Night Rider

Remedies

"What happens if it doesn't work?" Asked Fishlegs.

"Then we will try something else." I told him.

"What about if there isn't enough?" He asked. The simple answer would be 'we can just make some more' but unfortunately, Berk had a very low supply of Heilbrigt tree and we had stripped it clean of all the useful and healthy bark, so there was non left. The next simple answer would be just to go and buy or find some more, but I only know of two more trees - both of which are atleast a one and a half day round trip to get them and then we would have to make everything else again and by that time they would probably all be dead.

"We will have enough." I answer Fishlegs, a false sense of confidence in my voice, but he didn't sense that.

"I think it's ready, Hiccup." Said Astrid. I walked over to the cups and they weren't steaming any more so we each took a cup and poured it down a patient's throat. They made no noise and didn't move at all.

"Umm... Hiccup?" Squeaked Fishlegs.

"It's fine. It's fine. It just takes a few hours to wake them up and clear the dragon venom, that's all." I answered him.

"What do we do now?" Astrid asked. I wanted to get out of this room because the clashing of many different smells was very overpowering, but I also wanted to see my father, to try and get things straight with him, even though I still hated him.

"I'm going out." I told them.

"Where?" They asked in unison.

"To see my father." I answered confidently.

"Hiccup, no! If he really did do those things to you..." Astrid protested, "then you cannot go back alone! I will go with you."

"No, Astrid. I need to do it alone." I told her.

"We are all going, or no-one is going." Fishlegs spoke up.

"Then non of us are going." I told them. This was a lie of course. I would pretend to go on a flight with Toothless and then when they are gone I will sneak back in and speak to him alone. So that is what I did.

XxXxXxXxXxXx

I entered the chief's hut without knocking. I don't need to knock - he is not my chief and I am not his guest - so I didn't. Some people may class that as rude, but I on the other hand class it as giving a person what they deserve, and Stoick does not deserve formalities or manners. I had left Toothless around the side of the house in the shadows and told him to stay quiet. I had left my helmet with him too, because if I wanted to speak with my father I needed to seem like I wasn't going to attack him or seem threatening.

When I entered. A strong smell of meade and burnt meat filled my lungs. Leaves dotted the floor and it looked like he hadn't swept up in years. Dirty plates were stacked on the table and the fire had nearly died out: there was a single log still crackling on it and nothing else. A small, bare Snoggletog tree stood in one corner and below it was a dead rat as if Stoick hadn't even bothered to clean up at all. I picked up the rat and buried it in the snow outside - I will give it a proper burial later - and went into the house again.

Nothing had changed within the house when I entered only seconds after except one thing. I could no longer see the Snoggletog tree and instead I could see a very large man with a red beard, heavy boots and a rotund stomach.

"Hiccup." He stated, softly yet confused at the same time.

"Stoick." I replied, not meeting his eyes. Instead I kicked the door closed to stop the cold air from blowing in and helping myself to a chair at the table. It was infact my old chair and it hadn't changed a bit.

"Why? - What? - Where?" He stuttered.

"I am not here to talk about me. I am here to talk about your attitude towards strangers." I announced.

"Look, son-"

"I am not your son." I scolded him. He gulped then continued his speech.

"I didn't know it was you. I would have acted differently if I knew that it was. Please. Forgive me..." He pleaded.

"I will not forgive you any time soon. A single 'sorry' will not take back those 15 years that you beat me before I left or this time when I have been with you. Why did you think I left? Maybe it was because of how you treated me. Maybe it was because you never listened. Maybe it was because you forced me to kill dragons. Maybe it was because everyone bullied me. Or maybe it was a mixture of all of them! I will never forgive you for all that, Stoick. Never."

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry." Stoick crumbled.

"Stop your worthless begging." I shouted. "The point is, you saw me as a threat before I had done one thing against you. I have never done anything against Berk since I arrived, so what made you hate me so much?" I asked. I got no response from the fully grown man who was now kneeling before me on the dirty wooden planks which made up his floor. His head was bowed so it was impossible to tell of his expression. I continued. "What did I ever do? Except save your sorry butts. If anyone in this tribe is a worthless, useless and I am not even going to say the other one which you had no fear in saying, then it is you. You need to seriously change your ways, Stoick. I am not shouting at you or telling you how bad you are. This is constructive criticism and you need to act on this. I am trying to help you. If you want allies and good trading partners, change your ways. Be more inviting. Be more cheerful. Be more warming and friendly. Be compassionate. Be active. Be there for you people, Stoick, because wouldn't Berk be a better place if you did?" I finished.

"Don't you tell me how to run my tribe." He scowled, his voice seething with hatred. He lifted his head and I saw fire raging in his eyes, a fire that could kill. And all that rage was then transferred into something more physical.

My left cheek burnt up with heat and pain.

Oh! Damn! Stoick...

🎵On the third day of Christmas my true love gave to me:

Three French hens,
Two turtle doves,
And a partridge in a pear tree🎵

Published on: 15th December 2017