Burke had flourished under Hiccup as their chief. The people cheered for him and this victories, there was no war, no famine, no problems on the island. He had restored the town to victory and the people were happy and lived peaceful lives.
That was until I came.
It had been cold, I was held prisoner on a ship. I had been flying when I was captured by these barbarians, they were cruel and harsh. While I was shackled, they tried to size up my worth, if they should sell me or keep me as a personal slave. I understood their language, but it was not my native tongue, it was English. I had been forced to learn when I was younger, but had no need to ever use it, but even though I understood them I never spoke. They were not from here, they did't know who I was. They did not know I was Nerst, daughter of Gincr and princess of Vallancia. I tried my best to break free, using my inner magic, but it was useless without my dragon, Xiir, by my side.
They held me for months, in a dark room chained as we sailed the ocean, but I had no way to send word to my father. My powers were weak without Xiir and I was feeble due to lack of food, water and sunshine. In those days I thought of my father, what he was doing, where he was, if he was still looking for me or thought me dead. I thought of my sisters Epol, Cmob, and Lrett. Lrett was such a fierce warrior, I know she would battle any one to find me where ass Epol and Cmob were more gentle and fit the title of princess better. I also thought of Taroc, he was the one I was betrothed to, he was my heart. He was like Lrett, a fighter and I know he was still looking for me, no matter how long I had been gone.
Until one day we docked, I felt the boat hit the shore, but that wasn't unusual, we docked often. What was unusual was when they came to my cell and took me from the shackles and dragged me onto the shore.
I was blinded by the sun, it burned my skin and my legs had not been used in so long I collapsed under my own weight. I laid in the cold dirt until I heard here, Xiir. She roared ferociously and my head whipped to see her. At first it was all white, then I saw some green and blue, until the rest of the colors blended and I saw her. My heart shattered at her appearance, she was chained to a long board, I could see the strain it put on her as the the iron cut into her scales. At least the few she still had, they had skinned her, taking her scales and leaving her bloody and broken. She looked so weak and tired, so defeated and I cried for her. They had been torturing her this whole time, the rage built up side me. I stood shakily and lunged at one of my captors, he easily tossed me aside and I screamed a curse at him.
"Iko solo rek tre me colo!" [Translation: "Your soul is buried with hate"]
He laughed at me, not know what I had said, it was curse. A curse my people used against those who were dead on the inside and had no life left to give the world. I had cursed him to die. As they laughed I looked at my darling Xiir, she was in such pain, I wanted to heal her, but I couldn't reach her.
"Why is she in chains?"
I look up and saw a man with red and brown hair and beard, he was tall with sharp green eyes and he looked angry. He was not one of my captors, he was no one I had seen before.
"She was arrested for attacking us. She tried to kill us all, but luckily we overcame her and her dragon."
The man looked at Xiir and his eyes went wide, like he had never seen a dragon before in his life. He was frozen, I wasn't sure if it was due to her being a dragon or because of her extreme torture.
"A nightfury...," he whispered and stepped closer to her.
"NO!," I jumped up to stop him, but my captor knocked me down again.
"Enough!," he spat on me then kicked me in the stomach.
I curled up in pain, trying to keep myself from tears.
"We come to you, Chief Hiccup, to see if she is one of yours. We all know the tales of the Dragon City, and we thought she maybe one of your Riders."
I opened my eyes to see the man looking at me, he looked sad, I felt his pity.
"Yes," he said. "She is one of my Riders."
My captor chuckled," Well, I'm happy to give her back to you, Cheif... for a small fee." All of the other men laughed too.
"Fee?," the man questioned.
"She did try to kill me and my crew," he lied. " And we brought her back to you unharmed."
The man turned to me again, I could see himself questioning if I was worth it until he agreed to pay my captor my for my release.
"Excellent," he grinned. "Come with me and we shall discuss the details. The girl is 1,000 but the dragon is 5,000."
I shifted to see Xiir, she was laying motionless with her eyes closed. I hadn't been his close to her in months and I could feel her energy. She was weak, but her magic was still there. I absorbed it slowly, feeling the magic flow through me, but I made sure to not drain her completely. I stood up again, this time my legs felt strong and I was prepared to make them pay for all they had done to Xiir and for all they had done to me. I let my magic release and a bolt of electricity stuck the large ship that was docked and it burst into thousands of flaming pieces.
Most of my magic was gone, just from that one single attack, but I refused to let them leave with there lives after seeing the harm that had done. One by one I shot at them, they were screaming and running away from the burning wreckage. The whole scene was madness, but one by one they were knocked down. Lastly, I saw the captain, the one who tried to negotiate my release by lying. His eyes were fearful and they had the right to be so, he knew what was coming.
"Tre iko solo," I said darkly as I shot the fatal blow to his chest. He fell instantly, now lifeless like the rest of him men. [Translation: "Bury your soul."]
I was weak, but I was not ready to give in. I stumbled to Xiir who flinched at my touch.
"Ike swli. Cir fbio ikos yxer iko. Ike swil, fro triffe. Ik ric tiol iko," I spoke softly as I cried.[Translation: My beauty. How could they do this to you. My beauty, don't worry. I will heal you.]
