Hello everyone. First of all, I would like to apologise for keeping you all waiting. The thing is I was facing a bit of writer's block on this story and because I was working on two other stories which were basically rewrites of Avatar 2 and Dragon Prince, they were easier to do so I thought I could finish writing these first but now that I've almost completed them, I will continue focusing on this story. I do enjoy writing this story, it's just I thought it'd be easier to get other stories in which I don't have writer's block first before continuing with this one. I am so sorry. Please send all the reviews and ideas you want. And thank you all so much for your reviews and your support. It means a lot. I hope this chapter makes up for all the waiting.
Interrogation
Snotlout's eyes flickered. When they fully opened, he found himself in a cell of white marble. And his hands and feet were….
"What the?" the boisterous Viking tried to pull himself free but his chain was bound to the floor, trapping both his hands and feet.
"I can't be locked up like this!" bemoaned Dagur from the cell opposite him through the metal bars. Snotlout managed to shuffle over and peer through. He saw the chief, growling, banging his body armour against the bars. "I. Can't. Be," Every pause was a bang against the bars. "Stuck. In. Here!"
"Forget it Dagster!" Hiccup's cousin shouted. "These prison cells are so secure!"
"It's Dagur, Snothat!" he retorted.
"It's Snotlout and you know it!"
"How about instead of sitting there? You try doing something to get us out!"
"Look at us! We're chained up! These bars are impenetrable! And we have no weapons!"
"Where do you suppose we are?"
"We're probably locked up in the palace we saw. The one where we saw Hiccup and his new girl smooching," Snotlout's heart was full of envy seeing Hiccup so happy and in love whilst he had unrequited love from Astrid.
"Really? That's what you're worried about? That weak runt with a girl? If I don't know any better, you're jealous!"
"Of course, I'm jealous. No matter what I do! I get nothing!"
Before the conflicting banter could continue, they heard the cling of a door opening. They peered out to see Heart Soldiers led by a strong-built woman in green and gold. They carried chains and carried spears of lethal design.
"Hey, lady!" Dagur shouted. "I will have you know that I am a chief and as such you have no right…". He was silenced by the spear of a soldier poking through the gaps of his cell door to his nose. Nervous giggle escaped his squeezed throat.
"Make sure they're chained up tightly," Chief Renata commanded. "If they keep arguing, gag them until they're brought to court,"
"Court?!" retorted Snotlout.
Renata scoffed. "Gag them until they're on their knees in the court,"
"Yes, general," saluted one of the men. The lady disappeared through the door.
Stoick was at the deck of the ship, staring into the distance. Ever since Astrid had spoken of the grave news yesterday, he hardly ate, drank, slept or anything.
"Stoick!" shouted a voice. "Stoick!". Gobber came trampling forward up the stairs, panting wildly but the chief would not turn to him. "Chief, please…tell me you won't let them kill Hiccup,". The chief remained hard as tone. "Just say something! Say something!"
Finally, after moments of waiting for a least one word, the lips of the frozen former father spoke. "What is there to do Gobber?"
Gobber was desperate. "Chief, Hiccup is still one of us. All he did was bring all those dragons from the Archipelago here so they wouldn't bother us anymore. He never even took a chance to get revenge on you or anyone when he was there. Please for the sake of your wife's memory…don't do this,"
Stoick turned dark. "Do not speak of her to me,"
"Stoick…" Gobber fretted at the sight of his old friend who was allowing hatred to consume him. "He's still your son,"
"No," his cold words broke his heart. "He is. He chose his side a long time ago,"
"Then dishonour Valka's memory and kill the only family you have left," Gobber turned and quickly left, shaken by his words. The moment he left, something inside Stoick twitched and the darkness within him receded. It was too late to take what he said back.
On dragons, boats and cats, the other chieftains and their most important generals of the other four lands were called to Heart. The five including Benja gathered in the ground courtroom, Toothless, Sisu and her siblings with them. Hiccup and Raya were close by, the latter stroking her fiancé's cheek. "Are you sure you okay with this?" she asked.
"Yes," he said. "Just as long as they don't see me, I'll be okay. But it's you I need right now,".
She kissed her cheek.
"Hiccup! Raya!" cried voices. They turned their heads to see Tong, Boun, Noi and the Ongis racing towards them with concerned faces.
"We heard what happened," said Tong. "The chiefs requested we'd come along for support,"
"Thank you, guys," said Raya.
"How are you doing, Hiccup?" asked Boun. The Ongis patted the sides of his legs. Noi babbled out again and he picked her up so she could hug him.
