Chapter 2: Fitting In
Gulls shrieked overhead as the waves crashed against the shore, mixing with the sound of the bustling docks as the longships bearing the banner of the Macintosh clan sailed into the harbor. A cheer went up from the gathered crowd as the longships floated up to the docks, retracting their oars and furling their sails as some of the men jumped onto the dock and began tying the boat to the docks.
As soon as the ships were secured, gangplanks were lowered to the docks, allowing the rest of the longships' passengers to disembark. As the men made their way onto the docks, they quickly were met with their families who were standing huddled nearby. The sounds of happy reunions filled the air as Gobber watched from the deck, though here and there he could see the sad scene of a man having to inform a family of their loved one's demise.
The feeling of a hand slapping against his shoulder snapped Gobber out of his thoughts.
"Come on, Gobber!" Lord Macintosh declared with a friendly grin, Will smiling next to him, "Ye cannae stand here all day! Yer homeland awaits!"
"A-Aye!" Gobber stuttered in embarrassment before motioning for Macintosh and his son to go in front of him. Nodding, Lord Macintosh and Will walked down the gangplank, waving to the gathered people as they went, the families cheering as they saw their lord and his son.
Turning his head, Gobber looked at Maudie standing next to him.
"Ye can dae it," Maudie encouraged him, "They waenae bite. Most waenae at least."
Chuckling, Gobber took a deep breath,slowly letting it out before he began to hobble down the gangplank, adjusting the pack he had slung over his shoulder as he went. At first, Gobber's presence on the dock went unnoticed, the Highlanders distracted by their families and their lord. Then, slowly, the villagers began to notice Gobber, the women, children and elderly grew quiet as they looked at him in confusion. Soon enough, all conversation on the docks had stopped as the Highlander families were openly staring at Gobber, the warriors who had traveled with him looking awkwardly between the Viking and their families. Glancing over at Maudie as she stepped onto the dock, Gobber saw her give him a nervous smile.
"Whit's he daein' here!?" a young man spoke up as an angry murmur went through the crowd.
"Ma people, fergive me!" Lord Macintosh spoke up as he brought everyone's attention back to him as he made his way through the crowd, "Ah hae fergotten tae make introductions."
Walking up next to Gobber, Lord Macintosh placed a hand on the Viking's shoulder.
"This is Gobber th' Belch," Macintosh continued, "Th' newest member o' our clan!"
Silence fell over the dock as the Highlanders looked at their lord in confusion.
"Whit dae ye mean by 'at!?" someone questioned from the back of the crowd.
"Well, as saeme o' ye may remember, years ago a woman from our clan, ma cousin, was taken in a Vikin' raid," Macintosh explain, "Turns oot she had a son. Sae, let us welcome our newest clansman, Gobber O'Macintosh!"
Hushed whispers went through the crowd as the Highlanders gave Gobber questioning looks. After a few awkward moments, Will let out a happy cry, quickly joined in by the other Highlander warriors, which seemed to ease the tension in the crowd, prompting a few of the villagers to join in half-heartedly.
"Alright then," Lord Macintosh said with a rushed tone, "Enjoy yer homecomin' everyane! Ah hae ma own family tae see tae."
"Come along, lad," Macintosh whispered to Gobber as he began to lead the large man through the crowd, the Highlanders parting to allow their lord to pass.
"Well, 'at was awkward," Gobber commented as they exited the crowd, Will and Maudie falling into step alongside them.
"Aye, nae kiddin'," Will agreed with a snort.
"Well, ye hae tae remember, Vikins an' Highlanders still daenae hae th' best o' relationships," Lord Macintosh explained as they stepped off the dock, "Ma men an' Ah might hae come tae like ye lot, but 'at daesnae mean 'at th' rest o' ma people are gaein' tae like ye right away."
"If ever," Gobber added dubiously.
"Hey, daenae be sae dour, lad," Macintosh said with a chuckle, "Ye've anly jist arrived. Plenty o' time fer thin's tae get worse."
"Speakin' o' arrivals," Will said, looking to the side of the docks with a growing smile, "Look who jist showed up!"
Following Will's gaze, Gobber saw two young men get off a small dinghy that had pulled ashore, the sailors who had rowed it quickly pushing the boat back out into the water and rowing back towards a longship that was waiting offshore.
One of the young men was much larger than the other, standing almost as tall as Gobber himself and just as broad. His dark blonde hair was pulled back into a ponytail and he looked around with wide, blue eyes. He wore a grey tunic under a boiled leather jerkin and green tartan robe and kilt.
