Chapter 27: Chapter 27: Meeting with the Vikings
The Viking camp was momentarily thrown into a fit of panic when suddenly four Dragons landed in their camp. Dagur facepalmed as he realised Camicazi's idea of making a dramatic entrance wasn't something he should have agreed to. The red head glared at Camicazi. The Bog-Burglar hier sheepishly smiled at Dagur, making the latter shake his head in annoyance.
"Everyone please calm down!" Thuggory yelled out as he dismounted his Monstrous Nightmare.
"What is the meaning of this!" Stoick shouted as pushed through the line of panicking Vikings and stood in front of them. And the gang also came there soon and stood behind Stoick, among the people in front of the crowd.
He stopped in his tracks as he saw the intruders. The heirs of the Meathead tribe, the Bog-Burglar tribe, the present chief of the Berserker tribe and his sister.
"Thuggory, Camicazi, Chieftain Dagur and Heather. What-what are you all doing here!? And why are you all in Dragons!?"
"Hey, chief Stoick." Dagur said with a nervous chuckle but soon the nervousness was wiped off his face as he fixed his demeanour "I believe there is no point in hiding this from you anymore. I along with Thuggory, Camicazi and my sister are allied to Hiccup. He has taught us how to coexist with Dragons and train them. It's thanks to him that we were able to befriend such magnificent creatures." Dagur gestured to his black and grey Thunderclaw while the others dismounted their own Dragons.
"Wait, you're Hiccup's allies!?" Stoick said, bewildered at this revelation. But he soon realised that it shouldn't be a surprise that someone as powerful as the Night rider will have allies by their side.
The heirs and the chief just nodded their heads in confirmation.
"All this time you all knew my son was alive and well, and where he was staying and you never told me about it! Why!?" Stoick exclaimed in anger. Hiccup might hate him, and Stoick himself had despised his son for some time after that event five years ago. But Hiccup was still his son. He would give the world if it means that he will have a chance to reconcile with his son.
"Because Hiccup didn't want us to." Thuggory answered.
"And besides," This time it was Camicazi who spoke "I remember you declaring Hiccup to be no kin to you and branding him as a traitor not too long after Hiccup left. How could we trust you to not invade our friend!?" The heir of the Bog-Burglar tribe sounded angry as she spoke the words.
Camicazi even marched towards Stoick a bit and had to be physically restrained by Thuggory and Heather. A furious glare was still present in the eyes of the young woman as she kept glaring at the chief of Berk.
Stoick on the other hand looked down a bit in shame. He knew the girl was right. He knew that if he had learnt about Hiccup before, he may have attempted to capture him. Especially during the first year of Hiccup's disappearance. He was so blinded by his pride, rage and hatred that he may have harmed his own son if he found him. It wasn't until he received the news of Hiccup's supposed death that he realised how much Hiccup had meant to him.
"Camicazi!" Dagur growled "We aren't here for a fight. And your antics aren't helping the situation." The golden haired hier calmed down and mumbled an apology to Dagur. The latter nodded his head as a sign of acceptance of the apology. Then he turned to face the chief of Berk.
"Stoick, we would like to have a talk with you, in private." Dagur said. While warily eyeing the other Vikings staring at them.
"Well, we can talk here." Stoick said. But Thuggory immediately intervened. "No Chief Stoick. This is important and it would be better if you don't have other people to twist your ears during our conversation." Stoick thought about it for a bit and finally agreed to it.
As they were about to head over to a more private location, Camicazi suddenly said,"Chief, if you don't mind, I would like Astrid and her friends along with your blacksmith to join us."
Astrid and the gang were shocked as they heard Camicazi's request. "What? Why? And how do you even know us?" Snotlout asked out in shock.
"Hiccup told us about you all. As for why, it's because you five were really close to Hiccup before all this happened and we think you all deserve to be part of this conversation too." Heather spoke.
They gang didn't argue further as they themselves were starting to get curious about this conversation. And Gobber was all ears for it too. So, they accompanied them without any further hesitation. They group followed Stoick as he led them to a campfire on the edge of the Viking camp. While they weren't out of the line of view of other Vikings, the distance between them and the Vikings was good enough to ensure that their conversations stayed among themselves.
Stoick, Gobber and the gang sat around the campfire with their new guests. The four Dragons, a Changewing, a Razorwhip, a Monstrous Nightmare and a Thunderclaw, that accompanied them also sat behind their respective riders. Dagur and other heirs were talking with Stoick while the gang and Gobber just listened as they talked.
"So, I've heard about your conflict with Hiccup." Dagur said.
"It was more than a conflict. I have ruined everything." Stoick said, regret evident in his voice. The once proud chief of Berk was now staring at the flames of the campfire, refusing to meet the gaze of his guests.
"Stoick…" Gobber said as he put his hand on his friend's shoulder.
"Uh huh. It's still not too late chief. You still have time to reconcile with Hiccup and possibly fix this mess." Heather said.
Stoick looked up at this statement. "But how? He hates me now. He doesn't even want to see me. And has warned me and my tribe not to trespass into his territory."
