I'm glad you all have been enjoying my return to this story, and I'm glad some of you enjoyed the rather blatant reference to the 2018 Venom film. Anyway, here is the next chapter!
A servant girl stood in front of Indi holding a bowl of water. He washed the blood from his arm, wiping away the crimson liquid with a wet cloth. Sleuther stood next to him, standing guard.
Indi noticed that the servant showed some fear of the dragon, but she was doing her best to hide it.
Once he was satisfied, Indi set the cloth on the edge of the bowl. The girl nodded and left with a curtsey.
Indi stepped into the castle, Sleuther following behind him.
The pair walked through the halls, Sleuther's footsteps lightly thumping on the floor. Servants and castle visitors all moved aside as the pair passed through.
Indi reached his room and opened the door.
"Wait here, Sleuther." The dragon snorted and curled out outside of his rider's door. Indi changed from his blood-stained clothes. Luckily, the blood did not show too much since the fabric was red.
He changed into the clothes he brought with him from Arendelle, which had been washed by the castle staff.
He exited the room and rejoined with Sleuther. The pair went through the halls, making sure everyone was alright.
The battle had been over for a few hours, the night sky finally blanketing the kingdom. Lanterns and candles lit the halls, providing plenty of light.
Indi led Sleuther along, walking aimlessly. Soon, they found themselves at the threshold of a room that had been hastily converted into a makeshift infirmary. Several men and women in white were caring for the injured soldiers. Indi knocked on the the doorframe.
"My lord," a woman dressed in a simple white gown said, bowing deeply. "Do you require treatment?"
Indi shook his head. "I do not. Thank you, though. I simply came by to see how these brave men are faring."
"Oh, my apologies, my lord," the woman began.
"Let him in!" a familiar voice said. Indi looked to see General Markus rise from the bedside of one of his men. The woman stepped aside, and Indi entered.
"General Markus," Indi said as he held out his hand. "How is everyone?" The men shook hands.
"We unfortunately lost quite a few good men," Markus said solemnly. "But thanks to Queen Elsa, yourself, and your dragon Sleuther, it is certainly not as bad as it could have been."
"We were just happy we could help," Indi said as Sleuther stepped into the room, attracting the attention of almost everyone present. "However, Sleuther currently refuses to stay outside. He feels he must stay with me."
"A protective creature, is he?" Markus asked.
"Extremely."
The dragon approached one of the injured men. The man's eyes widened as Sleuther brought his head close and snorted lightly.
"It's alright, soldier," Markus said. Sleuther sniffed the man's injuries. Indi saw the red seeping through the bandages. Sleuther gently nudged the man's arm. The man glanced over at Indi, who nodded.
The soldier slowly sat up and put his hand out. Sleuther sniffed the man's hand, before rubbing it with his snout. The soldier spoke in a whisper. "Never in all my days…"
Sleuther left the man, moving on to the next, who was slightly more hesitant to touch, but Sleuther rubbed his arm with his scaly face, breaking the tension. By the third man, all of the injured were sitting up, awaiting their turn. Even the attending doctors and nurses warmed up to the dragon's presence, carefully working around him while performing their duties.
After everyone had touched Sleuther, under the watchful eye of Indi and Markus, two servants entered the room and stopped dead in their tracks, their eyes widening as they nearly dropped the firewood they were carrying. Sleuther had settled down somewhat in the center of the room, curled up like a giant cat.
Markus motioned for them to enter. The servants carefully stepped around Sleuther and set their loads into a wood rack that sat near the small fireplace. Passing nervous glances over their shoulder at the peacefully relaxing dragon, the servants made a small pile of wood in the fireplace, before one of them removed a flint and steel set from their pocket.
"No need for that, gentlemen. Step back." Indi said. "Sleuther, would you mind?" The servants scurried out of the way as Sleuther rose and approached the fireplace. He inhaled, before releasing a small blast of flame, igniting the wood. After a moment, Sleuther stepped away and lay back down, watching the people around him.
Indi smiled, turning to the general. "Should you need anything else that we could help with, don't hesitate to send someone for us."
Markus smiled. "You've done more than enough, Sir Indi. Nonetheless, I appreciate the offer."
Indi nodded and began to leave the room. "Sleuther. Come, boy." The dragon rose from his spot, following his rider back into the hall.
Indi noticed that the visitors to the castle, though visibly shaken from the attack, also seemed more curious than fearful about the dragon and his rider.
