Mother and Daughter
As the sun began to set, Lenora and Toothless flew away towards Drago's location.
It was only when Toothless was gliding on top of a seemingly endless sea of white clouds and mist that Lenora could no longer restrain herself. She let out a very long, very loud roar of frustration and then laid down on her back. She let out a very long, very loud scream of frustration before lying on her back.
"You okay?" asked Toothless, sounding concerned.
"No, bud, I most certainly am not okay." Everything had been going so perfectly and now it was all messed up and unless she fixed it and fast, it would stay that way. Why couldn't Drago have just stayed gone? Why couldn't she do what she needed to do without so much resistance from the others? "Why can't they understand, Toothless? I don't want to do this, but there's no choice! If I don't surrender to Drago, I'll lose everything and everyone I've ever loved and I can't bear that—not again. This is the only way to keep everyone safe."
"You can't blame them for their reactions. They're doing this because they love you and want you to be safe, just like I do," said Toothless, gently. "They're acting out of love, that's all. And maybe they feel that there's another way for you to handle Drago without risking losing you. You can't tell me if the situation was reversed, you wouldn't be doing what they're doing now."
Lenora was forced to admit Toothless had a point. "It's true, I wouldn't." Lenora rarely gave in to the first option to handle a problem, she always had to find a way of her own to do it, and usually it was a better one. "But what's the use of arguing when it changes nothing? Drago needs to be dealt with and I don't know any other way of stopping him without risking the loss of innocent lives. Losing my mom and thinking I'd lost my dad hurt enough. Losing another human I care about or you would be too much to bear."
Toothless let out a soft, soothing purr. "You will never lose me. Just try and relax. We're going to get through this somehow, Lenora, and we'll do it together, I promise."
Lenora smiled and felt comforted at Toothless' words, but her smile faded when a huge gust of icy wind and snow blew them off course and into a rock formation. A terrible blizzard had come up out of nowhere. Lenora clung to Toothless' saddle for dear life while the Night Fury sank his claws into the rock so they wouldn't get blown all over creation. Despite their efforts, the winds were too strong for them to fight against.
Just when Lenora thought they were going to be lost in the winds, a dragon rider adorned in painted armor and a spiky mask, carrying a staff and shield descended from the clouds. The rider was standing on a Stormcutter, a rare kind of dragon with four wings.
Lenora didn't become tense with suspicion or tremble with fear, rather she was curious about the mysterious rider and its dragon. The Stormcutter seemed vaguely familiar, but Lenora didn't know why. It was then that she noticed that unlike Toothless, the Stormcutter wasn't struggling against the fierce winds and nor was it in an attack position. The Stormcutter was hovering near Lenora while the masked rider was kneeling down on the dragon's neck, extending their staff out for Lenora to grasp. They were trying to help. Lenora knew the masked rider's efforts wouldn't do much good, but thankfully she had an idea that would.
"Hey!" she yelled, loudly so she could be heard against the wind. "If you're trying to help, that won't work! But I've got an idea! I've got some rope! Do you think you could have your Stormcutter tow us to somewhere safe if you tied an end on him?"
The masked rider nodded and then as soon as Lenora got out her rope and tied one end on Toothless' saddle, she tossed the other end to the masked rider. The masked rider snatched up the rope and tied the other end around the Stormcutter's tail. Once the rope was secure, the masked rider and Stormcutter towed Lenora to a giant cavern made of spiked ice and rock. It looked similar to the spiky ice formation Lenora had seen earlier, which both intrigued and concerned her. Whoever the masked rider was, they had some powerful friends behind them.
Inside the cave, it was dimly lit but also warmer than it was outside and full of countless dragons of all species and colors. Some looked at Lenora and Toothless with awe and wonder while some of the others did not. When Lenora slid off Toothless' back, untied the rope and dusted herself clean of the ice and snow, she realized the masked rider and Stormcutter were gone and she was being encircled by the other dragons. A Rumblehorn then approached her and growled.
Protective as always, Toothless took a defensive stance and growled menacingly, only to cease doing so and become still when Lenora raised her hand. She was glad of Toothless' protection, but she intended to pacify the dragons on her own.
"It's all right," said Lenora, in dragonese. She couldn't help but smirk when she heard the dragons' reactions. They were all shocked. No human had ever spoken in their native tongue before. "I'm not here to hurt you. I'm a friend."
"You speak our tongue!" said a Raincutter. "Such a thing is impossible."
Lenora chuckled. How many times had she heard that before? "It's been my experience that when you put your mind to it, very little is impossible."
"Very little indeed! We believed that the Night Furies were extinct, but then heard that one had aided a dragon rider in vanquishing the Red Death," said a Snafflefang. "We didn't know if it was true. Is it? Are you the heroes that we were told of?"
Toothless nodded and stood proudly beside Lenora. "It was us. Lenora not only did the impossible by helping me fly again when I was crippled and bridging the gaps between her world and ours, but because of her efforts, she and I were able to vanquish the Red Death forever."
"Toothless!" hissed Lenora. A simple 'yes,' or 'no,' would've sufficed as Lenora wasn't prone to bragging about her accomplishments, good or bad. She was very modest.
At the mention of the Red Death's demise, the dragons began to murmur amongst themselves. Red Death had been a plague on the lives of all dragons. For centuries, Red Death had forced the dragons to do as she wished or else they would be killed. When Red Death was vanquished, the dragons' lives became peaceful, happier.
