Colorful Crayola Wow! Thanks for all the feedback on the previous chapters and I'm glad you're enjoying the story so far! Yes, the Bashful Willow dragon is my idea and I was thinking of possibly expanding more about Ingrid's past and family during the HTTYD 2 plot if I wind up writing it!

Chapter 7: Queen of Dragons

Toothless was strapped at the dock where he struggled and squirmed in the chains and straps. It made Ingrid frown, knowing Hiccup must feel even worse. She turned to see her parents hurry passed her to the ships to load their own share of weapons, equipment, and items for travel.

"Please don't go," Ingrid pleaded, following after them.

"We'll be fine, girly. We came back last time without harm, didn't we?" Freya said, dusting her hands on her vest.

"Yeah but now you're guaranteed to find the nest," Ingrid knit her eyebrows together in worry. "And you might not come back alive..." she muttered.

Freya smiled sadly and brought Ingrid into her arms. Bjarke then came along after loading their ship and smiled at the pair. "Don't be so sure about that. We're Vikings - It's an occupational hazard. We're made of hard stuff." He shook his fist to emphasize further and chuckled.

Ingrid smiled at her dad's comment and nodded, knowing she wouldn't be able to change their minds. They were dedicated to being Vikings and helping their chief, for sure. Ingrid always admired them for that. They made it look easy to be called a Viking.

"We'll see you in less days than last time. Now that we have the dragon to guide us, we'll get there much faster," Freya said, pulling from Ingrid's hold. Bjarke ruffled the top of her head and pulled her into a hug next.

"Hiccup... he told me there was the biggest dragon he had ever seen in there. It was the queen surrounded by all types of dragons," Ingrid revealed quickly in case they leave before they hear her.

"Won't that be a challenge?" Bjarke laughed heartily and pulled away from the hug. "Haven't had one in a while, right, Freya?" He looked back at the woman who was spiting her helmet clean.

"This will be fun," Freya commented, proudly placing her helmet over her head.

Ingrid chuckled, feeling tears prickle her eyes. She didn't want them to notice though, knowing they would think she was being silly. Ingrid had faith they would be okay, no matter what happens in the days to come for them.

A horn sounded through the village and Vikings moved extra busily around now.

"Ingrid, I want you to promise me not to do anything crazy while we're gone," Freya ordered, using her first name, which she rarely did.

Ingrid scoffed playfully and shrugged. "How would we exchange stories if I didn't?"

"We'll be in charge of the stories this time, Grid," Bjarke said and winked at her with a smirk. Freya and Bjarke waved at her before departing side by side to board their ships that was already half full by other Vikings of Berk.

Ingrid quickly ran up the wooden stairs to watch the ships depart from above. There was an extended floor made of wood like the stairs from the stone cliff side, overlooking the sea. She slowed when she saw Hiccup stood there as well. Just in time, Ingrid stood beside him to watch them depart from the docks.

Ingrid saw Freya and Bjarke stood at the side, looking out into the horizon. She couldn't help thinking how they would react from watching all this from high above the skies, feeling a stronger breeze through them, and looking at these repeated scenery from a different perceptive like Hiccup showed her. Would they want to see it? First they would have to allow the chance to see it. That's the hard part.

Ingrid left Hiccup to stare out into the sea and took a walk around the village. Hiccup needed space and she didn't mind getting her own too. Ingrid prayed in her mind to Thor and Odin that her parents would be brought safely back. That was the only thing she could do which greatly annoyed her.

When she went back to the docks, there he was again. Hiccup stood staring out into empty waters where the ships were long gone.

"It's a mess," Ingrid began. Hiccup furrowed his eyebrows in confusion but didn't look or say anything as she continued, "They're sailing to their deaths. They don't know what is in that nest because they wouldn't listen to us."

"That's how it usually goes." Hiccup sighed with a shrug as if he had given up. "Why couldn't I have killed that dragon when I found him in the woods? Would have been better for everyone," he said dejectedly.

"It would have." Ingrid commented. "So why didn't you?" Ingrid softly asked, facing him curiously.

"I don't know..." He shook his head and turned his back to her. "I couldn't."

"You couldn't or you wouldn't?" she corrected him in question.

"Why is this so important to you all of a sudden?" Hiccup asked back in slight frustration.

"There's a difference. Besides, you are the only Viking I know that doesn't want to be like one," Ingrid replied. "Why?"

Hiccup practically rolled his eyes and with furrowed brows he turned. "For the love of... I was a coward. I was weak. I wouldn't kill a dragon." Ingrid rose an eyebrow as if he had proved her point when he used the word "wouldn't" and he huffed. "Three hundred years and I'm the first Viking who wouldn't kill a dragon," he rose his voice in more frustration, using gestures to emphasize his point like he usually does.

