I couldn't leave you all waiting another week, so...
Thanks to my lovely reviewers:
QuiteARandomFan
InfernoChicken
3dge (maybe)
Little Did You Know
Colinou
Spartan10007
Ciara11
canadasam101
brickmaster2 (It's been about three years)
Vvarden
Thunderbird 22
Harkonnen28 (not any time soon!)
Kelroe26
Here we are. The moment we've all been waiting for. Enjoy.
PART II: Berk
They approached from the southeast.
Cloudjumper was the first to notice the speck on the horizon. Quickly he went to Valka, and together they watched it grow larger and larger. More and more dragons and humans began noticing it, and stopped their tasks to watch the sky.
"What do you think it is?" Valka quietly asked her dragon, but he could only shrug. Something strange was in the atmosphere, as though the entire world was waiting… but for what?
Together she and Cloudjumper found Hookfang and Snotlout. Simultaneously they described the approaching shape and instructed the patrol leaders to gather a few other sentries and fly out to intercept whatever was coming.
Meanwhile, the speck had become a lot more distinct, and Valka watched as the three patrols, led by Snotlout and Hookfang, flew out to meet the stranger (strangers?) and either escort them to Berk or politely suggest that they look elsewhere for a place to stay, depending on their first impressions.
Cloudjumper knew something wasn't quite right, and he nudged Valka, gesturing with his head.
"You're right," she said, and leapt up onto his back. Together they flew off in the opposite direction, heading over the forest.
Snotlout had been enjoying a perfectly lazy afternoon when Valka had found him and Hookfang lounging near the cliffs, watching their respective children play. He'd brought a basket of chicken and a satchel of mead, planning on spending the rest of the day there. At first, he'd been a bit reluctant to leave, but hearing the urgency in the Chief's mother's tone, he didn't dare disobey. That lady could be pretty stern when she felt like it, and he always felt like an errant teenager when she was around, even though he was the leader of Berk's patrols, responsible for both human and dragon lives, thank you very much!
So, he tossed the rest of his chicken to Hookfang's growing hatchlings, and mounted up.
Now, they kept their eyes trained on the rapidly approaching shape, followed closely by two Nadders, another Nightmare, and their riders. Their earlier laziness had vanished at the sight of the incoming strangers, but nothing could have prepared them for what had arrived from the south. When they were close enough to distinguish the dragon and its rider, their jaws dropped.
Shocked, Snotlout simply gestured at them to follow him, and the patrols formed their ranks around the two strangers, guiding them to Berk.
The mysterious dragon and rider landed in the square, surrounded by the four patrols. The dragon- a Night Fury!- kept his head down, eyes narrowed. No one could get a clear look at his face. The rider was hidden as well, his body covered in a leather suit, complete with gloves and boots, and wearing a helmet not unlike the one their Chief wore when he went flying. This helmet, however, covered his entire head, giving no one a glimpse of any skin or hair. A pair of slender metal wings flared out from the sides of it, giving him even more of an air of mystery.
The entire crowd was murmuring, Viking and dragon alike. Cinder, drawn by the commotion, crept over the top of a nearby rooftop, laying low as he surveyed the scene. Something told him Toothless wasn't going to like this.
Gobber came out of the forge, looking a little scorched and twisting at the hammer attachment on his arm, peering curiously at the pair. If he didn't know better, he'd say that they were Hiccup and Toothless, come back from a long flight. Finally he stepped forward, knowing that if Hiccup, Astrid, and Valka weren't around, it was up to him and an aging Spitelout to solve whatever issues arose in the village. And this appeared to be quite the issue.
Gesturing to Spitelout with his hammer, they walked leisurely around to face the strangers.
"Hello there, stranger," Gobber said conversationally. No response.
"I don't suppose you'd be interested in tellin' us why you're here?" Spitelout said, growing impatient with the silence.
