The Other-worldly Protector

Chapter 41: To Berk or not to Berk

"What do you mean she said no?!" Astrid asked, outraged.

"She just said 'no'."

"What? Just like that? To your face?"

"No, to my metal leg." Hiccup deadpanned.

Astrid fixed him with a stern look, which only made him grin. "But why?" she asked.

His grin dropped, a frown taking its place. "I don't know," he said. "She just doesn't want to come."

"You know what?" Astrid shouldered her axe, her crystal-blue eyes flashed with determination. "I'll make her 'want to come'."

"Whoa whoa whoa, Astrid." Hiccup gently held her back by her arm and turned her to face him. "I've tried to convince her, but, for whatever reason, she's made her choice."

Astrid breathed out and her shoulders dropped an inch. They looked into each other's eyes, sharing a look of understanding and defeat.

"Kiara's not coming to Berk."

-

Balancing her pencil on a finger, Kiara stared, unseeing, at the far wall. Her sketchpad lay bare on the table in front of her. She didn't feel like focusing on drawing, or even the pencil slowly rotating on her fingertip. She only stared. Until a smooth deep voice entered her thoughts.

"Any reason you're not going to Berk with the others?" the elder thunderdrum questioned her.

The pencil dropped.

"Any reason me staying back is holding you back?" She turned and met his steady gaze. "C'mon, Thornado... I know you want to see him. And he must've missed you too. Go with Hiccup."

"I'm not leaving you."

Kiara let out a long breath. "You're as stubborn as they come, Tony."

A rumbling laugh vibrated in his chest. "Just like yourself."

Smiling faintly, Kiara leaned back and propped her legs up on the table.

"Now are you going to tell me your reason for staying? Or keep it all to yourself?"

"There's no point in going," she grumbled, arms crossed. Thornado gave her a scrutinising look. Kiara sighed—she couldn't keep stuff from him. Dropping her legs, she leaned forward and spoke. "It's a whole Viking village," she whispered, "it's just... there will be so many people...

"I'm okay with just the dragon riders, it's like I'm on a camp. But I can't go to Berk— it'll be like crossing a line into their lives, into a civilisation that's not my own."

"And that scares you."

"Heck yeah." Kiara felt a weight lift, knowing someone understood.

"Is it just entering their lives, or are you scared of being different too?"

Kiara thought a moment before answering. "Both," she said. "I'm not all for the idea of sticking out like a sore thumb. Not to mention the questions. Oh, there will be way too many questions!"

"The berkians will be curious.." Thornado agreed.

"And I bet the first question would be 'Where are you from?' and how the heck am I supposed to answer that?!"

"I thought humans typically ask for each other's name first."

"Even my name is foreign," she grumbled. "But it doesn't matter. I'm not going." She gave the dragon a pointed look. "But you are."