8: Set Piece
"Is everything ready?"
Ryker smirked, his cruel eyes already cold with anticipation at getting his hands on the young Viking once more. On this occasion, he would have much more time to wreak his vengeance on Hiccup Haddock… Viggo cleared his throat and his older brother dragged his attention back to the present.
"Yes," he said gruffly. "We had to let a couple of Traders join in-though they add to the illusion."
"Which?" Viggo asked coldly, an eyebrow arching. Ryder chuckled.
"Trader Derek…"
"The idiot with the seven foot beard?" Viggo's eyes rolled.
"And Trader Ivan." Ryker gave a low chuckle at the name and his brother looked quizzically. "The bald lunatic who threatens anyone with an axe who doesn't agree to his terms of the trade." Viggo's eyes narrowed. "It is going to convince anyone infiltrating the auction that it's genuine…" Viggo pinched the bridge of his nose.
"It is genuine," he sighed, revealing the situation to his brother. "Losses have been catastrophic. Our partners to the East are getting impatient at the delays in delivery of the merchandise so I have needed to call in our more amenable customers to sell some of our more attractive lots in order to recoup some capitol so we can finance more ships."
"And there will be the dragons from the Riders to sell," Ryker reminded him. "A Night Fury should fetch its weight in gold." Viggo nodded, inspecting his notes.
"I hope so," he said coolly, "because half the Vikings are coming to see the dragon captured and immediately sold." Ryder grinned.
"Don't worry, brother," he said darkly. "We both know this isn't the Hiccup Haddock who was such a thorn in your side. This version is far more predictable-and beatable!" Viggo inspected his older brother thoughtfully. Recently, Ryker had been challenging his commands and taking initiatives that Viggo hadn't authorised or approved of. The younger brother knew his sibling was violent, sadistic and cruel-and had fixated on the young viking who had defied and humiliated him so many times previously. Whatever Ryker had done to Hiccup had certainly broken the boy-at least partially. But in Viggo's opinion, this Hiccup may lack the compassion and unpredictability of the old one-but he was more brutal and callous-which was still a danger. Hiccup's friends had always been a reliable weakness: the survivors from the last skirmish had indicated he had been prepared to leave them to die if it meant achieving his goals. And that meant there was a possibility Viggo was facing a man as intelligent as himself-now armed with equal ruthlessness. The prospect was not appetising.
"We shall see," the leader of the Hunters said quietly, watching his brother roll his eyes and scoff. "We shall see."
oOo
"Is everything ready?"
The assembled Riders nodded, collected around the table in the Clubhouse, running through the final time before they left for the mission.
"All the dragons are fed and ready to fly," Fishlegs reported.
"We have plenty of containers of Monstrous Nightmare gel and Zippleback gas loaded in our packs," Snotlout admitted.
"Run through-by the numbers," Hiccup commanded, his green gaze sweeping over the assembled Riders.
"Group one flies in low from the south," Heather began.
"We launch a distracting run to attack the ships moored in the harbour," Ruff added.
"And we'll draw the fire," Tuff added. "Awesome!" Bucket and Mulch nodded-well, Mulch did and Bucket did when his short hairy friend, Mulch swatted his shoulder to remind him to agree. Heather frowned.
"And then, once we've met some resistance, we peel away and retreat," she reminded them.
"Group two will have entered from the north and come in silently through the darkness," Gustav added, his tone serious. The younger teen was now sixteen and had led his own team for a few months now. The increase in responsibility and consequent closer working relationship with the Chief had made the boy grow up fast. No longer just focussed on his own desires and messing around with Fanghook, Gustav was becoming a responsible and daring leader, though he still looked up to Hiccup.
"We will start to free the dragons and ensure they get away safely," Fishlegs added. Gothi nodded, her expression determined. She had recently adopted a pair of Terrible Terrors along with her Gronckle and hated the idea of any dragons being imprisoned or sold as merchandise.
