Hey guys...well, I have no excuse. I simply have been working and my creativity has been a bit low. But, truthfully, hearing back from you guys and wanting to know how this story ends, did give me inspiration for pushing myself to finish this chapter. So for those of you out there that reached out to me: thanks, I sincerely appreciate it 3 Anyways, read and respond! I love y'all's feedback!
Raeya was tense; she had never carried anyone before on her back, much less a human. She was quiet as Kassandra approached her. The human wasn't doing a swell job of showing her confidence in their situation as well.
The sun was barely peaking over the horizon and only Re, Hiccup, Kassandra, Raeya, Serenity, and Aurora were awake. The chief of Berk asked Eret and Skullcrusher to join them for added muscle, plus the Rumblehorn had the keenest sense of smell.
"So...I just strap it on her?" Kassandra asked slowly, looking between the saddle Hiccup gave her and Hiccup.
"Yes. All you have to do is loop the main strap right below her head and fasten the lower strap right at the base of her neck and you should be good to go. I was fiddling with this design awhile back with Toothless to make his gear lighter but I forgot to calculate one of the leg joints so it was useless to him, and this saddle has been collecting dust ever since." Hiccup informed.
"Can we hurry this up please? The longer we take the more peril Toothless and Chris could face." Re remarked, fidgeting around.
"Sorry Re. Well go on Kassandra, she is willing to let you strap it on….right Re?"
Re softly roared and grunted to Raeya, who looked slowly at the two humans before nodding. Kassandra gulped as she slowly approached and stared into the Night Fury's colorful eyes. She was almost lost in them before she remember she had to hurry. After a couple of minutes and many stops, Kassandra succeeded in attaching the saddle to her.
"Now mount up. Once we take off, hold on tight. You don't want to fall off. Most importantly, trust in her. Raeya will make sure nothing happens to you."
Kassandra took a deep breath, looked at her mount again before grabbing onto the saddle and heaving herself onto Raeya. She looked around and down at her. She did it; she mounted a dragon, the infamous Night Fury no less. It didn't click to her how wondrous a feat she accomplished. She was trying her best to calm her nerves.
Hiccup quickly mounted Re. They were about to take off, when Serenity approached them.
"My king...promise me nothing bad will happen. These past weeks have been filled with nothing but negativity… we need a light at the end of the tunnel….please promise me you all will come back okay." Serenity pleaded, her tired eyes big and desperate for an answer.
"I promise, I will find Toothless and your husband, and we will all come back in one piece. Now make sure the hatchlings are safe."
Re smiled at his mate who returned it with warmth before the small group bounded into the air, and soon were but a mere speck in the sky, heading for land unknown.
Serenity sighed and looked down at her feet.
"Don't be upset. Everything will workout. I foresee it." Aurora reassured
"I hope so. I'm growing tired of all this fighting…" Serenity said dejectedly.
"You won't have to face it alone. We are here."
"Who's we Aurora? Our family is broken right now. Chris hates me; he doesn't even know me! The kids are upset and afraid of playing outside after nearly dying. Windwalker and Tenor…I don't even know if they are even mates anymore!" Serenity suddenly snapped, sounding distressed. Aurora pulled back a bit, surprised at her change in tone.
"You need to realize something: no family is perfect. Every family goes through tough times. Every family fights. But that's what makes them stronger. It brings them closer together. I know that no matter what happens, we will all stick together despite it all."
"Tell that to my original family…" Serenity said under her breath.
"Serenity! I know you were hurt by your birth family. But it has been almost 20 years since we rescued you from them.. I know we can't heal what they did to you but you have to move on already! You can't keep holding onto the past and using every new obstacle or problem in our family as a reminder of what occurred in the past! Life isn't fair and it will knock you down and hurt you; however, life is about getting hit and standing back up again no matter how much it hurts. So please….for your sake Serenity. Please let it go. I can't sit by and watch as you blame yourself for your past over something you couldn't control!" Aurora said as she stared at Serenity.
Serenity stared in shocked silence at the chiding she got from Aurora.
