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Now then, on with the story.
Chapter 10: I'm Not A Viking
"Okay, so the dragons are being controlled by that massive dragon," Laena said while Hiccup was drawing something in the dirt of the cove with a stick, much like the first day he was down here with Toothless. "Now, Hiccup, have you thought of a plan?"
Hiccup was silent as he glanced down to see that he had drawn the head of that massive dragon. He furrows his brow as he thought about his answer. "Sisters, Mom, Dad." he spoke up as he stood up.
The four Targaryens turned to him. "Since I became friends with Toothless and fully convinced that dragons are not mindless, blood thirsty monsters, I vowed to never kill a dragon." Hiccup goes on. He looks down at the picture of the Red Death. "But this Red Death is the reason the dragons are at war with Viking tribes everywhere in the Archipelago." he looks up to the other Dragon Riders. "We have to kill it."
"Sounds so simple, yet so complicated," Daemon said in response with a sigh.
Hiccup nods his head. "It's going to take more than just the four of us with our dragons." he said. "We're going to need other Vikings and other dragons. We need to try to make the rest of the village see the truth."
"That could go perfect or go horribly wrong." Rheana said bluntly.
Baela nods her head. "They could remember how you've become a perfect dragon slayer prodigy and listen to you," she said in thought. "Or they'll push you aside as the boy that had devastated the village and just wants attention."
"Ignore whatever I say," Hiccup said, seeing the point Baela was saying. "Like normal."
"Then perhaps we can't just use words," Daemon said. "We have to use actions to convince a village of dragon slaying Vikings."
"And not to mention Stoick," Laena added. "And he lost Valka to the dragons, he'll be hard to convince. Perhaps one of the hardest."
". . . I know how to show them." Hiccup declared firmly.
Roughly two hours later, the Dragon Riders quietly circled around the island and landed on the bridge that led to the Arena. Dismounting slowly to avoid jangling the metal pieces of the ring and raising a racket, Hiccup raced for the Arena and levered the doors open. Thank goodness they'd built in some sort of levers for these things. Otherwise he wouldn't be able to open them on his own.
Once both doors to the Arena were open, Hiccup took a deep breath. Baela and Rheana looked at him. "So, what is the plan, brother?" the latter asked.
Both Daemon and Laena were remaining outside with their dragons, standing guard and prepared for anything like Vikings on patrol.
"We're letting this dragons out, just in case we can't convince them tomorrow and they'll continue killing dragons, they won't be killing these dragons," Hiccup answered and headed to the cage containing the Terrible Terror.
He pushed the handle to the door of its cage and the little dragon shot out of its cat flap somersaulting in the air and landed on its hind legs and struck a combative pose. "Fear me, if you dare!"
Slowly, Hiccup knelt down and held his hand out, holding some pieces of yak jerky to the small animal.
"I do not know what you are playing at, Senor." Cautiously, the green dragon approached him. "But that looks like a tasty midnight snack."
And with that, the Terrible Terror caught the jerky in its mouth. "You don't wish to fight me? Very well, I will trust you." It looked up at him and slowly settled its snout under his outstretched palm.
Breathing a sigh of relief, Hiccup scratched the back of the Terror's neck and moved under the jaw, hitting the dragon's sweet spot. "Oh, sweet relief." Once he fainted, Hiccup carried the little Terror out of the Arena and placed it on the ground.
One down, four to go.
Next, he signaled for Rheana to release the Gronckle. The dragon charged out, looking for shields to target. "Okay, Viking Hatchlings. Time for a lesson!" When she found none, she dropped to the ground like a sack of rocks.
"Huh?" Confusion filled her. "Where are the shields or the Viking Hatchlings? And why am I out of my cage at night?" She looked around and saw a trio of Viking younglings against the wall.
She walked forward with a tilted head. "Why are you three alone and against the wall? And where are your shields?"
"We don't need one." Hiccup said. "And we're not here to fight you. Any of you." He took her approach as a good sign and walked forward with his hand out. He gently placed it on her snout.
The Gronckle's eyes widened at the gentle touch on her sensitive nostrils and purred. "I remember you. You always had that sweet smelling grass with you."
