The next morning, Hiccup was awoken by the sound of the cell door opening and Spitelout yelling at him, "Get up you lazy toothpick!"
"Oh, Good morning Spitelout. I see you're in good humor today." Hiccup said as he sat up.
"Be quite Hiccup." Spitelout said not hiding his irritation or tiredness, "Last night, you became just like the rest of us, except you have even less rights."
He undid Hiccup's chains and led him outside, into the village. In the early hours of daybreak, the fires from last night's dragon raid could still be seen beside the occasional demolished catapult or in remains of a house that had been exploded by a Zippleback. Hiccup spotted Astrid sitting on the stairs of her house. She got up and limped over to them with the aid of crutches. Hiccup knew just by looking her that she was not in a mood for banter.
When she caught up to Hiccup, she punched him. "That's for crippling me!" She said, "And that's," slapping him, "for everything else!"
Spitelout had to intervene by moving Astrid to the side and grabbing Hiccup and pulling him away before Astrid would stop hurling insults and curses at him.
Spitelout and Hiccup continued on towards the Great Hall, for that was where they were going. As they went, one after another, Vikings stopped what they were doing, looked at the pair, and followed them.
"You seem to draw a crowd Hiccup." Spitelout said.
The army of Vikings climbed the few hundred steps that would leave even the toughest Viking straining for breath at the top. At the top of the large staircase, a strange sign awaited them.
The doors of the Great Hall, which weighed over one ton each, were wide open.
Hello, Toothless sighed, Hiccup?
His head throbbed, his wings ached, his tail. Toothless couldn't feel his tail.
He opened his eyes and saw, nothing. He blinked, still nothing. Dragons don't just see nothing. Something is wrong. He thought.
Toothless shook himself. Odd? He kept moving, even though his muscles were tense. He could hear, metal? Metal on metal. CHAINS! Toothless thought, frightened.
"Everyone quiet down!" Stoick bellowed over the throng of Vikings that had now gathered in the Great Hall. "You all know why we are here."
"I actually, yeah, I don't." Hiccup whispered to no one in particular.
"Hiccup," Stoick replied, "use your head for once."
"But you told me.."
"Hiccup!" Stoick exclaimed, towering over Hiccup. He then lowered his head and began sorrowfully, "Please, please, won't you understand Son. Hiccup. This is the end of it.
By now, the whole hall was silent, except for the pair who were on a rise in the hall.
"Now," Stoick said addressing the hall of Vikings, "for those of you who may not know why we are here. Hiccup, in broad daylight, has been going to see a dragon. Not just any dragon, mind you, a Night Fury. He has befriended this dragon and tried to keep it a secret from the rest of us."
"Today we are imparting judgement on Hiccup."
Many of the throng of Vikings were now pumping their fists and yelling at Hiccup. "Traitor." "Liar."
Stoick, hearing this began again, "I understand that many of you are fed up with Hiccup's random ideas that throw out island into more havoc than it already is."
"As you know any decision must be approved by the whole of the Vikings. The Elders and I have had a meeting. We have come to the conclusion that Hiccup, my son, should me banished, to beyond the world's end."
The assembly was astonished. Never had such a severe punishment, other than death, been inflicted on anyone. Especially to one so young as Hiccup. They looked at each other speechless. Finally, someone yelled, "Do we even know where that is Stoick?"
"Yes, and no." Stoick said plainly. "We know how to get there, we don't know how long it will take."
At least half of the Vikings groaned in annoyance. "If we don't know how long it will take, shouldn't we send someone ahead to scout for us?" Gobber suggested.
"No! We don't have time for that. We need to leave as soon as possible." Stoick thundered.
"Is there anyone among us who objects to the pronounced judgement?" Stoick addressed the Hall.
No one dared breathe for fear of being understood as objecting to the decision of the Elders.
"It is decided then." Stoick said. "We leave the day after next."
"Well, what are you waiting for? The meeting is over, leave." Hiccup mumbled.
"Hiccup, don't do this." Stoick said tiredly.
"Let me see Toothless."
Hiccup stretched his feelingless legs. Another night in the cell didn't do him any good.
He wished that they would have exiled him the first day instead of leaving him in the jailhouse to rot and then publicly trying him. The uncomfortable room and slimy wetness was a lot better than having people see him as a prisoner, a traitor, and a liar. He wouldn't have admitted it to anyone, but the whole thing was pretty embarrassing to say the least.
Soon, all of it would be history though. Of course he didn't feel guilty, even if Stoick thought he should. No, infact, he yearned for everyone to see Toothless, him and more. To see that peace could be made. To see that dragons were just like vikings: warriors trying to survive and doing what they had to to do it. There didn't have to be anymore raids!
Toothless felt wretched. He'd been totally immobilized for soon-to-be three days now. Even if he could move, he'd probably collapse because of his stiff, unmoving muscles. He did fine without food. Dragons tended to eat a big meal and then not eat for several days. But going without water was beginning to wear on him.
Toothless perked up his ears at the cheering outside his stone prison. He tensed as multiple human footsteps came near and the big door cracked open. A fat man missing a hand and a leg hobbled in, followed by two other vikings.
Toothless snarled and lunged forward, only to be violently yanked back by all the chains and clamps. Everything choked and squeezed him until he relaxed. The plump man gave a hearty laugh and the other two nervously loaded their bows. Toothless slitted his eyes and growled dangerously.
The fat man spoke. "How's that? Thor's embodied fury, ridden by a living toothpick and subdued by simple viking men." The two others visibly untensed and laughed
"Bows at the ready, men," said the limping leader as he moved toward the dragon's tail.
They did as ordered and had honed arrows pointing right at Toothless' head. He knew that they would not hesitate like Hiccup to kill. Even if the arrows missed, each man had a blade at their sides, ready for action.
The man without a bow undid all the bindings, leaving the muzzle and the clamps on Toothless' forelegs for last. Why are they letting me go?
As the vikings left with weapons still trained on him, Toothless made a hopeful sound. Would they let him out now?
Hi everyone,
these chapters will probably not have any regularity to them. I'm working getting someone to beta this besides myself, because that doesn't work to well. Chapter three is already in the works! I appreciate all the support you guys/gals are giving!
