Two.

"Me," Hiccup said in a faint voice. "He's saying I must have tried to kill you, Dad."

Gobber glanced up and his expression gave Hiccup no comfort at all. Gobber had known him all his life and he looked more than half convinced. The others, clustered around, all looked totally convinced. Hiccup looked up into a sea of unfriendly and accusing faces, hard eyes inspecting the skinny boy and hands hovering over weapons.

"We at least should search the boy's room," Ulvang added the murmurs of approval of the others.

"And what will you find there?" Stoick asked heavily. "He has a knife: we all do. His dragon is obvious."

"Maybe poison?" Lars suggested. Hiccup felt his skin grow cold and he stared at the elders. This was an absolute nightmare, his world collapsing around him as he watched. Everything that happened seemed to make him look more guilty and he could guess what was going to happen now. Even though no sane poisoner would keep the evidence in his bedroom!

"Follow me!" Ulvang shouted and led the crowd of villagers back up to the Chief's house. Hiccup made to follow but Sven grabbed his arm.

"I think you should stay back!" he said. Hiccup struggled as his father and Gobber followed the crowd up the hill. Hiccup was held back as they poured into the house and began to tear his room apart:scattering his papers and diagrams, overturning his bed, turning out his cupboard and ripping through his notebook and the Bork papers. He winced and then he heard the sounds of murmuring. Sven was shouted and he found himself dragged up the stairs like a prisoner. He paused and stared at the chaos of his room.

It was worse than he had imagined and he glanced painfully at the Bork papers. They were scattered and he longed to pick them up and look after them. He cast a glance at Gobber, asking their former custodian to help him out but the man wouldn't meet his eye. Lars showed him something: a tiny ink bottle he had got off Trader Johan ages before. Hiccup knew it was empty-but Lars brandished it.

"This contains the poison!" he announced. Hiccup gaped.

"What? No!" he said. "That's not possible!" How could you know?

"And this details the attack," Ulvang added, showing his notebook. At the back was a diagram with notes showing the angle of attack for the Night Fury at the Great Hall. Hiccup felt lightheaded with shock. Then Stoick turned to face his son.

"These were found in your diagrams," he said in a grim voice. Hiccup stared at them, scared to even wonder what else they had found. The evidence wes letters from Dagur the Deranged, the Chief of the Berserkers to Hiccup, discussing how Hiccup could kill his father as Dagur had killed his own father, Oswald the Agreeable. Hiccup had always had the unenviable job of keeping Dagur busy during Treaty talks and the boy had suffered a really miserable time at the hands of the deranged Berserker. If anyone, for one moment, thought being almost drowned or used for knife target practice made him Dagur's friend, they were more deranged than the Berserker! Hiccup stared, wordless. "Son..." The tone was absolutely flat and Hiccup realised his father believed the evidence he had found. He knew his father had despaired and despised him for years but he thought his Dad had finally seen what kind of person Hiccup was. Yet now, he seemed far too willing to believe that his son would plot his death. He found his throat was almost too thick to speak.

"Dad-please..." he breathed hoarsely. "I-I would never..."

"Then how do you explain these?" Stoick asked, displaying the letters. Hiccup was shaking his head in disbelief.

"Dagur hates me!" Hiccup told him desperately. "On Dragon Island, he tried to kill me!"

"Which no one witnessed!" Lars added. "Just your word, if I understand. But what it looks like now is that you threw your lot in with the Berserkers. What did he promise you, lad? A Treaty? Rule of Berk? And all for the price of killing Stoick?" Hiccup was shaking his head.

"No," he breathed.

"Son, why couldn't you speak to me?" Stoick asked in a pained voice. Hiccup shook his head and buried his face in his hands.

"This isn't true," he whispered. "Dad, I would never hurt you. You know me! I am your son."

"Dagur was Oswald's son," Gobber put in.

"Not helping!" Hiccup told him desperately. "Please, Dad- this is some kind of mistake..."

"Yes-and I made it," Stoick said in a grim voice. Hiccup ran forward and took his hand in a last, desperate plea. But Stoick shook him off and recoiled from his touch. Hiccup froze, his face absolutely stricken. He felt he could barely breathe and sobs were shuddering through him. Every set of eyes was condemning him now. He stared up into his father's face and saw that he had been convinced. Stoick almost looked through him and he tried to turn but Sven and Lars grabbed his arms. They looked up to the Chief.

"Put him in the jail," Stoick said quietly. "I will pass the sentence later."

"Dad-I didn't do this!" Hiccup managed to choke out. "Please-you have to believe me!" The Chief looked at him coldly.

"As of now, you are not my son!" he announced coldly. "Gobber, get the saddle from Toothless. I don't want him flying away before he can face the penalty for his crimes!"

