Hey there! Happy Friday, or "Fantastic Freaking Friday" as my TA wrote on the board today. Here's a nice long chapter for ya.
Once again, THANK YOU to all my fabulous reviewers!
StormMoonRabbit: Thank you, Gobber, for pointing out the obvious as usual ;) But actually, thank you for reviewing!
The Lightning Phoenix: Those casual wanderings often end up with either a pleasant surprise or an angst-ridden wail at the fact that none of the stories I'm following have updated.
Spartan10007: No, it wasn't Hiccup. *sadface* Someone slightly less pleasant, actually.
NightsAnger: Happy Birthday! Consider it all one big present, just for you!
Vvarden: Yes, I was pestered by a friend to update early last week, and I couldn't not update on Friday, so... Just between you and me and everyone we know, I've written pretty far ahead, and James is going to be playing quite a role about five chapters from now. You'll have to wait and see what I mean by that!
Phsyro: I'm glad you read Silver, for some reason not everyone has, so let this be another opportunity for me to tell everyone to READ SILVER! I could be mean and tell you that I can't tell you whether or not James kills Aeri, but I think I'll be nice and say he does rather the opposite. You'll see!
ivanganev1992: Thanks for all your reviews! I'll just go out and say it: No, Silver is not a bad guy. At least, he's not supposed to be. Here's an update, generally I post new chapters every Friday, thanks for being patient :)
And last but not least... QuiteARandomFan: I'm honored that you chose my story to write your first review! Perhaps I could encourage you to review more often? :) To your first point, I know that we've been away from Berk for some time, and I get the sense that everyone is as impatient as I am to get back, but hang in there! As I said a few chapters back, Berk is on the horizon! And as I mentioned in my response to Vvarden's review, I've written pretty far ahead, and the reunion between Toothless and Shade is interesting, to say the least. To your second point, thanks for the support, I appreciate it!
You are all wonderful! And now, without further ado... Chapter 24
The next morning Haku awoke early, and eagerly he stood and dressed himself. Quietly, he ran down the stairs, grabbing some fruit for breakfast and his bow, before setting off.
He had not been walking for long when he caught sight of a figure, far ahead on the trail. For a moment he was strangely excited, believing it to be Rádgatá, but then he frowned. It couldn't be her. Where was her dragon? They would have flown to the beach. But who else would be heading in that direction?
Crouching to stay hidden, Haku followed the person, immensely curious, but a strange sense of foreboding was building in his mind.
The muscles in his legs were beginning to ache in protest when the figure suddenly disappeared into some bushes. Pausing, Haku listened carefully, realizing that he could hear the ocean. They must be near the shore. Slowly he started forward again, senses on high alert.
He was approaching where he thought the figure had vanished when he heard a cry of pain. Immediately he broke into a sprint, heart pounding as he crashed through the undergrowth before coming out onto a rocky beach, no longer caring about stealth. In a second he spotted Rádgatá on her hands and knees on a rock just off shore, an arrow sticking out of her back. Panic shot through him.
"Rádgatá!" he cried, seeing Dreki desperately clambering up the side of the rock out of the water to his rider. "Dreki! Find him!" he shouted. "I'll take care of Rádgatá!" With a nod and a snarl Dreki took off, smashing into the forest without slowing down. Haku ran down the beach, tossing his bow aside, and leapt into the cold water, swimming faster than he ever had before. In less than a minute he was at the rock, grabbing onto the slippery surface to haul himself up. How had she gotten up there? he wondered briefly as he climbed. Finally he pulled himself over the edge, dripping with water, and he ran to her crumpled form. She was on her side, breathing unevenly, the arrow lodged in her back.
"Rádgatá?" he said her name urgently, but she didn't move. Her wet tunic was plastered to her body, blood blossoming from her wound. Knowing what he had to do, Haku gently rolled her into her stomach, positioning his hand palm down against her back around the shaft of the arrow. Firmly grasping it with his other hand, he held his breath and quickly yanked then arrow out. Her back arched and she screamed, a sound that would haunt him for a long time. Tossing the arrow to the side he tore off his tunic, wadding it up and pressing it against the wound, which was now bleeding freely. She was shaking and gasping, softly whimpering with each breath. "Rádgatá," he said. "Rádgatá! It's okay! It's going to be alright." Gradually her breathing slowed and she turned her head to face him, sliding her hand up and grabbing hold of his leg.