Smiling slightly, Hiccup began to slowly walk to the right, turning the Gronckle with him before he paused in front of the door. He removed his hand and gestured to the door. "Go on. You're free."
But she did not fly for freedom immediately like Hiccup had expected her too. Instead she just gave him a quizzical expression, "What is it you want me to do?"
Hiccup gestured to the open door again. "Go on. You can leave. You're free."
". . . Really?" She looked back and forth between him and the door before she slowly began to fly away, giving him a brief smile as she did so. "Thank you."
Two down, three to go.
Baela went over to the Deadly Nadder's cage. She pressed herself against the wall and opened the cage. The brilliant blue dragon stepped out into the open. She took one look around and saw the open doors to the Arena.
"The Gate's open!" Stormfly squawked and ran out of the Arena without a second thought. "Freedom!"
Hiccup relaxed but felt a little disappointed. "Well, at least we don't have to convince a dragon to not eat us," Baela said.
"Yeah, I kinda wish I had gotten a better look at her." Rheana muttered. "The Nadder was really beautiful."
Hiccup shrugged.
Three down, two to go.
Hiccup a deep breath as he opened the Zippleback's cage. Luckily, it didn't fill the Arena with its gas. He didn't look forward to waiting for the gas to clear or meet the dragon in the gas cloud. Much like the Nadder, the two headed dragon flew out of the Arena without a second thought. "The gates are open! Let's blow this popsicle stand! M!"
"Unlike the Nadder, I'm not that upset to see it leave." Rheana said when the two headed dragon was vanishing from view in the night sky. "That thing is worse as the twins are to deal with."
Baela snorted. "Imagine the twins with that dragon." Then she shuddered. "The horror and chaos they'd get to."
Hiccup nodded in agreement with the two sisters.
Four gone and one left. The Monstrous Nightmare.
He walked over to the crank and opened the door. However, the Nightmare didn't come out. Confused, Hiccup, Baela and Rheana slowly peaked in and saw the red dragon. . . just lying in the middle of the cage and looking bored.
Slowly, Hiccup approached the Nightmare who had now noticed the Viking boy and rose its head up just slightly.
"Are you the one meant to face me? You look really small and skinny." The dragon rumbled. "Where are your weapons? Your sword, hammer or spear and shield?"
"No weapons," Hiccup replied as he raised his hand and held it over the dragon's snout. "I'm not here to fight you. I'm here to set you free." He briefly held his breath. This was the second most dangerous dragon known to Vikings, maybe it was smaller than Caraxes and definitely smaller than Vhagar but he definitely had jaws big enough to eat him whole.
"It's okay. We're not going to hurt you." Hiccup said calmly. The Nightmare moved close to the boy's hand and Hiccup began to walk backwards and the Nightmare followed after him. Once they were out of the Arena, Hiccup gently placed his hand on the Nightmare's nostrils and the red and black dragon purred like a regal cat. Smiling, Hiccup gestured to the sky.
The Nightmare gave him one last, hesitant look before he took off, silent as a shadow. Now all five dragons were free.
Turning back to Toothless and the others, Hiccup saw that the Terror had taken residence, sitting on the Fury's back. He chuckled lightly before picking the Terror up. "Okay, Bud. Let's go now." he said. "Now for the real plan."
Hiccup turns to Baela and Rheana. "Bring Moondancer and Storm Breaker into the Arena." he told them. "They're going in with Toothless."
The two sisters nodded and turned to their respective dragons and gestured for them to follow them to the Arena.
"I do not like the idea of being in a cage," Toothless said as he walked into the Arena. "But I will trust you on this, Hiccup."
"Thank you, Bud." Hiccup replied. "And I assure you, your trust is well placed."
"Don't worry, Moondancer," Baela said to her dragon in High Valerian as she guided her into the Monstrous Nightmare cage. "I'll be back for you tomorrow morning."
"And after we show this village how amazing you all are," Rheana said to Storm Breaker, also in High Valerian. "We'll go flying and fish as long as you guys want."
The Titan Wing Skrill rumbled a chuckle in response. "That doesn't need to be necessary, young Rheana. But I do appreciate the gesture."
