Authors Note: Finally. I am back. I have been waiting forever to get this chapter posted, but technology, plans, and me changing it kept getting in the way. This idea was requested by DLuxII, though, its probably different then you expected. DLuxII, thank you for this amazing idea, and sorry it took so long.
Disclaimer: I do not own How To Train Your Dragon. All rights belong to Dreamworks and Cressida Cowell.
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Dark Secret: Chapter One - Consequences
"HICCUP HORRENDOUS HADDOCK III."
The villagers of the Hairy Hooligans settled as they eagerly looked towards their Chief, awaiting his judgement.
"YOU HAVE BEEN FOUND GUILTY OF MURDER."
Cheif Stoick the Vast sat proudly on his rightful chair. Behind him stood the members of his Council of Three, which consisted of Gothi, the village elder, Gobber, his closest friend and Spitelout, his right hand man. All of them glared down at the lone boy, Spitelout's especially with rage and loathing. Stoicks gaze was anything but proud.
"HAVE YOU ANYTHING TO SAY FOR YOURSELF?"
Alone in the Kill Ring, Hiccup Haddock shook his head.
"I did it," he whispered hoarsely. "I killed him."
No one heard him.
"THE PUNISHMENT FOR MURDER IS DEATH."
Hiccup jerked at the word 'death'. His eyes flickered to Stoick for the first time since the Trial began. His sharp intakes of breath went unnoticed by everyone but his Chief.
The villagers crowding around the ceiling bars of The Kill Ring erupted into noise. They yelled for his head, hungry for his blood. A life for a life, they yelled. Others silently sneered at him, making it quite clear what they thought of him. Just another day to add to thirteen years.
The Hairy Hooligans looked just as eager to see his blood as they were to see a dragons head hanging on their wall.
Stoick raised a hand. "SILENCE," he boomed.
The noise died down.
"THE USUAL PUNISHMENT IS DEATH. BUT, DUE TO CIRCUMSTANCES THAT OPTION HAS BEEN FORFEITED-"
The villagers spoke up, their protests mixed together to create one loud bellow of noise.
Hiccup relaxed slightly and exhaled slowly, relief flooding him. He had thought, for a moment, he would be sentenced to death by his own father. There had, of course, been a small part of him that dared hope that his father would let him stay, maybe not as part of the village, but a part of him had held on to the hope that his father would protect him, and wouldn't let anything take him away. That he wouldn't let the last piece of his beloved wife go. But that had been a very small part. Maybe it was right...
Stoick continued, not paying the slightest attention to his peoples cries.
"-AND SO YOUR PUNISHMENT HICCUP HORRENDOUS HADDOCK III IS EXILE."
Hiccups eyes snapped open and he stared at his father, the relief disappering as fast as it had come. Dread took its place. To be exiled was worse a punishment. He would be cast out, unable to join another Viking Clan. Only accepted by The Outcast Clan, lead by a feared man known as Alvin the Treacherous. Hiccup got the shivers just thinking about him.
But, whispered a nasty voice in his head. You deserve this.
Hiccup dipped his head. He did. He had killed him. And that was never going to go away.
His fathers booming voice did nothing to stop the guilt raging at his sides. If anything, it made it worse. But he controlled his features. He put on a mask, the same mask he's been wearing for thirteen years.
"YOU WILL NOT RETURN TO BERK. IF YOU DO, EACH AND EVERY HAIRY HOOLIGAN HAS THE RIGHT TO CLAIM YOUR HEAD AS A TROPHY."
Hiccup didn't move but his stomach clenched. He knew the rules. Every Viking did.
He could feel Stoicks piercing gaze and, despite himself, he dragged his eyes up to meet that of his fathers.
Disappointment. There were other emotions like anger, shock, disbelief, but none as strong as the disappointment that leaked out of his father.
Never would he be good enough. No matter want he did, he would always be known as Stoicks little disappointment. Hiccup the Useless, the screwup of Berk. The boy that always fails. The only known Cheif's son who was not a Viking.
It was depressing, really. But, he had had thirteen years to hide it, tuck it away where no one would ever see it. He had been looked down upon for as long as he could remember and he was not going to give them another reason to.
"DO YOU UNDERSTAND?" His fathers voice echoed around the Kill Ring.
