CHAPTER 43: Agreements
It'd been a whole five hours, well into the early dark morning at this point, since the 'Conference of Peace' began on Ancient Island, and all the Chieftans in the hall, alongside their respective vikings, were incredibly tired. Not until the ink was put to the paper that they could all go home to their respective islands confident of secured peace. It was close now.
Despite the pitch black atmosphere outside, the inside of the hall still looked like it was midday. Everyone in the hall was a lot more groggy than usual, although some conversations continued. Some of the vikings, mainly the Outcasts, continued drinking the provided ales on behalf of the Ancient council, others were simply sat on some of the scattered wooden chairs, half asleep.
The only ones who weren't able to give into their tiredness were all of the Chieftans, notably of all Hiccup. He, alongside Dagur, Mala, Heather and Alvin had all been discussing and talking with him about a final agreement which looked like it was about to be signed on.
On the central table in the middle of the hall, as long as a boat, a couple of bits of paper rested in the middle. One by one, the Chieftans all started lining up behind each other, and their respective vikings in attendance, amid the busy hall with various voices still being echoed from the conversations, joined them by their side.
"Looks like we may have finally gotten somewhere, aye fella?" said one of the Outcasts, to a Berserker in the hall.
"Indeed. Safe to say, I lost my way with maces years ago, so I ought to not even try to swing one."
Elsewhere, Hiccup was talking to his group of Berkians in one corner of the hall, as it was a struggle to walk through it with the many bodies of vikings still inside. There was a formation that seemed to be taking shape near the table though in the middle of the hall. Hiccup had been talking with Yurlin alongside the other Chieftans about the Wingmaiden settlement, as well as things beyond that.
Hiccup secretly regretted the fact that Atali had been forced to wait outside of the hall, despite this being a conference mainly dedicated to a settlement her tribe had built. He did not at all agree with Yurlin on her being barred from the meeting because of her being a woman Chieftan which, in Yurlin's eyes, made her a fraud and vulnerable to the Warlords. Hiccup's values not just of himself but the Hooligans naturally made him opposed to such archaic, sexist views in today's viking era.
But for the sake of peace, he was willing to tolerate her being kept out of the meeting if it meant he'd get to sign what looked like a rather long agreement, after hours of talks between not just himself and Yurlin with the other Chieftans, but their respective vikings in attendance.
A couple of the Hooligans sat on the wooden chairs at the back of the hall near the corner where Hiccup was gathered with them struggled to keep their eyes open. They were extremely tired. Hiccup was also tired, but as he was on the cusp of a deal with Yurlin, he was able to stop himself from the temptation to sit down and fall asleep. The era of peace was at stake here, and this conference was one that'd potentially put an end to the crisis at hand - therefore, Hiccup refused to even be tempted to fall asleep.
"I think we're onto something, we've covered a LOT of areas of disagreement and we've fleshed them out together," Hiccup said to the Hooligans.
"What to make of Atali, though?" one of them asked, keeping his voice down as he asked that so as to not attract the attention of Yurlin nearby.
"Oh, I know-"
Hiccup didn't get the chance to reply, for a great big bell was rung near the wooden table, which halted the hall of its conversations and directed all of the eyes of the vikings in the room towards the table. The giant ring gave enough of a fright to those half asleep to make them wake up and sit up from their chairs.
"CAN ALL CHIEFTANS PLEASE GATHER ROUND THE TABLE?! WE'RE ABOUT TO SIGN THE AGREED PAPER!" yelled Herrick Herald, deputy Chieftan of the Ancient Tribe.
"Here I go," Hiccup gulped, saying that to his Hooligans at the corner as many of them were bolted awake like they'd been struck by thunder.
"Get it over with, Chief, for all of our good!" one of them said, to which Hiccup nodded.
Hiccup walked over to the wooden table, joining the side where his fellow Chieftans were stood. On the other side of the table, in their dozens, were the Ancients, Berserkers, Outcasts, and some Defenders of the Wing. It was now time to put their respective names below the created agreement.
