Warnings: Rated T for possible language and dark themes.
Disclaimer: I claim no copyright ownership to the How to Train Your Dragon franchise or any recognizable characters depicted by DreamWorks or Cressida Cowell. However, the original character(s) and unrecognizable plots are my own.
"'Cause there's gotta be something out there,
If I fly high enough I'll find it somewhere,
So I'll hold my breath 'til I float away,
Maybe I'll come down someday."
Chapter One
She was scared and alone.
At first she'd been running to get away. She could still smell the smoke in the air, could hear the cries echoing off in the distance as the mongrels pillaged and destroyed everything in their path. Those who weren't claimed by the fires were captured. Those who weren't captured were struck down. She was still small, you see, so she was able to slip out unnoticed through a window in the back of her house.
She made for the forest behind the village and didn't look back, tears streaking her cheeks and fear gripping her heart. She ran until she couldn't hear them anymore and then she kept running because she didn't know where to go. She figured if she kept going they wouldn't be able to find her but mongrels rarely stayed in one place very long. Once they emptied a town they moved onto the next, leaving nothing behind except ash and despair. At least, that's what the stories told.
She ran until she couldn't run anymore and then she collapsed onto a bed of grass between two tall pines, choking on her breath. Her legs felt numb and her lungs burned as she curled up. Her eyes were red-rimmed from the crying but she was dehydrated now so there were no more tears left. It didn't quell the sadness inside her and as she laid there she thought of her mother and father, knowing even in her naivety that she would never see them again. It left an emptiness inside her, a hurt she knew would never go away. She'd never experienced loss before because she was so young. She didn't know the casualties of war, of needless violence and greed no matter how much her father warned her about them. She wasn't angry because she didn't know who to be angry at. She didn't understand it.
It was still dark when she lifted herself up. There was no telling whether she'd fallen asleep or not because her limbs still felt heavy and tired. She couldn't hear anything, not even the sound of birds, and that unsettled her more than the cries. As quiet as she could she took off into the bushes and ran again, this time zigzagging around the north side of their island. She didn't have many survivor skills at the age of ten, if even any, but she knew she was safer off the beaten track in case the mongrels decided to explore the island further.
She kept herself low to the ground, hovering in areas with thick brush until the sun began to color the sky pink and orange. From what she heard mongrels only scavenged at night so when the sky finally turned blue she ran back the way she came. She grew up on this island and had her fair share of running off so she found it much easier to navigate in the daylight. She climbed a steep hill and hunkered down at the top behind a fallen log, peering down below at the remnants of her village.
All that was left were stacks of smoke climbing high over the mountains, buildings burnt to the ground and farms ransacked. It was a shadow of what it once was and she knew now that its thriving energy would exist only in her memory.
Her heart clenched at the sight of her home destroyed and beaten down by faceless people she never got to see. It was a harsh reality to experience so young and it made her tiny heart feel heavy. She'd never been alone before. She didn't know what being alone felt like. The world suddenly felt much bigger, scarier, and she was reminded of how small she really was.
With one last heartbreaking glance she turned and disappeared back into the forest. It hurt to leave her home behind but it hurt even more to stay knowing there was nothing left.
Everything seemed colder now, less bright, and this time she walked down the path nature had carved out of the forest floor uncaring if someone found her. Part of her hoped someone would. Even though she wasn't hungry she feared starvation, knowing that she wouldn't be able to feed herself on her own. She also knew the nights were cool and unforgiving, fleetingly realizing that she got lucky the night before. The fires had warmed the air.
She wrapped her arms tightly around her tiny body and watched her feet as she walked. She didn't stop until morning grew into noon and by that point her feet were sore and her stomach ached. She perched herself on a boulder on the edge of the forest. Through the break of trees she saw the western shore sparkling beneath the gleaming sun, water crashing against the sand in the high tide with salt coating the air. Even though her stomach was cramping up she didn't want to try to eat and instead pulled her bent legs into her chest, wrapping her arms around them and resting her head on her knees.
