Home-Bound: Broken Ties

1 - The Decision

Last warning! Read the first book before you read this one.

Enjoy...

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Home-bound still has two meanings.

1. Bound (tied) to the place you call home
2. Bound (headed) towards the place you call home

In this book, Hiccup finds that it is possible to belong to two different places at once, and that when asked to choose one, it isn't as easy as he thought it would be.

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"Dragon!"

The sound pierced the air like a sharp knife, stopping all activity.

"Night Fury!"

"Dragons!"

Stoick was confused. A Night Fury sighting right in the middle of the day?

It was rare for them to see one. Even the raids had become rare, and they never heard the Night Fury's famous whistle during those attacks. It was as if the beast had disappeared out of thin air after that one strange raid on the arena years ago.

The dragon flew just out of range of all of Berk's weapons, including arrows and bolas. When it was just over the coast, it dropped an object, which was tied to a white piece of fabric and fell slowly through the air. The Night Fury turned around swiftly and left.

Helplessly, the citizens of Berk watched and the object, which they had now identified as a small wooden chest, fell perfectly in the center of the town square.

The chest was intricately woven in thin but strong rope and attached to a single piece of white cloth, which had carried it safely down like a feather.

They cut the rope from the chest finding three letters, all of which were handwritten.

One was addressed to Chief Stoick of Berk, another to Gobber, and another written in Latin, to Gothi.

The letters were handed off, but Stoick read his in public, carefully unfolding the paper.

"Dear Chieftain Stoick,

It has come to my attention that a previous contract signed by Admiral Mark Egirium of the Sunian Navy and you five years ago will expire in exactly two weeks time.

To maintain our allied partnership, I have decided to resign the contract on the day after the contract expires.

However, me and my team of four other diplomats will require some things to ensure our safe arrival and stay on your isle.

We ask that when we arrive with our dragons, they are not to be shot down. We ask that you respect our privacy and our decisions to not expose our identity. We need a wide and flat landing spot.