"Please. Have faith okay? Trust in Re, trust in Hiccup, trust in Tenor, and most importantly trust in your husband."
Serenity cried softly as her emotions were getting the best of her. "I'm sorry…it's just...it's just a lot to process."
"I know… and we will be here to help you through it" Aurora said softly before wrapping a wing around her daughter-in-law.
Days and nights passed while Cristoforos quickly learned the ways of being a slave. He would wake up before the crack of dawn and be put to work, doing various chores around the house. He mostly worked outside in the field, plowing and tilling the soil beneath his feet. His clothes were gone as all he had to adorn him was his brown tunic, which steadily grew dirty and worn. His skin, darkened by the sun, was a shade lighter than his attire.
His master Lucia didn't make things easier. She sometimes would make Cristoforos work even when his sandals would break, not giving him food sometimes until the sun was going down. He would collapse in fatigue; only then would Lucia let up.
It was a cycle. He lost track of time and soon his skin began to tan further under the baking sun. He couldn't completely understand the Greek language but understood basic words and body language such as "go" "Hurry" "there" "yes" and "no". He figured they were likely discussing something more intricate or were talking down to him when his ears could no longer decipher the meanings of their intricate tongue, but so long as he didn't anger his superiors further he didn't care what they were saying. He heard some of the other slaves also speak about another tongue called Latin, but...it was all Greek to him.
It was a week or so later when Lucia called him in and told him he and a few others were to come with him, saying something about going to a sport event or something. Whatever it was, Christoforos was relieved it would be a break from the manual, intense labor. Granted, he would serve her more minimal tasks like running errands.
The travel wasn't that bad. They sailed mostly, and he had to admit the quarters weren't uncomfortable. He was able to make a few small chat with the other slaves as they slept chained to a wall. At last, they arrived, woken up none too gently and escorted out into the bright sun.
"Where are we?" Killian asked a fellow slave.
"Rome…..this is Rome." A male slave responded, a tone of dread in his voice.
"What's wrong? Why do you say it like that." Killian asked, concerned.
"You don't get it do you? We aren't here to accompany her and do master Lucia's work. We are here to die!"
No sooner than he said that, armed guards roughly surrounded them and dragged them towards the city center by their chains. On and on, passing different shops, structures, and people. He saw slaves and master's alike, mingling around and bustling by everywhere. Then, Killian got looked over by a dark, large shadow. Looking up, he was amazed by what he saw.
A giant coliseum, a massive arena bigger than any structure he had ever seen! It looked to be made of stone, rising high and dotted with even open arches. The roar of cries, the sound of fire, and...something else. He couldn't place it, but heard sounds ringing out faintly….it didn't sound human. As he passed through the entrance, he immediately was led through the left and down a long widening corridor curling to the right. Even spaced torches provided minimal light. Lining the walls were all types of things, ranging from sleeping quarters, storage units and...cages. He had never even seen some of these animals! He spotted a white and black striped horse! And then...he spotted a few creatures that looked feine in nature, sporting a gold coat with a furry mane wrapping around its head in the same color. He stepped back a bit….that looked dangerous. Another pen had this beautiful bird of sorts. It was blue and green is and had a long stiff tail dotted with these weird eye-looking feathers. He passed more and more exciting and common animals he had seen before. Then….the cacophony of sounds grew more feral as he passed familiar faces.
There were dragons! All shapes sizes and colors all imprisoned. He was still afraid of them but...it was saddening seeing them in cages. Back at Berk...they were free and could enjoy themselves. No person or animal, should ever have to live shackled and in a cage; he knew he didn't. As they rounded another corner, his eyes widened and he let out a small gasp, spotting something among the shadow of the far back of a cage he never thought he'd see again.
It was Toothless! It...it had to be! However...the Night Fury didn't look great. It was riddled with scars and cuts all over its body. It was curled up tightly in a ball in the furthest corner of his cell. It was breathing quite raggedly and looked….hopeless. His paws looked dirty and some of his claws were chipped. He could even spot a small hole in one of his sub wings.
