Tales of Icecadia

Chapter 1: Demons of the Past

Ryka Henderson

Journal Entry: The Silence

Well, it's me again, I find myself writing away on the empty and blank pages of the very book in front of me. It's been almost five months since the battle of Niles Monroe; the peace in the archipelagos remains restored and life on Wenslock has thrived ever since then. The people of my home aren't the same as they once were months ago, no… they are much better. Our once small dragon stronghold, it has become the start of a growing dragon utopia; a wondrous place where Viking and dragon can coexist with each other. I spend my days tending to my chiefly duties, watching over the island and making life better for my people.

I don't know why I still do this everyday, maybe it's my way of staying sane; I write inside of this forsaken book and I don't know what it is that I'm exactly expecting from all of this. When I'm flying through the skies with Luka, or when I'm listening to the ocean waves crash along the sandy shore; it's the same thing every time. It's complete and utter silent that fills around me; it's almost unsettling.

For a five month period, this silence has stuck with me and it's difficult to determine to whether it's a good or bad thing. For a five month period, I have been crowned as chief and I took my father's throne; and yet I begin to wonder. Is my journey finished? I spent my entire life training for this major role in the sake of my father's legacy, and now that I've accomplished this feat. Yet, somewhere deep inside of myself, I can't deny the fact that I have everything I could ever ask for. Yet, there's a part of me that seems to be missing.

Perhaps, this silence is a reminder of what I've become and that there's nothing greater to come my way; or maybe there's something more in store. I pray that the gods will give me something, a sign as to what is to be expected of me. For a five month period, I've battled with the silence that continues to overcome me and it brings me back to writing another page in this book.

~Ryka Henderson

This is Wenslock, time has come and gone for the people of my beloved home; it's been a few months since our battle with Niles Monroe. Things have been peaceful and the people have thrived from dragon healers to full blown dragon riders; with this major evolution at our disposal. We remain with the best defenses of the archipelagos, so much has changed in such an expanse of time; Wolf and Kodi stand side by side at the military base with Kodi as my uncle's second. He's being trained under Wolf's wing to soon become General of Wenslock Military; Kodi is so busy that sometimes I don't get to see him throughout most of the day.

Clarke is an apprentice under Hana and my mother; at her old home (with her mother) Clarke was an student of their local healer and she shadowed the Berserker Island healer for awhile as well. It'll pay to have as many healers for Wenslock as we can get, and Clarke is a natural at what she does; in some cases I can say she's even better than me. Well, in many cases if I'm being completely honest here. She also helps around the dragon healing ward as well, pretty much anytime she isn't working with Hana and my mother.

On some other bright notes, Wolf and Clarke have been spending time with one another; Wolf wants to make up for the time he wasn't around for her. They spend evenings on the beach next to a campfire, just talking to each other. Clarke is slowly warming up to Wolf, she's told be before that he's been more of a father to her that Monroe ever was. I'm just happy that they remain on good terms.

The rest of Team Element are home tending to their chiefly duties and for some now families. Hiccup and Astrid send us Terror mail telling us about how much Lexa has grown since her birth. She remains in good health and she's just the happiest little baby I've ever met. During a visit to Berk a couple months ago, Hiccup and Astrid invited me over to the island to share me a surprise. I am officially Lexa's godmother, I was surprised by this news the first time and I had expected it or prepared for it. Hiccup and Astrid confided to me that they want someone for Lexa to look up to besides her parents. Like myself, Lexa will grow up to be the first female chief of her island.

Berk has never had a female chief before and the eager couple knew that they wanted me to teach Lexa all that I know from my place of expertise. Which isn't much, only a few months in my hands; I haven't even made it a year as chief yet. However, I am honored that they thought someone like me was a worthy choice in mind. Now, I remain stationed inside of the cove, I had finished my tasks early, so I decided to get away for few minutes before my examination with Hana autumn season will soon reach its peak, the trees of Wenslock's forest displays the beautiful colors of fall. The bright oranges clash together with the illuminating yellows and reds. The cool air is crisp, and the green grass fades to a rustic brown. It's peace at its finest.

It's been months since the whole Monroe fiasco, and when Clarke injected the antidote into my veins I was cured. However, my lovely Hana has made me come see her for a monthly examination. She declared that she wanted to make sure that the antidote worked and that I was feeling okay. Even though I tell her than I'm fine, she's convinced that I'm still not fully recovered. I belief that it's a simple concept, you're given the cure and you feel better, but Hana is worried about something more than just former physical pain.

"Hana, you know I love you," I kindly remark with a hint of annoyance. "But I told you before that I'm fine; I have been for months."

Hana doesn't respond right away, she's lost in her crazed mine thinking about so much; when realistically… there's nothing to really to think about. "My sweet child, you were almost killed by a deadly poison and I know that Clarke physically healed you…" Hana trails off from her sentence as if to stop herself from saying too much.

The two of us just sit inside the living room of her house, as we share a few moments of silence and again the silence is lingering around me again. Hana takes the arm of my long sleeve shirt, she carefully pulls the sleeve back; she notes of two needle marks. They are my scars from when Monroe's men injected me with the poison; I have another on my other arm and two other marks on my legs as well. "Do you want to talk about it?"

