renegades, httyd

xxxi. Harald's Request

renegades
chapter thirty-one

    The next morning brought the first winter chill. It wasn't the best reminder of the upcoming season, considering it shook me from my slumber━quite literally and I went scrambling for extra blankets to sleep through the rest of the night. But even before the sun rose, I had to be up to take a morning flight before the rest of the day will be taken up by building, and stocking, and prepping defences.

    Winglash liked our morning flights, though, and I couldn't lie because I did, too. It was peaceful, and it might be cold, but it allowed me to just stop and breathe━take in the fresh, cool air that was Berk right before dawn. Dark until the sun slowly crept up the horizon, casting beautiful orange glows that were breathtaking each time. Sometimes I'd fly all the way up to the roof of Gothi's house, careful not to wake the Elder and just hover, staring at the clouds and the ocean that stretched on for what felt like forever.

    I wasn't expecting someone else to be up at this hour. But as I swept Winglash around for the second lap of Berk, I caught the glimpse of golden blonde hair standing alone at one of the lower cliffs by the dock walks. I didn't know what Harald was doing━I thought about just leaving him and going on with my morning, but something made me switch directions and head down towards him. I wanted to think it was suspicion or curiosity, but it wasn't that━there was something about him that just made me drawn over.

    In close enough distance, I called down, "I take it seeing you here means you're staying for a little while?"

    Harald glanced up as Winglash landed. I fixed my winter hood, new on my shoulders for the upcoming season before slipping off the saddle. I saw a faint smile form on his face. "Just until before winter," he said. I walked up to him, peering at the sun finally making it's way up. "There is nothing worse than being caught in the seas during the winter."

    "Where will you go?"

    He held his head back at the question, taking a moment to breathe in the dawn. "Wherever the wind takes the sail, I suppose."

    Leopold scurried close to the ends of Harald's shoulders that were now covered in winter fur to sniff at me as Winglash and I drew closer. "You do have a place to stay for now, though, don't you?"

    Harald smiled at me, "Glad to know you care, My Lady." Before I could respond, he turned his attention back at the sunrise and went on. "I found lodging in a fisherman's hut, I'll pay by helping him out in the water."

    I nodded, "Sounds fitting."

    "Does it?"

    "Well, I do remember you saying you grew up on a fisherman's ship," I shrugged.

    "You pick up on quite the details."

    "I'm a good listener."

    "That you are, My Lady."