"Haku," she whispered, tears spilling over into her cheeks, and he hushed her, pressing the tunic down on her back with one hand and reaching down with his other to hold her smaller hand where it rested against his leg.
"It's going to be okay, you're okay, I'm right here," he rambled, his mind desperately wondering where Dreki had gone and when he would be back. He needed to get Rádgatá to Vahna, as soon as possible. She was looking increasingly pale, and her breathing was becoming shallower. "Rádgatá, did you see who did this?"
"No," she said softly, blinking. "I heard Shade growl, and then…" her eyes closed, and Haku squeezed her hand, willing her to stay awake. Who was Shade? Was that her dragon's real name? Only one way to find out.
"SHADE!" he bellowed, turning to face the forest. "SHADE!" A moment passed and nothing happened. The sound of breaking branches faintly reached his ears, then Haku could see the tops of some of the trees quivering. Suddenly a large shadow burst forth from the tree line, flying in a blur towards them.
The black dragon landed hard on the rock, careful to avoid his fallen rider. Darting forward, he sniffed her from head to toe, rumbling with deep concern.
"Shade," he said, and slowly the dragon looked up at him, as though suspicious. Haku glanced down at Rádgatá before meeting the intense blue gaze again. "She said your name," he said in explanation. "We have to get her to Vahna, now."
Dreki- Shade nodded, dropping to his stomach. Rádgatá was mumbling something under her breath, names and words he didn't recognize. Her eyes were still closed, and Haku gently lifted her up in his arms, careful to keep putting pressure on her wound. She was slender enough that he could support her with one arm as he pulled himself onto the saddle, holding her in front of him. As an afterthought he grabbed the strap and wrapped it around them, effectively tying them together as he slipped his feet into the stirrups. He didn't want to drop her. "Okay, Shade. Let's go."
The dragon leapt to his feet and launched himself from the rock, and Haku gripped the bar on the front of the saddle tightly, holding Rádgatá close. Her head was pressed against his bare chest, drops of water from her wet hair slid down his skin. Shade flew over the trees, faster than he had ever flown with Haku before, and in no time they were circling over Vahna's cabin. A ways away he could see smoke from the village, but it barely registered. The dragon seemed to spot an opening because he dove down, straight towards the trees, and Haku shut his eyes, raising his hand protectively to shield Rádgatá's head from any impact.
He heard snapping branches and the whispering of disturbed leaves and then felt a jolting motion as Shade spread his wings, landing a bit roughly. It was worth it, though. Vahna's cabin was close, and the dragon darted between the trees, letting out a roar.
"Vahna!" Haku shouted, and he saw the front door fly open as Asti and Alkaa ran outside. Their mouths dropped open in identical expressions of shock as Shade slid to a stop, panting, with a bloody Haku and unconscious Rádgatá on his back. "Asti, Alkaa, someone shot her in the back. Where is Vahna?" he asked urgently, clumsily undoing the strap holding them together.
The two apprentices immediately recovered. "Vahna!" Alkaa shouted, running back into the house, while Asti jumped forward to help Haku as he slid off of Shade's back. Not letting her go, Haku rushed inside with Rádgatá still limp in his arms, the tunic pressed against her back soaked in blood.
Vahna appeared, looking calm. "Take her upstairs, there's a bed." Nodding shortly, Haku took the steps two at a time, pushing open a door to reveal a spacious room with a bed and some other furniture. There were open windows on each wall, and a soothing breeze shifted the curtains. Gently, he lowered her onto the bed, turning her to lay on her stomach.
Behind him, Asti ran in with a bucket of hot water, followed by Alkaa, carrying a pile of linens. Finally, Vahna came up with a sizable bag, still appearing completely unperturbed. "Out of the way, Haku," she said, not unkindly. Numbly Haku stepped back and watched in silence as the three women cut through Rádgatá's thin white shirt, removing it, leaving her in just her underwear and breast bindings. He didn't feel any embarrassment, only concern as he saw the wound in her back, still bleeding.
