During the war, the dragons attacked with the intention to destroy anything and anyone in the way of getting their goal. After the war, and free of the false queen's influence, the Elders were quick to inform the humans of the nest why they acted as such. The Red Death, as brainless as any tyrant on matter of such importance, believed fear would keep an island's worth of Vikings from fighting back. Having met others, Vikings and non-Vikings, who held a similar belief as the Red Death, Stoick could understand why she thought that way.
Tyrants could never understand someone facing up to a fear and enduring through it. Tyrants could not comprehend free will and the tenacity to keep it. They lived in a reality where what they believed always worked because they believed it and the world molded itself around that belief. None realized the real world worked in a far different manner and those who should fear them, more than often, used that fear to overthrow them.
Stoick found himself not surprised that when Hiccup gestured the Elders, who carried out his order, concentrated their attack upon the Lava-lout chief and his two remaining warriors. It also did not surprise Stoick that the dragons contained their fire so as to only harm the top of the ship or that some of the Scauldrons, who joined the fight as it reached the docks, moved to douse the fires when the cries from the men fell silent. Another thing the dragons were quick to explain was their views on dens. Even in the fiercest fight amongst dragons, when not forced by a tyrant, dens were never destroyed. A den held no blame in the fight and both combatants knew the winner would need the den at the fight's end. Better to claim one already made than to make one while injured and exhausted.
Since becoming members of a nest that also housed humans, the dragons learned how important ships were to the Vikings. Stoick knew the dragons were making great effort to keep the damage small enough that Hoark and his shipbuilders could fix it. While Hoark and his shipbuilders would secure the other four, switch the flags flown, and making sure each were ready for Berkians to use, the flagship would be torn down and its components used to repair the other ships in Berk's fleet. A final insult to the fool chief.
Stoick stepped into Hiccup's line of sight. The dragons were still on edge so he knew he could not start shouting orders, but Hoark and his shipbuilders needed time to check over all the ships and gather any treasure the Lava-louts brought. An all-clear could not be called yet. Surrendered warriors looked one step from fainting and drowning as they treaded water. Freed slaves needed tending to and the long process of showing them they were free needed to begin. A minute annoyance of having to go through his son rose, but Stoick shoved it back down. Given the alternative, Stoick preferred this, even if in the eyes of anyone watching, it seemed as if he was chief in name only. Had his stupidity before the war bore the fruit it was nurturing he would not have a son to work this issue out with.
Hiccup stared at his father and Stoick watched his boy shake himself. Hiccup's brow furrowed before a hand rose, palm upward. Stoick smiled and spun.
"Go," he ordered.
Hoark and his shipbuilders raced across the gangplanks of the five ships. Four humans from the sixteen dragon/human guard pairs formed after Hiccup and his friends returned from Toothless' old home, went with them. Two shipbuilders and one guard each disappeared into the ships' depths. As befitted his status, Hoark took the flagship. The dragons from those guard pairs, hovered over the ship their human partner was checking.
"Spite, ye and yer boy, git dem warriors outta water 'n under guard," Stoick ordered. "Magnus, ye and some others, git da other people out. Take'm all ta the Hall. Gothi 'n Hilda will meet ye dere. Gyda, ye and da twins go wiv dem 'n git all wounded in da village ta da Hall as well. Help Gothi 'n Hilda afterwards."
"Flashfire," Hiccup said as Stoick fell silent. "Dawnfire, you and your patrol flocks, fly beyond the Guardians. Make sure he had no one waiting to attack us later. Quickcut, I know you're worried about Bjorn. Escort those Dad ordered to the Great Hall. Greyscale, you and your patrol flock, go with them. Quickcut holds the command, Greyscale."
A shout from the flagship, followed by a cry from the other ships, pulled everyone's attention. Hoark stepped out onto the deck of the ship. He and Erikir helped a rail-thin young lass in tatter clothing out of the ship's hold. The other shipbuilders and guards also helped similar lasses out of the ships they were checking. Stoick's eyes narrowed.
"Phelgma, Eydis."
"On it, Chief," Eydis said as she, Phelgma, and several other women stepped forward and took charge of the lasses.
"Pinpoint, you and patrol flock, go with them. Quickcut still holds the command."
Despite the seriousness of everything, Stoick smiled. He might have had to acquire his son's permission, but he and Hiccup were working together to bring Berk back into order. Something Stoick wished the moment he learned he was to be a father. Something he almost squandered in his stupidity. Something he vowed to never loose now that he had a second chance.