Finally, the rider spoke, his voice muffled by his helmet. "Approaching from the south are eleven ships of refugees. Their village was raided and plundered by pirates, and they are the only survivors. Not knowing what else I could do for them, I directed them here, in the hope that your hospitality is truly as generous as rumor has it to be."
The crowd's murmurs grew louder, people exchanging worried glances. Eleven ships of strangers?
"How do we know that you're not the pirates, coming to raid us?" Spitelout said angrily.
Gobber held out a placating hand, and Snotlout's father took a step back, still scowling. "I don't know who ye are, or what ye are doin' here, or how ye got that Night Fury, but-"
A roar echoed through the village. Over the rooftops could be seen five black dragons and a blue Nadder, followed by a much larger, four-winged dragon. Only Gobber noticed out of the corner of his eye, with some interest, that the rider and his dragon stiffened slightly at the sight.
Hiccup and Toothless landed first, both slightly irritated at the interruption of what was turning out to be a nice family day away from the worries and bustle of the village. The human Chief, though, did a double take at the sight of a leather-clad dragon rider on the back of a Night Fury, and some of his irritation abated.
"All right, all right, everyone; settle down!" he called out to the gathered Vikings and dragons. Turning back to the strangers, he noticed that the dragon's head was bowed, almost as though he were hiding his face. Strange.
Toothless stiffened beneath him, and Hiccup slid off his shoulders, concerned. Looking into his dragon's face, he saw that his normally large black pupils had narrowed into slits, and unease washed through him. Turning to face the silent strangers, he began to step forward, when Toothless shifted and blocked his path. "Bud, what is it?" But Toothless was looking at the rider and his dragon, a dark expression on his face.
Spitelout and Gobber hurried over to tell Hiccup what the rider had said, while the patrol dragons and Hookfang, sensing Toothless's growing displeasure, quickly backed away. Hiccup wasn't done though, even as Astrid, carrying little Kai, and his other children pushed through the crowd to come stand behind him, followed by their dragons. Toothless's family joined them, the smallest hatchling riding on Lightning's shoulders. Valka and Cloudjumper settled down on the rooftop next to Cinder as Ash arrived, creeping up to lay near her brother on the curved roof. She kept herself out of sight, feeling apprehensive for some reason.
Below, Hiccup called out, "I want to hear from you exactly why you're here."
"I told your people the truth," the rider said. "I came to tell you that there are eleven ships approaching from the south, carrying refugees from a village destroyed by pirates. I, along with a few other riders, managed to fend the raiders off, but it was too late. The only survivors are on those ships, and when they looked to me for guidance, all I could do was point them in this direction, and come to you myself in the hopes that you might find it in your hearts to welcome them and provide them refuge."
"Far be it from us to turn away those in need," Hiccup said. "But why here? What made you think that this was a safe place to send them? For all you know, we could be just as bloodthirsty as the pirates you supposedly fought off." Hiccup paused. "You said other riders. What other riders?"
"Stories of the greatness of Berk and the goodness of its people have traveled far in this world. You started a chain reaction, and changed the ways of humans and dragons everywhere. Dragon Chief, I myself trained the riders of Heimme, but I am limited in my knowledge. I knew that Berk was the safest and most ideal place to send those people, who wish to learn further the ways of their dragons. I only ask that you judge them for yourselves, not based on what I have said."
"Why? Are you not to be trusted?"
"I can be trusted, but I'm not so certain that I should be welcomed."
"Not welcome here? Who are you?" Hiccup finally asked, unable to speak to a mask any longer.
"Some call me Rádgatá." Mystery. The villagers began to murmur, glancing at each other anxiously. "The people of Heimme know me as Missti Einn, the lost one. But you might know me better as…" the rider began removing his helmet. Long auburn locks, some braided, tumbled out. From the rooftop, Valka leaned forward, her breath catching in her throat. Large green eyes appeared, and Hiccup's heart stopped. Behind him, his family had frozen as well. The entire village had fallen completely silent.
