Don't Make Me Say Farewell
Part Two- Crystallion12
Oo-o-o-oO
After the battle, pretty much everything was chaotic confusion. Daerys, nor his friends or their dragons, needed to be told that.
He was currently in the Haddock Household, one of the few buildings which had managed to stay decently intact during the battle, sat by his best friend's bed. Asmund was laid on said bed, pale as a ghost and more still than a Sand Wraith waiting for its unfortunate prey to stumble on by.
The Chief, who happened to be the injured teenager's father, was getting ready to go his Chiefly duties for the day.
He had to, even if he would rather stay with his son; which was pretty understandable.
Ever since they had gotten Asmund back to the house, much closer to the place he had been stabbed, and not risking the flight to the Healer's hut, it had been obvious that it was awful.
Daerys shuddered violently, trying his best to rid his mind of the awful, fresh memories of the previous day.
There had just beenso much blood...
"Come and get me..." Hiccup said quietly, stroking his child's head gently as he spoke, "You know, if anything changes..."
"I will." He replied, watching as the man left the house. He sighed deeply. He hated this.
He hated feeling helpless.
Sure, he had quite the fair bit of experience being a healer, about two years now, to be precise, but this was way out of his league.
Looking up, he cast his gaze to the staircase- Lilliana would be down soon, no doubt to see him.
Lilliana, or, 'Little Lily' as Asmund would call her, was his best friend's little sister at the young age of 7, making the siblings eleven years apart. He was there at the girl's birth, (well, at least, after she came out...) and could remember how happy Asmund had been like it was yesterday. He had then nicknamed her 'Little Lily' after the Haddock family went to a picnic, and she had been playing with lilies on the water surface. It could always bring a smile to his face, and it did in that moment, although his eyes were lidded with tears...
He just hoped that Asmund would be able to call her that again... If he ever woke up again. Trust Daerys to be negative...
oOo-o-O-oOo
Iris walked through the village, trying to take her mind away from Asmund. Her friend wasn't doing well, and they knew it.
"I'm sure he'll be alright, Iris..." Eira said from beside her.
Their dragons were behind them, silent and solemn. Eleanor was in a almost strange stance, one wing slightly fanned and held up by a metal rod attached to a strap around her waist.
It had been rather badly crushed the a few days ago from when they had been assisting repairs. Despite the mass amount of stitches and bandages wrapped around it, she had refused to let her rider leave without her. So, now she had either Zap and Bolt always watching her.
Zap and Bolt were the two heads of Eira's male Hideous Zippleback, Zap being the sparking head, and Bolt the gassing one respectively. Their heads could be easily distinguished; Zap's head was a much lighter blue, while Bolt was almost completely dark blue that mixed with some black, of which consisted as most of his colours. However, perhaps what was the most bizarre was their eyes; their eyes were a bright, lime-ish luminescent green thatactually glowedin thedark, with Zap's right eye being more (fluoro, I guess) yellow.
It was one of the most astonishing, and amazing, bonds known to the whole Dragon Rider society; every other Zippleback required two separate riders, as it was for every dragon (except for the Seashocker, but it was unconfirmed) with two heads or more; even the one Snaptrapper that was bonded followed this -he had a set of quadruplets as his riders- so to see Zap and Bolt with Eira was a mutual shock.
Despite this, no arguments really broke out. Eira had long made it clear she loved both equally, and they had so in turn.
Iris flicked her long hair back, tying it back into a braid down her shoulder.
Eira looked on ahead, walking with very little confidence in her stride. By now, her dark past had been outlived, but it still haunted her; she had been abused violently as a child by her criminal father, from the age of four to thirteen, right up to when he was discovered and banished, losing an arm by Toothless in the process, (no one messed with the friends of Hiccup's son) which conveniently had Hiccup satisfied. Morbid, but true, it was what happened.
So, she was rather, and understandably, quite the cautious and secluded of people, preferring to stay silent and hide in tough situations like this.
Zap brought his long neck forward, hovering his head over the 18-year old girl's shoulder.
Pausing, Eira raised a hand to rest it on the dragon's jaw. Bolt came around, and both heads growled quietly, watching as Travis came over. Like always, he held a threatening stride, with his almost overly strong build, brownish-red hair, and light brown eyes that almost never showed any emotion.
He was followed by his faithful dragoness, a very pale blue- almost silver- Deadly Nadder, Starburst. She held a petite figure, being hatched too early and sick. While the other's hatchlings (they trained their dragons from hatching) had been healthy and happy, his had not. They had suggested putting her down, and seeing if another would bond with him, but Travis had refused, and by a miracle, she had come around eventually. She was very gentle and quiet, and her heart belonged to Travis, as his did in return.
"Any word on Asmund...?" Travis asked, genuine concern tipping his tongue. He loved his friends, and had been horrified and scared by the sight of the heir, just laying there and coughing up blood and water as he bled out.
Eira sighed. "Yeah. He's doing bad. That's all I need to say, I think."
