Chapter 5
Days went by, Re stayed in his same position. Aurora never left his side. Serenity checked on him everyday. He was stable, and not getting any worse. Chris helped in anyway he could, using the special connection he and Re shared. The Berkians visited at least once a day to see if their king had improved. The vikings new about the situation by now.
One evening Hiccup, Astrid, Valka, and their dragons were paying the Draconians a visit. Chris and Windwalker were off flying to pass the time, the young Draconians were out playing, and Tenor was fast asleep in the tree. Serenity was checking on Re and giving him was though his tube.
"Will his horn grow back?" asked Astrid.
"No," said Aurora. "If he was a hatchling it would grow back, but he's an adult."
"Is it painful to break a horn like that?" asked Hiccup.
"Not really," Aurora said again. "Dragon horns are made of the same stuff as human fingernails. It doesn't hurt to cut them, but it does hurt to pull them out." She stood, up stretched her wings for a few minuets, then laid back down.
"I can make him a horn," Hiccup offered. "Made of gold, or something." Aurora smiled at him.
"I appreciate the ofer," she said. "But gold isn't strong enough, and can be quite heavy.
"It would mach his armor though," Astrid pointed out.
"Indeed it would," said Aurora. "But his armor it merely the color of gold, but not actually made of gold."
"I'll be right back, I have another idea," Hiccup said. He jumped up, mounted Toothless, and took off.
"Does he really need two horns?" asked Astrid.
"It would give him a more balance flight," Aurora answered. "And would greatly help him in battle. Dragons can't really use swords and shields. So they have to use their talons, horns, and a head plate."
"That makes perfect sense," said Astrid. At that moment Hiccup and Toothless returned. They landed and Hiccup dismounted. He had his special shield with the Night Fury insignia on it.
"What about this stuff?" he asked, handing the shield to the queen. "It's very strong and very light." Aurora took it in her talons, and examined it. She tapped it lightly with her talons.
"Yes, this is more like it," she said. "This is quite an impressive shield." She gave it back. Suddenly Re inhaled a huge breath of air, but didn't wake up. They all looked at him for a minuet. Aurora nuzzled him gently.
"How long have you two been together?" asked Valka.
"Since we were eggs," said Aurora. "We hatched the same day, mere seconds apart." She yawned. It had been a long day of waiting.
"Aren't you going to stretch your legs?" asked Astrid. Aurora exhaled a huge puff of smoke.
"He's not going anywhere," said Serenity. "I'll watch him for you." Aurora heaved herself to her feet.
"Will you contact me if he wakes up?" she asked.
"Yes ma'am," said Serenity. She leaned back in her chair. Aurora spread her wings and took off.
"When will that brace come off?" asked Valka, pointing to the back brace on Re.
"Soon," said Serenity. "His spine is healing nicely. If all goes well, it may come off next week."
"So, he's not going to die then?" asked Astrid.
"The fact that his spine is healing is a good sign," said Serenity. "So, no I don't think he's going to die. When he'll recover however, I don't know."
"Does him having half a heart affect his chances?" asked Cloudjumper.
"No," said Serenity. "He may have half a heart, but it functions like as if it were whole and his heartbeat hasn't changed." She leaned over and stroked his left front paw, which was closest.
"I hope he gets better," said Valka. "He saved my life and got stabbed in the mouth in the process."
"I remember him coming home with that wound," said Serenity. "He lost quite a lot of blood."
"He was still able to fight Drago through all that," said Hiccup. "And fly all the way back here to Berk. He had to bare that injury for a whole 24 hours."
"Re has saved a lot of lives," said Serenity. "He told me once that he does it, not just because he's a king, but because it's fun." She giggled softly at the memory.
"Even when he's the one who gets hurt?" asked Hiccup.
"Yeah," said Serenity. "He only wants to recover so he can do it again." She gave a small chuckle.
"Well, I should go get started on that metal horn," said Hiccup. He got to his feet.
"You don't need to rush anything," said Serenity. "The back brace has to come off before you can put it on him." The other two got to their feet.
"Will you tell us when he wakes up?" asked Valka.
"Aurora wants to be the first to know, but I will tell you shortly afterwords," Serenity promised. They mounted their dragons.
"When are you going to fly again?" asked Valka.
"When my work here is done," said Serenity, gesturing to Re. The Berkians took off and headed back towards the village, Hiccup taking his shield with him.
The hospital was quiet in the hours before the rest of the Draconians returned. Serenity sat in the dragonnip next to her king. She checked on his spine again. It looked healed, but she still wanted to wait a week before taking it off. She gave him more water and liquidized golden apples. Finished, she leaned gently against his side. She stroked his neck.
"Please get well sire," she said in her soft, honey sweet voice. "No one wants you to die yet." The king just laid there, not responding.
However, Re did hear her. From his prospective he was looking down at the scene from a dragon's eye view. He was perched on the ledge over the house. He had heard all the talk about the many things he did in the past. He was debating whether or not he was going to go to the Dragon Heaven with Lord Draco and his parents, or go back to his family. Either option sounded wonderful. He would miss his family if he went up, and he missed his parents now. He looked up in the direction of the Dragon Heaven.
