Chapter 6

Edelweiss had the same nightmare, of the three people in the clouds. She still had no idea who they were. The two men sneered down at her, and the woman had a look of pity on her face.

"Have you spoken to Draco yet?" the older man asked the woman.

"No, he hasn't returned to Rastaban yet," the woman said. "He's still watching this abomination."

"He listens to you," the younger man said.

"Not all the time," the woman said. "But I don't always listen to him either. This will be a challenge, Draco will be at his most stubborn."

"We may have to act, weather Draco likes it or not," the older man said. "The child goes against nature, and should not exist." Edelweiss shook with fear.

"Who are you?" she asked. They didn't answer, just looked down at her.

"Even if we do act without telling him," the woman said. "Draco will still fight." The older man growled. Edelweiss shook again.

She woke up, trembling. The sun was just starting to come up. No one else was awake. Edelweiss got up and went outside, felling restless. She stood on the beach and wrapped her arms around herself. Her fingers absentmindedly ran up and down the scales on her arm. Just then Draco swooped down and landed beside her.

"May I join you?" he asked.

"Yes sir," Edelweiss said. Draco laid down beside her. She sat down under his large wing.

"You seem troubled," he said.

"I had a scary dream," Edelweiss said. "About three people in the clouds; two men and a woman. They seem to know you, and they called me an abomination." Draco snarled and gnashed his teeth.

"Those are the human gods," he said. "They're not the least bit pleased with the way you've turned out." He growled again.

"Will they kill me?" Edelweiss asked, scared.

"No, I won't allow it," Draco said. "I promise to keep you safe from them. And I can get them out of your head as well."

"Thank you Draco," Edelweiss said.

"You focus on your classes here," Draco said. "I'll worry about the human gods." He then stood up and stretched his wings. "I must go see about this, your should go back inside." Edelweiss got up.

"Yes sir," she said. She obeyed and went back inside.

Draco spread his wings and took off. He flew back to Rastaban, knowing the human gods would be waiting to talk to him. He landed in front of his front door. He went inside, walked down the large corridor, and climbed on to his diamond throne. He sat and waited.

"I'm ready for you Odin," he said.

It didn't take long for the human gods to show up at his door. Draco opened the doors with magic, and in walked Thor and Sol. Thor had his hammer slung over his shoulder. They approached the diamond throne.

"I know why you're here," Draco said.

"Yes, the child's soul belongs to you," Sol said. "She's your responsibility. But Odin is still capable of destroying her, he has ways of getting passed your protection. He's got you outnumbered."

"I don't want her destroyed," Draco said. "Her friends and family would be torn apart."

"Truth is Odin doesn't care about them," Thor said. "He wants that abomination destroyed, it goes against nature." Draco stiffened and narrowed his eyes.

"Draco, why don't we go for a walk," Sol suggested. "I may have a solution." Draco took a deep breath.

"All right," he said. "Thor stays here." He climbed down off his throne and followed Sol outside.

They walked along the outer wall of the palace. The ocean showed Draco everything that was happening on Earth.

"Why do you constantly fight us Draco?" Sol asked. "You only make things harder for you."

"I fight to be left alone," Draco said. "I fight for my dragons to be left alone. I don't follow Odin, I can't be apart of you guys. What you guys do is wrong a lot of the time, I can't participate in that. I run my dragons my way. I created this girl to make my two favorite humans happy. I love her the way she is, and I don't want her destroyed. I will fight for her life."

"You may not have to," Sol said. "Maybe she can be given the ability to hide her scales at will, for when she's with other humans. This way she won't have to be destroyed and she can stay the way she is."

"Hmm, interesting," Draco said.

"I'll make you a deal Draco," Sol said. "I help you save the dragonborn child, and in exchange you help my champions get ready for the tournament." Draco looked at her.

"Is that legal?" he asked.

"I'm allowed to use what ever means necessary to win," Sol said. "You probably know these two humans more than I do."

"You see them everyday," Draco pointed out.

"Yes, but you have walked among them," Sol said. "I have to abide by Odin's rules, and watch them from up here. I know you can give them the best chance at winning." Draco smiled, and rubbed his chin.

"I like the sound of that," he said. "All right Sol, you've got a deal." Sol held her hand out, and Draco put his snout against her palm. "I wonder, why are you so kind to me. You know I'm a rogue." Sol took a deep breath.

"I've watched the way you rule your dragons," she said. "You don't make them fear you. You rule with a love that none of the other gods can understand. I wish Odin had a mind like yours, as well as heart like yours." Draco snorted.

"Does Odin even have a heart?" he asked.

"A very cold one," Sol said. "He wants to destroy the dragonborn child, even though it would break her heart, and the hearts of those that love her."

"You save my dragonborn child, and I'll train your champions," Draco said.

"I knew it would be an offer you couldn't refuse," Sol said.

"I do look forward to seeing them win," Draco said.

"Lets get back inside," Sol said, smiling. "And we'll be on our way." Draco nodded and they headed back into the palace.

Draco climbed back on to his throne, and Sol rejoined Thor.

"Is that all I can do for you two?" Draco asked professionally.

"Yes," said Thor. "We'll see you later." He and Sol left the class palace. Draco made himself comfortable in his throne and watched the ocean water through his glass floor. He watched Edelweiss joined her classmates in the cave.

Edelweiss found her classmates and instructors awake. She could feel the red string on her finger. She sat with her classmates as Fishlegs told them the days agenda.

"Today we'll be going through the island and observing the wild dragons in their natural habitat," he said. "And I might ask one of you to train it, so be prepared for that. We'll camp in a different spot tonight. Let's go." They got up and left the cave.

