Sorry that I left you hanging for a few weeks. My family and I went on holiday to visit some other family and I made the stupid decision of leaving my laptop on my bed... Good job, me! Also,
OH MY THOR HTTYD 3 WAS SO AWESOME! I CRIED AND I LAUGHED AND I CRIED SOME MORE! IT WAS THE BEST MOVIE I HAVE SEEN IN SUCH A LONG TIME! I WANT TO SAY WHAT HAPPENED BUT I CAN'T! AHHHHHHH!
Ok, I'm done. I might wait until the rest of the world gets the movie before I release some fics for it (cause we got it first in Australia and I have no idea why), unless you want otherwise.
Shoutout time:
sleepycame: 100% agree with you. Astrid and Hiccup really need to talk. It would solve 90% of the problems presented in this story if they did.
Guest(1): Not crazy at all. I also have really liked the idea of Hiccup joining the Hunters. There are a few good ones out there (my personal favourite is The New Dragon Hunter: Hiccup by katherined). So, it's not crazy at all.
HTTYDlover99(Guest): That pretty much sums it up.
Massive HTTYD Fan (From Chapter 5): I've always felt exactly the same. I saw him as a sort of antihero. He didn't necessarily do good things, but nothing he did (from eyes) was entirely unjustified. But I'll shut up now or I'll probably end up spoiling the story.
Massive HTTYD Fan: Such beautiful words. It's a shame that Hiccup won't ever hear them... D:
Guest(2): I'm not surprised. Dramatic effect is my middle name.
Michi Haddock O'Brien: Yer, it probably would be painful. And remember, despite all the apparent craziness, Viggo always has a plan.
Snow32Lily: It sure is!
toothlessgolfer (In response to all your reviews): Thank you very much for all the detail you put into your reviews. It makes me so happy when one of my viewers is able to break down the text and make predictions. That either means a) my writing is improving to where I leave hints and attentive people pick them up or b) it's really obvious. I'm hoping that it's a, but you never know \(^-^)/. And my gods... you need to stop reading my thoughts that aren't on the internet yet...
Tahlibahli: Tahli please stop dieing me! I'm scared that you won't come back one day! X-(
~O~
Trust Is Key
Chapter 7
~O~
Hiccup blinked in confusion and shook his head a few times.
Was Viggo serious? Did he honestly expect that Hiccup would join the Dragon Hunters?
"So, let me get this straight." Hiccup started. "You, a Dragon Hunter, want me, a Dragon Rider, to join your ranks?"
"That is one way to put it." There was a pause. "You are a remarkable man, Hiccup Haddock. Your knowledge of dragons along with your countless allies would benefit my cause greatly."
"You want me to help you make the Dragons extinct?" The disbelief was evident in Hiccup's voice. As Viggo had suspected, the young man was struggling to believe that Viggo's offer was a serious one.
"I am a businessman, Hiccup Haddock. If the dragons become extinct, then I have no business. I am not foolish enough to go to such extremes. It offends me that you would think otherwise."
"Then please, enlighten me with the purpose of your operations." The sarcasm dripped profusely from Hiccup's mouth.
He didn't want to be having the discussion. He was alone, tired, and - besides Toothless - heavily outnumbered. All it would take was one carefully shot Dragon Root arrow at his dragon, and Hiccup would easily be overtaken. Hiccup hoped that Viggo wouldn't do anything like that. He held a symbol of truce in his hand. Hiccup could at least trust this man would abide by the rules of war.
"It surprises me that you haven't figured that out already, Hiccup Haddock." Viggo had watched carefully as the Berkian Heir's frustration grew. The man obviously wasn't happy with this 'visit'. "But I guess it could only be expected. You and your Dragon Riders do have seemed to have developed quite a bias."
Bias? Viggo was accusing Hiccup of being bias?
"You know Viggo, I always thought you were one of the more intelligent people I've faced. I must have been mistaken though, considering you're accusing me of being biased."
"Oh, to be so young and so naive…" Viggo shook his head. He paused before continuing. "Just like yourself, Hiccup Haddock, I was born into my role. From a young age, I knew that I would lead the Dragon Hunters - even if I was only second in command. I trained, I learnt the way of business, I accepted my role in life."
"Your point?"
Hiccup was ignored. "However, I also questioned if the way that my tribe goes about business was necessary. Contrary to popular belief, it pains me to watch how some of my men treat the animals."
Hiccup rolled his eyes. "As if I'll buy that. If it hurts so much watching Dragons getting injured then you would have no issue calling off all operations."
There was a beat followed by an exaggerated sigh.
"I did consider it once."
Hiccup's wandering eyes snapped back to Viggo. The sentence hadn't been voiced by that same cold, collected manner that would even make compliments sound like a threat. There was an emotion that Hiccup couldn't quite read. Was it sadness? Remorse? Regret?
"I couldn't though. My grandfather made that very clear."
"So you kept operations going because of some family pressure?"
