The Soul of a Dragon

Chapter 30

Hiccup

The blood is pounding in my ears. My Inferno falls to the ground with a sizeable thud. I can't hold onto things right now, much less make sense of reality.

She is his daughter. Grimmel's daughter.

Vara – my beautiful, sweet, kind Vara. His daughter. That vile creature.

It just...it can't be. It makes no sense. They don't even share any outer resemblance. Grimmel and Vara may even originate from entirely different planets – that's how different they are, on the inside and outside.

I don't even know if I'm breathing as I finally manage to tear my ears off Vara and watch Grimmel closely. For the first time since I've known him, he looks utterly speechless and completely frozen in place. His mouth open, gawking at his supposed daughter, he seems to be weighing the possibility of this being true.

But something in Vara's stone-hard gaze must convince him because he blinks slowly and asks more quietly than I've ever heard him, almost cautiously, "My-...my daughter?" And then he adds something I'd never expect to hear from him, his voice breaking and barely a breath, "You were only a babe..."

My eyes shoot to Vara to see her reaction. Her lips are still pale from not being rested – they form a tight line. Behind those glazed hazel eyes, in which I lose myself more often than I dare to admit, I know those memories she shared with me are clawing at her sanity.

"I hate to interrupt this moment, but I know I am not the only one having absolutely no idea what's going on right now," Snotlout shouts from behind me. I look over my shoulder to find him arm-crossed, raising his eyebrows in question. "So could someone enlighten us, for fuck's sake?"

Someone huffs a laugh. It's Malcom, who's smiling slightly and shaking his head in amusement. Of course this doesn't matter to him, I think to myself, nothing matters to this traitor.

That familiar angel-kissed voice snatches my attention from Vass. "When I was young, my parents threw me away like trash." Vara's stare is still stuck on Grimmel. Her father. I can see her entire body tense but her voice is calm and controlled as she continues, "I went in and out of orphanages and foster homes until I've finally had enough. When I was twelve, I fled." My heart bleeds at those words. I wish she would look at me, so I could tell her that I am here. Right here. And I'm not leaving her nor Aria.

I can hear the group shuffling behind me. Some gasping in shock at the novel information, some swearing, some burning with rage like me.

"That's not entirely true," Grimmel announces before any of us can give voice to our vengeful thoughts. His hands are folded behind his back and his face is wearing that cold, distant mask again. "There's...more to the story. And I think you know that," he adds at the pride and wrath colouring Vara's features. "Come with me, Vara, and I will tell you everything. I'll answer all of your questions."

I scoff. Yeah right. But I notice Vara struggling, contemplating. She wouldn't...would she?

"Vara. Vara!" I call to her. A shiver runs down my spine as we finally lock eyes. I don't need to touch her to have my entire body on full alertness. "Don't listen to him. We can't trust him!"

Vara swallows. Her attention slides to Aria. Grimmel seems to notice.

"I deeply apologise," he says quickly and calls back his Deathgrippers with a high-pitched whistle. Vara doesn't pay heed to him and only rushes for her dragon, faster than should be humanly possible. Tears run down her cheeks, reflecting the dim dusk light. She leans down and buries her head in the crook of Aria's head, not caring about the blood that is staining her clothes and skin. "I am so sorry, girl," she whispers over and over and over again. At the sight of her silent sobs and her shoulders shaking, my instinct pulls me towards her. I don't care that one of the Deathgrippers is growling its warning at my movement. I just need to get to her.

"Var," I breathe out because my voice fails me. I gently put my hand on her shoulder and kneel down beside her. My other hand softly strokes the side of Aria's head. I grimace at the scarlet blood covering her usually bright-shimmering white scales. Out of the corner of my eye, I can see the gang approaching as well – their faces solemn. Toothless softly croons, carefully nudging Aria's snout with his own. At her lack of response, panic seizes him and he nudges her harder. I reach for him to try to calm him down, but looking at the blood coating my hand, I decide against it. He has the right to be afraid. And to be angry, I think with a serious nod as Toothless walks to the front and swings his tail around us. The alpha protects his own.

Should Grimmel be affected in any way, he doesn't let on. Instead, he declares slowly and more loudly for all of us to hear, "I won't hurt your friends and their dragons. If you come with me, daughter."

"You already hurt us," Astrid bites back with a sharp look at a still shaken-up Vara hugging Aria. Even I know to stay on Astrid's good side whenever she has that look.

"Yes. I wasn't aware of our...situation," he drawls, unbothered by the furious blonde who's undoubtedly already planning his demise in various torturous ways, "But I promise this. I will not hurt them, daughter."

She doesn't believe him, does she? None of us get the chance to defend her or at least stand by her side when Vara slowly gets up. She wipes off the blood from her face and turns to face Grimmel. "Toothless," she asks softly and my friend gives her a worried glance but then steps aside, still standing close to her should his mate's rider and friend need any help.

"Come with me, daughter," Grimmel repeats and spreads out his arms in what is supposed to be a warm welcome home.

But Vara simply stares at him, cold and unyielding. "Do not call me that."

I slowly get on my feet, too, ready to jump in front of her should trouble arise.

"Okay, okay. Fair, fair," Grimmel swiftly answers and holds up his hands in innocence.

"I will come with you," Vara suddenly asserts.

"What?!" I yell in unison with the rest of the group – even Malcom joins in.

I grab Vara's upper arm to turn her around. "You've got to be kidding, right?" I don't even need to finish my question because I recognise the defiance and stubbornness sparkling in her clear eyes.

I close my mouth again. But Snotlout walks up to us and throws his arms in the air in dismay, "What the hell, Vara?! I don't care if he's really your father! You can't really mean you'll be going with him to whatever hole he crawled out from?!"

Vara levels Snotlout's appalled stare with a calm and cool one. "I do mean that."

Snotlout releases a sound that might have been a laugh. "Hiccup, do something!"

I swallow. I don't know what to say or feel. Yes, I am furious and desperate and in pain. I would love to throw Vara over my shoulder and take her and Aria back home with me. But...I can't force her. I can't keep her caged – it would only take her back to those orphanage-days.

Vara reads my face and nods. "I will go with him," she says and before Snotlout can protest again, she adds, "Just to hear him out." Peering over her shoulder, she requests more specifically, "Only if none of my friends and their dragons are hurt. They may go home and take Aria with them. You, as well as your men and colleagues, will let them be in peace – New Berk and its friends."

Sharp teeth emerge in Grimmel's answering grin. "I promise."

Vara nods a single time. She softly grazes Aria's head – her hand shaking ever so slightly. Halfway turning around to look at me, I soak in her sweet voice, "Take care of my girl."

With that, I can't believe my eyes as my beautiful Vara walks over to the enemy.

With her on one side and Malcom on the other, Grimmel beams like a proud...father.

Vara straightens her back. "Go," she announces but I am glued to this ship's deck because I don't recognise the icy cold in her voice. Because whatever right she has to find out the truth about her past-

I can't leave her.