Knowing before is better
Than knowing after
Valka patted the scuttleclaw as she walked by, the dragon purred in response.
The nest wasn't as big as the one she had lived in for 20 years. It was a lot smaller, but still held the dragons Berk couldn't fit on its island and the dragons that didn't want to live among so many people.
Valka even lived here for a few days when she just wanted to get away from people. Sure she wanted to be near her son and grandchildren, but sometimes it felt so overwhelming to be among people after being on her own with the dragons for 20 years. It had gotten better over the years and her grandchildren were keeping her on Berk, but being able to get away for a day or two made her feel at ease.
Vylma was the grandchild who mostly went here. Valka knew Vylma had something really special with dragons and she got it confirmed when Vylma told her about the screaming death she had gotten friends with. Now when Vylma was queen, Valka hadn't seen her in two weeks and it broke her heart having her granddaughter so far away from home.
Now she was really glad having three of four grandchildren at Berk, close to her. Watching them grow made her proud and happy, but sad because she knew this growing up part was something she missed with her son. She didn't see her son grow up, hear his first words or watching him taking his first steps. And she regretted it. She really did. At least she could see her son being a father to his own children and see him grow as a chief, husband and father.
A faint voice caught her attention and she walked towards it. On the edge with the sea hundreds meter under her swinging feet sat Magnhild. Her dragon Temple laid beside her and Magnhild stretched her dragons head.
"Tomorrow or the day after that, I'm hoping for tomorrow. I can't stand the wait." Temple rumbled. "But I guess Drago wants to attack at night like Eret said." she sighed.
Valka walked up to her. "I'm guessing he will come tomorrow."
Magnhild looked up to her grandmother, who smiled down at her. "Than I'll be ready." she looked back to the endless sea.
Valka slowly sat down beside her. "You know, you don't have to fight."
Magnhild turned to her and frowned. "I'm a warrior, of course I'll fight. I'll defend Berk and hopefully I get to punch Drago in his stupid face." Why in Thor's name wouldn't she fight? Her name mean 'powerful in battle', she was born to fight.
"I just don't want to see you get hurt. I don't want anyone to get hurt but if you-"
"I'm 16," she added. "I'm a Haddock and I will not back down from a fight, especially when Berk, my own people, are on the battlefield."
Valka sighed. She didn't want any of the kids fighting this battle. What if something happened to them? What if- what if one of them died? At such young age? Gods she prayed to the gods Drago wouldn't start a war.
"At least Vylma doesn't know." she muttered and Magnhild turned her head so fast she could hear her neck crack.
"What do you mean Vylma doesn't know? Why wouldn't she get to know that a war could be coming to Berk? Her home?" Magnhild demanded to get answers out of her grandma.
Vylma cursed herself for letting that slip her tongue. Magnhild shouldn't know that. "No, Magnhild-" she tried but Magnhild stood up, surprising Temple.
Her fists were clenched tight and her lips pressed together. "You can't leave her in the dark just because she's not around anymore. She's still part of this family, she's till part of Berk."
Valka stood up for those words. "Of course she's family and part of Berk." she declared and feced Magnhild. "But if we can keep one of you safe-"
"Safe?" Magnhild snapped. "She will be furious when she finds out there's been a war at Berk, against Drago of all people and you didn't tell her about it." she climbed on Temples back, ready to fly away from there.
Valka quickly grabbed her arm. "Where are you going?"
Magnhild stared down at Valka with anger. "Berk." she flew off, making Valka reales her grip on Magnhilds arm.
Valka watched her fly over the sea until she couldn't see Temple anymore.
Why did she say that?
Magnhild lied. She wasn't going to Berk. No, she was going to Barvik and tell her sister that a war was coming to Berk.
Vylma had the right to know that the man that killed their grandfather was coming to Berk. But what if they didn't tell Vylma because they wanted to keep her safe? Keeping her away from the battle so the risk of her not getting hurt was not a risk. But she would be hurt when she finds out they didn't tell her.
Magnhild looked at the sun that was on its way down. Tomorrow. Drago may be on Berk tomorrow.
"My queen."
Vylma looked up from the table filled with books and papers. Books she had read so many times and papers she had been giving yesterday to read over until the council would discuss the foodstock for the winter that was on its way. With almost 2000 people living on Barvik with the number growing, the food must be enough for everyone.
"Yes?" she asked, making the four councilman and the only woman in the council stop their talk.
The messenger man straighten his back. "Your sister, Magnhild is waiting for you in the entrance hall. She says she has urgent news for you."
Vylma nodded at the messenger and than she looked at the council. "We can discuss this later. I'm sure my sister won't take long."
The council bowed their heads and Vylma walked out of the room.
She was glad that someone from Berk had come and visit her. Her grandmother had visit two weeks ago and she missed her as soon she had said goodbye and flown back to Berk. Her parents had been sending terror mail almost everyday and they had promise to visit her, but it had been six weeks since she had seen them last. They had told her that the preparations for the winter was in movement and took most of their time. It didn't help that the trader Ylva was almost two weeks late, which meant that she was late for Barvik too.