Finally, Aeri finished pulling off her helmet, and at the same time, Shade lifted his head high and opened his blue eyes, to gasps from the crowd. Together, they grimly awaited whatever judgment would fall upon them.
Valka was the first to respond, still limber in her sixties, as Cloudjumper gently lowered her to the ground. She began pushing through the ranks of the Vikings, making her way to the front to get a better look at her granddaughter.
"Aeri?" Hiccup whispered, as though he couldn't believe it.
Toothless was not so shocked. He moved past Hiccup, growling deeply, a scowl on his face.
"Toothless, what-" Lightning began, but he cut her off with a glance.
"Do you know," he began quietly, still approaching Shade and Aeri, "what pain you wrought when you left? Do you think you can just come back here after the way you vanished? I think it is very wise of Aeri to say that you might not be welcomed here. Well? What do you have to say for yourself?" he demanded, staring into his son's blue eyes.
Shade stood as tall as he could, realizing that he was now bigger than his father. This didn't bring him any satisfaction. Rather, it made him feel worse, knowing that so much must have changed over the past few years. He cleared his throat. "I know that nothing I say will make a difference to you now," he started.
"For your mother's sake, please, try."
"Toothless." He looked up to see Aeri slide off of his son's shoulders. She came around to face him, not reaching out, not seeking love or forgiveness, but understanding perfectly well why her father's dragon was so angry. "It's not his fault, Toothless. I'm the one who wanted to leave, I took him with me."
"That's not true," Shade said, frowning at his rider, who seemed to understand his words.
"It is true. I ran off," she said more clearly, allowing the entire village to hear. "I am responsible. So if I am not welcome, I understand, and I shall take my leave. But please," for the first time, she allowed emotion to color her voice. "Please, do not turn away the people of Heimme because of what I have done."
The villagers began murmuring to one another, clearly torn between anger at her irresponsibility and joyous relief that the Chief's heir had returned safely.
Hiccup didn't know what to say. He didn't know how to react. Astrid was also speechless, and she came up next to her husband, holding Kai in her arms. Aeri looked at the baby and an expression of pain crossed her features. She had missed so much…
Finally, someone spoke up. But it wasn't her mother or her father.
"Of course you are welcome here. Berk is and always will be your home, Aeri." Valka said clearly for everyone to hear. Aeri looked over at her grandmother, clearly surprised. "This is quite the shock for us all, dear," the older woman said more softly as she came closer. "But we would never turn you away." With that, she opened her arms and embraced her granddaughter, signaling to the rest of the village how they were expected to behave. "Why don't you come and stay with me? I haven't had a visitor in quite a while. Let's give everyone a chance to prepare for the arrival of those refugees, and you and I can catch up."
With one arm, she guided Aeri past her parents, who watched her with wide eyes even as she focused her gaze on the ground. The crowd parted silently to allow them to pass. Unfortunately, this left Shade alone in the spotlight, still facing his angry father.
"You deserve to feel the pain you brought upon your family," Toothless said quietly. "But I will not be the one to inflict it upon you." With that, the Alpha turned his back on his son and took off, flying out towards the forest. Now Shade was facing his mother and siblings, including the little hatchling riding on Lightning's shoulders, who stood next to Aeri's family. Shade, despite his vow to never feel again, was close to experiencing great shame at the fact that he had missed the birth of a new family member. He had not been there for his other siblings over the last three years, either, and that only increased his discomfort. But he remained upright, meeting all of their gazes.
Looking torn, his mother passed the hatchling to Storm and took off after his father, who was likely headed for the meadow.
With her departure, the village suddenly burst into motion. Hiccup held up his hands to get everyone's attention and the crowd quieted. "This has been… this has been a day of change. But we will not falter. We have guests coming, and we must prepare for their arrival. Gobber will oversee the construction of new buildings for them to stay in, and Snotlout will instruct you all on what food must be procured in order for us all to stay comfortably fed. I will be around, but my family needs space and time, so please, give us that."
