I've had a few reviews wondering why Hiccup's acting hostile around Viggo even though they parted on good terms. Well, my explanation for it is that even though Hiccup and Viggo became allies at the end, they've been enemies for far longer. Also, Hiccup was convinced Viggo died. But then he didn't. It's normal for him to feel tricked and distrust Viggo. That's my explanation. Interpret their relationship however you want, but in this fic, this is how I write them. Also, is Viggo good or bad? Well... that's up for you to decide, isn't it? *laughs*
Enjoy chapter 6!
"Hiccup Haddock the Third, I swear, the world better be coming to an end to drag us out of bed at this hour," complained Snotlout as he walked into the Great Hall, stretching and yawning. The other ex-Riders followed closely behind him, all sleepy and complaining, asking what could be so important that their Chief had to have them woken up.
It was the middle of the night, but Hiccup deemed the situation pressing enough to call a council meeting, even at this hour.
Astrid had been the one to gather the ex-Dragon Riders and the other council members in the Great Hall. The place was brightly lit up by the middle fire pit and the numerous torches stationed at every pole. It had a warm, welcoming glow. They had tried mimicking Old Berk's Great Hall, to give them a sense of home; a reminder, if you will. They had succeeded well, all but for the recreation of the claw and burn marks on the walls and ceiling from the time when they were at war with the dragons.
The place was rarely occupied at this hour, mostly because of the trouble-free life New Berk offered. Back on Old Berk, the Great Hall was always crowded, day and night. Vikings took shifts for patrol and sentry duty. Whether it was dragons or other tribes they were fighting, life back then was a nerve-wracking one.
No one really knew where New Berk was located. The Berkian Tribe had vanished without a trace ten years ago. The only person who'd been able to find them had been Grimmel the Grisly, and even then, he'd needed to actually follow one of their own to find the exact location. It was a secure island. Hard to find – hard to invade; thanks to its monolithic formation.
And with the dragons gone… The Hooligan Tribe was no longer a target. They had succeeded to completely disappear off the map. They were safe from threats; safe from danger. It was paradise.
"Seems like in forever since we had to sleep with the crushing existential fact that we could all die the next day," observed Tuffnut, nearly daydreaming like those were the good old days. "I mean, it's not like it's ever been a problem for us."
"Yep, I miss that charm," said Ruffnut, smiling sadly.
"Oh, sister," said Tuffnut dramatically as he wrapped an arm around her shoulders, knocking the breath out of her. "Were we ever that young?"
Ruffnut pushed him off, knocking him against a table with a loud, "Ow!"
"I wouldn't push it that far…" said Astrid, crossing her arms over her chest while rolling her eyes. She uncrossed her arms when she glanced past her friends to see Hiccup walk into the Great Hall with Viggo Grimborn following closely, his expression relaxed and his posture at ease.
They all turned and stared as the two of them neared, their confusion and shock unmasked. There were no strong reactions or a quiet exchange of words among the group.
Viggo stood straight-faced, his light mood from earlier gone like smoke in the wind. He met the ex-Riders' stares of disbelief. There was a long, deafening silence where all they could hear was the crackling in the fire pit behind them, till Snotlout finally broke it.
"Hiccup, don't turn around…" said Snotlout gingerly, holding his hands up to him as if the news he was about to announce would put him on edge instantly. "But there's a ghost right behind you."
"He's not a ghost, Snotlout," said Hiccup, completely exasperated as he gave him his best poker face.
"Oh, well that's even more terrifying," said Snotlout, shrugging and nodding.
"Uh, Hiccup?" said Fishlegs sheepishly. "Mind clueing us in?"
"Heh, sure beats normal council business," commented Ruffnut, hopping onto the closest table like she was the audience and this was her own personal theatre.
"Yeah, never thought Vigster here would be back in the picture," added Tuffnut, placing his hands on his hips with a mile-wide grin. He then froze, looking bewildered all of a sudden. "Wait a minute. Why aren't we making a bigger deal out of this?"
"You want me to list the people who escaped Niflheim?" asked Ruffnut, unshaken.
"Nevermind…" said Tuffnut after a moment spent thinking.
"It's alright, guys," said Hiccup, cutting off the twins before their nonsense carried on. "You can speak your minds. That's why we're all here."
"Well, first off, I am going to assume there is a sane reason that you would even think of allowing that half-bucket troll back here!" shouted Gobber, obviously upset the ex-Hunter was even standing on their island after everything that had happened. True that Viggo hadn't only gone after the Dragon Riders… he'd gone after numerous tribes that worshipped dragons, and that counted Berk. The memories of what the Dragon Hunter had done clearly hadn't faded from Gobber's mind.
"I'm not entirely sure what's happening…" said Eret, scratching the back of his head awkwardly before gesturing at the newcomer. "Who are you?"
"The name's Viggo Grimborn," said Viggo dryly.
"Thanks for clearing that up…" mumbled Eret, still utterly confused and at a loss.
"Don't you just love the way he talks?" said Tuffnut admiringly, patting Eret's back. "I mean, he has tried to kill us a bunch of times in the past but he'd actually be pretty cool to hang with if you ask me."
Glares burned into his flesh.
"What?"
Hiccup sighed, pinching his nose bridge.
"Well, I once believed that people were incapable of change…" said Valka, taking a step forward to address the group. "That we were born as we are. But I was proven wrong."
"But are we really gonna take chances with Viggo?" asked Astrid, frowning at her husband as if trying to make him see reason. "This is Viggo we're talking about." The whole council had her attention. "We've seen more than a dozen times what he's capable of. And he suddenly shows up out of nowhere a decade later? I'm just saying, nothing Viggo has ever done is without purpose." She crossed her arms over her chest again while scowling at the man as if letting him know she wasn't foolish enough to fall for his games.
