I am referred to as simply King, there was pride in his voice but no trace of the arrogance that would accompany the title had it been given to a man. And this is my home. Welcome to the Sanctuary of the Great Bewilderbeast.

…

What are you called? The King queried.

"My name is Valka, and this is my daughter, Raven," Valka responded and held Raven out from her chest a ways for the King to see. He looked upon the frail child with kind but piercing eyes, as if he peered into her very soul. Raven, having woken from her nap, squinted at the giant dragon towering above with surprisingly little fear.

What a fitting name, the King said with a knowing nod and hint of humor.

"It was when she was born. Her hair had been so dark, it appeared black," Valka stroked the now bright red wisps of hair on her daughter's head. "It changed after a few weeks. Stoick was quite relieved…" she trailed off with a waning smile, not wanting to live in the past lest the guilt convince her to go back. She knew with all her heart that they were meant to be here, Raven and herself, in the home of the Bewilderbeast. She sighed all the same. "I believe I know why I'm here," she said to the King, who merely nodded for her continue. "We're different, Raven and I. We were born different. I don't know how much you know of my home- of Berk, but it is not a kind place. It is a land of kill or be killed." She recalled the fire and death and destruction that prevailed in the small village. "But I believed peace was possible. I still do. But it is a very unpopular opinion back on Berk," she sighed again as she remembered her many futile attempts to stop the fighting, only to receive hateful glares and judgmental whispers behind her back. She turned to Cloud Jumper, the reason she was finally free of the pressures of her old home, and placed a hand on his snout, trying to convey her gratitude that was beyond words alone. "You must have thought I belonged here."

"Oh I do not think it, Valka. I know it," Cloud Jumper replied and turned to the King. "The King himself said so."

I suppose it is my turn for a tale. The King settled down in his pond but remained towering above the dragon and human. Valka took the opportunity to sit as well. She laid Raven in her lap, still tucked in her skirt, from the small chill in the air. Cloud Jumper sat protectively next to the woman, trying to shield the small cool breeze that always drifted around from the waterfall. In this way, they prepared for the King to speak. When the Bewilderbeast saw that they had settled, he continued slowly, his voice deep and old as he recounted the tale. It is unlikely you have heard the rumors growing up where you did, but among dragon-kind, there is a legend passed down through generations, lost for a time or remembered only by a few. Many millennia ago, long before even I was brought into this world, and that was a long time indeed, there was once peace between dragons and man. Together, they accomplished many great things, from exploring strange new worlds to creating structures far beyond the abilities of either alone. It was a Golden Age of peace and prosperity. But like all things, the peace was not to last.

An evil entered the world in the form of man, corrupt and greedy. He, like so many today, did not see dragons as they were, only as they could be. And he saw them as threats, capable of destroying homes and cities. He saw no reason the share the wealth of his nation with beasts incapable of emotion. And he was not alone in his opinion. Fear and hatred spread among the hearts of men and war broke out.

For generations, death and destruction fell on the world, sweeping with it innocent lives and almost completely destroying the bond man once shared with dragons.

Almost.

It was said that the gods took pity on man, or perhaps the fighting no longer amused them. Who knows the minds of gods? Whatever you believe, one thing is certain; something had happened that could only have been the work of a god. Born into the world were two beings, neither human nor dragon yet at the same time, both. Within the human raged the soul of a dragon, and within the dragon fought the soul of a human.

Together, as one soul, they fought against the greed and ignorance that had corrupted the world. But they were too late and in their desperation to stop the fighting, they sacrificed their lives. And still man did not yield.

Many millennia passed and the fighting settled uneasily. But peace has not been made between humans and dragons. Old wounds reopen and rage simmers beneath the surface, just waiting for a spark to reignite.

It is said that only another dragon soul and human soul can bring about lasting peace, and finally calm the storm of war.

The King stopped speaking but his voice seemed to reverberate through Valka's mind, his words sinking in like blows from Gobber's forging hammer. "War?" she asked, shocked by the revelation. Sure, dragons and man fought, as they had for generations, but it had never been considered War. Such a word was reserved for the darkest of times between clans or tribes, when blood was shed and lives were lost in innumerable amounts. They weren't at war, they couldn't be.

