renegades, httyd

xxiii. Definitely Just The Beginning

renegades
chapter twenty-three

It was sad to leave Icestorm Island behind, but there was also something therapeutic about it, too.

Mildew was taken care of. No longer would he be stealing dragon eggs and treasure to give off to the Berserker's to help him live. He wouldn't return to Berk (not that anyone wanted him, to), but it became a begrudging alliance of which they and the Outcasts would offer him necessities. It kept him happy, and away from the Groncicle nests, and away from traitorous allies. If he didn't need to go to such measures to survive, I had a feeling he wouldn't. And Hiccup and I were happy that Stoick saw this too.

Skulder was welcomed back to Berk. Of course, seeing all the dragons set him a little on edge. Every now and then, one might see him running after a pesky Terrible Terror because they stole on of his artefacts. But I think he missed Berk. I think it was time he spent a little time back home before he went off again. And to be honest, once he did, I think I might just miss his annoying presence.

We were all congratulated on our heroics. Clueless, Speedifist, Wartihog and I passed our training, we were full on Dragon Riders now. Our own team. Ready to defend Berk from whatever might come forward. Astrid and I were closer than ever; we've decided to look past it all and focus on a better future, as sisters. We were welcomed home with open arms and I received an honourary thank you from the chief of Berk. Everything was better.

But I was worried.

I still remembered what Bloody Bernard said. About my family; a tribe out there that was burnt━murdered by dragons in armour. He could have lied, that was always a possibility. But the look on his face when he saw my necklace? It was as if the thought of someone holding it, of someone surviving was horrifying━was forbidden even. I didn't know what I wanted to know, what I expected. Maybe deep down, all I wanted was for my family to be refugees, fleeing some war and not making it.

But what if ... it had been more than that? Far more than that?

I found myself back by the cliff. The cliff Revna took me to when all of this started to help me clear my head. Below, there was a feast for the riders return and the congragulations over stopping the Berserkers. But this wasn't the end. I just had a feeling.

Winglash squawked at me, concerned as I sat by the edge, letting my legs hang over the side. She walked up and set her head on my leg. I smiled softly at her, giving her a nice pet. Her eyes fluttered closed and her spikes fell back, content.

The sun was setting, casting a pink-golden glow onto Berk. Out past that horizon, somewhere, was the place I was born. The place where I was from. The place that ... that didn't exist anymore. Only in me. I was all that was left. Maybe the daughter of a warrior, a lousy farmer, maybe a baker. But I was still alive. Apparently that meant something━I don't know whether it was bad, or good, or what it might entail. But I could feel it in the weight of my shoulders. Heavy is the head that wore the crown ... but also heavy is the head that wears the knowledge; knowledge that deep down, they wish they were still ignorant to.