Author's Note: So, I was a day late… better late than never, I'll aim to make Saturday's my new day.
"I'm still not sure about just letting that Light Fury vanish into the night." Hiccup mentions during our walk.
"You've said it yourself. Let the dragon come to us, this isn't a Speed Stinger with a broken leg, it is a fully functional dragon as powerful as Toothless. We need to be cautious." I answer, trying to appease to his logical side of thinking. It always fell on me to be the tactical and logical one, not that I minded. Logic and tactics are just about perception and reaction and can be taught; having heart, like Hiccup does, is far more unique. That's where his mind was at now, heart. A new Light Fury, especially with the thought of the war and the trappers; the world was changing around us, and we would need to change too or risk being lost.
"I know, you're right. We'll see her again, but we have bigger problems than one cautious dragon right now. With our allies throughout the Archipelago ready, we're in the right position to protect all the dragons." Hiccup says with such determination I smile and lightly roll my eyes.
"It'll all be okay, it'll work. Don't lose that focus, it's intoxicating." I say softly, placing a hand on his shoulder. "But I also didn't want to come out here to focus on that. We spend all day and most nights concerned with the fate of the archipelago. It'd be nice to just have another night just for us." I admit with a smile and he stops walking, turning to look at me. I feel his hands take mind and hold them between us as he leans in. It was the way he made m feel, like I was more than any one thing to him. The warm pressure of his breath as his lips closes in on mine, my eyes closing softly on connection. The gentle touch between us that was so full but soft melted my very soul.
His lips retreated and I felt myself trying to follow as I opened my eyes and saw his comforting smile. "Maybe a night where we take a midnight flight?" He says with a smile, pulling me in with his hands as I narrow my eyes at him and smile.
"You're only saying that to try to catch a glimpse of that Light Fury, aren't you?" I question, pushing my finger against his chest.
"What? What? No, no, no." He stutters as I roll my eyes. "We have a song we made up there once. That Light Fury is probably long gone and wouldn't approach with Stormfly around anyways. " He says, trying to reassure me when I have a thought.
"Then how about we both ride on Toothless?" I ask as he just looks at me.
"Well, I guess that could work, wait- what? You want to find that Light Fury too? You aren't… mad?" Hiccup stumbles again and honestly makes me laugh softly as I nod. Placing the rest of my palm on his chest and just shake my head.
"Hiccup, we've known each other our whole lives. I've been by your side that whole time, just like you have mine. Remember when you went to the council and begged them to let us go out on our own before we started Dragon's Edge? You told me your dad said that your life was dragons and that it's better to support." I say as he nods, remembering that night. "All of our lives are dragons now, you've given us that. It's just that now, your life is my life, and my life is yours." I state.
"One thing makes me sad; it's that no one else will ever see this side of you. Though, I'm not sure I want to share." Hiccup responds with a smile, pulling me closer as I embrace the hug.
"Our children will." I add softly and I feel him shift as his hand gently walks up and down my spine. His lips kiss my neck as I feel him nod.
"That they will." He responds as we just stand and sway there for a few moments.
"So, about that flight?" I ask, looking up to him as he shakes his head and smiles.
"I suppose if I said no, you'd see right through that?" Hiccup asks sheepishly and I narrow my eyes at him, and he just laughs. "Hey, Toothless!" Hiccup calls out sheepishly. We hear a rustle and thud from the brush as both Stormfly and Toothless pop out, covered in shrubs with Toothless holding his goofy, toothless smile. Hiccup turns to his dragon and cups his chin as I move to Stormfly.
"Hey girl, why don't you head back to the house for now. I'll call you if I need anything at all." I say with a warm smile, scratching Stormfly's neck as she coos and nods. She takes off and I turn back to Hiccup who is standing near Toothless's saddle.
"Toothless is ready. We still probably won't find anything. She seemed skittish around people." Hiccup says as I walk closer.
"Maybe, maybe not. Still, a private ride on Toothless with you in the middle of the night is a good night whether we see that dragon tonight or not." I suggest, walking past him and hopping on Toothless. Looking down to him, I nod, and he smiles, hopping on and hooking in. I wrap my arms around his waist and rest my face against his back as he takes off with Toothless. Stormfly had speed, sure but she didn't have the sudden burst of speed Toothless could pull off. He takes off fast and when flying can increase his speed so much in an instant it's downright impressive. He used speed as he gained altitude before we finally leveled off and I could look past Hiccup's shoulders.
