Dimmadreki's Quest Chapter 20
The Bewilderbeast was, to put it bluntly, bewildered. "Stormcutter, are you turning my nest into a safe haven for stray creatures of all kinds? Allowing the Night Furies to stay for a while was one thing; after all, they're dragons, even though one of them is the most troublesome dragon I've met in all my years. But now you're bringing in humans?"
"Just one human, Great One," Cloudjumper explained. "Your own human kept her promise to return to our nest, but she didn't want to be parted from her mate again, so she brought him with her."
"I created this nest as a place where dragons could be safe from humans," the Alpha replied patiently. "I allowed one human in because she seemed harmless, you vouched for her, and she has proven herself to be useful here. But this one... for a human, he looks big and powerful. He has 'dragon-slayer' written all over him. Dragon-slayers are not welcome in my nest!"
There was a long silence. Finally, Dimmadreki spoke.
"You're right, Great One. A dragon-slayer is what he used to be... right up until the moment when he met me, and realized that dragons aren't the monsters he'd always thought they were. He has left his hostility against dragons behind forever. He came here without weapons, or a helmet, or any other human implements except some blankets to keep him warm. He knows that the dragons run things here. But, as Cloudjumper said, he was separated from his mate for many years, and he doesn't want to lose her again. Surely you understand a man's desire to be near his mate?"
The Bewilderbeast glared down at them. "I am almost convinced."
To their surprise, it was Næturvon who spoke up next. "Great One, my grandfather says he is dying. He has an injury that isn't getting better. If you let him stay, it won't be for years and years."
"And how did he get this injury?" the Alpha asked. "Was he fighting other humans, like they always do? Or was he fighting dragons?"
"Neither," Myrkrid exclaimed. "He jumped in front of a Viking axe to save Dimmadreki." That left the Bewilderbeast speechless for several seconds.
At last, he spoke. "Will this human yield to me, and acknowledge that I am the Alpha here?"
Dimmadreki wrote quickly.
DAD, IF YOU WANT TO
STAY HERE, YOU HAVE
TO BOW TO THE ALPHA
Stoick could understand none of the dragons' conversation, of course. He was just standing there, staring in amazement at the size of the Bewilderbeast, and listening as the great reptiles had some kind of scary-sounding conversation. Then his son wrote those runes, and they didn't sit well with him.
"Son, I've never bowed to anyone in my life! Even the Law-Speakers, the men who judge entire tribes at the annual Thing, never made such a demand."
"That's how we do things here," Valka explained. "You're not becoming his slave; you're just giving him the right to rule over you. It's no different than if someone moved to Berk and gave the chief that right."
"Have you bowed to him?" he asked.
"I do it all the time," she replied. "I do it the dragon way, like this." She spread her arms wide and went down on one knee.
WE ALL DO IT, DAD
Dimmadreki bowed with wings outstretched, and the rest of his family did likewise, as did Cloudjumper.
Stoick glanced up at that huge spiked white face. "Bending over... hurts. Do I have to bow as deeply as you did, Valka?"
"Just do your best, dear," his wife urged him. "If you don't, then our son will have to take you back to Berk."
The big Viking sighed. "I once met a trader from southern Europe who said, 'When in Rome, do as the Romans do.' I guess this won't kill me. At least, I hope it won't." He spread his arms like Valka had done, and bent over as far as he could without aggravating his injury.
The Bewilderbeast nodded and breathed out a puff of cold air that turned Stoick's hair and beard white. He jumped back, startled, and brushed the frost out of his beard.
Valka chuckled happily. "He likes you."
"So that means... I can stay?"
"Yes," Valka smiled. "We'll make a little place for ourselves in a side cave. I'll show you around and introduce you to my friends." She paused. "I know it's asking a lot, but maybe you could make some friends here, too? To get anywhere in here, you have to ride a dragon, and Cloudjumper may not always be there when you need him."
"Let me get used to being a married man again," Stoick said slowly. "Then I'll think about getting to know the dragons next door."
