It was two weeks before anyone found me, and it was only to give me the news that Hiccup would wake soon. It was infuriating.
"And you didn't think to get me sooner Astrid?" I ask calmly.
"They wouldn't let anyone leave the village." Astrid says. Well, that's something different to the norm.
"For now, that will be enough of an answer." I say, as we walk back, Valkyrie, in her dragon form, following.
"Why don't we fly there?" Astrid asks.
"Because I want Valkyrie to be the one who chooses when I can be on her back." I explain. "I have fought wars, and the best men, where the ones who trusted you with their lives."
"You have a point." She says.
"It is also because, if she wants, she can leave me at any time. I don't want her to think I own her, but instead that she is my equal." I say, "Can we move to something else?" I ask.
"Why did you choose our world?" Astrid asks bluntly. "And I want the real answer." She pushes.
"Because I need a home. Where I come from, I have a similar experience to Hiccup. Because I could hear whispers, and see thing that others could not, I was bullied and beaten. I just could not take it anymore." I say solemnly. "This world is the only one I know of that would be a suitable place for me to live."
"What about the people you meet elsewhere?" She asks.
"Those who are close to me, such as Ahsoka, and some of the people who will play an important part in my journeys, are always going to be considered as family to me. They will be given a choice however, as they have lives of their own." I explain. "Oh, and Berk will need to be expanded. So I will try and get a god-like creature to help us with that, and I know where to find them."
"That will be useful. But what of those who will oppose us here." She asks. Honestly, is there no end to her interrogation?
"Depending on the after effects, I will either take care of them myself, or we will do it as a group of Dragon Riders." I say. "But enough of your interrogating how is Hiccup?" I ask.
"He should be fine, but I think it would be best if you checked on him to make sure." Astrid says.
"Why did you hide your love for him? Your support would have been very helpful for him." I ask.
"Because I wanted to stay popular." She says sadly.
"I never understood what it was like to be popular, and I doubt I ever want to know." I say. The rest of the journey continues in silence. When we entered Hiccup's room, Toothless pounced on me. "I'm sorry Toothless, but it had to happen. If I tried to intervene, you would have been killed by the Vikings, and the loss to Hiccup would have driven him mad." I explain. Toothless just crooned at me in forgiveness. "Thank you, for understanding." I say, grateful to be in one piece. I sit next to Hiccup, and call upon the force to aid his healing. After about an hour, Astrid left to help the village. After another hour, Hiccup was fully healed, and all I had to do was wait for him to awake.
"Ughh." Hiccup groaned as he awoke, and within moments, Toothless was bouncing around the house, excited beyond all possibilities that his rider was awake and ok. I chuckle, gaining his attention.
"Before I make a joke about being in one piece, look at you left foot." I say.
"Well, you did warn everyone. So I am not surprised." Hiccup jokes.
"In all seriousness, it was either your foot, or your life, and Astrid would bring you back from the dead just to kill you herself if you died." I say.
"Sounds about right." Hiccup replies. He tries to stand up, but fails, and grabs hold of me for support. I wrap my arm under his to support him as we walk outside. Opening the door, we see the teens on their respective dragons.
"It's funny, only two hours ago, they didn't have dragons in the village, so im impressed." I mention.
"I knew it. I'm dead, and you are haunting me Vex." He accuses me. Stoick walks over to us and chuckles.
"Nah, but you gave it your best shot." He jokes.
"I may have sped up the healing as well. But mind you, I am not above haunting you when you die." I say with a smirk.
"Don't even try Vex." Hiccup retorts. "Why now dad, after all that Vex said, why only now?" He then asks his father.
"Because when facing the unknown, you often need proof, and I lacked any, hence I had to let events run the course." I explain. "In all honesty Stoick, I don't blame you, because if I were in your position, I would have done the same. But when Hiccup warned you of the Queen, that I would have listened too." I smile warmly at him.
"I am sorry for my actions though Vex, is there any way I could make it up to you?" He asks.
"Give me your blessing to make a house out in the forest, and to officially be a part of your family, and you will be off the hook. Besides, Berk as a whole has a long way to go before being at peace." I say.
"Then welcome to the family, Vex." He smiles and embraces me.
"You can call me by my birth name here. It's Curtis. Curtis Hunter Haddock now." I smile and return the embrace. At last, a place to call home.