"I Do.... NOT!!"

Chapter 40: Lies and Fragments

   ----- Astrid's POV----
I screamed in anger and ripped my stupid dress off, letting my scales shift to a dress fit for riding dragons. Ember dumped me in this pit and told me he'd be back soon... I didn't want to know what would happen when he did. I paced my tiny hole, thinking hard about what to do. I needed to hide... maybe I could get enough plants to grow and get me out of here. Several minutes passes as I made attempts to escape. Finally I sensed a sturdy tree root, barely within reach. I got weaker and weaker as I uses my energy to grow the root up, right along side the wall of my prison. Once it was high enough, I tried to climb. I whimpered. Everything hurt... I was so weak. All I could do was hold on to the bottom. Then I had another idea. I slowly grew the root upwards as I hung on to the same spot. I got halfway up before I had to rest.

Finally, sweating and shaking, I rolled over a foot from the edge of the pit, now looking at the stary skies. I wanted to sleep so badly... but I couldn't. I had to find my friend. I reached out with my mind, trying to register other life forms close. Fern claw! I roared, surprised. I'd never made dragon talk before... I guess that came from somewhere deep in my lost memories. I heard a weak croak to my left and began to crawl. She was tied down to a tree with ropes, shaking in fear. It's ok girl. I'll get you out. I rumbled. She blinked in suprise. Since when could you speak in my tounge? She rumbled. I shrugged and slowly pried the ropes from her snout with shaky fingers. She did the rest with her fire and gently picked me up in her mouth. I was a goner by now. My body refused to move another centimeter. Her rocking gait nearly put me to sleep as we crept through the dark forest.

I was conscious again in the bright noon sun... must have slept through the night and into midday. I yawned and stood, suddenly realizing I was not at home. Flame heart and Fern Claw were having a deep conversation to my right, prince Casen and Daggur were sitting around a fire. "Where am I. What are you two doing here?" I asked. " Princess! Glad you're awake. We had an unfortunate skirmish with Ember-" He started. "I killed him. He was gonna force you to marry him. I killed him because I knew you could never live like that." Casen blurted, looking into the fire with an intense guilty look. I stared at them, dumbfounded for a moment. That explained the gnawing hole inside of me. It felt slightly different. Like something that never belonged there had been taken out. "It was an accident. I was defending myself... he was blind with rage." Casen said.

"I'm not mad at either of you. I believe Ember would do that... he could've had a happy life with someone else had he just left me alone." I said sadly. "You're both in danger though. My parents will have your heads. To them it'll look like you kidnapped me." I said. Fern Claw squawked a warning just then, as Snotlout and his dragon landed on our small island. "We need to leave now. Hundreds of scout parties have been sent out. The king and queen are scary angry!" He yelled, tumbling off his dragon and trying to pack up our campsite. I stared at the three boys, racing around in a frenzy. "Excuse me! What if I don't want to run away?" I said. "I still have questions. And Casen did nothing wrong. He was defending himself. I need to get some things from the castle!" They stopped and stared at me. Daggur stepped forward and I stepped back. "Don't you dare come near me. I want to leave eventually, but not till I've solved some things." I said. "You won't solve anything back there. You come with us, and we will get your memories back." He said.

I shook my head. Fern Claw raced to my side and I jumped on her back. "I'll send a terror mail if I need anything. Let me take care of this, and then we will both sneak out." Casen nodded. "Come on Flame. She'll be fine." he said. Daggur turned away, muttering, and Snotlout grabbed me from behind. I screamed and Fern Claw raised her tail spikes, snarling a threat. "Calm down!" He yelped, dropping me. "I was gonna take you back." He whined. "I'm riding on Fern Claw. You may tell them you found me. Then you and I need to talk." I snapped. He nodded and we left towards the castle, Casen and Daggur took another route.