The next morning, I wake up and change into my normal clothing. I step out of my tent and find my dad still sitting around the fire, which has long been blown out. I walk as silently as I can, but the squeaking of my prostatic leg gives me away. His head turns to me, and judging from the dark circles under his eyes, he's been up all night. He rises to meet me.
He doesn't say anything but looks at me up and down. My sleep wasn't very pleasant either since my eyes kept watering. And now they feel so dry, like the water has been sucked out. And I have to constantly blink in order to keep them from drying.
"Hiccup," he starts and I lift my head to meet his gaze. He opens his mouth, but as usual doesn't know what to say. "Uh, let's go for a fly."
Surprised by his offer, but not one to pass up and free fly, I accept. We fly around, and for a moment, I release all of my pain and suffering I've been holding in since the minute we arrived on Outcast Island. I relax everything and feel a sense of peace, until Dad tells us to land in a clearing in the woods or more like a dead forest. The place is so barren and dull. Full of burned, black trees and a sea of gray dirt and ash.
We land and dad leads me to the edge of a cliff, where we sit and watch as the sun has just broke in the horizon. I forgot the sunsets come late here on Outcast Island, even though it's probably only nine o'clock. While we avoid of what was said last night, he tells me that Skullette's working on a new cape for me to wear, and another cloak in case she runs out of the fabric. I make a mental note to ask her about the flammable material later.
The conversation continues and Toothless nestles next to me. As the birds begin to chirp, Dad finally brings up the conversation last night. "Listen son, I know you're under a lot of pressure with the war and being the Dragon Conqueror. But I don't want you to think that you dying is the only solution to end the war."
I don't meet his gaze, instead I stare straight ahead at the sea. "But it is." I mumble.
"No it's not. It's a last resort." He sternly says.
"But Dad," I say and I look him straight in the eye. "Everyone I care about is in danger because I showed Alvin that we could ride and train dragons. And now he won't stop until he has my secrets. And I can bet you he'll kill anyone to get to me, or if they threaten to stand in his way."
"But it's not just about Alvin is it. What about if we win?" he asks.
"I don't know, Dad. I just . . . I mean I don't really think that I'm cut out for being a leader. And I probably never will be, so that's that."
"No it's not." He places a hand on my shoulder, and I almost start crying again. Not because he's hurting me, but because he almost never does this. "Son, I understand what you're going through. I had my reservations on becoming chief too, but you'll see that it's much easier than expected."
Easier? I think back to all of the times when there was trouble on Berk. Dragons, fires, Mildew. The people relying on you for everything. Counting on you to keep them safe. Keep a roof over their heads. Giving them food on their tables every night. Since when is it ever easy?
"Since when is it ever easy?" I ask. "I mean, everyone relying in you, that's a lot of pressure."
"It is, I'll admit it. And it's never easy when you're on your own for some situations," by that he means when Mildew turns the villagers against him. "But when you see how happy and beloved you are by the people, it makes everything worthwhile."
I'm shifting through all of the good things the villagers have done for us. They gave us unlimited fish and food when they threatened to drive Toothless of the island. They were able to fight alongside Dad when Alvin invaded. They reaccepted the dragons after they saved our lives from Outcast Island.
Maybe I am over-thinking the whole chief thing. While it may seem inevitable that I will become the chief in the near future, I should be looking forward to it. For reasons I can't really explain, I guess it's just a little exciting. But the weight of the responsibility and pressure of taking care of so many people easily wins the options.
"I still don't think I'm chief material, Dad." I confess.
"Maybe not now, but with the war, maybe it'll help in its own way. Maybe it could help bring out your spirit. And offer a new challenge for you."
A challenge? My spirit? Those are some new thoughts. I could look at being the future chief as a bit of a new challenge for me. It's something new. And as for the thought on my spirit, it does make it seem like I'm strong. I never thought that Dad, of all people, would turn something negative to me, to positive. I crack my first smile since last night.
We both stand up and share a father-son hug. While dad flies back to the campsite, he says that I could come back later, but just in time for the take-off for Tower 10. Even though I'm tempted to go and fetch my bow and arrows, I stay with Toothless as we walk through the dead trees. Nothing really seems to happen except that Toothless chases after a butterfly. He looks like silly and it makes me laugh.
We fly around the forest but still stay a good distance away from the campsite. We practice a few new tricks, and bond a little more when I have to dig out a thorn that got caught in his paw when we landed. It draws out a little cry or sound more like, that I've never heard him vocalize before.