"You said she was shot?" Vahna's voice brought him back to reality.
Haku nodded, and the old woman finally looked troubled.
"Did you remove the arrow yourself?"
"I felt that I had no choice," he replied, staring at Rádgatá's still form as Asti pressed some of the linens against her back.
"At least you knew that much. Your quick actions might be what ends up saving her," the old woman told him. "Haku, you're a mess. It would probably be best if you stayed with the dragon. Even better, go back to your house and clean yourself up. We should be finished by the time you get back."
Before Haku could protest, Vahna ushered him to the stairs, closing the door softly behind him. For a moment he just stood there, some unnameable emotion washing over him. Who had done this? Haku was determined that they would pay dearly for their crime. Taking a deep breath, he left the house, spotting Shade laying below the upstairs window, looking upset and more than a little afraid.
"Shade," he called, and the dragon looked up, a devastated expression on his face. "Hey, friend." Haku walked over and rubbed the dragon's neck, hearing him rumble with distress. Shade sniffed him and snorted, pulling his head away. Haku looked down at his bare torso to see that he was smeared with Rádgatá's blood, and he almost flinched.
"They want us to go get cleaned up. Vahna said they would be finished by the time we get back," Haku told him.
Shade whined, clearly not wanting to leave. "Come on, Shade. There's nothing we can do right now, and when Rádgatá wakes up, she probably won't appreciate seeing either of us covered in blood." For there was blood on Shade's saddle, but upon closer inspection, there was also blood on one of his paws.
"Where did that come from?" Haku asked, leaning in. "Whose blood is that?"
Shade hissed, expression turning dark. "Do you know who did this?" The dragon nodded. "You found him?" He nodded again, still scowling. "Where is he now?" In response, Shade looked back at his saddle, then at Haku. "Are you going to take me to him?" Another nod. Without saying anything else Haku lifted himself onto Shade's shoulders, sliding his feet into the stirrups.
"Let's go."
A short while later, Shade slowed from his sprint and sniffed the air, before walking up to a large tree and growling. "A tree?" Haku asked. Then he noticed what appeared to be a single shoe at the base of the trunk. "What-" Shade looked up, and following the dragon's line of sight, Haku's gaze landed on a strange object hanging from one of the highest branches of the tree.
"Is that… a person?" Haku asked him incredulously. The dragon simply growled in response. "Is he alive?" Another growl. "Well, can you get him down?" Haku caught a glimpse of a blue eye as the dragon looked back at him, before he leapt into the air, beating his wings to quickly rise above the trees. They swooped down and Shade extended his legs to grab the man from the tree top.
"Let's take him back to the village," Haku said grimly. "We can deal with him there." He felt the dragon's deep rumble of agreement.
A moment later a loud shriek sounded from below, and Haku looked around, confused. "GET ME DOWN FROM HERE! LET ME-"
Oh. The bastard was awake. Haku both felt and heard Shade's ferocious snarl, which was probably warning the idiot human he held how close he was to eating him alive, and he couldn't help but smile darkly. Within minutes they were over the village, and Shade roared loudly, causing everyone to look up in their direction. Haku directed the dragon to land in the village square, where villagers were running to meet them.
When they were about ten feet above the ground, Shade let go of the human, who shrieked as he hit the stones. The man, whose face was covered, scrambled to stand up, trying to run for it, but Shade dropped to the ground in front of him and with one paw knocked him back off his feet, growling loudly. The villagers, who were all murmuring with concern, slowly fell quiet as they took in the sight of a shirtless, bloody Haku riding Missti Einn's furious dragon.
"Haku, what happened?" someone called out.
"Is that blood?"
"Where is Missti Einn?"
"Who is this man, and what has he done?"
Haku held up a hand, and the questions ceased.