When she finished her sentence, I immediately release myself from the table that I was sitting on. I quickly pull my sleeves back down as they cover up my arms; I take a deep breath before I finally decide to speak. "There's nothing to talk about."

"I don't know what you may be feeling Ryka, but I promise you that if you hold this in… it'll only make things worse for you." Hana replies with concern in her voice. I hate it when she puts on that voice, it's not my intentions to make more drama into our peace. I just want my people to be happy, "My People, My Responsibility." Those were the words that I recited to myself before I arose as chief. " I told you Hana, I'm fine… I mean sure things happened," I remark. "Clarke cured me and I'm better now and that's just that."

I can feel Hana's eyes fixate on me, I know that she means well but I can't dwell on this right now. There have been signs around the entire archipelagos, signs that winter is coming early and with our resources island halfway destroyed. It'll put a dent into our survival of the cold season; "Hana, I'll be fine and besides we have bigger problems;" I reply. "Hiccup and Rutless will soon be here and I need to prepare for the summit meeting for when they arrive." I swiftly put on my chief attire, my father's armor and shoulder pads that shine of our family's colors. I kindly embrace Hana as I head on out the door.

My Woolly Howl dragon, Luka is outside of the household as he was waiting for me to finish. When he sees that I've returned, he greets me with a lick to my face; "Haha, it's nice to see you to bud," I kindly laugh for he's really the only person I can handle right now. I appreciate that my friends and family care so much about my well being; but they can't seem to accept the fact that I'm cured and there's nothing more to it. I know that they think that I'm mentally scarred, but that's not true. I dealt with the worst of the poison when it was inside of me and I was slowly losing my mind. I instantly felt better the moment that the medicine was in my bloodstream; I suddenly felt lighter and the pain had just subsided. "Come on Luka, let's go."

When Hiccup and Rutless returned from their travels, we immediately began the summit meeting; Mala, Dagur, Wolf, Clarke and Kodi joined us as we began to discuss important measures. "I say we travel to this island, if it has the resources we need in order to survive the winter; that's all the more reason to go." Mala remarks with precision.

"Okay, are we just going to ignore the fact that we still have an entire island that has all the resources we need; and why do we need to travel so far when we can try something that's closer?" Dagur requests firmly.

"Yes Dagur, but have you forgotten that our island endured a serious wildfire that nearly took out majority of our resources; food, medicine." Hiccup replies. "This island is far but it has everything our island had and even more of the supply."

"Okay, so it's worth it time in travel, but have you checked the island for any sign of civilization? Because we can't just take from an island if its resources are already owned by a village of people." Wolf states resolutely.

"We've scouted the entire island and there was no sign of anyone living there, other than a couple of dragons' nests on the far side of the island; it's pretty much deserted." Rutless confirms firmly.

"The amount of medical supplies that we can gather will be enough for all of our people to survive. Our best bet is to take what we can before someone else finds the island." Clarke remarks with seriousness in her voice.

"I kind of have to agree with Dagur on this one, are we just going to forget about our resource island, since it suffered greatly from that wildfire. The question still remains;" Kodi speaks in contrast. "How long will we be taking from this island?"

"For as long as it takes," I begin to speak; throughout most of the conversation I have just been listening to everyone, but now it's my turn to say something. "I understand that we're all scared, and unsure about these turn of events and I won't lie this will be the hardest season that we'll face. We'll gather supplies to last us at least a year, just until our island replenishes itself. " I pause for a moment before I finish my speech. "Winter is coming early and we need to be ready for it. We are talking about the survival of our people and we do what have must in order to keep them alive. Our people, our responsibility."

The rest of the group register what I spoke and it wasn't long until we all agreed to traveling to the island for its resources. "We'll send teams to gather the supplies before the first snow storm hits." Hiccup encourages and by the time the summit was finished we had chose who makes the first trip.

"Are you sure you don't want me to tag along?" Kodi questions; we stand outside of my house as others were saying there goodbyes. "I can be an excellent member on the team."

I kindly laugh at his gesture, "No, I need you and Wolf to stay here and tend to things while I'm gone." We exchange a quick kiss on the lips, I can feel my cheeks blush and when we pull away I softly giggle. "But I appreciate the offer, I know that you can handle things until I return."

Kodi kisses me on my lips one last time, "Safe travels and be careful."

Afterwards my mother and Hana come to see me off, "You know you don't have to go on this trip," my mother remarks. I answer her with a simple hug and I speak to her in her ear.

"Yes, I do have to and you know that," I offer her a warm smile. "This is what it takes to make sure our people stay alive this winter; along with the rest of our allies."

"You're right Ryka, just be careful please."

"Don't worry Mom, I'll come back home I promise."

Hana speaks one thing to me, "Ryka, you are strong in so many ways, but a wise women isn't strong because she held it together. She is strong because she knew when not to. I hope that during this journey you learn that lesson."

After that we exchanged our hugs and nothing else was said, before I know it I'm ready on Luka's saddle and the ocean's horizon is all that I see. "Guru," Luka purrs with encouragement, I gently pet the top of his head.

"We can do this Luka." My team of friends are set to go, Clarke is tagging along on this trip because of her medicine expertise and we can use someone like her out there. And just like that we are off in the sky as we get ready to embark a new journey ahead of us.