It took several moments to calm everyone. Hiccup noted neither Shadowfire nor Gyda offered explanations for his comment during that time. He made a mental to corner both of them later. He knew better than to ask for things that were still in the future, but he also knew he needed a better understanding of what she knew. For now though, he had tasks he had to fulfill and an alpha's responsibility to see this entire ordeal to its end.
After the visiting alpha and Moondust assured her she was safe, Moondust's mother entered the arena. The other Night Furies who accompanied her stayed outside due in part to Obsidian's honor guard preventing them from walking down the ramp. Hiccup figured that was because Obsidian and Spitfire joined himself and the others in the arena.
As everyone settled, Hiccup made sure that Astrid had a barrel to sit on and told his humans friends to get ones as well. If he was going to sit for this visit so were they. He wanted the dragons to sit and get comfortable but Stormfly stood behind Astrid with her chin just above Astrid's head. Obsidian sat back on his hindlegs behind Hiccup. Hiccup could feel his dragon father's breath ruffling his hair. Spitfire made Moondust move in between Toothless and Hiccup and took her previous spot on Astrid's left side. None of the three Night Furies sat down. Hiccup knew better than to order them to do so. He instead draped an arm over the back of Moondust's neck just as Toothless extended a wing over Moondust's back and furled wings. Sharpshot crawled onto Hiccup's shoulder and extended his wing over Toothless, in effect covering Moondust as well. Hiccup noted Moondust's mother did not miss anything even if her gaze kept traveling back to Toothless and his wing over her daughter.
Hiccup glanced up at Gyda and tipped his head. The mage stood, bearing down on the lever between her and Shadowfire's right front paw. Moondust's mother spun, snarling at the sound of the gate door opening. The snarl ended in a confused warble as Moondust's father walked out of his pen. Moondust's mother spun back to face Hiccup. Her wings extended, hitting the visiting alpha's muzzle but the dragoness did not seem to notice. Her teeth slipped into place and a rumbling growl flew out of her throat. The nest dragons surrounding the arena roared back at her.
[He is the alpha of this nest!] Moondust's father yelled over the noise. The dragoness' growl silenced and she stared at him as he came to her side. [You risk the same judgement Alpha and I face if you continue, my love.]
"You heard what I told your alpha," Hiccup began. "Right?"
Moondust's father sighed, his head dropping. [Yes, alpha of the nest.]
"Then neither of you face any judgement from me. My sister though, you will face her. I will not speak for her."
[She bows to you.]
Hiccup's eyes narrowed. "And she is free to speak for herself, as are all who live here. The dragons may call me their alpha, but I will not hold them in any form of slavery."
The visiting alpha titled his head. [Speaking for you nest isn't a form of slavery though.]
"It is to me. I will not speak for them unless they ask me to."
The three Night Furies blinked. Moondust's father and the visiting alpha exchanged glances. Moondust's mother stared at Moondust.
[Daughter?]
Hiccup grimaced slightly at the lost and confused tone Moondust's mother held. He knew that feeling all too well growing up.
[Toothless is my mate, Mother,] Moondust began, tossing her head towards the dragon in question. [Hiccup is my brother-in-law and my alpha. Sharpshot is also my brother-in-law.]
[Toothless? Hiccup? Sharpshot? What titles are these?]
[They aren't titles, Mom. They are names. Mine is Moondust.]
Her mother screeched. The nest Elders gave sharp sounding chitters. Moondust's mother looked up and around before lowering her gaze back to her daughter.
[My name is Moondust, Mother. My alpha asked if I would take a name and said I was allowed to refuse any he offered until I found one I liked.]
[But, Daughter, he is your alpha,] her mother stated, jerking her head in the direction of the visiting alpha who sat at the dragoness' left. [You were hatched in his nest. He has always guided our flight.]
[I failed your daughter,] the alpha said, his tone low and the rasp from his injury making the words almost too hard to understand.
[So did I,] Moondust's father whispered, his head down and his shoulders and wings hunched inwards.
Moondust's mother looked between the two of them. [I.. I don't understand.] By the second time looking from her mate to her alpha and back again, the dragoness seemed to have gather more of her anger. Her next words were not as hesitant. [I leave to visit my hatch nest and I return to find you, our alpha, and the Head Preystalker have left to find my missing daughter. I find all of you in a cage of death with humans and you are all saying things that do not make any sense. Someone better tell me what is going on. Now.]
Hiccup released Astrid's hand so he could hold it up. He wanted to prevent the snarls he knew his nest would give due to the dragoness' choice of words. His dragons only gave low grumbles but did nothing more. Hiccup lowered his hand and was not surprised that Astrid took it back before he could even blink.
[Alpha, do you mind if I explain in the Old Tongue?]
Hiccup laid his cheek alongside Moondust's sensing lobes. "Hiccup, Moondust. You are my sister and do as you need. Just remember, your flock is with you."
"Oh, my daughter."
Mother stepped forward uncaring that many dragons gave warning growls. Moondust gently nudged Toothless and gave a small non-verbal warble. Her mate's growls dropped off. She felt Alpha shift and heard the rest of the nest calm as well. Moondust sighed, grateful Alpha realized her mother was no longer a threat.
