Dark Despair (Book 2: Together Forever)

Dragon Lady

Mala's POV

I don't know what made me spare the blonde girl when I first laid eyes on her. I mean she was wearing the scales of a dragon and had one doing her bidding. Just for one reason or another, I decided to give her a chance to prove herself.

I hadn't any clue as to where she had gone until I found a group of people gathered in a bush.

"Why are you all hiding in a bush?" I whispered.

They jumped.

"We were watching the young woman training. It is fascinating, your Majesty."

"Does she know you're watching her?"

"No, Majesty."

"Then I shall join you. I would like to know more about her and I don't feel like asking her outright."

We huddled in the bush and watched as Astrid and Stormfly started training after their break.

"Seriously, Stormfly? At least, try and make this difficult." She said as she dodged away from a fire and spine attack. The soldiers gaped when she said that.

The dragon huffed.

"No, you are the useless one. You let me get captured by strangers, got practically drunk on sage fruit, and were unable to help me when I had to face Speed Stingers, ALONE. AND I defeated those Speed Stingers in twenty-six minutes, without your help. So tell me who's the useless one, now!" Astrid shouted as she dodged attack after attack.

Stormfly eventually ran out of fire and then sent up a call and Astrid laughed.

As five Deadly Nadders landed Astrid laughed, "This is your challenge?"

"That girl is a madwoman." Someone whispered and everyone nodded.

The Nadders engaged and Astrid, twisted and turned away from each attack. Then the Nadders started falling down when she got right beside them.

Soon enough all of the Nadders were down except Stormfly, "That was too easy. Next time when you call for help at least call ten Nadders. It's been a while since we've trained, too long searching we needed this." She turned towards the bush we were standing in and smiled, "Well, I promise it is safe for you all to come out, now." She took off her helmet and walked towards Stormfly and whispered something in the Nadder's ear which made her puff up.

I stood up and walked out, "I'm sorry for spying on you." 

She smiled, "Don't worry about it. I knew those five were there from the beginning. That's why I wasn't practicing my Dragonease which is normally what happens."

"How did you know we were there?" I asked.

"They make too much noise." She replied simply. "Also, Stormfly and I will leave today."

"Why?"

"Because we can't stay anywhere too long or we might never find him."

"Ahhh. That makes sense. I'm sorry I can't help you find him. I must remain here with my people to protect our home. But if you had a picture we'd be able to recognize him if he were to come here."

Astrid smiled, "You'd do that?"

"Of course!" Astrid immediately went over to the saddlebag on Stormfly. She went through the bag for a minute before she took out two papers.

"These are pictures of him. They were done by his sister. His name is Hiccup Horrendous Haddock the Third. I know it's a very long name." She handed me the papers. They were filled with colours and shaded. They were so realistic well they looked like a real human and Night Fury. I memorized every detail on the papers and handed them back to her. "Thank you, so much, Mala. You don't understand how much this means to me. And thank you so much for your hospitality."

"It's the least we can do after capturing you."

"Well, I deserved it."

Astrid's POV

I stood at the edge of the cliff with my helmet on. I stared at the ocean, longing filling me. Longing to stay and go and fly and walk. But, I knew what I wanted more than anything else. I wanted to see Hiccup one more time. See him for a second if that's all the gods allowed.

Just once more.

I felt tears flow down my cheeks and I took one last glimpse at the village before jumping. I fell and fell and fell until I fell on Stormfly's back. And we flew away.

Now, three months later I was standing in a different village. I was a renown warrior. I spoke to the dragons and freed them, some thought me as a sort of princess, others thought me a saviour and still, others thought I was a wolf in sheep's clothing. 

I roamed the world landing in villages that didn't speak Norse or had never seen a dragon before. 

Many of the villages, though knew me. Knew I was the Dragon Lady. The one who saved the dragons. Some villages hated me while others wished for me to bring peace. 

But, there was one thing that no-one knew about me except for those in the Hidden World and Throk and Mala. No-one knew why I was a wanderer. Going where the wind took me.

I visited the Defenders from time to time. But I never stayed there longer than a day and a night.

One day of our travels we met a new kind of dragon. It was black and white. They called themselves penguins and everyone else thought they were flightless birds. They had ice breath that they used to help build their nests.

I flew to Itchy Armpit the next day and I was shocked to find...

Heather.

"What are you doing here?" I demanded.

"Why are you speaking Dragonease?" She retorted.

"Because I can. Now, tell me why you're here."

She rolled her eyes, "Toothless is depressed now that he's given up on Hiccup being alive and I trust you, Astrid. Toothless said that you were confident Hiccup is alive."

"Because he is. And you can't stop me looking for him until the day I go into Valhalla."

"I'm not going to stop you. Windshear convinced me that I should go find you and help you when I wasn't sure if I should."

"How'd you find me?"

"You've built yourself quite the reputation, Astrid. Every village I ran into says either how much they like or hate the 'Dragon Lady'. I figured it had to be you. Riding a blue and gold Deadly Nadder. Always wears a helmet and suit that looks like a Deadly Nadder. She carried an axe with a Night Fury carved on one side and a Nadder on the other. She wears a gold ring on her finger with a small blue gem that is splashed with black. Anyone from home would know it was you."

"I miss him."

"I know, Astrid. We'll find him, together."

She offered me her hand and I took it. Smiling for the first time in days. One word ringing in my head,

Together