"See you, tomorrow, Hiccup," Toothless crooned as Hiccup pets him on the head before stepping back and lets Daemon close the gates from above.
Laena walks up to his side. "Go get some rest then, son." she said softly. "You have a big day tomorrow. Bigger than what it was going to be."
Hiccup sighed. "Yeah, don't I know it." he muttered before hugging Laena tightly. "Good night, Mom. Love you."
"I love you too, son." Laena said in response in a warm tone as she hugged him back.
Hiccup steps out of the Arena and Daemon approaches him. "Hiccup, have you thought about what to do, should Berk fail to see the truth?" he asked. "I don't wish for that to happen, but it's best to be prepared."
Hiccup pauses in his stride and seems to think over Daemon's words before replying. "We'll cross that bridge when we get there." he said in response.
The next day
Vikings of the Hairy Hooligan Tribe gathered around the Kill Ring, chattering and murmuring in excitement. The chief, Stoick the Vast walks onto a stage. He waves to the crowd. "Well, at least I can finally show my face in public again." he joked with a laugh, getting the others to laugh as well.
He waves his hands to silence them. "Now, if someone had told me that in just a few short weeks," he began. "Hiccup would go from go from being, well. . . Hiccup to placing first in Dragon Training? Well, I would have tied him to a mast and shipped him off for fear he'd gone mad!" This elicited more boisterous laughter from the crowd of Vikings. "Ha! And you know it! But here we are. Now, no one is more surprised. . . or more proud than I am." he said in a non-joking tone. "Today, my son becomes a Viking. Today, he becomes one of us!"
The crowd cheers in excitement.
Daemon and Laena were perhaps the only ones that were frowning or at least, not smiling along with their daughters.
And Hiccup himself as he stood near the entrance of the Arena, his helmet on hand and sword sheathed at his hip. I've never been one of them, the young Viking thinks to himself. And just at the moment they are all so convinced I've finally measured up to their standards, I'm going to throw that conviction on the ground.
"Be careful with that dragon," Astrid's voice pulls him out of his thoughts. He doesn't take his eyes off of Stoick who makes his way to the old chieftain throne above the arena walls.
"It's not the dragon I'm worried about," Hiccup said to Astrid.
"What are you going to do?" Astrid asked.
"Show them the truth," Hiccup replied firmly. Astrid looks to him with wide eyes filled with worry. "And hope for the best."
Hiccup's expression softens slightly before he turns to face Astrid. "Astrid, I'm thankful that you understand the truth and accept it." he said. "Whatever happens after today, remember it all, and decide what to do with it."
"I will," Astrid said. "But, it's not going to go wrong, right?"
Hiccup glanced away. "That will be up to them," he tilted his head to the Vikings in the stands.
Just then, Gobber walked up to the entrance. "It's time, Hiccup." he said. He gestures to the Arena. "Knock 'em dead."
Hiccup glanced at Astrid before walking into the Arena, placing his helmet on as Gobber closed the gate behind him. He glanced up at the Arena's chain net roof, ignoring how the crowd was chanting his name. The chains had prevented the other dragons from escaping, but Hiccup was confident that it wouldn't be enough to stop Toothless.
He glanced over to Baela and Rheana who stood close to the edge of the Arena's roof, right above the cage that was holding all their dragons in. Hiccup glanced at Daemon and Laena, the former nodded his head while the latter tilted her head to the right. Glancing in that direction, he could see some trees moving slightly despite there being no wind.
Hiccup subtly nods his head to them before picking a red and white shield from the weapon rack and pulling out his sword.
Stoick hums and mutters to Gobber and Daemon. "I would've gone for the hammer."
"You can lift a war hammer," Daemon replied back. "Besides, I trained him. He's a swordsman, through and through."
Hiccup takes a deep breath. "I'm ready." he declared, just barely loud enough to be heard over the crowd.
The said crowd silences itself as the cage door locks are pulled apart. Then the doors are pushed open and a Terrible Terror walks out into the light on two legs.
"Prepare to beg for mercy from. . . Sharpshot!" The Terrible Terror hissed, claws raised in a fighting stance. "Fear me, if you dare!"