She stayed that way until dusk thinking about her parents, seeing their smiling faces like wisps of smoke in the evening air evaporating each time she tried reaching out to them. She felt hollow inside like everything important to her, everything that made her her, had been stripped away. Her body felt sluggish from lack of food, her throat parched from not drinking and as the sun set below the horizon she slid down from the boulder and curled up against it, fighting the cold with nothing to cover her arms. The last thing she remembered feeling was a tear sliding down her cheek.
She slept fitfully that night and when she woke her head was hurting and her nose was stuffy. It was no surprise that she'd fallen ill so quickly. A child's body was weak, its immune system still developing and after the trauma of the night before bacteria seemed to have blind sighted her usually active antibodies. That coupled with the fresh heartache left her feeling poorly and she staggered to her feet, slowly making her way down to the shore.
The sun was rising on a new day and she paused a few feet away from the shoreline, gazing out at the horizon with a newfound tiredness settling deeply in her bones.
She was too afraid to starve and the cold didn't take her in the night, but she always enjoyed swimming.
She found the water peaceful and as she looked down at it now it seemed to beckon her. She took a careful step into the water, feeling the chill of the ocean soak through her ratty shoes. She sucked in a breath at this. She didn't want it to hurt… would the cold hurt her? She always thought fire and intense heat caused the hurt.
She took another step in and the water rose to her ankles. It was cold and her body knew it was cold, too cold, but there wasn't any pain. She took another step, and then another, and another until she was waist deep. She paused and stared down at her reflection, seeing her pale face ripple in the surface of the water. She pursed her lips though they were too numb to feel it and she hesitated.
Before she could decide what to do next she heard a whoosh in the air and felt the disturbance in her gut. She quickly looked up and spotted a handful of creatures flying high in the sky, the dawn painted behind them like a tapestry of water color.
She stared wide-eyed as the creatures approached, their massive wings flapping in the wind as they glided down. She was feeling a bit dizzy now and whether it was from the surprise of seeing these great flying beasts or something else, she couldn't tell. She blinked slowly as the largest in front swooped lower and it seemed to be heading in her direction. She rocked forward and just before she fell into the freezing water, the figure splashed a few feet away with a guttural roar.
As she lost consciousness she realized with disbelief that the thing coming after her was a dragon. An actual dragon. And there was a person riding on its back.
"That's it, child. That's it, take your time," she heard a woman's voice say as she stirred awake.
Her body felt sore and frail as she shifted under a wool blanket, feeling something soft and warm beneath her. She blinked a little and it was an effort to open her eyes but when she finally came to she noticed a face resting above her. Despite the fact that she just woke up she felt her heartrate spike as she gazed up in fear at a woman she didn't recognize. She had auburn hair and sun-kissed skin with eyes the color of the sea. There was nothing threatening about her face but looks could be deceiving and she eyed the woman with distrustful eyes as she tried to shake off the disoriented feeling of deep sleep.
The woman must've noticed this for she chided quietly, "I won't hurt you, child."
She didn't respond and instead glanced warily at her surroundings. She was in some sort of room with stone walls resting on all sides and a doorway in front of the bed she laid in. There was a lit candle resting on her bedside and the woman sat next to her on the bed pressing a damp cloth to her forehead.
"You have a fever," the woman explained softly. "You were pale when I found you. It looks like you haven't eaten in days. I made porridge," she gestured to a wooden bowl next to the candle. "Hopefully it will help."
She wanted to say thank you but she was too afraid to speak. She found the woman to be very observant because she noticed this as well and her brows furrowed.
"Do not fear me, child," she said, pulling her hand away with the cloth. "I won't harm you."
There was a pause as the woman dipped the cloth into a pail on the floor. She squeezed the excess water out before returning it to her forehead. It felt cool against her clammy skin and she sighed despite her wariness. There was a ghost of a smile on the woman's lips at this.
"What is your name?"
"Papa told me not to talk to strangers," she replied in a tiny voice. The woman smiled lightly.
"He sounds like a very wise man."
She would've corrected the term from present to past tense but instead she just stared wide-eyed up at the woman.