Gothi would allow no decision about the surrendered warriors or the free slaves until they were tended to, yet the Thing's first meeting still had issues to finish discussing. To keep things moving, the visitors returned to the Great Hall. The chief's table was just moved to allow Gothi and those aiding her to have most of the room to keep the warriors and the freed slaves separate but still close at hand so the healers could perform their duties efficiently. Gothi and Hilda took charge of the lasses found chained in the ships. Gyda and the twins helped other woman who learned some of the healing arts from Gothi as they tended to other wounded, defender and attacker alike.
Due to the attack, some of the younglings came into the Hall. Some, like Firestorm and Rockmoss, aided in rebuilding the village. The ones from the Nightmare queen's nest had been with the other younglings in the Meadows but they returned to the guest cave with the parent who stayed behind. The half of Obsidian's honor guard who stayed with Ebony, escorted her, Nightshade, and the hatchling back to the cave as well. Even with the visitors knowing most of the truths about the dragons, none in the Haddock clan wanted them to know about Hiccup's sister, not yet.
Though most of the youngling in the Hall were accompanied by at least one parent not busy with other duties, Hiccup gave the ones from Berk a soft but firm order to behave. The Changewing princess was given the same order by her mother. The younglings chose to find a part of the Hall away from the others in it and began telling stories instead of playing and making a fuss. The adults who accompanied them, laid nearby, keeping watch.
Hiccup noted Bertha kept glancing towards the younglings, a frown marring her brow. Hiccup knew he still held command of the meeting, despite the Foreverwing's interruption, but he also was curious about what bothered Bertha.
"Chieftess Bertha," Hiccup said, calling her, and everyone else's, attention. "Does something about those younglings concern you?"
While he hoped her fixation upon the younglings stemmed from her awe over learning the truths they had, Hiccup knew better than to assume such was the reason. Bertha had been one of the tribe leaders who wanted Hiccup to start a war with the Lava-louts after all.
"Dat one wot sing fer us," Bertha began. "Him 'n 'is sister." Bertha paused, staring at Hiccup intently. "Dey really no 'ave family?"
Hiccup sighed in relief. His fear was unfounded. Bertha might be a tough Viking tribal leader of equally tough Viking women, but she was also a mother and it seemed knowing Sunset and Sunrise were orphans bothered the woman.
Hiccup caught the wink Shadowfire sent him and the slight dip from Gyda's head and kept his grin off his face. The request had come before the first tribe arrived for the Thing. Hiccup, Stoick, and Sage accepted it but kept silent per the request. It was meant to be a surprise for Sunset and Sunrise.
"Gyda has requested they be considered her children," Hiccup said, earning surprised squawks from the twin Terrors.
The twins Terrors flew to the chief's table, landing in front of Hiccup. Both looked up at him. He smiled down at them, reaching out and scratch each near their horns.
"Yes," he said. "You are now her kids."
[Which means you can help me babysit the Ice Trio,] Shadowfire stated, earning indignant screeches from his niece and nephews.
Frost and Pale, along with some of the other parents, moved to keep the Ice Trio with the group. Sandblast trilled something that calmed the young Ice Terrors. Hiccup heard grateful chirps from Pale as well as terse sounding chitter from Frost. He glanced over his shoulder, finding Frost glaring at his brother.
"Son," Gyda said.
[What? Everything was far too serious in here. We all could use some laughter after all of that.]
"Let Alpha speak to the Vikings. We will laugh later, when Frost freezes your muzzle."
Frost warbled something that sounded final and had the dragons in the Hall snorting. Hiccup noted Shadowfire did not appear bothered. The Tall-singer was snorting as well. Still, Shadowfire turned to Hiccup and tipped his head.
[Sorry, Alpha. I'll let you finish your meeting.]
Hiccup snorted. "If you didn't speak out like that, Shadowfire, I would worry you were sick. Besides, you know I don't mind it."
"I be seein' it."
Ingvar's words caused all to turn to the Hopeless chief.
"I still no sure I be believin' it." Ingvar stared at Hiccup, a mix of awe and fear upon his face. "Young Hiccup, ye ordered dem dragons ta kill dat fool chief. Da dragons wot obeyed yer order did so wiv no hesitation. Dem young ones, ye ordered dem ta behave 'n dey be content ta sit in dat corner wiv dem other adults. Dey be content ta jest talk ta each other." Ingvar ran a hand down his face. "How much control ye 'ave over dese dragons?"
[He doesn't hold the control over them that you think he does,] Obsidian said, stepping close to the chief's table.
Hiccup had no issue with his dragon father speaking. The Night Fury still held his permission from before. It still seemed to surprise the visitors who stared as if Hiccup would order the other dragons to attack or something. Hiccup's brow furrowed. The visitors affected the same mannerism as Stoick had just as the Scualdrons dosed the fires. They acted as if stepping one foot wrong would cause teeth and fury to answer them. A worry began to build within Hiccup. He never wanted anyone to fear him, or fear he would turn his dragons upon them if they angered him.
