Chapter 4
Azora was becoming more and more frustrated, her whole attitude seemed to show that as the week was finishing up. Apparently the King had decided that Azora needed to meet the human who had brought her back here and had given her the medicine that was applied to her back each day. She was starting to walk better without the pain overwhelming her every step and her wings had finally stopped opening up her wounds every time she stretched them out. Maaran hadn't helped the idea of meeting Valka when he mentioned that the both the King and Anthia had made valid points about why Azora should meet Valka but when she asked what those validities were, Maaran just told her to trust him and stayed silent on the matter.
"Maaran," Azora sighed in exasperation. "Do I really need to meet the human? I don't want to associate with her and I'm well on my way to recovery without meeting her."
Maaran looked at Azora intently from where he sat and she rested on a patch of grass. "Azora," he said. "This meeting is important to you even if you don't think so."
"You haven't even told me why it's so important anyway though." Azora retorted.
Maaran sighed before saying, "We need to see if you will have a negative reaction to her or not after what had happened." He said gently looking at her. "The ordeal you went through isn't something a dragon can always come out of in one piece a specially for one as young as you. You know I would never put you in a situation that is dangerous on purpose. I see you as a daughter and I never want to see you in pain."
"Azora's head snapped up from its resting position as she stared at Maaran. "A…daughter?" She whispered at him her blue eyes wide with confusion.
"It's true." He said. "After the first three years of mentoring you, the feeling of you just being a pupil changed into one a father would feel towards a daughter. I never brought it up before because I didn't want you to think that I was replacing the father you cherished so much."
"Why though?"
Maaran knew she was asking why hadn't he at least tried to tell her and why he even wanted to be her new father. "I honestly was scared of rejection if I brought it up and even now, I fear that I am overstepping my bounds. You deserve a parent in your life and nobody deserves one more than you do. You're so strong and an amazing dragon my little one. Always looking ahead and learning from the past."
Azora looked away knowing that while she looked to the future, nightmares still plagued her every now and then about her past making her feel weak. "I'm not strong." She whispered.
Maaran's eyes softened at her whisper. "You are strong Azora. No other child or dragonling would have survived as you did this far into their life. I know that if I had gone through what you had, I would be in complete despair and would only fail at trying to become a successful being in life." Maaran nudged her head gently with his. "I'll always see you as the daughter I never had and no matter what, I will always love you."
Azora whimpered as she let those words sink in slowly and after a few moments of just peaceful silence she said, "You don't have to fear you know because I see you as a second father to me as well…papa."
Maaran crooned in happiness at being accepted as a father figure to Azora and licked her head gently to show his gratefulness before sitting back and becoming a bit more serious. "I still need you to meet with Valka though." He said becoming amused at her whine of irritation.
"I really don't see the need to meet with the rider." Azora huffed. "I'll do fine! She's just another human after all."
"A species who have hurt you deeply ever since you were once human. Listen, you can judge on how close she can get to you each and everyday. It will be hard for you as it was on me to even think of a human even coming close to the one I loved so dearly but in doing so I was also harming you by being so scared at what would happen. Anthia, the King, and Valka all finally made me realize that in protecting you like the way I had been, I would also be damaging you in a way that could have destroyed you. That realization brought me back and I want you to realize that meeting with Valka will not change what you think of some humans but it will help you realize that others could be as kind and selfless as your father." Maaran watched as her eyes narrowed in thought before he added, "I will be there every step of the way little one and if anything should change your mind, we will depart from here and head back home once you are able to."
"Fine…" Azora said sighing. "I'll try but don't you think I'll enjoy it."
Maaran chuckled deeply. "Of course not."
/
Azora was completely baffled at the rider known as Valka. For four weeks, Valka had tried repeatedly to get close and every time Azora had tried to get her to go away she just kept on coming back to find her. She tried hiding in trees, flying with the herd, going into caves, and even hiding behind the King! Valka had found her every single time and today, she was now hiding in a little tunnel she made in the dirt herself and covering it up with loose grass to just get some space and peace from the constant story telling of Valka's rescuing of dragons. Azora knew she was being completely ridiculous with how she was acting but she had to grudgingly admit that Valka was good.