"But I'm innocent!" Hiccup protested, his face ashen. He struggled as he was dragged away and lifted off the floor. Stoick reeled slightly and blinked hard, once, as he heard the boy taken away, still protesting his innocence.

"I'll pass sentence at sunset," he announced. "Gather the village."

oOo

Hiccup was thrown into the cell and stumbled then collapsed to his knees. He heard the door slam and he slowly clambered to his feet, though his legs felt shaky and he felt numb. It was like some horrible nightmare and he collapsed onto the bed on the cell, throwing his arm across his face in despair. He was truly shocked at what had happened. The 'evidence' found in his room was bad enough but the fact that everyone including his Dad had just accepted the fact that he was guilty had wounded him more than he could say. He couldn't explain how the letters were in his room but he knew that someone had done a fine job in framing him. But his certain knowledge that he was innocent meant nothing because he would be sentenced for treason.

He sat still, hunched in the cold cell and staring at the floor. He would never hurt his father and he had no desire to be Chief. But clearly someone else wanted the job. And he had been separated from Toothless. The dragon could not fly without a rider and Stoick did not want Hiccup escaping on his dragon. With a silent nod to his father's tactical sense, Hiccup bowed his head and buried his face in his hands. If this played out as he guessed, he would never see Toothless-or Berk-again.

He was still sitting there, bowed and hopeless, as they brought his visitors in.

"Hiccup?" It was Astrid, her tone worried. He lifted his head and saw all the other riders through the bars.

"Hey, guys," he said with a wan smile. He rose and walked slowly over to them.

"Is it true?" Astrid asked him urgently. He shrugged.

"Yeah," he said. "They all think I tried to kill my Dad. They found things in my room that they think prove my guilt." He leaned forward. "I didn't do it, Astrid. Please, you have to believe me!" His tone was desperate, his green eyes wide and pleading. She stared at him.

"But the letters from Dagur?" she asked him. He felt his shoulders sag in despair.

"They're not mine!" he protested quietly. "I'd never seen them before today! Dagur hates me, he tried to kill Toothless. And he wants to make my life miserable." He leaned his head against the bars and his voice was hoarse in desperation. "Gods, he spent so many days tormenting me when I was littler and I had to keep him from messing up the Treaty negotiations. I would never side with him against Berk!"

"Get away from the bars!" Ulli growled. He was a burly farmer who was doing duty in the jail and was outraged by the tales of the boy's treason. Hiccup glanced up, not understanding. The man walked forward and shoved the boy back, hard. Hiccup went flying and hit the ground with a bang. He lay still for a long moment then slowly began to sit up.

"Hey-that's not right!" Snotlout told him. Hiccup was the smallest and slightest of the teens and he had a metal leg, making him a little more unsteady on his feet, though he never let it stop him. The violent push was uncalled for. Hiccup lifted his head and slowly got to his feet.

"As I said, everyone believes it," he said quietly. "They have already made the decision, guys. I will be exiled. Toothless will not be allowed to fly. Can you..." His voice trailed off and he swallowed.

"I'll look after him," Astrid promised him. He nodded.

"Fishlegs, I had the Bork papers in my room," he said evenly. "Can you go fetch them and look after them? They were entrusted to me and to the Academy. I guess it will just be the Academy now..." He took a deep breath. "Astrid, I think they're going to send me to Outcast Island." She gasped at his desperate tone.

"But..." She couldn't finish but Snotlout had no problems.

"Where Dagur and Savage will be overjoyed to see you," he said sarcastically. "I bet they have a special cell waiting for you!"

"Thank you, Snotlout," Hiccup said dryly. He had been consciously avoiding thinking about that. "Look, guys-I know I am innocent. Which means that whoever tried to kill Dad is still out there. Keep a watch out. And for the Outcasts and Dagur. I won't give them any help, but I don't know what they will get anyway." He bowed his head. "Please, you have to believe that I would never hurt my Dad or Berk."

"We know," Snotlout said unexpectedly. "You spend all your time with the dragons. You never refuse if anyone asks for help. You do everything your Dad asks. You risk your and our lives to keep Berk safe. You defeated the Red Death and lost your leg in the process." He shrugged. "Look, it's obvious!" he said as they all stared at him in astonishment. "Doesn't mean I don't hate him, though," he added. Then he heard steps and Lars and Gobber arrived. The sun was westering and the light was fading.

"It's time," Gobber said as Ulli opened the door. Hiccup walked out and his arms were grasped as if he was already an Outcast. He stared up at them and then allowed himself to be marched away. The Riders followed.

