Secrets of The Dragon Riders (HTTYD Fan-Fic)

Chapter 40 - War of the Archipelago

CHAPTER 40 - WAR OF THE ARCHIPELAGO

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*BERK*

The dark clouds above them told them everything they needed to know.

It was an ominous sign because the ships were on the horizon.

The ships were fast arriving. The dragons were ready and doing what they can to delay them.

Eret was escorting those unable to fight – young and old- underground through the castle as he came to his wife and son. "You have to go underground with him..." He touched Isaak's head. "I have to make sure you are safe."

The Haldanes were making their way underground, Gawain and Eoghan choosing to stay. "Come Heather..." Joan said, offering her hand to her. "We have to go before the ships arrive..."

Heather looked at her son and shook her head. "No..." She kissed Isaak gently and then handed her son to the Queen. "You will take him and take care of him. I am needed up here."

"Heather, you are too weak to fight..." Eret said as Heather turned to him.

"Even if I cannot fight, my skills are still required. I'll help in any way that I can. Defending the Great Hall, curing the injured..." She said, taking his hands as Eret looked at Joan and gave her a single nod.

She took Isaak and her own young children, down underground. "We will see him..." Eret said, taking his wife's face in his hands. "I promise you, we will both see him and each other again!"

Heather nodded, holding back tears as she and Eret kissed.

"Eret!" Snotlout called from the Great Hall doors and the couple pulled away before departing, hopefully not for the last time.

***

Fishlegs and Ruffnut with Meatlug and other Gronckles were checking the defenses on the far end of the island and telling the dragons to stay put in their own look-out posts to signal if anything goes wrong.

"That's all of them..." Ruffnut said. "We should get back to the plaza."

Fishlegs nodded as they made their way back through the woods. "Ruff...I..."

"No..." Ruffnut shook her head and faced him. "No goodbyes or last wishes and promises..." Fishlegs looked at her. "We are going to win this and you and I are going to go back to our lives as if nothing happened, agreed?"

"But if we don't?" Fishlegs asked. "What if we don't win? This is bigger than anything we've ever experienced before so what if..."

"No!" Ruffnut grabbed his face. "We always win, and we will win this..."

They hugged, the sounds of the foghorn from the docks blowing.

"They're here..." They both said together.

"So, let's win this!" They held hands and made their way back to the plaza.

***

Snotlout was in the forge, making quick repairs to weapons with Gobber as they stocked up the arsenal and handed over swords, arrows, axes and shields to the villagers gathering.

"Snotlout," Matilda called through the crowds and he noticed her, nudged for her to meet him around back.

"Gobber...hold the fort!" He said and he obeyed as Snotlout ran to the back of the forge. "You should be underground with your family!" Snotlout said to Matilda as he faced her.