Wings of Gold

Ch. 1 - Calm Before the Storm

         Hi, I'm Y/N. I'm 19 years old, and I'm a dragon rider. I ride a razorwhip dragon named Goldedge. His name is very fitting of his coloring, he's mostly the classic silvery color most razor whips are, except for his tail and wings being tipped with a subtle gold color. He's very handsome, and he's also an amazing friend and ally in battle. Goldedge is intelligent, resilient, sharp-minded, and most importantly my greatest comfort in the whole world. Goldedge and I have a strong bond and are always looking out for each other.

         Unlike other razor whip riders, I worked with Hiccup to specially craft a saddle to fit Goldedge further back on his neck, which allows him to make more sudden turns with less of a risk of  me falling off. I've also proudly designed the saddle to account for a laying down position, where I can lay on my stomach. Propped up on my forearms and holding onto the subtle leather handles on the saddle, I secure my legs in half circle metal rings that sit further back on his body. With this position, I'm able to execute stealthy tasks and tricks with more efficiency and less chance of detection than ever. 

          I live on Dragons Edge with the other riders, my hut is situated near Astrid's as we're good friends, and so are Stormfly and Goldedge. Astrid and I train almost every day, we're a dangerous duo to our foes, and anyone who dares attack the Edge will get what's coming for them.

         It's been pretty quiet at the Edge recently, not many missions besides cleaning the stables...which we all know is so thrilling and dangerous.

         A ship has recently arrived at the docks, Astrid and Hiccup went to check it out. I'm busy waxing Goldedge's saddle again since it seems to have lost its last coating when we were relocating Scauldrons off the west side of Berk. I've been trying different wax combinations to be more water resistant, this one I combined the original wax  with deathsong amber. The small ratio of amber should, in theory, make it water resistant. And here's the special catch, I combined sap with the wax mixture to make the wax more tacky, which should make it me even more secure in the saddle when Goldedge makes those tight turns. I plan on sharing this wax recipe with Gobber and other saddle smiths.

        The saddle will have to wait, the call for a meeting has sounded. I grabbed my short sword off of the wall and sheathed it in my belt, then climbed onto Goldedge and flew to the club house. 

          When I landed, I quickly dismounted and walked inside, blinking to adjust to the dimness of the room, and seated in the room was an unmistakable face I never thought I'd see again.

          The memorable man rose as I ran over to him. "Viggo, I thought you were dead!" I'm sure I looked a fool standing there, gawking at him like I did the first day I met Toothless. "We all thought you were dead." Astrid said, with a subtle eye roll. "Well, good to know you were all thinking of me," he coyly responded, hands clasped behind his back with a tight smile on his face. "Someone was thinking about you more than the others." Astrid pried jokingly, I could practically hear the smile in her voice. "Oh shut up," I sighed, Astrid's always seen something more between Grimborn and I.

          The rest of the riders arrived, each sharing a unified look of shock when their eyes landed on Viggo Grimborn, the man they presumed dead for the last six months. "So Viggo, how are you alive? I mean, what happened back there?" Hiccup questioned. "Well, as you know the skrill stayed behind and fought the hunters with me. It used some sort blast, it engulfed the entire cave but at the center of it was calm. Similar to the eye of a hurricane storm. I didn't get out completely unscathed," he turned to show his left shoulder, scarred from an axe blow, "but I'm alive." As he finished up his story of how he got to the Edge, I was focused on the way he took his place at my shoulder just like when we worked together so long ago. It made me feel safe and respected although I wasn't his boss, yet he wasn't mine. We were acquaintances you could say.

          "You can stay here as long as you'd like Viggo, I'm sure we'll find somewhere you could bunk at" Hiccup said, giving me a look as if I was already expected to let him stay in my hut. "Ah, yes. I'm sure I can." Viggo replied, he didn't show any expression of amusement although he nudged me slightly with his elbow.

         Viggo and I walked to my hut rather than ride Goldedge, who followed behind me cautiously. Goldedge never met Viggo this close up before, I heard his flaring nostrils and felt his sharp exhales of hot air. I began riding Goldedge after buisness with Viggo disbanded, and in the few interactions they had, Viggo didn't give Goldedge a good impression. I stopped to comfort him. Viggo stopped a few paces ahead of me. As I gently ran my hand down his face, Viggo strode over to stand at my shoulder. "This is the infamous razorwhip I could not catch."His name is Goldedge," I said firmly, before I rode Goldedge, he was a priority target for Viggo's collection. "He's stunning," Viggo said, "a more uncommon coloring." I smiled, Viggo is incredibly smart, and it gave me a sense of pride that he fought so hard to capture my dragon, and failed. "Yes, he's a stunning mover as well." I laughed lowly, allowing a coy smile to cross my lips. "Believe me, I know." Viggo humored me without a grudge.

          When we reached my hut, I didn't have to unsaddle Goldedge since his saddle wasn't in use at the moment. We entered the dim hut, and I opened the windows facing the setting sun to allow warm light to flood in.