The Return of the Dragons

Part 15 Broken Hearts - Zephyr POV

My heart races as I run out into the middle of New Berk as fast as my legs can carry me. I can hear my mommy screaming from way back at the house and that only makes me run faster. Thoughts of Mommy and the baby are running through my dizzy head. I hope they are okay. I just need to get to Gothi's. She'll be able to help.

Nuffink is a few paces behind me trying to keep up. "Hey sis, wait up!" He cries.

"I don't have time Nuffink!" I shout back. "Mommy needs help! We have to hurry! Run faster!" He pants behind me but I can tell he's trying his hardest.

I sprint up the hill to Gothi's. Ouch! My toe catches on something and I tumble to the ground faceplanting in the soft slushy mud. "Ugh!" I cry. I am extremely embarrassed by my new situation. But Mommy needs me. I need to get up! "Arrrrrrr!" I cry springing up from the mud. The mucky goo I'm covered in trails behind me. I wipe off my face as I'm running but it's still dirty.

I get to Gothi's and I burst through the door. "GOTHI! HELP!" I cry. She looks up at me and dectects my urgency and immediately. She may be unable to speak but she's not hard of hearing... That is until now maybe.

"It's my mom. There is something wrong!" I cry helpless. I knew nothing, just that something was terribly wrong.

Immediately Gothi grabbed her large satchel and scooped up her various things she needed and before I knew what was going on she scurried out the door in front of me. Nuffink was just getting there as we left.

"Aw come on!" He wheezes.

We run back across New Berk as fast as we can. Amazingly as old as she must be Gothi is faster than I am and I am having trouble keeping up with her.

Part of me is thinking that if I know what is happening, there is no way we're gonna make it. But the other part if me is thinking "No! We have to try." I push harder and my legs are getting weaker. I feel sick like I'm going to vomit and I feel like I'm going to fall over and pass out.

Finally we reach my house. I hear my Mommy crying harder than I've ever heard her cry, hit strangely, I hear my Daddy sobbing too. I don't know that I have ever heard them so upset.

We head inside. And I nearly collapse on the floor as Gothi sprints upstairs. Nuffink joins me a moment later and falls on the floor next to me panting like a horse.

"I can't - I can't do it anymore! How much further fo I have to run?" He gasps

"We're home you goof!" I pant.

"What's going on anyway?" He asks through heavy breaths.

"I don't know exactly." I answer, bit in my heart I am almost certain. "But whatever it is, Daddy and Mommy are very upset so we need to be careful what we say. Do you understand?"

"I guess so." He sighs sarcastically.

"Look Nuff. I say putting my arm around him. "I just want to help Mommy and Daddy. You know that right?" He nods and puts his arm around me. I love my little brother like crazy and I don't mean to be bossy, I just want to help my mommy and daddy whatever it is they're going through and I have a strong feeling that whatever that it is rough.

Just then, Daddy slowly comes down the stairs. His clothes are an icky mess and his hands are stained as though they have been inundated with blood. His eyes are red and his face and beard are wet as though he has been crying. "Zephyr, Nuffink," he says softly, "Come upstairs with me." The both of us rise from the floor and go to meet him. Walking close beside him we follow him upstairs.

"Is Mommy okay?" Nuff asks soberly. Daddy nods but says nothing.

I shoot a warning glance at my brother and he nods.

Daddy takes us up to their room and ushers us in coming behind us. We are very quiet as we enter. The room is dimly lit and the dismal quiet is screaming that something is terribly wrong. Gothi is cleaning up a mess of some kind and there are towels everywhere. Mommy is sitting up in bed, covered with the sheets and is weeping into her hands. My heart shatters as on her knees I see a tiny bundle and suddenly I know. Tears come flooding to my eyes.

Nuffink seems to understand too as he runs to Mommy. Daddy seems startled and slightly disturbed at first but he seemed more at ease when Nuff hugged Mommy.

"I'm sorry Mommy." He cries wrapping his arms around her.

"Oh Nuffink sweetie, come here!" She cries and wraps her in his arms like she was never going to let go.

I see Daddy standing beside me failing to hold his tears back. I wrap my own arms around him and lean my head to his chest. I feel him kiss me on the cheek longer than any time J can ever think of. His prickly beard is wet with tears and leaves a few drops on my cheek... Or were those from my eyes? Who can tell? He begins to sob uncontrollably as he holds onto me tightly.

"Are you gonna be okay Daddy?" I whisper in his ear.

"I don't know sweetheart. I don't know " he whispers back. After a few minutes he has stopped sobbing but I am sure I'm pretty much soaked by now. He lets go of me and says, "Come Zephyr... There's someone I want you to meet." He takes me over to Mommy and takes off her lap the tiny bundle. At first I can see nothing, but when he removed a little of the wrappings I can see a tiny little face. It is whiter than parchment but sweeter than any baby face I've ever seen.

"Oh poor thing!" I sob. "Daddy can I hold it?"

"Yes sweetie." He says, "hold your little sister. Her name is Sieglinde."

I stare down at the little face as my tears are dripping on the little swaddlings. What I had looked forward to so much had come, but not in the way I had expected and as I gazed at the little lifeless face of poor little Sieglinde, all the joy in her coming vanished and was replaced it by sorrow and a broken heart.