The Second Dragon Rider || Eret son of Eret ||

21. Mother Knew Best

As soon as Skyla had passed out, Dagur stayed by her side and studied her features. Something about her was oddly familiar but he couldn't recall how. After all, how many blondes did he know that had black and red tips in her braid?

Shattermaster gave a small growl and gently nudge her head.

"Hey let her rest buddy, she's been through a lot." Dagur said gently pushing the Gronckle's head away. "Let's leave her be shall we?"

The two left the sleeping girl alone on the furs, not knowing of the strange dream she was dreaming.

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Skyla dreamt she saw a woman sitting next to a fire pit, gently humming and rocking back and forth. She had long blonde hair that was shaved at one side, just a small part, and the rest was either loose or in small thin braids. For a moment Skyla could see her own features in the woman's face; her nose, the shape of her eyes, her lips and the shape of her face. And the tune was the same as the music she had heard when she returned to the fortress the day Eret begged her to come to Berk.

"How is she?" Skyla gave a small gasp as Drago Bludvist stepped out of the shadows. Good gods how is he still alive?!

She wanted to scream at the woman to run, to push her out of the way, or better yet ram her fists into Drago's face to protect the woman. But to her surprise, the woman stopped humming and looked up at him with a smile.

"She's fine dear, so far she hasn't had any coughing fits where she spits up ice or frost." The woman said looking down into her arms. Drago sat down next to the woman and took a small blue bundle from her.

"My sweet little alpha." He said softly to the bundle. "Someday you shall stand by me and we shall protect the humans from the dragons."

"Drago, you know better than to talk about this in front of the her." The woman scolded. "Besides, her gift shouldn't be misused like this. If she really is a dragon shifter like the old woman said then she can't abuse her powers."

"The gods blessed her with this for a reason Ursa, I asked them for something to help me unite all Vikings against the dragons and they blessed us with a child who will help us!" Drago said handing the woman Ursa back the child.

"How many times must I tell you, dragons are not the wicked creatures you claim to be?" Ursa said getting to her feet and walked away from Drago. "I prayed for a child who'd be a good heir for you, one who could make you proud, and here you are making her your weapon!"

"She is the key to this plan! It wasn't until that crone told us of our baby's fate and when I saw her sneeze frost she was just an heir! Now she will do something great! Haven't you forgotten what those beasts did to us?" Drago reached over and removed his prosthetic arm and looked at his stump of an arm with a pained look. "I lost my brothers, my sister who we named our daughter after, my parents, your grandparents and your brother and our whole tribe. I don't want to lose you or our child to those creatures my love."

Ursa stood up, cradling the baby to her chest. The small little girl gave a small sneeze, sending out a small spray of frost. Her mother smiled warmly and stroked her daughter's cheek.

Skyla looked closely at the baby and was shocked to see her own features on the small child including the pale white hair. Could it be....that this woman and Drago....were her biological parents?

"My little one, you can't have this fate your father has given you." She said giving Drago a hard look. "Which is why you must go."

"Ursa what are you doing?" Drago asked getting up.

"The right thing." Ursa gave a loud whistle and a Monstrous Nightmare scurried up to her. She wrapped another blanket around the baby to act as a sling and placed it in the mouth of the Monstrous Nightmare. Skyla remembered seeing that dragon always hanging around in the Bewilderbeast fortress, watching her closely and making sure she was okay.

"Ursa no!" Drago yelled, realizing what she was doing.

"Good bye Eirwen, be safe." Ursa whispered, bending down and kissing the baby's head.

"No!" Drago yelled, rushing forward. The Monstrous Nightmare gave a hiss and took off into the air with the baby hanging from it's jaws.

"Forgive me my love, but it's for the best." Ursa said, wiping a tear from her eye. "I can't let you do this to our daughter, this is not why the gods gave her this gift."

Drago gave a loud yell and rushed at his wife, anger blazing like fire in his eyes. Ursa narrowed her eyes and turned and ran.

And then everything faded to black when she heard a loud an unhuman scream.