*This story takes place eight years after the events of furry valley, and 5 years after the events in HTTYD2. I've been out of writing for a while, but after seeing the second movie I'm ready to give it a shot and finish a project I once called Curse 13. I've since changed the name and premise of the story and the names of a few characters. All of these are changes I've made to better tell the story I would like to tell. I don't have a schedule for chapter updates, so they could come every day or every week. These stories are the only ones I seem capable of doing well on, so here's hoping for a good one!*
Darkness and snow…that was the only thing to be seen on the isle Berk during the coldest night of the year. It was a time when lights within homes flickered dimly through the thick blizzard snow, and dragons that normally wandered the outdoors were kept inside. Under such harsh conditions hardly anything happened. How could it? When the world outside stood frozen beneath the winds, and not even the owls let out a single lonely cry. Who would wander in such a place?
This night, while no different in look and chill than any winter night that had come before, was strangely silent. The howls of the wind had softened, and the darkness in the distance seemed to have grown absent of its looming presence. It was as if the gods themselves had calmed the noise in preparation for this night, and through the snows and winds came two figures.
It was not uncommon to see a dragon and its rider walking through the streets of Berk, but these particular figures had not been seen there in many years. The rider was tall, and wore a coat of dear skin and rabbit fur, her boots caked in ice and snow. With hair at around a foot long, she kept her head down to keep it out of her face as she and her dragon trudged through the snow. At her side stood what could best be described as a white night fury, a snow flurry from the high mountains of the mainland.
Ember had come home, but she was not alone. At her side, just as strong and dependable as he always was, Marble braced her as they walked together.
Once up the hill she gave him a tender pat on the head and pushed herself up before walking over to the door of the Chieftains home. Two loud knocks was all it had taken to bring someone to the door, and Hiccup was a sight for sore eyes.
"Hiccup…it's good to see you." Ember stated with a smile as she braced against the door.
"E-Ember, what are you doing here?!" Hiccup sounded both confused and alarmed at the sight of his old friend standing in his doorway looking chilled to the bone. "Come in. Astrid, wake up." He called low to avoid waking his youngest daughter. "Astrid!" He called under his breath again before taking Ember by the hand and leading her inside. "It's freezing out there."
Calling Marble in after her, Mia waited for him before Hiccup escorted her to a chair beside the smoldering fire pit. "Thank you…" Turning to peer into Hiccup's eyes, Ember's cheeks turned a light pink with the change of temperature.
"It's not a problem." Looking to Astrid as she stood and walked over, Hiccup could see how worn she was. "Astrid, Ember just came in from the storm." Reaching over and grasping a cup, he paid no mind to Toothless as he too stretched and made his way over to Marble. "She's nearly frozen."
Shaking her head to clear the fog, Astrid walked over and stood at Ember's side, draping a blanket over her and kneeling down next to her chair. "What were you doing out in a storm like this? You lived here once. You know how harsh it can be out there."
For a moment Ember did not answer, but instead watched Astrid with a smile before reaching out and cupping her cheek in her hand. "Astrid. I heard the bad news…and I am so sorry for your loss." Seeing the look on her face only ripped at her heart strings before being handed a glass of warm tea by Hiccup.
"These things happen…she was too early to this world." Astrid stated in a small, broken voice. "There was nothing we could-." A few tears slipped down her cheeks, and collected on her chin as she held Ember's hand to her cheek.
"I know…and that's why I'm here. In a sense I suppose." Taking back her hand and looking over to Marble, Ember caught Toothless sniffing at the saddle bags and smiled before her companion walked happily over to her.
Watching as she whispered a few things to the dragon, Hiccup grew more and more concerned about the chill rising in the room. "Why? What couldn't wait for another day?"
"Well…Hiccup if you must cut to the chase." Pulling away the blanket she revealed that the majority of the frost had melted, however a patch remained over her hip and abdomen.
Reaching in, Hiccup pulled back her jacket to reveal a deep gash that seemed to be turning her body to a deep blue ice of sorts. "What happened…? Who did this to you?!" His shout was louder than it perhaps should have been, and looking to Astrid he cursed to himself as their daughter began to cry from up the stairs. "I'm sorry."
