The Runaway Dragon Rider

when Freya wakes up

EDGE, same day

Hiccup tended to the girl quite often during the day. He would sit with her and read her stories about his adventures with Toothless. He felt sadness for her, as her entire village was killed, and now she had no one. But Hiccup wanted to be there for her, because he knows the feeling of loneliness.

As Hiccup was getting up from her sat, tired from reading some stories, the girl slowly fluttered her eyes open, and her breathing started to quicken. 

"Hey, hey" Hiccup said calmly, sitting on the side of the bed she rested upon, and watched as she started to properly wake up. 

"Where, where am I?" the little girl asked, terrified

"Shhhh, you're safe. You're on the dragon's edge, we received message that your village was under attack and I am so, so, so sorry but we arrived too late. We were able to rescue you, but." hiccup just sighed as he couldn't continued his sentence

The girl began to bawl her eyes out. Large streams of tears fell down her face, and her sobs were loud and heartbreaking. 

Hiccup didn't know what else to do but let her cry, because he knew how much it could help her. 

"It's okay, you're safe now, my name is Hiccup"

"Hiccup? The one who rides the Night Fury?" She asked, quietly, swallowing her tears and sobs

"Yeah, yeah, that's me. I, um, knew your chief"

Her father. Her. Father.

Her.

Father. 

She started to cry again, but felt a scaly figure underneath her left hand which was draped over the bed. 

"Toothless" She saw Hiccup and Toothless once, and that was right after they had saved her father's life a few years back. 

Toothless purred under her hand, and nestled next to the bed. 

"What's your name? Hiccup asked, curios

"Freya, Freya Madden" 

"I'm guessing you're former Chief Maddon's daughter?"

The word former felt salty as he spoke the word and she flinched ever so slightly.

"Can you tell me what happened before the attack, Freya? Or do you want some more rest. Toothless can stay with you for some company"

She smiled weakly and nodded. Without further words, he got up from where he was seated and left the infirmity. 

He walked over to Heather's hut, excited to tell her the girl, Freya had woken up, but still felt a pinge of guilt. 

He looked back and watched as Freya's breathing became steady, signaling she's fallen back asleep. Toothless curled up on the floor next to her, and decided to take a little nap, too.

"Heather" Hiccup called out to her, nearing her hut. He jogged up the wooden stairs to the door of her house where she was waiting for him.

"She woke up"

"Thank Thor, how is she?"

"Good, she's um, Maddoc's daughter, and she just needs lots of rest, maybe some food but she isn't handling anything well. She's only 13 and she's gone through a lot" He said, sighing heavily.

"We can only help her heal, I'll get her some food and water. Maybe stay by her side until she wakes up again, you get some sleep" Heather told him, knowing he's been under more stress than he usually was in.

"I guess you're right. I'll tell mum and Eret that Freya woke up before I take a nap myself" He said back, exhaustion showing through the bags under his eyes. 

"Huh, Freya? I don't remember Maddoc having a child named Freya."

"I mean you've only met him once at one of the markets from last year"

"Yeah but I thought he had a son named Frey"

"Oh my Thor" Hiccup said, surprised"

"Hiccup, what's wrong, what is it?" Heather asked extremely confused.

"I remember now, Maddoc DID have a son called Frey! Freya had a twin brother because I met him briefly at a meeting a few months back" Hiccup, already upset for Freya, felt even more devastated for all her loss. 

Heather had no words to say, usually she'd try to comfort him but the only thing they can do now is help Freya grieve and move on. 

"I think we should give her entire village a proper funeral, we can send some ships out and say some words. It''l help her ease her mind"

"I think that's a great idea, but let's put it on hold until she can start walking again." Heather suggested, giving Hiccup a weak smile. 

"I'll go get her a meal now, bye" She kissed Hiccup on a cheek and went her way.

Hiccup nodded in return, and instead of going back to his own hut to take a nap, or tell anyone else that Freya had woken up, he went to his weapon shed.

It was located near his hut, and consisted of all the works he had invented. From tail fins to flight suits, he'd thought of it all. He sat down at a bench, and began tinkering at his latest invention, grenade bombs filled with ZippleBack gas that'll ignite when sparked.

He worked on it until he felt tired, the sun was slowly setting down and he decided it would be a good time to take an evening flight. He left the room and went to find Toothless, who he expected to be either in the hosipatal wing or with Valka.

Stretching his limbs as he walked, he stopped by the dining hall before heading to the infirmary. 

As he walked to the entrance, he heard laughter coming from inside. Opening the double doors, she found Freya laughing at a joke made from Eret who was sited beside his mother and Heather. 

Freya looked happy, her hair wasn't tangled and she was changed into a dress similar to Heathers.

"Hey guys" Hiccup said as Toothless came up him, ready for a flight.

"Hiccup" Freya said, smiling

"Come join us, you must be famished" Valka said to him

Hiccup sat down opposite to Freya and grabbed a plate.

"how are you keeping up?" He asked her

"I could be better, just over 24 hours ago I've seen my entire village died, and now I am sitting here, eating a meal, smiling and laughing because if there was one thing my father taught me, it was that a chieftess much bury down her feelings in order to become a great leader." She said back, forcing a bigger smile

"But you don't have to," Hiccup started to explain, "My father was a chief too, and like you I was expected to handle everything with no emotions. I was bullied for 15 years of my life and nothing changed until I made a change. I learned to use my emotions, they don't make you any less human but it does make you more of a leader. If you need to cry, cry. If you want to be angry, go destroy somethings but don't ever hold your feelings in."

His words moved her, and she dropped her smile and started to bawl her eyes once more for the second time that day. She was at her most vulnerable, and every one knew that it was okay to.

Heather wrapped her arms around Freya and small tears fell down her face. The entire room was now filled with lost, for Freya and her village, and a newfound love because they all decided, with out saying it, that Freya was now apart of their little family, and they'll do whatever they can to keep her safe.