WARNING: This chapter gets a bit darker than what I usually write.

Chapter 9

Chris and Windwalker had spent the last five months doing farm work, which neither of them found fun. Windwalker occasionally went to different houses and hunt down mice and rats. Every night they would curl up together in the hey loft of the barn, fall asleep, and dream of their loved ones. They kept their eyes on Valkyrie and Rufus, listening for news on their plan. Both dragon and rider were quite sure they planned to harm Serenity, or at least abuse her. Windwalker hadn't known Serenity for as long as she knew Chris, but she could already see why Chris and his family loved her so much. Not only was she pretty, but she was also talented, wise, and very friendly. The idea of someone even glaring at her, was as unbearable to think of as slaying a unicorn.

They woke up one morning to a dusting of frost of the ground. Winter was in the air, as were heavy snow clouds. It was quite cold.

"I just remembered I left my coat on Berk," Chris said.

"We have other things to worry about," Windwalker said. "What is the plan for today?"

"We need to follow Rufus," Chris said. "I get the feeling he's going to execute his plan very soon."

"And we don't even know what it is yet," said Windwalker.

"I'll ask if I can join Rufus at the docks," Chris said. "He might have gotten others in on his plan." The two of them went down the first floor of the barn. Valkyrie and Rufus were saddling their horses.

"It's getting colder," said Rufus. "Chris will you make sure the animals water is heated, and you don't have to let them out until noon?"

"Actually I was wondering if I could help you at the docks," Chris said innocently. Rufus gave a jolly chuckle.

"As much as I would love for you to join me at the docks," he said. "I will not be going to the docks. I'm going over to the black smith with Bron and a few other guys for drinking and socializing. You can come if you want."

"No thanks, I don't drink," Chris said, knowing that Rufus wasn't going to bring up his plans with Chris nearby.

"Suit your self," said Rufus. He then mounted his horse and followed Valkyrie towards the road. Chris turned to Windwalker.

"New plan," he said. "You go to the blacksmith and eavesdrop, I'll take care of these animals." The Night Fury nodded. She took off and followed Rufus from the air. She watched Rufus ride to the blacksmith where other horses were tethered outside. Rufus dismounted and put his horse with the others. He then went inside. Windwalker landed as light as she could on the roof. She used her powerful hearing to listen in on what was being said.

"When are we bringing that girl here?" asked a man. "With all your talk of how pretty she is I'm wanting to see her more and more."

"Not to worry," said Rufus. "You'll have your prize before the snow falls. In fact I plan to go back to Berk and get her tomorrow morning. She's guarded by dragons and kidnapping her won't be easy."

"Why not just invite her?" asked Bron. "She's already expecting to come to our island."

"Chris says dragons can tell when you're lying or up to something," Rufus said. "They'll know something's up."

"What are we going to do with that baby of hers?" asked another man.

"Nothing," said Rufus. "It is of no value to us until it's older."

"So what's the whole plan?" asked the first man.

"Okay here it is," Rufus said. "Valkyrie and I will sail back to Berk. Valkyrie will try and get the girl by herself before knocking her out. Then we'll get her into our boat as quickly as possible. I've updated the boat and given it a secret compartment that's big enough for the task at hand. When we get her here, she'll be yours to do as you like. But you have to keep her as far away from Chris and that black dragon, they'll try to ruin everything."

"We will all take turns with her," said Bron. "It's the only fair way. Each man will have a night and a day with her, then hand her over to the next man. And when we've all had our turn we'll sell her to the highest bidder."

"What if the dragons come looking for her?" asked another man. "Or Chris finds out and tries to rescue her?"

"Any obstacle that we come across will be done away with," said Bron. "So Rufus, you had better keep that boy of yours under control."

"Yes sir," said Rufus.

"What if she tries to escape?" asked the second man. "Or you can't get her by herself no matter how hard you try."

"Well it would be a shame to kill her, but we will if we must," said Rufus. "If she tires to run back to the dragons when we confront her, she gets a arrow to the heart. Those dragons have had that girl long enough, others deserve to have her. A girl that pretty only comes once in a lifetime." They all agreed. The rest of their conversation was made up of what sorts of abuse each man planned on doing once Serenity was in their clutches. Windwalker had heard enough and took off again.

She flew back to the barn as fast as she could. She found Chris inside waiting for her.

"What happened?" he asked, seeing her anxious features.

"We need to back to Berk at once," Windwalker said. "The Rufus is planning to sail at dawn and kidnap Serenity. He and Valkyrie will lure her into a trap, knock her out, and smuggle her here in a hidden compartment in the boat. Once they get her here, the man were planning on abusing her then selling her to the highest bidder. And if she tries to run back to the dragons when they confront her they'll kill her. Uh, the way they talked, like wolves planning to hunt a unicorn and eat it alive."

"Oh no," Chris moaned. "What about Edelweiss?"

"They have no interest in her," said Windwalker. "We should go now so we can warn her in time."

"You're right," Chris said. "Let's go home." They ran outside, both eager to finally head home. Chris mounted his dragon and they took off, heading for Berk.

An hour later Rufus and Valkyrie returned to the barn to find Chris and Windwalker long gone. Rufus growled in frustration.

"Ah, he must have been on to us," he said. "This changes everything."

"What do we do now?" asked Valkyrie. "We'll never get her alone now."

"We'll have to kill her then," said Rufus. "If we can't have her, no one can. Ready the ship we leave immediately." The two of them ran to the docks where their ship waited for them. Rufus carried a crossbow with a single arrow loaded into it.