Azora also got some humor out of it though because apparently Maaran never told Valka that he could talk Norse only due to his age and Valka got it into her head that Azora could talk but wouldn't due to the fact she was a human. Azora would continue to let her think that for as long as she could as the amusement at least made it less boring at trying to heal more.
Suddenly, there was light and Azora knew that her hiding place had been discovered once again by Valka. She sighed as Valka started rambling on and on before something caught her attention that made her freeze in anger. Valka had been captured by the dragons almost ten years ago but once she discovered how gentle and caring they were, she never returned to her village. Now normally that would make Azora happy that at least one human had chosen to live with the dragons to understand them more but what made her not happy and instead angry was the fact she had left not only a husband but a baby boy behind as well.
She emerged from her hole and snarled at Valka before marching off to find Maaran completely happy that Valka did not follow her, sensing that she had said something that upset Azora deeply. 'She left her child?!' She thought angrily as memories of her own mother abandoning her came into her mind. 'A child who needed her, wanted her, not even knowing she is alive?!'
Azora soon came upon Maaran who was sitting with the King in a casual conversation and collapsed next to him in a curled position, seething in anger. "Azora?" Maaran asked in worry as he sensed her anger immediately. "What happened my little one? Did Valka find you again?"
"I wanna leave now papa." She growled.
"What happened?" Maaran gently asked.
"She abandoned her baby…" she said glaring at the ground. "She abandoned her child just because she wants to live here instead. A child who thinks she is dead and will never get to know a mothers love…a child that is just like me…"
Maaran was shocked and looked to the King. "Do you know of this?" He asked.
"I do not speak the human language well," the King said gently. "Cloudjumper informed me that he took Valka away from a human village as she was protecting a child but she never left so I was not aware she had one personally."
"So it is true." Azora snarled getting up and looking the King in the eye. "She did abandon her child without a second thought and for that reason, I refuse to be around her anymore. She did something I consider unforgivable and I will not associate myself with her until she finds and reconciles with her son if he even cares. I apologize but I think this stage of healing is now over and no matter how many times you order me to try King, I will not heed it. I will be in the hatchery for a while. I need the distraction of some dragonlings right now." Azora then turned and walked away from the two stunned dragons.
Maaran sighed heavily as he shook himself out of his shocked state. "I apologize for that outburst King." Maaran said with a sad and apologetic tone. "My daughter has a rough time with those who abandon others."
"Tell me so I may understand Maaran and then search out Valka. She will need to know of this as well." The king said with a wise tone as he turned his full undivided attention onto Maaran.
Maaran sighed but nodded as he started the story of how Azora and he met.
/
Valka had searched for Azora for two hours before deciding that she would have to go eat something before continuing the search. She knew that she had somehow upset Azora deeply but she couldn't really figure out the reason for it. She set her burned fish on the grass just outside her dwelling just about to eat when a clearing of a throat startled her into dropping the fish and looking up only to find herself being glared at with green eyes of a protective Maaran. "Oh Maaran," she said holding her chest as she picked her fish back up. "You certainly gave me a fright. What brings you here?"
Maaran sat down before saying, "My daughter came to me earlier and told me something that she had found angering about you."
Valka frowned. "I have told her a lot of things that could have angered her about myself."
"This one was a specific thing."
"And that would be?"
"Abandonment." Maaran said bluntly watching as Valka's eyes widened and her face paled. "You see Valka," he walked towards her slowly. "I may have agreed to have my daughter fight her own battles but this is one I will fight for her. You had my trust for a little bit but this revelation completely destroys it for both me and my daughter." He stopped right in front of her and bent his head down until he was nose to nose with her, his eyes narrowed.
"What do you mean?"