The other one was shorter than even Will, with bright blonde hair and glazed blue eyes. He had large, protruding ears, buckteeth and a long, skinny neck. He wore a grey tunic under a green and brown tartan robe and kilt.
"Andra! Boyd!" Will asked with a laugh as he jogged over to them, waving, "What are ye sorry lot daein' here!?"
The large young man mumbled something, a happy smile on his face. Will looked at him in confusion before turning to the other one. The young man looked at Will with a glassy eyed stare for a few moments, not saying anything.
"Oh," the young man said, blinking in surprise as if he had just realized Will was talking to him, "Andra said 'at our dads are gaein' tae hae us stay a little while with ye an' yer family."
"Really!?" Will asked happily, "'At's wonderful!"
Stepping between his friends, Will placed his hands on their shoulders as he led them over to Gobber and his father.
"Ah, there ye two are!" Lord Macintosh said with a laugh, "Ah hae tae admit, with everythin' 'at's been happenin', Ah fergot 'at ye'd be stayin' with us fer awhile."
"Well, it's a pleasant surprise then," Will stated with a laugh.
"It's good tae see ye lads again," Gobber said with a grin as Maudia smiled and nodded behind him.
"Alright, come on now," Lord Macintosh spoke up as he tried to herd the others up the hill away from the docks, "Ah'd like tae get home saemetime taeday."
Following a dirt path up from the docks, the group made their way through a village near the base of the cliffs. Dozens of wood and thatch buildings clustered around the dirt road that went up to the stone castle sitting atop the cliff. The village was largely empty, most of the villagers down at the docks reuniting with their families. The sounds of chickens and sheep echoed from between the buildings, as did the sound of horses snorting and whinnying in their stables. The familiar sight of smoke rising from the local smithy brought a smile to Gobber's face as he passed.
As they made their way out of the village and up the hill, Gobber was able to get a better look at the castle that sat on the top of an outcropping of rock that jutted out over the sea, cliffs surrounding it on three sides. It was a sturdy stone castle, with a thick walls that went from the edge of one cliff to another, allowing the natural defenses granted by the steep cliffs to protect the square keep's exposed sides. Near the center of the wall was a thick wooden gate, reinforced with iron and protected with a steel portcullis. The gate was flanked by a pair of towers, on top of which Gobber could see archers watching from between the battlements. A flag depicting the Highland Kingdom's symbol flew from the top of the keep, while a flag depicting the Macintosh flag flew over each of the towers.
"Open th' gates!" Gobber heard one of the sentries call as they drew closer to the gate, "Lord Macintosh returns!"
The loud clanking of chains accompanied the raising of the portcullis as the small group reached the gates. A moment after the portcullis locked in place, the wooden gates swung inwards, allowing the group entry.
As Gobber passed under the gate, he glanced around at what lay beyond. Two men wearing Macintosh colors flanked the entrance, waiting for the group to pass by so that they could close the doors behind them. The gates led to an open courtyard mostly covered in compact dirt, a few weeds sticking out here and there. A stable sat in one corner of the courtyard while a kennel occupied another, the sounds of horses and dogs filling the air and echoing off the stone walls. In another part of the courtyard, the familiar sight of a smithy caught Gobber's eyes, though no smoke rose from its chimney.
A few moments after they had entered the courtyard, the heavy wooden door leading into the keep opened and a girl stepped out. She was a young girl, looking younger than Will, with curly black hair and blue eyes. She had a petite frame and wore a green colored dress fit for a noble lady.
"Da!" the girl exclaimed happily as she ran across the courtyard towards them, "Ye're back!"
"Indeed Ah am, ma beautiful, baby girl!" Lord Macintosh cooed as he leaned down and scooped up the girl, swinging her through the air as he hugged her.
"Ah was sae worried ye'd ne'er come back!" the girl said as Lord Macintosh put her down, allowing her to turn and hug Will, slamming into the young man so hard that she almost knocked him over.
"Whit, and give ye th' satisfaction o' being right?" Will joked as he returned the hug, "Ne'er in a million years, little sister."
The girl glared at Will and smacked him lightly on the arm earning a chuckle from the young man. Turning away from Will, she noticed his friends standing nearby, causing her to gasp, blushing as she quickly turned away.
"Ah see ye brought yer friends too," she said quietly as she glanced over at them shyly, playing with a strand of her hair as she looked at Boyd.
