'Ello, mates. It's 9:30 pm my time so we are on schedule.
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CCF now has more reviews than OtN! Which is crazy, because Of the Night has nearly 70,000 views and CCF definitely does not. Let's keep this party going, shall we?
Shade landed in the street with Aeri on his back, both of them breathing heavily. He was frustrated that she had not allowed him to kill the pirate queen. She had chosen to spare the last ship, as it was retreating. Besides, he and the other dragons had done quite a number on it. The massive vessel was far out to sea now, out of sight of the island. The rain was pouring out over the ocean, but the island was still dry. For now. A little rain might have come in handy, as the pirates had torched almost every building in the village.
Out on the water, the rest of the pirate fleet burned, slowly sinking beneath the waves. The light of the burning flotsam flickered along the swells, the entire scene lit by a macabre glow. Aeri felt a detached sort of relief that the battle had ended, but the nightmare wasn't over. The dragon riders were gathering, and the rest of the dragons had followed, landing amidst the charred remains of homes and other buildings. The survivors of the attack were banding together, staring numbly as their whole lives went up in flames. Many were in tears, cursing the gods, but the rest waited with fading hope for more to return from within the forest.
Sliding off Shade's back, Aeri slowly began to meander through the streets, her dragon close behind her. He wasn't about to let her out of his sight. Her ankle was sending shooting pains up her leg, her back and ribs were unbelievably sore, and the smoke and stench of death were making her dizzy. But she knew this was partially her fault, and so she continued. There were bodies everywhere, but she stepped over the dead pirates, searching for faces she knew by the light of the still burning structures. With Shade's help, she moved the fallen villagers together one at a time, forming a row that just kept stretching on. Gradually, she was joined in silence by the survivors who weren't scouring the forest for others.
An hour passed, and then another, as more and more people came across friends and loved ones who had been killed in the battle. Cries of desperate grief echoed through the night, screams of despair and disbelief.
"Rádgatá!"
She turned just as someone collided with her. Aeri hissed unintentionally at the pain in her torso from Maara's tight embrace, and immediately the shorter woman released her, stepping back.
"Rádgatá, are you alright?" Her grey eyes were searching, her face tight with emotion. There was a cut high on her cheek, and her clothes were scorched and bloodstained. Behind her, Mika was approaching wearily, carefully stepping around the bodies in the street.
"I mean, they really did a number on me, but I survived…" Unlike Winter. Unlike all of the people laying before me. Taking a shaky breath, she continued. "I wish I had gotten back sooner. Maybe if I had, all of this…" helplessly she gestured at the devastation around them.
"No. This is not your fault."
"But it is!" Aeri finally allowed her exhaustion to get the better of her, and she snapped. "Those were the pirates that attacked me a year ago. I'm the reason they came here! Somehow they followed me, and because of me these people are dead!"
Maara gaped at her, and she couldn't take it. So she spun around and limped away, reaching out to hold onto Shade's saddle for support.
"Rádgatá… Stop."
"I'll talk to you later Maara," Aeri said without turning around.
"No! Rádgatá, I just lost almost everything! The least you can do is talk to me now!"
"And it's all my fault! None of you would be in this position if it weren't for me!"
"And none of us would have survived if you hadn't been here. You didn't lead them here, they hunted you down. This is not your fault!" Maara's voice broke on a sob, and guiltily Aeri stopped, ignoring Shade's concerned rumble.
The girl continued. "Haku and Vasara are alive, but look around! You've been honoring our dead, and there are so, so many dead… Children, Rádgatá! They killed the children, and the elders who couldn't get away fast enough! I watched… I saw it all happen and I was powerless to stop it. And now… I don't even know what to do with myself. I cannot express… I just don't know anymore."
Finally Aeri turned around, her conscience screaming at her. Maara was on her knees, her face buried in Mika's neck. The Grimler was perfectly still, though her face betrayed her concern as her distraught human clung to her.
Stepping away from Shade, Aeri hobbled over the best she could. "Maara, I'm sor—" the girl leapt up and hugged her, not quite so tightly as before, but firmly enough. Aeri returned the embrace, smoothing Maara's hair with one hand in an effort to be comforting.
"I don't blame you." Maara's voice was muffled, as her face was pressed against Aeri's shoulder.
"Thank you," was the only reply she could think of.
After a few more moments, the two women broke apart, and Aeri bent over slightly to meet Maara's gaze. The shorter girl's eyes were red, but dry, and Aeri cupped her cheek softly. "You're so strong, Maara. Just… hold on a little longer. We'll figure this out, what we need to do."
"Okay," she whispered.
Aeri pulled her back into a brief hug before releasing her. "Now, go find your brother and sister. I imagine they'll be looking for you."
After Maara and Mika wandered off, Aeri and Shade headed back into the center of town, walking along the line of bodies they had previously organized. Many of the remaining villagers were kneeling beside the remains of their loved ones, some openly upset, others quietly grieving. Aeri kept her eyes down, but she felt their gazes on her as she passed, although she couldn't tell if the emotion behind their attention was good or bad.