The rest of the village was assembled in the Great Hall as he was brought in. The Elders were assembled with Stoick in their centre and Hiccup stared at his father with a terrible sensation of loss. He forced himself to breathe as he was hauled up in front of them.

"You have been found guilty of treason," Magnus announced. Stoick did not look at his son. "You have thrown your lot in with the Outcasts and enemies of Berk." Hiccup swallowed and shook his head. He was trembling all over. His guards stood back from him, leaving him alone, facing his Chief.

"It's not true," he said without hope.

"And you shame us by your deceit and cowardice!" Lars added. Hiccup stared at him.

"I'm telling the truth," he insisted. Then he stared at his father. "Dad, I never tried to hurt you. I never wrote to Dagur. I don't know what is happening but I am innocent. Please, please-you have to believe me!" His tone was imploring. Stoick finally looked down at him, his eyes cold and remote.

"Why did you betray me, Hiccup?" he asked his son. Hiccup shook his head.

"I-I didn't," he begged. "You know I am not a coward. You know I would never hurt you. Why won't you believe me?"

"There can only be one sentence for this crimes," Stoick announced in a gruff voice. He was feeling the pain of the situation as well. "You are not my son. You are no longer a Viking of Berk. You are an Outcast!" There were gasps and Hiccup heard Astrid's voice among them. But he felt his legs wobble and sobs shuddered through him. He felt a deep pain in his chest and he stared, dry eyed, at the Elders.

"Dad-no," he breathed. "Please. Please. I am innocent"

"Take him to the ships," Magnus announced. But as they grabbed his arms, he fought and stared up at Stoick.

"What about Toothless?" he asked. Stoick glanced at him.

"I am not handing the Outcasts a weapon," he announced. "He will not fly again, Hiccup. But he will be cared for. That I promise." Hiccup felt his throat thicken. He could not breathe.

"Let me see him," he breathed. But he was hauled out of the Hall and down to the harbour. He gave up struggling and allowed himself to be taken. He couldn't see the riders and a part of him was glad they weren't watching this but he missed saying goodbye to his friends. Then, as they reached the harbour, he saw them-with the familiar black shape sitting neatly between them. He began to really fight then, trying to pull away. "TOOTHLESS!" he cried.

He managed to squirm free and sprinted to the dragon. Toothless jumped up and ran to him and he flung himself onto the dragon. Desperately he clung to the dragon, embracing him and resting his head against the dragon's muzzle.

"I'm sorry, buddy," he murmured hoarsely. "This is all my fault." He heard the clicks of arrows being fitted to bows and he clung tighter to his dragon. They were afraid he would escape and were prepared to kill him and Toothless to prevent that happening. And they never understood he would never think like that. "They won't let you fly because of me. They think...they think..." His throat closed and tears rolled down his face. He buried his face against his dragon's as sobs shuddered through him. "You're my best friend and I'll never see you again!"

"Time to go!" Gobber told him. The blacksmith at least had the grace to look uncomfortable at the whole process and Hiccup gave Toothless one last, extra-hard hug. Then he pulled away. The dragon immediately got up to follow him as he always did and Hiccup felt the pain of that like a knife in his heart. He forced himself to turn and face the dragon.

"You gotta stay, bud," he said quietly, giving the signal. "I'll-I'll be fine..." He stroked the blunt muzzle one more time and then Astrid walked forward to stand by the uncomprehending dragon. He turned and was led into the boat. He glanced up and saw his father at the top of the cliffs. Seeing his son stare up at him, Stoick turned away. Crushed, Hiccup leaned against the prow of the boat, where he was being held and then they pushed away. He stared desolately at the dock and saw his home and his best friend recede into the distance and heard the last despairing roar of his dragon. Finally, he slumped to his knees and sat, huddled, until they finally reached Outcast waters.

They made sure they arrived in full view of the shore and lowered Hiccup in a small boat, then pushed him away. He sat, helpless, as they tacked back to Berk and a ship from the Outcasts launched and sailed towards him. He sat still, his entire gut roiling and hands trembling as the boat pulled alongside and hooks pulled his little boat in. Rough hands grabbed him by the scruff of the neck and hauled him aboard the ship. He was dumped onto the deck and slowly clambered up.

"Well, this is a pleasant surprise-Hiccup!" Savage said. Hiccup forced himself to give an amiable smile.

"For me as well," he said. "Though more of the surprise than the pleasant part." Savage grabbed his arm and hauled him close.

"Dagur will be pleased to see you!" he sneered. Hiccup gave a fake cheery smile.

"How is Dagur? Still Deranged?" Hiccup asked. Savage grabbed him by the tunic and stared into his eyes.

"He'll be very pleased to see you!" he said. Hiccup sighed.

"Oh man..." he murmured.