"While I am honoured you noticed my extensive expertise and intellect," said Viggo, lifting his chin proudly while Astrid remained unimpressed. "I assure you, I seek no harm to you, your tribe, or your family, Miss Astrid. You have my word."
"But how good is your word, Viggo?" pressed on Astrid, glaring even more. She didn't trust him one bit.
"Look, guys," said Hiccup, positioning himself between Viggo and the rest of the gang before things got a little too heated. "I don't entirely trust him either, but if what he says is true, we could all be in grave danger."
"And what word of wisdom does he hold that's worth our time?" said Snotlout briskly.
"If I remember correctly, I am the one who travelled all the way out here, searching for your new home island, while I could lay back and watch the show unravel," said Viggo, raising his voice to make his point clear to his audience.
"That would mean there's something in for you," said Astrid, narrowing her eyes on him.
"Well obviously," confirmed Viggo, cocking his eyebrow at her as if asking, "Are you taking me for a fool?"
"I knew it," she whispered, balling her fists at her sides.
"In my experience…" said Eret, taking a step forward and turning to Astrid and Hiccup. "Old enemies always mean new threats."
"I completely agree," said Viggo, smiling charmingly. "Except I am not the enemy here; I am but a mere messenger." His expression slowly aggravated as he looked at each member individually. "Ever since the departure of the dragons, which I have no doubt you all played a part in, the world outside has fallen to its knees."
"That… doesn't make any sense," said Fishlegs after a moment of tension. "Dragons were the main cause of wars."
"As logic-sounding that their disappearance should bring peace over the lands," said Viggo, shaking his head sideways. "I'm afraid our world doesn't work with simplicity." At that point, Viggo had their undivided attention and tension slowly built as he explained the situation at hand. "You see, dragons have always been a part of life. They've been the centrepiece of everything. Our hierarchy is built on the existence of these creatures. With them gone, that hierarchy has crumbled, leaving Vikings who used to be of higher status like myself to fend for themselves on the same ground level as any other Viking. Without dragons to hunt, trap, worship or, say, train, many tribes have lost their identity and even the power they used to possess. There is no rule… And now Vikings are regrouping into this… organization; to create a movement that will bring the dragons back, and help the people return to the way things were."
There was a long pause as the Berkians exchanged a few glances, taking in the news and what it could mean for them.
Ruffnut scoffed from where she sat. "Better wish them the best of luck," she said, shrugging to herself. "No one will ever find the Hidden World. Even we don't know where it is."
"Except this group doesn't know that," added Viggo, gesturing her way. "All they know is that the dragons left and that only one person controls the dragons." He turned to Hiccup dramatically. "And they are coming for you."
"Me?" echoed Hiccup, taken aback.
"They're after the Dragon Conqueror," continued Viggo. "If only you could hear the ridiculous stories circulating about your exploits. They believe that he, who controls the Alpha, controls them all. And that you, Hiccup, can order the dragons back…"
Hiccup met Astrid's concerned gaze.
"They are growing," said Viggo, staring deeply into the ex-Rider's emerald eyes. "They have for years now. And they know where to start looking. Trust me, I've heard and seen firsthand what these… activists have planned for you. They will stop at nothing until the world bends to their will, even if it means, well, you know…"
"Encouraging as always, Viggo," sighed Hiccup.
It was all so much information. Hiccup tried not to let it overwhelm him, but it was an easier thing to say than do. How could he have assumed the rest of the world would be doing just as great as his tribe was? It had been Hiccup's decision to give Toothless his freedom and have him lead the dragons back into the Hidden World, where they would be safe from villainy; safe from greedy humans. He had thought that a world without dragons would end the conflict across the Archipelago and beyond, that people would finally sort their own problems and learn to live better lives. He thought it would build a better world… but it seemed it only made it worse. And he couldn't help feel the guilt creep up in his gut as he thought about all those tribes and families down on their knees while his tribe prospered, safe and sound, away from society.
Hiccup walked out of the Great Hall without another word and Viggo followed without a moment's hesitation.
"Hiccup, I can be of considerable assistance in helping you protect your home and family," offered Viggo, and as genuine as it sounded, Hiccup knew there had to be a catch.
"And what's in it for you?" he demanded dryly.
"Call it a decade-late debt repay for helping me all those years ago," he said, smirking delightfully before removing the mask to show his sincerity. "Let me help you."
"But how?" asked Hiccup, turning around completely to face him, finally letting his worry show through his tone of voice. "How are you gonna help? This isn't one single villain we're facing; it's an entire organization of ordinary people. This isn't just another game. This isn't Maces and Talons we're playing."
"As much as I agree on most of it," said Viggo, each word spoken carefully. "I can still advise you in bringing this movement to an end."
"I assume you got that all figured out, don't you?" said Hiccup, cocking his eyebrow at him.
Viggo chuckled. "You know me all too well, my dear Hiccup," he said.
Hiccup sighed, turning his face toward the vast and untamed ocean rocking gently. The moon's glare reflected off the black waves like melting stars.
"And here I thought war was behind us…" he said softly, dispirited.
"There will always be a war," said Viggo, following his gaze. "A mission… a problem to solve."
Silence settled down again and Hiccup reviewed all the information again in his mind.
"I still can't believe you're alive," he said in a hushed voice. "I saw you die. I mourned you."
"I'm… honoured?" said Viggo, though unsure what to respond. "I understand the shock, but believe me, I wouldn't break a promise less I deemed it necessary. Humph. Funny how faith works sometimes, doesn't it? Still." He turned fully to face the ex-Rider. "Whatever we're going to do, Hiccup; we must do it together."