"Toothless! Hey toothless it's me! Toothless" Killian called out. The dragon was unresponsive, lying motionlessly. He held back, pulling against his restraints as he cried out desperately for the dragon. This caught the notice of a guard, hitting Christoforos straight in the gut, silencing him as he was yanked harshly forward to keep the pace. Killian looked back once more, heartbroken that he was seemingly ignored.
Not a few moments later, he was sent into a dark chamber, shackles lining the walls above him. On the other end was a laced iron gate that led to a bright open area, where the cries of animals, both human and not, reigned out in a symphony of noise. He was immediately restrained to a left shackle, forced to stand and wait as the remaining slaves were too shackled and left them to their own devices. Killian could do nothing as he had to wait, not knowing when he would be moved or what to do next.
It was night time the next day. The moon was out, displaying its crescent face with the stars dancing around it as Tenor flew and flew, tracking Windwalker to who knows where. As he flew, he thought carefully and deeply about what to say and how to say it. He would grunt and groan in slight anger as idea after idea came up short, eventually out of plans.
"Oh please...please let me fix this. I can't lose her….anyone but her." Tenor silently begged up to the heavens as he glided on right below the cloud break.
Another hour or so later, he caught it...a strong scent of her scent. He perked up but kept his ears pinned, whining slightly. "Here goes nothing." Tenor breathed out a bit shakily, curling his wings and diving swiftly upon an island. As he fell, Tenor realized what this island was, growing surprised.
It was their island! Well...they couldn't own an island. But Windwalker and him claimed it years ago when they were out flying together. Oh he remembered it vividly now! There was plentiful salmon and a few tuna swimming around the shores, which led to a white sandy beach with mildly-thick vegetation. The climate was indeed hot and humid there but oh where there many places with shade due to the thick trees and foliage overhead that casted their shadows. It was devoid of all life and wasn't too big! It wasn't small though, as it had the smallest mountain Tenor had ever seen, with an appropriately sized river flowing from the top of the mountain before fanning out in a delta at the right side of the bottom of the island, feeding into the sea.
As he landed, he curled his claws into the soft sand, groaning in pleasure. "I remember this well." Tenor smiled, recalling all the wonderful memories he and Windwalker shared here whenever they had a chance to themselves. He blushed as his thoughts recalled more...intimate times with her here.
Snapping himself out of his nostalgia, he shook his head and began sniffing around. He reminded himself to focus and do what he came here to do: resolve. He had to….or else he just wouldn't be able to live with himself. Even if she...she didn't want anything to do with him anymore, he still wanted to make it right and at least depart on good terms. However, he hoped it didn't come to that. He didn't want it to come to that.
He trotted this way and that, zigzagging throughout various trees and foliage, climbing awkward terrain until he spotted her. His eyes softened as he took in her form again.
Windwalker sat there, curled around herself with her head propped up on a low rock, overlooking the dark sea. The moon was low enough that it barely touched the crown of her head, almost giving her the appearance that the moon itself was her head piece. Her scales shimmered against the casting moonlight, giving her a subtle shimmering grey illumniscence. Oh god's was she beyond beautiful, Tenor thought. Trapped in another stupor, he didn't realize he stepped on a dead twig.
Windwalker grew alert, her earfins standing up sharply as she turned around, assuming a crochet position and growling. However, she immediately halted herself briefly as she realized it was not a threat, but Tenor himself.
She scoffed, pain and rage taking the surprise and apprehension she previously held not a second earlier. "You?! What...what are you doing here?!" Windwalker seethed, growling threateningly.
"Look. Just hear me-"
"I want NOTHING to do with you. I don't care." Windwalker seethed. Not a moment later she took off, dashing to her left and into the foliage. Tenor grunted and easily followed her a few paces behind. "Wait!"
However, Tenor lost her in a few minutes. He skidded to a stop as he lost her as she jumped over dead tree. He turned around wildly, calling out. "Windwalker please! I'm sorry! I'm sorry for everything!" Tenor cried.