Travis' confidence wavered. "He hasn't..." He gulped, taking a shaky breath. "...Given up, right...?"
Iris snorted, almost incredulously. "Pshaw! Come on, it's Asmund we're talking about here. He's not exactly one to just... Well, give up. Not like that."
He nodded, grunting as he looked up at the dark skies. It appeared as even the world was being dark and solemn at the moment. He presumed it would start raining before long.Yippee.That wasjust what they needed right about now...
oOo-o-O-oOo
"This sucks." The girl crossed her arms, slumping down on a chair and placing her cheek into her hand as she looked at them.
Daerys sighed. "I know, I agree..."
She growled a bit in frustration, pacing back and forth across the room. "Are you sure there's nothing else you guys can do? Anything?"
"Lily, there is literally nothing more we can do."
Lilliana sighed, mumbling words to herself, that she probably shouldn't know. Bad words that would probably get some raised eyebrows and parent scoldings.
Daerys would have laughed, but he didn't feel like it.
The young man looked down on his best friend. Daerys had been lonely as a child, an outcast among his village, before he and his family moved to Berk- there, he met Asmund, and his soon-to-be best friends. And only a few years later, he bonded with his amazing dragon, Amethyst, who honestly shared a lot of traits with him; she was covered in glittering, bright purple scales, with icy blue eyes, and her personality had even Fishlegs stumped. She was simply beautiful, and not just by looks; she was the single most gentle dragon he'd ever met, seen, or heard of, maybe only besides Starburst- she was kind, generous, motherly, protective, all of it.
Said dragon was curled up by the wall, mercifully small and young enough (like the other dragons among their group, she was six years old) to be comfortable. Beside the bed next to Daerys was Sigurd, Asmund's Night Nadder, eyes never leaving his rider.
Sighing, he leaned back in the chair, wondering when Astrid and her Deadly Nadder, Stormfly, would be back from their patrol.
"You should get some sleep, Daerys..." Lilliana said softly, resting a hand on his shoulder.
He shook his head. "Never," He growled stubbornly. "Not until I know he'll be okay."
oOo-o-O-oOo
He wasn't okay. If anything, it had only gotten worse.
Not only had infections set it, a nasty fever had kicked in not long ago, and Thor's butt, was it awful.
Daerys, once again, was sat by his best friend beside the bed, in the chair that he very well could have been glued to.
He was dabbing the teenager's sweaty forehead with a cloth, waiting for Hiccup to get back with the healer. Asmund's fever kept on rising, and it scared the living day-lights out of them faster than a Whispering Death could kill.
Sigurd was pacing the room, howling and crying every now and then in helpless grief; and honestly, Daerys wondered if he should join the Night Nadder.
He certainly wasn't far off, especially as he soaked the cloth again and grimaced.
If his temperature didn't go down sooner than later, then... No, he couldn't think of that. Not now... Not yet. It was too soon.
He had decided to become a healer so he could help his friends if they ever got into a particular situation such as this; but he didn't exactly expect something like this to happen... Well, so soon. And with his closest friend, and brother by friendship, to only make it worse.
Not long ago, his mentor, Andreia, had come in to assess the situation; and talk to him. What she had said had been the bitter, depressing truth.
Asmund was dying.
Shaking, and tears slipping out his eyes rapidly, he choked back a sob, pressing his forehead to Asmund's limp hand.
"P...please..." He whispered, swallowing. "I can't lose you... I can't... Please don't leave me..."
He received no answer.
oOo-o-O-oOo
It was just another bedside vigil, when Asmund happened to notice the change in Asmund's condition.
For a while, it had him worried.
He hadn't moved or made a single sound for hours on end, and that scared him.
Daerys couldn't be sure, so he took Amethyst, and hurried to go get his mentor, whom he trusted more than any other healer he knew. If there was something he was unsure or worried about, but wasn't sure, she was the person he trusted to listen and come help.
Amethyst landed outside the healer's hut, and her rider slipped off, taking a deep breath as he walked forward and rapped on the door. It was late at night, but Andreia was most likely awake, she usually was. The warm light emitting from the building only backed this up, as the door opened, and confirmed it.
"Daerys?" She asked, frowning upon noticing his worried expression. "I'm taking it's about Asmund?" She sighed as he nodded.
Turning her head around, Andreia whistled to her dragon, a pretty, delicate Raincutter named Sprinkles, for the light pink and blue spots dotted over her back and wings that made her somewhat unique. This was mixed in with the lavender scales, that transferred into a white-pink underbelly. She was a gentle, generous, graceful angel, and was amazing with children, both human and dragon.
Andreia swung into the saddle of her dragon, and Sprinkles grabbed the teen on the way out, promptly dropping him mid-air onto Amethyst's sparkling purple back.
Circling around, gently curving the wind with her wings, the Nightmare followed the Raincutter back to the Haddock Household, where the door was already open; Hiccup or Astrid had gotten home.
