Chapter 24

 

Valka's POV
Let go of me! Where are you taking me?!
I struggled in the Changewing's talons.
So, you're a fighter, are you? Drago likes fighters.

"So! This is the dragon rider!' the man- presumably Drago- sneered.
"Where's Cloudjumper?!' I demanded.
'The Stormcutter? It's alive, for now. Alive, until I've finished with you both.'
'Take me to him.'
'As you wish. But first- let's see who you are behind that mask.'
I knew that it would not be a good idea to try to stop him.
'YOU'RE- YOU'RE A GIRL?!' he roared with laughter.
'Yes, I am. Husband of Stoick the Vast, Chief of the Berkians, and mother of Hiccup Horrendous Haddock The Third.'
'STOICK THE VAST?!'
For a second, I could see fear in his eyes.
'I- I thought he was dead.'
'He isn't. And he's coming to get you, in revenge for killing the other Chieftains.'
His eyes narrowed.
'You are lying. If he was, he'd be with you. Unless- you ran away?'
I did not answer.
'Giving me the silent treatment won't work. If you won't talk, I'll make you. And I'll enjoy it- but you will not. I am just as good at breaking people as I am dragons.'
Finally, I spoke.
'I didn't chose to be kidnapped by Cloudjumper. But, over the years, I've grown to love him.'
Drago sighed, in fake sympathy.
'When will you understand: love is weak, because even though you loved the Stormcutter, he still betrayed you. If you made him fear you, he would not; because he would be terrified of what you would do to him, if he dared to betray you. Fear always wins. My dragons do not betray me.'
'I would never do that to Cloudjumper.'
'How sad...you are still loyal to him, but he is not loyal to you...'
'Because you- changed him...'
'I did not change him. My Bewilderbeast did. You will see that for yourself.'

Chapter 25

 

Valka's POV
Drago led me through his camp. There were caged dragons everywhere, but they were all asleep. He saw me looking, and smiled.
"Mind control has it's side effects.' he said, without even a hint of remorse. I looked at him in disgust.
He stopped in front of a big cage.
'Here's the Stormcutter. It's always harder to break dragons with riders, because they have bonds.'
'Go in.'
Warily, I pushed open the huge door, and went inside.
Drago shut it behind me, and locked the door.
'Looks like Vikings aren't so clever after all.' he mocked.
He started to walk away.
'Hey! Where are you going?!'
'I'm taking your Dragon Sanctuary...'
'What?! You can't do that!'
'Can't I? What are you going to do about it?! Now, get some sleep, and I'll see you in your nightmares.'

'Cloudjumper...' I whispered, stroking his sleeping head.
At my touch, the Stormcutter opened his yellow eyes, and a low growl began in his throat.I gave him the respect he deserved, and backed away into a corner of the cage.
With my back to him, and my head in my hands, I sobbed.
'It's not your fault. It's not...'
'What would Stoick say if he could see me now?'
The thought of Stoick made me cry harder.
I deepened my voice, and made it gruff, in an attempt to imitate Stoick.
'Val, you're a sorry excuse for a Viking, and you're a terrible husband to me, and a terrible mother to Hiccup. I'm ashamed of you.'
When I said my son's name, my voice wobbled.
'Hiccup...'
I tried to mock Stoick, to forget about Hiccup.
'I may be a sorry excuse for a Viking, but I still am a Viking. I AM A VIKING! DO YOU REALLY THINK THAT A VIKING LIKE ME COULD BE KILLED BY GETTING CARRIED OFF BY A DRAGON?! WELL?! DO YOU?!'
I sobbed tears, once again, hot and furious.
"Why are you shouting?' a voice asked.
I turned around, and glared at the dragon trapper.
'Why should I tell you? Did he send you?' I snarled.
'Drago doesn't know I'm here. Gods forbid what he would do to me if he did... But anyway, if we're going to free the dragons, it's not going to help if you're being like this to me.'
'Freeing the dragons?!'
This had to be a trap.
'We need to free just one tonight, so Drago won't suspect anything.'
'Well? Are you going to free me?'
'If you promise to be nice to me.'
'Fine.'
'Right.'
The trapper took a key hanging from his sword-belt, and handed it to me through the bars of the cage.
'Here.'
'Thanks.'
'What's your name?' he asked me.
'Valka Haddock.'
'Eret, Son of Eret, the greatest dragon trapper alive.'
I rolled my eyes.
'Well. Not any more.'
'Good.' I said, satisfied.

Chapter 26

 

Drago's POV
I jumped off my ship, and started to walk to the Sanctuary. My Bewilderbeast followed behind me, like a faithful puppy.
"If you find any in there, you know what to do.' I told him.
He growled in agreement.
The second we set foot in the Sanctuary, a dragon roared.
'What...was that?' I asked myself. It sounded too big to be an ordinary dragon. And it sounded like a Bewilderbeast roar.
My eyes gleamed.
'There's another one...'
Valka's POV
Far away in the distance, a dragon roared. I knew it to be a Bewilderbeast roar. But Eret didn't.
"Valka...?' he asked uncertainly.
'He's found the Bewilderbeast...'
'Wait... A Bewilderbeast? Isn't that Drago's dragon?'
'Yes. But there's another one. The King of the Dragon Sanctuary: the good one.'
Suddenly, all of the caged dragons, including Cloudjumper, opened their eyes. I realised that their pupils were not slits anymore: they were friendly.
Cloudjumper's POV
I opened my eyes. What had happened? I noticed that my vision was not blurry anymore. With my regained, sharp eyesight, I saw a piece of headgear lying on the ground, which the humans called a 'mask'.
I caught its scent. And I remembered.
I ran over to it eagerly, throwing it up in the air with my nose, and catching it in my teeth. Then I felt sad again. Where was the owner of this mask- my mistress? I remembered again. She had been captured by the Changewings... And I had given in to the Dark One.
I curled up on the grass, and whimpered. I had betrayed my true King. Would he be angry with me? No. No, he wouldn't. He was not like the Dark One. He would understand. However, I still thought, if I ever saw him again, I would apologise.
I thought of the Dark One again. Where was he and his master?
I raised my head, until I could see my old home, and a huge shape, and a smaller one, which answered my questions.
They were in the Sanctuary.
My dragon-brothers... My King would defend his home.
And so would I, even if it meant death.
Cloudjumper... a gentle voice called- which was a change to the harsh, angry voice of the Dark One's master.
I looked up again, and saw- my mistress! And... another human.
I walked over cautiously, growling slightly.
The other human looked scared.
My mistress spoke to him in her language.
"It's okay, Eret. He's just making sure you're not a threat."
He still looked uncertain, but he did not run away, which was the worst thing to do. We dragons are carnivores, and programmed to chase anything that runs away from us. Sometimes, the killing instinct takes over...
I sniffed the human. He smelled strange- bad, but good. I was confused. I growled to tell my mistress not to trust him.
She didn't seem to mind though. If she thought he was good, then she was right.
The human reached out a hand to touch me, and I accepted.
He smiled, and he did not smell bad anymore.