Lenora held up her hands when the dragons began to question her all at once. Some asked how she'd done it, others thanked her in gratitude while some still looked on her with suspicion.
"Silence!" she said, gently. "I did what I had to do to stop Red Death, nothing more. And even so, it was a team effort. It never would've happened without Toothless. But that's not what's important. I know you've had bad encounters with dragon trappers lately, but there's no need for hostility or fear towards me. I'm not here to hurt you—any of you. My friend and I are just here to wait out the storm. Look, I'll even prove that I'm a friend."
Lenora drew her sword, ignited it and then waved it around. The dragon fire pacified some of the dragons, but not all. Undeterred, Lenora spread out Zippleback gas and ignited it and then divided up her supply of dragonmint while softly humming one of her best dragon-soothing lullabies. It did the trick and the dragons finally accepted Lenora and Toothless as allies. The Rumblehorn that had previously snarled at Lenora, came up and nuzzled her hand before she had a chance to show submission and extend it.
"You're a rare jewel among humans, dragon rider," said a voice.
Lenora turned to see the Stormcutter approaching as the other dragons backed away in respect
"Thank you," she said. "Not just for the compliment, but also for helping us escape the storm."
"It was the least I could do," said the Stormcutter, modestly. "But where are my manners? I am called Cloudjumper. What is your name and what is its meaning?"
Lenora raised an eyebrow in confusion. Why would a dragon care about her name's meaning? It made no sense, but nevertheless, she replied, "My name is Lenora. Generally, it means 'light.' It was my mother's idea. She believed I was to be the light of my village. Why do you ask?"
All the dragons' faces lit up with hope and amazement and they began to whisper amongst themselves. Some even let out cries of delight before falling silent at Cloudjumper's own roar.
"Then if this is so, then you are indeed the one," said Cloudjumper. "You are the one that our protector, my rider has been waiting for. When I step aside, you'll meet her properly. I have no doubt she'll recognize you immediately once she's gotten a better look at you and then she'll rejoice. She's waited for you to come for a very long time."
"Me?" echoed Lenora, in stunned disbelief. Why would the masked rider have been waiting for Lenora? How could the rider even know of Lenora? "Why? And how long has she been waiting?"
"Because you are the light of Berk and now that you've come, she can return to her old homeland. She's been waiting for seventeen long years," said Cloudjumper.
Seventeen years? Waiting for Lenora so she could go home? What was the dragon talking about? Before Lenora could reply, the dragons stepped aside and the masked rider entered the circle. The masked rider crouched down and kept her shield up as she walked around the room.
"Who are you?" asked Lenora. "Don't get me wrong, I'm thankful for what you did, but your friend Cloudjumper said that you've been expecting me for some reason. And yes, I can understand and speak dragons' tongue. What's your name?"
The masked rider didn't reply. She just waved her staff around and then all the dragons in the cave made the room light up with their fire.
Toothless crouched defensively and pulled Lenora closer to him with his tail. He growled as the masked rider dropped her staff and shield, crouched down onto all fours like an animal and as soon as the masked rider was close, she did a hand movement in front of Toothless' eyes. But whatever the rider had intended with their hand movement, it didn't work. Toothless kept up his defensive stance and growled at the rider, who pulled back in surprise.
"Toothless is well-trained. He won't fall for any of your tricks. He obeys only me and only does otherwise if I'm in danger," said Lenora, feeling proud of her accomplishment. But nevertheless, she gave Toothless a look out of the corner of her eye and raised two fingers, signaling him to stand down. She didn't know why but she had the feeling she could trust this masked rider and if she was wrong, then Toothless would protect her.
Toothless lowered his defensive stance, but his green eyes remained narrowed and he kept his gaze on the masked rider.
The masked rider made no reply as she approached Lenora then reached out to touch her. Her fingers brushed against the underside of Lenora's chin, tracing the faint scar Lenora had gotten when she'd fallen off the kitchen table when she was three. For some reason, Lenora did not pull away from the rider's touch, but she felt her breath get caught in her throat.
The rider's hand soon pulled away, rather hesitantly.
"Lenora?" she whispered, sounding both shaken and hopeful. "My sweet light, is that really you?"
Lenora's heart skipped a beat. That voice. I know that voice! That's…no, it can't be. It just can't! She recognized that voice, how could she not? And even so, only one person had ever referred to Lenora as "my sweet light." But their return to Lenora's life just wasn't possible, was it?
"You found me," whispered the masked rider. "After all these years of waiting, you found me."
"Who are you?" asked Lenora, as her voice cracked. "Show me your face. Now." She was terrified of what she was about to see as part of her hoped she was wrong while the rest of her prayed that she wasn't. But regardless of what she saw, she knew it wasn't going to end well.
The rider took off her mask and then Lenora couldn't breathe. The face behind the dragon rider's mask was one that Lenora had not seen except in her dreams and in a painting in the Great Hall for over seventeen years.
"Mom?" gasped Lenora, as her hand flew to her mouth.
The rider was Lenora's "dead" mother, Valka "Val" Horrendous Haddock, Stoick's wife and the former Chieftess of Berk. Only, it seemed that somehow she was alive, which wasn't possible. The dead did not return. It couldn't happen.
"It's me, sweetheart," said Val, as tears glistened in her green eyes. "I'm your mother. I'm here."