"Would you prefer if I told you my name first?" There was a moment of silence and then a slow nod. The woman's smile grew. "You may call me Valka. Now, a deal is a deal. What do I call you?"
Again, silence. And then in a small voice,
"Atlas."
"Atlas," Valka repeated, tasting the name on her tongue. Atlas watched with big calculating eyes as Valka pulled another cloth out of the water. After wringing it free she pressed the cloth to Altas's neck. She stiffened up at the contact at first but soon relaxed into it, still watching the woman closely. Valka didn't seem to mind being watched as she rubbed the sweat from Atlas's skin. "I was mapping out the area when I found you. I noticed the village on the south side…"
Atlas looked away.
"You lived there, didn't you?"
Atlas gave an imperceptible nod, a pained wrinkle forming between her eyebrows, and Valka sighed.
"I'm sorry," she said quietly. "People are cruel. Are you the only one that escaped?" Another nod. "Vile creatures, mongrels are. I'm glad I found you when I did. If I'd been a minute later you would have drowned."
It didn't sound like she was reprimanding her. Instead she spoke casually as if discussing the weather. Atlas was grateful for it but at the same time she didn't understand why. Whenever she did something wrong she always heard about it from someone. She wasn't used to not being punished. Shouldn't she have been?
"After you get some food in your belly I'd like for you to rest," Valka said, dropping the cloth back into the pail. She reached around to the table and offered the bowl of porridge to Atlas. She helped her sit up, propping a feather pillow behind her before sitting the bowl in Atlas's awaiting hands.
Atlas stared down at the bowl for a second. It was warm and smelled good and she carefully lifted a creamy spoonful to her mouth, taking a cautious sip. It soothed her throat and rested warmly in her stomach and she perked up, the rest of her bites greedy and quick. She didn't realize until then how hungry she was and before she knew it the bowl was empty. She gave a disappointed huff and Valka chuckled before taking the bowl from her.
"Take it easy. You haven't eaten in a while, I don't want you to make yourself sick," she readjusted the blanket over Atlas and fluffed her pillow before standing from the bed. "Sleep. Hopefully you will feel better the next time you wake."
Valka made to leave the room but Atlas stopped her.
"When you found me," Atlas said, her voice small and hoarse. Valka turned to face her. "You were riding something, weren't you?" Valka waited, an expectant look on her face as if she wanted Atlas to guess. "It was a dragon, wasn't it?"
A slow smile spread across Valka's face.
"Yes, it was."
Atlas frowned. "But dragons are dangerous."
"No," Valka corrected softly. "They aren't. They are perceived as dangerous only because people don't understand them."
Atlas's frown deepened. "How do you know for sure?"
"I just know," Valka said simply.
"How?" Atlas repeated. Valka sighed but she didn't appear annoyed.
"Another time, I promise. But for now, rest. You need to recover your strength. I'll come check on you later."
Atlas watched as Valka slipped out of the room, blowing the candle out in the doorway enveloping the room in darkness, and her mind raced at the woman's words.
Dragons.
She heard tales of the dragons in her village. According to her father they were ravenous animals as much of a threat to humans as mongrels and other vicious, carnivorous beasts her father hunted. And yet here this woman was—who was much smaller than her father, mind you—riding them! Atlas didn't know what to think. She hadn't thought much of dragons before, only that she should be afraid of them. She wondered what it would be like to see one up close. Would they like her? Would she like them?
As she drifted off to sleep she figured that soon, maybe sooner than she thought, she would find out.
As it turned out, she was right.
Valka kept her word and checked on Atlas several times throughout the night. Atlas didn't sleep very well, often waking feeling uncomfortable and drenched in sweat, but when she was asleep it was deep and peaceful. She wondered if that was a result of the herbal tea Valka made her on her second visit. Its earthy scent relaxed her and made her feel less restless and on Valka's fourth visit Atlas was out cold.