Viggo shook his head. "For such a smart man, your lack of economic knowledge astounds me."
Hiccup blinked.
"I employee thousands of men. Each one of those men has a wife and children to provide for. What do you think would happen if all of them instantaneously lost their livelihoods?"
Viggo paused to allow time for the question to really sink in.
"And it goes much further than that." Viggo continued. "The tribes in the South trade clothing, food, and exotic drinks for dragon skin - their form of currency. Some in the far north rely on the dragon meat to survive the harsh winter. People that live in the south-east breed dragons. This business extends much further than just the outskirts of the Barbaric Archipelago. If the Dragon Hunting ceased operations - even for a day - there would be drastic consequences."
Hiccup hadn't thought of that. He mentally berated himself for not even considering how the Dragon Hunters affected the world around him. As a leader, he was supposed to know these things. It shouldn't take one of his enemies to make him realise something as obvious as that.
"And besides, if I did decide to simply disband the Hunters, I would risk my own life. After that, wait a few months and order would eventually return. Someone else would eventually take my place. From this, you must see the predicament I face, Hiccup Haddock."
Silence ensued as Hiccup processed all the information. It did make sense, he supposed. If you destroyed the source of all trade, even those that had not even heard of the Dragon Hunters would be affected. It would create a ripple effect that would cause massive devastation.
That realisation caused the reality of the situation to settle deep in Hiccup's stomach. He was no longer faced with merely how to defeat the Dragon Hunters. Hiccup would also have to consider the after effect.
Hiccup wasn't so offended for being called biased, suddenly. Because he was. He was naïve and biased. More so than what he could ever have thought to comprehend.
"That doesn't explain why you want me to join you." Despite the rampant thoughts, Hiccup had to stay focused in front of Viggo.
"Your attacks are becoming bad for business. Already, I have had to cancel a month's worth of trade with the Southern Islands and many innocent people have suffered because of that."
Viggo didn't miss the flash of guilt that crossed Hiccup's face.
"I offered a split in our territory and you refused. I don't wish to kill you, Hiccup Haddock. I simply want peace. So I offer you a place in my ranks to try to achieve that. If you can't accept this offer either, then I must simply kill you." Toothless growled from behind Hiccup. "This is my attempt at making peace."
Something was wrong with that statement. After everything this man had done, the name 'Viggo', paired with the word 'peace' didn't sit right. The suspicion, though, was quickly swept away.
Hiccup had been so wrong about Viggo's reason to lead the Dragon Hunters. He had simply seen it as greed for money. But now, Hiccup wasn't sure what to think. Did Viggo really want peace? Was Hiccup really the bad guy here?
Hiccup needed to think. Hiccup needed to leave.
"I'll consider it." He said simply as he mounted Toothless and took off into the air.
The two stayed hidden in the night sky as Hiccup watched Viggo leave Dragon's Edge. Hiccup and Toothless stayed and watched until the Hunters disappeared over the horizon. By that point, the sun had steadily started to rise. Hiccup directed Toothless back to the Edge - he had a lot of thinking to do.
~O~
"I'm a terrible father, Gobber." Stoick sighed as he looked down at his mug of mead.
It had been two days since Stock and Hiccup's argument. Two days since Hiccup had left for Dragons Edge without a goodbye.
"I wouldn't go that far, you just need to learn a bit of self-control." The blacksmith replied.
"I told my son that I would rather look after the village than see him. He must hate me." Stoick shook his head as he looked down at the table.
Gobber replied to his guilt-ridden friend. "Angry - no doubt - but he doesn't hate you."
"I don't even know what I was thinking? What type of father says that to his son."
Gobber sighed. Stoick hadn't meant what he had said. That was obvious. And deep down Hiccup must know that too. It just wasn't helping his friend that Hiccup had just left without a goodbye. It proved to Gobber just how angry his old apprentice must be.
For a very long time, Gobber had always seen that Stoick put his chiefly duties before his fatherly ones - most in the village did. He had hoped that after the war had ended that Stoick would pay more attention to his son. And while he had seen improvements between the two's relationship, it was still obvious where Stoick's loyalties lie.
"The boy did have a point though, Stoick." The Chief looked up at his friend. "You do tend to put your chiefly duties before everything else. Even family."
Stoick had not expected that from Gobber. Surely Gobber of all people should understand the responsibilities that were one Stoick's shoulders. He needed to be there for the village. Stoick expected both Gobber and Hiccup to understand that. He regretted what he had said - that was true - but there was still an inkling of anger. All Stoick saw was Hiccup making a big deal out of nothing.
"I don't have a choice, you of all people should know that. As chief, it is my responsibility to be there for the village."
"And as a father, it's your job to be there for Hiccup. And from what Astrid said about their recent meeting with Viggo, I think he might need it." Gobber stood and stopped at the forge door. "Just think about it, Stoick."
The chief nodded.
"I'm off to bed now. I'll see you tomorrow friend."
~O~
Economics! They're great!
