I added this chapter to further explain a few incomplete plots from when I first wrote this story... I hope you enjoy this chapter!
Gobber, barely awake and surrounded by the clamour of the exhausted Berkians in their cells, groggily addressed Stoick, "Stoick, why in the name of Thor did those dragon-riding youngsters throw us in here?"
The inhabitants of Berk found themselves fatigued, the middle of the day feeling like the dead of night due to not being able to rest during their arrests and the battle. Not to mention the constant screams from Spitelout, Hiccup had spent almost an hour with the Jorgenson, and during that hour nothing but constant screams and shouts for mercy could be heard.
What had the Jorgensons and their allies done to anger the Draconians? The question remained unanswered among the Berkians. Once Hiccup had left the dungeons, without gracing the Berkians with answers, the guards had dragged Spitelout and Mildew's bodies to one of the open-barred cells, the three teens were pushed behind them, leaving them with no answers and only speculation about the events that had unfolded.
As the guards closed the iron gate behind the teens, Stoick placed his hands against the bars of his cell, trying to get a closer look at the perpetrators. Spitelout and Mildew were both half-alive, tortured, they had wounds and cuts across their chest and backs, and the split lips and broken nose filled their face and mouth with blood that shone in the dark corridors of the dungeons. Hiccup had tortured both Vikings, most likely for information, but why?
Stoick sighed heavily, his brow furrowed with concern. "Gobber, I can't make sense of it either. Something's not right here. The alliance between Berk and the Draconians is fragile, but this is extreme. Hiccup would never torture anyone… and not to mention almost four dozen soldiers had come to escort us into the dungeons. We need to find out what happened, and quickly."
Gobber grunted as he sat up, rubbing his eyes. "Aye, we can't let this misunderstanding escalate into us being exiled. The last thing we need is to be thrown out, we wouldn't survive for even a week, especially with dragons in the mix."
Stoick nodded in agreement. "I need to talk to Hiccup, he must have learned something during his time with Jorgenson. We need to piece together what led to this mess."
Confusion filled the Berkians as they tried to understand the events that led to Draconian Soldiers and their Speed-Stingers waking them, clamping cuffs around their wrists, and hauling them off to the dungeons. A few Berkians who had tried to escape were met with swift paralysis by the Speed-Stingers, leaving a couple of Berkians immobilized while the others were forcibly escorted to the dungeons.
Soon the prisoners found themselves segregated into four cells by iron bars. On one side of the corridor, the Jorgensons and the allied traitors occupied a cell, separated from the rest. The guards had initially started beating the Jorgensons in their closed cell but were abruptly interrupted by the sounds of battle. By the sounds of celebration they had heard a few hours ago it was easy to say the Draconians had returned victorious.
The dungeon was dimly lit, with the air heavy from the musty scent of old stone. The occupants, Ingrid, Havlor, and Gobber, exchanged worried glances.
"Where is Anna? She isn't in any of these cells what if something happened to her?" Ingrid whispered to herself. Ingrid had been worried for Anna's safety for the past few hours. The worried mother had started shaking with fear, not wanting to lose Anna just like she had lost Astrid.
Havlor sat beside his wife murmuring words of comfort. They all soon realised that all the Berkians had been arrested except for Anna, Fishlegs, Gustav and the Twins. This worried them into thinking something bad must have happened to said individuals.
"All right, time for the trial you arrogant assholes." One of the guards called out.
Hours they had slipped away like shadows in the dim, damp confines of the cell. Stoick had lost track of time since the battle's conclusion. His suspicions of a crime being committed had been confirmed when the guards had said they were taking the Berkians to a trial. However, the crime itself was a mystery. Their only hope to stay alive after the trial was if the Jorgensons hadn't angered Hiccup enough to banish them from Draconian soil.
Peering through the cell bars, the Berkians could see a row of heavily armed guards, holding spears, while standing loyally beside them, a line of Speed Stingers loomed with raised stingers, ready to strike and paralyze anyone who dared defy them. The Jorgensons were the first to be escorted out, followed by the rest of the Berkians, Stoick at the front.
Ascending a flight of stairs, taking a 'pulley lift', and being escorted across several corridors, the Berkians found themselves at the doors of what the Draconians' called 'Justice Room'. Hiccup had told them during the tour that this room was where the Draconians held trials, where criminals and prisoners of war faced judgment.