Elsa sat quietly as the servants removed the pins from her hair. The servants led her to her bath, where they cleaned her skin of dirt and soot.
The night was quite eventful, more so than she had initially expected. The attack by dragon hunters on the Southern Isles was sudden, and though she and Indi had done their best to help, several soldiers lost their lives, and more were injured.
As her bath finished, she was dressed in a simple evening gown, and her hair was set into a loose braid.
She dismissed the servants and left the room. She walked through the halls, her shoes clicking on the floor.
There was almost nobody in the halls, save for a few guards who walked their patrols, the men bowing respectfully when they saw her.
As she passed by a window, she saw a large shape lying in the courtyard. She shook her head and descended a flight of stairs.
She exited the castle, and saw, sitting outside underneath the stars, in a dark corner of the courtyard, a dragon and his rider. Indi was leaning back on Sleuther's flank, his eyes closed. Glancing across the courtyard, Elsa saw a small team of guards presiding over the hole that the dragon hunters had opened in the wall. Many of them were holding lanterns.
Looking back to Indi, she quietly made her way over to him and sat down next to him. Indi opened his eyes and smiled softly.
"Hi."
"Hello."
"Is everything alright?" Indi asked, sitting up.
"All things considered, yes," Elsa said. "Could we take a walk?"
Indi nodded and rose. "Stay here, Sleuther." Sleuther snorted as he turned his head away, his eyes remaining closed.
The pair nodded to the guards as they left the courtyard, the men bowing respectfully.
The town outside of the castle was bustling. People were running their stores and shops into the evening. Each doorway had a lit lantern, and many of the windows had candles flickering in them.
"Thank you," a man said, bowing deeply.
"You likely saved us all," a woman said, curtsying as the pair passed by.
Word seemed to have traveled quickly about the roles of the visitors in defending the Southern Isles.
As the pair walked by, a small horde of children were chasing a ball through the streets. The ball bounced towards them, and Indi stepped forward, lightly kicking the toy back to the group.
Elsa smiled. "Indi?"
"Hm?" the young knight said.
"Could I ask you something?" Indi nodded, and the pair found a quiet area away from most people. "When you were holding Hans… what did I see?"
Indi frowned. "I… I don't know. It just… happened." He would not forget the look that Elsa gave him when he had killed Hoskins. "I'm sorry I scared you."
Elsa sighed, saying nothing.
"I'm honestly just as confused as you are, but it seems that, slowly, my abilities are coming back. They're just… kinda different."
"We'll figure it out." Elsa took Indi's hand. "Together."
Indi smiled softly.
The next morning, Indi woke up to the sound of men's voices. He rose from his spot next to Sleuther, rubbing his eyes. Several men were working to repair where the castle walls were breached. Sleuther yawned, his large teeth glinting in the morning light, before nudging his rider with his snout.
"Alright," Indi said, rubbing the dragon's head. "Let me go get changed, and we'll go flying." Sleuther extended his wings, stretching them upwards with a groan.
Indi walked into the castle, taking note of the servants scurrying about.
He went to his room and changed into a nice blue outfit, the vest ivory in color. He splashed some water onto his face. As he left his room, he saw some of the visiting nobles also exiting their rooms. He nodded to them, and many returned the gesture in kind.
He went back to the courtyard, retrieved Sleuther's saddle, and strapped it to the dragon's back. The pair were soon in the air, flying over the ocean, which still had large chunks of ice floating in it. The dragon hunters' flagship was still held from the water by raised spears of ice. Two of its masts were snapped off, and charred wood was along the deck and some of the hull.
As Sleuther shot a fire blast at the water and snapped up the now-floating fish, Indi made a mental note to himself to discuss the ship with Elsa.
As the pair flew over the docks, Indi saw that they were free of ice. He wondered when Elsa had thawed them out. Men were working to load a ship with crates and barrels, and Sleuther roared a greeting. The men looked up, shielding their eyes from the morning sun, and waved. Indi waved back, and Sleuther glided over a ship, before landing in the castle's courtyard.
"I'll be back, Sleuther," Indi said as he dismounted. He went into the castle and went to Elsa's room. He knocked on the door with a knuckle.
After a moment, a voice responded. "Enter."
Indi opened the door and saw Elsa having her hair combed by one of the handmaidens that had been assigned to her.
"Sir Indi," Elsa said. "I thought that would be you."
"Queen Elsa," Indi said. "I'd like to discuss something with you."
