Hiccup POV...
My dad yanked the door open and roughly shoved me into the Great Hall, where I stumbled across the ground. I looked back in a panic as he stomped inside, slamming the door and leaving us in darkness. The force of his slam however caused the door to bounce back and open up slowly again, giving us some light. He stride past me, visibly fuming with anger.
"I should have known. I should have seen the signs," he growls out quietly.
"Dad," I started nervously.
"We had a deal!" he exclaims, glancing down at me as he continued his pacing.
"I- I know we did... but that was before... ughh, it's all so messed up!" I replied timidly, grabbing my head in agitation.
He turns towards me with an angry glare. "So everything in the ring. A trick?! A lie!" he exclaims, pointing an accusatory finger at me. "Did the Jedi teach you any of those tricks?" he demands suspiciously.
I gaped up at him. "N-no, no! Of course not, they're the only ones who can do stuff like that!" I protested.
He snorts. "Not from what I say! And then they you helped defend that beast!" he yells.
"I- I- I screwed up. I- I should have told you before now!" I stammered in nervously. "I- just, take this out on me, be mad at me, but please... just don't hurt Toothless!" I pleaded. "Or Mara, or any of them. Please!" I pleaded.
"The dragon?" he exclaims in furious disbelief. "Those Jedi?! That's what you're worried about? Not the people they almost killed?!" he roars.
"Toothless was just protecting me! He's not dangerous!" I protested. "Mara and the others were trying to protect all of us! they didn't want to fight you!"
"They could have killed us with their lightsabers!" he shouts. "They aren't from Berk! That is an act of war, even if its only three of them!"
"All they want is what's best for us! They've been telling us that we have the wrong view of dragons for years!" I argued back.
"They've killed HUNDREDS OF US!" he exclaims.
"And we've killed THOUSANDS OF THEM!" I yelled back, reaching a breaking point. "They defend themselves, that's all!"
He widens his eyes in outrage at my statement before growling, pacing around again as I continue my retaliatory rant. "They raid us because they have to! If they don't bring enough food back, they'll be eaten themselves," I say, trying to let it sink in. "There's something else on their island dad...it's a dragon like-"
he suddenly whips his head to stare at me with wide eyes. "-Their island?" he exclaims, stopping me in surprise with an accusatory finger. "So you've been to the nest," he says, voice suddenly dangerously quiet.
I lean back fearfully. "Uh, did I say nest?"
"How did you find it?!" I demand.
"No... I didn't!" I protested. "Toothless did. Only a dragon can find the island!"
A moment passes, then an idea takes form on his face, and his eyes flare. I widen my eyes in horror, realizing what was going through his head.
Oh no, Dad, no!" I chase after him, panicked. "Dad. It's not what you think. You don't know what you're up against. It's like nothing you've ever seen!"
"Dad. Please. I promise you that you can't win this one! It's even littered with Hssiss dragons!" I plead with him, hoping that'll get him to see sense.
He stiffens slightly, but actually snarls furiously, continuing on with an even quicker pace. "No. Dad. No!" I say in distress.
"For once in your life, WOULD YOU PLEASE JUST LISTEN TO ME?!" I yell at the top of my lungs, desperately grabbing onto his arm. In retaliation he shoves me back harshly, causing me to hit the stone floor hard. I grunt in surprise, staring up at him in hurt disbelief. He's never hit me before...
"You've thrown your lot in with them," he snarls in disgust. "You're not a Viking... You're not my son."
My heart drops in shock, tears welling up in my eyes as Stoick leaves, disowning me without a care. He pushes out the door to leave me in my misery and the cold darkness.
"Ready the ships!" he calls out.
It took all I had in order to not cry in grief and heartbreak.
3rd person POV...
Stoick the Vast, the great chief of Berk stormed out of the Great hall with an expression of furious determination on his face, before suddenly stopping. he staggered back a few steps, gasping as the realization of what he just did occurred to him, and he stared at the sky with grief. he then steeled his gaze and continued onwards to prepare for the raid to end the plague of dragons once and for all. But first, he had to pay a visit to the ones that betrayed his trust.
He stormed through the village with a cold expression of fury etched onto his face as he headed for the prison. Many of the villagers were rushing around at Stoick's order to prepare for the final raid against the dragons, but seeing the look on his face, nobody dared to get in his way. Eventually he reached their prison, outside of the village inside of a cold, heavily sealed cave where Berk's prisoner's were held. it wasn't used much, as most fighting any tribe did was against the common threat of dragons, but it was always good to have one, especially now. Stoick wrenched open the iron gate and strode inside, glancing at the three prison cells with contempt.
