Into the Archipelago(HTTYD one-shots)

Just Sign the Treaty

I wake up to the sound of my father yelling at me from the bottom of the stairs. "Hiccup! Get dressed! We have to get the village cleaned up!" he hollers. Toothless winces, his ears flat against his head, his eyes squeezed shut. I groan, pulling the blanket over my head. "Now!"

I sigh, pushing the blanket off, and fall out of bed. I pull on my red tunic and green pants, slip my foot in my boot and situate my almost finished Dragon Fly... whatever number it is over my clothes. I stomp down the stairs, Toothless on my heels. I can't help but think of what the twins did this time. Why is it always my responsibility to clean it up? They both have two hands and they have parents. "Dad, I can't control the twins every second of every day," I say as soon as I reach the bottom step.

"It's not about the twins. Not yet at least," he tells me, looking up from the table.

"Oh. Then what is it about?" I ask, sitting down across from him.

He sighs, clasping his hands together. "I received a letter yesterday that Roarin the Brave from the Stronghead Tribe wants to come visit in order to renew our treaty," my father answers.

I furrow my brows in confusion. "But, they haven't visited since I was like five. Why are they wanting to renew it? Why all of a sudden? "

"I don't know. We will find that out when they get here."

"I just hope he doesn't bring Thurman. That kid is as bad as Snotlout and the twins. Although I will admit, he's better than Dagur."

"He'll be here."

"Ugh," I groan, unhappy. "Great."

"Now, finish your breakfast. We have a village to prepare." My face turns down at the chore. This means no time for flying or working on my map.

***

"Ok gang. We have until tomorrow to get the village ready for Roarin. That means no fooling around. No blowing stuff up. No loki-ing. No laying around," I say, ticking everything off on my fingers.

"So in other words, no fun," Snotlout grumbles.

"Precisely." I sigh. "I'm in the same boat as you guys. I don't get to do anything I want either."

"This is awful," Ruff complains.

"Yeah. How are we supposed to go without destroying stuff or loki-ing? That's all we do," tuff says.

"So, we need to split up to get work done faster. I halved the chores and wrote them on a list," I tell them. "Fishlegs and Snotlout, you're with Astrid. Twins, you're with me." I did it this way so that I can keep a close eye on Ruff and Tuff.

***

About half way through sweeping the academy, the twins plop down on the ground. "What are you doing?" I ask, getting frustrated.

"We're tired. It's late afternoon and we've been working all day. We're hungry," Ruff says.

I sigh, dismissing them. I finish the academy by myself.

***

I wake the next morning to my dad's shouts again. "Hurry, Hiccup! They will be here in an hour!" I get dressed quickly, and in an hour, am standing at the docks, watching a boat in the distance.

"How much worse do you think Thurman has gotten?" Astrid asks me.

"I'm just hoping not Dagur bad," I answer.

"True," she says, facing the boat again.

"Thurman is so awesome," Snotlout says to Tuff.

"I know right! He's so destructive."