The dragon riders

Chapt.23

Stoicks pov

Tensions hung heavy in the air since their departure. The survivors, along with Hiccup's soldiers, readied themselves for the impending battle. A fortified bunker emerged, a refuge for the vulnerable—women, children, elders—shielding them from the impending carnage.
       Eret,son of Eret, took charge of Hiccup's forces. Amidst the routine of daily village life, the villagers brimmed with an extra layer of vigilance, as the reverberations of weapon crafting echoed through the air.
        Curiosity led me to a bunker under construction, where Eret orchestrated with authority, and I called out his name. He pivoted, saluting promptly, "Sir! How may I assist you?" I motioned for calm, remarking, "Ease up, lad. I'm here to talk about these bunkers."
           Eret's posture shifted to attention, explaining, "Indeed, sir. These bunkers are impervious—be it storms, dragons, or snow." Skepticism crept in, and I questioned, "Truly impenetrable?" With unyielding confidence, he asserted, "they haven't failed us yet".
           Still harboring a hint of skepticism, I figured I ought to place some faith in Eret's instincts. "Alright then," I replied with a nod, "So, lad, when are we expecting Aron's army to show up?" "The next few days, sir," Eret's answer was swift and sure.
All of a sudden, a flurry of commotion burst onto the scene—Hiccup's cherished kids came rushing over, visibly distressed. "Eret, Eret, Eret!" cried the eldest girl in a panicked frenzy. Eret turned to address her, "What's the matter, Runa?"
Just as the scene was unfolding, there appeared Spitelout, hot on their heels, brandishing a belt with fiery intent. "Get back here, you wee devils!" he roared after them, his voice echoing across the area. The kids shrieked as they darted behind Eret, seeking refuge.
Puzzled, I interjected, "What's going on here?" "They need a good whipping," spitelout response was blunt. "For what?" I inquired, genuinely curious.
"They made a mess in the great hall!" Spitelout frustration was palpable. "They need a lesson, you see. Hiccup might go easy on these kids, but that only breeds ill-mannered little monsters."
As the tension mounted, Runa's voice carried from behind Eret, "We were going to clean it up!""Cleaning up my foot!" Spitelout chimed in, unapologetically vocal. "Hiccup's way too lenient, and that's why these young terrors run wild."
Just in the nick of time, Gobber arrived on the scene, sprinting in to defuse the situation. "Hold up, now!" he urged, his voice a mix of sternness and concern.
"Easy now, Spitelout," Gobber interjected, panting slightly as he finally caught up to the scene. "No need to cause harm."A scoff escaped Spitelout's lips, his skepticism evident. "And why's that? You turning soft on me, Gobber?"
"Nah, nothing of the sort. They just made a wee mess, and we're grabbing some rags to tidy it up. Besides, one of 'em's hardly a year old," Gobber explained, his tone a mix of reason and patience.
"They still ought to learn consequences, shouldn't they?" Spitelout argued. "Come on, it was an honest mistake," Gobber retorted, his voice exasperated. "Why are you adamant to not discipline them? They're kids, just like any others." Spitelout argued.
Gobber's words painted a vivid picture of his situation, as he admitted, "Okay, fine. I'll level with you. Hiccup gave me explicit instructions to safeguard them, keep 'em out of harm's way. Truth be told, I'm a tad scared of him."
My voice cut through, addressing Spitelout's stubborn stance. "Spitelout! Gobber here has cleared it up. It was a minor slip-up, it's not worth a harsh reaction."
Reluctantly, Spitelout relented, his displeasure palpable as he yielded to my directive. Slowly, the tension ebbed away, and the children shuffled out from behind Eret. The eldest, Runa, cradled her baby sister and held the hand of her younger brother. In that moment, they seemed incredibly fragile and innocent, despite the earlier chaos.
"We didn't mean to create a mess. It was an accident, it just sort of fell," Runa chimed in, she looked up at you, the sincerity in her eyes. "Oh I believe you" I responded with a gentle smile, intrigued by the young girl's honesty. "And how old are you, Runa?"
"I'm 6 years old, my baby sister Saga is 11 months, and my little brother Ivan is 3," she shared, their ages painting a vivid picture of innocence. The trio before me had an undeniable charm, triggering memories of Hiccup when he was that age. "And what might your names be again?" I inquired with a warm tone.
"I'm Runa, this is my sister Saga, and my brother's Ivan," she replied, their names carrying a certain musical quality that matched their youthful demeanor. It was easy to see why Hiccup held them in such high regard—adorable didn't even begin to cover it.
Curiosity surfaced in Spitelout's tone as he asked the question on his mind, "Why does Hiccup even bother keeping these kids around? They're not even his." A chuckle escaped me. "Well, you know Hiccup. He's always had that nurturing spirit."
"Sure, but who in their right mind takes on another man's child? He's not their biological parent," Spitelout argued. Runa, the pint-sized advocate, intervened. "We've known Hiccup since we were born. He's been there all along."
Spitelout dismissed her with a wave. "Whatever you say, kid."
Runa's expression turned to offense. "Ew, no sir, you are not going to talk to me that way". Mockingly, Spitelout knelt to her level. "Oh, really? What's a little pip-squeak like you gonna do about it?"
Without hesitation, Runa delivered a headbutt that left Spitelout reeling in pain. She stood her ground, defiant. "You do not address a princess that way," she declared, her tiny frame holding an unexpected authority.
  "What, princess of what?" Spitelout retorted, clearly taken aback by the sudden turn of events as he nursed his throbbing head. Unfazed, Runa held her ground with an air of unwavering confidence. "Princess of the Shadow Strikers and of Hiccup's Nations," she proclaimed, her voice laced with certainty.
           "Hiccup's nations? I bet he just feeds you that story to boost your spirits," Spitelout retorted dismissively.
            Runa shook her head, her young voice firm. "Nope, it's not just talk. Hiccup's been training all of us, teaching us how to lead. One day, we'll each be rulers over his various kingdoms and villages."
             Spitelout seemed ready to counter her, but the sound of a tumultuous disturbance erupted from the nearby docks, drawing all our attention. Without a second thought, Runa dashed over the hill towards the source of the ruckus, and we trailed closely behind, a sense of urgency propelling us forward.
           As we reached the crest of the hill, Runa came to an abrupt halt, her expression shifting from determination to alarm. She pivoted back to us, her eyes wide with fear, and her words quivered with urgency.

                    "They're here."