As we're walking back to the campsite, there's a sudden uneasy feeling, and when a twig snaps, out heads cock into the same direction. Only to have Mildew walk through some foliage. Toothless immediately bares his teeth in hatred. My hairs stand on end, and my face naturally morphs into a scowl.
"Oh, well hello Hiccup." He slurs, and I just continue to scowl. "Surprised to run into you out here."
"Not really, since my dad and I were the only ones who left the campsite." I snap. "What are you doing out here, anyway? I doubt anyone trusted you to gather any provisions."
This genuinely catches him by surprise. Probably because I'm not even trying to be polite. On Berk, it's basically common sense to be respectful to the elders. But Mildew lost all my respect the moment he started accusing the dragons of robbery and various treason. Now, I don't care if he's an elder, he has to earn my respect. Not I would give it to him in a million years anyway.
I've never really needed to show Mildew any respect before since his house was built so far outside of town. Gobber may mock or joke about him once in a while, but he's an adult. And when we do encounter him, I'm usually with my dad, and he does all of the talking for us. But now that we're alone, it feels so good to be rude.
"Well, that's quite the attitude there. Never thought you would have such a tone." He almost snarls.
"That's because you've never seen or talk to anyone but your stupid pet sheep." I snap
"Leave Fungus out of this." He warns.
"Why, not even he likes you. No one likes you. The most we've ever done it tolerate you. And if you weren't an elder, I swear to you I could easily convince my dad to have you executed." I threaten.
"Is that a threat?" he asks, calling my bluff.
"It's a promise." I counter. "Oh, and I want to thank you."
"For what?"
"Because you just helped me realize one good thing about me being an heir. When I am chief, I will the power to get rid of you." I darkly say. Slowly drawing out my words so he won't miss a single one.
We don't say anything as I imagine the words sinking into that liver-spotted head of his. I notice his eyes widen ever so slightly, this pupils dilate and finally subside behind a cold wall of anger. His lip curls, a scornful expression that seems to say I've lived up to his lowest expectation of me, and steps back. I don't care what he thinks of me. I'll even kill him on the spot to prove it.
As if he read my mine, and as if not willing to let me win this fight, he says, "Well, you've certainly changed, Hiccup."
"So have you. So has my dad." I counter.
"Oh most definitely, Hiccup. But you've changed the most, and you don't even know it." He says with an edge in his voice.
I'm about to counter, but I realize he's right. My mouth slightly opens, and when it closes, he smirks then adds, "Or do you still feel like the boy who spared his dragon in the woods?" he asks me.
I lower my head, "No." I answer.
"That's what happens when you're in the war. Messes you all up pretty good, don't you think?" Then he walks away, and I clench my fists to keep from chucking my knife at him.
But it's probably the only thing I think Mildew's right about. There's no going back. I'm not the same boy who saved Toothless in the woods. The boy who defied all odds against tradition. The boy who changed history. But I know he's in there somewhere, deep down. He's still there. So we might as well get on with things.
I decide to fly back to the campsite as the dinner bell rings in the distance. As we land, there's already a small line gathering as others start to put their weapons down and lineup. I was excepting some of the soldiers to give me some looks about what I had said, but actually they just greet me like normal and even let me cut in line. I would question their kindness, but I realize dad must've told them about our talk. So their cutting me some slack.
When I get the chefs, they pile on mounds of roasted beets, scrambled eggs, two full loaves of bread, and even a full glass of yak milk. It's obvious they're trying to please me. I give them a suspicious but grateful look. And they return it with a nervous smile. I don't know why, until I realize that they're the exact same trio of men who tied and shackled Toothless to the wooden cart when the Vikings thought he was responsible for a severe thunderstorm striking the village. Clearly they're still trying to make it up to me.
I give them a pleased half smile, and when they even offer me dessert, I decline and thank them. I'm the first to be settled down by the fire, and Toothless nestles down next to me at the end of the log.
"Mind if I join?" a soft feminine voice asks.
I smile and turn and find Skullette. "Of course 'ma lady'." I say. She giggles and sits down after giving me a kiss.
"So how've you been?" she asks.
"Okay. You?"
"Fine."
"You sure?" I ask.
She looks to me a little confused, "Huh?"
"Well, I just, wanted to know how you're doing after, what I said last night." I say.
Her shoulders drop and she gently sighs, "I . . . I mean, it was shocking, and it did scare me a little." she admits.
A pang of guilt stabs my chest. Seeing Skullette scared and sad, it pains me in ways Alvin never could hurt me. "I'm sorry." I mumble.