"Group three-the awesome Jorgensen group-will infiltrate the merchants and head for the gold," Snotlout added. Spitelout, his father who was rather more self-confident and dumber-grinned.
"Job's good as done!" he added.
"Group one comes round again and repeats the attack," Heather added.
"And I remain on point, assisting where required," Hiccup added. "Once the dragons are away and the gold secured, we sink the remaining ships and leave Viggo and Ryker to explain to their customers what happened."
"And the gold goes back to Berk," Snotlout finished.
There was a pause and Hiccup took a shuddering breath. "Take care," he said. "Stick to your part of the plan and it will run smoothly." Snotlout cast him a jaundiced look before nodding. "Everyone-grab your supplies. We fly out in half an hour!" There were murmurs and then the group scattered, fetching food and fish for the dragons while Hiccup made his way back to his hut, ensuring he had spare cartridges for his Inferno. But once he was in his hut, he slid down the wall, his hands digging anxiously into his auburn hair. The fingers ran easily through the locks, no longer meeting the resistance of Astrid's braids. Emerald eyes snapped wide and he cast around the room, seeing the two little discarded braids-and immediately, he crawled over to snag them in his hand, curling it into a fist and pressing it against his forehead. He curled forward in despair, his eyes screwed closed.
"Astrid," he whispered. "I am so sorry. But-but I had to do it. I had to drive you away…so you, at least, are safe. No matter what happens, you won't be there. So when it all goes wrong, I will know I've done one last thing for you. You will live. And maybe you can look after whoever else survives."
Because I won't. I don't deserve to.
A dry sob shuddered through him and an image of Astrid flickered across his memory: Astrid so pale and sick with the Scourge of Odin, her shape limp and weak in his arms.
I can't imagine a world without you.
"But I've made myself one," he whispered as Toothless crooned and shuffled closer. "And it's like Helheim. Gods, I need you, every minute of every hour. I need my friend. I need Astrid…but this is the only way can protect you. Ryder and Viggo won't target you because they won't believe you mean anything to me. Ryder won't take you and kill you in front of me." Toothless wrapped his wings around the hunched shape, crooning softly. Hiccup took a deep breath. "I'm sorry, bud," he sighed. "I can't do this any more. I can't be this person…but I must. Because if I let them win again, I have just proved that Ryker is right." He leaned against the dragon. "And we have to finish this. No matter what it costs."
"Are you ready?" came the shout from outside and Hiccup palmed his face dry as the dragon pulled back. Slowly, he opened his hand and stared at the little braids-then very deliberately, he slid them under his tunic, close to his heart. He flashed the slightest smile to his dragon, then dragged his helmet on, checked his weapons and swung into the saddle.
"Come on, bud," he said tonelessly. "Time to go."
oOo
Darkness had fallen but Kaupmadur island was brightly lit with torches and bonfires as the customers investigated the stalls, viewed the lots and gathered in small groups, discussing the prospective sale. Viggo and Ryker were in Viggo's tent, armed and waiting to start the auction. Ryder was pacing back and forth, to the amusement of his brother.
"He'll come," Viggo assured him, sipping his ale. "You'll have your fun soon enough!"
"I want him finished!" Ryder growled. "How can we plan and conduct business when that boy keeps raiding us?" Viggo rose, adjusting his sword.
"I can plan and conduct business fine-but we need his dragon," Viggo said. "Get to your place and be ready." The Grimborn brothers strode out into the night-unconscious of the silently hovering shape, concealed by the dark. Hiccup peered from behind his mask and watched the two disguised shapes sneak closer, eyeballing the two Hunter guards who guarded the tent. And then the young Rider snapped his head up as he heard the faintest whisk of wings as the Riders of Group One approached.
