The Blacksmith's Apprentice

Thirty-Five: Fallen

Thirty-Five: Fallen

The twins were sprinting fast through the forest, grateful for once that Astrid had punished them for their mischief by making them run. Ten minutes earlier, they had seen the first Outcast boats pull up onto Thor's Beach and they had done what they had been ordered to do and left. Though they had yelled for their dragon as they had raced back towards the village.

Both the twins had been silent, running furiously until they had broken through the forest and out into the top of the village.

"OUTCASTS!" Britt yelled. "They've pulled up on Thor's beach!"

"We saw four ships!" Odd-Knut added breathlessly. "The first two were already landed..."

There was a pause and Spitelout sighed.

"This isn't a funny prank," he complained.

"It's not a prank!" Odd-Knut retorted. "We were asked to watch out for the Outcasts-because Hiccup knew the watch on Thor's Beach would be dropped as soon as the Chief left the island! And they're here and heading this way!"

"While almost all of the warriors are off the island," Mrs Larson commented, looking up at Spitelout. "What are we going to do?" The man looked over to his wife and daughter and then he smiled.

"We have nothing to fear," he assured them. "My son will be with them. All they will do is restore things to how they should be...no dragons and Snotlout as the Heir to Berk. As long as we don't fight them, there will be nothing to fear."

"Nothing to fear?" Mrs Gunnarson yelled. "They're Outcasts! They were thrown out for committing heinous crimes. Their leader has sworn revenge on the whole of Berk! You have to protect us!" Spitelout shook his head.

"My orders are to remain calm and not to fight!" Spitelout growled. But the twins shared a glance and whistled. Instantly, Puff and Blast appeared, landing protectively in front of the two youngsters.

"And anyone who wants to, can come with us-now," Britt announced. "Hiccup had this planned. He wants the families of the Riders out of the village-and anyone else is welcome..." Spitelout scowled and lunged at the rebellious Gunnarsons but the Zippleback swatted him away with her double tail and growled fiercely. The young girl stared at her mother and sibling. "We gotta go, Mom!" Marta Ingerman stared at Spitelout for a long moment, her cool blue-green eyes scathing.

"Stoick would be ashamed of you-and so would your father," she said and turned away after the twins. Mrs Larson rounded up her younger children and grabbed a shawl, a blanket and a bag of food while Hilde's mother-a solid woman who was an older image of her daughter-hefted a small barrel of salted boar over her shoulder and trudged up the hill. A few of the other mothers with children shepherded their offspring away, trying to soothe them despite the urgency of the situation while Spitelout watched. It was only when Gerda moved that he grabbed her arm and restrained her, his face falling into a cruel scowl.

"Those nobodies can go all they want-but you are standing by my side for the return go our son and his ascension to the Chiefdom of Berk!" he hissed. At his side, Else gave a furious look at her mother, almost as if she was an enemy, but Gerda was unrepentant.

"You really think that Alvin the Treacherous will just let our son be ruler of Berk when it's a prize he has coveted for decades?" she snapped, her eyes shining with anger. "You've sold us out to the Outcasts for your own gain. And that, my husband is called treason!"

"Treason? Now that's somethin' I approve of!" A wheezing voice ran down the Plaza and the small number of remaining Hooligans looked up as Knut the Disappointing emerged, followed by a huge shape with massive wild black beard, scarred face and cruel black eyes. "Ooh, this seems ter be a bit awkward. I thought yer were a welcomin' party fer me and little Snotlout 'ere! Was I mistaken?" Spitelout looked up and forced a grin onto his suddenly-pale face, his blue eyes searching for the stocky shape of his son, who emerged smugly from behind the Outcast leader.