I cradled her head gently before moving to her chains and breaking them with magic. The ground irrupted beside me, I shrieked and hid to see it was the man from earlier, he had been called Cheif. He was not alone, there were many behind him, all armed with dragons of every race, all ready to fight me. My eyes were drawn to beside him and I could not trust what I saw.
"Valla...," I whispered to myself. [Translation: "A nightfury..."]
A/N: Valla is the term used by Nrest and her people for a Nightfury.
"We don't wish to hurt you!," the Chief bellowed.
"Ract Ik!" I yelled in return and I went back to freeing Xiir. [Translation: Leave me!"]
The Chief stepped forward and I stood up, ready to attack him. I was weak, on the verge of collapsing, but I would not let myself be taken again. I would never let Xiir be hurt again. I would lay down my life for her, defend her until the end and I was ready to do so now. He held up his arms, a form of surrender.
"We don't want to hurt you."
I knew what he was saying, just like the other, I could understand. His eyes were calm, his hands steady, I looked him over and noticed he was missing a foot. It was replaced by metal, it was an odd sight to see, but I did not linger on him, my eyes were drawn to his Valla.
There shouldn't have be a Valla here, they were all home, safe. How could it be here? It does not belong. I looked back to the man, he seemed to be kind, he had offered to save me from those other men. But he could be just as bad. Even worse.
I moved to a defensive poistion and he stopped walking to me.
"I don't want to hurt you. We want to help, okay?"
"Cir yx iko qa Valla?" [Translation: How do you have a Valla?"]
"I promise, no harm will come to you," he inched closer.
I didn't want him to know I could understand. I chose not to tell him in his language, because I didn't want him to gain power. If he knew nothing, then it meant I knew everything. I did not trust him.
Beside me Xiir whined and I moved to shield her from the Chief. He stopped coming closer, but kept his hands open and out so I could see. He wanted me to trust him, but I did not, how was I to know he was different then the others. I looked away from him and to Xiir and my lip quivered at her sight, she had been so strong and fierce once and now they had condemned her to this suffering.
I moved to unlock the rest of her chains and the Cheif startled me by approaching me too quickly.
"Ectre!," I said and shot a bolt at him. It sent him backwards, but was not fatal, I was too weak. It was merely a painful blast.
The crowd beyond him roared and the Valla shot his flame at me. I jumped over Xiir and avoided the flame, but it struck her. Normally she would be unaffected but since she was stripped it burned her and she cried out in pain.
"No! No Stop!," The Chief called and the crowd settled. The Valla stopped but Xiir moaned in agony and I instantly felt sorrow and stroked her head soothingly. She leaned into my hand, happy for my touch, but she was still tied to the board.
"Plr ood ze," I whispered to her and I broke the final chain.[Translation: Almost done."]
Xiir relaxed onto the board and cried loudly, being free of the pressure was still painful to her fresh exposed skin. I kneeled in front of her and leaned my head against her and the tears fell down my face.
"Ik makto. Ik makto, ike swil." [Translation: I'm sorry. I'm sorry, my beauty."]
"Please, we don't wan to hurt you. Don't attack."
I broke from my dragon and saw the Cheif standing there, one hand gripping his chest, trying to soothe the pain from my blast with his Valla crouched in front of him to defend.I stood and stepped toward them, the Valla snarled but I didn't notice.
The tears were streaking my face as I begged him to heal her.
"Ywre! Ywre tiol iki! Ywre, de jiop en tiol iki! Fro iko dsa ik?" [ Translation: Please! Please heal her! Please, use magic and heal her! Don't you hear me?"]
"We aren't going to hurt you, we want to help," he spoke calmly and inched closer to me.
I realized he did not understand, so I racked my brain for Englsih. It had been years and I had never really paid attention to my lessons.
"N..Now. Now! Now!," I shouted at him. I remember now was used when something was important and this was important. Then I used his own words. "Help! Help, Now!"
"Help?," he cocked his head slightly.
"Now!," I turned and pointed to Xiir.
I let him walk up to us and he looked at her carfully, but never touched her. His Valla came too, and sniffed her cautiously while I stood aside and panicked. Use you're magic, you idiot! Save her!
"How could someone do this," I heard him say as he inspected her and the he turned to me, "We have a medic here. She might be able to help."
"Jiop! De Jiop!" I shouted at him frustrated. I could not remember the word for 'Jiop' in English and it was so frustrating. [Translation: "Magic! Use Magic!"]
"We're going to help you," he reassured me and then turned to the crowd. "Get Agnar!"
He is useless! She is losing life! I pushed the man aside and his Valla snarled at me once more. I placed my hands carefully on Xiir, not wanting to add to her pain and felt the magic slip out of my fingertips.
"Tiol... Tiol... Gfvg... Tiol... Gfvg...," I slowly moved my hands down her side and felt the magic drain from within me. [Translation: Heal... Heal... Restore... Heal... Resotre..."]
My eyes started to drop, but i saw he scales regrowing and covering her thin skin and I pressed onwards. My body was quivering, our shared magic was gone, but I still pushed to heal her. My body protested, but I needed to save her from this misery. I feel to my knees, all energy and magic drained, with nothing left darkness surrounded me.