Sorry for the delay! I've been waiting for a break in midterms to white this. Anyways, this will probably be the story's last quiet chapter.

Also, current projection is another five chapters before this story is finished.

Chapter 42

Drago's settlement was busier than a hive of bees, yet two weeks in, I still barely knew anything. The men and women who served under Drago knew as little of their leader's plans as the dragons they enslaved. All they – and I, by extension – knew was that they were gearing up for a war. My bet was it would be against the Barbaric Archipelago. I might have been able to learn more if I had trailed Drago, as I had for a while, but there was only so long I could watch the man before I felt ill.

Hanging upside-down by my tail, I studied the world around me. The only thing I could say that I had accomplished was mapping out the settlement's interior. Near the docks was most of the storage buildings, and the numerous armouries. Inland was where their industry lay, full of smoke, and charcoal, and soot-coloured dirt. Scattered around the edges of these workshops were clusters of temporary and permanent homes. Most of them were leather tents or stone huts; it appeared they reserved their wood for other uses. The buildings looked cold; it was hard to see any individuality among them. Expect for Drago's home. His was positioned at the very rear of the settlement, where stone-carved pillars rose into the air and held up a building that was way too big for one man. It was a shadow of a palace; a throne for a false king. It was the closest anyone ever wanted for Drago to wear a crown.

I detached from my perch, and soared inland. Orange and red pools of fire smouldered under me, tended to by sweaty, singed men. A grey haze filled the air. So many carts and people scuttled about that the ground itself seemed to be moving. The great cogs of the war machine were turning with clangs and shouts that would make anyone half-deaf. With my superior dragon ears, I was forced to focus my hearing towards the heavens where it was quieter.

I landed next to a harnessed Nightmare. She lay limply on the ground, breathing heavy and wearied, noticing me only when I chirped at her. Her eyes widened in shock. I sniffed; yep, haven't met this one yet. I understood her surprise. Baby dragons were nonexistent here; they didn't follow the tyrant, and none of these dragons would ever feel safe enough to lay eggs. Plus, I don't think Drago saw any value in tiny babies. Even Terrible Terrors were hard to find.

The Nightmare chittered at me. Danger. Danger.

Huffing, I arched my wings and hopped closer. Stay, I. Fight, I.

The chittering grew louder. Danger! Go!

I sighed. There was no way to tell her that I wasn't a real dragon hatchling, but an unfortunate human caught up in a terrible accident. She tried to turn to face me, probably to try to chase me off the island the same way a disproportionate number of dragons had already tried. But with the heavy cart attached to her, it was rather simple to outmanoeuvre her. I came face-to-face with her flank. Her ribs were starting to show; Drago's soldiers didn't feed these dragons enough for the work they did.

I backed up just beyond her reach. The muscles in my abdomen and throat tightened as I prepared myself. To her surprise, I spat up an entire fish in front of her snout. Yes, it was unpleasant. I knew my stomach would ache for at least the next three minutes. However, it was bearable, and the discomfort didn't last too long.

I nosed the fish toward her. Eat.

She looked at the fish uncertainly. I found that a lot of dragons refused to take anything while I was around . . . but they all ate once I was gone. So, I left. I heard her slurp it up the moment I rounded the corner. I wished I could do more for her. I wish that I could more for everyone, even if it was to bring them all enough food. But it wasn't like I could stuff fish into a bag and hand them out like it was Snoggletog. Even dragging fish around in my mouth attracted a lot of unwanted attention. Nope, I was limited to what I could carry in my stomach, and how many times I could fly to the fisheries and back before I collapsed from exhaustion.

I was lost in thought, and so didn't notice the fish until I stepped on it. I blinked. That was odd. What was a fish doing in the middle of . . . oh. Toothless. I could smell him all over it. I ate it to placate him (I knew he was watching from somewhere), but really, it was pointless. I'd probably end up regurgitating it for the next dragon I saw. I just . . . I just wish it would be him. I have no idea what was up with my best friend, but he was clearly keeping an eye on me, even though he refused to come out of hiding. We were just lucky that Toothless got some favouritism from Drago for being the only Night Fury; when Toothless had chewed through his harness the first night, Drago hadn't ordered him chained like he would order Cloudjumper to be. Drago didn't seem to care what Toothless did so long as he didn't cause problems.

I continued to sneak fish to those I could, until my wings ached and I needed to rest. I crawled over to the pier, and sidled up to a bracket. I stared out at the ocean. Looked so peaceful out there.

Someone hooted behind me, and I rose with a mix of relief and resignation. "Hello, Cloudjumper."

Cloudjumper hooted again. His forewings curled in. Come here.

