Crossing the Line | Oakstrid Story

Chapter 6 | Punishment

Persony_person

In the following weeks, my life became an unbearable ordeal. The only moments of freedom were when I managed to sneak out in the middle of the night for a shower in the lagoon. Even then, the fear of being caught loomed over me, clouding my mind and preventing me from truly enjoying those stolen moments. As the days turned into weeks, the weight of my punishment grew heavier, and I longed for any respite from my father's relentless scrutiny.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, my father decided to unground me. However, my relief was short-lived as my next punishment proved to be even worse. I was now to be by my father's side at all times, forbidden to leave his presence under any circumstances. I was forced to accompany him to council meetings, participate in chief duties, and even witness the brutal events that unfolded within the arena.

"Do I have to be here?" I couldn't help but whine as my father and I stepped into the arena.

"Until you learn how things are done around here, I can't trust you to venture off on your own," Stoick declared sternly, ordering me to sit by the gate. In fear of infuriating him further, I complied, taking my place as he directed.

From my position, I observed my father exchanging hushed words with Gobber across the arena. Although I couldn't hear their conversation, I knew they were talking about me. Feeling a mix of frustration and helplessness, I aimlessly snapped a twig I found nearby and tossed the pieces away. In the midst of my thoughts, Ms. Hofferson, Astrid's mother, came to sit by my side. She didn't say anything, but her calming presence momentarily distracted me from the turmoil within.

However, my attention was soon drawn back to my father as he walked towards a large cage on the right side of the arena. To my horror, he unlocked the cage, and out emerged the same young Nadder I had previously freed weeks before.

"He hunted him," I inwardly scowled. "He's using this poor dragon just to teach me a lesson!"

Gobber and Spitelout approached the young dragon, pinning it down, seemingly oblivious to the fear in its eyes and the silent plea for mercy. My heart sank as I realized the extent of my father's plan. He intended to put me through the ordeal of witnessing the Nadder's suffering as part of my punishment.

"STOP!" I yelled, unable to remain silent any longer. "You're hurting him!" My desperate pleas fell on deaf ears, and my father continued to advance towards the Nadder, wielding a hammer. Feeling utterly helpless, I spun into the comforting presence of the blonde woman sitting beside me, trying to shield myself from the nightmarish scene unfolding before me. My face buried in her shoulder, my hands instinctively covered my ears as if to block out the pain and terror.

"No, no, no, no! No!" I shrieked, my voice choked with anguish. The Nadder whimpered in fear, and I couldn't bear it any longer. I found myself compelled to take action, to protect the innocent creature from my father's cruel intentions. I leaped off the ground, propelled by a surge of emotions, and threw myself in front of the dragon, acting on instinct to shield it from harm.

"Stop it!" I implored, my voice quivering with determination.

My father came to a halt, his hammer-wielding hand lowering to his side, and he chuckled darkly. "I'm not going to kill this dragon," he declared.

My eyes flew open, taken aback by his unexpected response. "Wait, you're not?" I questioned in confusion.

He then did something unexpected; he handed me the hammer, leaving me bewildered as to his true intentions. "You are," he asserted, and the realization hit me like a punch to the gut.

I was frozen, disbelief and shock coursing through my veins. I was only twelve years old, and dragon training was supposed to start when I turned fifteen. This couldn't be happening. "Stoick..." Lotus, Astrid's mother, tried to reason with him. "She's only twelve years old, dragon training doesn't start until fifteen," she reminded him, hoping to dissuade him from his decision.

"I am well aware of that, Lotus," my father replied stoically, seemingly unfazed by my age. I turned my attention to the Nadder, meeting its eyes, and the sadness in its gaze tore at my heart. It was innocent, and yet it was being dragged into the turmoil of my punishment.

I approached the Nadder slowly, still clutching the hammer in my hand. My heart pounded loudly in my chest, my mind racing with conflicting emotions. My father's words echoed in my ears, and I felt trapped in a nightmare. I couldn't go through with this. I couldn't harm an innocent creature just to satisfy my father's misguided lesson.

Closing my eyes, I took a deep breath, trying to steady my trembling hands and my racing thoughts. In that moment, I made a decision that I knew would change everything. With a surge of determination, I spun around and threw the hammer back towards my father, aiming directly at his stomach. The hammer collided with him, knocking him down to the ground.

In that instant, I had defied my father, a choice that would undoubtedly have repercussions. But I couldn't bear to be a pawn in his cruel game, and I couldn't bring myself to harm a defenseless creature. My actions had set me on a new path, one of defiance, and this time... There was no turning back.