Dragons: The New Chief

Chapter 14: Trader Johann

"Trader Johann is here!" Someone yelled.

Hiccup perked up, looking towards the sea from his spot on the Thortson household. The roof had somehow grown a hole in it over night, which resulted in a snowy living room. So, as the last thing of his long list of to-dos as chief, he had to fix it. He did, however, get Tuffnut to help him.

"Maybe he found Macey!" Tuff yelled, standing up and jumping off the roof into a snow drift.

Hiccups eyes bugged out. He crawled to the edge of the roof and saw two legs sticking out of the pile. A head popped out, giving the chief a sigh of relief.

"Remind me to do that again!" He yelled.

Hiccup shook his head, pounded in the last nail and then climbed down the ladder. After checking off the last thing on his liste he called to Toothless, who arrived a second later.

"Hey bud, we need to get to Johanns boat. I want to see if he has some things for the project I was telling you about last night." He said, rubbing the black dragons head.

Toothless lolled his forked tongue out happily. His rider would not stop talking about the ring, what it was going to look like and how worried he was about proposing. How would he do it? Where would he do it? All of them were voiced to the chiefs companion. Sure it got a little redundant and annoying, but he was happy as long as his rider was. He knew how perfect he and Astrid were for each other.

"Come 'on bud!" Hiccup called, jogging off.

Toothless bounded joyfully behind him, all the way down to the docks. Most had already come and gone, since a lot of the villagers just like to chat or quickly browse Johanns wares rather than full on shop with him.

"Okay, bud, you keep and eye out for Astrid, got it?" Hiccup asked.

The dragon grumbled and sat at the edge of the docks, watching his rider approach the boat.

"Hey! Master Hiccup!" Johann called. "Long time no see, huh? Where is your father? I have something that he asked me about last time I was here."

Hiccup grasped his arm, just below the elbow, with the traditional viking hand shake.

"My father is, um...gone, Johann." Hiccup said in a monotone voice.

"Oi, when will he be back then?" The trader said, unaware of the true meaning of gone in the situation.

"He's not." Hiccup said solemnly. "He's gone...gone."

"Oh...a thousand pardons, Hiccup. I'm sorry, he was a great man."

"That he was."

"Does that mean I am speaking with the new chief?" Johann asked, trying to lighten the mood.

Hiccup smiled lightly. "Why yes."

"Haha, and the village still lives!" Johann said, clapping him on the shoulder.

"Yep, i guess i was wrong when I said that I would end up destroying the place when I become chief."

Johann waved his hand in the air, causing light to reflect off a jewel on his finger.

"What's that?" Hiccup asked, pointing to the object.

"This?" Johann asked, removing the ring.

Hiccup nodded.

Johann handed him he piece. "My wife made that for me, incredible lady. Skilled at the forge unlike anyone else, except for you of course..."

"Whats the jewel?" Hiccup asked, inspecting the translucent gem.