Ingrid frowned slightly as he turned his back to her again as if he had proven his point. "I regretted it last minute. Killing a dragon isn't for every Viking, as much as if seems like it is." Hiccup peeked over his shoulder with a frown, remembering back to their conversation on Toothless the first time. "But unlike me... you're the first to ride one." That made Hiccup's head raise slightly in thought.

"I wouldn't kill him because he looked as frightened as I was," Hiccup explained, turning slowly to face Ingrid. His expression was softer at the memory of his dragon. "I looked at him and I saw myself." Ingrid thought it was a very strange thing - his relationship with Toothless. It was foreign to her but as she thought about it, dragons were something similar to normal dogs or cats for Hiccup rather than enemies or pests. Ingrid remembered in the cove when she saw how they both interacted with each other as if they were normal old buddies.

"I bet he's really frightened now. What are you going to do about it?" Ingrid encouraged him, tilting her head with question.

"Probably something stupid," Hiccup stated, shrugging. His eyes glued to the floor as if he were still in thought.

Ingrid chuckled slightly and said, "Well, you've already done that."

Hiccup looked up at Ingrid and nodded with parted lips as if he had just realized something. "Then something crazy." He turned and hurried back to the village to do who knows what.

Ingrid grinned and nodded. "That's more like it." She ran after him. Ingrid felt anticipated at what Hiccup had in mind to find a way to get to Toothless and their parents. They were miles away by now and they hadn't left a single boat. That and they didn't have much time, either. This would be interesting.

Seven teens sneaked into the academy and gathered around the center. Hiccup had hurriedly urged them all to follow him for an idea. When he explained this idea of his to the Vikings, all of them became horrified and started objecting to it. His idea was for each of them to tame their own dragons and ride them to catch up with the boats. Ingrid didn't object to it, wanting to be at his side, so long as they got their families back. She was, however, extremely terrified of taming her own dragon to ride. She remembered the dragons in the academy and the times when they had lessons against them. Most of them she couldn't deal with at all or didn't get the chance to. Still, Ingrid knew what Hiccup stood up for and honestly, she slightly wanted to put an end to the fighting between dragons and Vikings as much as he did.

Eventually Hiccup promised them that they would be safe and he only wanted to show them. It wouldn't be the first time Hiccup had used his own methods of "defeating" dragons, anyway.

"If you're planning on getting eaten, I'd definitely go with the Gronckle," Fishlegs generously suggested. He looked at Hiccup as if he were a mad man, which wasn't far from the truth at this point.

Tuffnut suddenly pushed passed his sister with a determined and sinister expression saying, "You were wise to seek help from the world's most deadly weapon." He got up in Hiccup's face, making a strange gesture with his hand that made Hiccup look more than uncomfortable. "It's me," the twin clarified. Ingrid rolled her eyes with a hidden smile at the act, watching in amusement as the others stepped too close to Hiccup.

Snotlout pushed Tuffnut aside only to tell Hiccup, "I love this plan."

Astrid decided to join this little "make Hiccup uncomfortable" and pushed Snotlout aside. "I think this is going to end badly." She shot daggers at Hiccup then was pushed away by Ruffnut. Ingrid chuckled and paced forward to watch, possibly planning to do that same.

"You're crazy," Ruffnut started then glanced over her shoulder and whispered, "I like that." Ingrid blinked as she realized what the girl said and scoffed gently. She approached the odd pair and gently nudged Ruffnut away to take her place in front of Hiccup. This made Ingrid realize she was much taller than Hiccup. Well everyone seemed to be taller than him.

"So, the plan?" Ingrid brought up with an encouraging smile, her hands at her hips. Hiccup smiled, looking between everyone in appreciation for going along with this. They would be risking their lives after all, and even though they internally object to it, the teens want to help end this war just as much as Hiccup. Then he turned to the doors of the cage where the Monstrous Nightmare slumbered. He looked back at Ingrid and signaled her to back away, which she did.

Hiccup struggled pulling down the lever, having to practically jump on it to use his whole body's weight. The log that barred the doors rose completely. The dragon seemed to be calm as it didn't knock the doors open. Ingrid figured it could be since the atmosphere in the ring isn't filled with tension or people screaming, so it doesn't sense danger.

Hiccup gently pulled the doors open, one at a time until all that was seen was the darkness inside the cage. The dragon must feel so lonely being trapped inside in completely darkness. Hiccup looked back at the other Vikings before he walked into the dark himself. Tension filled the air as everyone watched intently and quietly for Hiccup's return with the Nightmare.