A startling roar resounded throughout the area, Tenor snapping his head sporadically as he tried to place the origin. That slight moment distracted him just enough, allowing Windwalker to sprint quickly and slam herself into his left side. Tenor yelped in pain as he tumbled about with her scratching and biting at him. He rolled to a stop with Windwalker pinning him down and snarling. "Get out of my face!"
"Windwalker please! I need to talk to you!" Tenor pleaded.
"Give me a reason not to end your life now!" Windwalker stated shakily.
"Because you wouldn't leave Black Widow without a father." Windwalker grew silent but still kept him pinned, growing quietly.
"That and….Chris and Toothless have been captured."
That caught her attention. Windwalker grew befuddled as she stepped off him, releasing him. "...What?"
Tenor groaned as he rolled right side up and shook himself free of small debris. "Those stupid Romans….they captured them. Kassandra's family came to take Kassandra away, and she refused, prompting her brother to take Chris and Toothless hostage in exchange for her."
"Then we need to rescue them!" Windwalker exclaimed as she turned around and spread her wings to fly.
"Wait! It's okay! Re, Hiccup, Kassandra, Raeya, Eret, and Skullcrusher are going to Rome now to rescue them! They already left a few days ago and will take care of it."
Windwalker halted herself and slowly folded her wings back. "Then I guess….we can do nothing but wait." The female then began to leave.
"Wait Windwalker. We need to talk."
"What is there to talk about."
"Us…"
"There's nothing to say. I already told you that I want nothing to do with you."
"Well I do. I got something to say."
"As if I care what you have to hear."
"Then don't care. Just listen then." Tenor replied and quickly added before Windwalker was about to retort. "I'm sorry for making you feel jealous and acting affectionate to Raeya...I wasn't thinking straight...truth be told, I was feeling very alone and then seeing you and ...rejected."
"Rejected? Have I done nothing but good to you? I became your mate, and had a child with you Tenor. I protect and provide and you just forget that. How dare you think I rej-"
"Then why were you hanging out with Rhyax so much by yourselves huh?"
Windwalker rolled her eyes again and growled. "I told you! He was nothing to me and that he was just someone from the past. It was simply catching up."
"Catching up? Really? Because every time I tried to chat with you or talk to you; you were off god knows where with Rhyax."
"I wasn't out all-"
"You literally were out all day and wouldn't come home past sunset. I was worried. Black Widow was worried."
"Why couldn't you just trust me?"
"I do trust you! I don't trust him! And I was right! He was evil!"
"What?! Oh Tenor stop spitting out lies! I don't know why you are jealous of him. You really need to get over your damn insecurities. It's sad"
Tenor snarled out, hurt and approached Windwalker, growling right in her face. "How...how dare you say that to me….you know what I went through growing up as a hatchling...the bullying and isolation, the constant rejection. I went through so much crap...wanting to just end it all, to end my life.. It made me shut everyone out, letting no one in, made me hate people and develop trust issues….and you call me...pitiful?"
Windwalker growled back but cut herself off after realizing what she had said. "Tenor...look I didn't mean it like that."
"No you did….but you were too afraid to admit it….and here I thought I was a coward."
Windwalker snarled lowly at the insult and was beginning to grow furious. "You watch your-"
Tenor got right in her face, matching that energy. "No! You listen here you callous brute. I'm tired of this. You are gonna come home now. Quit acting like a child. I'm trying to talk to you like an adult and here you go, running away like a pathetic beta and throwing a tantrum; refusing to listen to me like a hatchling."
Windwalker snapped. She roared and pounced Tenor, clawing and biting at him. Tenor roared back and began scratching in return. They swatted and injured each other, rolling around in a ball of scales, teeth, and fury as they lashed at each other.
Soon, both were a bit bruised and had a few scrapes and cuts along their body. Windwalker had Tenor pinned down to the ground and smugly grinned. "After all of this, I'm still stronger than you."
Tenor roared loudly and using a newfound strength, headbutted Windwalker, causing her to grunt in pain as she was dazed. Using the opportunity Tenor rolled them around, using his weight to pin her down. "He captured Black Widow."
"Wh….what?"