Hiccup slowly nodded. This was the end of the trial, he knew. After this, all that would come was the ceremony. Another part Hiccup dreaded.
Stoick nodded and his steely gaze went off Hiccup to land on his Council. Gothi, Gobber and Spitelout all nodded in turn.
"THE EXILING CEREMONY WILL BE HELD TOMORROW."
Stoick and His Council of Three quietly spoke amongst themselfs and finally, at Stoick's nod, the Trail ended. Spitelout was the first to leave, though not before sending Hiccup a glare. Gothi came second. Slowly, following after Gothi, the villagers of the tribe known as The Hairy Hooliagans trickled out until it was just Gobber and Stoick standing there in front of the fourteen year old killer. Gobber placed his hand on his friends shoulder, and understanding his need to be alone, hobbled off in pursuit of his people.
Hiccup was still standing before the Chiefs chair. His head was down. Stoick didn't know what was going on in that traitorous head. Probably trying to think of an escape. It would explain why he hadn't spoken much during the Trail. And the boy was certainly smart enough. After today, Stoick didn't know what he'd do.
His son was a different person to him now.
He sighed when he saw Hiccup was still not moving. He'd have to deal with him. Which was probably what Hiccup was expecting.
But when Stoick quickly opened the gate, slid inside, and closed it just as fast, Hiccup's only reaction was to turn his head a little towards his father.
Stoick was starting to get a little unnerved by his sons attitude. Usually, Outcasts would be begging to stay on the island. Hiccup, on the other hand, was simply just observing the Cheif, noting his suspicious behaviour. The way the Cheif was acting, it was like he was expecting him to be thinking up some great master plan to escape.
Hiccup paused in his wondering.
Did they actually think he would try to escape? If Hiccup hadn't been in such a serious situation, he would've laughed. He had no intention of escaping. He deserved what was coming. He deserved all the pain and punsihments that would become him. He wouldn't try to escape what was justified.
Be it death or exilement, Hiccup deserved it.
But as Stoick strode towards him, Hiccup couldn't stop the fear that clawed at his insides. And when Stoick grabbed his bound arms, and he looked up at the face he had known, become familair with, loved, and his mouth opened and spilled the words he had locked away during the Trial, determined not to beg or plead to spare himself of what was coming.
"Please, dad, I, I didn't mean to... It was a-an accident... I didn't want to do it... But I-I couldn't stop myself..." His words were becoming desperate. Because, even though he knew he deserved whatever happened to him, there was a part of him that feared what would happen, and wanted to stay here where he couldn't be hurt. Where his father could protect him. The very same part of him which had believed his father wouldn't exile him.
Stoick payed no heed to his words, but his eyes flamed that little bit more and Hiccup shut up.
Stoick led the way towards the cell Hiccup was staying in. He pulled Hiccup after him none to gently, still by the ropes binding his hands.
The cell door opened. Stoick shoved Hiccup inside. He fell onto the cold, hard ground. And still, Stoick didn't say a word.
"Dad," Hiccup pleaded, "you know that isn't like me. I wouldn't do that... Please... Please just listen to me."
Stoick stared down at the boy pleading before him. He looked so unhappy, so scared, that it hurt to look at him. He looked so much like the boy Stoick had cared for, raised, but... This... Person was not his son. His son would never do something like this.
"You're not a Viking," Stoick said stiffly, formally. "You're not my son."
His voice cracked on the last bit. He hoped Hiccup hadn't noticed. And, going by the pained look upon Hiccups face, he hadn't.
The door clanged shut, leaving Hiccup alone in the dirty cell, shocked. He stared at the place he had last seen his father.
Your not a Viking. Your not my son. The words echoed in his mind.
And slowly, the truth caught up to him.
No longer was he a Viking. No longer was he a Hairy Hooligan. No longer was he Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III.
He had no one. No tribe, no family. He was no one.
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Have some questions? Who did Hiccup kill? What will happen to him? Well, you're gonna have to keep reading to find out ;)
I think the last bit was a tad rushed. I'm sorry. But, I was really eager to get this put so I could start on the next chapter, which will hopefully be posted soon.
Reviews, feedbacks, follows, favourites, PMs are all greatly appreciated.
~Lei' Raeyna.
