The Gray Area (1/2) - A Viggo Love Story (HTTYD/RTTE)

11. Unanswered Questions

Heather turned away from her friends and brother, almost as if she were ashamed or embarrassed. "When I was twelve years old, in the village I grew up in with my adoptive parents, there was a girl, a little older than myself," Heather began, "she wasn't like anyone I'd ever met before. She was an orphan, like me, so I wanted to be her friend, but.."

Dagur felt guilt bubble up inside of him as he recalled the village his sister spoke of. The village that he had destroyed when he was lost to insanity. He put a hand of comfort on Heather's shoulder. Heather met his eyes and smiled weakly, then turned back toward the others and went on, "she couldn't go in the sunlight; said she was allergic. So we only ever got together after nightfall."

Pausing for a moment, she recalled the odd girl, "she would take me into the woods, and we'd play with baby dragons. Black with long, skinny necks. But she didn't seem to have a heart; she would just do whatever she wanted, with no regard for right or wrong. She told me once that 'right' and 'wrong' were just two varying perspectives, nothing more." Looking to the floor, Heather scrunched her eyebrows, "and one day she just, disappeared."

"Woah," Tuff muttered in an uncomfortable voice, "well, that's creepy."

"Allergic to the sun?" Fishlegs asked, "that just doesn't sound believable."

"Maybe she's CURSED," Tuffnut added dramaticly, wiggling his fingers to add emphasis.

Hiccup ignored the twin's nonsense and questioned Heather, "what was her name?"

Heather didn't need to think long to recall it; it was hard to forget a person so strange. "Sessa."

"Could she be a potential threat?" Astrid asked.

"That all depends," Heather added with a look of frustration, "she isn't a monster, she's just..unpredictable."

• • •

Dawn came just as Nightshade and Lilith landed back at camp. Sessa rushed into the cave, just barely escaping the rising sun. Viggo walked in after her, a frown on his face, "you didn't tell me we were saving a dragon rider. I shouldn't have come."

"Why does it matter?" Sessa wondered, "would you have rather let him die?"

Viggo raised his eyebrows, "of course not." He sighed and looked down at his feet. He felt as if he was finally beginning to understand why Sessa was such a secluded person. "If they find out that I'm still alive, they will come after me," he told her firmly.

"And that is a bad thing?" Sessa asked monotonously.

"Indeed," Viggo confirmed, "it is best that they believe I died the night you saved me."

But Sessa wasn't finished. She removed her shoulder cloak while asking curiously, "why?"

Viggo hesitated. He gave her a look of uncertainty, answering cunningly, "I'd assume we share the same reasoning for wanting to stay hidden."

Sessa smiled crookedly under her mask; it was the exact answer she'd expected. Once her grin died down, she removed her mask as well. "That could be true, in a way," she told him. She then walked over to her makeshift bed, signalling that the conversation was over. So Viggo went to his own bed, as well. As the sun rose, they fell asleep.

Sessa chased after another girl, just a few years younger than her, both giggling madly. When she caught up to the other girl, she tackled her to the ground, "got you, Heather. I win again."

Heather stood, frowning in irritation. "That's not fair, Nightshade and Grimtalon always help you," she argued.

Sessa shrugged, "it's not my fault they don't like you as much."

Stomping her foot to the ground, Heather huffed and stormed off. Staring after her, Sessa frowned. Soon, she was shaded from the moonlight, she turned around to find a massive devilish dervish behind her, the mother of the two younger ones. A voice spoke in her mind, that wasn't very kind of you.

Sessa crossed her arms, "so, it was true. Why do I have to be kind? It doesn't even make sense." The two offspring crawled off of the mother's back, scuttling over to Sessa excitedly. They were growing fast and were slightly larger than her now. She watched them nuzzle her legs with a vacant stare.

One day, you will be able to answer these questions yourself, the mother's voice echoed through her head. But for now, you must focus on keeping your body strong.

Sessa sighed and sat down, crossing her legs over one another. One of the babies laid down about a foot away from her. The other crawled into her lap, resting it's head on her legs. Sessa felt her heart beat stronger, and a smile pulled at her lips. She pet the dragon gently, "Nightshade..."

Sessa woke abruptly. She found herself staring at the dark ceiling of her stone cave. It was a one of many reoccurring dreams she often had. And yet her questions remained. Why was she different? Why could she speak with the mother devilish dervish? And why not Nightshade, at that?

Turning her head, she spotted Viggo fast asleep on his yak-fur mat a few yards away. She watched his chest rise and fall. She could've sworn she could feel his heartbeat through the ground. And it gave her a burst of strength to finally do something that she'd been putting off for far to long.