Chapter 8: "Evening Falls"
Back within the scullery, Megan threw herself into her work, if only to forget the pain of breaking her promise to Hiccup.
Brittany had pretty much given up on Megan. If she wanted to just up and basically betray those dragon kids for no apparent reason, that was on her. Clearly, Megan knew something they didn't. They were all friends, right? So why wouldn't she just tell them the truth? Whatever, it wasn't Brittany's problem. Not anymore.
The girls were mopping the floors when they heard the head maid making an announcement.
"Come on, girls! Everyone's to head up to the courtyard now." The head maid said. She and the other maids were heading upstairs. "Lord Grisely wants everyone out there, you two!"
Megan brushed away some stray tears as she looked up.
Brittany looked over towards the stairs and briefly shot a look of disappointment at Megan.
"Looks like they've brought out that big ol' cage." The head maid said. "It's up on that stage they've been buildin'."
'Big cage?' Brittany thought. 'She must be talking about the cage we saw in Lord Grisely's room.'
'Oh no!' Megan thought, with a feeling of dread. 'Valka!'
If whatever Grimmel was planning involved Valka, she had a feeling that Hiccup wouldn't be too far away from this.
Megan ran up to the courtyard with Brittany following her in a begrudging manner.
The entire village was gathering near the stage.
Megan looked around. There were so many people. She could see the gang of street kids still playing their little game.
"Ha ha! I'm the best hunter!" Their leader said. She stood on top of their wooden cage and held up her toy sword in a proud manner.
Brittany could just make out Nicholas on the stage. He and the other soldiers were pushing the covered cage onto the middle of the stage.
"A little further now. Further." Grimmel was standing on a raised platform behind the cage, overlooking it and the crowd. Once he felt the cage was in the right position, he said to the soldiers, "Good. That's enough. Return to your positions, men."
The villagers were talking, curious about the cage and whatever was inside.
"What's in that cage, eh?"
"Somethin' 'bout the dragon everybody's talkin' about."
"Looks like the whole of Berk is here."
"Look at that cage! What's in there anyway?"
"What's Grisely playin' at with dat big stage?"
"What's he plannin'? All he's been doin' is promisin' everythin', but what's he got to show for it?"
"Nothin', that's what!"
"Only a dragon runnin' all throughout Berk!"
"It nearly ate my baby!"
"That Grisely, he's all bark and no bite!"
Megan and Brittany were trying to squeeze through all the villagers, making their way to the stage.
Just then, Megan could see something. 'There he is!' She spotted Hiccup and Astrid trying to rush through the crowd, pushing past the villagers.
Megan ran towards them and grabbed Hiccup's arm. "Hiccup please! Stop!"
Hiccup struggled against Megan's hands trying to hold him back. "Get off!" He yelled angrily. "My mom is here! I know she is!"
"Megan!" Brittany exclaimed.
"Let go of him!" Astrid yelled. She tried to hit Megan, but Brittany made an attempt to stop her.
"People of Berk, I have heard your concerns! Dragon attacks and livestock lost. A dragon running through the very streets of this village!" Grimmel began to address the crowd. "But listen to me. There is no reason to fear these beasts any longer. For soon, these dragon islands will be a civilized country!"
To say that Megan was having a difficult time holding Hiccup back was an understatement. He was determined to find Valka.
"Let me go!" Hiccup yelled. "Get off!"
"Hiccup stop!" Megan said. "Y-You've got to get out of here!"
"Let me go!" The boy snarled out.
"M-Megan, maybe we should...y'know, help them?" Brittany said, nervously. "Please, Megan! Why aren't you helping them?!"
Megan looked over to the street kids and it gave her an idea. It was cruel, but it would have to do. "Hey! Hey over here!" She called out.
This drew their attention.
"I-I've caught a dragon! I've caught two dragons!" Megan yelled. Brittany, Astrid and Hiccup looked at her, positively stunned.
The leader of the street kids smirked. "Well, well, well, she caught some dragons." She said. "I guess you are a hunter after all. Looks like we got ourselves some new dragons to kill, eh guys?"