Elsa looked at the young knight pensively before gently dismissing the servant. As the woman left with a bow, Elsa spoke. "What's on your mind?"
"I took Sleuther out flying this morning," Indi began.
"I saw."
"I was wondering if we could go check out the ship and see if they have anything we could use."
"That's not a bad idea," Elsa said, nodding slowly. "I don't see why not. But King Isak wants us to attend court this morning after breakfast."
The pair had their meal privately in Elsa's room, before making their way to the throne room. Just as they were leaving, Indi saw a sheet of paper that had drawings of several dragons on it. He picked it up and brought it with them.
The pair were stopped by a servant partway to the throne room.
"Your Highness, my lord, I apologize," he said. "I have been instructed that the king wants you to bring your dragon with you." Elsa and Indi looked at each other for a moment.
"Wait here," Indi said, passing the sheet of paper to Elsa. "I'll go get him." Elsa nodded, and Indi jogged down the halls. King Isak wanted to include Sleuther in court today? That was unusual, though certainly progress.
He opened the doors to the courtyard and whistled a sharp tune. "Sleuther! Here, boy!" After a moment, Sleuther glided down from the castle roof, landing in front of the knight.
Indi stepped aside and held the doors open. "Come on in." The dragon rumbled and stepped inside.
Indi led Sleuther through the halls. Everyone they passed widened their eyes at the sight of the Triple Stryke. They were soon reunited with Elsa, who passed the sheet of paper back to the knight. The small group pressed on and was soon by the doors to the throne room.
"I'll let them that you've arrived," the servant said, ducking through the doors.
The unusual trio stood outside for a second before a loud voice came from the other side. "Presenting Queen Elsa of Arendelle, Sir Indi Rex of Arendelle, and their dragon Sleuther."
Indi smiled at the inclusion of his dragon by name.
The doors in front of them opened, and they walked inside. The room was full of people, with a clear path down the center. On the other side of the room were King Isak and Queen Olivia, and their children on either side. All of them sat in thrones.
The crowd parted a little more, making room for Sleuther. Indi glanced over at the dragon, who shook his head and looked at the people around him.
After a moment, the visitors stopped. Elsa tipped her head and Indi bowed.
"Queen Elsa," King Isak said. "Sir Indi. I want to officially thank you for your efforts in protecting my kingdom. Had you not been present, things might have fared much worse.
"Let it be known. These three personally put their lives in harm's way to protect this kingdom and its people. Even Sleuther here placed himself between our attackers and myself and our soldiers. You three and anyone you vouch for and call friends will always be welcome in the Southern Isles."
"Thank you," Elsa said. "Your honor us, King Isak."
Indi smiled. "Oh! We actually have something for Princess Selma here." He stepped forward and held out the sheet of parchment. The princess accepted it, looking it over with a smile. "You were quite interested in dragons when we first met, Princess. What you have there is a small selection of some of the dragons I have met on my journeys."
"Thank you, Sir Indi," Selma said. Indi nodded with a smile and stepped back.
"We have a question for you, King Isak," Elsa said. Isak raised his eyebrows and motioned for Elsa to continue. "You still have one of the dragon hunters' ships just offshore. We were wondering if some of your men would like to accompany us to investigate the vessel. There may be some useful items on board."
Isak sat back on his throne, seeming to mull it over for a moment. "I think something can be arranged. You will be going as well, I trust."
"Yes. We both have spent time around and onboard those ships," Indi said.
King Isak nodded. "Very well. I will send word-" He was cut off as Sleuther growled, turning his head to look at a door. Elsa placed her hand on the dragon's head, watching the door as well. The crowd around them murmured.
Indi knelt down next to Sleuther. "What is it, boy?"
Suddenly, the door burst open, and in walked Prince Hans, who was in shackles and being escorted by two soldiers. Indi squinted at him. Hans was placed directly in front of his brother, who stared at him coldly. Indi noticed Queen Olivia reach over and hold her son's hand. Sleuther snarled, dragging his tail across the floor.
"Prince Hans," Isak said. "In response to your attempts to sell the queen, prince, and princess into bondage to our enemies, as well as plotting and assisting in an attack on our soil-"
"You have no proof that I did that, brother," Hans said, straightening himself.
Indi rose. "I was there. As was Queen Elsa, the aforementioned victims, several soldiers, and General Markus."
Hans glared daggers at the knight. "Stay out of this."