With that, he sent a disbelieving Astrid and their children back up to their house. Erik, eyes wide, glanced at Shade one last time, before making eye contact with Storm, whose face was unreadable. Finally, he walked after his mother, and Hiccup slowly made his way towards Shade. The village once again broke out into loud conversations and flurried movements. Most of the dragons flew off, including Cinder, Stormfly, and Cloudjumper, who followed his rider and her granddaughter up the hill. But Shade's siblings stayed where they were, waiting.
"Hey, bud," Hiccup said softly, coming closer to the still-frozen dragon. "Whatever Toothless said to you, know that we have missed you, and that we never gave up hope that you would return." He extended his hand, and slowly, Shade lowered his nose to touch his palm. "Thank you, for keeping my daughter safe these past three years. You have my gratitude. Your disappearance caused much pain and worry, and now it is time to make amends. Starting with them," Hiccup gestured behind him, and Shade saw his siblings sitting motionless in the middle of the bustling square, watching him. Running his hand along the dragon's jaw, he excused himself and followed his family back up to their home.
Shade found he couldn't move, and Storm seemed to realize this. With the hatchling on her back, she slowly made her way forward.
"This is Soren," she said, a bit roughly. "Our baby brother." From her shoulders, Soren peered shyly at Shade with bright green eyes. He seemed to make the connection between Shade's blue eyes and his mother's and sister's, and leaned forward, sniffing the air. He leaned too far and tumbled off Storm's back, but Shade impulsively reached out and caught him, quickly setting him down on the ground before looking back at his sister. She was watching Soren, though, who was making his way closer to Shade, still sniffing at him. Suddenly he let out a little warble and smiled a tiny, toothless grin, beaming up at Shade.
Soturi and Skali, seeing this, came forward. Shade was unable to take his eyes off his smiling baby brother, though. Something shifted in his chest and he felt strangely protective. Lowering himself to the ground, he allowed the hatchling to clamber up onto the top of his head before slowly raising himself up again. Soren cooed happily from his perch, enjoying the view.
"How… how old is he?" Shade managed to speak.
"Less than a year," Storm replied, watching the hatchling closely.
"Shade…" Soturi started.
"We missed you," Skali said quietly, and all three of his sisters waited to hear what he would say.
Over the past three years, Shade had learned to not think of his home or his family. Instead, Aeri became his only family, and his home was wherever she was. But now, seeing the slightly nervous expressions on his siblings' faces, his heart beat painfully in his chest, and he realized that he had missed them more than anything.
"I missed you, too."
With little cries of happiness, Soturi and Skali rushed forward, their much smaller bodies pressing against his chest. His wings opened up, and careful not to move his head, he began to wrap them around his sisters. Storm held back, and Shade met her gaze, holding one wing open as an invitation.
She gave him a small smile and she came in to join the embrace.
Passing Vikings and dragons couldn't help but be moved by the reunion, the larger Night Fury holding his sisters close, their youngest sibling resting on top of his head, pleased that he was so high up.
From the rooftop nearby, hidden in the shadows of the chimney, Ash watched them, unable to leave.
He looked… different. But his blue eyes were the same, bright and clear. Slowly he turned his head, and she froze, hoping he wouldn't notice her. But without disturbing any of his siblings, his eyes found hers and her breath hitched, waiting for his reaction.
But there was nothing. No emotion, no recognition. He simply looked at her, then looked away, bringing his attention back to his family.
A strange pain filled her chest, and Ash found that she couldn't stay any longer. Silently and quickly, she vanished from the rooftop.
Below, Shade wondered if he had just seen what he thought he'd seen.
Phew. That could've gone a lot worse, but then again, it could've gone better, too.
Thoughts? Want your name on the list? You know what to do! :) See you next week...