The street kids grabbed at Hiccup and Astrid.
"Get off of us! Get off!" Astrid yelled. "Leave us alone!"
"NO! I-I have to find my mother!" Hiccup shouted. "Get away!"
"We'll get our dragons to eat you!"
"Let go of me!"
The kids dragged the two Scalewalkers over to their little wooden cage. They tried to lower the cage and trap Hiccup and Astrid, but the two of them continued to fight.
Megan walked up with tears in her eyes. She helped the street kids lower the cage.
"What are you doing Megan?!" Brittany exclaimed, horrified. "They're your friends!"
"Stop it Megan!" Astrid pleaded.
"Megan why are you doing this?!" Hiccup yelled.
Megan ignored them as she trapped her two friends in the street kids' cage.
"Let me out! Let me out!"
"No! No!" Astrid cried.
"I've got to find her! I've got to find my mother!"
"Hiccup! Your mother told me to keep you safe!" Megan finally yelled out.
The look in Hiccup's eyes... A look of shock, betrayal and intense anger directed at Megan. "...You knew..." He growled. "You knew she was here! You lied to me!"
Tears began to stream from Megan's eyes as she turned away. "It-It's for y-your own g-good, you two. I'm sorry...I'm so sorry..."
"Megan! Get back here!" Astrid shouted. "Megan!"
"Please! Please, Megan! I need her! I need my mother!" Hiccup cried out to her.
Brittany ran after her friend. "Wh-What...What did you do that for?!" She said. "They were counting on you to help them! Why? Why would you do that to them, your friends?!"
"Like I said...It's for their own good." Megan said.
"..." Brittany shook her head. "You sound just like your uncle when you say that."
Instead of talking back and continuing this argument, Megan only wiped away the tears still falling from her eyes.
Back up on the stage, Grimmel turned to his men. "I will show you that these wild forests can be tamed. Now...Reveal the beast."
Some of the soldiers held onto chains while others pulled back the curtain covering the cage.
There she was. Valka, but she was chained up and even had a muzzle on her.
"Valka!" Astrid exclaimed.
"Mom!" Hiccup yelled.
The villagers gasped and they looked at the Stormcutter with wide eyes.
"L-Look at tha'!"
"He's got a dragon, he has."
"Kill it!"
"Kill the dragon!"
"Kill it! Kill it now!"
"Send that beast to hell!"
"Enough! You all have nothing to fear from this dragon." Grimmel said. He looked over to Nicholas. "Open the cage."
The villagers let out gasps.
"Are ye mad?!"
"Don't let it out!"
Valka glared at Nicholas, who hesitantly removed the pin on the lock.
Nicholas handed the chain to Grimmel.
The pale man smirked as he led Valka out onto the stage.
Valka kept her calm, but she let out a few growls as Grimmel pulled her forward.
The crowd looked mystified as it seemed that Grimmel was making this dragons dance to his tune.
"As you can see, this once wild creature is now a tamed and obedient servant." Grimmel said. With the torch in his right hand, he practically shoved the burning stick in Valka's face, causing her to let out a yelp. Normally, fire wouldn't bother a dragon, but having a fire waved around in front of one's face would bother just about anyone. "And I shall rid this island of it and its wretched kind."
Between Megan's betrayal and seeing his mother treated like this, in simple terms, Hiccup snapped.
"Mom! MOM! MO~OM!" He shouted as he broke the street kids' cage with his bare hands.
Hiccup and Astrid rushed forward, jumping over and on the people in the crowd.
"Oi! Watch it!"
"Hey!"
"What're those kids doin'?!"
"Hiccup! No!" Megan yelled, running after them.
The two Scalewalkers climbed up onto the stage.
Hiccup ran over to Valka. "Mom! Mom it's me! It's Hiccup! I'm here!" He said, holding his mother's face.
"W-We're gonna get you outta here, Valka!" Astrid said, pulling at the muzzle.
"What's going on here?" Grimmel said, sharply eyeing the strange kids.
"Let her go!" Astrid demanded.