Yurlin gently walked past the various Chieftans to walk up to Hiccup. He reached his hand out towards him, only for Hiccup to instantly return the favour to shake hands.
"You ready for this, Chief?" Yurlin asked, "we're about to make history, and as I promised, this will be the last territorial demand I have to make."
Hiccup nodded.
"I'm just ready for us to avoid conflict. It took us half a night of no sleep to get here, and it wasn't easy given the various disagreements we had to navigate with each other, but I think this has been a very healthy exercise. Meeting up in a conference like this, all of the Chieftans, is always good for maintaining relationships between our tribes. I know my dad would've probably done the same."
Alfa Yurlin nodded and patted Hiccup on the shoulder with a smile. Herrick Herald subsequently walked up to Hiccup and also shook his hand.
"Sir Hiccup, you have made the right choice. Our two tribes will come together in the face of Warlord threats and put a stand against them. My leader, my Chieftan, is very satisfied with your peace-seeking intentions. We were meant to be allied!" said Herald.
Hiccup smiled at Herald. The Deputy Chieftan of the Ancients was a somewhat unorthodox figure - he had the unique privilege of being able to question Yurlin, the only viking in the tribe who was able to do so, because of his position. He was the second most powerful viking in the tribe, meaning his words mattered too. Not as much as Yurlin's, who was the mouth of the law within the Ancient Tribe, but still a great deal.
Now, it was time to sign the agreement. It'd been created throughout the night and at the bottom of the paper was a blank space with many dotted lines, deliberately placed for the names of the various Chieftans to sign onto. The agreement itself was a long piece of paper but its contents proved to have many listed agreements, as a result of this conference.
There was, however, a second agreement, but this second agreement was strictly between Yurlin and Hiccup, and addressed Berkian-Ancient relations and an alliance.
The first of the two agreements to be signed was the conference one, laying out exactly the way forward as agreed by the results of the conference talks overnight. Below were the contents of the paper of this first agreement.
Outcome of the Conference of Peace, attended by Chieftans of the Barbaric Archipelago
Our tribes have all come together in a time of need, a time of crisis, to find a way forwards in order to put unity at the heart of our agendas. The settlement question has long needed to be addressed for the wellbeing of the Ancients, but also the security of the peace the archipelago has seen following the death of Grimmel.
The Ancient Council would like to thank Hiccup Haddock of the Hooligans, Alvin the Treacherous of the Outcasts, Dagur the Deranged of the Berserkers, and Mala of the Defenders of the Wing, for coming together to meet our leader for this conference, as well as those in attendance from their respective tribes. We must take dignity in the fact this conference was the first Chieftan gathering to take place in years, the last one being hosted many years ago by Stoick the Vast himself. We stand in dignity at this monumental achievement.
Below have been agreed, and the actions listed are to gradually be undertaken over the next week as agreed.
1. The Wingmaidens will withdraw from their settlement as agreed, in order for our troops to cross the seas onto Dragon Island to liberate it from the vulnerability of the Warlords.
2. Such an evacuation will be peaceful and respected, and our tribe will honour this. No troops of ours will arrive whilst the Wingmaidens undertake their evacuation.
3. The Chieftans agree that the liberation of Dragon Island at our hands is indefinite. There shall be no set time frame for our presence on the island, as such a time frame is useless amid the threats facing us at the hands of the Warlords.
4. Ourselves and the other tribes will seek to renew efforts to create a coalition of sorts, and to keep regularly meeting in this manner in order to discuss the threats at hand and any issues that need to be dealt with. Anything archipelago related will be discussed in this manner, peacefully with diplomacy. We're all born to be allies.
Sign below to complete the agreement, Chieftans.
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The four rows of dotted lines below the agreement were the spaces where the Chieftans, including Hiccup, were to sign their names in order to seal the agreement as being confirmed. It was now true - Hiccup was going to allow Yurlin to take over Dragon Island, provided, as agreed, it was a peaceful and gradual transition - so Yurlin wouldn't be wanting the Wingmaidens there to stay put as he initially wanted, but instead, they were to evacuate the island and had a full week to do it as apart of the agreement.