The doors swung open, revealing a pathway flanked by villagers, the path led to a raised wooden platform, the 'judgment podium', surrounded by guards. On the opposing side, an elevated stone platform held a table where the council members sat, overseeing the trial.
Hiccup gazed at them with a mixture of hatred and disgust, a look shared by Camicazi, Valka, Dagur, and Mala. The air in the room grew dark as the villagers shouted threats and rage filled their faces. Stoick's concern now deepened as the anticipation of what lay ahead gripped him, and he audibly swallowed, glancing at Gobber, he saw mirrored expressions of worry on the faces of Astrid's parents and Gothi.
Astrid rose slowly to her feet, Stormfly let out a massive roar, silencing the villagers' shouts of threats and rage.
"All right, if I can have all the gathered's attention we can start the trial… We are all here today to judge and punish the entirety of the Hooligan Tribe residing on Dragon's Edge the Capital of the Draconian Empire, for the crimes committed against the throne." Astrid announced.
The Hooligans were shocked and now scared, a crime against the throne? If found guilty, they had no idea what punishments the Draconians gave, after all, they could literally become a dragon's dinner.
"The Hooligan Tribe are on trial for the attempted assassination of the reigning Royal Family, attempted murder of both soldiers and dragons of the Draconian Empire, and an act of espionage and distribution of secret information to a publically recognised enemy," Astrid stated sparing a glare at the Berkians.
Atali rose from her seat and continued, "Before the Hooligan Tribe were allowed on our soil, the rules and laws of the Empire were clearly explained to them, and still the Hooligans decided to not only kill the Royal Family but help plan the attack on our island which resulted in the deaths of many of our friends and family. Not to mention the time, money and resources we will have to spend on the repairs of warships, weapons and houses, this is an unacceptable crime… and thus the council has declared those of the Hooligan Tribe who will be found guilty, will be given the death sentence at the maximum or exile to Breakneck Bog." Atali sat back down after giving her speech, leaving the villagers ecstatic and cheering as the Berkians were consumed with fear.
The room, once echoing with taunts and cheers, fell into an immediate hush the moment Hiccup rose from his throne. Stoick could see the respect and trust they held for his son and thus became even more afraid of his upcoming judgment.
"The following members of the Hooligan Tribe are to be executed for their crimes at dusk, today, Spitelout Jorgenson, Snotlout Jorgenson, Mildew Babbler, Dogsbreath the Foolish, and Helga Minden. The accused will be given an hour to say their farewells and a meal of their choice an hour before dusk. The accused can also reduce the severity of their sentence to exile if they mention participants of the plan who haven't been accused." Hiccup asked the traitors.
The Berkians were downright stunned. Helga, being the quickest to recover, was first to mention Phelga the Fierce, a Hooligan who had helped them in gathering crucial information. Snotlout swiftly followed Helga's example, calling out Hoark the Brave. In response, the council granted Helga and Snotlout a reduced sentence, decreeing exile to Breakneck Bog.
However, when Spitelout brought up the twins, and Mildew called out Gustav, their pleas for leniency were met with a refusal from the council. The council then revealed the Berkians who had informed them of the impending coup. After an argument broke out between Spitelout and Hiccup, Spitelout along with the rest of the traitors were taken to the dungeons, once again, they would remain until the appointed time for their punishments to be carried out.
Stoick's emotions were mixed with rage and shock. The Jorgensons had broken the hard-earned trust that the Berkians had built with the Draconians. Days of carefully earning their trust had gone up in smoke, replaced by the reminder of their betrayal.
Witnessing Hiccup and Astrid give out such severe punishments left Stoick shocked. It was a stark reminder of how much they had transformed. Hiccup was a very intelligent, powerful, kind, and fair leader to his friends and allies while a dangerous, strong, merciless and stone-cold warrior in the eyes of his enemies.
Beside him, Gobber shifted nervously, the rhythmic tapping of his wooden peg leg echoing on the hardwood floor. Astrid's parents mirrored Stoick's shock, reflecting the expression that consumed every Berkian. The doubt few Berkians held if Hiccup might punish them for breaking his rules was quickly thrown out of the window. He had not only proven himself to Stoick but to the entire Hooligan Tribe.