Skullette turns to me and cracks a smile and kisses my cheek. After that, we drop the subject and move on to her telling me all about her training as Fishlegs, Snotlout and the twins gather around the fire. Astrid never shows and when I ask, Fishlegs says she went to the woods to practice axe throwing.
I try not to think about it, but I can't help but think that whenever she's separate from the group, it's because of me and Skullette. I wonder if the way I feel when Skullette's hurt, is the same way she feels when she sees us. Another pang of guilt. I try to bury my emotions with the mounds of food I received from the chefs, but it was a big mistake. By the end of the meal, I'm fighting to keep the food down and I know I'm a little green.
I hand my plate to the chefs and thank them for the meal. I would joke with them not to give me so much next time, but I think they would take it too seriously. After gathering my bow and arrows, I hop on Toothless and we ride out over the forest until we spot the flamboyant colors of Stormfly. Not that hard to miss is a sea of gray. Toothless flies over so she knows we're here and he lands a few yards away as she chucks her duel-edged axe to the trunk of an oak.
"Wow, that tree could not be more dead." I joke, and she cracks a smile.
"How ya' feeling?" she asks as she pries the axe loose.
"Pretty good. A little excited for tomorrow." I say.
"Excited?" she asks in confusion.
"Yeah, why wouldn't I be?"
"I don't know, it just seems like you're not really the kind of person who looks forward to invasions." She admits.
"I know. I thought I wasn't that kind of person either." I tell her and she turns to me. "But I guess I'm a little excited because I'm going with my dad, and you guys. Kind of like our little rescue mission to Outcast Island when we were trying to get the Book of Dragons back."
"Wasn't exactly looking forward to it." She admits.
"But you still went anyway." I remind her.
"Because it was our only chance." She counters.
"But you still managed to outsmart Alvin. Not that it would take much to do that." I joke and suddenly we're both laughing. "And you didn't even want us to shadow you from the sky when you were sailing." Her eyes shift to the side and a small smile crosses her lips. "Astrid, your strong and independent spirit is one of the things I liked about you. And it still is." I say.
She blushes and brushes her bangs out of her eyes. While Toothless and Stormfly rest by a small gathering of bare trees, Astrid and I talk about things while simultaneously chuck her axe at the oak. I teach how to handle a bow. I brought a spare one since I knew she couldn't handle the one Gobber especially made for me. To my surprise, she was pretty good at using a crossbow. But I prefer the traditional kind.
After a couple hours of this, she leaves to head back to the campsite to grab a couple of whicker baskets while I hunt for some food. She comes back late in the afternoon. I'm sitting on a log at the edge of the campsite, plucking a goose. A dozen or so of the birds are piled at my feet. Great flocks of them have been flying through here since we arrived, and the pickings are easy. Without a word, Astrid settles beside me, placing the baskets in the middle of us, and begins to relieve a bird of its feathers. We're through about half when she asks, "Any chance we'll get to eat these?"
"Yeah. Most go to the camp kitchen, but they expect me to give a couple to whoever I'm going with tonight." I say.
"Isn't the honor enough?" she asks.
"You'd think." I say. "But word easily got out that watching me is a full-time responsibility."
We pluck in silence for a while longer. My fingers give a yank, and when I go to drop them, one lands on Toothless' nose. A cloud of feathers floats down around us. Astrid pulls a feather from my hair and spins it between her thumb and forefinger. She gives a slight giggle and tickles it to my cheek. I brush her away and we continue until the birds are bare.
After we drop off the birds, we volunteered to go back to the woods to gather kindling for the evening fire. Our trip to Tower 10 is going to be under the cover of night. We're heading back and we stop for a minute since I dropped my pile after my foot caught on a rock. Astrid helps in gathering the wood, and then our hands touch as we both reach for the same last piece of wood.
We look at each other, and we hold each other's gaze. I'm the first to look away and flick my eyes to the kindling and snatch it. We continue on without a word. The whole walk back to the campsite was dead quiet. When we're a few yards from the border, Astrid stops. I turn and she's placing her gathering next to a tree.
"Astrid?" I start.
There's a moment of silence before she speaks, "Hiccup," she starts, and nervously rubs her arm. "Do you think, honestly, that if I were to have, made a move, before Skullette arrived, do you think we might've actually, been a couple?"
My heart stops. My thoughts race for an answer. There's no real right answer to this. If I say yes, she'll think I've not gotten over her. But I really haven't, but I don't want her to know that. But if I say no, then she'll give up, and if things don't work out with Skullette, then I'll be left alone. But I can't keep leading her on, making her like my backup plan. These comments and questions fill me to the brim with pain. Because no matter what I say or do, I end up hurting her.