"Okay," he confessed. "But if I can be honest, I'm so scared,". Raya clasped his shoulder. "All these years I thought I was finally free from the past but now I feel it's come back to haunt me. And I feel like this is all my fault,"
"No. None of this is your fault," said Boun, shaking his head.
"You couldn't have known what was going to happen. Those cursed people just can't leave innocent creatures to live in peace," growled Tong, wishing that some were here so he could box them.
"Two of the spies Toothless and the others captured are gonna be brought soon," Raya informed. "We're gonna sit together in a safe corner where they're not gonna notice us,"
"And are you sure you want to be here when that happens?" Tong habitually acted like an uncle to Hiccup and whatever made him feel uncomfortable made him uncomfortable too.
"I'm not gonna hide," said Hiccup with determination. "I'm not gonna stand back while all of you face our enemies. I want to fight. Not just for our home but for all of you,".
"And we are not gonna let anything happen to you," Raya vowed. He turned to her and she cupped his cheek. "I promise,"
"Don't get up that in the courtroom," advised Boun.
"Exacky," Noi mumbled in her baby voice making them laugh. Seconds later, Benja along with Sisu and Toothless in their human forms approached them. "Everyone is gathering all together. Make sure to take your seats at a spot where they won't spot you. If you recognise them Hiccup, please let us know who they are,"
"I will," he promised. In an hour, the courtyard was filled with generals and politicians. Sisu and her siblings sat with all the chieftains at the main table with Benja in the centre. Many of Heart's citizens were allowed to take their seats and at a far corner of the room, Hiccup sat with Raya and their friends. Toothless was with him too, in human form, right behind him. Smokey and Sharpshot were on his lap. He stroked them with affection and they cooed to his touch. Just then the main doors opened and Renata entered the room with her sons pushing Dagur and Snotlout into the room. The moment they laid eyes on them, Hiccup turned pale seeing his childhood bullies.
Raya held his hand, assuring him he wasn't alone. "Do you know who they are?"
"That's Snotlout," he whispered, pointing down to the right. "He's my cousin. But he never acted like one. He bullied me constantly and made me feel like I was a disappointment to everyone,"
"Let me pummel him," Tong punched his palms.
"Who that?" Noi pointed down to the one wearing silver and brown leather armour. "He look chief,"
"That's Dagur. He was also a bully. He used me as a knife-throwing target. He's the son of Oswald the Agreeable of the Berserker tribe. But judging by that clothing, it seems like he's become chief,"
The prisoners were pushed to their knees and their gags were pulled off too. Before either of them could rant, Renata pointed her blade at them, silencing them. Benja holding a gravel banged on the table and the room was instantly silent. Snotlout and Dagur glimpsed at the five serpentine dragons who glared at him with bitter hatred. They had never seen dragons like that at all.
"Don't look away from us," commanded Benja. With frantic faces they twisted their necks, facing him and the four other chieftains and they stood up, along with all their generals and politicians. "We know that you two and hundreds of ships have arrived at the shores of our lands. You are going to tell us everything about them. How many soldiers there are in total? What weapons do you have…everything. And don't even think of lying. Our dragons will know if you are,"
Jagan and Amba growled at them. Snotlout almost felt like screaming. But Dagur sneered back. "If you're scaring us, it's not working," the arrogant chief spat. "And you aren't getting anything out of us,"
"You're going to give us what we want," Benja declared boldly. "As you two remember, you were both harming innocent dragons in your lands and waters. And I can tell you one thing, they are not happy,"
"Here's why we're here," Snotlout began.
"Shut up!" Dagur shouted.
"No! You shut up!" Atitya ordered from her seat. Her giant cat sitting beside her growled and Dagur squealed at the sight of the creature.
"We're here because we're looking for my chief's long-lost son," Snotlout lied. Hiccup from his seat refused to believe it for one moment but at the same time, he became pale like a ghost. He realised that his former tribe most likely knew that he was here, that he spent the last six years in hiding from them, running from them. Smokey and Sharpshot hugged him tighter, scared for him. "We believe him to be here in these lands,"
"Then care to explain why you were caught spying on my kingdom," Benja demanded.
"'Spying'?" he giggled nervously. "We weren't spying,"
"Don't lie!" hissed Pengu the dragon, showing sharp teeth. "We know you both and more of your allies have come here to declare war on innocent creatures. Other than that, we are not hiding anyone here,"
"Yes, you are! We saw him smooching a girl," Snotlout puckered his lips. "His name's Hiccup Haddock and he betrayed his clan for a Night Fury,". This time Hiccup felt like he could faint at any moment. Toothless growled. Boun ushered him to calm down before he gave them away.