Hiccup was the first one to grab an inked bit of wood, like a pen-looking thing. He, being watched over by the other Chieftans and vikings standing all around the table as if history was being made, signed his name on the top line. The other Chieftans followed as Yurlin watched them in the background with his palms clutched together behind his lower back.
The second agreement specifically concentrated on Ancient-Hooligan relations. Below was the contents of this second agreement.
ANCIENT-HOOLIGAN TREATY OF OBLIGATIONS
Tonight, both the Chieftan of the Hairy Hooligans and our leader/Chieftan, Alfa Yurlin, had a further talk addressing future partnerships between our two tribes. Both are agreed in the acknowledgement that any such relations between our two tribes will be the upmost importance in facing down the threat overseas.
This agreement solidifies the starting point of a working relationship between both tribes - that we will put aside our differences for the sake of peace, and a common enemy. We consider this agreement to be indicative of the fact that there's a clear desire that our two tribes shouldn't ever fight one another, Not just a desire between our two tribes, but also a desire between our vikings.
We both recognize that the way in which this conference has been conducted is the way any such differences, should they arise, be addressed between our two tribes in the future. This sort of consultation ensures communication is never broken. This method will ensure that any sources of differences are quickly eradicated for the greater good, thus contributing to the everlasting peace on the Barbaric Archipelago.
We both pledge to work together in the face of a resurgent threat, we pledge that the alliance which will be for the greater good between our tribes will be the beacon of partnerships. Our vikings will work hand in hand, and down the line militarily, this agreement ensures that such an alliance is put into practice. Our two tribes strive for nothing but peace. Together, with our troops, both of our tribes will go on to have an alliance second to none other in the history of the Barbaric Archipelago.
Overall, Hiccup Haddock and the leader Yurlin have promised peace for our time. No more territorial demands, no more differences, only unity!
Above was the agreement that Yurlin and Hiccup were set to sign, so he could take the paper back and read it out to everyone back at home, and likewise for Yurlin with his tribe.
Having signed the initial agreement, Hiccup and Yurlin both returned to the table and each stood side-by-side as they jotted their names down on the Ancient-Hooligan treaty. Yurlin was the first one to sign it, leaning down with his elbows on the table as he carefully wrote down his full name. Afterwards, he gently shifted to the side and handed Hiccup the wooden inked pen, before he returned to the table to also lean down to look at the agreement.
More than anything, Hiccup felt incredibly optimistic. Not so much about the alliance part of the agreement where Yurlin had wanted them to both become closer militarily, as Hiccup himself lacked the appetite for any conflict or anything to do with battles nowadays, but the part where Yurlin had been fully convinced that the way to handle the Wingmaiden settlement was to do it in a peaceful way for the safety of the whole archipelago.
Both of them had finally signed the agreement. Afterwards, amid a still rather busy hall, Hiccup walked towards Yurlin as the Ancient Chieftan did the same. The two of them once again shook hands. Despite the main agreement being signed by all Chieftans in attendance, the moment Yurlin and Hiccup shook hands, an applaud broke out in the hall as all the vikings inside watched.
It seemed like a triumph of peace, and suddenly, the whole environment became optimistic and positive. Hiccup's smile matched Yurlin's as the two of them genuinely seemed to be on the same page now. A couple of cheers joined the claps from the vikings in the hall, and the sight from the corner of his eye of all the vikings watching him shake Yurlin's hands as they clapped made Hiccup feel like this was truly a game changer of a moment. Yurlin had been incredibly pragmatic, stressed his desire to see the end of Drago and the Warlords not just for his tribe's good but also that of Hiccup's, and had promised that he from this point was finished with his territorial demands.
"Thank you, seriously," Hiccup said, smiling as much as a man possibly could've.
"We'll look back at this in years and think why did we never agree to this in the first place. Thank you, Chief!" Yurlin replied, also smiling.
It seemed like, at long last, a consensus had been reached and the archipelago would become once again a haven of peace, despite Drago still being alive. Hiccup felt assured from Yurlin's guarantees of protection against Drago Bludvist, among other things. It felt really good right now.