"She's my mother!" Hiccup growled out. "Let her go!"
For some reason, the villagers were getting a kick out of this. They were laughing.
"What's goin' on 'ere?"
"Look at these mad kids!"
"Is this all part of the show, Grisely?"
"They're wild, the both of 'em!"
"What's that boy shoutin' about?"
"So that dragon is his mother?"
Their laughter was angering Grimmel something fierce. "McMartin! Take charge of these wild children!"
Nicholas took a heavy looking metal collar and tried to grab Hiccup and Astrid, but the two kids were far too slippery for him.
Valka tried to protect the duo, but Grimmel used the chain to keep her back.
The villagers continued to laugh at this display.
"Ha Ha! Two kids against all them soldiers!"
"I'd say them kids are winnin'!"
"McMartin, can't you catch anything?" Grimmel said. "Collar these 'kids' and put them in the stocks!"
Hiccup and Astrid tried to flee the stage, but the soldiers cut off their escape, pointing their spears at the two.
With their backs to him, Nicholas managed to grab Hiccup.
"Hiccup!" Astrid exclaimed. "Let him go!"
Hiccup struggled against Nicholas' grip on him. He started to growl like a dragon as he tried to fight the former hunter off.
There is nothing in this world that will anger a parent faster than seeing their child in danger.
Valka's eyes narrowed. Her pupils thinned into slits as she snarled at Nicholas. She bared her razor sharp teeth at him.
"Ooh! Now he's gone an' done it!"
"He's made the mother angry!"
"Uncle please! Don't!" Megan yelled as she and Brittany climbed onto the stage.
"Girls stay back!" Nicholas yelled. He tried to hold Hiccup down and collar him.
"Mr. Nicholas, stop! Please! Stop!" Brittany yelled.
"This...This is wrong, Uncle!" Megan cried. "Stop it!"
"I said stay back!" Nicholas shouted.
With her anger at a boiling point, Valka managed to break the muzzle on her face. She bared her fangs and roared.
The villagers weren't laughing anymore.
"Th-The-The dragon!"
"Ahh!"
"Look out!"
Nicholas held up his arm to defend himself.
Valka pulled against the chain and then...She bit Nicholas right on the arm!
"Uncle!" Megan exclaimed.
"The dragon bit him!" One of the villagers yelled, getting the crowd even more worked up.
"Pull it back!" Grimmel commanded. "Pull it back!"
Valka snarled, continuing to struggle and fight as the soldiers pulled her back into the cage, locking her up once again.
Nicholas held his arm, which was now sporting a fresh Stormcutter bite mark. He had also lost his hold on Hiccup.
"Mom!" Hiccup exclaimed. He and Astrid ran up to the cage. "Ohh, gods...Mom...what have they done to you?"
The soldiers moved in to make an attempt to apprehend them, but the two Scalewalkers leaped up to the roof of the cage.
They climbed the tapestry backdrop and tore half of it down as they jumped off the stage. They nimbly avoided the soldiers and villagers as they climbed up the walls of the Great Hall's courtyard. They glared down at the crowd.
"We are Scalewalkers!" Hiccup proclaimed to all of Berk. "We're getting our dragons and coming back for my mother! And then...Then we'll destroy your village just as you've destroyed our forest!" He and Astrid let out draconic howls and took their leave.
The villagers had now been worked up into a frenzy.
"Th-Thor almighty!"
"S-Scalewalkers?"
"They're calling the flock!"
"Odin help us! They're comin'!"
"Ohh, hell, we're done for!"
"People, people, listen! Do not fear wild children and dragons." Grimmel said, regaining his composure. "Tonight we will put an end to all of this. I will burn this forest to the very ground! I shall lead cannons to their den and send these dragons straight to hell!"
"No!" Megan exclaimed, eyes wide with shock.
"We shall prevail! For it is the Lord's will!"
"Lock yer doors!" One villager yelled.
"Can't control them dragons!" Another yelled, as the crowd began to disperse from the courtyard.
Grimmel turned to his men. "Prepare a squadron." He said. "McMartin, what has happened to you? You can't even catch as much as a mere boy?"