"I'm already in it!" Indi said, throwing his hands up. He noticed King Isak sitting back on his throne. The king nodded his permission. "Let's see… you plotted and attempted to take over Arendelle and kill Queen Elsa, you came back and shot my friend in another attack on Arendelle, you spread rumors about Queen Elsa and myself, and you attacked me here in the castle… need I go on?" The crowd around them murmured. "Then there's this latest stunt of yours. I must say, we are quite involved at this point."
"You lowly, good-for-nothing, peasant monster," Hans growled.
Indi turned to Elsa. "I'm gonna tear his head off."
"No," Elsa said, holding out her hand.
"If I don't, then fine... Sleuther can eat him."
"No," Elsa said, before seeming to mull it over for an instant. "Not yet."
"Prince Hans," Isak said. "You have brought more than enough shame onto this family and this kingdom, as well as committed treasonous acts against us. I should put you to death.
"However, as an act of kindness to our mother the Dowager Queen Isabelle, I have decided to let you live and banish you from the kingdom. You are leave in three days' time and take only necessities."
Hans was silent for a few moments, the crowd murmuring. "Where am I supposed to go?"
"Wherever you can," Isak said. "Take him away." The guards took Hans by the shoulders and led him away. Isak sighed, looking at Olivia for a moment before turning back to the matter at hand.
"Queen Elsa, Sir Indi, I will send word to General Markus and have him accompany you to the ship."
Elsa nodded. "Thank you, King Isak."
"Father," Princess Selma said. "Could I go with Queen Elsa and Sir Indi to the ship?" Isak looked unsure, glancing at his wife, who shrugged slightly.
"We'll keep her safe," Elsa said with a smile.
Isak nodded. "Very well. If they tell you to do something, you will do it. Without question."
"Thank you, father!" Selma said.
Indi glanced at Elsa and leaned in close, muttering quietly. "It seems I'll make a dragon rider of her yet." Elsa could only smile and shake her head in bemusement.
Indi stood outside the castle, petting Sleuther. The sun was nearing its apex, and it was nearly time to go to the ship.
"Sir Indi!" a voice said. The knight turned to see General Markus approaching, with several men behind him.
"General," Indi said reaching his hand out.
Markus took his hand and gave it a hearty shake. "You need our assistance?"
"I do," Indi said, noticing Elsa and the royal family exotic the castle and making their way over. "I thought you'd like to see what we're up against here."
Markus nodded and turned, noticing the approaching royals. "Your Majesties."
"General," Isak said. "Look after my daughter. She wishes to accompany you all."
"Of course," Markus said.
"Shall we press on?" Elsa said.
Indi nodded. "Let's go." The group left the castle, the princess staying close to Queen Elsa and Sir Indi. As they made their way down to the docks, Markus fell in step with Indi.
"Your dragon saved us," he said. "We were almost set upon, and yet he placed himself between us and our attackers. I wanted to thank him for that." Sleuther rumbled in response, earning a smile from the general. "What should we expect to find on this ship?"
"A myriad of things," Indi said, clearing his throat. "Cages, weapons, perhaps some gold."
The group reached the docks and Elsa formed a walkway of ice for them to take. Sleuther took flight, flying in circles overhead. Out in the harbor, held up on thick spears of ice, was the lone ship. Its sails were partially burned and blew in tatters in the wind.
Beneath the walkway Elsa created, the harbor churned, and large chunks of ice floated, bumping into each other. They reached the ship, and Elsa made a stairway that led to the deck of the ship. Indi climbed upwards after her, followed by Princess Selma, and then General Markus and the soldiers.
His feet thunked onto the wooden deck. Sleuther landed nearby, looking around nervously. Indi went over to him and held out his hand. Sleuther sucked his head, placing his snout beneath his rider's palm. "I know, buddy. I don't like it either."
Markus stepped over to them. "Where should we start first?"
Indi rubbed Sleuther's head, glancing over at Elsa. "Let's head below deck." Indi led the group over to a thick wooden door, and opened it, the hinges creaking.
Stepping down the stairwell, he led them inside. Reaching the bottom, Indi's eyes adjusted, and a foul smell assaulted his nose, making his eyes water. He turned away, retching.
"What is it, Ind-" Elsa began, before reacting violently.
In the large cells were dragon corpses, their flesh rotting.
Indi breathed deeply as Markus took the Princess in his arms, turning her away. "Don't look."
Sleuther stepped up to his rider, crooning. Indi rubbed the dragon's head and forced himself to look back at the corpses in the cages. The bodies were emaciated, even in their state of decomposition.
