"Stop!"
Stoick watched as his bellow paused everyone in the plaza, even Hiccup. Stoick stared his son down even as the boy's narrowed eyes and his glare fell upon his father. Stoick felt a chill run down his spine and not just from the knowledge his son wanted to kill the Hopeless warrior. He saw the hatred glittering in Hiccup's eyes. Right then, Stoick got a glimpse of what his son would have become had love and acceptance not soothed years of neglect and torment. Stoick was honest enough to admit, he wanted his peaceful son back.
Still, it wound not be said that Stoick the Vast backed down from anything or anyone. He did not when a warlord thought the constant dragon attacks made for a weak and worn chief that the warlord could easily overtake. He did not when facing the madman who thought he alone controlled dragons and set those dragons on a fiery rampage. He did not even when fire and death rained down upon his village by the very beings who now surrounded the plaza to bear witness to their alpha's justice against a fool. Stoick would not back down before his son, no matter that his son could control the dragons and could easily overtake all of them with a mere gesture.
"Ye be challenged," Stoick said. "And ye have every right ta fight, but this be done right 'n proper. It be done 'ccordin' ta law, son."
He saw the moment his words penetrated the hate Hiccup felt. Hiccup's hand fell away from the seax's hilt and the lad stood straighter. The hatered remained in green eyes that were still as hard as emeralds, but Stoick did not get the impression of a dragon backed into a corner anymore.
"Aye, Father."
Stoick tipped his head at Hiccup's words. Relief flooded him, even as the same chill raced down his spine. Hiccup's voice still held the draconic growl and it still unnerved Stoick to hear it even after all this time. Yet, the boy had accepted the law instead of the fight.
Stoick knew his boy was training and had been training for months. That he had not been trained for years was a failure Stoick bore every day and now, Stoick realized just how much he had crippled his boy in those years. If an einvigi happened right now, Hiccup would face a foe who had more years, more weight, and more experience. Hiccup could very well end up dead or severely wounded. The warrior then would die by dragon fire or Astrid's axe, whichever got to the man first. Stoick would put his coin on Astrid before the dragons given the lass' possessiveness over Hiccup.
So Stoick intervened instead, as was his right as chief, and called for a holmgang. The challenge, both to Hiccup's promised and to Hiccup's honor, could be met with no death at the end of the duel. Given the constant dragon attacks that caused the major tribes in the Archipelago to form the Treaty of Laws, a holmgang here would be vastly different than one held on the mainland far to the south. Shields were too precious here due to dragon attacks, thus only two were broken instead of three. Stoick also realized something and he hoped his son did as well, since the boy had grown up listening to and reading up on the Treaty of Laws. The law held no prohibition on who his second, and shield bearer, could be.
Stoick turned to Byrnjar. "Set up the holmgangustadr on the west cliffs."
Byrnjar nodded before calling for aid from others in the plaza. Stoick was proud to note Spitelout was the first to step forward, despite the glare Old Man Jorgenson gave his son. Stoick turned to Hiccup before his father-in-law could turn that glare upon him. Given his mood, Stoick knew he would probably hit the old man.
"Get up to Gothi, son, 'n prepare yerself."
"Aye, Father."
Stoick felt the chill run down his spine again. The growl was still present and Stoick saw the reactions it sparked in the dragons that called the nest home. Every one of them stared at the Hopeless warrior with eyes that bore slits and fangs that promised ripped flesh and torn limbs. Hiccup faced the fool as well and Stoick saw the man take another step back. Stoick took great pride in knowing everyone, human and dragon alike, who stood in the plaza saw the man retreat from Hiccup.
Hiccup stared at the man, then spun on his good heel, and walked away as if the man was beneath his notice. Stoick felt pride flood his body. He had been a blind fool not to see the man his son would become and only focus on the teen the boy was now.
Hiccup climbed the steps back to Toothless' side. Toothless lowered his head, offering not only his back but also bowing and showing every Hopeless warrior that Hiccup held control over him. Stoick felt pride flood him for that as well. All of his sons were honorable leaders and warriors and would cause the Hooligan tribe to prosper and thrive in this changed reality.
Hiccup slipped into the saddle. Toothless launched. Stoick was not surprised when the other bonded dragons and their riders also launched into the air. He was surprised when Gyda and Shadowfire remained though. He suspected she would go if only to give her student some advice.
Gyda looked around at the assembled dragons. They all dropped their gazes from their Alpha in the air to the mage on the ground when she cleared her throat. Stoick marveled at that, but then he knew the dragons saw her as an elder and held her to the same regard as they did the other Elders, which now included Gothi.
"The challenge will take place upon the cliffs the mate-hood ceremonies were preformed," she called out. "Our Alpha would appreciate your assistance. Guard the field of battle as the human nest-mates prepare it. Let none sabotage it."
The last sentence had been said with Gyda's gaze firmly upon the Hopeless warrior. The man, now not facing a furious Hiccup, chose to get his backbone back in order. Stoick would have pity the man his decision to puff up at Gyda, if Stoick had not wanted to throw the man from the cliffs while the tide was out.
"Ye dishonor me, wench!" the man yelled.
"You dishonored yourself when you tried to bribe Byrnjar before challenging Hiccup. The handsal was struck before the gods, fool. The only reason your challenge holds any weight right now is because the Hooligan tribe still honors the treaty and friendship we have found with the Hopeless tribe."
"She be right," Stoick declared, not sure how Gyda knew to say all of that but grateful nonetheless. It kept the Hooligans in the right of all of this. None of the man's relatives could call for vengeance should the man die this day. "Bjarte, get yer man outta my plaza and get'm ready fer the duel before I be declarin' his challenge invalid due ta his lack of honor."
Bjarte merely nodded before clamping a hand to the fool's shoulder and dragging him away.