"Uh," I begin to put down my kindling, choosing my words carefully. "Yeah, I guess. I mean, if Skullette hadn't come along, maybe, things could've worked out." I tell her.
She tilts her head up to meet my gaze, "Is there hope in the future?"
I pause, "I don't know."
She shifts her eyes to me and sees my face. I'm showing her complete honesty, but it's still a red flag and signal that we must return to reality. She doesn't respond, but in fact she seems to crack a small smile. I'm praying it's not because she thinks she's won since yes, it if true she still has my heart. But as long as I'm with Skullette, she's far from the finish line.
The walk back was quiet and after we hand over the kindling, Dad gathers us one more time for a quick briefing, and then I'm dressed into my Dragon Conqueror suit in less than a minute. While it's necessary that we ride on horseback for this mission, Gobber will stay hidden with the dragons if we need them. Not used to riding no other animal than a dragon, it takes some adjusting, but I mange well. Toothless snarls, but I tell him it's okay.
Before I officially mount, Skullette runs up to me with my new cloak. It seems a little too big for me, especially around the hood area, but when I try it on, it conceals my entire face by casting a dark shadow. And while I hate to rearrange the uniform she made, she hands me a single leather sheath that has a mixture of my normal, fire, and explosive arrows and I strap it to my waist. This way it'll be concealed by my cloak. Same for my uniform. While I feel stupid wearing the uniform since I'll be spotted like a crocodile amongst alligators, Dad and Gobber tell me I'll need it for when we capture the Tower. So Alvin will know who is dominating him.
Great, put my face as the reason for him becoming furious. Why don't they just slap a bull's-eye on my chest and put me in a ring of fire with fiery letters saying "Shoot me here!" Sheesh.
While I'm simply hiding behind fabric, everyone else has gone under serious transformations in order to not be seen and/or recognized by the Outcasts. Skullette has braided her hair and transformed into a peasant girl with her ragged clothing and dirt marks dotted all over her body. My Dad has simply removed his chief hat and changed his clothing so he mimics a Viking from our village. He'll still easily be able to fit in amongst the Outcasts. Gobber's the only one who's stayed the same since he'll be hiding in the shadows.
I mount my horse and settle the sheath in place. Sling the bow over my shoulder. Dad lines up to my right, Skullette on my left. Our mission is to raid the watch tower and secure it for our team. Any, surviving, Outcasts will be kept as prisoner until further notice. But before all that, we're going to do a little shopping.
It turns out the watch towers aren't what I expected. If not more than what I expected. They're not only towers, but small marketplaces filled with food, weapons and other materials provided for the Outcasts posted at the tower. Depending on what tower you're in, depends on how many weapons you get. Food and other provisions like clothing are divided evenly. The way each tower is designed is that there's a brick wall that borders the entire area of the tower. Two guards are posted by a gigantic iron gate that let's in any travelers.
The towers themselves aren't heavily guarded, other than four guards being posted. Two on the bottom and two on top. But this mission, as well as all the others, will require stealth. We can't just bust in and take the information we need, we need to be silent and swift. Otherwise, they'll warn the other towers long before we reach them. The journey to some is at least a few hours if not a day.
The dragons are to come in if the mission was to go wrong and we are spotted, and also to burn the symbol of Berk into the wall to know that this tower has been conquered. Working our way up to Tower 1, the idea of the mission is to rid the Outcasts of their weapons and needs so they'll be an easy takeover. But there's more planned for when we reach the city of the Outcasts itself. Gobber talks about smuggling in multiple barrels of explosive substances, like the stuff we use to set the catapults and arrows on fire. It's a little disturbing to know that it's the spit of Monstrous Nightmares, but highly ingenious.
We already have soldiers undercover as Outcasts, and once we infiltrate the city, and after each tower is secure, the plan it to light the entire city ablaze. Using the dragons of course and the war will officially end when I assassinate Alvin.
Dad told me a couple of nights ago. The idea is supposed to symbolize the firing of the last shot of the war. I didn't really mind, in fact I found myself anticipating the moment with pleasure. And what better way than to seek revenge and vengeance. To make sure Alvin knows the sacrifices of my people are not in vain. We plan to have me shoot him in the arena back on Berk, in front of the entire village so everyone can witness.
How the Dragon Conqueror defeated Alvin the Treacherous, and dominated the Outcasts.
We stare straight ahead at the trail we're supposed to ride, and after I exchange a glance with Skullette and my dad, with a snap of the reins, we ride off into the foggy night.