"M-Milord, I—" Nicholas said, but was quickly interrupted.
"Either you prove yourself a worthy soldier tonight...or tomorrow you will find yourself in chains." Grimmel said. "Now...Put an end to that dragon. Whatever cannot be tamed must be destroyed."
"N-No! No, please!" Megan pleaded.
"You can't do this! You're insane!" Brittany yelled.
"Girls, stop it!" Nicholas said, sharply.
"For God's sake, put some manners on that girl and your maid," Grimmel said, "or I shall do it for you."
In just a few moments, the soldiers had mobilized, ready with their weapons and a massive cannon. Grimmel began to lead them out of the courtyard and towards the village gates.
Nicholas had gotten a crossbow and arrow in order to carry out his command to end Valka's life.
"No...No, Uncle, please! Don't do this, Uncle!" Megan pleaded. "For once in your life would you please just listen to me?!"
"Enough!" Nicholas yelled angrily. He turned to the girls. "Girls, return to your duties."
"But Uncle you can't-!"
"Now, Megan!"
With tears falling nonstop, Megan walked away with Brittany. Even Valka was stunned by this.
The girls hadn't even taken two steps off of the stage when Brittany took Megan's hands in her own.
Brittany took in a deep breath. "...This is all...one big mess." She said softly, not mincing words. "So...What are you gonna do about it?"
"..." Megan looked back at her uncle as he readied his crossbow. She looked over to the forest, and was reminded of something Tilolo had told her.
"Meg-Meg never hurt friends!"
Hiccup and Astrid were her friends, just like Brittany and Tilolo. Megan didn't want to hurt them. She wanted to help them!
"I...I want...I want to make this right." Megan said.
That was the answer Brittany wanted to hear. "Whatever you're thinking of doing...I'm with you."
Megan gave her friend a smile. She wiped away her tears. Her expression changed as she pulled off her bonnet, letting her long brown hair flow freely.
Nicholas raised his crossbow, but then...His two girls stood in his way. "Girls! What do you two think you're doing?" He said. "Lord Grisely will have the three of us in chains!"
"Not until you listen to us, Mr. Nicholas." Brittany said. "Tell him, Megan."
Megan took in a deep breath. "This is wrong, Uncle. All of this is wrong." She said. "Grimmel is wrong about the dragons! Why can't you see that?"
"Girls, step aside right now!" Nicholas ordered. "We must do as we're told!"
"But why, Uncle?"
"Because..."
"Why?!" The girls demanded to know.
"Because I'm afraid!" Nicholas blurted out.
"M-Mr. Nicholas?" Brittany said.
"...I'm afraid..."
"U-Uncle..." Megan said.
"I'm afraid that...that you'll be all alone. That I won't be here to protect you, lass." Nicholas said, pulling his niece into a hug. "I'm just so afraid...that you will end up in a cage one day."
"..." Megan pushed Nicholas away. "I already am in a cage, Uncle! I've been in that cage ever since Mom and Dad died! You're the one who's kept me in there!"
They heard the alarm bell ringing out. Nicholas turned his head at this. Judging by its sound, the villagers' fears were growing.
"Oh now what?"
"Somethin' ain't right out there."
"Dragons! Dragons!"
"Dragons! They're headed right this way!"
"Run for it!"
"The dragons are attackin' Berk!"
Upon hearing the sound of a door being opened, Nicholas looked back and gasped.
The girls had freed Valka! Not only that, but they had also climbed up onto her back.
"I'm sorry, Uncle." Was all Megan said.
Valka took off, flying right over the soldiers and not even giving them so much as a chance to react.
As they flew over the village square, they could hear people yelling out to 'kill the dragon'.
"Yes! Yes! Yes!" Fuufuun cheered.
"Go get 'em, girls!" Gobber shouted.
Brittany held onto Megan tightly. "I don't think I'm that fond of flying!"
"I'm sorry, Valka!" Megan said.
'Valka? Oh right! The Stormcutter! She's Hiccup's mom!'