Despite having dreamed of this moment, desperately prayed for it more times than she could count, Lenora did not react as one might've expected—with hugs, tears of joy, smiles and feelings of happiness. Instead, she reacted quite differently. When Val reached out for Lenora, Lenora took a step backwards, and felt a wave of anger, sadness and confusion as her eyes narrowed at Val.
"No. You stay away! Don't come near me!" said Lenora, as she gripped her sword and willed herself not to draw it then and there. She kept her tone low and cold, but she was finding it hard to keep control over her temper and not start yelling. "I don't know what this is or who in the Nine Realms you think you are, but you should be ashamed of yourself! If this is some kind of sick joke, I'm not laughing. Or if somehow, this is real and you are who you claim to be—" Lenora refused to actually say it. "—then I want nothing to do with you. You're not my mother."
Val looked taken aback by Lenora's attitude and tried to appeal to her. "Lenora, I know this is a shock and it seems hard to accept, but I am your mother. You don't understand—"
"Understand?! You're darn right, I don't understand!" interrupted Lenora, as her voice rose a little in volume. She couldn't believe this was happening and nor could she comprehend how or why it was happening. If this woman was an imposter, Lenora would have no problem leaving her in the dust. But if this was some kind of miracle, if Val was actually returned from the dead then that meant that Val had abandoned not only Berk, but also her own family, which was unforgivable. "WHO ARE YOU?"
Tears glittered in Val's eyes. "You know who I am. I'm your mother!"
"STOP SAYING THAT!" If this woman truly was Lenora's mother returned from the dead, why hadn't she returned to Berk? Why had she left her husband and child alone for so long? That wasn't like Val. In her life, she'd been a devoted wife and mother who swore to always be with her loved ones. This couldn't be true. This woman had to be an imposter. It was the only logical explanation. "My mother died seventeen years ago from sickness! I was there when she died and I was at her funeral when we burned her body and sent it out to sea! You can't possibly be her!" said Lenora, furiously.
Lenora remembered the night of her mother's passing all too well. Val had been sick for weeks, and despite Gothi's best efforts, Val's sickness was the kind that didn't get better. The night of her mother's death, Stoick had been out dealing with a crisis and Lenora had had a nightmare and was afraid of the storm raging outside, so she sought her mother's comfort. Despite how sick and weak she was, Val had taken Lenora into her arms and they'd cuddled for the rest of night. Val had stroked Lenora's hair and sang lullabies and they'd told one another that they loved each other and then Lenora had gone to sleep.
The following morning, she'd woken up in her father's arms, looking at his grief-stricken face as he told her that Val had passed away in her sleep. That same day, Val was given a Viking's funeral and was still mourned and deeply missed by all even after nearly two decades.
"Lenora…"
Yet again Val reached out in an attempt to touch her, but Lenora pulled away and Val pulled back as Toothless snarled and snapped at her. Toothless wouldn't hesitate to attack the woman if given the command. She may have helped them escape the storm, but she was upsetting Lenora and Toothless hated anything and anyone who upset Lenora.
"Cloudjumper said you'd been living here for seventeen years! The fact that you've been here for the past seventeen years proves that you're lying, because my mother loved me and my dad and she never would've abandoned us!" interrupted Lenora, as tears slid down her cheeks. "She would've come straight back home to us and been there for me growing up just like she promised!"
There had been so many times over the past seventeen years when Lenora had needed her mother for comfort or to see a milestone in Lenora's life, and just as many more times when Lenora had just wanted Val there because she missed her so much that it hurt. And it wasn't just Val's absence from Lenora's life that upset her. Stoick had been devastated and incredibly lonely after Val's death; so much so that he could rarely speak of Val without becoming upset and on the anniversary of Val's death, if he managed to get out of bed, he'd spend the day at their special spot doing nothing but sit there and grieve.
Lenora had always believed that if Val could've been there, she would've, that Val never would've left or stayed away of her own volition and for Lenora to see that her beliefs had been wrong broke Lenora's heart and angered her in ways she never thought possible.
Regret crossed Val's face. "You have no idea how much I regret that, dearest. I never wanted to be away from you like this. If I could've been there, I would have, believe me."
"You've given me no reason to," said Lenora, coldly. As much as she wanted to believe this, she couldn't. It was just too much.
Val's shoulders slumped and her voice shook. "Lenora…I don't know what to say, except that I'm sorry. I'm sorry for everything. What do you want me to say?"
"How about the truth?" said Lenora, in exasperation. For heaven's sake, what does she think I want? "If you want me to believe you, then I want proof that you are who you say you are and an explanation for everything that's happened and I want it now. And it had better be the cold, hard truth. Otherwise, you won't like the consequences."
Val sighed. "Very well. Do you remember the stories you were told of the rare few souls that the gods deemed worthy of a second chance at life?"
Lenora frowned as she nodded. She remembered her grandfather's crazy stories about the few people who were granted a second chance at life if either they were deemed worthy by the worthiness of their souls or if they passed a test that the gods placed upon them. Lenora had never believed that they were true and just passed them off as stories to give hope to grieving people.
Val took a deep breath. "Well, they're true. Seventeen years ago, after I died, I longed more than anything to go back. I felt that my life's mission was incomplete. There was so much I needed to do for Berk and more importantly, I wanted to be there to grow old with my husband and raise my only child that I loved so dear. I pleaded with the gods for mercy and so they gave me a chance to take their test. I was to walk up a steep path and never look back, not for an instant and no matter what I heard or saw. If I did as I was told, I could return to Berk as do as I wished with my life. I took their test and almost succeeded."