The twins were serious, game faces on for once and axes clamped into their fists as Barf spewed a huge trail of gas as they swooped past the line of moored vessels. Bucket and Mulch followed, adding another line of gas the billowed around the ships. The skeleton crews glance up in utter shock as the green fog surrounded them and there was a sudden movement as they dived for cover as Heather zoomed by. As they peeled away, Windshear coughed a large enough ball of fire to ignite the gas. The ensuing explosion covered half the harbour and set most of the ships on fire. There were shouts and half the crowd surged forward to help the struggling sailors while the purchasers hung back, muttering amongst themselves and casting pitying and scornful glances towards Viggo.
Quietly at the back of the settlement, three shapes sneaked to the cages, avoiding the patrolling Hunters. Gustav hung back, his quick grey eyes seeing a roving patrol and waving Fishlegs and Gothi to stand back. All three pressed into the shadows until they passed and then the youngest Rider sped forward, swiftly unlatching the cages. Fishlegs and the Elder chased the dragons out into the darkness as Gustav watched, checking where the next targets were. Once they were back, Fishlegs sent Gothi back to her Gronckle Rockface to help Meatlug shepherd the released dragons away as he and Gustav headed for the next bank of cages.
Snotlout and Spitelout sneaked towards Viggo's tent, sticking to the shadows as much as they could, swathed in good quality cloaks that suggested they were merchants of means. Hiccup had given them orders to be quiet and stealthy-but Spitelout was taking as much notice of the young Viking leader as he did of anyone.
"Stand aside, boyo," he said with ill-advised overconfidence. "Watch how a real Viking deals with these pansy Hunters!" Snotlout grimaced.
"Dad-I really think you oughtta stick to the plan!" he hissed. Not that he was that afraid of Hiccup yelling at him-though Snotlout hated being humiliated by his cousin in front of the other Riders-but even Snotlout could appreciate that they needed stealth when infiltrating a heavily guarded Hunter auction. Spitelout leered at his son.
"Ye don't need ta listen ta that twig, boyo!" he told his son unwisely. "Listen ta yer old man! I've been doing this long before you were born!"
Says the man who goes down to the docks and gets hit over the head with a bludgeon for fun, Snotlout thought irritably. He knew he was the senior rider and his father should listen to him-or at least to the plan, which was made by Hiccup who was definitely the most senior dragon rider…but of course, Spitelout knew better.
"Dad-please just wait until…" Snotlout suggested.
"SPITELOUT! SPITELOUT! OI! OI! OI!" his father screamed and charged the guards.
"That's MY war cry!" Snotlout grumbled and raced after him-because watching his father get slaughtered really wasn't an option-even when half a dozen more Hunters burst from the tent and engaged the two Jorgensens. And Snotlout knew, without a shadow of a doubt, that this was a trap…as they had all suspected, which was why Hiccup had ordered diversion, stealth and circumspection.
Except my father can't even say that, let alone understand what it means, he sighed as he attacked the nearest Hunter. Gods, I wish Astrid was here.
Overhead, Hiccup saw the ambush he had expected and gave a thin smile behind his mask, motioning the Night Fury to stealthily land behind the tent, deep in the shadows. Lithely, he slid off the saddle and grasped Inferno, then snapped it open and slashed the flaming blade through the thick leather of the tent. As expected it parted like yak butter and he erupted into the tent, finding a single remaining guard that he clubbed over the back of the head with the hilt of his sword. Then he saw it: the chest. Breathing hard, he approached it and warily snapped it open-to face a chest full of gold coins-tiny but between them…enough to ease Berk's woes and salvage something from the disaster. He snapped the lid closed and grabbed the chest, whistling Toothless who barged in and allowed Hiccup to lash the chest to his saddle.
"Come on, bud-we've got what we came for," Hiccup murmured, clipping his foot back into the control pedal. He almost turned back the way he came-but he heard the sounds of battle and Spitelout cursing floridly. He sighed: Ryker would have run, leaving his men without hesitation. But I am not Ryker and trying to be Ryker is killing me. It cost me Astrid: I can't afford to give him any more. He patted the Night Fury. "Shall we help out friends?"