After a minute, Hiccup's back soon appeared as he backed up passed the doors and into the ring. What followed him in front made the others stare in awe. The "Monstrous" Nightmare paced before him with its snout just inches in front of his palm.

From the corner of Ingrid's eye, she saw Snotlout picking up a spear with only half of it surviving. The half that mattered, anyway. Astrid, however, smacked his shoulder with the back of her hand to scold him. Luckily he obliged and set down the weapon.

Hiccup lured the dragon beside Snotlout, making Ingrid gently step aside from her place next to the brute. Snotlout looked terrified as he grimaced slightly and leaned away with his hand defensively up. Hiccup attempted to take his hand but he protested until Hiccup assured him he was secure for as long as he didn't make an alarming sound.

"It's okay. It's okay," Hiccup softly said, guiding Snotlout's hand to the Nightmare's snout. When his hand met the dragon, it softly mewled in satisfaction. Snotlout was overjoyed at the action but still nervously fidgeted in his spot. Hiccup smiled to Ingrid for succession and she couldn't help smirking back as a silent praise.

"Where are you going?" Snotlout worryingly said when Hiccup walked to a crate filled with weapons, leaving Snotlout with the dragon.

"You'll need something to help you hold on," Hiccup replied, pulling out a pile of rope. When everyone's attention turned behind them from Hiccup, other dragons were stood in front of them waiting. A Gronckle, a Deadly Nadder, and a Hideous Zippleback. The teenagers gasped and wowed as they anxiously approached the dragon of their choosing. Fishlegs tamed the Gronckle, Astrid chose the Deadly Nadder, and because of the Zippleback's two heads, the twins share the dragon. Only, Ingrid just realized that there was no dragon for herself.

She frowned slightly, assuming she might not get her own dragon until Hiccup came up beside her and caught her attention. "I believe your dragon is waiting for you."

Ingrid furrowed her eyebrows in confusion until Hiccup led her to a cage that was open, but in the dark corner was the iridescent white wings of the Bashful Willow. Just like all she has studied about the creature, it hid behind its wings when faced with strangers. Violet round eyes peeked from over the wing, staring straight at the pair. It was just as shy as its name.

Ingrid grinned at the dragon and glanced at Hiccup in anticipation yet anxiousness. She softly went to approach the dragon, her blue eyes searching intently for a sign of the creature's hostility so that she may safely back away.

The Willow only titled its head in curiosity and whipped its long curled tail around itself in protection. Ingrid slowed down in her pace with her heart beating as she was just a small distance away from the dragon. She stretched her hand out to the Willow and hoped it would do as Hiccup predicted when taming a dragon.

The Bashful Willow poked its whole head out, revealing its beautiful black horns that extended straight backwards from its head. Small fin like ears darted back under the horns on either side of its head as well. The dragon slightly reminded Ingrid of a seahorse. Its most significant trait would be its violet eyes that contrasted from the pure white iridescent scales.

It lowered its wing slightly to sniff her hand from a distance, mewling in question lowly. Ingrid froze in her spot and her hand began shaking. Worried thoughts ran through her head. Did the other dragons take this long to trust a Viking? What would happen if it rejected her?

The Bashful Willow then looked up with its marvelous purple eyes to Ingrid's blue eyes and gave out a drawled mewl as if it was contemplating something.

"I think she's wondering if you're safe enough to be around," Hiccup mumbled behind Ingrid, keeping his distance just outside the cage. "I think the dragon manual said that Willows prefer to be around those like them. Which is why they like to be in packs of their own kind."

Ingrid wanted to look back at Hiccup but she was scared to break eye contact with the Willow. So it was a girl Willow. She gently lowered her wing and properly stood, making Ingrid back away to give her space to stand. The dragon seemed about Toothless' height from what Ingrid remembered, only she was a bit shorter. Ingrid thought this was positive progress since the Bashful Willow wasn't... well... bashful as much anymore.

The Willow dragon then looked back at Ingrid's hand and without a second thought, she gently pressed her forehead against Ingrid's stretched palm. Ingrid almost pulled away on instinct from the strange feeling of her scales until her hand sunk onto the dragon's forehead. The corner of Ingrid's lips pulled up into a beaming smile then at the sign and excitedly turned back to Hiccup.

Hiccup smiled just as happily back to her and gave her a thumbs up.