"What sort of people could do this?" one of the soldiers asked, his face taking on a green tint.
"This is beyond cruel," Markus said. "They were left in here to starve."
"This was long before they arrived here," Indi said. "My first time on one of these ships, I was captured. They would use the dragons for anything they could make: their spines, hides, horns… This goes beyond that." Indi walked on, Sleuther staying very close.
From the darkness, a voice called out. "Hello? Who's there?"
The group ran down the hallway. In one of the cells were several young people. They were dressed in rags, and dirt covered their faces. Bruises marred their bodies. Quickly scanning them, Elsa saw that there were five of them: two men and three women.
"Help us, please!" a young woman said, gripping the bars.
Markus grabbed onto the bars, pulling hard. "Blast! We need to find a key." He slapped his hand on the lock.
"Step aside," Elsa said, putting out her hand. The general stepped away and a stream of magic left Elsa's fingers, shooting into the keyhole. Slowly, the ice grew inside the lock, before the mechanisms exploded with a loud bang. Indi stepped forward to join the general as Elsa made her ice disappear. The men pulled hard, and the cell door creaked open. They stepped inside, helping the prisoners to their feet.
"Come," General Markus said, helping the first woman out of the cell. "It's all over now. You are safe."
The newcomers gasped and backpedaled.
"What is that?" one of the men said, his voice shaky as he pointed to the Triple Stryke.
"That's Sleuther," Elsa said. "He's a friend."
"Where are we?" one of the freed women said.
"The Southern Isles," Markus said, before turning to some of his men. "Take them up on deck. I want one of you to go back and get several waterskins." The soldiers set to work, gently guiding the prisoners down the hallway.
Indi stepped close to the general as the soldiers and former captives left. "Once we get them cleaned up and fed, we'll have to do what we can to get them back to where they came from. They might have families that are looking for them."
"Agreed." General Markus nodded. "Princess, are you-"
"This one is alive!" Princess Selma shouted. Indi ran over to the cage she was looking into. Sure enough, in that cage were two dragons. Both were Deadly Nadders. One, a larger blue individual, was dead. The other was smaller and green in color, with smaller horns and spikes. It lay still but was breathing slightly.
Elsa stepped over and broke the lock with her magic. Indi opened the door and stepped inside cautiously, and Selma followed him inside. They knelt down quietly, and Indi slowly reached out to touch the dragon.
The little Nadder snapped its eyes open and squawked, lunging at Indi's hand. Indi yanked his hand away.
"Easy now," Indi said quietly. "I'm a friend."
Selma carefully put her hand out. "It's okay." The dragon slowly rose on weak legs.
"Be careful, Princess," General Markus said.
"She's doing well," Indi said, hiding a smile at what was likely to happen.
"You're probably hungry," Selma said. "We have food we can give you."
From outside the cage, Sleuther snorted, getting the Deadly Nadder's attention. Elsa placed a gentle hand on Sleuther's neck, and the dragon rumbled gently.
The little Nadder stepped forward slowly, sniffing the princess's hand. Selma held her breath for a moment, and the dragon placed its snout under her palm.
Indi let his smile show, stepping forward slowly. "Congrats, princess."
"What do I do now?" she said softly, rubbing the dragon's nose.
"Let's get this little one out of here," Indi said. "Take them up on deck. Sleuther, go with them, buddy."
The dragon snorted and crooned deeply, calling the Deadly Nadder out of the cage. The young dragon looked back at the dead adult one last time, before walking out of the cage. As they left, Indi began checking the other cages. Several Monstrous Nightmares, another Deadly Nadder, and a Speed Stinger. The rest of the dragons in them were certainly dead.
Elsa placed a hand on his shoulder. "Are you okay?"
Indi tilted his head to lay his cheek on Elsa's hand for a moment, her cool skin comforting. "I know there's nothing we could have done to save them, but I still feel terrible."
"Let's hurry up and get out of here."
Indi nodded, and the small group pressed on, locating the captain's quarters. Elsa and General Markus stepped inside. The room had a hammock, a desk and chair, and a rack that held weapons and armor. Several partially used candles dotted the room.
On the desk were several papers and a map that showed the Southern Isles, Arendelle, and quite a few other locations. On a shelf was a small chest. General Markus opened it, discovering a small pile of gold and silver coins. He nodded, satisfied, and clicked the chest shut, before removing it from its spot.