"That's not a Monstrous Nightmare!" someone shouts from the crowd.
Hiccup puts his sword away with a smile on his face.
Moondancer walks out of the cage with a yawn. "Morning already?" she asked.
"I have to admit, it's nice to sleep without over a thousand dragons making such a ruckus," Storm Breaker said, stretching his wings.
And then Toothless walks out with a yawn himself. "Morning, Hiccup." he crooned a greeting.
"Hey, Bud." Hiccup greeted as he walked up to the Night Fury and scratched his chin.
"NIGHT FURY!" Gobber shouted.
"That'd be our cue," Baela said to Rheana before they jumped into the Arena. Just as the two sisters walked into the Arena, many more Vikings were jumping inside as well. They looked at Hiccup who nodded to them and climbed onto Toothless' back. Both sisters followed his example and climbed onto the back of their dragons.
"Fear me, if you dare!" Sharpshot hissed.
"Sharpshot, we're not fighting anyone. Get over here." Hiccup said to the Terror.
"Oh fine," Sharpshot sighed and muttered in Spanish under his breath before flying over to Hiccup and Toothless. "Ruin my fun, why don't you."
Not soon after that, Stoick enters the Arena. The Hooligan chief looks back and forth between the teens sitting on the dragons before his eyes settle on Hiccup.
"Son, what are you doing?" Stoick asked.
"I thought today would be best to introduce my best friend," Hiccup replied. "Everyone, this is Toothless. Toothless, this is Berk."
"Everyone, this is Moondancer. Moondancer, that's Stoick, Gobber, Gothi, Bucket, Mulch, Silent Sven, Hoarak the Haggard, Ack-Just Ack, Phlegma the Fierce, Lars, Snotlout, Fishlegs, the Twins, Ruffnut and Tuffnut, Astrid and that's all I know." Baela said, first to the Vikings and then to her dragon. The dragon screeched lowly in a friendly manner. "Hello, everyone."
"And this is Storm Breaker." Rheana said. The Titan Wing Skrill stood up as if at attention while his eyes scanned the crowd. "Hmm. I don't recognize anyone who tried to kill me in the past. I suppose those people are all dead."
"Hello, Stoick." Toothless crooned. "Hiccup has told me much about you. But I have to say, I may not understand much about human parenting, but you need to work on your parenting skills."
Just then, a high pitched squeal-like growl was heard. And then the head of Caraxes pushed his way out of the trees and hopped over the ravine separating the Arena from the forest and landed on the right side.
The red dragon hissed lowly like a cobra. "It's nice to see you all again, under a bright sunny sky. As opposed to the last time we saw each other." He looks over and spots the Thorston Twins who recognize him. "Oh hello there, twins. You look like you've grown, very little. Same hair, same helmets. I wonder, do you have a different mother now or has your father not moved on?"
A croaking growl sounded off on the left side of the Arena and Vahgar stomps down from the mountain side and stops at the Arena, ignoring the Vikings that ran away from her. "Caraxes, behave." she growled to the red dragon.
"I was just being curious, is all." Caraxes said with a nonchalant shrug.
"This is Caraxes the Blood Wyrm, my dragon for thirty years." Daemon said as he climbed onto the blood red dragon.
"And this is Vahgar," Laena said from her saddle, though she was hardly visible compared to the massive dragon. "My dragon since I was fifteen years old."
Fishlegs' eyes were darting from dragon to dragon, filled with wonder, awe and fear. He clearly torn between being excited about new species as a dragon know it all, and terrified about unknown dangers these dragons could possess.
"Hiccup, these are dragons," Stoick said, getting over his shock. "Vikings kill dragons."
"If that's all Vikings are defined then I'm not one of you," Hiccup said, throwing his helmet to the ground with a CLANK. "I'm a dragon rider."
"Madness," someone said in the crowd.
Astrid looked at the crowd anxiously with Gobber.
"Listen carefully, and listen well to the lad," Daemon said.
"Yes, please." Hiccup said imploringly. "The dragons are not the mindless, bloodthirsty monsters you all think they are. You don't have to kill-"
And then Spitelout punches Toothless in the face.