The girl turned back to the Willow and gently rubbed her palm over the white scales of her head, feeling the rough texture. It was a different but a neat feeling against her fingertips, and soon the Willow practically purred at the girl's stroking, leaning into her touch.

Ingrid softly chuckled under her breath and dropped her hand. Hiccup came up behind her with a rope to tie her to the Willow properly. "Safety first," he said, handing her the equipment.

The next minute was spent with Hiccup quickly teaching all of them how to tie the rope around their dragon and around themselves so they wouldn't fly off midair. For Ingrid, the Bashful Willow wasn't all that easy to handle compared to everyone else's dragons. Hiccup suggested that maybe the Willow has a harder time trusting others but Ingrid grew slightly impatient. The young Viking's still slight present fear for the creatures made her act impatient with the Willow though. Hiccup also shared to her how difficult it was to have Toothless trust in him after he shot the poor Night Fury down and caused the dragon to lose one of his tail-fins.

It wasn't like Ingrid harmed the Bashful Willow in any way but Hiccup sharing his own experience made her less impatient to her dragon. She suddenly felt guilty again of the Whispering Death she had slain so long ago, wondering what would have happened if she had tamed it instead. She wondered what it would be like in Hiccup's position two years ago, friends with a Whispering Death dragon.

The Bashful Willow was such a beautiful looking dragon. One type of species that didn't raid the village often as they prefer being in dense and lonely areas.

Ingrid was incredibly nervous when she sat on top of the Willow, thinking she would get upset by a human suddenly sat on her back. Luckily she didn't mind until they were in the air. They swayed from side to side, neglecting the way Ingrid instructed her to turn at times. The other were able to quickly have their dragon to adapt but there was Ingrid, almost falling off with Hiccup behind her trying to instruct the girl.

After some time with Ingrid wrestling with the ropes attached to the Willow, she succeeded in slightly controlling the dragon. Slightly. The Bashful Willow would decide to do the opposite of what Ingrid says whenever she felt like it and they almost smack into rocks along the way but it was no time to argue with the dragon.

Everyone was hurrying to get to the other Vikings against the large dragon that awaited them at the dragon island.

"I never would have thought it was this amazing to ride a dragon!" Snotlout shouted in the wind on his Monstrous Nightmare. His hands held on to its horns and he sat on the dragon's slender neck, which was able to hold him up quite nicely.

"Yeah... it's alright." Astrid shrugged nonchalantly with a beaming smirk on her face. Astrid couldn't fool anyone - she was happy on the Deadly Nadder.

"Do you know how much destruction we can make this these things?!" Tuffnut screamed on the neck of one of the Zippleback's head. Ruffnut sat on the neck of the head beside him and smiled sinisterly at her brother's suggestion. Like Snotlout, they held on to the dragon's horns that made it easier to guide the creatures.

"Let's focus on one thing at a time, guys!" Hiccup warned, glancing back at the twins with a look then turned back forward as he rode the Bashful Willow with Ingrid behind him. Hiccup was taking the reins on the dragon until he would get back his Night Fury and because he remembered the way to the island the gigantic dragon resided in.

"This is so cool! I feel like I just went up ten levels!" Fishlegs excitedly shouted with a toothy grin. He sat over the neck of the big Gronckle. Honestly, the Gronckle seemed to also be giving the boy a hard time as well. Fishlegs never complained nor did his excitement deplete because of it.

A faint sound of a mighty and monstrous roar echoed through the air. Hiccup squinted his eyes through the familiar fog that they went through the day before and Ingrid saw the outline of something she knew would not be of any Viking or dragons they were so familiar with.

"It's there," Ingrid muttered beside Hiccup's ear as if the queen of dragons would hear them from that distance. It wouldn't be surprising if it could. Ingrid looked to her left and saw the figures of ships through the fogs. Her eyes widened and she whispered to Hiccup again saying with panic laced in her voice, "The other Vikings are here too. They may have lured the dragon out."

Hiccup nodded in confirmation and glanced at the other teens, leaning forward to urge the Bashful Willow to accelerate. She did so after deciding to twirl around in the air, making Ingrid grip onto Hiccup in fear of falling out. Very much like her first ride on Toothless.

The back of the dragon's head came into clear sight. It was even grander than last Hiccup and Ingrid saw it in the volcano. Red spikes jutted out of the monstrous' blueish scales. The three pairs of small eyes it had were nothing like Toothless' usual round and gentle eyes. They were nothing like their own dragons' eyes. As it projected a murderous shriek that made the ground shake, it more than deserved the title as the queen of dragons.

Hiccup's eyebrows furrowed as he focused in on the massive monster before them. Under his breath he stated, "The Red Death."