Due to a cable being cut somewhere, my internet went down last night. This prevented me from uploading last night's chapter. My wonderful ISP has fixed the issue and I bring a gift. Y'all get two chapters. Also the dramatis personae will be updated but I'm not gonna say for what. Please read the chapter before rushing off to look at the list. ;)
They landed in the plaza. Brynjar, Hoark, Fintan, Lorekeeper, Winddancer, and Amethyst met them.
"Chief,' Brynjar said. "Bucket's bucket is tightening again and a ship was spotted just past the harbor sea stacks."
Stoick dismounted Toothless, sighing. He turned to his son and the others.
"Get inside," he said.
"Dad?" Hiccup asked, looking up at him.
"Ye all need rest, son. We'll meet this ship and find out what they want."
Stoick heard Hiccup sigh and watched his son turn to the dragons he kept calling Elders.
"Are you going as well?" Hiccup asked.
Stoick knew he should not be surprised when the three dragons bowed to his son. The teens' dragons all bowed to Hiccup whenever they saw him in the village. The mates of those dragons bowed to Hiccup when they saw him as well. Dragons that lived inland and only visited to aid the dock workers bowed to Hiccup before they continued on to the docks. Stoick had even seen dragons bow to Hiccup when the boy himself did not realize the dragon was there. Terrors who could sneak around the village due to their small size were usually the ones who did this.
Still with all of that it always amazed Stoick and caused no small amount of guilt to rise in his gut each time he witnessed the action. The dragons had seen what his boy was long before Stoick did. Stoick mourned once more that Val could not be alive to see her boy. She would be so proud of him. She would have also cracked Stoick's own skull for neglecting the boy for so long.
[We shall if that is what you wish, Alpha,] the Nightmare said.
Stoick watched a smile cross Hiccup's face. More guilt churned in his gut. Smiles to the dragons were so open and free upon Hiccup's face, but Stoick was not stupid or blind. Not anymore. He saw the twinges of fear that coated the smiles Hiccup gave the Vikings, except for Astrid. Stoick knew his son feared things would return to what they were before. The guilt churned more, making Stoick sick. He had done this to his boy. He had created at place where his son felt more at ease with those who had once been an enemy than with the tribe the boy had grown up in.
Stoick gently placed a hand upon Hiccup's shoulder. His heart broke a little at Hiccup's slight flinch and muscles tensing. Stoick knew it was a response Hiccup could not stop. Fifteen years had conditioned the action and four months was no where near long enough to stop the reflex. Stoick turned to the dragons instead of dwelling on what he knew he had caused with his own stupidity.
"I would welcome ye all comin'," he said.
He knew he had surprised more than just the dragons. Stoick might pat and scratch each dragon that now crossed his path, but he had never actively sought out the ones called Elders. In truth, he had been somewhat jealous. They had so easily created a relationship with Hiccup and he had to work for the one he had with his son.
Stoick looked down at Hiccup again. "Go on, son," he said softly. "Get yer friends in and all of ye get some sleep."
"You're sure, Dad?"
Stoick felt his heart break more at the undertone he heard in Hiccup's voice. The same as when he met Stoick out on the mountain and immediately apologized for failing.
"I'm sure, son. We'll discuss who the ship was and what they wanted when ye wake up. And if it's jest Johann, I'll see about gettin' ye some more ink."
Hiccup's smile then was brilliant. Stoick took a deep breath. Small steps. That was what Gothi had advised while his son lay in that induced sleep and Stoick braved asking what the elder what he could do to fix what he had stupidly destroyed. Small steps. Small gestures. Listening more than speaking. Loudly praising the boy when he did something and never, ever, reprimanding him in public anymore. Something, Stoick vowed would never occur ever again.
Hiccup and the others dismounted and all headed into the Great Hall, even the Gronckles that had aided in keeping everyone warm. Stoick felt pride well within him. His boy earned more loyalty with his act of mercy then any Viking chief had ever earned through force. Stoick knew every one of those teens and every one of those dragons that pledged to him would die for him. Stoick also knew his son would die for them. His boy was truly a born chief as Mulch put it. An honorable chief who would ensure Berk prospered and flourished long after Valhalla called for Stoick.
