Mac Bethad

*CHARACTER QUOTE HERE*

Donald Mac Bethad mac Findláích is King of Alba.

## Biography

### Background

Mac Bethad became King of the Scots in 1040, after defeating his cousin Donnchad mac Crínáin in the Battle of Bothnagowan. He is cautious and cognizant of the potential threats posed by the surrounding nations, especially England under Harthacnut and Norway under Magnus the Good.

### Book I

Mac Bethad hears about the Hooligans' domestication of dragons from a traveling bard. He plots on how to bring Berk into an alliance with him, but abandons the idea after learning of their alliance with Magnus. He makes a deal with Mildew to give him a jarlship in exchange for smuggling out hatchling dragons and training them for him.

### Book II

On Mac Bethad's orders, Dagur and his men hunt down Kerr, a man who escaped from Bun Ilidh, the village Mac Bethad granted to Mildew, and planned to inform Berk about the king's secret dragon training operation. Dagur tracks him down in Glenfinnan, and they slaughter not only Kerr but most of the village. When the Hooligans discover the massacre, they are incensed, but respect Mac Bethad's claim that he will punish the perpetrators. He orders the Berserkers to pay weregild to Jacob Rodericksson, heir to the village leader, and takes Jacob as his ward.

Mac Bethad attends the wedding of Cami Berthasdóttir and Merida Dunbroch on Berk.

### Book III

Mac Bethad orders Mildew to travel to Iceland and capture more dragons for him, sending him with thralls and dragon-riding Thingmen. The Hooligans send an expedition to Iceland to find Buffalords, and encounter Mildew. In the ensuing battle, Mildew and all his Thingmen are killed, with the Hooligans none the wiser.

Meanwhile, Mac Bethad has Taskill root out the letters Mildew left behind as insurance, ordering the men holding them killed to keep the secret. They believe they have found and eliminated all of them, but miss one.

Things finally come to a head at the Thawfest of 1043, when Jonna Asgersdóttir recognizes Mac Bethad's spy Gregor Iagansson and arrests him and his compatriots. Hiccup, Astrid, Wulfhild, and Jonna, along with an honor guard of Jomsvikings, fly to Inbhir Niss to confront Mac Bethad with this information. At the same time, Dagur and the Berserkers, who Mac Bethad plans to make dragon riders, have arrived in the town. Mac Bethad admits to sending the spies, but at his wife Gruoch's urging, plans to capture the Hooligans overnight and hold them as hostages. Meanwhile, the last of Mildew's letters makes it to Berk, informing Stoick that Mildew was working for Mac Bethad. Stoick immediately mobilizes the tribe for war, and flies directly to Inbhir Niss. Mac Bethad's plot is upended by Jacob, who overhears him talking to the Berserkers and warns the Hooligans. In the ensuing battle, Mac Bethad faces off against Astrid Hákonsdóttir clan Haddock and Wulfhild clan Haddock, who together kill him. Astrid deals the final blow.

## Relationships

### Gruoch

Mac Bethad's wife Gruoch is one of his closest confidants, and he allows her to listen in on strategy meetings. She pushes him to take a more decisive path, while he prefers to be more cautious. Ultimately, she indirectly causes his death by talking him into trying to capture Hiccup.

## Personality And Traits

Mac Bethad is crafty and always vigilant for threats to his rule. He assumes everyone else thinks the same way he does, and does not understand why Hiccup would do things that have no strategic value to him, or indeed put him at a disadvantage.

## Trivia

Although the famous prophecy from Shakespeare's play doesn't exist in ATOV, Mac Bethad is still killed by "no man of woman born" (i.e. a woman).

1. ↑ Chapter 117: Reverberations From Silence