"This man snuck up on Missti Einn and shot her in the back while she wasn't looking. Fortunately, I was in the area, and took her to Vahna's, where she is being treated as we speak." Many of the villagers gasped in shock and outrage, and more shouting broke out, demanding that the disguised man be punished. A number of dragons, drawn by the commotion, stood behind the crowd and settled on the surrounding rooftops.
"Who are you?" Haku asked, just loudly enough for the man on the ground to hear him.
"That's none of your-"
Haku leapt off of Shade's shoulders and in two strides lifted the man off the ground by the collar of his shirt, tearing off his mask with his other hand.
Several villagers gasped again. It was Jon Stimmerson, the apprentice to the shoemaker.
"Jon?" Haku asked incredulously, lowering the man. "What in the name of the gods possessed you to shoot Missti Einn?" he demanded, shaking Jon slightly.
Jon sneered, looking defiant. "I don't need to explain myself."
"Oh, I think you do," Haku whispered menacingly, and Jon couldn't stop himself from swallowing nervously.
"Who cares?" he spat at Haku, regaining his contempt. "She's not one of us. She's not from Heimme. She's just some broad from some foreign land who happens to ride a vicious gods-damned dragon and thinks she can waltz around wherever she pleases and-" he was cut off as Haku hauled back and punched him hard, sending him flying.
Groaning, Jon sat up in the dirt, holding his newly broken nose. "I forgot to expect it from the dragon-" he looked over his shoulder, and for the first time people noticed the bloody claw marks in the back of his dark tunic. "- but I never expected the ever-so-wonderful Haku to care about what happened to a stranger who doesn't belong on Heimme and who risks all of our lives on a daily basis with her presence," Jon snapped angrily.
"She is no stranger, Jon," Haku growled. "She has proven to be a trustworthy friend of our people, and-"
"Oh get off it, Haku. You expect us to accept her because you want to get in her-"
In an instant Haku was on him, lifting him up off the ground again to hit him hard once, twice, three times. "You will not speak of her that way," he shouted at Jon, who tried to return a punch. Haku grabbed the smaller man's fist and twisted his arm, causing Jon to cry out in pain. Holding him in that position, Haku asked him again, "Why did you do it, Jon?"
Jon hissed at him, refusing to speak. "Fine, have it your way," said Haku. "I think Dreki would also like to have a moment with you." The black dragon snarled, the sound echoing around the square, and true fear flashed on Jon's bloody face.
"You wouldn't-" he started, when Haku tossed him to the ground in front of Shade, who instantly had Jon trapped beneath one paw. The man screamed in terror as the dragon lifted his head, inhaling as if to strike.
The villagers were too shocked to make a sound. They had never seen Haku so angry, and it was a little terrifying. Chief Otto's son was a big man, but he was always gentle and good-natured. It was no secret to the village that Haku cared for Missti Einn, but this was real rage, bordering on murderous. Apparently it was more than caring. Clearly Jon had made a serious tactical error in making an attempt on Rádgatá's life. But had the stupid boy also completely forgotten about her loyal dragon companion?
Now it appeared as though Jon was about to get his head blown off, and no one moved to help him as he cried for help. Instead of blasting him, though, Dreki simply roared, loudly and fiercely, in Jon's face, before lifting his other paw and holding it above his face, claws extended.
"Ready to talk, Jon?" Haku asked, grimly pleased with the development.
"No! Please, no, just let me go!"
"Jon," Haku said, his patience wearing thin. "I'm covered in our honored guest's blood. You have shamed us with your actions. I will not stop this dragon from tearing you limb from limb. You have five seconds to tell me why you did it."
Jon's eyes went wide, but he remained mute as Haku lifted his hand and tucked in one finger at a time, mouthing, "Five… four… three…"
Shade's growl grew in intensity as his rage reached a boiling point, and Haku worried that the dragon wouldn't last the full five seconds before snapping.
Finally, the man broke. "Why don't you ask her?" he managed to point into the crowd, and the villagers quickly parted, revealing Ajaa, who looked completely shocked.
"What?" she asked innocently, confusing Haku, but apparently Shade heard something in her voice that the humans could not distinguish, and he leapt from where he stood over Jon, barreling towards the woman, whose eyes widened in fright. The rest of the crowd ran out of the way, leaving her completely exposed, and she scrambled backwards, stumbling to fall on her rear end.