"Almost?" echoed Lenora, with a skeptical look on her face. If she 'almost' passed, then how on earth is this woman here now? Either she did or she didn't. There's no 'almost' in this story. It was just another lie, and the mere thought further angered Lenora.
Fresh tears pooled in Val's eyes. "I was near the end when I thought I heard you crying out for me in pain. My instincts took over and I turned to help you, but it was a cruel trick. I failed the test but the gods took pity and gave me a chance at life. I was excited at first, but then I learned that the gods' gift came with a price."
Both Lenora and Toothless' ears perked up in curiosity at this.
"What price?" asked Lenora, warily.
Val's eyes closed as she hung her head. "I could not return to Berk nor see my family again until 'the light of Berk astride the fury of the night' crossed my path. I tried to defy this at first but when I did, the gods worked against me. If I tried to go near Berk, either an obstacle like a terrible storm would force me back or I would feel unimaginable pain that almost killed me until I returned from whence I came. So, having no other choice, I stayed away from Berk and I stayed away from you. But I took no pleasure in it. Every day I spent away hurt more than you could imagine. You and your father were the first things I thought of when I woke up in the morning and the last things before I went to sleep at night. And every single day for seventeen years, I waited, I hoped and I prayed for the day when you'd find me. That's the truth, Lenora, I promise, it's the truth."
Lenora hesitated and then looked at Toothless. "Do you think she's lying?" Even when she was questioning her own judgment, Lenora never doubted Toothless' in times of need.
Toothless looked puzzled. "I know it seems ludicrous, but there might be some truth to it. While every individual's scent is different, there's always a small similarity between blood-kin. Her scent bears a similarity to yours and your family's. That can't be faked."
The woman's story bore resemblance to many of the stories Lenora had grown up with. Her similar scent combined with the woman's mannerisms and voice being similar to that of Lenora's late mother was a great deal of proof, but it wasn't enough. Lenora needed something more before she was convinced of the woman's tale.
"Say I believe you. You still haven't given me any real proof. So, do so now. Tell me of the one thing that only my mother and I knew. What was your last lullaby? The one only you and I knew, the last one you ever sang to me?" asked Lenora.
Val's last lullaby, the one she sang to Lenora before she died, had been their little secret. It was a just little song Val had made up to cheer Lenora up when she was feeling down, but it meant the world to Lenora as it reminded her of how much Val treasured her. No one had ever known about it, not even Stoick or Gobber or Aster or Toothless.
Lenora waited for this woman to provide her with proof of her alleged identity and she wasn't disappointed.
The expression on the woman's face changed to that of a mother soothing its child as she began to softly sing.
"Sun goes down, and we are here together
Fireflies glow like a thousand charms
Stay with me and you can dream forever
Right here in my arms
It's magic when you are here beside me
Close your eyes and let me hold you tight
Everything that I could ever need is
Right here in my arms tonight…"
Lenora trembled as tears slid down her cheeks.
It was exactly as she remembered—every word, the melody, even her mother's voice and mannerisms as she sang the lullaby. There could be no denying it. The woman standing before her was her mother, Val, returned from the dead. Every word she'd spoken was true.
"It's you. It's really you. Mama," sobbed Lenora. Her knees buckled and she would've fallen had Toothless not caught her with his head and then Val swept Lenora into her arms and held Lenora on the cavern floor.
Lenora buried her face in her mother's chest and wept as she wrapped her arms around Val, determined to never let Val go again.
Despite how grown Lenora was, Val cradled Lenora as though Lenora were still a little child. She held Lenora close, stroked Lenora's hair and rocked her just like she used to do before they'd been parted so many years ago.
"I'm sorry. I'm so, sorry I didn't believe you…" sobbed Lenora. She should've known better. She should've known!
"Hush. It's all right. Oh, my beautiful little girl," murmured Val, sounding choked with emotion and tears. "My baby…my Lenora…my sweet light. I'm here and I'm never letting you go again."
After seventeen long years of separation, mother and daughter were finally reunited and it was a reunion that was both beautiful and long in the making.
XXX
Meanwhile, Stoick and Gobber were frantically searching for Lenora.
Stoick had sent Aster and the others back to Berk while and Gobber tried to track down his stubborn daughter. Though it was still snowing something fierce, the blizzard had calmed down enough for them to travel.
Stoick was not happy—either with the dire situation at hand or Lenora's stubbornness. "That girl of mine is the most boar-headed fool I've ever known!"
"Just like her father, eh?" teased Gobber.
"And her mother," grumbled Stoick. The gods pardon him from speaking ill of his wife, but there were a few of Val's qualities that Stoick disliked. "Val had trouble staying put and doing as she was told, too!"
"But you still loved her for it, didn't you?" reminded Gobber, as Stoick nodded. Gobber recalled the former Chieftess fondly as a compassionate yet stubborn and fierce Viking with a temper equal to Stoick's. Val had been one of the few unafraid to take Stoick down a peg and the she was the only woman Stoick ever feared. "Besides, Lenora's just twenty-three and Viking. I mean, could there be a worse combination? Heh! When I think of how stubborn and senseless you were back in the day…" Gobber was smiling but then his face fell as he realized the mistake in his statement. "Actually, nothing's changed. Anyway, why won't you just admit it? You're still ticked that she kept this from you, aren't you?"
