Chapter 13
Maaran and Hiccup both were patient as they waited for Toothless and Azora to appear out the door. When they did, Maaran had to hold back a snarl of pure anger towards Toothless the scent of mating still clung onto his daughter's scales. Hiccup got off of his back and immediately put on the prosthetics that were handed to him earlier by one of the hooded figures. Hiccup quickly put Toothless' on first and, as the final straps were in place on Azora for her tail, Hiccup got up and turned to get on Toothless as both Azora and Maaran took off into the air.
Ragnok watched the two lift off then moved forward towards Hiccup with an evil smile and said, "I'd be careful with the little doe there, she could be carrying precious cargo due to my elixir."
"What elixir?" Hiccup asked as he was upon Toothless' back but signaled him to wait to take off.
"You'll find out soon enough boy."
"Hiccup!" Stoick called to him as the others headed back towards Berk.
"I'd be careful all the same if I were you." Ragnok said as Hiccup started to get ready to lift off. "You never know when a dragon or two will go missing."
Toothless shot a plasma ball towards the feet of Ragnok before taking off and zooming into the direction the others were headed, Stoick close behind him just in case of any trickery.
"Toothless?" Hiccup asked. "Are…you okay?"
Toothless glanced at Hiccup and sighed. "You'll hear the story once we get home Hiccup." He said just loudly enough for Hiccup to hear.
Hiccup looked worried for a second before nodding. "Alright bud."
Up further in the air Maaran and Azora were flying side by side, Maaran glancing over to her every few seconds for a couple hours, noticing her quiet demeanor and sad eyes staring forward in front of her, before sighing. "Azora," he said.
"Yes papa?" She said lowly.
"What happened on that ship?"
Azora glanced at him with calculating eyes before looking forward again. "You'll find out with Hiccup." She looked at him once again. "Promise me that you will hear the whole story before doing anything rash papa."
Maaran looked at his daughter and nodded. "I promise."
Azora nodded before searching the air for Toothless and saw him below with Hiccup riding his back just as quiet as she was. She didn't know what to think about what will happen between them now that they have left their captors but a gnawing feeling in her stomach told her that she hasn't seen the last of Ragnok at all.
She couldn't blame Toothless on what happened back in that prison. It was all that humans doing but part of her blamed herself. Why hadn't she been able to control herself? Why did it have to be done against her will? Why couldn't life just give her a break?
She let out a breath of air as fatigue plagued her from the past couple days and she felt her muscles start to scream at her to rest but she pushed herself to fly and ignored the agonizing pain in order to get to safety that was far away from that ship as possible. She felt her eyes blurring up and her focus start to slip as she plundered on for the next hour but soon she started to wobble in the air.
"Azora!" Maaran called out as he noticed Azora start to have trouble flying. "Azora answer me!" He yelled again getting under her as she started to lower down.
A Fenrisaahba Jusamah soon glided under her, pushing Maaran slightly out of the way as Azora finally passed out and landed on its back. "She is tired." And elderly female voice came from the Fenrisaahba Jusamah calming Maaran down slightly. "The capture has most likely been rough on her."
Maaran had to glare at her before settling his glare upon Toothless who, after seeing Azora fall, shot up to them. "This has nothing to do with you Dracul." Maaran snarled startling both him and Hiccup.
"I just was worried!" Toothless defended.
"She is fine now get away from her and I!" Maaran snarled.
Toothless gulped and nodded before gliding back aways but still having Azora within his eyesight. He could guess exactly why Maaran was angry at him and felt shame roar in his chest at the reminder. "Toothless?" Hiccup said rubbing his scales soothingly.
"It's…" Toothless sighed. "No, it is not fine." Toothless glanced up at Hiccup before shaking his head. "Again, all will be revealed at home."
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
After what seemed like days to some, Berk was finally spotted in the dark of the night and soon people and dragons were landing and feeling relieved that the journey was finally over. Unfortunately for Azora and Toothless, Maaran, Anthia, Hiccup, Astrid, and Stoick, were all waiting for an explanation and what all had happened on the ship once they all arrived in the hut. Azora, due to just waking up, was disorientated and wary of what will happen as everyone all settled down in front of the fire. Maaran on the other hand kept Toothless from getting too close to Azora and kept growling if he even lifted a foot in her direction.
Hiccup, along with Astrid and Stoick, were hugely confused about Maaran's reaction to Toothless but settled down at the table and Stoick was first to say, "Now,Toothless, Azora, we need to know everything that had happened from the day you were taken until the day we got you. Nothing can be left out."