Haku watched as Shade cornered her, until his focus was interrupted by a hoarse shriek. Looking down at Jon, he saw him staring with terror at five holes in his tunic where the dragon's claws had been. There was a bit of blood, and Haku had to resist the urge to kick him.
"You're lucky he didn't go straight through you, Jon," he said, almost hissing. "As it is, I'm still not inclined to intervene if he decides to come back over here."
The man's eyes widened, and Haku called out for some of the villagers to come restrain him before he decided to try and make a run for it again. Turning back, he saw Shade rear back to roar, so loudly it hurt his ears, in Ajaa's face. She clapped her hands over her ears and screamed, the high pitched sound mingling with the dragon's rage.
When the sound ceased, and Jon was suitably held by three men, Haku strode over to where Ajaa was curled up on the ground, hands still over her ears. "Ajaa. Ajaa!" he shouted roughly, and she looked up, sheer terror on her face.
"Why have you done this?"
Her voice was shaky as she drew herself up. "I don't know what you're-" Shade roared again, and she fell back to the ground with a cry of fear.
"Are you sure she's the one?" Haku asked the dragon quietly. Shade just hissed, keeping his intense stare on Ajaa.
"Answer me, Ajaa, or you face the dragon alone."
Every person was holding their breath. Mothers had their children's faces pressed into their skirts, wanting to shield them from the possible violence, but not willing to allow the perpetrators any lenience by leaving.
Her voice quivering, Ajaa looked up at Haku. "I… She doesn't belong here! You should have sent her away, Haku!"
Shade snarled, and she gulped, but seemed to have recovered some of her courage. "You pay so much attention to her, when she puts us all in danger with her presence! Dragons cannot be trusted, they're wild beasts who would kill us all in a moment if it suited them!"
Growls echoed around the square, and for the first time, some of the villagers seemed to realize that the dragons had also gathered with them. A few looked a bit nervous, but the rest of the people seemed angered by Ajaa's declaration.
Haku held up a hand, and the growls and murmurs abated. "Do you agree with Ajaa and Jon? Do you truly believe that Missti Einn, with her actions, has knowingly brought danger upon us, and that we are worse off for having made an alliance with the dragons? Do not be afraid to speak your minds," he reassured them. "I only have a quarrel against the two who have attempted to murder our guest."
"No!" a high-pitched voice sounded, and Luvia pushed her way through the crowd, holding a small Horrible Horror in her arms. Her mother was close behind her, but for once didn't appear like she was trying to stop her daughter. "I like the dragons, Haku. They are good and smart and they are nice to me," the young girl declared, accented by a squeak squeak from her tiny dragon.
Haku couldn't help but smile as more people voiced their agreement, and the dragons around them nodded. Rádgatá had brought change upon them, but the dragons had made life better for the people of Heimme. They were safer, for one thing. They had security and a reliable source of food thanks to the dragons and their fishing, and they all had new perspectives on the world. Life was forever changed, and Haku wouldn't have it any other way.
"You're all blind!" Haku's scowl returned at Ajaa's angry words, but when she tried to get to her feet, Shade knocked her down again, this time holding her down with his paw. "Do you see this?" she shrieked. "He's a vicious animal! They're all beasts!" Shade's eyes narrowed, and belatedly she seemed to realize she had gone too far.
Haku spoke calmly, not shouting, but loudly enough to be heard by everyone. "Do you see, Ajaa? Do you see that this "beast" is showing restraint? Do you see that all of these powerful, intelligent, kind creatures have chosen to live among us and lend us their capabilities in order to improve our lives? Do you see anyone hurt or harmed by their presence? And you're trying to convince all of us, including me, that the person responsible for this peace is a threat, who should be banished or even killed?
"We are not barbarians, Ajaa. If we have issues with one another, we talk to each other, or seek mediation. We do not decide to get rid of our problems through deceitful and dishonorable behavior. Why do you try to turn our people against each other, why attempt to murder our guest? What has she done to you?"