The Night Fury recoiled, looking more surprised than hurt. "Did he just-?"
That was as far as the Night Fury got as the Vikings charged forward.
"No! Wait!" Astrid shouted but her shout landed on deaf ears.
Storm Breaker let out a roar before releasing multiple bolts of lightning from his wings at the surrounding Vikings while Vahgar and Caraxes reached forward, bit down on the Arena's chain net roof with their jaws and ripped it apart like the T-Rex from Jurassic Park.
Hiccup and Toothless flew out of the Arena, the Targaryen sisters and their dragons followed suit, dodging the chain net and a few spears that were thrown at them.
"All of you stop or I finish what I started three years ago!" Caraxes screeched at the Vikings. His eyes land on the Thorston family. "Especially with you."
"Stand down, now." Vahgar growled. "None of you are a match for us."
Daemon placed a hand on Caraxes' scales while Laena did the same with Vahgar but spoke in High Valerian. "Stand down, Vahgar."
Both Caraxes and Vahgar stopped growling and screeching but they looked ready for anything.
"So, this is who you are?!" Stoick shouted from the Arena. "A traitor to your people?"
"Dad, let me speak!" Hiccup said. "These dragons are not dangerous!"
"That dragon killed my wife and our son who was hardly two winters old!" shouted Kevin Thorston, the Twins' father, as he points at Caraxes. "I can never forget that!"
"Then perhaps you should have taught your twin hatchlings not to be bullies," Caraxes growled back. "Maybe I should give them another lesson. Perhaps they need to learn how it is when there's no one to care for them."
"None of us will," Stoick said. He points at the dragons. "They've killed hundreds of us."
"And we've killed thousands of them," Hiccup replied, not backing down. "They're just defending themselves! That's all."
"They stole your mother!" Stoick goes on in anger. "You are a disgrace to her memory and to me!"
"Dad, please. . ." For all that their relationship was, Hiccup pleaded to Stoick one last time. "For once in your life, WOULD YOU PLEASE JUST LISTEN TO ME!"
"Do not call me that!" Stoick said coldly. "You've thrown your lot with the beasts. You're not a Viking of this tribe. You're not my son."
And there it went. The bridge between Hiccup and Berk was forever burned to ash.
Hiccup looks down at Stoick, emerald eyes wide as he lets out a shuddering breath. ". . . If that's your final word, Stoick." he said after a moment. "So be it."
Toothless turns away and flies out to sea. The others follow suit, all except for Daemon and Caraxes.
Daemon stares down at Stoick with what was mixed between a glare of anger and a look of pity. Like he knew that Stoick just made a mistake, one that he would come to regret.
"It didn't have to end this way, Stoick." Daemon said to the Viking. "You could have seen Hiccup rise to glory, glory beyond what you could imagine. You could have seen him build a future for Berk that wasn't filled with deaths like Amanda and Buffnut Thorston or Valka Haddock."
"Don't try to sway me, demon rider." Stoick said angrily. "Neither your traitorous family or that boy are welcome to Berk. If any of you are seen here again, you will be Blood-eagled where you stand!"
"My family has been nothing but loyal to your tribe in our time here." Daemon replied, eyes now narrowing. "And Hiccup has done nothing but try to earn your love and affection despite everything. And we've offered a chance for peace and this is how you're responding?"
Caraxes growled underneath him. Daemon then nods. "Very well. I'm no true Viking. I cannot tell you how to live your life." he said nonchalantly. "But know this, Stoick the Vast Haddock. If I see a Hairy Hooligan come within 500 miles of my son with the intent to give him so much as a scar, they will die. Screaming in pure agony."
Caraxes reared his head back as if ready to unleash fire down on them all. This caused a few Vikings to brace themselves to be burned, a handful raised their shields, others dove for cover. But when Caraxes' jaws opened, no fire came out.
Only one long, ear splitting high-pitched demonic roar that caused all the Vikings to cover their ears.
The Dragonese translation? Well. . .
"FFFUUUUUUUUUUCCCCCCCCKKKKKKK AAAAALLLLLL OOFF YYYYYYYOOOOOUUUUU!"