Toothless let out a roar that alerted Hookfang and Spineguard, Spitelout's Nadder. Instantly, the dragons charged forward as Hiccup and Toothless burst through the entrance, batting the Hunters aside and pointing the Jorgensens to their dragons. Snotlout stared at him in shock.
"What are you doing here?" he asked in a suspicious voice.
"Stealing the gold," Hiccup told him bluntly. "Now help Fish, Gustav and Gothi free those dragons. And for the Gods's sake-stick to the damned plan!" Before Snotlout could even draw another breath, they had bounded past and were already arrowing up. Spitelout knocked the last Hunter out.
"Did he just use us as a decoy?" he asked in a grim voice. Snotlout nodded, grasping Hookfang's horns and swinging into the saddle.
"Yes," he said angrily. "Come on-we gotta get the others out of here. This whole auction is a trap!"
Fishlegs and Gustav saw the movement of guards, closing on the cages and both backed away-but there were steps behind them. In a panic, they ducked under the covers of a cage-and found themselves facing four guards, who were hiding in an unlocked cage. Fishlegs offered a tiny wave.
"Um…hi?" he tried as the Hunters tried to grab at them. Gustav was more practical, grabbing Fishlegs's arm and shouting 'RUN!' The two sped away, guards racing at them from all sides. Gustav whistled through his teeth and the adolescent Monstrous Nightmare that was curled discreetly behind the furthest cage erupted forward, flaming ferociously. Gustav pushed Fishlegs to the ground as Fanghook blasted flames at the pursuing Hunters, the heat burning hairs on the back of both young Vikings's necks. But Gustav was up in a second, grabbing the husky Rider and sprinting away from the Hunters.
Viggo and Ryker watched from the auction lectern, seeing Hunters swarm forward from every quarter, all disguises being discarded as their men closed the noose on the infiltrators. Ryker roared and nets flew at the fleeing Riders as Gustav almost reached Fanghook. Spitelout and Snotlout both went down, tangled in the dragon-proof nets while Fishlegs dodged and continued running through the dispersing crowds. He barged a Hunter aside and then came face to face with a trio of armed men.
"Oh Thor," he squeaked as another shape burst forward, axe swinging fiercely and cutting them down without hesitation. Astrid knocked the hood of her cloak back and stared into his shocked face.
"Get to Meatlug!" she commanded him, blue eyes glittering. "We'll take it from here!"
"We?" he yelped and then gaped as the unmistakeable shape of a Rumblehorn shot over the cages, a blast of fire driving the Hunters back from the trapped Gustav and Fanghook. Instantly, the youngest Rider scrambled into the saddle.
"FIRE IT UP!" he yelled and the dragon burst into flames, tossing the net away and ripping the two nearest cages open. But as he began to climb, he was hit by another net and slammed into the ground again. "Owww…" he protested. "This is getting old, fast!"
Out on the harbour, the first group were circling round for the second pass, though most of the ships were already in flames. Heather directed her team to the west end of the harbour, where there was the least damage and the Zipplebacks swooped by once more, another huge cloud of gas swirling around the ships. Heather was hanging back to ignite the gas-so she saw the nets spiralling up, swathing both of the Zipplebacks. A trio of nets wrapped around Windshear and she grabbed her axe, clanging at the strengthened nets, but they held as she plummeted to the ground, a group of Hunters already racing towards her and the thrashing Razorwhip.
But behind her, the ships exploded, a shot coming in from the darkness igniting the dense cloud of gas-and Heather could dimly see a lumpy shape flying quite slowly against the dark night-and slamming straight through the catapults as if they didn't exist, the club-like tail of the dragon barrelling through everything in its way.
"Coming through!" a voice shouted cheerily as the lumpy dragon circled around and knocked out another half dozen hunters. With a grunt, Heather managed to lever the first net up enough for Windshear to scuttle round and try to toss the trap aside-but they remained swathed in dragon-proof metal links. Gobber landed beside her, a grin cracking his big face, his hook hand replaced by a very lethal looking axe. His lumpy brown dragon, his Hotburple, Grump, immediately lay down and the blacksmith kicked him. "Come on, Grump. Have away. This is what you're good at!" And there was a pause before the slow, sleepy-looking dragon reluctantly lumbered to his feet and proceeded to bite swiftly through the nets, allowing Windshear to urgently shake them off. Heather gaped as the pair. "Hello, lass," Gobber added. "Shall we free the others?"