That was how it went for three days. Valka prepared Atlas easy meals and herbals teas, limiting her to the room she woke up in and only allowing her to stand when she had to use the restroom or stretch out her legs. Valka was patient with her and slowly but surely Atlas felt her suspicions of the woman wavering. Maybe it was because she was young and naïve but there was something trusting about Valka. She reminded Atlas of her mother in a way she couldn't describe except her mother was no warrior. Even though she knew very little about Valka, she could sense the strength the woman possessed and it made her feel safe.
By the fourth day Valka let Atlas leave her room. Since Atlas wasn't restricted to her bed or the four walls around her, Valka seemed very awkward and unsure of how to handle her. She eventually settled on gripping Atlas's arm lightly in case she got dizzy. Atlas wasn't up to her full strength yet and it showed in the sluggish way she dragged her feet but she didn't care much about that, instead focusing all of her attention on the new sights around her.
She had no idea where they were. The hallway outside her room was open with high ceilings and the view outside the hallway led into some sort of indoor courtyard. Atlas could hear rustling from down below and for the first time since arriving she wondered if other people lived there. Not once had Valka suggested there were other humans occupying her fortress but surely she wasn't completely alone. Atlas's eyes danced over the greenery outside (that wasn't actually outside because she saw some sort of crystalized green roof above their heads) and the massive moss-covered tree trunk nestled in the center.
"What is this place?" she asked in awe.
"A sanctuary," Valka answered. The hallway they were in was circular and seemed to expand all the way around the courtyard. She walked slow as Atlas gazed on in childlike wonder. She'd never seen anywhere like it.
"You really live here?" Atlas asked like she didn't want to believe her.
"Yes," Valka said lightly. "For many years."
Atlas mouthed a slow 'wow' and Valka tugged her forward to the edge of the hallway.
"Come, I want to show you something."
Atlas let the woman lead her to one of the pillars that held the stone ceiling up. Valka motioned her to rest against it and she did so before the woman pointed out into the courtyard. Atlas followed her finger and her eyes widened, recoiling once she saw it. Or rather, them.
There were dozens of colorful winged creatures roaming the mossy ground at the base of the trunk, wobbling on their fat legs or stretching out on their limber backs. Atlas's mouth was hanging open as she gazed at the dragons, noticing the playful ways they swatted at one another or curled up against the one next to them. She made to back up, fear rising inside of her, but her back slammed into Valka who stood behind her. The woman delicately placed her hands on Atlas's shoulders.
"Calm," the woman soothed. "Just like me they won't hurt you."
"They're… t—they're…"
"Dragons, yes," she felt Valka nod.
"There's so many," she said breathlessly.
"Forty-seven to be exact," Valka announced proudly.
Atlas's eyes roamed beyond the large truck in the center and if possible her eyes widened even further. She trembled under Valka's hands.
"Wh—what is that?"
Valka followed the direction she pointed, her gaze reaching a very large white-spiked creature lying on its belly.
"That," said Valka, "is the Bewilderbeast."
"Be-what?" Atlas asked, eyes still wide as dinner plates.
"Bewilderbeast," Valka repeated patiently. "The king of all dragons. It protects us and this is its nest."
"And…" Atlas said carefully, still eyeing the gigantic creature with trepidation. "And it doesn't mind that you're here? Are there any other people?"
"It does not mind and no, I am the only one. Well, I was," she heard the smile in Valka's voice. "Now there are two."
Atlas felt overwhelmed. She shook her head, blinking at the Bewilderbeast feeling half-afraid and half-hopeful that once she opened her eyes again, it and the rest of the dragons would be gone. Such a thing didn't happen.
"What do you do here?" Atlas asked and Valka moved to stand beside her when she was certain Atlas wouldn't run for it.
"Rescue dragons mostly," Valka answered, watching the dragons mingle with a serene look on her face. "I bring them here and take care of them."
"All by yourself?" Atlas asked incredulously.
"Some of the dragons help," Valka assured her but Atlas still looked bothered.
"Don't you ever get lonely?"
Valka looked down and a flash of despair flickered across her face but it was gone as quickly as it came.