"Rhyax captured Black Widow and was going to kill her and the rest of the children. I HAD TO STOP HIM. He and his family were so close to killing them, but I helped stopped them. Black widow called out for you but you abandoned her. You abandoned her, deciding to go off and pout. I don't care if you hate me. You can do that all you want. You can not be my mate anymore. Go ahead. But what you will NOT DO, is abandon her like my parents abandoned me. You will not give OUR CHILD the same fate my parents gave me."
"I would never abandon her! Never! You….you made me feel like I was nothing. Like I didn't matter...like you didn't love me anymore...I...I thought...thought you were rejecting me. That you were gonna leave me...And when you licked Raeya….my heart broke. I...I don't deal with emotions.. I hate them. I always push them away….They make me weak. I try….try so hard to be strong….so that my emotions could never be used against me...but here we are….and I'm….i can't handle it. Look how pathetic I am. I HATE THIS...I can't…" Windwalker spewed out in an emotional stammer, having lost her grip. She let out a long whine, the equivalent of a desperate broken cry.
Tenor stopped and slowly got off Windwalker, who stayed there, curling in on herself as she lamented in agony.
"How do you think I felt? Seeing you go off with him everyday….not coming back and barely responding to me or giving me time. I thought...I thought you were having second thoughts about ME. I thought you were gonna leave Black Widow and me. I thought you were gonna abandon me…" Tenor whined as he panted.
"I would...wound never leave you Tenor...I'm….im sorry okay?! Im sorry….i just….was trying to part with Rhyax on good terms...you know he tried….asking me to be his mate again?"
"He...he did?" Tenor asked sadly, fear running through his head.
"Yes….but I told him no….I wasn't interested. I never would be."
"But….but I heard you in the cove….you were saying I was a runt, a hybrid, weak…" tenor recalled as he wiggled uncomfortably.
Windlwaker sniffed and held her head up, scrunching her brow before realizing Tenor had overheard their conversation. "I said all those things yes….but that you were so much more than that...that you weren't letting your past define you and that as messed up as it was...you were getting better. That you were all of those things and more. And that was what I loved about you. Everyone told me how reclusive and shy and how much you didn't like yourself or how you always shut yourself in….but when I first met you all those years ago….I saw none of that….I saw a dragon who yes had a horrible past...but wasn't gonna let it stop him from living a good future. Didn't you hear that? And that was why I told Rhyax I could never leave you. Because I loved that about you."
Tenor pinned his ears in shame and began to lower his head, growling in frustration and whining lowly. "No….I….I didn't….I ran off after hearing those negative words...I got triggered and….it led me to do those stupid actions in the plaza with you and Raeya and…..oh god's….why am I so stupid. Stupid stupid stupid stupid." Tenor wailed as he began slamming his head into the ground, hating himself immensely.
Windwalker immediately went over, wide eyed upon seeing Tenor hurt himself and laid her head on the ground where tenor was banging his head, absorbing the blows. "Tenor stop!"
The male dragon listened, stopping as he rested his head against Windwalker's head and began to cry, just letting his emotions flow out. Windwalker immediately nuzzled him and wrapped a wing around him, hugging him fiercely back. Windwalker couldn't help but snuggle and cry too….letting her emotions spill out, unbottling them.
The next half hour was filled with silence, except the sounds of whimpering and sniffing from both dragons. Once they finished, they simply rested their bodies against each other, wrapped in each other's wings, recovering from such an intense ordeal.
"I'm sorry.." Tenor said after awhile.
"I'm sorry too.." Windwalker responded. Tenor then buried his face into Windwalker's neck.
"Why do you put up with me Windwalker… I just seem to be causing nothing but pain.."
