Chapter 5

As time passed, Maaran and Anthia noticed that Azora was closing herself off. The day they arrived home to the cavern, they noticed that she put all her work into her chores and flying around their home almost immediately. Soon 6 months went by with the same routine and Maaran along with Anthia was getting worried about her behavior. No matter what they did, no matter how they tried, Azora just ignored their actions and words to help.

"I just don't know what to do anymore…." Maaran said to Anthia as Azora took off again. "No matter what we try, she isn't responding."

"I know Maaran." Anthia said. "There's only one option left." She tuned and looked at him seriously. "We have to temporarily ground her and make her listen."

Maaran turned sharply to Anthia. "What?" He exclaimed. "I can't do that to her!"

"We have to. When she enters the cave, we have to block the entrance." She sighed. "It's the only way to knock her out of this funk."

Maaran lowered his ears as he looked back into the sky. "Very well. How long will you think it will be?"

"That will be up to her." Anthia said softly.

After 3 hours, Azora came back to the cave and as soon as she entered the main cavern, the entrance to the cave was sealed by a huge boulder from the inside, courtesy of Anthia and Maaran who pushed it. The two looked at each other and nodded, it was time to confront Azora.

As they entered the main cave, they saw Azora sitting by the blue flame, watching it seemingly lost in thought. "Azora," Maaran said after taking a deep breath.

"Yes?" She said almost in a whisper as her eyes never strayed from the flame.

"You need to talk to me." Maaran ordered as he and Anthia went to stand in front of her.

"There is nothing to talk about." She again said in a whisper.

"Yes there is!" Anthia said. "You always work, you never play, you are almost always flying, and you never talk to us like you use to!"

"Is that so bad though?" She whispered again but this time it sounded like it was more to herself than the two in front of her. "To just do simple things…not being captured, tortured, lied to…."

Maaran got really concerned but pushed forward. "Yes my daughter. It is bad."

"I don't see how…" she never looked at them as she talked.

Maaran looked at his daughter closely and noticed her eyes were sunken in and her pupils were large with eyelids that drooped almost constantly. "Azora, have you slept at all?" He asked gently.

"Sleep brings death and terror…" she answered. "Flashes of red…darkness…death…" she got up. "Have to go fly now…"

Maaran immediately pounced on her. "No you won't!" He said fiercely as he pinned her but he was surprised when he was almost immediately was flung off.

Azora's reaction was that of a cornered dragon, scared and ready to fight to stay alive. "Her eyes…" Anthia whispered as she notices Azora's pupil's shrink to mere slivers of black. "It's like she is locked in her own mind…"

Maaran growled loudly indicating to Azora to stand down. "Listen to what I say Azora!"

Azora tilted her head but it was like she couldn't control her instincts anymore, she attacked. As she rushed forward, Maaran whipped around and hit her in the face with his tail. She recovered quickly and swiped at him with razor sharp claws but he dodged them and hopped a good distance away from him. "Azora snap out of it!" He yelled as she rushed towards him with a ferocity that she has never shown before. As she closed the distance between them, he readied himself and once she was within a few feet, he shot a small but powerful plasma ball into her side. She flew away from him byt he force of the impact and into the far side of the cavern wall, collapsing onto the ground. She growled as her instincts ruled over her mind and body but while getting up, her eyes were wild, her growl ferocious, and her posture defensive.

Anthia could only watch and father and daughter fought. She couldn't do anything as Azora pounced and charged time and time again at Maaran and he, in turn, only doing defensive moves that knock her back into walls and spreading the mounds of coins and gems everywhere. It felt like years as she sat watching them when it was really only 3 hours but it didn't matter…so far it made things worse for everyone. Finally, Maaran got serious and as soon as Azora charged again, he whacked her with his tail, hit her with his wings, and fired a huge plasma ball right into the side of her head causing her to go unconscious.

Maaran was exhausted and worried. He just fought his own daughter…someone he promised to never hurt and always protect. Now she was lying on the cavern floor, unconscious because of him. "What did I do?" He asked sadly.

Anthia went up to him. "You did what you had to Maaran." She said gently. "She was not in control and you needed to bring her back to herself."

Maaran sighed. "But it didn't feel right. It isn't right. A father is suppose to protect his daughter. Not fight her and knock her unconscious."

"You did protect her." Anthia said determinedly. "You protected her from being so lost into her instincts that without your help that she might've not ever recover."

"We don't even know if it worked or not!"

"Well, we will find out when she wakes."

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Azora groaned as she slowly woke. 'What happened?' She thought weakly and she tried to move. She looked around and noticed she was in the cavern. "I'm home?" She said quietly. "I thought I was…"

Just then Maaran came in with some fish and looked over at her and immediately dropped his catch. "Azora!" He exclaimed. "You're awake!"

Azora was confused. "Papa? What's going on? Why are we home?"

Maaran immediately got concerned. "What do you mean? Where did you think you would be?"

"At the king's sanctuary."

"You don't remember us leaving?"

Azora shook her head. "When did we leave?"

"Almost 7 months now."

Azora was shocked. Why didn't she remember anything? What was going on? "Papa? What happened?" She asked with a sad croon.

Maaran walked over and laid down next to her. As he did, he gave out a long and exhausted sigh before starting to tell her what has been happening the past months. After over 2 hours of talking, he concluded, "And that is what happened."

"I lost control?" Azora asked in a terrified voice. "I wasn't myself for months because I lost control? You had to fight me because I lost control?"