Finding nothing more of interest, the group left, making their way up on deck.
The fresh ocean air flooded into their lungs, purging the immediate scent of decay from their senses.
For a moment, Indi noticed Sleuther was missing, until the dragon landed nearby, dropping fish onto the deck, which the young Deadly Nadder snapped up.
One of the soldiers returned to the ship, carrying waterskins. He passed them to the rescued prisoners, who drank eagerly.
Indi went over to pet Sleuther.
"We saw the hunters capture these dragons," one of the women said. "We were fearful at first, but our hearts went out to them as they cried out. They were hungry like we were. We quickly learned to fear the men more than the beasts."
Elsa stepped over to them. "You're safe now." One of the rescuees slightly squinted at the woman with platinum-blonde hair.
"You're Queen Elsa of Arendelle," he said, falling to his knees, bowing his head.
"That I am," Elsa said with a smile and a nod. "But let us dispense with the formalities for now and get you all to shore. General Markus?"
"Yes, Your Majesty?"
"Is there anything else of value that we found on this ship?"
"I don't think so, Your Majesty," Markus said, shifting the chest underneath his arm. "Just this."
Elsa nodded. "Good. Let's get these people to safety."
The soldiers began leading the survivors off of the ship and down the walkway of ice.
Indi stepped over to Princess Selena, who was kneeling near the Deadly Nadder. The dragon was about 12 feet long and 5 feet tall. Its forest-green body was marked with yellow stripes, while the horn on its nose, the spikes on the back of its head, and the belly were all a pale cream color. "How about we get you and your new friend here home?"
The princess nodded and rose. Sleuther gently nudged the dragon with his snout, urging it forward.
Sleuther landed in the castle's courtyard, and Indi dismounted. The group from the ship soon entered the courtyard as well.
"Sir Indi," Markus said. Indi strode over. "Come with me. We must inform the king and queen of what we found." Indi nodded, before turning to Elsa.
"Go," she said. "I'll keep an eye on things out here." Indi nodded and walked into the castle with the general. They made their way to the throne room. After being announced, they entered. Several people making up the royal court were present.
The pair of men stood in front of the king and queen, bowing.
"General Markus, Sir Indi," King Isak said. "What have you found on the ship?"
"There wasn't much in terms of useful items," Markus said. "This chest of gold and silver was the main item we found." He carried it forward and set it on the ground in front of the royals, opening it for them to see the contents.
Indi took a breath. "We also found some young men and women that were trapped on the ship in a cell. They were forcefully taken from their homes."
"Do we know where they are from?" Queen Olivia asked.
"Not yet," Markus said. "It would likely be best to get them fed, cleaned, and settled before we inquire about their origins." The queen nodded.
"In addition to the prisoners," Indi continued, swallowing a lump in his throat. "There were several dragons in the cages as well. Almost all of them were starved to death."
"What of those that survived?" Isak asked.
"That leads us to our next dilemma," Indi said. "If you'll follow me to the courtyard..."
The royals nodded and rose, followed by the members of their court.
Indi led them to the castle's courtyard and opened the door. He gestured to Princess Selma, who was sitting and gently stroking the green dragon. Elsa and Sleuther were nearby, keeping an eye on them.
Indi gestured to the girl. "Your daughter has bonded with the surviving dragon," he said, doing his best to keep his pride hidden.
The king and queen stared at their daughter for a moment, and Indi walked over. He knelt next to the princess and the dragon. "A young female Deadly Nadder and she's quite underweight," Indi said, examining the Nadder's head. "Some food and fresh water will help. As well as some light exercise to gradually build up that muscle."
"Should we let her keep it?" Isak said quietly to his wife.
"Unfortunately, you don't really have a choice," Elsa said, smiling. "The bond between a dragon and a human is almost unbreakable. That dragon will protect her with her life. With some training, she certainly wouldn't be a bad thing to have."
"Sir Indi, when can I ride her?" Selma asked.
"Not for a while," Indi said, gently petting the dragon's head. "She is still quite young. But you can still play with her and train her. Riding will take time." Selma nodded. Indi stepped over to Elsa and spoke softly. "I'm gonna take Sleuther and go burn that ship. Once it's nearly gone, could you sink it?"
"Of course," Elsa said. Indi went over to Sleuther and climbed onto his back. He tapped the dragon's sides with his heels wordlessly and Sleuther launched into the air. Indi hung on to the saddle, directing Sleuther over the dragon hunters' ship.