Daerys let out a little breath of relief, taking the fact that there wasn't loud sobbing or screaming emitting from the house, that this was a good thing.
It had to be... He didn't know if Asmund could handle any more crap in life.
Ooo-o-O-oOo
Hiccup watched Daerys as he brushed away a lock of hair from his son's eyes, and he sighed. The poor boys had been through it all- and Thor, did he understand and know that.
To be honest, his son reminded him of himself in more ways than he could name.
The teenage was smart, sarcastic (very much so), loyal, and brave when he needed to be. He was also kind and understanding, and treasured his friends, family, and dragon with the utmost love which filled his heart and soul with light and joy. The only big difference was that Asmund grew up surrounded by loved ones and peace, not loneliness and dejection.
His dragon, Sigurd, the only known Night Nadder, was the son of Toothless and Stormfly, who brought the hybrid into the world two years after his son was born. He and Astrid had always suspected something was brewing between their dragons, and Sigurd was living, breathing, and wonderfully amazing proof of that.
"When he wakes up," He heard Daerys mutter, "I am going to punch him for worrying me out my sane mind..."
Hiccup chuckled at this, and returned to write the scroll at the table.
Looking up, he smiled faintly, as his wife emerged.
"Still up?" Astrid asked, and he nodded, casting a glance in their child's direction. "Thought you might be," she said, "And I don't blame you."
The Chief sighed. "What 'bout Lily and Cherry? Asleep yet?"
Astrid shook her head, and Hiccup bluntly nodded. His daughter loved her big brother to death; and if her owner was awake, so was her red and pink Terrible Terror, Cherry Blossom. Lilliana had named the little dragon shortly after she hatched, while she was playing with the blossom of a tree on a island Hiccup took her to.
Hiccup turned to Daerys, and silently watched him take care of his son.
He ran a hand through his hair, and turned back to his parchment and quill, writing almost carelessly. He had a lot on his mind right now, and he really didn't feel like doing work right now... He needed a good, valid excuse to take a break...
"Mmmphh... Uggh..."
Hiccup's head whipped up, heart skipping a beat and mind racing as he nearly fell out his chair, turning sharply.
The sight he saw almost had him in waterfalls of tears and the desire to jump onto the roof and scream in thanks to the Gods... Which wouldprobably have the village questioning his mental stability and sanity, but eh, that was no biggie...
Daerys practically shrieked, seeing his friend finally awake after weeks of pain and drama.
Asmund stared, half-propped against the bed frame as the older man launched forward, embracing his son so tightly, it probably could have had Stoick in shame.
"Ye... Yeah... Umm... Missed you too, Daerys... Can't...Breathe!" Said young man laughed nervously, letting his best friend go as he scratched the back of his neck awkwardly, apologising quietly. He then noticed his parents, of which the mother had stepped forward, hugging him tightly and planting a gentle kiss on his forehead.
"Oh, son... We were so worried! Don't you ever do that to us again..."
Astrid let him go, giggling as Daerys stuck true to his word, punching Asmund in the shoulder lightly, as the heir let loose a rather indignant yelp.
"Hey, what was that for?!" Asmund growled playfully.
Daerys just smirked and rolled his eyes.
He mirrored his friend, and glancing at his father, the teenager put on a mock-frown. "So..." They looked at him expectantly. "Did I lose a leg?"
They laughed, and his father did so as well, before he thought about that statement again. "HEY!"
Asmund giggled cheekily, and grinned, watching Hiccup approach, taking him into a warm embrace as he buried his nose into his child's hair. "I love you, son..."
"Me too, Dad. I never want to feel tha- AEEIIIII!"
They stared for a moment, as Sigurd practically rammed into him, followed by Lilliana, and they promptly burst into laughter.
Before long, everyone he knew was there, glad to have their Asmund back.
Daerys grinned, watching Valka smother over her beloved grandson...
Everything was going to be alright.
The End.
Oo-o-o-oO
-Don't Make Me Say Farewell-
[Two-Shot]
Collaboration between NeonArt1 & Crystallion12
Oo-o-o-oO
Part One- NeonArt1
Part Two- Crystallion12
Oo-o-o-oO
Notes from Authors:
Crystallion12-
Hey guys, just wanted to pop my head in and say thank you to all of you wonderful folks! I just wanted to give special thanks to our host here, and my good friend NeonArt1, who wrote the first part of this Two-Shot, and frankly, came up with most of this wonderful story! My part sucks, but hey, I don't think it's that bad for my first Collab.
If you haven't already, I highly recommend checking her leading fanfiction, 'Find Me', and giving it a shot! It's a good read, I assure you. ;)
Thank you Neon! Love you all, and I'll see you guys soon! DRAGONITES UNITE!
-Crystallion12
NeonArt1-
Thank you guys so much for reading this two-shot! I had so much fun making it with Crystallion! She is such an amazing author and you should definitely check out her leading FanFiction 'This Is War' it is so awesome! Again, thank you guys so much for reading!
-NeonArt1