Each cell was covered by a wall of iron bars, and inside were the three Jedi, each guarded by four burly Vikings. The Jedi all worse heavy iron cuffs on their hands, a chain attached to them that was bolted to the floor, and their belongings piled in a room out of sight, including their lightsabers, and battle armor. the strength of Jarik's left arm was taken into consideration, and was bolted down against the wall with a heavy chain, leaving it immoveable. All three returned the glare back at him, Mara showing the most anger, the other two more impassive.
"Fragging moof-milker," she said coldly. Jarik rolled his eyes at that, while Ahsoka let out a sigh.
Stoick glared back at her intensely, not understanding the term but wise enough to know it was an insult.
"So, are you happy now Stoick?" Ahsoka asked.
"You betrayed us for that dragon," he replied accusingly.
"And you betrayed hiccup's trust in you, far enough to disown him," Jarik retorted.
The guards glanced up at Stoick in slight surprise, but otherwise didn't really care. Stoick whipped his head to stare at Jarik in shock and anger. "How do you know that?!" he demanded.
Mara scoffed. "We could sense his heart being broken from miles away you bantha fodder!" she yelled.
One of her guards gave her a harsh knock to the head. Stoick looked away, the slightest bit of shame and regret visible in his eyes, which was not missed by Ahsoka or Jarik, before it disappeared.
"Mara, calm down." Jarik replied quietly.
"What? I can't be angry? He's never had any respect for Hiccup! Why should i have the same respect for him?!" she retorted.
"You know nothing about our relationship girl!" Stoick yelled back at her in outrage.
Mara laughed mockingly. "Oh please-"
"Mara!" Ahsoka exclaimed in warning. She stiffened, but held her tongue, much to the other two's relief.
Stoick scowled at them. "I'm not here to talk about Hiccup, so shut your mouth!" he stated. "You fought us without provocation, and attempted to kill us with your lightsabers! The only reason I don't have you executed on the spot is because of your status as Jedi!"
"Tried to kill you?" Jarik asked with a raised eyebrow. "Our lightsabers were on the lowest setting. The most we could do was knock you unconscious."
"And that helps your case?!" Stoick demanded. "You still attacked us, helping that dragon!"
"Because they're not what you believe them to be. Dragon's are gentle, and kind creatures," Ahsoka replies. The queen of their nest is what forces them to attack you."
"As if I'd believe anything else that comes out of your mouth," Stoick says with contempt, eyeing Ahsoka in a form of disgust. She met his glare fiercely. "As for the nest, that is going to be taken down today! you precious Night Fury will lead us right to it," he states. Ahsoka and Jarik share a concerned glance while Mara rolls her eyes.
"You don't even know what's on that island," Jarik says with narrowed eyes.
"I know all about those Hssiss dragons," Stoick counters. "And they will die along with the destruction of the nest."
"You're no match for what lays on the island," Ahsoka warns him.
"Am I not?" he asks rhetorically with a glare. "Then you will be coming with us witch! You're going to put your control over dragons to could use, and use your Force powers to warn us of any danger!"
"What?!" Mara exclaim in protest. "No!"
"And then once we return, you will all be banished from this island!" Stocik continues, ignoring her. "If you ever step foot on Berk again there will be no mercy!"
"You can't do this!" Mara cries out furiously.
"It's alright Mara," Ahsoka replies calmly, meeting Stick glare without fear. "They'll need all the help they can get anyways."
"You're the only one coming," Stoick states firmly. "Without your lightsaber."
The guards released Ahsoka from her restraints, although they kept the cuffs around her wrists, and lead her out of the cell. She followed along without question, sharing a quick glance with Jarik on the way, who gave a brief nod, noticeable only to her. Satisfied, Stoick turned around with a huff and stomped out of the prison, Ahsoka's four guards bringing her along with them, although she was allowed to bring her battle gear along with her. Once she was gone, Jarik closed his eyes, sensing her progress through the Force, and allowed himself a small smirk.
Down at the docks, the entire fleet within Berk's arsenal was being prepared for battle. Broken-down catapults and trebuchets are bundled up and lowered from the cliffs. Below on the docks, Vikings load the heavy artillery into the hulls of awaiting ships. Working together, they loaded Toothless aboard Stoick's ship, chained down to a palette, muzzled, and restrained with a weighty neck ring, all the while the Night Fury struggled against them, looking exhausted and miserable. Next to him, Ahsoka's cuffs and chained to the metal palette, and the Force-user stroked Toothless' neck in an attempt to calm him down, which the dragon accepted, despite his distress.