"I'm sorry we couldn't help you," he whispered. "Please forgive us." Sleuther turned his head to look back at his rider. Indi nodded. "Fire, Sleuther."
The dragon inhaled, before shooting fire at the ship, the wooded boards making up the hull igniting. They pair banked after each fireblast, torching the ship in different areas. After several passes, the ship was fully ablaze. Sleuther hovered, his wings beating rhythmically as he observed his work.
After a few moments, Indi directed Sleuther back to the castle. As they glided overhead, Indi saw Elsa climbing up into the wall. Sleuther landed nearby and Indi dismounted, slowly walking over to Elsa. The pair stood near each other, watching the conflagration engulf the ship. Elsa put an arm around Indi's back, who returned the gesture in kind.
After some time, the ship started to collapse, burning wood snapping under its own weight.
As the ship broke apart, Elsa reached out a hand, and the ice in the harbor disappeared.
As the burning ship sank beneath the waves, steam joined with smoke, both clouds floating into the air, before being carried away by the wind.
The pair spent the rest of the day together quietly, with Indi occasionally leaving Elsa to check in Sleuther and the young Deadly Nadder, who both stayed in the courtyard.
Indi and Elsa had quiet, private meals together, before going on a gentle dragon ride that evening, watching the sunset.
The next day, Indi rose from his bed early. He threw on some clothes, washed his face, and fixed his hair, before making his way to the courtyard.
As he entered the large space, he saw Princess Selma sitting next to the pair of dragons. Sleuther watched as she petted her dragon, the young Nadder sitting comfortably. Indi smiled and walked over.
"How are they this morning, Princess?" he said.
Selma looked over at him. "They're alright. I think mine is hungry." Sleuther rose from his spot, stretching his wings.
"They're both hungry," Indi said, petting his dragon on the head. "Wanna go fishing, buddy?" Sleuther snorted, nudging Indi with his snout. "Alright, alright. I'll be right back, Princess." Selma nodded, and Indi went to the stables to retrieve Sleuther's saddle.
"We're going to go get Sleuther some breakfast," Indi said as he began to attach the saddle to Sleuther's back. "Would you like to come with us?"
"Can I?" Selma asked.
Indi shrugged as he tightened the saddle strapped. "I offered."
"I'd love to!" The girl sprung to her feet, and Indi helped her up onto Sleuther's back, before climbing on himself.
"We're going take this nice and easy, buddy," Indi said, patting Sleuther's neck. "Princess, this is your second lesson. Hold onto me. We're going to go slow." Selma placed her hands on Indi's shoulders.
Sleuther stretched his wings into the air, before leaping into the air. The princess immediately wrapped her arms around Indi's torso, clinging to him.
Indi laughed. "You're alright." He looked back, and saw the young Nadder squawking, flapping her wings.
"Come on!" Selma said. Sleuther came to a hover, and the smaller dragon flapped her wings as she ran, taking flight.
"Yes!" Indi said. "Let's go fishing!"
Sleuther let the Nadder fly up to him before leading her out to the harbor. He flew over the water and released a blast of fire, stunning several fish. He snapped up several before his companion grabbed the others. Both dragons swallowed their fish down.
Sleuther repeated the routine, letting the Nadder have the first pick of fish.
"You know," Indi said. "You should probably pick a name for her."
"I wouldn't know where to start," Selma said, watching as her dragon snapped down a fish.
"Well, people I know who have dragons generally give them strong names. There's Meatlug, Hookfang, Skullcrusher, Stormfly, Windshear…" He intentionally left out the more unusual names like Toothless, Barf, and Belch.
Next to them, the young dragon dove, shooting a jet of fire at the water, before rising back up with a small fish.
The princess was quiet for a few moments, watching as her dragon tossed the fish into the air and blasting it with fire, before catching it and swallowing the cooked meal. "What about 'Cinder'?"
"Cinder?" Indi repeated. "That's a good one." The young dragon shot overhead, earning a roar from Sleuther. "Let's head back. We don't want her to tire out too much."
Elsa walked through the halls of the castle. She encountered Queen Olivia.
"Queen Elsa," Olivia said. "Would you like to join me for breakfast?"
"Of course," Elsa said. The pair made their way to the dining hall, where they sat down at the table. They were the only ones present.
"How did you sleep?" Olivia asked.
"Very well, thank you," Elsa said.
A servant walked up to them, carrying a kettle. "Tea, Your Majesties?"