My daughter has had someone abandon her like how you did to her own child and she does not tolerate it any more than I do. She told me of how you abandoned your child and while Cloudjumper did take you, I do not hold him responsible for anything other than a poor decision. You however, I do hold responsible as your actions so far prove that you do not care for your child like you do with the dragons here. While you discovered that dragons are a peaceful species, you also willingly chose to stay here instead of going back and caring for your child. You abandoned him and Azora believes that makes you scum as you don't abandon dragons but did so to your own son. A child, a dragonling, who will grow up never knowing what truly happened to his mother other than what the village witnessed for themselves. You decided to leave him, abandon him, forget him all in the name of dragons who would still be here even hundreds of years later."
"You don't understand?!" Valka cried as tears started to run down her face.
"What don't I understand Valka?!" Maaran snarled as he pushed her onto the ground harshly with his head. "That you ran out on a child who might of understood your love of dragons therefore start a new age? That you are too much of a coward to face the tribe and family who believe you are dead and gone forevermore? You didn't even think of the consequences of what he could turn into!"
"He has his father! His father loves him!"
"And that makes it all better doesn't it? To only have him think that he only has one parent who is alive and the other is gone forever?"
"Stoick would have been crushed to pieces if he had lost Hiccup as well as me! I couldn't go back and stay knowing that they kill dragons who are only surviving! Hiccup can have a life there! He can have friends, allies, love, and-"
"Become a dragon killer just like every other human that is in that village!" Maaran roared. "You have lost all trust now Valka. Me, Anthia, and my daughter will be leaving in a few days and if you ever want an ounce of our trust back, you will tell your son and husband that you are alive and of what you did. The time to do that will be up to you but nothing will get better until you do." Maaran then turned and walked off leaving Valka on the floor crying, her food forgotten and her heart crushed.
/
By the time Maaran was able to find Azora,it was dark out and she had moved from the hatchery area to where Anthia and Cloudjumper were, laying down and talking quietly next to a small fire. "Azora?" He said calmly as he reached the group making her turn and look at him with sadness and anger deep in her eyes. "We'll leave in a couple days alright?"
"Alright papa." Azora said getting up. "Thank you for the talk guys. I really needed and appreciate it."
"Anytime dear." Anthia said.
"Of course Azora." Cloudjumper said.
"I'm going to get to bed." Azora turned a bit before looking at everyone. "Goodnight guys." She then walked off, her whole body sagging and her tail dragging along the ground, a testament on how exhausted she actually was from the days events.
"She told us what had happened with Valka." Cloudjumper said. "I do apologize for my rider bringing up such anger within the young one."
"It is fine but I believe that we need to get away from here for the rest of Azora's healing. She needs time to herself and I need to figure out how to teach her about-" Maaran cleared his throat. "Female issues."
Anthia chuckled at Maaran's awkwardness. "She is nearly at that age so I would be honored to teach her what is to be expected in just five or six years. Besides, I doubt she wants to be totally clueless when the season comes and her to be mate has to explain things to her because her father couldn't do it himself." Cloudjumper looked over at Anthia in shock at what she said.
"That isn't suppose to be spoken in such a crass manner!" Cloudjumper exclaimed.
"Oh learn to be more free Cloudjumper!" Anthia smirked.
Maaran rolled his eyes at the two in front of him. "Yes well, thank you for your offer Anthia." He said holding his composure while avoiding looking directly as her sly smile. "I'll see you in a couple days." He then walked away to join Azora in sleep.
"You are creepy Anthia." Cloudjumper deadpanned.
"Thank you for the compliment." Anthia retorted with an evil look on her face. "Now lets go to sleep."
"I think my sleep has evaded my body with how creepy you are looking…it's honestly scaring me a bit." he said warily.
"Oh Cloudjumper, you'll have to realize that no matter what species, females will always scare males. Go sleep or I will make you by smacking you into the next moon cycle.
Cloudjumper quickly got and flew away from Anthia but not before hearing her chuckle loudly as he did. 'Whoever said females aren't scary needs to meet Anthia for a reconsideration of the subject…' he thought.
/
All too soon, the couple days came and went and Azora along with Maaran were ready and prepared to go back home with Anthia. They had already said their goodbyes and took off through the glacier of ice as soon as the wind picked up outside. Azora was relieved to finally be on the way to her home as she worked hard to prove to Maaran that she could handle long distances but Maaran ordered her to just take it easy and not do any tricks as she loved to do while on their way. Anthia was on the lookout for any ships and if she saw any, they would fly above the cloud line until it was safe.