Stoick groaned as he nodded. "Aye." It broke his heart to think of Lenora suffering in silence for eight years, blaming herself for Drago's madness and Stoick's near-death experience. Stoick blamed himself for not seeing the truth sooner. There had been holes in Lenora's story and something odd about her reaction, but Stoick had been too consumed by his own emotional turmoil that he'd failed to notice Lenora's. Stoick didn't know what was worse: learning that Lenora had spent eight years thinking Stoick would blame her for something beyond her control or learning how close he'd come to losing her that terrible day. "By the gods, Gobber, I almost lost her to Drago that day and didn't know it! I should've seen through her lie and known that something was wrong!"
I almost lost my daughter. Stoick felt his stomach twist into knots and his heart pound with fear as he thought of Lenora being Drago's prisoner and Stoick having no idea what had happened or where Lenora was. It hadn't been for the earthquake, Stoick's life would've ended. Stoick was also angry, both with himself and with Drago for tormenting his daughter. If Drago was there, Stoick would smash Drago with his hammer and then let Skullcrusher eat him.
"Look, I'm not happy about this either," said Gobber. The old blacksmith also felt a pang of guilt at knowing of his goddaughter's silent sufferings. He'd always sensed that something was wrong, but just assumed that if it was serious, Lenora would've told him. Gobber was also angry and he wanted to tear Drago limb from limb and feed him to a dragon for what he'd done. "But we can't dwell on the past and beat ourselves up for it. We need to focus on the situation at hand for the lass's sake. What's important is that she's here now, we know now and now that we know, we can tear Drago limb from limb for daring to lay a finger on Lenora."
Stoick sighed yet again as he realized Gobber was right. Dwelling on the past like this wasn't helping anyone. "You're right. But you know what Lenora's like, Gobber. She's so stubborn. Once she gets an idea into her head, especially if she thinks it's the right thing to do, she won't give up. And if Lenora finds Drago before we find her…"
Stoick didn't want to think about. That heartless monster had almost destroyed Lenora once. Odin alone knew what Drago would do now that he'd had eight years to rebuild his strength and plan his revenge. He could only pray that they'd find Drago first so that Stoick could end the scoundrel.
Gobber decided to take a more optimistic approach to the situation. "Ah, nothing can hurt Lenora so long as Toothless is around. You know how protective that dragon is of her and besides, he's a Night Fury, one of the most dangerous dragons of all! He'll keep her safe."
Stoick was about to reply when he spotted something floating in a pool of broken ice. Worried, Stoick dove down and scooped it up. Much to his horror, it was Lenora's helmet. It'd been blown off in the blizzard she'd been caught in, but Stoick didn't know that.
Stoick shared a worried look with Gobber before placing the helmet under Skullcrusher's nose. "Find my daughter and her dragon, Skullcrusher. Find them."
The Rumblehorn took a good, long sniff of the helmet and then let out a roar as he picked up speed. One way or another, Skullcrusher would find Lenora and then she'd be safe.
XXX
When Lenora had sufficiently calmed down, Val led through a series of winding tunnels that would take them to what had been Val's home for the past seventeen years. They had much to talk about and within the confines of Val's living quarters would be the perfect place to chat.
Now, Lenora had explored many new lands and seen many incredible sights over the last five years, but her mother's home took her breath away.
It was a gigantic sunlit cavern made of ice and rock, hot waterfalls gushed into deep pools down below, there was an abundance of lush green plants of all kinds everywhere and the largest number of dragons Lenora had ever seen in all colors, species, size and age, all living in peace. Strangely enough, it reminded Lenora of home where she was safe and happy, for that was exactly how she felt then and there as she gazed at the ice sanctuary.
Toothless also seemed happy with it, as he was quite relaxed and purring. But then he looked uneasy as a yellow she-dragon decided she had a crush on Toothless and got a little too close for the Night Fury's liking.
"Wow. This is astounding," murmured Lenora. She looked up at Val, who was clinging to Cloudjumper as the Stormcutter hung from the ceiling. "This is where you've been for seventeen years? And all this time, you've been rescuing dragons?"
Val nodded as her eyes lit up with hope at Lenora's amazed tone. "You're not upset?"
"Upset?" What Val had been doing was incredible and noble and now that Lenora knew the full story, Lenora couldn't find fault with her mother's actions. Besides, if anything, it made Lenora feel even prouder to be Val's daughter. "No. Of course not. I mean, now that I know everything, how could I be? Granted, it's not everyday your mother comes back from the dead and you find out she's a crazy, feral vigilante dragon rescuer, but all the same, I'm proud of you, Mom."
Val smiled and chuckled as Cloudjumper helped her down by attaching the hook of his wing to her staff and then she slid down his other wing.
"Well, at least I'm not boring, right?"
"You were never boring," assured Lenora.
"Thanks, sweetheart. Now, enough of me for now. I want to know more about you and what you've been up to for the last seventeen years," said Val.
"That's quite a long story," said Lenora. Where do I even begin? So much had happened in the last seventeen years and so much had changed. Lenora hadn't the foggiest where to start. After quick moment's thought, she settled on a beginning. "Well, I've been apprenticed to Gobber since I was six. I got quite good at it. I've invented a lot of things, both for the benefit of Berk and for dragons, like Toothless' prosthetic tailfin for one."