"I tried to stop them...and I failed. Astrid...Hiccup...They're gonna get themselves killed!"
Valka let out a roar as if she were saying 'We won't let that happen' and her wings boosted her forward.
The soldiers guarding the village had closed the gates to protect the villagers. They aimed their guns and began to fire at the Stormcutter.
Luckily, Valka avoided their shots with ease as she flew over the wall and out towards the forest.
"GIRLS!" Nicholas shouted through the gates.
The large tree with the curved root had been felled.
Hiccup and Astrid stood upon the root as they howled to summon the flock.
Tilolo was nearby, hiding by the stump of the tree. "Meh meh meh..." He knew things were bad. He had never seen his new friends so angry, even though he hadn't known them for long.
The flock had gathered, and they all sat at attention.
"The time has come for us to attack those villagers!" Hiccup said, with a slight growl to his voice. "They have my—"
"Hiccup look!" Astrid said as she looked behind her.
Hiccup turned around and he could see...a familiar looking Stormcutter flying towards them. The anger clouding his face slowly disappeared. "...Mom..."
Valka landed close by. The two girls climbed off her back.
"M-Mom..." Hiccup said, smiling.
"Hiccup." Valka said, smiling back.
"Mom you're back!" Hiccup yelled happily as he ran to his mother.
Their spirits-Valka as a human and Hiccup as a Night Fury dragon- appeared and intertwined with each other as mother and son reunited.
"Ohh, my Hiccup...I thought I would never see you again..." Valka said. "Until these little ones freed me."
Hiccup turned his head to see Megan and Brittany standing nearby.
"Meg-Meg! Bri-Bri!" Tilolo said. He ran up to his friends.
"Hey there, fuzzy-wuzzy." Brittany said. She picked the Nopon up and gave him a hug.
Megan tucked a strand of hair behind her ear as she stepped towards the Scalewalkers. "H-Hiccup, I...I'm so sorry..."
Hiccup frowned as he turned away from the brunette girl.
Astrid glared daggers at her.
"I was...I was just trying to help. I was trying to keep you two safe." Megan said. "I...I-I didn't even know what to do...I...I'm so sorry, Hiccup." She moved as if to leave.
Astrid suddenly hugged her tightly. "Aw shut up and come here, village girl."
Hiccup joined in. "Thank you for helping my mother."
"...Heh. I'm no village girl anymore, you two." Megan smiled.
Everyone was smiling and the dragons in the flock looked happy.
"Guys, we don't have time for this." Brittany said, getting back to the matter at hand. "Lord Grisely is leading an army straight here and he—"
An arrow hit Valka right in her heart. She collapsed to the ground.
"NO!" Astrid yelled.
"MOM NO!" Hiccup screamed.
"Oh my Gods!" "Ahh!" "Mehmehmeh!" Megan and her friends exclaimed, fearfully.
"M-Mom! Mom, wake up! P-Please! Mom, don't leave me again! Please!"
"Valka, please! Y-You've gotta wake up!" Astrid said. She moved to get the arrow.
"Meh meh! Don't touch!" Tilolo yelled out. "Arrow is poisoned!"
"What?!"
"No way!" Brittany exclaimed.
"Kids! Hurry! Run for it!" Nicholas was running to them, with crossbow in hand.
"Uncle what have you done?!" Megan cried. She, Brittany and Tilolo ran over to him angrily, and started to hit him, mostly in his arms and shoulders.
The flock surrounded the four of them. They growled, snarled and bared their teeth angrily at Megan's uncle.
"Get back! Back!" Nicholas yelled, putting his crossbow on his back. He grabbed Megan and held her tight.
"Stop it!" Megan shouted. "Let me go! Hiccup!"
"You shot her! You shot her! You shot her!" Brittany yelled as she slammed her fists as hard as she could on Nicholas' shoulder.
"Unclepon kill Hiccup's Mamapon!" Tilolo shouted. "Unclepon is murderer!"
"Back!" Nicholas pulled out a dagger and held it out to the flock threateningly. "Get back I say!"
The flock was ready to tear the ex-hunter to shreds.