Heather stared at him in utter shock, her eyes sweeping over him. "How are you here?" she asked, swinging into the saddle. "How did you even know we were here?" Gobber grinned, almost decapitating himself as he tried to scratch his chin with his axe.
"Trader Johann was worried-so he sailed to Berk and insisted on speaking to Astrid," he admitted. "Then the lass called Stoick and I and we headed here early. Because it was clearly a trap!" Heather nodded: she could hear the twins cursing and Bucket asking Mulch if he was scared too. Then they heard the twins counting and the sounds of explosions as they began to lob Zippleback gas canisters at the approaching guards followed by self-igniting Monstrous Nightmare gel capsules. The resulting chaos enabled the Thorstons to get the nets off their dragon-and rescue the less experienced Zippleback and its riders as well.
"We need to get out of here," she said firmly. "This is a death-trap!" Gobber nodded.
"Lead on, lass!" he grinned.
Snotlout was mouthing every curse he could think of as he was dragged from Hookfang, hearing his father add a few new variations he had yet to think of as he was manhandled off his Nadder. But the object of his curses was the masked, armoured young man on the Night Fury, who had led them into this trap and sacrificed them just to allow Hiccup to satisfy whatever agenda he deemed important. Snotlout now knew his cousin had lied to them just to persuade them to help him on this crazy mission. He had used him and his Dad as decoys and had vanished, leaving them as sacrifices to Viggo.
"Thor-if there is any justice in this Realm, make Hiccup pay for what he's done," he growled as the familiar whistle sounded, accelerating closer. Snotlout stared up in shock as Toothless fired a massive plasma bolt that tossed the Hunters aside and dived down, ripping the nets away from the imprisoned dragons and Riders. Leaning low over the Night Fury's neck, Hiccup glanced at his cousin and Uncle.
"Get back!" he yelled. "Retreat!"
"No need to tell us twice!" Spitelout called, scrambling into the saddle and flying away as fast as he could-but Snotlout paused, staring after Hiccup as their leader circled round, then flipped and headed down for the arena that was being used for the auction. Over the harbour, most of the ships were on fire and half of them were sinking, disabling Viggo's capacity. And he knew Hiccup had the gold. He leapt into the saddle and kicked Hookfang into the air after his Dad, seeing the Chief zooming overhead, firing fiercely at any catapult or ballista that threatened his fellow Riders. Snotlout instantly flew over to his Uncle.
"Sir? What's happening?" he asked. Stoick looked across at him, his cool eyes scanning the sky frantically.
"Johann warned us," he said. "And Astrid came up with the plan. She knew what Hiccup would do-and worked out what trap Viggo would set." He paused. "And she was right on both counts."
"Sir-there's something very wrong with Hiccup," Snotlout said, dodging a rock fired from a catapult. Behind them, Meatlug caught it and swiftly ate it. "I don't know what he said to you but Astrid was right. You have to do something to stop him!" The whistle of a Night Fury speeding by had both men snap their heads up as the sleek shape zoomed low over the burning fleet and blew up Viggo's tent, then flipped round in a tight turn to head towards the arena.
Hiccup's eyes focussed on the shapes of Viggo and Ryker, standing amid the chaos. Their ships were burning, the gold was lashed to Toothless and the dragons were being released. So why did he feel so unsatisfied?