Valka had watched them leave the glacier home with a heavy heart but continued to do her duties, the words of Maaran running through her head constantly but she would think about what Maaran had said and try her best to build up the courage to try and even tackle the monumental task that was given to her.
She just hoped that she would be able to make things right with Azora. She needed supports and even if she hated Valka, she would still be there for Azora no matter what.
/
Far off, a dark chuckle came from within a castle as a huge figure cloaked in black looked down upon a slightly smaller figure as they sat in a throne-like chair in the middle of an empty room. "So Ragnok," a dark voice said. "Do you think you can capture these nightfuries?"
"I have full confidence in my capabilities of capturing them." The smaller figure, Ragnok, said as he bowed before the figure. "While I am not sure if the bigger of the two is a potential mate or not, the smaller one is definitely an unclaimed female. She is too small to be of age for a dragon and she did not let out as many calls when in the arena unlike dragons that are mated."
"What is your plan for them then?" The cloaked figure asked. "I need at least the female to be delivered here unharmed."
"My plan was to use a new mixture that had been successfully tested to make two dragons copulate together. With this mixture, the eggs that the dragon's produce can be sold to civilians for food or dragon hunters to hatch and become training tools."
"I do not have need of a female fury who has eggs from another. Why should I let you go through with this plan for it?"
"We have noticed that if a mated female is bred with another dragon, she will become completely compliant to the new dragon. The male will feel the need to free his mate but he will be weaker due to the broken bond and more susceptible to capture."
"And if she has eggs already when you capture her? Will she be unable to feel the need to mate?"
"We are currently working on a mixture that can be used for that scenario as the mixture right now is unable to override the protective instincts of the nesting mother."
"Hmmm." The figure leaned forward. "This female is the creature I need in order to make my kingdom, do you understand this Ragnok?"
"I do my king."
"I am not enjoying the thought of this female getting claimed by another male however. She is more valuable to me unclaimed by any other dragon but if it is true of what you say of the female becoming compliant to the new male then I suppose I can over look this oversight of yours." The figure leaned back once again. "How long do you think it will take until this female is grown enough to mate?"
"Judging by the size difference that was told to me, I would have to hazard a guess between four and six years but until I capture her and use the mixture, I will be uncertain if she will be ready. A juvenile is unable to feel their need to mate until just a few months before they turn of age which is within those years I said for all other dragons so I am sure she will be the same."
"Very well. I also want you to toy with the nightfuries a little. Make them feel hope at times only to crush it. Make their confidence crumble after making them feel a sense of safety."
"Of course my king. I know usually if the dragons we capture are followed by a herd to be tried to get rescued, we release them with little fuss as to avoid bloodshed."
"Avoid bloodshed?" The king asked inquisitively. "Why avoid bloodshed?"
"The scent of blood either alerts the dragons in the area of our presence or makes the dragons we capture to unnerved to mate properly. We have learned to stay away from any needless bloodshed in order to further our goals of making a profit."
"Are you willing to give me some of this mixture? I would like to see for myself the affect this would have on the female fury."
"I am unsure if I can give you any now as it is still a work in progress but I am sure when the time comes, I will have enough proper mixture fit for a king but it will be sold to you as we do need to make a profit every way we can."
"Very well."
"If I may ask my king, why are you so interested in the female fury in specific? Wouldn't it be easier to have both so you can use the mixture properly?" Ragnok looked up at the king.
A dark and sinister chuckle echoed throughout the room before a huge shadow behind the king's chair rose revealing blood red eyes that spoke of only battle thirst and hunger for chaos. "It's because my friend here will be much more valuable to bring offspring into the world than any other male this female would choose. She will learn her place just like any other pet and he will make sure she knows only pain and misery until she does."
Ragnok shuddered lightly before rising up, bowing to the king, turning, and heading back to where he docked his ship. He had work to do for the upcoming years and he couldn't wait to get started on his profits.