Finally they stood in the ruined square, the site of so many happy gatherings. Many of the dragons had gathered there, and Shade went to speak with them and hear their thoughts after making sure his human wasn't going anywhere. Aeri, for her part, stood still, her tired mind racing frantically in search of a solution.
"Rádgatá," Aeri turned at the sound of Vahna's weary voice, keeping her weight off her ankle.
"Oh gods, Vahna, you're alive… thank Odin."
The old woman nodded, looking grim, but as always got to the point. "Do you have a plan?"
"We have to leave, as soon as possible. But where can we go? Do you have any allies? Wait, no, that wouldn't work. Surmata would just attack them too, most likely." She sighed. Why had she let the pirate captain go?
"We don't have anywhere to go, Rádgatá. But… you do."
"What do you mean?"
"You should return to your people. There is nothing here, now, and you are in danger if you stay."
Aeri's jaw dropped. "But so are you! I will not abandon you to the mercy of pirates," she nearly shouted, at her wit's end. "Not to mention I don't know how well-received I would be upon my return to Berk. That, and I have no idea how to get back there."
"If you are determined to stay with us, so be it, but, you are not trapped here." The old woman pulled a folded up piece of paper from one of the pouches around her waist and handed it to Aeri in silence.
"What is—" Aeri's breath caught in her throat. It was a map. Not just any map, but a map with a direct route sketched on it from Heimme… to Berk.
"Where did you get this?" she whispered.
"The trade ship. I asked the captain for a map, which he was more than happy to provide."
"I…" Words escaped her. "I can't. I can't leave you. Not to this, not to death."
"We will survive, Rádgatá. You fulfilled your promise to us long ago, and given so much hope to our people. You have changed everything, and we cannot repay you by allowing you to stay here, in the path of danger."
Aeri looked out over the destruction, eyes focusing on the undamaged ships floating next to the docks. Glancing down at the map, she realized what she had to do. She couldn't stay here, but neither could the remaining people of Heimme.
"Vahna… you're right. I cannot stay here."
The old woman nodded, and opened her mouth to speak, but Aeri lifted her hand and continued. "But you cannot stay here either. No. Keep the map. Load the ships with your remaining livestock and possessions. If I go back to Berk, I am taking you all with me. You will be safe there, and welcomed."
"We could not ask that of you, Rádgatá." Haku's voice came from over her shoulder, and she turned, feeling a pang in her chest at the sight of the blood on his tunic. Kova was a ways behind him, communicating fervently with Shade.
"I insist, Haku. This is the only way to ensure the safety of your people."
He sighed, lifting a hand to rub his forehead, before meeting her gaze, his grey eyes stormy with conflict. But she was right, and they all knew it. "Very well," he said, nodding stiffly. "I'll spread the word." Turning away without another word, he summoned Kova, and started off down the street Aeri had come from.
Vahna stepped forward and placed her hand on Aeri's arm. "I'll organize those left standing to help with the wounded. Asti will help me."
A dark feeling of foreboding swept over her. "What about Alkaa?"
"She was gravely wounded. I don't think… I don't think she will last the night."
"Oh gods," Aeri whispered. "This… how is this not my fault? If I hadn't stayed here—"
"Then we never would have made peace with the dragons, and these people would have died at the teeth and claws of what they viewed as monsters. No, everything happens for a reason, Rádgatá. You cannot bear the weight of what has happened here alone. We all stand with you, you returned and you saved us from annihilation."
Aeri nodded numbly.
"Now, we need your help yet again. It's going to be a long night."
Aeri swung Shade's saddle over his shoulders, cinching the straps across his chest and below his chin, before securing it farther down his back. The sounds of her activity were barely audible over the creaking of the rigging and the lapping of the water along the side of the ship. Looking back, she could see the line of ships stretching far out, in the distance, eleven in number, carrying the one hundred and seven survivors from Heimme, their possessions, their livestock, and their dragons. One hundred and seven, out of more than three hundred. They had sailed before midday yesterday, heading in a straight line to the northwest, towards Berk. Many people were upset that they could not properly bury their loved ones, but time was of the essence. They had to leave, to escape with what little they had left.
She took a deep breath of the salty sea air, calming her nerves. Not even facing the Queen had made her this anxious, and she was ready for it to be over. But it was at least a weeklong flight, and that wasn't counting the stops they'd have to make along the way to rest and nourish themselves. The ships would take at least three times that long, but the dragons that had opted to come would take turns flying and resting on the decks, and would help catch enough fish for every human and dragon to eat on their journey. Would the people of Heimme be sick of fish by the time they got to Berk? Most likely. Was that the worst of their problems? Hopefully.