"Indeed Ah did," Will answered with a smile and a roll of his eyes as he followed his sister's gaze. Standing to the side, Andra chuckled as he looked down at Boyd, who was staring into space. Tapping the young man on the shoulder, Andra brought Boyd's attention back to reality, indicating to the girl as the blonde looked up at him. Spotting the girl, Boyd smiled and waved at her, causing her to blush as she turned away again.
As she turned away, the girl happened to glance at Gobber, doing a double take as she fully realized the Viking was there. For a moment, the girl did nothing but stare at Gobber with wide eyes, the Viking starting to fidget uncomfortably under the weight of her gaze.
"Da?" the girl said quietly, her eyes remaining locked with Gobber's.
"Aye, Aileene?" her father questioned with a smirk.
"Ye know there's a Vikin' with ye, right?" the girl, Aileene, asked.
"Aye, Ah brought him here," Lord Macintosh explained with a chuckle.
"...Why?" Aileene questioned.
"Because, as it sae happens, he is also part o' our clan," her father explained.
"Huh?" Aileene asked in confusion.
"His mother was part o' our clan," Will explained, "She was...taken in a raid, which led tae his birth."
"Oh," Aileene replied as she awkwardly tucked a strand of her curly hair behind her ear, "Ah see."
"Ah hope Ah haenae distressed ye, m'lady," Gobber stated with awkward nervousness.
"Oh nae, nae at all!" Aileene replied quickly, a distressed look on her face, "Ah've jist ne'er met saemeane like ye afore...Ah'm sorry, Ah daenae even know yer name."
"Gobber, m'lady," the Viking answered as he gave Aileene a small bow, "Gobber th' Belch."
"'At is...quite th' interestin' name," Aileene commented with a chuckle.
"Aye, indeed it is," Gobber agreed with a chuckle of his own, "But it fits me all th' same."
"Alright, Ah daenae know aboot ye lot but Ah think 'at's enough talkin' fer now," Lord Macintosh spoke up, "Aileene, why daenae ye an' Will show our guests tae their rooms, ane fer each o' them. We can put th' lads on th' first floor an' our other guests on th' second."
"Alright, Da," Aileene agreed with a nod before turning to address the group, "Follow me, please."
As Aileene began to lead them into the castle, Lord Macintosh broke away and began making his way around the keep, Gobber watching him go with a confused look on his face.
"Where's yer father gaein'?" Gobber questioned as he turned his attention to Will and Aileene in time to see the siblings share a look.
"He's going to speak with our mother," Will explained quickly. The answer failed to satisfy Gobber and he glanced over at Maudie, who shook her head, prompting the Viking to let the subject go.
As they entered the castle, Gobber glanced around at the large entrance hall. Much like the outer walls, the hall was made out of hewn stone, the bare rock covered by a number of colorful tapestries that Gobber assumed depicted scenes from the area's history. A number of smaller hallways branched off from the one they were in, along with a narrow set of stairs that wound up to the higher levels, all illuminated by torches set in scones along the walls.
"Come on lads," Will said as he, Andra and Boyd split off from the others, "Let's get ye settled in."
"Follow me," Aileene stated as she led Maudie and Gobber up the stairs, "Yer room is up here."
"Uh, 'at wud be rooms" Gobber corrected awkwardly.
"Pardon?" Aileene questioned, glancing back at Gobber as they made their way up the stairs.
"We're, uh, gaein' tae need separate rooms," Gobber explained as he glanced nervously at Maudie, who was looking at her feet.
"...Oh!" Aileene exclaimed in realization, "Ah'm sorry, Ah thought ye two were..."
"Oh nae!" Gobber said, blushing as he shook his head quickly, almost losing his balance as they reached the top of the stairs, "Nae 'at Ah...whit Ah mean is..."
"It's alright, Gobber," Maudie spoke up, placing her hand on one of his broad shoulders, "Ah think she understands."
"Ah dae," Aileene agreed as she smiled at the two adults while stopping before a pair of doors on opposite walls of the hall, "Luckily these two rooms are right next tae each other."
"Thank ye, m'lady," Maudie said with a smile, "This will dae lovely."
"Ah'll let ye two get settled in," Aileene said as she began to make her way back down the stairs, "Dinner shud be ready in aboot an hour."