Because I'm watching you, Ryker said scornfully. Because no matter what you do, I will still be here-and one day, I will get my hands on you once more…
His hands tightened so his knuckles showed white as he gripped the saddle and he glanced over to check the Riders were away. Until they had left the Edge, he had tried to squash any feeling he had for them, tried to erase them from his thinking and be free of distractions, cold and clear and calm-like Viggo. Who Hiccup had been was too weak, too vulnerable to defeat the leader of the Hunters-even if it had meant destroying who he was-and shattering his heart. But that last moment, his facade had cracked and he couldn't deny what his nightmares and the shade of Ryker had kept telling him: he wasn't strong enough to abandon them. He knew this was likely a suicide mission…but he couldn't abandon them to die. And that meant the sacrifice, the death had to be…
"I'm sorry, bud," he murmured softly. "They have to get away. They have to survive…but that means someone has to keep the Hunters busy so they and the captured dragons can escape." He blinked. "I wanted to set you free," he whispered. "But in the end, if we have to die for them, if we have to be the price for getting them away and stopping Viggo…it's what I owe." He stroked the flattened head. "I betrayed them, bud," he whispered. "I'm done."
But Toothless pulled up, fighting furiously as Hiccup tried to drive him on. A brace of razor-sharp nets missed them by inches but Hiccup stamped his foot down, forcing them to fall from he sky.
"We have to do this," he said more firmly, feeling the pressure of the severed little braids against his skin as he shifted. "I know you can see the missiles coming in-but we have to stop them now…"
Toothless gave a small croon, nudging Hiccup's leg with the chest and he groaned: he still had the gold. Then he heard a familiar roar and his head snapped round to see his father on Skullcrusher, firing at a trio of Hunters who were firing Dragon Root arrows at the Rumblehorn. And though Hiccup doubted the arrows would even be able to penetrate the armoured dragon's hide, he found himself flipping round and firing a medium plasma blast that blasted the arrows away from his father, before hanging in the air before his father. He flipped his mask up, green eyes shocked and confused.
"Dad? What on Midgard are you doing here?" he asked in shock. Stoick scowled.
"Son-we need to talk!" he said sternly. "I think you weren't entirely honest with me when we spoke and…"
"REALLY? You want to talk about this NOW?" Hiccup shouted at him. "In Odin's name-get them away from here. I'm going to stop them, once and for all!"
"Son, I forbid…" the Chief began but Hiccup shook his head.
"Dad-get them out of here," he said in a toneless voice. "Keep them safe." He turned away, snapping his mask down. "I have to do this…"
"SON!" Stoick shouted as he saw Hiccup fighting Toothless, again, collapsing the tail and forcing the dragon to spread his wings to glide them down. The Zipplebacks and Heather were swooping round, his brother and nephew were already at his side and Fishlegs and Gothi were shepherding away all of the freed dragons. The Monstrous Nightmares were laying down a steady barrage of flames, helped by Skullcrusher and Spineguard but his son was flying into the densest of the firefight with no one at his side. His gaze was entirely focussed on the arena and the Grimborn brothers…
A blast of fire just missed his head and he rolled-avoiding a tightly packed score of arrows fired from a ballista. Astrid glared up at him and he started, shame and anger warring in his chest. He was so close to the end…but she had just saved him…again. He waved her away.
"HICCUP!" she shouted. "It's too dense in there. They all have Dragon Root arrows! You'll never make it!"
"It doesn't matter!" he shouted back at her. "If they die, it doesn't matter what happens to me…"
"And Toothless?" she yelled at him. "You can't condemn him as well…"
"I messed up so many times, Astrid-I have to do this…"
Her blue eyes showed fear and concern for him. No matter how he had treated her, she still cared. Damn that Hofferson stubbornness. And then she screamed as a net wrapped resolutely around the Nadder and she began to drop from the sky, pinwheeling end over end towards the arena…and the Grimborns. And he could do it, for every eye was on Astrid: the girl he loved and who still cared for him, no matter how much of an ass he was. He just needed to accelerate, to fire the plasma blast and vaporise Viggo and especially Ryker and soar up, never stopping to look at the girl who would pay the price for his obsession and victory. And it would make dragonkind safer, would save hundreds of reptilian lives…
…at the cost of the one person who he couldn't imagine a world without…
…he could be responsible for the world without Astrid…
He screamed and grabbed the chest, ripping it from the saddle and flinging it sideways, the lid bursting open and scattering the gold across the arena, the dockside and into the bay, a rain of tiny coins that could have made life better for everyone on Berk…
…but he was already leaning forward on Toothless, power-diving as fast as they could, heedless of their own safety as he saw Astrid fall away from Stormfly. He glanced across and saw Ryker grinning, the icy shiver of fear prickling his spine and he felt a jolt through him.