They went inland. Edelweiss stayed at the back of the group, where the other students couldn't stare at her. Hiccup walked up to join her.

"What's the red string for?" he asked.

"It's to help remind me to not talk to dragons," Edelweiss said. "Avalon gave it to me."

"It'll be hard, but it will help you fit in," Hiccup assured her.

"But I will continue to speak Dragontongue when I hang out with my friends," Edelweiss said boldly. Hiccup put a hand on her shoulder.

"That's perfectly fine with me," he said.

"I guess my other unfair advantage is that I live here," Edelweiss said. "Nothing I can do about that."

"No, but that's okay," Hiccup said. "We can't fix everything."

They went through the rocks and trees, looking for wild dragons. Hiccup decided to stay for a couple hours before heading back to Berk. They climbed a steep hill, and looked down at a wild Monstrous Nightmare on the beach, that was a darker shade of red then Hookfang. He was currently looking for food in the sand.

"Wild male Monstrous Nightmare, young one," Fishlegs said. "Edel, why don't go see if you can train it."

"Edelweiss, only friends and family can call me Edel," Edelweiss said. She stood up. "I'll go."

"And remember, no talking dragon," Fishlegs said.

"Okay," Edelweiss said. She went down the hill towards the dragon. It was still digging through the sand, probably looking for small mollusks. Edelweiss opened her mouth to say hello, but felt the red string tighten. She sat down on a rock to watch the dragon, within his eye sight. He remained focused on the task at hand. He snorted in frustration when he still couldn't get a mollusk. Edelweiss knew for a fact that there were plenty of hermit crabs and scallops under that sand. She grabbed a large stick and dug through the sand next to the dragon, who didn't seem to mind.

They dug in the sand for several minuets, sand flew everywhere. Edelweiss couldn't say a word, but she could communicate body language and hand gestures, and the dragon understood. Edelweiss dug through the sand with the stick and her hand, and soon fleshed out a large hermit crab, in a beautiful white conch shell. She quickly grabbed before it could burrow deeper. She pulled the cab out of it's shell and tapped the Nightmare on the wing. He turned around and she held the crab out to him. He opened his mouth and she tossed the crab into it. The dragon clamped his jaws shut and ate the crab. He gave her a grateful nudge and she patted his snout. The dragon went on his way and Edelweiss returned to the group.

"Good job Edelweiss," Hiccup said.

"Dragons don't like being interrupted," Edelweiss said. "I knew it would be safer to just help him, and I didn't talk to him." She looked at the sea shell in her hand.

"Let's move on," said Fishlegs. Edelweiss followed her classmates through out the island. They found a few more wild dragons. Edelweiss kept her distance, and let the other students try training them. She sat on a rock and admire her pretty shell. No one bothered her much, except leering at her scales. She missed her friends and family, but remembered that she would see them at the end of the day.

When the sun was setting the group looked for a different campsite. Hiccup got on Toothless and headed back to Berk. Edelweiss followed the others to a campsite that was close to the Red Death Hideout. They set up their tents and dug a fire pit. Cloudjumper lit the campfire. Fishlegs pulled food and water out of Meatlug's saddlebags.

They talked amongst themselves as they ate dinner. Edelweiss waited for all of them to fall asleep so she could go join her friends. Suddenly she spotted the glare Dogsbreath was giving her. She glared right back at him, which he didn't seem to expect.

Eventually everyone fell asleep and the fire died down. Edelweiss waited for a few minuets, then quietly got up. She slipped away and headed for the Red Death Hideout. She ran towards it, knowing her friends were waiting for her.

She reached the hideout and spoke the password. The jaws opened and she entered, finding her friends gathered around their own campfire. The smiled when they saw her.

"Hi guys," she said, happily.

"How did it go to day?" Apollo asked.

"Did my enchantment work?" asked Avalon at the same time.

"I managed to make friends with a Monstrous Nightmare, without talking to him," Edelweiss said, as a way to answer both their questions.

"Oh, good," said Black Widow.

"Shame I couldn't ask him his name," Edelweiss said, sitting beside her friends "All I could do was help him find a hermit crab to eat."

"Well, he'll remember you for sure," Eider said. "If you see him again, you can ask him his name then."

"I did get this sea shell though, very pretty," Edelweiss said, showing them the shell.

"Wow, it's so shiny," Black Widow said. Edelweiss passed it around, and they all looked at it.

"I don't know if I want to keep going to this Academy after this trip," Edelweiss said. "I just don't fit in."

"Things will get better once we start going together," Black Widow said. "You're doing just fine Edel." She nuzzled her rider. Edelweiss hugged her.

"You staying all night here?" asked Eider.

"Yeah I am," Edelweiss said. "Though I should head back over there, before they wake up."

"We'll wake you up before they do," Avalon said. "You should get some rest." Edelweiss smiled at her.

"Maybe they'll let me go riding with my mom or dad?" Edelweiss said, as she settled down beside her friends.

"I'm sure they will," Apollo said. "It's an academy, not a prison." He yawned and curled up. They all fell asleep, staying very close to each other. Edelweiss didn't have anymore nightmares.

Draco looked down at her from his throne. He knew Odin would try to destroy her, but Draco had to fight to keep her alive. Sol's suggestion made him more hopeful. He glanced up at his Bewilderbeasts, who were all snoring loudly. Draco got down from his throne and flew up to his sleeping chambers. He looked down at the vast ocean below his palace, showing him all the dragons of world either sleeping or waking up.