The night sky was gorgeous above Berk tonight, stars littered the horizon and not a cloud was in sight. A truly gorgeous and calm night. From this far above, we could see the docks still slightly alive with the night guard where two dragons sat perched, ready to patrol. The rest of Berk was fast asleep, dragons lining the houses and perches, the standing dragon roosts and down in the caves. I felt Hiccup scoff as we flew overhead.
"What is it?" I ask as he just shakes his head.
"Something my dad said when I first got him on the back of Toothless. I remember him saying how good it felt to see his people safe from above. I've said it before, but I'll say it again. I can relate to that now, and it really is a good feeling." Hiccup admits as I hug him tighter.
"And together, with everyone, we'll keep them safe, and the dragons safe. We can do anything, together." I reaffirm.
"Together. I remember when you were the warrior who trained with her axe for hours each day in the woods. Now, you're the warrior whose words are just as accurate as her axe." Hiccup responds, taking my hand while he clicks Toothless on free-flight mode.
"What can I say, I've learned from you." I answer, pressing against his back.
"Oh, and what have you learned from me?" Hiccup asks, looking back while Toothless banks softly to the left. I only let out a soft sigh and smile.
"I've learned how to trust my heart, that not everything can be answered with weapons." I answer, causing him to laugh, leaning back into me.
"I remember saying that back when I was trying to convince my dad to get his own dragon. Gods, how the years have changed us." Hiccup answers. I lean back with him so that we're both leaning back on Toothless, gazing into the sky as the Night Fury gently soars.
We didn't see the Light Fury that night as we had both hoped, and just after the moon was halfway on its descent, we made back for the house. Landing and walking to Stormfly, I could see she was already sound asleep. Patting her gently, she cooed in her slumber. Retiring for the night, it's then I realize we didn't even make it to the Springs like I had initially wanted. Though, spending the hours in the night up there with him was well worth it.
I hear the door to the house close behind me and not a second later, I feel his hand cup the small of my back as he tugs me in. I don't even try to resist it and flow, our lips finding each other, his other hand cupping my chin. Both of my arms snake around his neck as our lips open and our tongues connect, I feel the warm wood of the interior walls as I'm pushed back against it. I feel as though I was younger again, back on Dragon's Edge when I gave in and allowed myself to feel. He brought that out in me, the fire and the heat, the passion. It was just him; he didn't try to; it is always just him being himself. His selfless, unassuming heroic type.
"Bed?" I whisper against his lips as he nods vehemently against mine.
"Uh huh." He says, our lips struggling to stay connect as we start shredding our clothing while walking up the stairs. By the time we got there, our last articles were being removed and it wasn't long before we were lost in the throes of passion.
I could hardly sleep that whole night. Once Astrid and I had worked ourselves to sleep, I found myself staring out of the skylight. This last day had been so much; another successful raid, the discovery of the Light Fury. The Light Fury, another Night Fury. Toothless wasn't the only one, I knew he couldn't be. That dragon has abilities we've never seen before. Changewings can stealth but using plasma to cloak is brand new.
What would change if we could get that dragon to trust us, to fly with us? Could we even train it? Who would fly it? Astrid could and would never leave Stormfly for another dragon, and I'd never ask her too. Mala, maybe? Maybe it works independently with us like so many other dragons. But just the implications, the Lightfury, Toothless's lighter colored double, and how it just vanished into a plume of smoke. If Toothless had a working tail, there is no doubt in my mind he would have followed. I think back to the time Hookfang found the female Monstrous Nightmare and how he became territorial and threatening to defend her eggs. Call them Light or Night, they are both a Fury… and he is the Alpha. My mind, I could not stop it from racing at the implications. The boy in me wanted to study it, to try to train it; the chief in me asks how this will affect our future. We had to find this Lightfury, this was not a door I could or should close.
Where did it even come from, why was it here. We've explored hundreds and hundreds of islands over six years, combed every corner of the Archipelago we could. Why did the Light Fury just now, so suddenly, show up on Berk?! None of it made sense.
"Hiccup." Astrid's voice breaks my train of thought like shattering hardened Deathsong Amber. "Hiccup. You're overthinking again." Her voice says softly as I blink and realize she is now awake, curled over my chest with her leg tossed over my hips. I can feel her run her finger down my chest as she moves her head upwards towards mine.
"You know me too well." I jest. I can hear her scoff while she slides the rest of the way on my hips and sits up, looking down at me. Her hair unbraided and messy from the night; it was a look only I got to see, and it made me smile each time. Of course, her crossing her arms and scowling at me wasn't something I liked seeing.
"So, spill?" She states.