"Great One, I think his strength is fading," Dimmadreki said suddenly. "He needs to rest. Is this interview over?"
"It is, for now," the Alpha agreed. "Let him rest. Also let him know that I'll be keeping an eye on him. I'm allowing him to stay as a kindness to my own human, but if he becomes disruptive, my dragons come first. Please be sure he understands this."
"I'll tell him, Great One. Thank you." Stoick and Valka climbed onto Cloudjumper, who took them to the small side cave that she had called 'home' for almost two decades. The Night Furies found an unoccupied ledge and lay down to sleep. After all, it was daytime.
The Night Furies spent two weeks in the Bewilderbeast's nest, recharging themselves and spending time as a family. Dimmadreki also tried to spend time with his human family. He knew this would probably be his last chance to get to know his father. But his father was completely focused on his wife, and worked on getting to know her again, to the exclusion of almost everything else.
At last came the day when the Night Furies had to leave again. Some new dragons had joined the nest, and they brought news of the nests they had come from. Dimmadreki hoped he could follow a chain of such leads until it brought him to another Monster. That tactic had worked well for him so far, and he had no other way of finding his quarry other than flying around and searching at random. Næturvon and Mánarskuggi were sad to leave behind the friends they'd made, and Myrkrid had also made some friends here, but Dimmadreki's farewells were the most heart-tugging.
Valka went first. "The last time you left, you said you'd be gone for ages. You came back faster than we thought, even though it was because of bad news. But you got your family back together. This time, you helped me reunite with my husband – you got my family back together! Son, you're completely amazing. I couldn't be prouder of you. Only the Norns know what you're going to encounter next, or how long it will be until I see you again. Just promise me you'll think about me now and then, and come home when you're finally done."
I PROMISE.
I LOVE YOU, MOM
She hugged his neck, wiped away a few tears, and stepped back. Then it was Stoick's turn. He had never been able to look Hiccup in the eye when his son was human; now the one he once called Hiccup nearly matched his height when standing, and would tower over him if he took a sitting position.
"Son, you know I've never been one for talking. But this is probably the last time we'll ever see each other. You'll be gone for months, and I don't have that much time. I don't think dragons go to Valhalla when they're gone. Maybe the gods will make an exception for you because you were born human. Or maybe they won't; I've never been any good at guessing what the gods are going to do. But I'll probably never see you again, in this life or the next one.
"I had so many things I wanted to tell you and share with you when you came of age, and not a single one of those things means anything to a Night Fury. I can't teach you anything about being honest and brave, and looking out for the ones who depend on you; you've already learned those lessons on your own. And I'd teach you about how important it is to be a good father, but from what I've seen, I should learn that lesson from you.
"Dimmadreki... I know I was not a good father to you. I wasn't there for you when you needed me; I didn't listen when you tried to tell me things that were important; I tried to make you into another Stoick, instead of letting you be Hiccup. I'm sorry for all that. I know it doesn't change anything or make anything better, but I have to say it."
I FORGIVE YOU
Stoick firmly blinked back what might, in another man, have been tears. "Thank you, Hic... Dimmadreki. All I want to say is, I see your children, and how you spend time with them and teach them and guide them and look out for them... you're giving them the father you never had... and I have to wonder if part of that is because you've learned from my mistakes. If that's my legacy on this earth – if those young dragons have a good father because I was such a bad one – then it's not much of a legacy, but I suppose it's better than nothing."
He stood stiffly. "Be careful out there, son. Too many people still think the way I used to. Strike down your enemies, take care of your friends, bring honor to your family, and never forget that, wherever you go and whatever you do, my thoughts will go with you."
He looked the dragon in the eye. "I'm proud to call you my son."
THANKS, DAD
Dimmadreki did blink back tears. He didn't expect a hug; he knew his father wasn't the hugging type. When he could see clearly again, he nodded to Tannlaus, Myrkrid, and his children, and the five Night Furies leaped into the air and flapped away into the night.