Up above, children watch in a mixture of fear, nervousness and confusion while Gothi pulls them close to her, brow furrowed in worry. The elser couldn't help but feel like this was a bad idea, whether it was because of what they were doing with the Jedi, or something else, she wasn't sure. The Jedi were supposed to be beings of good, yet right now they were enemies, helping dragons...
Stoick crosses to the bow as the ship pushes off and joins the amassed armada of ships adrift in the harbor. Stoick's brow is furrowed, all warmth drained away. He turns west and glares at the horizon with cold determination.
"Set sail! We head for Helheim's Gate," he orders.
He then notices Hiccup watching from his familiar cliff-side perch beyond the village. Their eyes meet, full of hurt and regret, and Hiccup slowly shakes his head in warning. Stoick breaks the stare and strides across the ship to Toothless and Ahsoka, fuming.
"Lead us home, Devil," he says coldly to the Night Fury.
"The Force is dark around you Stoick. You have no idea what you are getting yourself into," Ahsoka warned.
"And you do?" he retorts disbelievingly. She doesn't respond, gazing at him with a sad expression on her face.
Hours later, the ships had already left the view of Berk, but Hiccup was still standing there. He quietly mourns the loss of everything that brought him joy, grief ridden for his friends, and swimming in a pool of regret and shame. Any respect he still had in the village was gone by now. Once his dad... once Stoick got back from the nest, if he survived that is, he was surely going to be banished. He doesn't look up or react to Astrid behind him. She approaches cautiously and stands beside him in silence.
"It's a mess," she says sorrowfully. "You must feel horrible. You've lost everything. Your father, your tribe, your best friends... Mara, Ahsoka, and Jarik."
"Thank you for summing that up." Hiccup replies bitterly, before letting out a sigh. "Why couldn't I have killed that dragon when I found him in the woods. It would have been better for everyone," he says glumly.
"Yep. The rest of us would have done it," she replies in agreement. "So why didn't you?"
Hiccup just shakes his head slowly in response, as he really doesn't know. Astrid's eyes glimmer, and she stares at him, wanting an answer. "Why didn't you?"
"I don't know. I couldn't," he replies quietly.
"That's not an answer," she replies, unsatisfied.
Hiccup glances behind him in aggravation. "Why is this so important to you all of a sudden?" he demands.
"Because I want to remember what you say, right now." Astrid replies seriously, staring at him with a firm expression.
"Oh for the love of- I was a coward! I was weak. I wouldn't kill a dragon!" he exclaims.
"You said 'wouldn't' that time," she observes.
"Whatever! I wouldn't!" he exclaims furiously. "Three hundred years and I'm the first Viking who wouldn't kill a dragon!"
Astrid stares at him for a few moments, replying. "First to ride one, though," she points out.
Hiccup blinks in surprise, his face softening back into one of sorrow and regret.
"So..." Astrid presses.
"...It's just... what if Ahsoka, and Jarik, and Mara were right about dragons? What if they really were wonderful creatures?" he says softly. "I wouldn't kill him because he looked as frightened as I was. I looked at him and I saw myself."
Astrid turns to face the open sea, a contemplating expression on her face.
"I bet he's really frightened now," she says, turning to him with a provoking tone. "What are you going to do about it?"
"Eh... Probably something stupid," he says.
"Good. But you've already done that," she replies.
Hiccup thinks carefully for a moment, his eyes lighting up with an idea as he backs away. "Then something crazy."
Astrid smiles in response as he runs off. "That's more like it," she says, rushing after him with an excited look on her face.
"You know, it'd probably be a good idea to try an get Jarik and Mara out of jail, if that's even possible!" Astrid pointed out, easily catching up to him.
"Don't worry about them," he replies. "If I know them well enough, they'll have managed to escape by now!"
"Against a dozen Vikings constantly guarding them?" she replies incredulously.
"have you even seen them training before?!" he responds rhetorically, a grin on his face as they run towards the arena.
Jarik POV...
I sat in the cell with a bored expression on my face, tapping my metal hand against the rock lightly. To the Vikings they wouldn't bat an eye, but the tap was actually a signal to Mara. We meet each others eyes inconspicuously for a moment, having a conversation simply through our gaze. After a moment, she looks away, and I let off a grin, looking up at my captors.
"So, how have you boys been today?" I ask them innocently.
They glance at each other in confusion, but otherwise give no response. Brilliant. I crack my neck in preparation, the small smirk still on my face as I flex my fingers.
