The Thunder and Lightning Riders

Chapter 19: Why?

Astrid's POV

Stoick and Hiccup stood on opposite ends of the table between them.

The council members of Berk fanned out to Stoick's side. Hiccup's council members, me, Valka, Eret, Viggo, and Heather, fanned out Hiccup's sides. I stood next to him, my hand in his. The room had a cold feeling to it.

Stoick looked down at his fingers. Hiccup just studied the chief, not saying a word. His jaw was clenched and he had no expression, just small hints of anger. A little too heavy steps, no foot tapping, and his eyebrow twitched every time he looked at Snotlout or Stoick.Snotlout stood on the side of the table, not daring to move a muscle.

"Hiccup-" Stoick started.

"Why?" Hiccup asked. His voice wasn't loud, but it was strong and even.

"Excuse me?" Stoick replied, raising an eyebrow.

"Why?" Hiccup repeated.

"Why what?" Snotlout asked flatly.

"You have no right to speak," Hiccup snapped his head to look at him, and he went on, deadly calm, looking Snotlout in the eyes. "You are the reason for this." Hiccup's voice was so calm, it meant that he was angry and it scared me of what he was going to do.

Snotlout shut up fast.

Hiccup turned his head back around to look at the chief. "Why?" He asked once more. "Why agree to it?"

"Agree," Stoick said slowly. "To what?"

"You knew exactly what Snotlout was going to do," Hiccup answered. "So why agree to it?"

Hiccup stood in front of his seat and continued. "You knew the terms were that if I lost, I was to leave the island. Snotlout had a backup team that attacked me. You didn't do anything to stop them or the duel.

This would mean that you knew beforehand, and allowed it. Which leads me to the question, why agree to it?"

The hall was silent. No one spoke, no one moved. The way Hiccup was so calm, yet was so angry, it scared me more than being face-to-face with a Deathgripper.

"Well?" Hiccup demanded. His eyes darted from each of the council members to Stoick, waiting for an answer.

No one met his eyes. Not Stoick, not snotlout, not Gobber. Nobody.

"Alright then," Hiccup breathed. He got up out of his seat and started towards the door, the rest of the council and I following him.

"Where are ya going?" Spitelout yelled.

"Back home," Hiccup answered.

I took one last look at the council. Then, I turned and attempted to push my hand into hiccup's. only to find it was clenched in a fist.

Hiccup pushed open the doors and walked out. The dragons had been outside, waiting for their riders. Some people of Berk were around the Great Hall, as if trying to get information on what was going on.

Hiccups face was a blank mask. His eyebrow twitched slightly.

I walked over to Stormfly and scratched her chin. "What's up with your bethrothed?" She growled. I looked over at hiccup and saw that he was attaching Toothless's tail on silently. His movements were sharp and his jaw was clenched.

"Stoick happened," | murmured to my Nadder.

"Get anything that's left in the Cove," Hiccup ordered.

I nodded and hopped on Stormfly. "You aren't going to knock some sense into him right now?" She asked.