Maaran gave Stoick and Astrid the temporary ability to understand them as the explanation was given. Azora skipped over the mating and Toothless kept quiet after the tale was concluded but when Maaran roared loudly in anger, they both shrank in fear.
"You two are leaving something out of it!" He said in anger as fury filled eyes landed on Azora before shifting over to Toothless. "I could smell the aftermath of what you two did in there! Do not lie to me!"
Azora was terrified. She had never seen her father angry in front of her before, let alone at her and as she looked at him, she wished that he was the calm understanding papa she grew up to love and care for. Not this raging beast. "Papa," she started but stilled as his narrowed eyes full of disappointment and anger landed on her.
"Don't 'Papa' me young dragoness." He said sternly. "Tell me what happened on that ship, NOW!"
Azora quivered and shook before turning her head away and curling up away from him in shame. "I...I can't."
"Stop it!" Toothless yelled at Maaran leaping in front of Azora making the three humans jump out of their seats in case something went astray. "Please don't yell at her!"
"You are to tell me what happened on that ship or you will regret your life." Maaran whispered dangerously.
Toothless gulped as he stared into Maaran's raging eyes. "The captain," Toothless whispered lowering his eyes. "He had the Draco's Beriah…"
Maaran's eyes widened at that and his growling immediately stopped. "The Draco's Beriah?"
"Yes."
Hiccup cleared his throat and asked, "What is the Draco's Beriah?"
"It is a foul thing created to make two dragons breed both unwillingly and forcefully." Maaran answered with a growl as Anthia gasped.
"You mean…" Astrid said before covering her mouth in shock and horror and Maaran nodded. "No…"
"Astrid?" Stoick said putting a hand on her shoulder.
"He means that Azora was unwilling to give her maidenhood to Toothless but was forced into it at the same time."
Stoick's features hardened as Hiccup turned pale as he looked at Toothless and Azora. "So they…" he said gulping. "Were forced do to this under this Draco's Beriah with each other?"
Maaran backed up a tiny bit and nodded. Toothless lowered his body to the ground taking his prosthetic into his mouth and ripping it from his tail before throwing it at the feet of Maaran. "I made you a promise that was broken. I will give my flight and life in compensation for what I did."
Azora's head snapped up at Toothless' words and she looked towards Maaran, who was gazing at the thrown prosthetic with an unreadable expression. "Toothless," she whispered. "I already forgave you and released you from your promise in order to make the new ones…"
Toothless looked at her before saying, "Just because you have, Azora…doesn't mean Maaran has as well."
Azora looked alarmed at that and got up shakily before saying, "Papa please don't make him suffer!" She then did something Maaran looked alarmed at. She got down into a submission pose and revealed her neck to him. "Please papa, take his punishment away and punish me instead. I was the one who could not control the pain and gave in, I was the one who gave herself to him more than once willingly, I am the one who will stay with him and bear his offspring forever more."
Maaran immediately softened his glare upon the two dragon's in front of him and said, "You have no fault in this situation therefore the promise is not broken nor has it ever been." He pushed the prosthetic towards Toothless who was staring at him in shock. "I will give your punishment when you truly deserve it young Aglovale Helmar." He then turned and left the hut with Anthia right behind him.
Stoick and Astrid looked at each other and Stoick said questionably, "I guess we keep the dragon gift until Maaran remembers to take it off?"
"I guess?" Astrid answered back just as questionably.
Azora and Toothless both shrugged while winking at Hiccup, who still kept it a secret that he had the ability forever.
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
Maaran was sitting quietly on a cliff face on the other side of Berk with Anthia beside him as he stared into the distance. He felt ashamed that he blamed Toothless for taking his daughters innocence and ashamed that he could even think Toothless would coerce Azora to do that. When it was revealed that it was the Draco's Beriah, his logic immediately kicked in and he could not blame Toothless anymore than he could blame any other dragon who had been subjected to that Aadhav forsaken stuff. Toothless even wanted him to destroy the prosthetic in order to salvage even a lick of trust between them in compensation! How could he do that if he truly took Azora through other methods?
And Azora, his dear Azora, looked so scared and terrified of him when he yelled and roared at her. She had never been terrified at anytime during his presence and to remember her cowering away from him hurt deeper than any knife or axe could.
"Maaran?" Anthia said interrupting his thoughts.
"Yes Anthia?" He answered.
"You do realize that Azora will always love you right? No matter how many arguments you may have or what the situation could be."
Maaran sighed. "I know that Anthia, but I just cannot get her terrified image out of my head. Nor can I get Toothless' actions away from my thoughts either."
"You need to go back at some point Maaran. You need to be at your daughters side even if she has Toothless. She needs to know that you still care for her."