"It's just, everything." I begin, placing my hands on her hips. Her sitting like this wasn't helping my focus either, but I think she was doing this on purpose. "A Light Fury, Trappers on the run. But why now, why on Berk of all the islands? Then there's the greatest adventure…" I pause, looking up and down her body with a smile as she narrows her eyes at me. "Children with you, peace for the Archipelago for the humans and the dragons." I finish and her face softens.
"You know just what do say." She retorts and I just smile as I press down on her hips, her letting them grind softly against mine. "You sure you're up for another round?" She jests, leaning down and pressing her palms on my shoulders, her hair falling and surrounding my face, so I just see hers.
"Absolutely." I answer swiftly, leaning up and connecting our lips with her following. It wasn't long before we found ourselves lost in each other once again, the night fading until the light of the morning sun lit our room. It was a sleepless night but felt more refreshing than many of the last. Looking at her while she slept, I could see that she too had enjoyed herself and was sleeping comfortably. It was a good sight to witness.
Toothless wasn't in the house when I woke though, chances are he slept outside or even tried to retrace his steps. I'll want all the Riders on this one, a Light Fury, if on our side, could dramatically chance everything. The future of the dragons and the people together… because I just know Toothless will want to follow that Light Fury.
I feel Astrid stir within my embrace and move my hands to brush her hair from her eyes while they softly open. She awakens with a smile and leans up, our lips touching briefly before she rolls back and over completely.
"One day we'll be able to have more nights like that and less worried about the future." Astrid says through her smile and stretches out on the bed.
"We're almost there. The Trappers are on the run, if we get the Lightfury on our side we can change the face of the Archipelago." I declare and feel her look down and laugh as she moves closer.
"Your enthusiasm is just as intoxicating. What's your plan?" She asks
"No different than any other new dragon we encountered. I'm going to explain it to the riders, we'll retrace the details and see what we can find out. Hopefully, over time, we can work with this dragon. I can't imagine it'll be harder to train and work with than that Speed Stinger or Triple Stryke." I explain and she nods along with my reasoning.
"As good a place to start as any. We can't forget about the trappers though, as Chief of Chiefs, you've a new duty to the people of the Archipelago as well." Astrid adds and my face softens. She's right, of course, she's usually right about this stuff. "With the help of your general." She adds, kissing my chest and placing her palm against it.
"More than my general, my Chiefess. Soon." I restate and see her smile as she leans up to kiss me.
"Come, my Chief, let's go find our friends at breakfast and tell them all about the Light Fury." She states, rolling back and standing up. She stretches standing, allowing me one last long look at her beautiful body before we don our clothing once again. She pauses mid-stretch and looks back at me with a knowing grin. "Keep looking at me like that and we won't find our friends til lunch." She warns and I laugh, smiling and standing.
"Don't threaten me with a good time, milady." I retort, causing her to roll her eyes and scoff.
"Who says that was a threat, my chief?" She cuts back with a smile, rewrapping her underlayer.
"Says the one already half dressed." I answer back, pulling up my pants while she scowls.
"I can lose this clothing and toss you back on that bed faster than you can say Toothless." She retorts with her smile while I hold up my hands.
"Far be it from me to deny my fair lady from her desires. Toss away." I playfully answer. She just shakes her head, her smile never fading.
"I'm sure we'll have time to sneak away later. It's late enough that people will start getting suspicious as it is." Astrid concludes.
"Fair point, as per the usual. Well then, let's find the riders. We've got quite the story to tell them, maybe they can help come up with some ideas." I suggest and she nods along. We finish getting dressed and make for the Great Hall were most are eating.
I was just hopeful they would see the implications like I do. A Light Fury, on our side, in our own back yard. It was an incredible opportunity for all of us, and all the while the trappers are on their heels. I also had to send out a Terror Mail to Dagur, Mala, Alvin, Atali and Heather about this.
"I was just thinking, Hiccup, if we find this Light Fury and train it, who will ride it?" Astrid asks softly while we walk.
"I had been thinking about that too. There aren't really a lot of options; and for the record I wasn't going to ask you to abandon Stormfly." I respond and she inches closer to me in the walk.
"I know you wouldn't. Just… wanted to make sure you were thinking about it, not that it needs to be resolved right now. It may not even be ridable, but that's something we can find out together with the other riders." Astrid reaffirms and I smile. I was luckier than I could imagine, having a woman like her at my side.
"I love you, thank you for giving me strength." I say, leaning in and kissing her softly.
"And I love you, thank you for giving me heart." She answers, responding to the kiss in full. Lost in our kiss on the steps to the Great Hall, we part and resume our quest to find our friends and tell them about what we saw. There was something changing in the winds, in the horizon. We'd need to be ready for it to survive it.