Val nodded approvingly. "I'm not surprised. Even when you were a wee lass, you were always drawing blueprints when you thought no one was looking. Now, let me get a good look at you." Val placed her staff down and then she looked over her daughter. "I can't believe how much you've grown. You look so beautiful. Your hair looks so lovely down like that. Oh!" Val gasped in delight as she touched Lenora's betrothal necklace. "My little girl's engaged! Congratulations, dearest. Who's the lucky man?"
Lenora smiled as she brushed her fingers against the necklace. "It's Aster Hofferson."
Val looked pleased. "I knew it. From the moment you first laid eyes on that boy, it's been love at first sight for the two of you. When's the big day?"
"Next spring," said Lenora. "Dad's going to retire then, too."
Val looked astonished. "You're a dragon rider, you're getting married and becoming Chieftess? That's wonderful! I'm so proud of you."
"Thanks, Mom," said Lenora, as they embraced again. It meant more than words could say to hear Val say that. "Heavens, there's so much I want to tell you, I don't know where to begin. Well, first thing you should know is that Berk is no longer at war with dragons."
Val looked surprised. "You mean that?"
Lenora nodded. "Do you know of Red Death?" When Val nodded, Lenora continued. "Well, once Toothless and I vanquished her, the war was over. Everyone on Berk has a dragon now, including Dad. He rides a Rumblehorn he calls Skullcrusher if you can believe it."
Val was stunned beyond belief by what Lenora was saying. "It seems incredible. The idea of your father actually being friends with dragons…"
"He is, Mom," assured Lenora. "It took a while, but he came around and he really cares about the dragons now, believe me."
It seemed unfathomable that Stoick the Vast, once known as one of the greatest dragon slayers in the world was now a dragon lover, but the fact that he was, was proof that if given the chance, anyone could change no matter how stubborn they were.
Val sighed in relief. "Well, thank the gods for that. I was afraid Stoick would never change." The last thing Val wanted was to feel torn between her adopted dragon family and her human one that she loved so much.
Lenora took Val's hand in hers and gave it a gentle squeeze. "Anyway, speaking of dragons, I'd like to introduce you to mine—properly, that is, and assuming we can get him away from his admirers."
Both women laughed at the sight of Toothless being surrounded by some of the dragons in the sanctuary, who were all very curious about the newcomer and perhaps a little too friendly for Toothless' liking. The dragons meant well, but their attention caused him to fold his ears back and curl up onto himself to try and escape it. Then one dragon sniffed a place Toothless didn't like, causing his ears to shoot up and his green eyes to widen before he made them all back off with a loud warning growl and hiss.
Val looked excited. "May I?"
Lenora nodded. "Be my guest."
"Oh, he's beautiful!" crooned Val. She let Toothless sniff her hand and then the Night Fury allowed himself to be fawned over by Val. She giggled when Toothless purred and nuzzled her face. "I've never seen a Night Fury up close before! He may very well be the last of his kind."
Toothless continued purring as he wrapped himself around Val's body like a cat and then rolled onto his back so she could rub his chin and belly.
Val gasped in delight as she pointed to Toothless' chin. "And look! He's your age! No wonder you get along so well!"
Lenora was amazed and pleased by what she was seeing. She'd always believed that Val would love Toothless if they'd been able to meet and now she knew she was right. And to know that Toothless was actually her age as opposed to the decades or centuries that she'd always suspected was quite a surprise, but not an unpleasant one.
He's twenty-three, just like I am? Wow. To think Toothless had been a mere teenager just like her when they'd met all those years ago. It was remarkable.
Val began mimicking Toothless' dragon noises as he held open his mouth and garbled. Then he retracted his teeth and Val looked even more amazed.
"Retractable teeth!" she murmured, as she stuck her head inside Toothless' mouth. "Incredible!"
"I know, isn't it? It's why I thought of calling him Toothless," said Lenora, smiling. The name suited him, but to be fair, it had been the only name he'd liked out of all her suggestions.
"It suits him perfectly," said Val, as she stroked Toothless' head. "How on earth did you ever manage to meet him?"
"Oh! Uh…" Lenora rubbed the back of her neck, as she often did when she was nervous. "About five years ago, I found him, shot down in the woods. He was alone and crippled…" Lenora was nervous because she knew Val was not going to be happy when she learnt who was responsible for Toothless being shot down in the first place.
Val looked saddened and displeased as she rose up and placed hand on a blue Snafflefang that was missing one of its limbs. "This Snafflefang lost his leg to one of Drago Bludvist's iron traps." Val brushed her hand against a pale green and orange speckled female Raincutter's damaged wing. "This Raincutter had her wing sliced by razor netting." Val gently placed her hand on a Hobblegrunt, a rare color-changing dragon's snout. "And this poor Hobblegrunt was blinded by a tree snare and left to die alone and scared."
Lenora's blood ran cold and she looked horrified at the damage done to the dragons. She knew Drago was ruthless, but this was pushing it. Oh, Thor, Drago, what have you done? Was there no end to that madman's cruelty?
"And what of this?" asked Val, snapping Lenora out of her thoughts. Val was now crouched down holding Toothless' prosthetic tailfin in her hands. "Did Drago or his trappers do this too?"
Lenora winced and knew she had to tell the truth. "Actually, no. I'm the one who shot Toothless down. I didn't mean to, but I crippled him."
Val stared at Lenora in stunned disbelief. "You? But why?"