The women nodded. As they were served their beverages, Elsa spoke.
"If it's alright with you, I think Sir Indi and myself will be leaving in a couple of days. I need to get back to Arendelle."
"Of course," Olivia said as the servant finished pouring the tea. She lifted her cup and took a sip. "But you both are welcome to stay as long as you like."
"And we appreciate your hospitality," Elsa said with a smile.
The doors to the dining hall slammed open, and in rushed a woman. She wore black and had black hair and pale skin. Her eyes were wide and she was shaking. Prince Colby followed her into the room.
"Go sit," the woman said. The young boy did as he was told, sitting next to her mother. The black-haired woman curtsied. "Y-your Majesties."
"What is it, Tabitha?" Olivia said, setting down her cup.
"It's the princess," Tabitha said, wringing her hands. "She's missing."
Olivia sprung from her chair. "What?"
"S-she wasn't in her room," the governess said. "I checked the entire castle."
Olivia rushed from the room, Elsa quickly following after her. Their feet clicked on the floor as they rushed through the halls. Olivia turned and burst into a room.
"Selma!" She entered, looking around. She rushed over to the bed, looking underneath, before rushing to the closet and throwing the doors open. "Selma, where are you?"
"Has she ever hidden like this before?" Elsa asked.
"Never," Olivia said, her eyes widening. "Oh God... What if Hans took her?"
"He should still be in his cell, correct?" Elsa asked, to which Olivia nodded. "Let's go see."
The pair of queens went down the hall, descending several flights of stairs.
A guard stood at attention outside of a heavy iron door. He bowed as soon as he saw the queens approaching.
"Open the door," Olivia commanded. The guard gave a nod, removed a key from his belt, and unlocked the door, opening it for the women to enter. The pair went inside, and Elsa saw several people in the cells, many of them men. Some of them called out sordid things.
The guard that was escorting them through the hall banged on the bars. "Show some respect!"
Olivia stopped in front of a cell and looked inside. "Hans!"
The man inside the cell looked up. "Ah, Olivia. Or should I say, Queen Olivia? And Queen Elsa as well." Hans rose, bowing mockingly. "To what do I owe the pleasure of you two gracing me with your presence?"
"Where is Princess Selma?" Elsa asked, scowling.
"How should I know?" Hans said, walking over to the cell door. "I've been in here."
"Damn it, Hans!" Olivia shouted, reaching through the bars and grabbing Hans by the collar. "Where is my daughter?!"
Hans's eyes widened. "I don't know." His eyes drifted to Elsa. "Why don't you ask her monstrous toy? He might have eaten her, or worse. Perhaps he's done what he's done to Elsa here." Olivia released Hans, shoving him away.
"Let's go to the courtyard," Elsa said, placing a hand on Olivia's shoulder. "We can find Indi there." Olivia nodded and the women left, the guard locking the door behind them. Olivia led Elsa to the doors to the courtyard and they exited the castle.
Elsa looked around. "Sleuther is gone. Indi is probably with him." The Deadly Nadder that Selma had bonded with was also missing.
A shadow passed overhead. The pair looked up and saw the large form of Sleuther glide down, followed by the young Nadder.
Indi dismounted and helped Princess Selma down from Sleuther's back. Elsa heard Olivia gasp in relief beside her. The mother ran over and hugged her daughter.
"You silly girl!" Olivia said. "I was so worried. Tell me next time before you run off like that."
"I'm sorry, mother," Selma said. "But I'm fine. Sir Indi was with me."
"Even so," Olivia said, glancing over at the knight.
"Your daughter is a natural dragon rider," Indi said. "Though, I have explicitly told her she is not to ride her dragon until I return."
Olivia nodded. "That seems reasonable."
"I also picked a name for her," Selma said. The young dragon walked over to her and the princess gave her a gentle pat. "She is called Cinder."
"A good, beautiful name," Elsa said as Indi stepped over to her. "And you, please don't kidnap any more princesses?"
"I did not kidnap anybody," Indi said, feigning offense. "It was simply part of her lessons."
"Speaking of lessons," Olivia said. "You gave Tabitha a heart attack. Go eat breakfast, and then go do your academic lessons for the day. You owe her an apology."
"Yes, mother," Selma said, giving the green dragon one last pet before the pair walked back inside the castle.
"And you," Elsa said, taking Indi by the hand. "Come eat."
Indi could only chuckle, petting Sleuther on the head. "You two wait here. We'll be back this afternoon."