All of the people on this ship, the lead and largest craft in the procession, were below, asleep, barring the one boy keeping watch at the bow of the ship and the tired man at the helm, simply keeping them on course. He had bid her a sleepy good morning, but had not questioned her being awake at such an early hour. The sun hadn't risen yet, sending teasing rays over the horizon from the east, and Aeri quickly strapped on the bags she'd need for her flight, trusting Haku and the others to keep her other belongings safe. Debating, she finally set her spear back down onto the deck with the other things she was leaving behind. Shade would keep her safe, and catch whatever food they'd need to eat. Besides, she'd have all her knives.
Shade rumbled, and shaken from her thoughts, Aeri turned to see Haku approaching from the stairs that led to the lower levels of the ship. She wasn't sure how she felt about him at the moment. They had spoken minimally since she had returned from her capture and defeated the pirates, and while it mostly had to do with how busy they both had been preparing for their departure, Aeri also felt somehow emotionally distanced from him.
"You're not taking your spear?" he called softly, coming to stand in front of her. She took in the sight of him, his grey eyes for once not betraying his thoughts. He had a line on the side of his face from whatever he'd slept on, and she resisted the urge to place her hand there. Shaking her head, she turned around and continued to work on the saddle.
"I trust you to keep it safe," she said quietly.
"Are you going on ahead, then?"
"I feel like I should alert the people on Berk that there are more than a hundred people and their dragons heading their way, seeking refuge. I'm sure it will be something of a surprise, as will my reappearance, but I have faith that they will not turn you away."
"Well that's good." For a moment, neither of them spoke, and Aeri finished buckling the last pouch down, before turning back to look him in the eyes.
He was closer now, and his eyes were no longer calm. In them, she could see worry, concern, fear… and something else, something that almost scared her. So she looked down at her belt and pulled out her gloves, deciding that her fingers were cold. Before she could slip them on, his hand moved in and gently grabbed hold of her smaller one.
"Your hands are cold."
Haku wasn't sure if he was just exhausted, or if he'd finally had enough of life, but he couldn't help the small smile that came to his lips when she mumbled, "Hence the gloves," still not looking up at him. He didn't know what was going on between them, or why she had been avoiding him before her capture, and it didn't feel like the right time to ask. But…
Gods, she's beautiful. Not letting go of her hand, he raised his other to cup her jaw, and startled, she looked up and met his gaze. He saw incredible turmoil in her beautiful green eyes, and his heart lurched as he wished he could take all of her worries away. He'd do anything to see her smile right now, but he feared he might never have this chance again.
"Rádgatá," he said, and she squeezed her eyes shut.
"Aeri," she whispered, and for a moment he was confused.
"Aeri?"
"That's my name."
Oh. Oh.
"Aeri," he tested the word, and found it to be as beautiful as she was. "Aeri."
"Haku… Things are going to be different on Berk. I'm not the person you think I am, I'm not—" He pressed his finger against her lips, effectively hushing her. She looked up again, eyes wide, and he slid his hand around through her thick hair to hold the back of her neck. Her lips parted in a silent "o" and he leaned forward, kissing her softly. He felt her stiffen, then fall into him. In a moment, the rest of the world fell away, and all Haku could feel or know or imagine was wrapped up with her… with Aeri.
A deep rumble broke through his swirling thoughts and he opened his eyes as she pulled away from him. But she wasn't looking at him, and his heart jumped nervously. Had he made a mistake? They both glanced over to see a bored looking Shade, who rolled his eyes before turning to the side, lowering himself slightly as an invitation.
"I should go," Aeri said quietly, and she slowly withdrew her arms, kneeling to scoop up her gloves where she had dropped them on the deck. Without another word, she limped over to Shade and unclasped her helmet, holding onto it as she leapt into the saddle.
Haku suddenly felt chilly, even though the sun's rays were beginning to shine over the horizon. He followed her steps and came to stand next to Shade's shoulder as she slipped on her gloves and pulled her hair into an approximation of a bun. Before she lowered the helmet over her face, she looked him in the eyes.
"Goodbye, Haku, for now. I… I will see you, soon." With that affirmation, hope flared in his chest as she set the helmet in place, pulling up her collar and tucking her hair under the rim. Shade began to spread his wings, but before he stepped back, Haku reached up and placed his hand firmly over her own. She looked down at him, face hidden, but he stared up through the eye slits on the mask.
"Soon, Aeri."
She nodded, and he moved away. Shade leapt skyward, beating his wings hard to gain altitude, the draft from his takeoff ruffling Haku's hair. A part of him realized, almost as if from a distance, that he was watching the woman he loved fly out of his life.
No. Not out of his life. He would see her again. With that certainty, he waited until Shade's dark shape disappeared in the distance, before turning away and sighing. Something had changed between them, and he was going to have to be patient until he could speak with her again to find out what.
It was going to be a long voyage.
Oh, Haku. Oh, Aeri. Odin's skivvies, things got real. Let me know what you thought of this chapter, friends.
Guess what happens next chapter? GUESS GUESS GUESS! I might not update until the week after next, just a heads up. I could use the time to organize the upcoming events in the story, but I mean, if y'all really don't want to wait, let me know.