"Now Azora," Maaran said gently. "I know it's scary,"

"Scary? Scary?!" She screeched looking at Maaran. "It's horrifying! I don't remember anything! I attacked you! I couldn't control my instincts and attacked you!" She abruptly stood up and started pacing ignoring her aching muscles.

Maaran let her rant and pace out her frustration and fear. He kept as calm as he could as she got more and more intense, knowing a wrong move could set her off again on another new tirade. After about 20 minutes she calmed and sat down heavily, making a thump with her tail as it was set down. "Azora," he said getting up and going over to her, nudging her head gently with his own. "My little one, look at me." She reluctantly did as he said and sky blue eyes met with lush green. "I do not blame you for anything that has happened. Do you understand that? I would never blame you for something like this."

Azora looked at him in the eyes for a long time before nodding. "Yes, papa." She said quietly. "I understand." She then broke eye contact and looked around. "Where is Anthia?"

Maaran suddenly looked as if he remembered something then became a bit guilty. "She is uh…."

"Papa…"

"We kind of sealed the cave to prevent you from doing anything rash and….now are Anthia and I having trouble trying to unseal it…and as soon as I saw you awake I kind of forgot about her…" He said in a rush.

"WHAT?!" A screech echoed throughout the cavern.

So after a long dig job, and an earful with a slap of the tail to Maaran from Anthia, they finally got the boulder loose enough to move out of the entrance and to the side. "Well at least the cave will be protected from intruders when we take a long vacation." Azora said breathlessly.

"You think?" Anthia quipped in exhaustion.

Maaran snorted in silent laughter at the two. "Well Azora," he said. We can finally get to training and control over your instincts and continue your education then."

Azora grinned and nodded.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

"Well done Azora." Maaran said to the young and beautiful dragoness before him as she shot a large plasma ball at huge tree in the forest, knocking it down. Five years passed since the incident with her instincts and now she has full and total control over them thanks to the training. It took hard work, tough decisions, and lots of encouragement but Azora persevered. She trained harder, was fiercely protective, and very loyal.

Maaran praised her every step of the way and knew that soon she would have to find her own island, her own mate, and her own life but he knew Azora would not like going off on her own. He had Anthia go off a little bit at a time to try and discover an island she would thrive in and just a week ago, she found one that the humans call Berk. Weirdly enough, and fascinating, humans have learned to ride dragons, treating them as friend rather than foe and, in an exciting event, another Aglovale Helmar was spotted there with a skinny little human youngster riding it.

Azora turned and smiled at him. "Thanks papa." She said, her voice soft. "Is there anything else I should train for?"

"Only for your future." He said.

"My future?"

"Yes my little one. It is time for you to go out on your own and live."

Azora's eyes widened and she crooned in sadness as she sat down across from him. "It can't be time for me to go yet."

"It is time Azora. For fifteen summers I have taught you for this moment, you and I will meet again. remember, I have yet to find my soul mate so I will not be gone and you can visit as much as you would like." He said. "Has Anthia told you of the seasons of mates?"

Azora looked at him and nodded. "Yes papa."

"Then you know it will come for you soon."

"Yes papa." As her eyes averted his gaze in embarrassment.

Maaran chuckled. "I expect lots of grandchildren to come and pounce on me when you visit after you mate."

"Papa!" She whined making him to a full blown laugh.

"Alright. I'll quit teasing." He said calming down. "Now, I have an idea of where you can go." Azora nodded and indicated for him to go on. "Anthia saw and island humans call 'Berk' and I believe you would do well there. Humans there have accepted dragons as friends and she has seen then ride, care for, and treat them kindly. Will you give this place a chance for you to grow and thrive?"

Azora's eyes have narrowed more and more as he explained this place. "Isn't Berk where Valka was kidnapped from and has since abandoned?" She asked in a dangerous whisper.

Maaran truly did not know the answer to this question. "I am sorry but I would not know. She told you her story but I only heard the tale from you and you never mentioned the name as you were probably too upset to remember to tell me." He said comfortingly. "Just give it a chance." Azora looked into his eyes. "If you don't like it in one year, you can come back and Anthia can search out another island for you. Just try it okay?"

Azora sighed heavily. "Alright," she conceded. "I will try it. At least send Anthia every now and then to check up on me."

Maaran chuckled. "Deal."

Azora grinned and nuzzled him. "I guess this is a goodbye and see you on the horizon situation for now?"

"For now and until we finally get to grow old. We will always be there for each other no matter what. As father and daughter."

Azora felt her heart swell. "As father and daughter." She repeated.

"Now go and fulfill your life and remember this,"

"Yes?"

"I want to see little ones here to call me grandpa."

"PAPA!" Azora screeched.

Maaran's laugh echoed through the forest.

That night, Azora readied herself for a long flight from the cliffside of the island she grew up on, her mentor/papa watching from behind with Anthia. She flapped her wings, twitched her ears, and adjusted her tail for takeoff then jumped. She felt free in the air and turned to look at the two who have helped her. "I will visit you soon papa and Anthia." She said to them.

"I will look forward to it." Anthia said. "Do you remember the way that I told you about to get to Berk?"

"Yes Anthia."

"The good luck."

She looked at Maaran as he smiled. "I will see you soon my daughter." He said.

Azora smiled back. "I hope you find that mate."

"You as well."

Azora nodded then flew off into the night, becoming one with the darkness in search of the island of Berk.