"Yes," she answered after a moment of silence. "But the dragons keep me company. I'm doing this for them. They deserve to be protected," she told Atlas, looking down at her with an intensity Atlas had never seen before. "They're innocent and misunderstood. There's no such thing as a bad dragon. Only a bad owner."
Atlas raised her eyebrows. "They have owners?"
"Yes," Valka murmured. "Some do. I hope you never have to meet them."
Atlas turned back to the courtyard, catching a red-scaled dragon nipping at a pearlescent dragon beside it. The second dragon squawked and Atlas was reminded of the chickens she always saw in her village. She couldn't help but smile at the odd similarities. Valka watched with her for a few moments before lifting a hand to Atlas's forehead, except she paused a couple of inches away.
"May I?" the woman asked, appearing awkward again. Atlas furrowed her brows, wondering why she was asking permission now when before she hadn't but she nodded all the same and Valka pressed the back of her hand to Atlas's forehead. She broke into a smile. "Your fever's broke. Maybe in another day or two you will be as good as new."
Atlas let her words process, feeling something heavy sink in her gut.
"I wonder where I'll go," she said, mostly to herself. The world was so vast and now she only knew one other person inside of it. Valka heard her and seemed surprised.
"I thought it was obvious?" she said, making it seem like a question but saying it like a statement. Atlas's face twisted in confusion and Valka gave her an amused smile. "You're staying here. Unless," her face twisted, "you don't wish to?"
Atlas was taken aback. She blinked in shock before the woman's words registered and she honestly considered her options. She couldn't imagine she had anywhere else to go. She would have to get used to her new roommates, she noted, as she glanced over the courtyard once more. She spotted a few small dragons that she suspected were babies, probably not much older than her, and a smile quirked up one side of her mouth. She had a feeling it wouldn't be too hard. She looked back up at Valka and nodded.
"I want to," she told her. Valka's smile was as bright as a star.
"Wonderful!" the woman beamed, eyes glittering like the surface of the ocean. She clapped her hands together and Atlas giggled a little, feeling something warm grow in her chest. Like a hole was being filled. "Well, let's get you back in bed. I think this is enough excitement for one day. But oh, I can't wait to introduce you to the dragons!"
Atlas followed Valka back to her room, still shook by what she saw but feeling a surge of anticipation for what was to come. Maybe things were looking up.
Atlas had her first meeting with a dragon three days later.
"Just relax, Atlas," Valka instructed, trying to making the situation sound simple and not at all life-threatening like Atlas was making it out to be.
Valka led her down to the courtyard after lunch. She was finally able to eat solid foods again and discovered that Valka actually knew how to cook something other than porridge. Valka told her to keep her distance and to let the dragons come to her. Since Atlas was more than a little terrified, it took a good five minutes of Valka's gentle coaxing to get her to come within thirty feet of the dragons closest to the steps they came down from and once she finally built up the courage to do that it took another five minutes for the dragons to even notice her she was shrinking so far into herself.
A few nearby sniffed the air when they spotted her but none made a move to approach her. Atlas's knees were already shaking as it was because they seemed so much bigger in person compared to the way they looked from the top of the ledge outside her room's hallway. She tried calling it quits right off the bat but Valka wasn't discouraged and insisted that she stay a couple more minutes.
Two gut-wrenching minutes of Atlas trying to look anywhere but at the dragons later and one teal-colored dragon with a white belly and large horns on its nose eventually lumbered over to her curiously.
Atlas's spine stiffened and she watched wide-eyed as the dragon scoped her out with its beady golden eyes, the slits in its nose twitching as it tasted her scent. Atlas kind of felt like she was going to hyperventilate and Valka made some reassuring noises behind her.
"Take a deep breath and relax," she advised. The dragon moved a few steps closer, its giant feet scuffing the grass as its eyes narrowed on Atlas's shivering form. Atlas looked like she was trying to disappear into herself. "Open your arms a bit," Valka said. "Make yourself look welcoming."
"I—I don't think that's such a good idea," Atlas stuttered. "I don't feel welcoming."
"Don't fret," said Valka, her tone light and amused. "He won't hurt you."