Ajaa refused to speak as her eyes filled with tears of anger, and Haku pressed on. "How did you convince Jon to help you with your ill-conceived plan?"
Before she could answer, Jon shouted in response. "She promised that she would be mine if I would just do one thing for her! She swore it, and tempted me with her licentious ways," he spat, and Haku looked at Ajaa, who looked apoplectic.
"That's a lie-" she began, before another shout interrupted her.
But it wasn't from Jon. Milo, the normally quiet baker's son, yelled, "She promised me the same thing, but I wasn't willing to commit murder for her hand! And I don't think it was just me and Jon, either. I think all of her misguided suitors were propositioned the same thing," he said distastefully. "I thought you were an angel, Ajaa, perfect in every way. But you're nothing better than a common tramp, whose jealousy and conceit blind you to what is right and what is wrong."
"How dare you speak to me that way!" Ajaa said shrilly from the ground, before being silenced by a low growl from Shade.
Haku was simply blown away. "Why, Ajaa? What did Missti Einn do to you to earn her your wrath?"
"I'll tell you, Haku." Maara stepped out of the crowd and walked up next to him, her expression betraying her foul mood. "She wanted you for herself, and when Rádgatá came around, she realized that she would never have you. So she thought that if she got rid of her competition, maybe she'd have a chance, but what she never realized was that she was of no interest to you, and never would be, because she is so shallow and self-obsessed."
Haku's jaw dropped, but no one else looked surprised. Ajaa had done this… because of him? Competition? What?! But the implications of Maara's words quickly became clear. His interest in Rádgatá clearly extended beyond that of host and guest, even past that of close companions. Instead of suppressing the notion, he let it unfold a bit, and warmth spread in his chest. Rádgatá had ruined him for all others, and they were no more than good friends. Yet, the voice in his head whispered.
A rumble from Shade brought him back to the present. There was a knowing gleam in the dragon's eyes, and Haku resisted the urge to look down at the ground in embarrassment. No. He was covered in Rádgatá's blood, and it was because of the jealousy of the woman before him.
Ajaa was glaring daggers at Maara, who, besides her scowl, was completely collected. "You little-" she started from beneath Shade's paw, but Haku silenced her.
"I would choose your next words very carefully, Ajaa," he said softly. "You have shamed yourself sufficiently before us all. In my eyes, you deserve a punishment equal to the crime you would have had committed, but that is not how we do things on Heimme." Haku summoned a few more men, instructing them and the others holding Jon to take them both to the old jail at the edge of town. Shade reluctantly stepped off of Ajaa, who also sported puncture marks in the front of her dress. "Get them out of my sight."
The crowd broke out in conversation, disturbed and upset by the events that had just taken place. Suddenly exhausted, Haku stepped towards Shade and leaned against the large dragon's shoulder, taking a deep breath.
"Haku," Maara said, her voice urgent. "Is Rádgatá going to be okay?"
"I don't know," he replied, the truth of his words sinking in. "Vahna ordered me to clean myself up before returning, so I should probably do that. Can you and Vasara hold off these people until later?"
"Of course, Haku," his sister said firmly, appearing much older than her seventeen years as she shooed him towards their house.
Not speaking, Haku gestured to Shade, who turned his tormented gaze in the direction the men had taken Jon and Ajaa, before following. "I know, friend," Haku said softly as they left the square, the crowd parting silently to let them pass. "If it would change or improve anything, I would have let you tear them apart. But it is better that you didn't."
The dragon rumbled, as if saying, I know.
Her eyes opened, revealing a room illuminated by the light of the setting sun as it filtered through the surrounding trees. Aeri recognized it as the upstairs room of Vahna's house, but what was she doing there?
Feeling incredibly disoriented, she tried to sit up and immediately gasped in pain, her head falling back to the pillow. What-
"You were shot, Rádgatá." Aeri turned her pain-blurred gaze to see Vahna seated at the desk near the bed. "Lay still, or you'll open the wound again."
The old woman stood and came to the bedside, gently placing a cool hand on Aeri's forehead. Taking a shaky breath, she closed her eyes, trying to suppress the pain radiating from her back.