"Thank ye," Gobber said with a nod before he turned and entered his room as Aileene began making her way down the stairs. Gobber took a moment to glance around the room which was furnished with a few simple items such as a bed and a wardrobe.
As Gobber set his pack down on the bed, a small knock came from the door. Turning around, Gobber found Maudie standing in the doorway.
"Maudie!" Gobber said in surprise, figuring she was in her own room, "Is...Is there saemethin' Ah can dae tae help ye?"
"No, it's just..." Maudie began to say before taking a small breath, "Is there saemethin' wrong?"
"Whit dae ye mean?" Gobber questioned in confusion.
"It's jist 'at...ever since we left Berk, ye've been actin' strangely," Maudie explained, looking uncomfortable as she spoke.
"Well, like Ah said afore, Ah'm a bit nervous bein' here fer th' first time," Gobber explained.
"'At's nae whit Ah'm talkin' aboot," Maudie replied, "Ah mean ye've been actin' strangely around me."
"Oh," Gobber said quietly, "Ah think Ah see."
"Have Ah done saemethin' tae offend ye?" Maudie questioned, a worried expression on her face, "If Ah hae, Ah cannae tell ye how sorry Ah am. Ah ne'er-"
"Nae, nae, it's nae ye, Maudie," Gobber interrupted her, "It's me."
"Whit dae ye mean?" Maudie asked in confusion.
"Well, th' thing is, Ah'm nae particularly good with….with women," Gobber explained awkwardly.
"Whit?" Maudie questioned, clearly not understanding.
"Back on Berk, Ah wasnae very popular growin' up," Gobber elaborated, "Even after Ah became friends with Stoick an' th' others, there was a number o' people who gave me a wide berth. Because o' 'at Ah've ne'er…."
"Ye've ne'er had a women be interested in ye afore," Maudie surmised, a look of realization crossing her face.
"Aye, sae Ah'm afraid o' daein' saemethin' 'at will ruin it," Gobber said with a sigh, "Assumin' ye're interested at all."
"Ah can assure ye, Gobber," Maudie said, smiling as she took a step towards the Viking and lay a hand on his shoulder, "Ah am, withoot a doubt, interested in ye."
"Oh...well…." Gobber mumbled nervously in reply, "At least 'at lays saeme worries tae rest."
"Ah would hope so," Maudie giggled at him, "An' dae ye want tae know why Ah'm interested in ye?"
"Uh….is it ma winnin' personality?" Gobber guessed with an awkward chuckle.
"'At's part o' it, but nae all o' it," Maudie replied with a giggle as she stepped closer to Gobber, laying a hand on his chest over his heart, causing the Viking to blush, "It's because ye hae a good heart."
"Well, Ah dae try tae exercise an' eat right," Gobber stated.
"Nae, nae like 'at," Maudie said with a laugh, "Ah mean ye're a good person, a good man. Ah can tell by th' way ye interact with those around ye, especially those close tae ye like Hiccup an' Stoick."
"An' ye find 'at….attractive?" Gobber questioned, a dubious expression on his face.
"Oh aye," Maudie replied as she looked up at Gobber through half-lidded eyes, "Ah find carin', funny, kind-hearted men very attractive."
"Oh….alright then," Gobber said in reply, clearly unsure of his own voice.
"Sae, if ye're worried aboot daein' saemethin' wrong, jist try tae be yerself," Maudie suggested with a chuckle, "'At's whit Ah like anyway."
"Ah'll keep 'at in mind," Gobber replied with a grin.
"See 'at ye dae," Maudie stated before standing up on her tiptoes and kissing Gobber on the cheek, catching the Viking completely off guard, "Now, clean yerself up. Ye'll want tae look presentable fer th' dinner taenight."
Gobber said nothing as Maudie left, the Highlander giggling to herself as she glanced back at the stunned Viking before entering her room and closing the door behind her. Gobber continued to stare at her door for a few moments before he managed to blink himself back to reality.
"Alright, Gobber, ye auld dog," the Viking said to himself as he touched the spot where Maudie had kissed him with his good hand, "Be yerself. Shudnae be too hard. It's nae like ye know how tae be anyane else!"
With that, Gobber chuckled as he closed his door before he moved to change into some fresh clothes for the evening.
A/N: One of the reasons I'm excited to write this story is it gives me the opportunity to expand on things the source materials doesn't focus on. As such, I hope you guys like how I'm depicting the Macintoshes and their lands, as well as the things I'll show in the future! As always, feedback and critiques are always welcome, so please review! Later!