Benja banged the gravel again. "Silence!" Snotlout shuddered seeing his red face. "There is no one of that name here!"
"Uh, yes there is. How else were you people able to relocate all those dragons from lands you know nothing about? Our companions escaped and now my clan will know and they will not stop until he is dead for betraying his people!"
Fear and heart-breaking memories engulfed Hiccup. He was petrified. Now he could feel the true threat of his past threatening his life and everything he loved. Benja saw him and stood unable, putting Snotlout in his place with his powerful posture. "Hiccup is a hero and an honourable man. He has been wronged. He is a member of my family. And our people will protect him. It was not your disgraceful people who were betrayed but he. Anyone who dares to lay a finger on him will pay the price!"
"Sucks for you Snotpie," mocked Sisu, earning a chorus of laughter from everyone. Hiccup was moved by how willing Heart was to protect him. Raya cupped his cheek and he felt warm. He kissed her cheek, whispering the same vow for her in her ears and her cheeks blushed.
Pengu spoke up again, walking on all fours around the prisoner. "Hiccup is under our protection. As is every other dragon here. Every innocent dragon from the smallest to the largest,"
"Innocent?!" retorted Dagur. "They stole their food! Attacked our people!"
"They only defended themselves! And they only stole food because bad dragons were forcing them to. Another reason why we relocated them away from the servitude of bad dragons as cruel as all of you!"
The prisoners refused to believe it for one moment. "Let's just force the info out of them!" insisted the Spine chief.
"If you're gonna torture us with savage methods, it's not gonna work," Dagur was scared inside but he wanted only the courtroom to see his berserk nature.
Pengu stopped walking around them and glared right into Dagur's soul that he leaned back away from his leaning head. "You people are arrogant, believing yourselves higher than other creatures. It will be your downfall,". He walked back to sit beside his siblings.
"We are not barbarians," said the Fang leader, the daughter of the previous one who had accidentally killed herself via her trap-making to protect a dragon gem piece. "Let the dragons force it out of your feeble lips,". Benja looked towards his nephews at the door and they nodded and slowly pulled on the handles.
Sisu glanced up towards her friends' sitting spot and noticed that Hiccup was still, motionless. His fiancé comforted him, gently touching her cheek. "We can move you out if you want," she whispered.
"No. I wanna see what happens," he said, his eyes still glued to his childhood bullies.
"Are you sure?" whispered Toothless. "I don't like you being in here,"
"I'll be alright, bud," Hiccup assured him. "Just please stay in your human form. I know how much you want to pummel them, but I'd rather we stay out of this just once,"
"Okay," Toothless reluctantly said. "But if they say anything to you, they die,".
Once Raya's cousins opened the gates, Snotlout was shocked to see the red Monstrous Nightmare who had been released from his cage years ago. It recognised him and approached him menacingly. He shivered and quivered. Boun smirked seeing his dragon scaring the bully like that. "That's my buddy,"
"He looks really angry," the Talon chief's spooky voice sent tingled up Snotlout's spine "And he looks like he wants to roast you,"
Hookfang growled at Snotlout and lit on fire. Not too much though to damage the palace. He marched on the Berkian bully whose shrieks were become more audible to the appeased public. Five metres. Four. Three. Two. The Stoker Class dragon prepared to fire. "Okay!" Snotlout cried out. "I'll tell you everything!"
"Don't you dare!" Dagur shouted.
"Shut up!" Renata close by poked the tip of her spin into his neck, silencing him. This time it was his turn to panic like a baby in front of everyone.
"There are over 700 ships! Of four tribes! The Berkians! The Berserkers! The Outcasts! The Dragon Hunters! And Drago Bludvists's army!" the information he gave her sent panic across the room. The politicians wrote notes and turned faces. The people huddled their children. The chiefs shared glances of shock with Sisu and her siblings.
Hiccup and Raya held onto one another tightly, the former paler than ever. Every tribe they had stolen dragons from had come together to declare war on Kumandra. And this Drago Bludvist character…he had never encountered him before but something tingled in his mind. He remembered Krogan, remembered him mentioning how he wanted to deliver him to his "master'. His throat squeezed from the inside. "Raya… guys…"
"What is it, Hiccup?" asked Boun.
"Remember Krogan?" they nodded their heads. "I think…I think this Drago Bludvist is his master,". They were bewildered. So was Toothless. "We should have hunted his master down. Instead, we did nothing and now they're here,"
"Hiccup, you couldn't have known," Raya comforted.