"Yeah. He isn't even willing to listen to Astrid! And he and Astrid were lovers!" Tuffnut suddenly said.
Not too long after he received an elbow to his left side from his sister. Ruffnut glared at him for bringing this up as Astrid was still really sensitive about this. The said shieldmaiden curled up, refusing to look up while the female Throston twin comforted her.
Camicazi and Heather felt bad for the girl. From Hiccup's explanation, they knew that their friend loved this girl very much. But the sudden invasion from Stoick and all this turmoil has left him with no trust for her.
"Stoick, for the past five years Hiccup has been trying to unite the Dragons and men." Heather spoke "We've seen his struggles and all his hard work."
"Hiccup's been through a lot, Stoick. I don't know what stories you've heard about the Night rider, but we've been by Hiccup's side through both his good and hard times. Hiccup has suffered a lot, Stoick. All just for peace." Thuggory added.
"Yeah, we've seen Hiccup make peace with his enemies. He even made peace with people such as the Outcasts." Dagur said.
"What!?" Stoick and Gobber shouted.
"I know it sounds impossible, but almost three years ago, the Outcasts formed an alliance with Hiccup and he taught them to train Dragons and helped with their living conditions. Why do you think the Outcasts don't pillage anymore? Hiccup has helped them to prosper." Thuggory said.
"He's right." Dagur continued "There was once a time when I and Hiccup used to be on the opposite side of the line. He was probably the biggest enemy I've ever had. But then, he reunited me with my sister." Dagur placed his hand on Heather's and she gave it a gentle squeeze "We became allies. Reestablished our friendship along the way. And he helped my clan to prosper beyond our imagination."
Stoick, Gobber and the gang listened to all this in awe. Especially Astrid. The group were in utter awe as their guests told them some tales of Hiccup's life of the past five years. His struggles, his successes, his fights, the peace he brought.
"Hiccup isn't some bloodthirsty warmonger. He just wants peace. And I'm sure he'd give you a chance." Dagur said "But Stoick, you've got to be careful. Hiccup has changed a lot in these five years. He might give you a chance if you prove that you are willing to change. From what I've learnt, he was willing to give you guys a chance. But you butchered it by harming his Dragon."
"But I don't understand it! What's so special about that Nightfury that-" But before Stoick could finish his sentence Astrid cut him off by saying" Because he was the only one who was by Hiccup's side when everyone of his own tribe turned their backs on him."
The others stared at the blonde shieldmaiden with curious looks in their eyes. Being aware of the stares, Astrid decided to continue as she felt there was no point in hiding the secret anymore" Hiccup and Toothless, the Nightfury, they were friends for sometime. Toothless was probably the first real friend Hiccup ever had in a long while. When-when his own tribe berated him for trying to help, when his own father gave up on him, he found comfort in the wings of a Dragon." Astrid began to sound angry at the last part.
In all honesty she was angry. Angry at Berk for treating Hiccup like an Outcast, angry at Stoick for abandoning his son when he needed him the most, angry at herself for failing Hiccup. "A Dragon, the mortal enemy of Vikings was someone Hiccup found comfort with, found the affection and bond he desired so much. A Dragon who proved to be a more loyal friend to him than any of us ever were." Astrid looked up, her eyes looking directly into Stoick's" So tell me chief, why shouldn't he protect someone who actually showed him affection and care for way longer than any of his own kin ever has?"
The rest of the gang, Stoick and Gobber couldn't help but feel guilty as they listened to the Hofferson girl. They knew she was right. They knew that they, excluding Gobber, weren't particularly fair to Hiccup. Gobber felt sad and guilty of the fact that the person he had seen as his own son, was let down by him.
"She's right you know." Camicazi suddenly said "We don't know much about Hiccup and Toothless's relationship before their escape, but we have seen them. They always have each other's back, are always caring for each other." The heir chuckles at the memories of her friend and the Nightfury "Sometimes it feels as if they're brothers. One soul in two bodies."
Camicazi's friends and the gang couldn't agree more. The gang might not have been with Hiccup as long as the former, but they've seen Hiccup and Toothless's unique companionship during their stay.
Suddenly Thuggory got up, followed by his other friends. "I think it's time for us to go Stoick." The Meathead tribe hier said "We would try to see if we can manage to convince Hiccup to give you guys a chance."
"Ya, would really do tha' for us?" Gobber asked.
"Yes Gobber. We just hope everything turns out well." Dagur said.
As everyone got up and were about to leave the campfire, Astrid suddenly walked off towards the beach on the opposite side of the camp. Heather and Camicazi glanced at each other and then at Thuggory and Dagur. They both gave them a nod and with that the girls went after Astrid, their Dragons following after them.
Stoick took a note of this and was about to say something, but Thuggory beat him to it. "No need to be alarmed, chief. Camicazi and Heather mean no harm to Astrid. That poor girl is heart broken. My friends just want to help her." Thuggory said.
The heir of the Meathead tribe and Dagur then mounted their own respective Dragons and flew away towards the mainland of the island, leaving Stoick and Gobber with their thoughts.
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