Accepting comfort from him that one time had been a mistake. Now, Cloudjumper seemed to view it as his Odin-given duty to comfort me – regardless of whether I needed it or not. I walked over, checking out his shoulders as I did . . . yep. Burnt through his traces again. This would probably be the last time I saw him walking around free for a while.

"You need to stop doing that!" I hissed at the much larger dragon. Cloudjumper puffed out his chest, taking offense. That was him. Defiant until the end. I leapt onto his shoulder, and sniffed around the burnt edges.

Wait. That dark bit there wasn't ashes. I reached out with a claw, and gently touched a whip mark on his hide. Cloudjumper jerked, and snapped at me. Stop that!

"Cloudjumper . . ." I swallowed hard. Clearly, his latest escape hadn't been nearly as clean as he wanted me to believe.

With a calculated flick from his wing-claw, he knocked me off and carefully pinned me with his foot. Air rushed past my cheeks as he sniffed. Afterwards, the Stormcutter set to grooming my scales.

" . . . Is this making you feel better," I asked quietly. "If that's all it is, then you just needed to ask. But if it isn't . . . you shouldn't be worrying about me. I'm not the one suffering here."

Satisfied that I was no longer running away, Cloudjumper removed his foot, and lay down. His wing fell over me like a cave.

"I get it," I said to him. "It's tough. It sucks. All we can do is sit around and watch when we know we should be doing something. That's supposed to be our job, isn't it? To fix this. I can't remember ever being this helpless before. Sometimes, this doesn't even feel real. I don't know about you, but it's easier to pretend it isn't sometimes, and to pretend that I'm the hero of some epic sage. Keeps me from going crazy. And you wouldn't like me when I'm crazy."

Cloudjumper heard the lifting tone in my last sentence, and rumbled in agreement.

"Hey! You shouldn't say that. You're supposed to love me no matter how crazy I am!" I rolled onto my back and raised my paws, ready to exchange blows –

Cloudjumper didn't have forelegs.

Right. Not Toothless.

"It's not your fault," I said as the Stormcutter grew alarmed at my sudden depression. "I just wish I knew what he's thinking."

Night. My favourite time of the day. It was the time that most of the humans I disliked went to bed, when most of the dragons were allowed to rest, and when all the miners and their haggard dragons return from deep within the island's bowels. And the best thing of all? No Drago Bludvist!

There was only one downside to night. Night was when the tyrant was at his most active.

I could see his spine sticking out of the water as he cruised around, doing . . . Bewilderbeast stuff. I perched within sight, keeping an eye on him. He could be quite destructive when he was in the mood, and the last thing I wanted was for any wayward dragons to be caught in the middle.

Today, however, he seemed to be in a playful mood. Oh, Hiccup. I know you're there.

So? It's not like that's a surprise. I can't go anywhere.

There is an entire school of them here today. Fools! Did they think they were fast enough to outrun me?

Gleefully, the tyrant breached. With his forceful exhale, a geyser of stunned fish flew into the air, falling around the tyrant in a slimy deluge. The tyrant chuckled to himself before diving under, presumably to do it again.

Why don't you toss some this way? I asked.

Are your own skills lacking? I expected better, Hiccup.

Darn. I was hoping he'd fall for it, and some of the nearby dragons could have a good meal for once. I expected just asking him to feed his 'flock' wouldn't go over well.

The tyrant tossed the fish a few more times. Then, either he grew bored or the fish had gotten out of there. He then made a game of meticulously creating an ice floe with his breath, and then slamming it against an arch and tearing it to pieces with his tusks. It was ugly and brutal, and hard to tear my eyes away from.

The tyrant saw me watching. This will be your king when I am through with him.

Must not rise to bait. Must not rise to bait . . .

Are you honestly looking forward to that?

Mark that as yet another time Hiccup Horrendous Haddock failed to control himself.

Yes! the tyrant said. His lips stretched in that creepy imitation of a smile. I will destroy him, and all shall bow to me.

What makes you so sure you'd win? I pressed. He's not like me, or Toothless. You can't control him! He'll fight you. He wants to fight you after everything you and Drago have done.

I look forward to it, the tyrant said, and it sounded like he was completely serious.

I couldn't help it. I roared in frustration. Are you even listening to me? The king isn't going to roll over and let you have your way. Why are you so obsessed with fighting him? Why would you want to put your life on the line like that?

The tyrant turned away. He almost looked like he was sulking. You don't understand.

You're right. I don't. I marched down the pier, getting as close as I dared. I don't understand either of you. How did you even find each other? You're crazy enough, but for you to run into someone as evil as Drago –

Enough!