"You were incredibly lucky. The arrow hit your rib, keeping it from going too deep. It must have had a barbed tip, judging on how torn up the wound was inside, so it was fortunate that Haku was there to pull it out before it did any more damage."
Haku? Images flashed through her mind, and she vaguely recalled a voice, telling her it was going to be alright. "How… how did I get here?" she croaked.
Vahna brought over a mug and held it to her lips. "It's water," she said in explanation. Aeri managed to take a few sips before coughing, the action sending excruciating pain through her entire torso.
"Haku brought you," the old woman said, and Aeri frowned a bit. "Shade carried you both," Vahna added.
"Where…?"
"They went to the village a few hours ago, I sent them away to get cleaned up. They should be back soon, so don't worry." Even as she spoke, Aeri heard the faint sound of beating wings, followed by the sound of breaking branches. "That must be them."
Once Shade landed, Haku slipped off the saddle, which he had scrubbed clean. His own hair was still wet, tied back after he had bathed. "Thank you, friend," he said to Shade, who rumbled at him questioningly. "I'll make sure she's alright," he answered, and the dragon nodded, walking over to rest beneath the upstairs window as Haku knocked on the front door.
Alkaa greeted him, moving out of the way so that he could pass. "You can go up now," she said cheerfully. "Vahna is up with her." Nodding his thanks, Haku quickly made his way up the stairs, knocking softly on the door.
He heard Vahna's muffled voice. "Come in." So he slowly pushed open the door, eyes immediately fixing on the pale woman in the bed. Her eyes were closed, but she seemed to be breathing steadily, although her breaths were shallow.
"Rádgatá," he said quietly, and her eyes fluttered open.
"Haku?" A small smile formed on her lips.
He moved to the side of the bed, and didn't even hear the door close as Vahna left the room. Dropping to his knees, he reached out to where her arm rested above the blankets, and gently clasped her hand in both of his.
"How are you feeling?"
"Like I was shot."
He couldn't help the small laugh that escaped him, and her smiled widened. "Don't ever scare me like that again," he said firmly, quickly becoming serious.
Her smile didn't change at all. "Are you blaming me for getting shot?"
"If only it were that simple," he muttered, suddenly angry.
"What happened?" she asked, her smile fading into concern.
"Shade caught the man who shot you," he said, tracing patterns on the back of her hand with his thumb.
"Uh oh. Is he still in one piece?"
"Your dragon seems to have an incredible reserve of self-control."
"Wait… you called him Shade."
"That's his name, right? You said it after you were hit."
"Oh," she seemed troubled, before giving a slight shrug. "Well, he's become more patient over the past few years. What happened?" she asked again.
Haku gave her a brief rundown of bringing her to Vahna's before going with Shade and collecting the man from the top of the tree, to which she actually burst out laughing before grimacing in pain.
"We got in a fair bit of trouble for performing that stunt back home," she explained, her amusement clearly warring with her discomfort.
"We took him back to the village. Turns out it was the shoemaker's apprentice, Jon."
"Why would the shoemaker's apprentice try to kill me?"
"That's what we were trying to figure out. Shade was about two seconds away from mauling him when Jon finally pointed out the mastermind."
"Who?"
"Ajaa."
"Ajaa?" Rádgatá looked incredulous. "Why the Hel would she try to have me killed?!"
Haku didn't feel like it was the right time to bring up Ajaa's primary motivation, so he hedged around it. "Apparently she thinks you're dangerous. Obviously she hates the dragons, and I guess she'd had enough. Shade was thisclose to biting her head off, I think," Haku held his finger and thumb barely apart.
"Do… do other people feel the same way about me?" Her voice was hesitant, her eyes filled with concern. "I won't stay where I am not wanted."
"You are wanted," Haku said, perhaps a little too vehemently, looking back down to where his large, tan hands were wrapped around her slim fingers. More than you know.