They were the only females in a flock of five. Her brothers had mates and were starting flocks themselves, but they all remained within the same part of the nest. Moondust and her mother had been close growing up and stayed close even with her sister-in-laws joining. It made leaving highly difficult after the worm wing-covered her and threatened to crush the eggs soon to hatch if she refuted his claim on her.
It also made accepting Elder Gyda's invitation to join her flock a tough decision. At least until the mage gently told Moondust that she would never take the place of her mother and that flock position was just to give her a home in the human territory. Elder Gyda believed the male would not give up. The human dens were close, far closer than the dens the rest of the dragons found in the forests and mountains in the bigger part of nest. Elder Gyda had said when the male tried his luck, the closeness of the human dens would ensure someone could respond quickly.
As time flew on, Moondust did begin to see the human mage as more than just a flock leader so she had not been too upset when Elder Gyda called her daughter one day. It stung but more because Moondust was certain she would never see her real mother again. Now her mother was there and acting just the same as before. It soothed something in Moondust she did not know was agitated.
"I am so sorry," Mother whispered, her cheek pressed against Moondust's. "I should have insisted you be allowed time away from your patrol duties so you could have come with me. That worm wouldn't have-" Mother's voice trailed off.
"He would have tried later," Toothless said softly. "He refused my brother rejecting his claims. He would have refused both yours and your alpha's as well. He believed his father was the alpha and that his rank got him what he wanted."
Mother stepped back. Moondust gave a low hiss of frustration. She knew by the tenseness of her mother's wing what was about to happen.
"Mom."
"I see you have your wing over my daughter," Mother began, seemingly ignoring the warning in Moondust's tone. "Did you use your perceived rank to force her as well. You bow to a human after all."
[Ma'am, do not insult my brother.]
Even knowing that Alpha's growled comment was not directed at her, Moondust still felt like a hatchling caught doing something wrong.
"You understood her?!" Father questioned, his voice betraying his shock and confusion.
[No,] Alpha said, [but I can understand intent. I can understand my brother's eyes becoming slits for a heartbeat. I can understand my sister jerking.]
Moondust saw Alpha's gaze swing from her father to her mother and saw Alpha's eyes narrow.
[I also understand Moondust is your daughter, ma'am, and I know what happened to her. Do not think my brother would act like the worm he killed to defend your daughter's honor.]
"His voice," Mother breathed. "How… how is that he speaks with the power of an alpha?"
"Because he is the alpha of this nest," Obsidian stated, his tone clipped and an echo of his own alpha voice in his words. "And he is my son, as is the one you just insulted unfairly. Fly carefully, mother of my daughter-in-law."
Father and their alpha exchanged another glance. Mother shook herself and then titled her head, staring at Moondust as if beseeching her to put everything into some understandable form.
"Daughter, I understand why you left the nest… but why bow to a murderous human?"
"Alpha is not a murder! He saved us all!"
Moondust was not surprised it was Quickcut who yelled first. Toothless might be Alpha's brother but Quickcut was known by every dragon for his actions at the Illusion-scale's nest.
"You love this human?" Mother asked, staring wide-eyed up at Quickcut who stood next to Pinpoint.
"We all love our alpha," Lorekeeper said, stepping closer to the things Elder Gyda called chains. "He saved us from a false queen who ordered us to act in manners unbecoming of dragons or be eaten as punishment for defying her. He gave us a home in his nest even after we violated Civility Laws against him. He allows us to be dragons once more. If you do not believe my words, ask any dragon standing with me. They will tell you the same."
[Ma'am.]
Alpha's voice gave Mother no choice but to turn her gaze towards him. Moondust knew her brother-in-law would be bothered by that knowledge but every nest dragon in her line of sight stood straighter. The nest had a strong alpha who loved all in his charge and the nest thrived in his power.
[I give this offer to you, as I have given it to many others. Stay in the nest. There is a guest cave you, your mate, and your alpha are free to use. Reconnect with your daughter. Get to know your son-in-law. Speak with the nest dragons. Then make your judgement.]
"I understand you allowing," Mother and Father's alpha paused, "Moondust's," he continued slowly, his tongue seemingly hesitant to pronounce her name, "parents to stay."
Moondust could not help but smile. A dragon being given a name was something only spoken of when an elder recited the All Tale and any other tale closely associated with Old Wrinkly and Onyxwing's actions from that time. Moondust knew many in her hatch nest probably still thought the All Tale was just a story told for entertainment and not for actual teaching. She had believed that until she joined Alpha's nest and met the human and dragon the tales spoke of. It was not so surprising that her former alpha would have difficulty with her name but Moondust was grateful he made the effort. She loved her name because she loved her alpha and loved that he allowed her the choice.
"I don't understand why you extended the offer to me," the male finished.
Alpha was silent for several heartbeats then said something Moondust was not surprised to hear. Not from the human who had done so much for his dragons.
[Because, I forgive you.]
So is anyone surprised Hiccup did that?
Also, thank you all for sticking with me.
Kirika: Oh, are you okay? Glad you are out of the hospital now. Hope my story gave even a small moment to enjoy as you recover.
MidnightSkye10: Hi, welcome and thank you for reading and reviewing. Shadowfire likes to be silly sometimes but his quotes actually do serve a purpose. ;) Thank you for your kind words. :)