"Lord Draco, what am I to do?" he asked. At that moment two dragons flew down and landed in front of him. One was dark brown with orange eyes. He bronze armor with a huge topaz stone in the head plate. The other was light blue with a dark blue stripe down her back and neck. She wore azure blue armor with aquamarine gems in her head plate. She had the same blue eyes Re did. Re knew these two dragons at once.
"Mother, Father," he said, a note of respect in his voice.
"Hello, son," said his father, Jack. "You seem to be stuck."
"Perhaps we can help," said his mother, Idriss. She walked up to him and nuzzled his neck.
"I really missed you guys," Re said, nuzzling her back.
"We've missed you," said Jack. "You've done well in your years of reign."
"I thought you would disprove of the things I did," Re said. Jack took a deep breath.
"I was at first," he admitted. "Taking in two humans and letting them live in the castle, signing a treaty with the humans of this island, then sharing your heart with a human. These are things I would never have done, but watching the events that followed I can't help but be impressed." Re blushed.
"Now, about this decision at hand," said Idriss. "Draco has informed us that your time is not yet up."
"You still have much to do," Jack added. "You still have to crown these young dragonets and watch them take your place on the thrones."
"What about you?" Re asked.
"Don't worry about us son," said Idriss. "This lot need you more than we do." She then spotted the sad look on Re's face. She nuzzled him again.
"You'll see us again," she said. "But you will have Aurora and Tenor by your side, and the rest of them following shortly afterwords."
"I thought you didn't like Tenor," Re said.
"We like him," Jack said. "We hope someday to apologize to him for ignoring his troubles."
"He turned out to be such a fine dragon," said Idriss. "All thanks to you and Aurora." Re looked down at the scene again. Serenity was sitting back in her chair, waiting for the others to return.
"I'll wake up," he decided. "After that back brace comes off."
"A wise decision," said Jack. Re looked at his parents again.
"Thank you," he said. They nodded in unison.
"Draco is calling us back," Idriss said. "But we do look forward to seeing you again." They made ready to leave.
"We'll always love you Re," Jack said. Re smiled in response. He nuzzled his mother one last time, and she licked his cheek. Then they spread their wings and took off. Re sat on his haunches and watched them go. When they were out of sight, he laid down on the ledge to wait for the brace to come off.
A week later Serenity noticed that Re was very slowly improving. His spine was finally ready to be taken off. The other Draconians were relieved, especially Chris. He had suffered a sore back the whole time. The Draconians were gathered under the tree, the sun was setting. Serenity knelt beside Re and began unbuckling the back brace. She had X-rayed his spine earlier, and it was 100% healed. Serenity finished and carefully rolled Re onto his side so she could remove the brace. She left Re laying on his side, adjusting his head so the tube would still work. She took the back brace into the house and put it away.
"He looks a lot better," Aurora said. Serenity sat in the dragonnip beside Re's head, and gave him more water. The bump on his head had shrunk a great deal. Serenity had filed down his broken horn so it wasn't so jagged. Hiccup had been working on his metal horn.
Serenity gently stroked Re's neck. Aurora nuzzled his neck. Re moaned but didn't wake up.
"When will he wake up?" Aurora asked.
"I don't know," Serenity admitted. Suddenly Hiccup and Toothless landed next to the tree. Hiccup was holding something wrapped in leather.
"I have the metal horn," he announced. He dismounted.
"Thank you Hiccup," said Aurora, with a grateful smile. They all gathered around the picnic table. Hiccup put the horn on the table and unwrapped it. The metal horn gleamed in the light. It looked like Re's real horn, except that it was shiny silver. The lower edge of it had been sharpened into a blade. The wider end of it was hallowed out and lined with leather. There were leather straps that would secure the horn to what was left of the one.
"Wow," said Chris. "That's impressive work."
"Thanks," Hiccup said.
"Let's see if it fits," said Serenity. She carefully lifted the metal horn and carried it over to Re.
Hiccup helped her secure the horn into place, and strap it down. Hiccup made sure it was nice and snug. The horn fit perfectly. Serenity stroked Re's snout.
"Thank you, again," said Aurora as Hiccup got back on Toothless.
"Let us know when he wakes up," Hiccup said.
"We will," Aurora promised. Hiccup and Toothless took off. Aurora laid beside Re. She used her magic to make sure the metal horn could never be knocked off in battle.
"We've all done our parts Re," she whispered. "Now please wake up." She nuzzled him.
Re remained unmoving for the rest of the day. The Draconians went to bed when the moon came out. Aurora stayed in her spot. She laid her head down beside Re's, her nose touching his. She fell asleep a few minuets later. She prayed to Lord Draco to help him wake up soon.
Early the following morning, while everyone was still sleeping. Serenity came outside, to give Re more water. She knelt beside his head. She stroked his snout, letting him know she was next to him. She was about to pour water into the tube, when Re shifted.
"Re?" Serenity asked, putting down the canteen. "Re, are you okay sire?" The king moaned and shifted again. He nibbled at the tube in his mouth. Then at long last, his blue eyes opened.