Maaran lightly laughed as he looked at Anthia. "Why is it that I am older than you by several thousand years yet you still seem wiser than me?"
Anthia puffed up and said, "Because you are a male and even the oldest of males still have some rocks in their brains!"
Maaran was open mouthed at her explanation before they both were bursting into complete and utter laughter alongside each other. "That is the weirdest yet smartest explanation I have ever heard!" Maaran said after gathering himself up.
"Yeah? At least it is accurate!"
Maaran growled playfully, "Accurate it may be but it doesn't mean it doesn't also include females in that category at the same time." He smirked.
Anthia was gaping at him, unblinking, before shooting the tiniest of fireballs at his side in irritation. "Stupid males and their logic." She mumbled making Maaran chuckle as she pouted.
/\/\/\/\/\/\\/\/\/\/\/\/\
Azora and Toothless were laying down on opposite ends of the home, giving each other the space needed to heal but able to still communicate with the other easily. Astrid and Hiccup were by the fireplace and Stoick was upstairs getting some rest. As the minutes ticked by, Hiccup and Astrid kept glancing up at the two dragons before looking at each other and sighing in boredom.
"Hey Toothless," Hiccup said getting up and heading over to his friend. "Why don't we go out for a bit? I know you haven't gone flying for a bit and you need to stretch your wings a bit."
Toothless looked at him a bit confused before a quick gesture with Hiccup's fingers showed that he wanted to talk to him alone while Astrid did the same with Azora while she had the ability to. "Oh, right." He said getting up and following Hiccup out the door. "That sounds like a good idea." He and Hiccup then disappeared out the door and into the night as the door closed behind them.
Astrid carefully got up and pulled a chair near Azora but still a bit away to make her feel comfortable. "Azora," she said gently. "May we talk for a bit?"
Azora, while not knowing Astrid completely, nodded lightly while sitting up a tiny bit in order to give her attention to the girl. "What do you want to talk about?" She asked in a near whisper.
"I know that you don't want to talk about what happened on that ship," Astrid said watching as Azora glared at her lightly in annoyance. "But it isn't good to keep something like this bottled in."
Azora huffed and looked away for a moment before her whole demeanor seemed to sag in depression. "I suppose you are right…" she mumbled.
"I know I am." Astrid crossed her arms lightly across her chest and leaned back in the chair. "I know you don't trust humans, I know about the things humans could and will do to a dragon. I lived in a Viking village for all my life to know on first hand experience what they did to dragons for Thor's sake. But the one thing we never would do is force something like mating upon the dragons." Azora glanced at her. "Even when we hated you, we could never bring ourselves to watch something like that happen to two beings that were unwilling. We heard rumors from a trader that use to come by here at times about a place that breeds dragons but we did not want to divulge in any more information at the time because it simply wasn't the way we did things back then. We killed and captured but didn't do anything more than that."
"Who is this trader?"
"His name is Trader Johann and he use to come by here to trade with us before betraying us. He isn't the most friendly individual but he never lied to us before we had allied ourselves with the dragons but after we did, he changed. All we know is that his stories, while exaggerated a bit, were true through and through."
Azora looked down and sighed. "So he is a betrayer."
"Yes but it doesn't mean he wasn't truthful with his tales."
"True."
"Azora, what happened on that ship is not right and I hope that you understand that is isn't your fault."
"I should've been able to hold the pain back…" Azora said frowning. "It wasn't even my season yet. Anthia told me I wasn't suppose to get my season until the fall or early winter…"
"Azora," Astrid said making Azora look at her. "What I know, being a female myself, is that thing that they made you breath in or eat, made your season come by force. It isn't the natural one that my dragon gets. From what the short explanation I got from that horrid thing is that is controls ones body to force them to do what comes naturally. Real mating seasons aren't forceful. In fact they are one of the most beautiful dances in the air and on land I have ever seen with two dragons."
"How so?" Azora said curiously as she put her full attention on Astrid.
"Well the Nadders, such as Stormfly, present themselves with a dance around each other on the ground. The male showing off his scales and preening himself in front of her to show how lustrous they shine in the sunlight. The females correspond the males by observing them and brushing against him as they twirl in a circle, wrapping their tails together while interlocking their spines as they mate." Astrid hummed for a minute while thinking on the other dragons mating rituals. "I watched so few outside the Nadder species but I know that Fishlegs would know a lot more than I about the other dragons. I know that the male Monstrous Nightmares fly high up in the air and set themselves on fire while doing unique maneuvers though the air as females watch from below. When one female is interested, they let out a call to the male they want and cuddle for a long period of time before mating. It's kind of like dating before doing the deed."
