HTTYD-TTS: Ride Along

Chapter 3

"I am working!" Varian countered. "I'm working on better traps for the dragons to make your stupid job easier!"

Smack!

Varian fell backwards from the impact of Ryker's slap. He slammed his shoulder into the corner of his desk and then hit the ground. He hissed in pain, whimpering as his shoulder throbbed.

"Just do as you're told," Ryker snarled.

Varian slowly lifted himself, but not fast enough for Ryker's liking. The man snatched his nephew's arm and yanked him up to his feet. The teen drew in a sharp, shaky breath, trying not to appear weak by crying. He believed he wasn't doing a very good job at doing so though.

"Get... off... me..." Varian bared his teeth, anger flashing across his eyes.

Ryker's facial expression stayed the same. He grabbed Varian's head and smashed it onto the table with a sickening thud. The teen groaned and squirmed as Riker pulled his hands behind him, giving them a painful twist. Varian tried to get out of his uncle's grip, but once again, it proved to be useless. Tears were beginning to gather in Varian's eyes, but he shut them tightly, refusing to let one fall.

"Do you want me to help or not?" Varian whined.

"I don't need your help, nor do I want it. Be grateful that you're important to Viggo, otherwise you wouldn't feel the liberty of daring to backtalk me!"

"You don't care about father, least of all me! You only say that because you're afraid of him and you can't outsmart him!" Varian's anger suddenly outweighed his fear.

Ryker twisted his nephew's arms more, earning a cry. "I'm not afraid of nothing! My brother is alive because I let him be and it's not any other way! Now shut your stupid trap and do as I say!"

Varian said nothing, but Ryker could feel the boy shaking with silent sobs. He finally released him and Varian slipped to the ground. He rubbed his and quickly scrubbed the tears away from his eyes.

"I'm not being patient," Ryker huffed.

Varian only looked away, biting back a snarky remark. He knew from the beginning that this had nothing to do him staying up past curphue. Honestly, he knew his father didn't care if he stayed up past curphue. Curphue was only a rule that Ryker had, which Varian naturally tended to defy his uncle. Even when he wasn't actually intending to, but he didn't care.

"I said-"

Varian gasped as he felt the man grab the back of his shirt. Ryker suddenly stopped, as did his sentence when a voice sounded outside the tent.

"Hey, Varian. You in there?"

Heather. Both the culprit and victim stiffened. Varian didn't want Heather to see him like this and Ryker wasn't supposed to harm his nephew. Varian's pride kept the teen from blabbing to Viggo, but Heather wouldn't care about either of their pride. It seemed that Heather had taken a liking to the boy, and there was no doubt that she would miss a chance to sell out Ryker to Viggo.

Finally, Ryker made his move and walked outside, being sure that Heather couldn't look in as he closed the flap behind him. "What? It's a little late to be on a social call, isn't it?"

"Oh," Heather narrowed her eyes, but said nothing more.

"He can't see anyone right now anyways."

She frowned, giving him a suspicious glare, but turned on her heels. Ryker groaned and rolled his eyes before going back into the tent. Varian was pressing his back against his desk, wrapping his arms around his knees. Ryker progressed closer and Varian scrambled to scoot away. "No!" he shrieked.

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The boat rocked lightly as they sailed towards the island. Varian was proud his father requested him to join him and Heather to capture a special dragon. Varian didn't get to go on many hunts with Ryker not wanting him around or his father deemed it too risky. Varian wouldn't say that Viggo was overprotective over him, but maybe a little over cautious. Viggo didn't want to shelter him too much, knowing that one day that Varian would take his place as chief; but as a father, he never wanted his son in harm's way.

Varian rubbed his shoulder when his father wasn't paying attention. He could still feel a dull ache in his shoulder blade from his fight with Ryker the night before. He knew his torso was problem covered in bruises. He had a bruise on the side of his head where he had been slammed into the table, but his messy hair covered it.

He stared out the window, hoping distract his mind from the abuse he had recieved. His pride kept him from saying anything. He feared that his father would be disappointed that he couldn't handle himself. That perhaps his father would never see him as capable and never let him come along.

"You thinking about something?" Heather leaned against the wall near the window he was staring out of.

"Huh? Oh." He shrugged. "Nothing much."

"I'll take it," Heather shrugged herself. She offered him a friendly smile. He retuned it with a nervous grin. "Got any new formulas rolling?" she asked.

"Actually, yes. I haven't made a major break through, but I have ideas and theories."

"I'll have to stop by again soon and you can show me what you've been working on."

"I'd like that."

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Note: So here is part 3. This part is dragging out longer than planned. At this rate there will 5 parts to Maces and Talons before we move on in the story. Things will happen in a different order than what it does in the series.

I don't have a schedule idea for this story, sorry, but I'll do my best to keep it rolling at a steady pace.

I have a lot planned for this story, so don't be surprised if it it turns into 2 books.

Also, I hope I'm writing the characters justice. Dagger is someone I realized that I have a hard time writing. Sorry if he ends up being a little put of character.

Ryker's a big bully and he is so mean! He's an evil uncle to do that to his own nephew!

Anyways, thanks for reading! Hope you enjoyed it.