For Milady

THIRTY THREE: Repercussions

THIRTY THREE: Repercussions.

There was a moment of silence, broken only by the crackling of the fire and pop and hiss of the cooking roasts...and the low, drawn out growl of the Night Fury.

Immediately, Kjetil walked forward, his heavy brows dipped as he looked to his men-and the stationary shape of the auburn-haired Viking. The Chief raised his hands to calm the suddenly ugly mood.

"Easy," he said firmly. "Jorgen, Elof, Tor-sheath those weapons! These people are our guests..."

"That man attacked all the Hunter ships and sank them!" the first man-Jorgen-exploded. His rugged face was scarred down the left cheek, his dark eyes narrowed. "I watched him and the dragon blast the ships without mercy, long past the point when they were subdued..."

"Sorry-are we talking about Hunters?" Snotlout asked directly. "The people who capture and kill dragons, who use them for skins and meat and-and as forges to produce metal? The guys who tried to kill us more times than I can count? Are we really worried about what happens to these guys?" The former hunters stared at him.

"Why you stumpy..." the second man, Elof, began. He was a tall, husky guy with close-cropped reddish hair and deep brown eyes. Dagur was on his feet in an instant.

"Snotnose is correct," he said, his voice a low growl. His finger stabbed at the three men. "What about the crimes you have committed-you and your kind? Attacking our dragons? Attacking the Edge? Attacking Berk? Capturing the dragons? Fighting them? Shooting Astrid down and leaving her to die in the ocean?" There was a gasp from the villagers as the blonde rose, her eyes flaring with fury. Her hand moved and her axe whipped forward, the razor-sharp blade pointing at the accusers.

"Have you idiots forgotten that these men are Hunters-the same people who raided your village on and off for years?" she hissed, her eyes locked on the men as she slowly advanced. "The same people I killed and drove off? So are you going to listen to the same dragon dung and demand I was executed for protecting you from them stealing, killing and enslaving you?" She advanced further and the men backed away. "We have fought Hunters for a couple of years because they threaten everything we hold dear. And my boyfriend is our leader and the man who has suffered most at your hands."

"I thought we were Vikings," Hiccup said suddenly. "And Vikings don't whine about deaths in a war. And we are at war with the Hunters. "

"We are Dragon Riders and we protect people and dragons alike!" Heather announced, standing proudly.

"How many dragons have you killed for skins?" Ruff snapped, never forgetting what Ryker had planned for Barf'n'Belch.

"Or enslaved?" Fishlegs added, glancing over to Meatlug, who was quietly parked by the fire.

"Yeah-pretty weak that you start accusing H when you have been forgiven your crimes and allowed to join the tribe!" Tuff commented pointedly. But the third man, Tor-who was solid and blonde-stabbed a finger towards Hiccup.

"You don't understand!" he yelled. "This man-this monster-has terrorised the entire Hunter community! He has attacked and sunk every ship he could find, showing no mercy! He was the reason we quit..."

"Which is the reason why you are here today," Kjetil reminded them. "And yes it is true that your kind raided us, stole our food and killed our people for years-but you sailed here and begged for a chance...which is what you have been given. But don't mistake that as wiping the slate clean!"

"But that man terrorised us all! And he did kill without hesitation and without mercy!" Elof insisted angrily. "I saw him blast helpless men when they wouldn't answer his questions..."