"Uncle let me go!" Megan yelled. "You-You shot Hiccup's mother!"
Hiccup held onto his mother as he cried.
Valka's eyes slowly slid shut.
Seeing this, Hiccup then let out a loud howl.
This drew the flock's attention. They ran away from the little family of four and back over to Hiccup.
Valka's dragon body slowly turned into light and rose into the air. The arrow that had shot her fell to the ground.
"N-No...Valka..." Megan gasped.
"M-Mom..." Hiccup said.
Then, Valka's dragon spirit began to drift into the forest. It was returning to her human body back at the den.
The flock followed, along with Hiccup and Astrid.
Megan struggled in her uncle's arms. She had to go with them. She had to! "Let me go!" She said. "L-Let me go!"
"No, Megan! Stay with me!" Nicholas said.
"No, Uncle! Let me go! Valka is dying! I have to go with them! I have to help Hiccup!"
"B-But...But, Megan, why? I-I don't understand!"
"Uncle, don't you see? I am one of them." Megan said. "I'm a Scalewalker!"
Nicholas' eyes widened in surprise. "N-No...It's not true...is it?"
"It true, Unclepon." Tilolo said. "About two days ago, Hiccup turned Meg-Meg into Scalewalker."
"That white dragon that was in our house last night." Brittany said. "It was Megan the whole time."
"They're right, Uncle." Megan said. "I've got to go with them."
"No...No, Megan, please." Nicholas said. "I...I just can't let you go..."
"Oh, Uncle..." Then, Megan closed her eyes, allowing her exhaustion to take her. Her transformation into a dragon triggered. Her dragon spirit leaped right out of her body, and soon materialized into her Light Fury form. Her paws touched the ground as she landed.
Nicholas looked up to see the white dragon from last night standing across from him. So it is true. His little niece really is a Scalewalker. "Megan..."
With a melancholy look on her face, Megan turned away from her uncle and ran into the forest after her friends and the dragon flock.
"Megan!"
Brittany and Tilolo looked at each other and nodded. They ran after Megan, determined to help out however they could.
"Kids!" Nicholas called after them, but his kids were gone.
For a moment or two, Nicholas gently held his niece's sleeping body.
Right behind him, Grimmel and his army had arrived at the edge of the forest.
"McMartin, what the devil is going on here?" Grimmel said. "Have you lost all your senses?"
"M-Megan...She's gone..." Nicholas said, softly.
Though, Grimmel had no time or patience for nonsense. "Chain him. I shall deal with him later." He said, urging his armored horse to step ahead.
Nicholas could hardly believe this was happening.
"Sorry, sir..." One of the soldiers said, as he placed an iron collar around Nicholas' neck.
Grimmel looked down at the trail of dragon pawprints leading into the woods. "A fresh track." He said. He turned to the men. "Burn it all."
The soldiers took their torches and set the forest ablaze.
Oh boy, things are really...No, I'm not gonna say it. I think you get the idea.
"Hey dingus! There wasn't no poisoned arrow!" I can hear some of you shaking your torches and pitchforks at the screen. "What were you thinking?! ARE you even thinking?!"
I was thinking that a poisoned arrow would raise the stakes. A simple arrow wouldn't do that much damage to a big, strong dragon, but a POISON arrow would certainly do it. I already planned this, so hush, please and thank you. Wink, wink. Tilolo knew that, because his Nopon nose could smell the poison.
Yeah, I also overdid the bold earlier in the chapter, but I really wanted to convey an intense-ness in that moment. Plus I couldn't think of a better chapter title, either.
In the next chapter, it's the final battle for the forest! We're so close to the end!
I meant to say this earlier, but I just realized I may have missed an opportunity with this story...And as it happens, by the time I realized it, it was too late to do anything.
Also, this upload is to celebrate the release of Season 2 of "Dragons: The Nine Realms"! I am NOT sorry for liking this show. I want to see where it's going! While I would like to present my own 'theories' or predictions, I'll just settle for sitting in a corner with a dunce cap as you guys throw tomatoes at me. Totally worth it! *Wink!*