I shook my head, taken aback. He hadn't even blinked when I insulted him. But now, upon hearing me insult Drago, the tyrant's tail lashed through the water, making a wave big enough to seriously endanger a ship.

What is he to you? I asked.

The tyrant drifted closer. I looked directly into his eyes, which were flickering –

The eggshell cracked. I reached forward with a foreleg that wasn't mine, and leaned my full weight onto the splintering shell. It gave way. Bright light poured into the damp, sticky space. In the middle of that light stood a human. Not a boy, but not the weathered man I knew. A scar lay across his left eye, but the other scars I had expected were missing –

"He hatched you. He raised you," I whispered to myself, horrified. Suddenly, everything about the tyrant made a chilling amount of sense.

I almost felt bad for him.

The tyrant said, It would be accurate to say our bond is longer and deeper than that of you and your precious Night Fury.

That struck a nerve. Gone was any idea of sympathy. How dare he? How dare he compare us to them, to this mockery of everything the dragon riders stood for? My teeth grit together, itching to have flesh between them.

I glared straight into the tyrant's eyes. You think my friendship with Toothless is fake, but that you and Drago have something real? You can't be serious. All I see when I look at you two is a madman and his attack dog.

Drago made me strong! the tyrant snarled. The world vibrated with his words. Drago gave me power. Drago showed me what it meant to be alpha! He made me into what I am!

And what is that? I screamed at him. A monster? A rabid, bloodthirsty machine? You're not even a dragon anymore! You're a sword: just this thing he uses to hurt people. Is that who you wanted to be? Is that what you want?

You do not understand.

I don't understand? You're telling me that I'm the one who doesn't understand? You don't understand! I've tried to tell you again and again that everything you're saying is wrong, and you keep refusing to listen!

The tyrant cocked his head. And you are different? You keep speaking of this grand bond between you and the Night Fury. Where is he now?

If I could cry, I would be tearing up with frustration. I don't know. But he's around. He always is. He hasn't given up on me.

I could feel his sneer. Of course the tyrant would take that as a sign that he was right. But he wasn't. I knew he wasn't. So I struck before he could.

If you're so confident, then don't ask me. Don't ask Toothless. Ask Cloudjumper what he thought of my mother. Ask any of the king's dragons. Go on. Do it!

What are you saying? the tyrant repeated uncertainly. I think he backed up a step.

I'm telling you to ask them about Valka. To look at their memories, or do whatever it is you do. I closed the remaining distance between me and the edge of the pier, flinging my words at the tyrant like a sling as I did. But ask them what they thought about my mother. Ask them what a friendship between a dragon and human is supposed to be like.

The tyrant still hesitated. Losing my patience, I hissed, Don't chicken out. Ask them!

I knew dragons were listening. I had heard them arrive a while ago. I whirled around now to point them out and drive in my words, but then my mental voice spluttered into silence. Pairs of moonlight-reflecting eyes stared at us, a line of them that seemed to extend for the entire shoreline. The tyrant, too, noticed them for the first time. I heard his breath catch for an instant.

For a long time, the world stayed like that. Silent. Observing.

Go, the tyrant said to everyone.

Silence.

The tyrant snorted. He stamped his foot. Then he slammed both forepaws down, bellowing, and ice flew from between his teeth and froze the docks. I said LEAVE!

The shoreline burst into a mass of bustling wings. Carts wheels screeched and groaned as the dragons attached to them fled for their lives. It was so noisy, it almost sounded like the workshops were up and running again. The buzz of flapping wings went on longer than I had expected and with an unsettling chill, I realized that there had been a lot more dragons watching us than I had thought.

I heard a humongous splash behind me. By the time I turned around, the tyrant was gone. I was left alone in the moonlight.

Review Response:

GuestGirl: It hasn't come up yet. Plus, as snarky as Hiccup is, he knows the tyrant would not take that lightly. He's going to have to be pretty desperate (or confident) before he goes for a low blow like that.

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Jazz: What are you talking about? Drago ruined a perfectly legit bonding moment between Hiccup and the tyrant XD

For better or for worse, Hiccup will never obey orders/leaders that he finds morally repugnant. Especially when they place his friends and family at risk.

That's basically how it is. I expect it was no better in canon either :(

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QuiteARandomFan: Not quite. Remember, you only ever see the story from Hiccup's POV. He isn't always right about what Toothless is thinking/feeling (although most of the time it's pretty accurate), and in particular, remember that you've never gotten to hear any of the conversations between Toothless and the tyrant and whatever... deals they might have made.

The tyrant was referring to how Hiccup was the heir of Berk, but yes, he does technically have the blood of a dragon alpha too!