Toothless gave Lenora an encouraging nuzzle, which gave her the courage to speak.
Lenora sighed. "Well, I said that things have changed in Berk, but it wasn't until after Toothless and I had quite a long and crazy flight together, if you know what I mean. When I first met Toothless, I was trying to prove to Dad that I could be a proper Viking and slay a dragon. But when the time came, I couldn't do it. I looked into Toothless' eyes and I saw someone like me: someone who was alone and trying do what was best for everyone else. We were the same."
Toothless purred and nuzzled Lenora as she stroked his head and rubbed behind his ears.
"So, I apologized and I set him free. The next thing I knew, I was helping him fly again and we've been best friends ever since. And I know it may seem crazy, but Toothless prefers flying with me than flying solo. And besides, Toothless got me back." Lenora laughed as Toothless bounced up and down like a little puppy and mimicked her. "He couldn't save all of me during the Battle of Red Death. So, now I've got a peg leg." She held up her peg leg for Val to see.
Toothless let out a happy noise and then slid his head under Lenora, causing her to slide onto his neck. Toothless then tilted his head back and continued purring and stuck out his tongue as Lenora rubbed the underside of his chin.
Val did not get angry as Lenora had feared. She seemed understanding.
"I'm proud of you," said Val. "I know how frightening it can be to face a dragon for the first time, but you did it. You went far above and beyond what I could've imagined and because of what you did, you've got a great friend behind you."
"I know." Lenora smiled proudly at Toothless. "I don't know where I'd be without him." If Lenora had never met Toothless, she never would've survived in the dragon ring or known what it was like to have a true friend and more importantly, Berk wouldn't have changed for the better and the Great War would still be ongoing and she never would've found her mother again.
"And just out of curiosity, how did your father take to Toothless at first? Not too well, I take it?"
"Dad was furious," admitted Lenora. Furious was putting it mildly, as Stoick had briefly disowned Lenora for her friendship with Toothless. "But he came around pretty quickly and so did everyone else on Berk. Things have really changed for the better, Mom. You'd love it there. We don't fight the dragons anymore. They protect us and we take care of them. Even kids are playing with dragons now. You've got to see it believe it."
Val looked hopeful and then hesitant. "I hope I can."
Confused, Lenora slid off Toothless. "Why couldn't you?"
Val sighed. "I want to come home, my sweet light, I do. I just…I'm afraid how Stoick's going to take it when he finds out."
Ah. So, that's what Val was afraid of. Given how Lenora had reacted to Val's return, it was only to be expected that Val feared the same thing. But Lenora wouldn't allow that to happen.
"Has…has he moved on?" asked Val, hesitantly. "I would understand if he has, but…"
"No, Mama." Lenora took Val's hand again and intertwined their fingers. "Dad's never moved on. He still loves you. And don't worry so much. It's going to be okay, I promise. I'll talk to Dad before he sees you, and then everything will be fine, trust me." Stoick would be shocked, but once Lenora explained everything to him, Lenora had every belief that everything would work out fine.
Val smiled a little as she kissed Lenora's forehead. "I do, Nora. I do."
Lenora decided to lighten the mood a bit. "So, now it's my turn for questions. How exactly did you become a dragon rider? How did you get involved in all this? Is it connected to Cloudjumper? Because I swear, I've met him before but I can't quite remember how."
Val's mood brightened immediately. "It all started twenty-three years ago…"
XXX
Berk, twenty-three years ago.
The night was dark and hot.
Fires blazed, smoke clouded the vision and people screamed as Berk was subjected to yet another dragon raid. This one seemed worse than the others as there was a great deal more damage than ever before. But this was natural as during the Great War, Berk was a land of kill or be killed. However, while nearly every Viking embraced this way of life, Val did not. She believed peace was possible.
Val was doing her best to protect both her people and the dragons, but her efforts to stop the violence against the dragons wasn't welcomed, even though she was the Chieftess.
"Stop!" she cried, as she blocked a Viking from killing a Monstrous Nightmare that had fallen. "You'll only make it worse!"
The Monstrous Nightmare took advantage of the Viking's distraction and flew away. The Viking glared at Val and then resumed fighting.
Val couldn't understand why no one could see what she saw nor could she understand why she alone had to be so different than everyone else on Berk.
"Waah! Waah!"
At the sound of her infant daughter's cries, Val's heart skipped a beat as she turned to see a dragon breaking into her house. "Lenora! Stoick!" Her husband, Stoick, had offered to stay behind and protect Lenora from the dragon raid. Afraid for the life of her husband and her precious baby, Lenora, she rushed into the house and grabbed the nearest sword she could find.
But what Val saw surprised her. Stoick lay on the ground unconscious from a bump to the head, but the Stormcutter dragon wasn't harming either Stoick or Lenora. The Stormcutter wasn't paying Stoick any mind and was actually playing with Lenora. He was crouching down, slowly rocking Lenora's cradle and holding one of his claws just out of Lenora's reach. The baby girl was no longer crying in fear, but instead laughing as she tried and failed to grab the Stormcutter's claw.
The Stormcutter's actions in making her baby feel safe was proof of everything that Val had ever suspected and believed was possible.
It wasn't long before Lenora fell asleep and when she did, the Stormcutter turned to Val. Instinctively, Val held out her sword in fear but as she gazed into the Stormcutter's round, golden eyes, Val lowered her blade and realized that the Stormcutter wasn't a savage beast, but an intelligent gentle creature whose soul mirrored her own.