As if sensing her distress, Cloud Jumper curled around her, and she absentmindedly stroked his neck. The King, noticing the woman's worries as well, shook his head regretfully. I am sorry, I should not have worried you so. It is not war in the sense you are accustomed to, perhaps it is not even a war at all. It is a fight that must be fought by all men and women and children, dragons and hatchlings alike. It is to restore the bond between our kinds, and it can only be done with the help a Dragon Soul.

Valka visibly relaxed at his words but grew perplexed once more. There was that phrase again. Dragon Soul. A dragon trapped in a human body? And vice versa. It seemed a bit preposterous. Though she never doubted dragons were creatures of great mystery, and never in a million years would they ever know everything about them, the thought that they could be born human made her uneasy. What a horrible fate, to be trapped in a body that did not reflect your soul. It was how she felt at times back on Berk, like she didn't fit, like she was in the wrong place. But at least she had places she could flee to, to escape the discomfort of her world. How much worse must it be for someone who was confined to a world as small as a body, with nowhere to run when your skin itched like it was meant for someone else?

Valka instinctively looked down at Raven, who had taken to trying to grab at Cloud Jumper's nose. He didn't seem to mind too much and playfully puffed air at her head, curiously watching her tufts of red hair dance.

"And you think that I'm the Dragon Soul?" She asked, though it was more of a statement.

I did, the King nodded slowly.

Cloud Jumper's head shot up, startled, "But you said-"

I know what I said, his voice commanded silence and the Storm Cutter sheepishly obeyed. That was before I understood the situation. I all actuality it makes much more sense, and I'm not sure why I didn't suspect it in the first place.

Now both Cloud Jumper and Valka were confused. The Storm Cutter had flown half way across the northern hemisphere at the King's command, and it wasn't the right person? But how could she not be? She clearly belonged here among the dragons, she clearly was no Viking. And what new information had come to light between Valka being brought here and him deciding she wasn't the Dragon Soul?

Valka, how old is your child?

The suddenness of the question startled her but she quickly gathered herself. "Just under two months," she responded without question. Cloud Jumper listened in confusion but did not interrupt again.

Then I have no doubt. He said, then seeing the confused faces, sought to clarify. Along with my ability to bond minds, or perhaps because of it, I can also sense the presence of dragons from great distances. But having never encountered a Dragon Soul before in my life, I was unsure of what to expect. But now that you are before me, I see that the soul I had sensed was not from you, Valka, though you carry a part of it in you. But a much stronger soul comes from your daughter.

A stunned silence filled the massive room. Cloud Jumper felt a mixture of relief and confusion. He had been so sure when he encountered Valka that she had been the Dragon Soul that the King had sensed, yet here he was saying that it was her hatchling. Well, now he was very glad he had accidentally taken the infant as well.

Valka let out a sharp little laugh, and though she was stunned by the revelation, she was not surprised. She knew Raven was different, like herself, but from what the King said, it was a big responsibility to put on an infant.

Once again sensing the human's distress, the King spoke softly. You need not worry yourself of things that have not yet come to pass and will not for many years. The future has a funny way or sorting itself out regardless of our worries. For now, enjoy the company of like-hearted beings, live in the peace, and raise your child in the truths you have come to know. This is where you belong, the both of you. You are humans with the hearts and souls of dragons. I welcome you again, though this time, I welcome you home.

:.~.:~:.~.:~

Now we know Raven, surprise surprise, is the dragon soul. Guesses who the human soul is? ...wink wink.

I hope this chapter isn't too confusing, the King's story isn't supposed to make complete sense just yet and will make more sense as the story goes on.

I'm going on vacation, so no updates until next month. Feel free to keep reviewing, i like to know what others think and im always up for criticism. It takes a lot to get me upset. Insult my story if you must, just please not me. For now... i bid you all a very fond farewell.