"No, I'll take care of it. You help-"Astrid was stopped by an icy hand on her wrist, and looking down she found it grasped tightly in Ember's hand. "Ember I-"
"Please…" The ice was spreading quickly now, and looking to the dragon she pointed to the satchel on his right side. "O-open the satchel Hiccup. Please you must hurry, there isn't much time…and there is much to tell you."
At her request, Hiccup opened the satchel and looked inside. To his amazement and deep confusion there was an infant inside, bound and warmed by the same material with which Embers coat was crafted. "I-I don't understand."
"You don't have to…its better you do not know until the time is right." Pulling a letter out of her pocket with a frost covered jewel bound with steal and leather, Ember placed them atop the swaddled infant. "I-I need you to care for her."
"No, no, you're going to be around," Hiccup insisted as his mother walked into the room and held her hands to her mouth. "We'll get a doctor, we can fix this."
Valka had been asleep in another room closer to the back of the house, and walking over she stoked the fire and saw to Marbles saddle and side bags. "Hiccup, what's going on?"
"You two stay here…I'm going to get a doctor." Hiccup started to head for the door before he too was grasped by Embers free hand. "Hiccup…listen. Please, I need you to do this for me." Ember knew this was hard for both he and Astrid, this being the first time they had seen one another in several years. "I need you to take care of her for me ok? A-and look after Marble."
Speaking seemed to prompt a confused snow flurry into licking her cheek and climbing onto her lap as best he could. "H-hey boy. You're my best friend, and I-I trust you." Her lip quivered as she spoke, and looking up at him she dearly hoped this would not be the last time she looked into those green eyes. "Look after her for a while ok?" He gave a low confused whine before she closed her eyes and kissed his snout. "I'm sorry Marble…"
Sitting back in her chair, Ember gripped the arms and did her best to sooth her pain without screaming. Over half her body was now solid ice, and turning to Astrid she bit her lip. "The letter, don't open it until she turns 18, and d-don't let her too far out of your sights." Looking over at the infant she smiled as Valka took to seeing after the crying child up stairs. "Don't let her miss lessons, or eat too much sugar ok? No dating until she's old enough, and…make sure she's warm."
Handing the child over to Astrid, Hiccup ripped his arm away and walked hastily for the door. "I'm getting a doctor. This isn't going to happen after not seeing you for this long!" Taking a coat he pulled it on before everything suddenly grew quiet from behind, a gasp escaping Astrid's lips. Turning back he was met by what looked to be an ice statue of the girl he'd met so long ago, sitting with a smile on her face after freezing completely solid in his chair. "Ember…"
Marble had a fit with this, and circled with frantic roars before the infant in Astrid's arms began to cry out. He didn't understand what had happened to his rider, and licking her hand he gained no response. Not even a dozing sigh as she normally would give during a nap.
"Hiccup…is she…" Astrid questioned, unfamiliar with this occurrence.
Taking a moment to absorb everything that had just happened, the chieftain slumped against the door and looked over at the ice that now made up Ember's body. "I think so…" Closing his eyes he allowed his head to sink back and hit the door.
They hadn't listened, and whatever information Ember might have had…whatever questions she could have answered, would now be lost to only her… At least for now.
"The letter." Astrid pointed out as she unwittingly rocked the infant in her arms. "We could-"
"No…whatever is in that letter, is meant for that kid's 18th birthday." Looking to the baby he watched Astrid place the letter and stone on a table before shaking his head.
"The name on the card reads Mia." Astrid stated before smiling down at the child and gently kissing her head. It had been the name of an old friend who had died defending the last known herd of Night furies several years before, and knew it had been the name Ember had wanted to give her first daughter.
Looking over, Hiccup smirked a bit. "Mia…well that's it then. I know she's not-" He stopped speaking when he saw how quickly Astrid took to caring for the baby, and closed his eyes. "Ember…" A surprise bump to his leg caused him to open his eyes, and looking down he was taken out of despair for a moment and called for his mother who came down from the upstairs bedroom quickly with his eldest daughter Raine in her arms.
"By Odin's beard…" Valka walked over and handed the child off to Hiccup before taking a peculiar hatchling in her arms and doting over it. "My, I've never seen a night fury so young before." She stated looking at the tiny hatchling with a smile as she turned around and was immediately greeted with the sight of the girl from before, frozen solid. "Oh…oh my goodness…"
The situation was unfortunate, and no one really knew what to say. However that didn't stop them from wondering what had led to all of this, and what it would mean for the future.