Atlas froze as the dragon took another step closer, so close now that she could feel each warm puff of air it breathed. It was almost twice her height and she had a hard time making eye contact with it. When she finally did she found it impossible to look away like the dragon had placed her under some sort of trance. Clearly that wasn't the case though because Valka's voice tore through her blanking thoughts.
"Relax your shoulders," she told her. "Stretch out your hand and let him smell your palm."
"Are you nuts?" Atlas exclaimed. She didn't want to lose a limb just yet even though most of the Vikings in her village were amputees. Their kind didn't practice much safety.
"It's just their way of gaining trust. Hold out your hand."
Atlas held out her arm at a painstakingly slow pace, though her arm was shaking so much it looked like she was having a seizure. The dragon lurched back a bit at the motion, a low growl rumbling in its chest, and Valka told her once again to calm down. Atlas was positive she was going to be eaten alive and she squeezed her eyes shut, not fond of witnessing her own demise.
For a few seconds nothing happened. Only the sounds of the dragons moving in the background could be heard and Atlas waited for the inevitable, only to be shocked once again.
She felt something scaly and soft touch the tip of her fingers and her eyes flew open. The dragon was only a couple of feet away from her nose and it pressed its snout against her palm, golden eyes flashing as its pupils dilated. Something akin to a purr vibrated in the dragon's chest and Atlas's heart raced as she stared in disbelief at the creature. The creature she was touching. She was touching a dragon.
"Oh my god," she whispered.
The dragon pulled away almost as quickly as it reached forward and it trotted off into the mossy field, chirping at a yellow dragon as if the last five minutes never happened. Atlas stared after it for what felt like hours and she heard grass crunching behind her as Valka approached her from the left.
"See," the woman said knowingly with a smirk. "That wasn't so bad, was it?"
"I touched a dragon," Atlas whispered. "I touched a dragon and I didn't die."
"You didn't die," Valka agreed. "So? What's the verdict?"
Atlas turned her head slowly, gazing up at Valka in wonder.
"I want to do it again."
The second time was even better. Atlas convinced Valka to herd the same dragon over that she met before because she knew this one already liked her (or at least didn't want to eat her) and Valka reluctantly agreed. It was clear Valka wanted her to interact with all the dragons but it was going to take Atlas some time and it seemed the woman understood that. The teal dragon, which Valka fondly referred to as Dreamsnout for his luminescent nose, seemed eager to greet her again and this time Atlas was slightly less petrified.
She held out her palm like Valka requested and once he touched his snout to her hand, she experimentally stroked along his cheek beneath one of his golden eyes that gleamed like it was smiling at her. Atlas was awestruck as she pet the dragon's head, smiling cautiously at the way his chest rumbled in delight. Valka watched on with a pleased smile, clasping her hands together like she couldn't contain how thrilled she was to share their friendly company. Though Atlas's insides still felt twisted and clenched at being so close to a creature that could breathe fire, she found that her limbs were less tense and her knees weren't quite knocking together like they were before.
"This is amazing," she said, feeling like all the air in her lungs had left her. She finally pulled her hand away and looked over to Valka as Dreamsnout scratched behind his ear. "Why are they so misunderstood? Why don't people realize how nice they are?"
"Because they don't take the time to look," Valka replied sadly. Atlas tilted her head as if the idea of being scared of a dragon was alien to her. Like she wasn't terrified of them not two minutes ago.
"Why?"
"They're afraid. And they're arrogant. Humans have been afraid of dragons for centuries. Once you feel a certain way for so long, it's impossible to feel any different. It's just in their nature."
Atlas frowned and looked back over at Dreamsnout who began wrestling playfully with a red-winged dragon about half his size.
"I don't want to be afraid," she admitted quietly. "I don't want to be arrogant."
Valka smiled warmly. "You are not arrogant, child. And I will teach you how to not be afraid."
"You will?" Atlas's brown eyes lit up.
"If you so desire," Valka agreed.
"Can you teach me how to ride one?" Atlas asked, bouncing a little on the balls of her feet. Valka chuckled.
