was only minutes before squeezing the life out of them, and preparing to kill them, laid them gently, protectively on the sandy grass. 'What in the name of Thor and Woden and Freya's ickle pretty plaits is going on?' wondered Camicazi, trying to get her breath, holding her head and gazing at the Deadly Shadow in awe. 'I have abso-lutely no idea,' gasped Hiccup. 'But it's something to do with Fishlegs and this lobster

necklace he gave me. 'But we're not safe yet…' he whispered. Hiccup knew this instinctively. 'The Deadly Shadow has not yet decided what to do with us.' The Deadly Shadow strode around them, circling like an invisible tiger. Deep in its throats was a noise that in a less magnificent, noble, wild creature, might have been purring. But that was not a happy purring, it was a purring that Hiccup knew well. That was a 'considering' purring. Toothless did exactly the same thing when he was trying to decide whether or not to do something. Hiccup and Camicazi sat absolutely still in the sandy grass. Even Camicazi knew not to speak, and that their lives were in the balance. Round and round them the creature paced, the three heads arguing with one another. You couldn't see it, but you could hear it, feel it– the moving air, the great dragon footsteps all around them in the grass. There were fifteen circles of great dragon footprints around them before the Deadly Shadow stopped circling and brought its three heads very close to Hiccup, the heads now visible and waving like snakes in front of a snake-charmer.

The middle head spoke. 'We have been at war with ourselves,' said the middle head in that doomy-echoey miasma of a voice. Hiccup nodded his head respectfully. 'For there are two reasons why you are here. Two Quests. The first is as you say, you are looking for your friend, who you really believe is alive.' The first head gave what might have been a snarl, or a snort of appreciation, and sent a bolt of flame down into the sandy grass that made Hiccup and Camicazi jump. 'You spoke the truth,' said the middle head. 'But the Dragon Furious spoke the truth too. There is a second Quest...' said the middle head. 'You seek the Dragon Jewel. This is a dangerous Quest, and one that could have dreadful implications for the entire dragon race… 'For the Dragon Jewel is no ordinary Jewel. If it is found, it has a secret. And if a human knew that secret, he could use the power of the Jewel to kill not just one dragon, but all dragons. He could make us extinct, obliterate us for ever. 'But you seek it nonetheless…' This time, the third head gave what was definitely a snarl– more than a snarl, a roar– and the

bolt of flame that it sent out missed Hiccup by inches, and only because the middle head anticipated it and gave it a knock to the left. 'We have a dilemma ourselves,' said the middle head. 'For we have made two promises. One to the Dragon Furious, which was to kill you. The other to someone else, a long time ago. Innocence here, on my left,' (the left head bowed) 'would help you find this friend of yours, who means a great deal to us. 'On the other hand, Arrogance here' (the right head bowed and snarled) 'would kill you. 'I have the casting vote,' said the middle head. It paused, and then continued slowly. 'Because the first promise that we made has a prior claim, we will help you.' Hiccup gave a sigh of relief. The result really did seem to have been in the balance. 'Thank you,' said Hiccup, bowing his head. 'All I would say, is that there are others who seek the Jewel, and they would use it to destroy.' 'Ah,' said the middle head sadly, 'but they would never find it without your help.' The Deadly Shadow knelt down beside them, inviting them to climb on its back. 'Come,' said the middle head compellingly. 'Take