As the door closed, Stoick turned and headed for the docks. He heard Gobber's distinctive thunk- scritch gait. He heard Brynjarr's purposeful march. Hoark and Fintan's steps were lighter but no less determined. All four Vikings, Stoick knew would lay their life down in defense of the island and everyone on it.
What surprised Stoick was hearing the different tread of the dragons following and not feeling the usual awareness and readiness to fight that used to rise whenever he heard a dragon behind him. The sounds now brought Stoick a measure of comfort. They were the treads of three who had proven their loyalty and their honor and who he knew would have his back if this ship turned out to be someone with less than upright intentions.
They made it down to the docks as the ship got to the halfway point between the docks and the Guardians. Stoick glanced around. Ever since his son had granted the dragons a home on the island, various dragons had chosen to hang around the docks. Now the skies were clear. The sea stacks bare. Stoick frowned. He had gotten used to the extra bustle and the docks now seemed lifeless without the noises the dragons made or the movement they added.
As the ship got closer, Stoick realized it was not Johann's. The sail held a banner announcing it as being from the Shivering Shores. Stoick frowned. None of the other chiefs would be heading to Berk until spring. Every chief was prepping their tribe and island for the coming winter. Why would anyone except the merchants that plied the waters be out to sea?
The ship slipped into port. Brynjarr and Hoark caught the ropes thrown at them and secured them. Stoick waited as the gangplank extended. His frown cleared as Hilda and her son Baneson walked off the ship followed a burly-looking man and the ship's helmsman. Stoick noted that all the men, Banson included, stared at the dragons with their hands upon their weapon hilts.
"Don't draw," Stoick said firmly. "No one hurts dragons upon Berk anymore."
The burly man grunted. "Dey said ye all flipped 'n sided wiv da devils."
The dragons gave low growls, stopping only when Stoick lifted his hand. Stoick knew it was not because he was the chief but because his son had asked the dragons to listen to him. Their actions did cause the four on the dock to stare wide-eyed.
"Ye control da beasts, chief?" Hilda asked.
Another growl. Stoick let it continue for a few heartbeats before rising his hand again. Silence.
"They are not beasts," Stoick said, purposively not answering Hilda's question. "They be full members of the tribe."
"Ye gon 'nsane," the burly man declared.
Stoick's eyes narrowed. "And ye are?" he questioned, his voice dropping into a tone that demanded an answer or the result would not be welcomed or pleasant for the one asked.
"Padrig, Hilda's elder bro'her," the man said. "Chief sent me ta make sure she and the lad got home." The man's eyes flicked to the dragons and then back to Stoick and grunted. "Be'ter off back on Shiverin' Shores. We didn't turn traitors."
The dragons snarled this time. Stoick heard the Vikings with him snarling as well. Stoick stepped forward. The man was big but Stoick had not been named 'the Vast' for just his weight. He never got a chance to speak though.
"Padrig!" Hilda hollered, smacking her brother's arm. "Back off da chief. He be honorable and a right Viking. Member yer chief held him in high esteem when he visited 'fore summer full on ended. Ifen he be allowin' da dragons there be a reason fer it. We best be fer da listenin' 'n learnin' then da insultin'."
"But, Mom," Baneson began, "da dragons.. one done ate Paw."
"Son, I've done said me piece. We be home now. We accept wot our chief done decided." Hilda turned to Stoick. "They no bother yer dragons, chief. Me son knows better den ta cross me and me brother has his orders from his chief ta not cause fuss." That last bit had been said with a pointed look to Padrig. "His chief respect ye, Chief," she added looking back to Stoick. "'n he be willin' ta wait til spring ta ask da questions he has."
The wind chose that moment to pick up and snow started falling again. Stoick looked up then looked back to the four.
"Best we get inside now," he said. "Bucket's done predicted one storm and his bucket tighten 'gain 'fore yer ship made it ta port."
Stoick saw Hilda grimace. She looked to her brother and son.
"Come now," she said. "Bucket's bucket never be wrong 'bout a storm 'fore."
Kirika: :) I enjoy reading all my readers' reviews. It's fun knowing what they found good and bad about what I write.