Nervously, the Berkians stood together on the podium as the council decided on the fate of those yet to face judgment. It was abundantly clear that opposing the Draconians was a foolish idea. The dragon-friendly empire had not only successfully defended itself from an ambush by thirty heavily armed warships but had also defeated many adversaries, including Drago Bludvist. They all knew if Berk had faced similar conflicts, it would likely have been obliterated and sunk to the bottom of the ocean ten times over if they had faced the same wars.
Hiccup got up slowly and looked his father in the eyes, "The council has discussed the attack and the involvement of the rest of you with the said attack. We have all agreed that the rest of you are not guilty. Since none of you have broken our rules, we will continue providing you with shelter and aid… but it would be best for both Draconians and Hooligans to stay separately until a strong trust and bond is formed between the two tribes…"
"That being said there is an island almost a mile to the south it has a dormant volcano, a small cave system, nice beaches and a beautiful forest. It is surrounded by sea stacks and we named it Itchy Armpit, but if you do decide to call it your new home we can rename it New Berk… Our two tribes will become allies and the Hooligans will officially become a part of the Draconian Empire." Hiccup stated.
With the cuffs removed, Stoick discussed the proposal with his most trusted friends, the Ingermans, Hoffersons, Thorstons, Gobber, and Gothi. Gobber and the Hoffersons swiftly accepted the proposal, fueled by the desire to remain close to their respective daughters. After a brief but serious conversation, Stoick found the terms acceptable. He sealed the deal by signing a couple of contracts, a smile spreading across his face as he shook hands with his son.
The villagers, torn between delight and scepticism, observed the addition of the Hooligan Tribe to the Draconian Empire. However, the newfound trust the Berkians had gained from the Emperor convinced them to give the Berkians a chance. The prospect of this alliance filled their minds with both hope and cautious optimism among the villagers.
That evening everyone had gathered around a Typhoomerang, carrying a flask of water and some bread and a dagger in a satchel. The satchel was to be given to the Snotlout and Helga when they reached Breakneck Bog by the Dragon Rider taking the exiled couple there. They had said their 'apologies' and goodbyes to their respective parents.
As the evening sun dipped below the horizon, people gathered around a giant Typhoomerang. Hiccup stood at the centre, a flask of water and some bread in hand, along with a dagger secured in a satchel. The satchel, carefully prepared, held provisions for the journey and was intended for Snotlout and Helga upon their arrival at Breakneck Bog. A Dragon Rider, tasked with escorting the exiled couple, stood nearby, ready to embark on the journey.
Amidst heartfelt apologies and emotional goodbyes, Snotlout and Helga bid farewell to their respective parents. The gathering saw Helga's emotionally torn parents, and a feeling of sadness crept over Astrid and her family.
As the exiled pair prepared to face the challenges that awaited them at Breakneck Bog, Hiccup approached his cousin to say some final words, "Snotlout, we might have not been the best cousins in recent years, but I remember a time when we were kids… how you used to help me, protect me during the raids… that's the Snotlout I remember not this one who is just filled by greed and jealousy, maybe one day you might go back to being that Snotlout I still love… That day, when I see that Snotlout I promise, I will welcome you back with open arms…"
Snotlout didn't say a word neither did his cousin, as the couple climbed the Typhoomerang, Snotlout locked eyes with Hiccup one final time, a silent promise shared between the two…
After the giant dragon took to the skies and disappeared beyond the horizon, the Draconian guards led the remaining traitorous Berkians to be executed towards the cove under the entrance to the Dragon's Nest.
The cave was home to a carnivorous Snaptrapper, this dragon was a mystery-class dragon and had been badly treated by Trappers since its hatching. It hated humans and even after trying to train it for months not even Hiccup was able to come a few feet towards it before being attacked. The dragon had multiple heads and was extremely territorial.
Spitelout's enraged curses echoed through the air as Mildew and Phelgma, on the brink of death pleaded for mercy, were forcefully pushed into the cavern. The decision had been made and the traitorous party had been pushed into the cave, who found themselves at the mercy of the unknown within.
A few moments passed, during which a resounding dragon's roar pierced the cave's depths, mingling with the terrified screams of Vikings. Then, as quickly as the chaos had erupted, an eerie silence settled over the surroundings. Satisfied with the outcome, the assembled group turned away from the cave's entrance, making their way back to the village.