"So they show off to each other before deciding on a mate?"
"Exactly!"
"But are their mates permanent?"
"What do you mean?"
"Do they stay with their partners forever or do they choose new ones each year?"
"Hmm…" Astrid scowled in thought. "Stormfly has always chosen one single male out from the rest ever since I've known her. A male called Shortclaw is the one she usually goes with but I don't know if they are partners for the rest of their lives. After the season, they hardly even eat by each other but they always get together during the season."
Azora nodded as Astrid looked back to her. "Aglovale Helmar's mate forever Astrid." She said sadly. "We can never choose another after the first until they either pass on to the Hiryur Haefen or are grounded for life but even then it is rare for us to choose another since there are so few of us."
Astrid looked completely sorrowful at the news that was just given to her. "So you and Toothless…"
"We can never mate with another again unless one of us dies. It could be disastrous to our sanity."
"I'm so sorry Azora."
"It's done already. Nothing Toothless nor I can do anything to stop time from running it's course from here on." Azora gazed away from Astrid.
"Do you think you can learn to love Toothless?"
Azora sighed. "He is already worming his way into my heart but I will need time to try and learn to love him even if I already feel like I already do. He could not feel the same for all I know and I'll be the one who ends up breaking if that would ever happen."
Astrid nodded. "Azora, even if he doesn't truly love you, I can see he deeply cares for you all the same. He is too honorable to just leave you and never care for you."
Azora looked at Astrid and smiled. "Thanks Astrid. You know, for a human, you aren't half bad."
Astrid smirked. "And for a dragon you aren't half bad either."
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
Out in the cove after a short flight, Hiccup and Toothless were having a similar conversation about Azora and the season. "So you've never mated before Azora and now you can never be apart due to the mating, am I about right bud?" Hiccup asked as they sat around a tiny fire that was produced by Toothless' plasma blast.
"Just about Hiccup." Toothless said as he gazed into the fire. "And now I don't even know how to make it up to her at all."
"She isn't your average nightfury bud." Hiccup said. "She also used to be human which means, as much as she may not admit it, she still has an affinity for gifts. Dragons that were always dragons have no need for gifts or other materials but humans always appreciate a small gift here and there."
"What does this have to do with making up a horrendous act against her?" Toothless asked incredulously with a raised brow.
Hiccup sighed. "It means that while what happened was horrible, it also doesn't mean that your friendship should be broken due to something that was none of your faults. She is going to blame herself as much as you blame yourself for what happened. The only way to move past this is to become comfortable around each other again and learn to forgive yourselves just as much as you forgive each other."
Toothless looked away from Hiccup in thought before saying. "I do not know what to give her to even start to make up for what I have done."
"Start small bud." Hiccup smiled. "When I first worked at the forge I started small on giving Astrid things though she did not know at the time that they were from me. It started with the armor plating that she wears on her dress to the axe she still carries around to this day. I still make gifts for her even now but the one thing I know is to never give them all at once or constantly. Give them during important events or when you want to be forgiven about something that you argue over. Big is not always better but small things are forever."
"That still doesn't tell me what I should get her."
Hiccup put his hand on his chin in thought before snapping his fingers with an idea. "A necklace." He said. "Some dragons around the village wear necklaces that their owners give them out of appreciation of when they both rescued each other or have a deep friendship. I thought about making you one but I then made you that fully automatic tail and that to me was gift enough."
"A necklace?"
"Yes, nothing too flashy and something she can personally take off to not feel like a pet to humans. Something she would cherish for years as she grows older."
Toothless thought about it before an image in his head popped into his mind. "How about a dragon scaled necklace with a sapphire in the middle? The scales would be mine and would help hide the necklace from others while in the air yet the sapphire would show the beauty that her eyes have as they glow with happiness."
Hiccup was slightly astonished at Toothless' idea but smiled and took out his drawing tablet with his charcoal and started his idea on a necklace out with Toothless sitting close by giving slight adjustments on how it should look here and there. Soon the drawing was finished and it was beautifully done. The black scales would be melted together to form a widened collar look to the whole necklace yet the button latch would be accessible to the right side side for Azora to easily take it on and off as she pleased with just a push of her claw. The sapphire would sit right in the middle of the necklace, surrounded by the melted scales making it seem like it was a shining blue star in the middle of the night sky ready to guide anyone home.
"It is simple yet elegant. Just like her." Toothless said as he nodded at Hiccup.
"Then let's get working." Hiccup smiled and the two headed to the forge right away after putting out the fire.