"But I should have,"
"They may have ships and masses of men but we have dragons, magic and each other," Tong reminded him, wrapping his large arm around him. "And they don't know what we're capable of. So long as we work together, we will defeat our enemies,". Hiccup felt comforted. Sharpshot and Smokey put on their growling smiles, expressing their bravery and determination.
"That's all I know!" Snotlout begged for his life but Benja shook his head.
Tell him more. Commanded Hookfang.
"I swear I don't know much more," he cried out. "All I know is they won't stop until every dragon is slaughtered!"
"Your arrogant leaders have underestimated us," said Benja. "We will win this war because we are strong and united!"
The chiefs raised their fists in agreement. The five dragons close by roared in agreement too. The people war-cried. Though scared they were of the dawn of war approaching their lands, they knew they could handle anything. Hiccup joined in too.
Dagur just burst out laughing. "'Strong and united'?". His maniac laughter made everyone cringe in disgust. "You forget we have powerful weapons capable of taking any dragon down. And if Hiccup is one of your people, he should have the guts to even show his face,"
Snotlout laughed out, enjoying his insulting. "Such a coward he is that he can't face us. Instead, he hides behind you people and that disgusting night Fury,"
Toothless snarled. "That does it!"
"Toothless! No!" Hiccup shouted but it was too late. Leaping from his seat, Toothless turned into a Night Fury and before anyone could react, he shot down, and pinned Snotlout to the floor, growling in his face.
"Stop! Stop!" he begged. "Have mercy!"
"Toothless, don't!" Hiccup shouted, ignoring Raya's shakes of her head. Dagur looked up and as their eyes met, Hiccup walt like had been petrified.
"Well, well, well…" greeted the cruel leader. "If it isn't Hiccup Haddock the Third, former heir and ex-son of Stoick. You gonna down here and talk face to face or are you gonna hide?"
All that fear engulfing Hiccup dissolved away. He scrunched his fist. He was gonna come down and talk. Raya grabbed his wrist. "Please don't," she begged.
He let go of his rage for a bit and cupped her cheek. "I'll be alright,". He tried to leave again but she stood up, snaking her fingers between his. She wanted to be beside him. The crowd watched as they walked down the stairs to the court circle, her father watched them intently wishing Hiccup wasn't doing this. But he looked over to him, facially assuring him that it would be alright.
The moment Hiccup appeared in sight above his eyes with Raya and Toothless, who still pinned him, Snotlout quivered, afraid of him for the first time in his life. He was stronger than before. And the way he frowned down at him, made him remember all the times he had bullied his cousin, pushed him down all the time when they were kids. "Wow," he blabbered out stupidly. "Look at you Hiccup, you look…stronger,"
"Really?" Hiccup questioned. "That's all you can say. It's been years and I still remember all the times you were a big bad bully. Now you're here, with an army threatening our home and everything we love?"
"You're one to talk!" shouted Dagur. "You betrayed your own tribe!"
Raya marched forward and did a spinning kick, knocking him down. The crowd cheered; he deserved it. Dagur was dozy a bit. "And now you're with a crazy, lady soldier,"
"She is my daughter," spoke Benja. "She is the princess of Heart. And now she is engaged to Hiccup who is a hero and a fine warrior to our people,"
"'Engaged'?" repeated Snotlout.
"Yes," Toothless growled into his face. "And I will rip you apart if you ever insult him again?"
Snotlout was breathless. "How can you…talk?"
"Enough!" Benja banged with his gravel and the court was silent. "Take the prisoners away and extract whatever information you can get,"
It would be my pleasure, chief. Hookfang bowed before him.
"It's okay, bud," Hiccup stroked his head. "You can get off him,"
Toothless sent one last snarl of warning into Snotlout's face before he released him from his heavy push. He and Dagur were hauled up and pushed away. The bully looked back at his cousin who frowned at him. "You know when your father learns you're here, he won't just scar you. He will kill you. You are nothing to him at all!"
"Silence!" Renata gagged him again and they disappeared with Hookfang into the hallway.
"This court meeting is now adjourned," announced Benja. "We must prepare for what's to come!"
"Absolutely chief!" Spine stood up and saluted. "Spine will gather its dragons and people,"
"As will Fang," Atitya approved, Talon and Tail joining in.
"We stand together!" Talon shouted, urging the crowd to roar in agreement.
"We fight together!" finished Tail. Toothless roared. And Sisu and her siblings joined in. Their roars echoed out into the air and across Heart Island as more dragons heard their cries, they roared, breathing fire into the sky, marking the need to prepare for the war of Kumandra. Moments later, dragons were flying off into the distance, to spread the word of what they had learnt.