"I put up with you cuz I still do love you. I just….haven't really done this before, being emotional and close and such. I was born into war and for years I had to watch comrades die before me. All I knew was stress and pain...slowly becoming desensitized to all of it. I...kept myself closed off, not wanting to lose anyone close. I kept everything bottled up and it wasn't until I met Chris that I started to realize, 'maybe everything doesn't have to be negative' or ' maybe I can have one good thing, amongst all the terrible stuff I went through'. And when I finally reunited Chris with his parents, I felt...good. Happy for him that he finally found his family and that he was safe. But then you came along. I never would have expected having a mate and then having a child. I guess, I was still desensitized about everything. It felt surreal, like I was in a dream. I really didn't think I could have my own happiness cuz I really never knew what that was. So, I never really knew how to express myself or my feelings, and the fact I kept everything bottled up just added to my emotional/mental reclusiveness. And...I should have not let my past define how I act now. Cuz I realized having you and Black Widow was Draco's gift of giving me a new chance on life. And I don't wanna lose that."
Tenor looked up at his mate, sincere. "I understand...you have heard this many times. How I kept to myself because I was different. An outcast. All my life I hated myself cuz of how I am, and I shut everyone out because I figured no one would ever want me. Why would anyone want to spend the rest of their lives with me? But then you came along. You didn't see my past or judged me for what I looked like. You just...I don't know. You liked me for me. And I never had that too. And I guess, I still haven't gotten use to the idea yet. I actually have someone who likes me for me..it's surreal. I guess part of me still believed you would leave because of my short-comings. I felt like I was in a dream, and that I too, could not have my own happiness because I really never knew what it was. And now I have you and our daughter. I don't wanna lose that either." Tenor admitted as he gave a small lick across her cheek.
Windwalker blushed softly and wiggled. She looked away a bit, flustered. "So… what now?" She asked softly.
Tenor coughed, also a bit flustered. "Well...I'd like to...to say sorry… and to be your mate again."
Windwalker smiled and gave a nuzzle back. "Okay...I forgive you and you are mate...and always will be. As long as you forgive me too."
Tenor let out a sigh of relief, shaking as he was trying to kept his emotions in check again. He then buried his face into his mate's neck. "I'm sorry I just…"
"Shhhh...don't apologize. Don't ever apologize for being you. There is nothing wrong for being in touch with your emotions...I envy that." Windwalker stated as she gave a few comforting licks back.
"Okay… thank you. And I envy how you can be so stoic and collected all the time." Tenor chuckled, purring at the licks and giving a few nips back.
"I don't know why you would covet that about me" Windwalker smiled, enjoying the nips and exposing more of her neck for Tenor to attend to.
"That isn't the only thing I covet about you" Tenor purred, licking more.
She gazed up at him. "What other things are they?"
"A whole list remember? I don't know if we got the time for that"
Tenor then oofed as he was pulled closer to his mate, hearing her purring loudly and giving him a rather knowing look. "I think we got time now." She stated, with a hint of a blush.
Tenor's eyes widened as he picked up on the cue, blushing back. However, he wasn't about to shy away now. And then, Windwalker and Tenor did what any two dragons in love would do. The night was filled with passion and the occasional roar. On that island of theirs, only them two mattered and for however long they stayed, everything else melted away.
The group of dragon riders flew on into the night. It was quiet at first with the occasional gasp from Kassandra and the grunt from Raeya, adjusting still to being a pair now. But there was not much to be said. They flew on and on for a few days, stopping to catch fish. Skullcrusher was leading the way as usual, but he was resolute: they were on the right track. Everyone else was getting restless; however, come the 4th day, Kassandra yelled out. "We're here, we're here!"
"How do you know this?" Re asked.
"These waters are unmistakable. The bluest waters in all the land! We are in Greece! If there is anything good about my country, it's the water." Kassandra remarked with a touch of pride before her shoulders drooped, remembering now the bad times.
"My King, Chris and Toothless' scent is strong here, sort of….it branches off to the left a bit but they were once here for awhile." Skullcrusher notified.
"Great. Chris and Toothless used to be here. Maybe some of the locals can tell us about our comrades." Re mused.
"No! We can't just barge in! We need to fly in somewhere else, the Greeks and Romans have...incredible weapons and machinery. And trust me, I'm sure it will give you dragons a run for your money." Kassandra remarked.
Re scowled but angled himself to fly alongside one of the hills near the beach. The rest of the group followed suit. The king and Hiccup didn't show it, but they were determined and nervous to be so close, yet so far from their loved ones.