The Soul of a Dragon

Chapter 64

Vara

Aria's scales shimmer faintly in the morning light, a fragile echo of their former brilliance. She stretches her wings tentatively, testing their strength, while I stand nearby, my heart tangled in a mix of hope and worry. It's been weeks since the battle with Grimmel, and although Aria has been healing steadily, the trauma still lingers, casting a shadow over her once fierce spirit. But I know she'll bounce back. I just wish Grimmel and his men would have tortured me instead of her.

I step closer, reaching out to stroke her neck. "You're doing great, girl," I murmur, trying to inject confidence into my voice. But doubt still claws at my thoughts. What if pushing her too soon causes more harm? What if she never fully recovers, despite what Gothi says?

Aria nuzzles me gently, probably sensing my unease. Her eyes, usually so full of fire and mischief, now hold a softness, a reassurance that she's trying her best to heal for both of us. She has come so far and I hate that I am still frightened as fuck. I take a deep breath and let the warmth and familiarity of her touch steady my nerves. She's my soulmate. Her pain is my pain.

"We can do this," I whisper, more to myself than to her. She croons softly and, as if proving a point, stands up without shaking her legs. We've been training a lot and I know Toothless and Hiccup have been helping her, too. Sometimes, I also saw Astrid offering Aria company. In fact, the entire gang and village has been wonderful and I can't thank them enough.

Speaking of the devils, Hiccup and Toothless land nearby, followed by Astrid, Snotlout, Fishlegs, and the twins. I smile and take comfort in the knowledge that Aria and I will never have to fight our battles alone again. I know that sometimes I wish to escape as soon as Aria's feeling better again. Thoughts of not being enough fill my head. They can be so loud and irritating that I have no other choice but to listen to them. Hiccup walks over, his expression a blend of concern and encouragement. His eyes search for mine and I know that he can read my every thought right now. Fear flashes in those forest-green eyes of his but he quickly hides it and offers one of his lopsided smiles.

"How's she doing?" he asks, his gaze shifting to Aria, who's chirping happily to greet everyone.

"Better," I answer and sigh. "But I'm worried. I don't want to push her too hard, though she's almost back to her normal strength."

Hiccup nods in his chiefly manner. "It's a fine line, but she'll let you know if it's too much. Just like Toothless, she communicates clearly about her feelings. Don't you, bud?"

I smile despite my worries upon seeing Toothless roll his eyes at his best friend and ignoring him. I appreciate his words and the nods of agreement from the group, but the weight of responsibility still presses heavily on my shoulders. What if Grimmel hurts us again? Aria means the world to me, and the image of her broken body lying in a pool of blood...it will haunt me for the rest of my life. I lean against her side, closing my eyes for a moment, letting the bond between us calm me down. Her breathing is strong and steady. A comforting croon vibrates her entire body as she nudges my head and urges me to stand up as well. I question her with one glance and she replies with a confident bark. The gang gathers around and with a final deep breath, I step back and signal Aria to try a short flight.

What happens next, almost causes me to faint right then and there. Without even hesitating, Aria spreads her wings to full length and takes to the sky with a powerful thrust, as swift and sudden as lightning. My heart soars with her and I can't help but release a surprised and slightly nervous burst of laughter. She circles above as, as elegantly as before the incident, and even tries some loops and curves just to prove her point. I laugh even harder because this goddamn reptile hid her full recovery from me, only to mess with me. I was scared as hell (and still am) but I appreciate her sense of humour and welcome it with open arms because it means she's feeling like herself again. Relief washes over me and as I watch the others, I can see them cheer her on. Their dragons take to the sky, too, to join Arias skilled flying maneuvers. My heart melts at the sight of Toothless and Aria dancing in the sky.

A strong arm hugs my shoulders and the familiar fresh, wooden scent fills my nostrils and increases my heart rate. I lean my head against Hiccup's side and finally allow the tears to roll down my cheeks. Hiccup wipes them away with a thumb. He grabs my chin with his index finger and plants a soft kiss on my lips.

Below, you can find some images I created using AI. I think they are quite cool.