When the terror mail from her sibling and friends had come four weeks ago that they would come and visit her. Vylma was so happy she couldn't stop smiling when she saw their dragons on the horizon. They had lunch and she felt relaxed sitting there with her friends, but she felt sad that she couldn't feel this relaxed everyday. She was a queen of an island she didn't really know, yet.
But while she had visioter, her duties as a new queen was still in motion and something she couldn't avoid. They had their lunch and then Vylma had showed the castle for them. It didn't take long before Vylma needed to get back to her duties and the guests were left alone to explore the castle on their own. With a strict order to not touch anything.
Magnhild paced infront Temple in the entrance hall. Temple followed his rider with his eyes as she looked deep in thought.
"Magnhild." Vylma said and walked to her sister. "I would appreciate if you send a terro mail next time so I would be more prepared."
Magnhild looked up and quickly told her the news, "Berk is going to war with Drago." Vylmas eyes widened in shock. "Well maybe. We don't know for sure but we've seen Drago's ships coming towards Berk and we're pretty sure he will attack, which could lead to a war."
Vylma narrowed her eyes. "Drago? Drago Bludvist? He's coming to Berk?" This was not the news she wanted to hear nor the news she expected.
"Yes, and I know you have duties as the queen and I won't force you to come, but I needed to tell you what's going on at home. They wouldn't tell you until after it was all over but I knew you'd be mad when you'd find out eventually so I came to tell you." Magnhild rambled and moved her arms as she spoke. Something she got from their father.
Vylma barley listen what Magnhild said. Too caught up with the fact that the man Berk hated the most was coming to start a war. Probably get revenge on Hiccup and Toothless for winning over him and his bewilderbeast. Gods she hoped that dragon wouldn't come back and try to take over as alpha.
She wanted to leave Barvik just to fight with Berk. To help them. Maybe she could take a few soldiers on her own? No, Barvik didn't need to get into this fight. With Berk with the alpha and dragons on its side, Drago didn't stand a chance. And Berk's people were warriors and stubborn so they could stand against Drago's men and win.
"When is he coming?" she asked Magnhild.
"Tomorrow, probably at night." she answered.
Vylma nodded. "Go home and get rest. I'll maybe be there tomorrow and when you see Drago's ships, send me a terror mail."
"I will."
The sun was going up while Vylma paced in her bedroom. She hadn't slept much, Worried about Berk and Drago. A war with him wouldn't end well. He would give his all and Vylma could feel that something bad was going to happen.
She had talked to her council of what was happening at Berk, or what was going to happen. She told them that she wanted to go and help them and fight, but the council didn't want her to go into a fight, a war where she could get hurt. Vylma assured them that she would have Brie by her side, but they still didn't want her to runoff and possible get hurt. Taking soldier was out of the question. They needed to be more prepared than a day notice for the boats to be ready for sail.
The queen finally told them that if the terror mail came tomorrow, they needed to be ready that their queen might be missing for the night. With that, she had walked out of the room and had tried to get some sleep.
Sleep that never really came to her. Flying on Brie didn't help the worry either and Vylma knew Brie needed some sleep if she was going to fly to Berk and then fight. Vylma needed sleep to, but the dragon seemed to get to sleep more and easier than her rider.
The day was going slow for Vylma. The foodstock situation needed to be done with and Vylma had to count everything twice because she was distracted by the thoughts of Berk and she even looked up to the sky if there was a terrible terror coming with the news that Drago's ships could be seen in the horizont. But the day went on and the sky were dragon free, except for Brie.
And that damned request of changing her last name was brought up, just like everyday since the coronation. They didn't want her to have the Haddock name when another tribe leader had it. She didn't see the problem of having two tribes where the leader shared the last name. And what name should she take? She had been giving choices, but none of them felt right. Of course they didn't feel right! She was born a Haddock and would be until she got married. She could take her mother's maiden name, Hofferson, that one she didn't really mind. But she has already been taking away from her home, and now they wanted her to take away one of the few things that connected her to Berk.
Dinner was served before her when the terrible terror came flying into the room and landed on Vylma's shoulder. She quickly took the letter from its leg and read;
He's here.
She didn't think twice who it was from. Her sisters handwriting had she seen a millions times and this was the only terror mail she was waiting for.
Vylma left the dining room and ran to her bedroom, with Brie behind her.
The axe that Vylma was giving from her father when she was 13 hadn't been used for weeks and the bow and arrows even longer. She hadn't had time to practice with them as much she did when she lived on Berk.
The blue dress she was wearing was enough for her to wear. She didn't have time to change, but the tiara in her hair, that was pulled from her hair and placed on the bed with a note she had writing while the moon had still been up, saying where she was.
Vylma jumped on Brie's back and they were off. With the quiver on her back and bow strapped over her chest and her axe strapped to the saddle, she was off towards Berk to fight against Drago.