[A dragon cannot be controlled,] Obsidian continued and pulled Hiccup from his thoughts, [not as you believe in control. An alpha or a queen can command and can coerce their nest into doing many things. The Red Death and the nest leaders back during the Days of Chaos are proof of that. Still, none of those leaders fully controlled their dragons. Given a chance, the dragons turned on their nest leader. The Days of Chaos were ended when an alpha chose to abandon wounded dragons from his nest and humans chose to heal them. Both of my sons have told me of the fight at the Red Death's nest. Her dragons fled, leaving her vulnerable to Hiccup's attackers and the plan he came up with to kill her.]
"Dem dragons today no do as dem wot fought in da war did," Mogadon stated. "Dem wot fought in da war destroyed every'ding in deir path. How he keep dem dragons today from doin' dat if he no 'ave control over dem?"
"The dragons destroyed things because the Red Death ordered them to," Hiccup said. "The Elders told of this after they joined the nest. If the dragons did not try to scare us into submission by destroying our homes and ships, the Red Death ate them. My dragons know I will never order them to act in a manner unbecoming of a dragon. They also know I will not kill them just because they anger me, or because I decide to."
"Ye killed dat one Night Fury," Ingvar said. "We be hearin' da battle from da docks dat day."
"He was not of my nest. He landed without permission from me and began to insult and threaten members of my family. He violated those laws I spoke of before the Foreverwing asked to speak to us. Those laws are sacred to the dragons and have been followed since the end of the Days of Chaos."
[If I may, young alpha,] the Changewing queen began.
Hiccup smiled and held his hand out, palm towards the roof. The Changewing queen move to sit next to Obsidian.
[The Days of Chaos almost caused the extinction of every dragon in the world,] she began. [The Civility Laws the young alpha spoke of were the only thing to keep that from happening and every honorable dragon knows that to disregard them risks those terrible days coming back. No honorable dragon wants that. Nest leaders who honor those laws have the right to exile any who violate them.]
"The Night Fury chose to reject my judgement and order to leave," Hiccup said.
The Changewing queen chittered something in the Old Tongue before staring at the visiting Vikings. [Death is the punishment for that,] she said.
Hiccup noted every tribe leader blinked and glanced at each other. The heirs, except Steinar, looked slightly horrified. The generals stared with pale faces. Hiccup knew the Changewing's words surprised them. As violent as Vikings got, they did not kill those who were exiled. Exiles were typically allowed a small boat once the judgement was passed. If the exile made it to Outcast Island then it was by the will of the gods. Dragons, who held no belief in the Viking gods and who knew an exiled dragon could easily cause issues, chose to remove the threat themselves.
Hiccup was no murderer and would forever believe himself in the wrong regarding some of the humans he killed, but he knew he had to react as a dragon nest leader when it came to dragons violating Civility Laws. He risked dishonor in the eyes of the dragons if he did not. He risked his nest being denied that status and thus denied the protection the Laws afforded them. He would do nothing to harm his dragons or cause them to be dishonored in the eyes of other honorable dragons.
"And da dragons hold no issue over dis?" Henrik asked. "Dey life be on da line iffen an alpha or queen be angered at dem. Dem wot come from dat false queen's island be killed cause deir queen git angered at dem."
"I can answer that," Old Wrinkly said, stepping forward and glancing at Hiccup.
Old Wrinkly, his wife, and their dragon partners had joined the meeting, alongside the elder Sand Wraith from the Foreverwing's nest and the Tall-basher from the Bewilderbeast's nest. It did not surprise Hiccup that his ancestor chose to speak now. Everyone in the Haddock clan still wanted the man's true origins to remain a secret until they could trust the visitors would not misuse the knowledge, but out of everyone in the room, only he could fully answer Henrik's question. Hiccup held his hand out, palm skyward. Old Wrinkly tipped his head and faced the visitors.
"You need to know where the dragons came from to know why they hold no issue over the severe punishments violating the Laws brings," he said. "I will tell you of the Days of Chaos and the brutal fighting that marked that time."
"And who be ye ta give dese tales?" Mogadon asked.
[He's the one who created those Laws,] Onyxwing growled. [After he ended those terrible days.]
Hiccup fought the urge to place his hand into his palm as the visitors gave various grunts and cries of confusion and surprise. He had hoped for that knowledge to be delivered in a far less blunt manner but never question a dragon's bonded human in a way that could be insulting. Not when that human's bonded dragon was around to answer the insult. Hiccup just hoped the visitors were ready and would not use what they were about to learn for means honor would balk at. He would not hesitate to stop them if that was the case. He would not let another war wreak destruction and death upon any of them, humans and dragons alike.
Atomic R4y: I can understand that. :)