The only ones left in the courtyard room were Hiccup, Raya, Toothless, Sisu, Benja, and their friends.
"What were you thinking?" berated Sisu to Toothless. "If you hadn't revealed yourself like that, Hiccup wouldn't have to speak up,"
"I'm sorry," he apologised. He glanced with wet eyes of guilt at his human brother. "I just couldn't stand it. I couldn't stand seeing him insult you like that,"
"It's okay, bud," Hiccup embraced him and he hugged back.
"You shouldn't have had to walk down and speak up Hiccup," said Benja, wishing he hadn't allowed his future son-in-law to sit in court in the first place.
"I felt like I had to," he answered. "It didn't feel right hiding behind like that after everything you've all done for me,"
"I thought you were very brave," complimented Boun.
"I don't think I am," he confessed. "After hearing what Snotlout said…" he paused.
"You won't have to face that man at all," Benja promised. "But if it is true that the Berkians know you're here, you need to be protected at all times,"
"We protect each other ba," said Raya supportively. "Hiccup has the right to stand and fight as well. This is his home as much as ours,"
"I agree," he clarified, twisting his head again to Hiccup. "The last thing I ever want is for you to be taken away from us…son,". The way he said 'son' made Hiccup's heart tremble but in a good way. Benja had been a true father to him.
"I am willing to stand and protect our home…ba…if I can call you that,"
"You may," he smiled affectionately.
Raya smiled seeing her father and fiancé acting like true father and son. "Ba…if this Dagur and Snotlout aren't gonna give out any more information, we need to send spies to learn more about these weapons our enemies have,"
"We do," Toothless said in agreement. "Let me check out the shoreline. I'm good at sneaking around,"
"No bud!" refused Hiccup. "I don't want you to get hurt again!"
"I have to. I can't lose you,"
"He's right, Toothless. You may be stealthy but loo kat what that devil girl did to you," Boun glimpsed at his scar. "Let's send human spies to check out the shorelines,"
"Agreed," said Benja. "but toothless…if Hiccup allows you, you will scout the night sky from above. Will you approve of that son?"
Hiccup really wanted to agree with him but after how his ex-crush had wounded Toothless like that, he was afraid of anything happening to him.
"Please," Toothless improved.
We'll fly with him. Chirped Sharpshot and Smokey. We'll be with him if anything goes wrong. Please Hiccup. You gave us all a family. And now we need to protect you.
They begged him with their round eyes and he gave in and nodded. "Okay but on one condition,"
"Name it?" Toothless asked.
"You let me and Raya come with you," he looked at his girlfriend who nodded in agreement. They were fighting this war together so they would go together.
In Hiccup's room, he was dressing himself up in a suit of black scales. Toothless shed so much that he decided to craft a suit to make him immune to flames. It even had foldable wings on the back which he used to glide and a holder for his inferno. Toothless had his saddle attached and Sharpshot and Smokey made sure to eat plenty of food for their fire energy. They perched on his shoulders and he embraced them tightly. "I love you guys. So much,". Toothless stood on his hind legs and engulfed them with his wings. "You guys are all my brothers. And nothing, I repeat nothing will ever tear us apart,". They stayed that way for a moment until they heard a knock at the door. "Come in,".
Raya entered the room. She was wearing green and gold leather and steel armour. "See you're still wearing that scale armour,"
"Well, gotta blend in a bit," he said. He cupped her face and she came closer to him. The dragons went over the balcony to give them space. "I love you. You know that,"
"I know. And I love you, Hiccup," Raya had a tear in her eye which he noticed. It fell and her chest was slowly rising. "I'm scared. I don't want our future to be destroyed by this war,"
"It won't. We'll defeat them. And we'll do it together. Just like Tong said we have each other,"
"It's not just that. I'm worried if you see you know who…you could get killed. And I don't want to make you feel like you have to…"
"They are not my home. You, here is my home. It's where I've always belonged. And I am not losing you. Never ever," he pulled her close and embraced her tightly. She hugged back, releasing her tears of fear. Then when they pulled back, they shared a warm tender kiss, lacing her ringed fingers together. Once they had won this war, they would marry and have a life together.
That's the fourteenth chapter done. I hope you all can forgive me for the long waiting. Please let me know what you thought of this chapter. See you all much sooner. I want to try and finish my Avatar and Dragon Prince ones as well but I'll make sure to update the next chapter of this story in less than a month. Hope the next chapter will come up in a week or two. See you all soon