Caraxes growled lowly as he turned away before walking over to the ledge of the ravine and then spread his wings and flew after his family.
Hiccup glanced back to Berk with a somber expression. He could see Gobber and Gothi standing at the bridge between the Arena and the village and looking back at him. A few tears were running down Gobber's face as he forces a smile and waved his hand at Hiccup. Gothi smiles as well, sadness in her old eyes as she too waves him goodbye.
Hiccup glanced to see Astrid looking at him as well from where she stood. She smiled sadly and waved her hand once. The now exiled heir smiles sadly and waves back to her before looking ahead and urging Toothless ahead, some tears trailed from the corner of his eyes.
The dragon riders flew past the dragons that were released from the Arena and were perched on a sea stack. Stormfly and the others watched them fly by before following after them.
"My folks were always putting him down," Sharpshot sang in Dragonese as the dragon riders flew away from Berk.
"Down, down, down." echoed Toothless and Moondancer with Stormfly and the other dragons.
"They said he came from the wrong side of town," Toothless sang, sensing his rider was shedding more tears.
"He came from the wrong side of town," chorused Moondancer, Sharpshot, Stormfly and the other dragons while Caraxes and Vahgar vocalized.
"They told me he was bad," Toothless went on.
"So bad!"
Toothless' eyes glance back in the direction of his rider with a sad croon. "But I know he was sad."
"So sad!"
"I'll never forget him. The leader of the pack."
Then Sharpshot stopped and perched on a small sea stack, facing the village of Berk while the others continued flying.
"We sing the heart of our true friend, Hiccup." he said in a screech-hiss, gesturing to the Night Fury rider. "He understood why the war between our kinds exists. He offered to make peace between us all. But you are a tribe of peeny-weeny, piffling, piccolini, piddly-diddly pouft! Pfft!" he spat a small stream of fire at the end of his rant and kicked some dirt with his hind legs before flying off the sea stack and after the other dragons.
As they flew further and further from Berk, their song echoed over the wind and waves.
"Look out. . . Look out. . . Look out (Look out.) . . . Loo-ook oouutt!"
"And from that day on," Caraxes told Daenerys Targaryen. "Hiccup's life would never be the same."
Daenerys looked at the Blood Wyrm with wide violet eyes. "What happened after that?" she asked in High Valerian.
"That is a story for another time," Caraxes answered with a rumble.
"What?!" Daenerys exclaimed. Her voice rising caused her friends to wake up from the naps they were taking while Caraxes and Daenerys were speaking.
"That can't be it! There's got to be more!" Daenerys went on to protest, forgoing to speak High Valerian. "What about the Red Death? How did Hiccup prevent what could've been called the Dance? Or the War between Westeros and the Archipelago? Drago Bludvist?"
"Again, that is a story for another time, young Daenerys Stormborn Targaryen." Caraxes said. "Your friends are tired and you need to rest as well. Come back tomorrow, and I'll tell you the rest of the Night Fury rider's story when you get back. And perhaps, bring your dragons with you. I'd love to meet them."
Before Daenerys could protest more, the Blood Wyrm disappeared back into the dark caverns. The blonde haired girl sighs to herself before turning to her friends and sees that they do indeed need to rest. She sighs. "Okay, come on, guys." she said. "Let's all go home for the night."
This is not the end of the fanfic altogether. Just the beginning of the end of Act One. And a reminder that this story is told to Daenerys Targaryen by Caraxes.
Hiccup and the Targaryen family are exiled from Berk.
Will we see more of Stoick and Berk?
Next chapter, I'm going to give a little glimpse of how Daemon and Laena journey to Berk (like how I gave a glimpse at Gojira's backstory in 'The Viking Samurai and the God of the Sea.'), which is greatly inspired by another HTTYD x HOTD crossover fanfic I've read on Ao3.
After that, Hiccup will start planning the upcoming battle against the Red Death. And then he will meet some old friends.
And then the next chapter will be a short Dance of Dragons involving fire and lightning.
On another note, I'm thinking of writing another HTTYD crossover with GOT, with Hiccup x Daenerys.