"One thing at a time. Once you're comfortable around them—not just Dreamsnout but the others as well—then I will let you ride with me."
"And then you'll teach me how to ride by myself?"
"Yes," Valka grinned at Atlas's excitement. "Let's call it an apprenticeship. I am the dragon rider and you are my apprentice."
Atlas was thrilled with the title even though she had no idea what it meant. The idea of working with dragons and getting to ride them was so new and exciting to Atlas that she almost couldn't contain her eagerness to start. She watched the dragons again as they grazed and leapt into the sky, effortless and graceful. True masters of the sky. She couldn't wait to be up there with them, to feel the wind in her hair and to look down upon the world in hopes that it might appear a little smaller. She wondered if she'd be closer to her parents up there or if they'd ever see her gliding through the clouds. Maybe it would feel like visiting them.
"Come," Valka motioned for her to take her hand. Atlas grasped the woman's fingers lightly and she was led back up the stairs, the dragons chirping behind them as if to say goodbye. "I want to show you the armory. Maybe I can find something small enough to fit you."
"Do I get to rescue dragons and fight mongrels like you?" Atlas gasped with delight at the prospect. Valka laughed.
"If you're still around in a few years then yes, I will teach you. We will make quite the team!"
Atlas grinned and followed the woman down the hallway, peering over the edge of the stone wall at the dragons that congregated below and the snoozing Bewilderbeast across the way. She couldn't believe she was going to be able to call this place home. And to think she was so opposed to dragons before!
Well, if there was one thing Atlas was certain of, it's that she would not be afraid or arrogant. Not while she had Valka's good sense there to guide her.
"Could be near, far, or beyond the stars I'll find where I belong,
If I don't let go I may never know."
A/N: Hi. So big disclaimer here from me to the HTTYD community: I'm not familiar with the books or the TV series nor am I basing this story off of either of those things. I'm strictly going on the film adaptations and nothing more because I don't want to pretend to be an expert on something I know nothing about. I know some people try to follow the series and others incorporate a lot of their knowledge from the books into their stories but I'm just here to warn you now that I (most likely) won't be doing that because, well, I don't want to. I'm probably going to be making up a lot of stuff as I go but I will try to educate myself on the important things to make the story realistic. And yes, since Valka is an intricate part of this story, it will be mostly based around the second film. I could've tried weaving it into the first one but then there would've been that gap period of five years in between that would've been a nightmare for me to fill. So I thought I'd skip the first and jump right into the second.
Another disclaimer: no, I don't intend on making this a HiccupxOC romance. It is going to end up a little one-sided but HiccupxAstrid will still be a thing. I know most of you guys are hardcore Hiccstrid because I've seen some testy reviews on other HxOC stories. And hey, I get the appeal because I love me some Hiccup and Astrid too but sometimes it's just a little harsh. All I ask is that you please not leave unnecessary comments about how this is an OC-centric story that focuses heavily around HiccupxOC even if it's in the platonic sense. If it's not constructive it doesn't really need to be said. Is that fair?
With that being said, I hope these first two chapters or so don't come across as rushed and choppy. I wanted them to focus more on Atlas's backstory and how she got to know Valka before diving into HTTYD2 but I also didn't want to spend too much time on them in fear of boring you. The main reason I wanted to write this story was because, a) I wanted to give Valka someone she could be motherly to but also someone she could consider a friend while she spent her time alone with the dragons, and b) I wanted to give Hiccup a friend too that he didn't actually grow up with but someone he could still be close to and trust. This is my first HTTYD story so I'm going to be working really hard to keep everyone in character while also developing Atlas as her own character that (hopefully) won't feel artificial. I'm hoping she'll help Hiccup as much as he helps her. I'm not sure how active the HTTYD section is on here when it comes to OC stories but to anyone who stumbles upon this one, I hope you come to enjoy it as much as I think I'm going to enjoy writing it! Feel free to leave a review and let me know what you think so far. And just an FYI, my author's notes usually aren't gargantuan like this one was. I just wanted to ~clear the air~on some things. Until next time!