How will you cope when we return the girl's dead body to you?
Toothless's wings beat faster, the ground rearing up towards them at a frightening rate-but he flipped the Night Fury round and heard the scream cut off, felt the vague tug on their perfect arc as Toothless snatched her up and spared her from a probably fatal fall-or aftermath. But Stormfly still impacted with a desolate squawk and he heard the desperate cry that echoed his every time he was separated from his best friend.
"STORMFLY!"
Ryker was already running towards the fallen Nadder, his brutal jagged sword in his hand as he moved in for the kill. Hiccup tensed as they flipped round and without a word, Toothless fired at the Grimborn, the impact tossing him back and ripping the dragon-proof net apart before the Night Fury swooped across the arena, seeing Hunters and guests scrabbling for the tiny gold coins that had been scattered. Viggo's gold was gone-but so was the hope for Berk. Emptying his saddle bags, he threw his Monstrous Nightmare gel capsules at the Hunters, seeing them leap back from the sudden inferno of flames that burst from the shattered pots. Viggo was shouting orders as Hiccup threw a Zippleback canister at him with all his might-but he ducked away from the ensuing explosion and screamed orders at his men. The barrage of arrows intensified around Hiccup.
"This isn't over, Viggo!" Hiccup yelled down at him. "I will never stop until you are finished!" Toothless fired once more as Stormfly accelerated up past them and they turned to follow, heading for the retreating Dragon Riders as they headed north across the black, unlit island and out to sea. Stormfly quietly flew beneath Toothless and Astrid was soundlessly dropped back onto her dragon, swooping away with a wary look at the silent Hiccup. It was only when Kaupmadur Island was a silhouette against the starlit horizon that the Chief called a halt, the dragons all hanging in a semi-circle around the Night Fury and the Rumblehorn. Stoick scowled, glaring at his son and Hiccup quietly flipped his mask up, his emerald eyes defensive.
"What was that, son?" he demanded. "And don't tell me it was a usual raid! That was anything but usual! That was a suicide mission!"
Hiccup looked around then, seeing a wall of accusing glances. He took a heavy breath.
"No," he said tonelessly. "A choice. The choice to stop the Hunters…or allow them to continue enslaving dragons, targeting Berk and defeating us."
"Son…there is always a better chance…" Stoick said grimly. But lifting his chin, Hiccup shook his head.
"That was it-and thanks to you…I failed," he said harshly. "My plan would have left only one casualty…well, one Viking…and one Night Fury…"
Every set of eyes widened and Astrid looked across to the Chief. There was a creak as his fists clenched in anger.
"Come back to Berk!" Stoick commanded but Hiccup shook his head.
"No," he said evenly. "I don't belong there any more. I'm sorry, Dad-but I'm going back to the Edge." Stoick forced his voice to be level, even though he was clearly getting furious.
"That wasn't a request, son," he growled. "I am your Chief as well as your father. And that, in case you were in any doubt, was an order. Come back to Berk! Now!"
"I can't," he said through his teeth. "I…"
And then Snotlout swooped. Hookfang surged forward upside down and his rider's fist crashed accurately across Hiccup's face. The auburn-haired Viking sagged in shock as the blow connected…and then collapsed sideways from the saddle, completely limp, his metal foot no longer keeping the control pedal open. Snotlout wrenched the unconscious body from the saddle as Skullcrusher scooped up the Night Fury.
And Stoick couldn't help feeling the dragon looked relieved.