Her eyes began to drift shut, and Haku moved to leave. "I'll let you sleep," he said quietly, but she tightened her grip on his hand. She didn't say anything, and she appeared to already be asleep, but Haku couldn't pull himself away. After a moment of deliberation, he climbed onto the edge of the bed, still holding her hand, and laid down next to her. He'd stay for a few more minutes, then he'd leave. Just a few more minutes…
He opened his eyes, blinking at the dim gray light. For a moment, he was confused as to where he was. Then realization struck, and he looked down, his heart nearly stopping. Rádgatá lay in his arms, one hand on his chest, the other still enveloped in his own hand. Her head was tucked under his chin, and he breathed in the sweet, clean smell of her hair. Wow. Haku didn't know what to do. Obviously it was almost dawn. He'd spent the entire night… like this. If anyone found out, he'd have something of a problem on his hands, but he found that he didn't really care. A few more minutes weren't going to change anything. He closed his eyes and did his best to commit the moment to memory. He knew that he'd probably never be this close to her again. He also knew that he would never want to be this close to anyone else, ever. She had thoroughly ruined his chances for a future relationship, and he wouldn't have had it any other way. Finally he sighed quietly, opening his eyes. Time to go.
Gently he extricated himself from their embrace, and she curled up at the loss of his warmth. He realized that her entire bandaged torso had pulled free of the blankets, and she was beginning to shiver, so he quickly straightened them out and tucked her back into the bedding. Hungrily he gazed upon her face, smooth and untroubled in her sleep, determined that Ajaa and Jon would be punished for what they had done. Well, without them, this never would have happened, the little voice in his head pointed out, but Haku still would give up everything to make sure Rádgatá would never be hurt again.
Leaning in, he pressed his lips to her temple, before turning away. When he reached the bottom of the stairs, he glanced back up at the closed door, part of him wishing he could stay up there with her.
"You should be getting back, Haku."
Startled, he turned to see Vahna sitting in a chair by the low fire, drinking a cup of tea. He wanted to explain himself, to tell her that nothing had happened, that he had meant to leave last night, that he was just making sure she was alright… but ended up only nodding.
"Fate has its plans for all of us. Maybe, maybe she will stay. But something tells me strongly that she will not. The question is, will you stay, if she goes?"
Haku didn't know how to answer the old woman. Immediately his mind rebelled, wanting to shout that he would never leave his people, but images of Rádgatá flashed in his mind and he found he couldn't say anything. Because he didn't know.
Seeming to read his mind, Vahna nodded, her face betraying none of her thoughts. "The dragon is waiting for you. He'll take you back to the village. I know you know better than to announce where you spent the night, but if anyone figures out that you did not return to your home last night, tell them you were with me. Now go. You need to be back in the village before anyone realizes you were gone."
He nodded again, not knowing what to say, but managed to choke out a "Thank you," before heading outside.
"Shade?"
Shade heard Haku call his name, and looked up to see the human heading in his direction. About time, he thought. Getting to his feet, he groaned, stretching out his back. Haku moved to rub his neck, but Shade frowned a little, leaning in and sniffing him. He smelled strongly of… Aeri. Growling, he stepped back, demanding an explanation. Haku looked down at himself, trying to figure out what he had done, so Shade looked up to the second-story window then back at the human, scowling. Haku appeared to understand, and held up his hands placatingly. "Nothing happened. We fell asleep, that's all. I'm not stupid enough to lie to you, especially not after yesterday." Reminding Shade of the real reason he was angry.
So he snorted. "No funny business, understand? I'll know." He pierced Haku with his blue gaze, and the human seemed to have no trouble understanding him.
"I would never hurt her. I would die before I would let something happen to her," the words seemed to slip out before the human could stop them, and Haku immediately looked embarrassed.
Raising an eyebrow, Shade looked him over, nodded once, and turned to let him clamber onto his shoulders. They headed back to the village, both of them lost in their own thoughts.
Aeri doesn't seem to be able to avoid trouble. She was lucky this time, but what if there's a next time? And whatever happened to that mercenary hunting her and Shade down? I hope you've all read Silver because James is back, and things are about to get a whole lot more complicated.
OH and... 100th reviewer gets a sneak peak. Cheers!