But the moment did not last long as the house began to burn from another dragon's attack. Suddenly, the Stormcutter snatched up the family and got them to safety. He grabbed Val and Stoick in his claws and Lenora in his mouth by her blanket. They were just far enough so that no one would see them.
Once they were safe, Val frantically checked her husband for any lasting damage and found none and then she cradled her baby close.
"Lenora! My sweet light…" fretted Val.
She looked over her infant daughter, but the baby showed no signs of being hurt. Little Lenora only whimpered at the noise that had woken her and cuddled up closer to her mother to try and evade it.
Val heaved a sigh of relief. "Thank Thor," she murmured. She looked at the Stormcutter gratefully and then gently placed a hand on the dragon's snout, causing him to purr. "Thank you, for saving us. I'm in your debt."
The Stormcutter nodded and then beckoned to for her to get on his back. He wanted Val to take Lenora and come with him. But Val shook her head.
"As much I want to, I can't go with you. I have a home here, a family," said Val. She longed to further study the dragons, work with them and learn their secrets but she knew it was impossible. She was the Chieftess of Berk, she had a husband who loved her as much as she loved him and more importantly, she had a daughter who needed her. How could she bear to part with them? "I'm sorry, but my place is here with them. But I swear, I will never forget you and I'll try to change things between our races."
The dragon looked disappointed but not surprised. He gave Val a respectful bow, and then took off with the rest of his kind.
XXX
Lenora listened in amazement at her mother's story.
All her life, Lenora had wondered why during the first six years of Lenora's life that Val never slain a dragon, had so strongly disapproved of violence and preferred only to fight when there was no other alternative and now she knew why. Lenora had a whole new respect for Val.
"I never told anyone what I'd experienced. Stoick's a good man, but he can be so stubborn and narrow-minded. He wouldn't have listened. And I had no real proof. But nevertheless, I tried to change things in Berk. I tried to quell the fighting, but I could not always avoid it," said Val. "And while sometimes I wished I had gone with Cloudjumper that night, I knew that no matter what, while I will always love dragons, it can't compare to love I have for my family."
"I understand. You did what you had to," said Lenora. She looked at Cloudjumper with gratitude and respect as the Stormcutter allowed Lenora to stroke his head. "Thank you, Cloudjumper."
Cloudjumper bowed his head to Lenora. "My pleasure, Lenora."
Val watched the exchange with amazement. "I'll never understand how you can speak and understand their tongue after only five years while I, who've been with them for seventeen, cannot."
"I can teach you if you'd like," offered Lenora. "It's pretty easy once you get the hang of it."
Val nodded. "I'd love to."
"So, after you came back, did you find Cloudjumper or did he find you?" asked Lenora.
"It was the latter, actually," said Val, as they walked together. "Cloudjumper found me alone in a land far from here. He remembered me. We became friends and he tried to help me get back to Berk. When that failed, he decided he was going to look after me, so he brought me here to the home of the great Bewilderbeast, the Alpha species."
Val brought Lenora to a cliff's edge that overlooked a giant white dragon with black freckles, giant white tusks and ice-blue eyes. The dragon was taking a nap in the warm water down below.
"Holy crap," said Lenora, in amazement. So this is the one that's been creating those ice formations. "He's magnificent."
"Isn't he just?" said Val. "You see, Nora, while the Queen of Dragons, the Red Death, causes those who follow her to live in fear, he does just the opposite. The Bewilderbeast, the King of all Dragons, brings peace and protection to all he meets. With his icy-breath, this graceful giant built this nest as safe haven for dragons everywhere."
"Wow," breathed Lenora. No matter how many dragons she encountered, no matter how many times she did this, Lenora would never ceased being amazed and excited by the magnificent creatures. "He must be very benevolent."
"Oh, that he is. But he's also a protector. You should see him in battle. He's unlike anything you'll ever see in your life. He's one of the few left of his kind," said Val. "I think that's partly why he's so benevolent, he's lonely. We all live under his care, Lenora, and his command."
Just then, the biggest baby dragons Lenora had ever seen popped out from behind the foliage and began playing by getting underfoot and crawling all over the Bewilderbeast and Toothless.
"All but the babies, who listen to no one," said Lenora, laughing.
"Indeed," said Val, laughing in agreement.
Val then bowed as the Bewilderbeast awoke and approached them. Toothless and Cloudjumper also bowed, but Lenora remained where she was, unable to move as she looked into the eyes of the mighty Bewilderbeast.
In a panicked moment to try and be respectful, Lenora spoke in dragonese, "It's an honor to meet you, O Mighty and Gracious Bewilderbeast."
The Bewilderbeast seemed to smile at Lenora's words and then he let out a breath of air that left Lenora's hair dusted in ice.
Val chuckled as Lenora got the ice out of her hair. "He likes you."
Lenora felt relieved. "The feeling's mutual."
Lenora's face then grew red when her stomach growled loudly.
Val laughed again, but not unkindly. "It's feeding time. Would you and Toothless care for some supper?"
"As long as it's not a regurgitated fish head," joked Lenora.
Val looked sympathetic. "Toothless tried feeding you one, did he? Cloudjumper did the same to me. He meant well, but I thought I was going to be ill."
Lenora laughed as well. "Tell me about it."
This was going to be interesting.