Dark Valkyrie

Eight: The Bringer of Death

Eight: The Bringer of Death

The firelight was illuminating the small cave, the fire banked and gilding the edge of Stormfly's wings and Astrid's hair. Outside, the freezing night was wrapped around the little mountain, the sounds of the wind echoing through the cave, above the crackle of the fire and the deep breaths of the sleeping Deadly Nadder. Curled at her side, Astrid was awake, her eyes fixed on the small entrance and the darkness beyond. To her eye, the blackness was just a little lighter and as she closed her eyes, she imagined herself back on the Edge, back before the whole disaster befell them...

...Hiccup was there, not as she had last seen him but vibrant, alive. His hair was its usual tousled mess atop his smiling face, his eyes sparkling with humour and enthusiasm. The two little braids moved as he turned his head to smile at her, the slightly toothy grin that always set her heart fluttering-though she had foolishly hidden it, denied it for so long. And he was bounding with energy as he jumped towards her, grasping her arms and swinging her around. Then he stilled and the look in his eyes changed, from humour to love and he smiled, then leaned close, his lips pressing gently but passionately against hers. And he deepened the kiss, making sure she knew that he loved her, that he was always hers. And he was so warm, to vital as she hugged him, his arms winding around her and pulling her against him, their bodies perfectly moulded. He was her other half, the only man for her...

She opened her eyes and saw the horizon brightening, the faint cold pinkish blushing against the clouds. Wrapping her blanket around herself, she sat up and then rose, walking slowly to the mouth of the cave. It was cold outside, the rocks rimed with frost and the ground dropping away into the predawn gloom. Leaning against the cold rock, she watched as the sky lightened from a pink blush to a warm rose-and then a sliver of orange peeked over the sea, the brilliance of the rising sun causing her to blink and tears to shine in her eyes.

Gothi had said he had seven days, that he would not see this day. She was watching the first dawn in a world without Hiccup in.

"Goodbye, my love," she whispered.

oOo

Stoick opened his eyes from where he had been dozing in the chair by his son's bed. Toothless was awake, his big green eyes locked on the pallid face and a mournful expression on his draconic face. The loud sawing sound of Gobber snoring was filling the room and to one side, Snotlout was also asleep, having refused to leave his cousin. The other Riders hadn't returned yet and Stoick knew that at some time he would need to send Snotlout and probably the A Team out to retrieve them. Though a small part of his mind reminded him that Heather, Fishlegs and the twins could probably get out of anything, given enough time.

Sitting bolt upright, Stoick leaned worriedly towards his son and inspected the pale face, the few freckles his only colour. Even his lips were pale-but his chest was rising and falling shallowly, the pulse still bounding in his neck. Tenderly, the Chief rested his huge hand on the young man's hot forehead, feeling the fever lower than previously. Recalling what Gothi had instructed, he grasped the flask of water and the cloth and carefully dribbled water over Hiccup's cracked lips and saw the throat work slightly as he swallowed. Repeating the process until he had managed to get half a cup down his son's throat, he stood up and looked around, trailing a gentle hand over the dragon's head.

"Watch him, Toothless," he murmured. A small, sad warble sounded in reply, the dragon never moving from his station. Then, slowly, Stoick got to his feet and trailed to the door, automatically grabbing his helmet and cramming it onto his head. He stole a look back at his son before taking a deep breath and walking out onto the grass in front of his house, staring down the slope over the village which was just beginning to rouse amid the pinkish mists of the dawn. The sun was just peeking above the horizon and he gave a big yawn and stretched-and then he stilled.