Howling Echoes - A How to Train Your Dragon Story, The Echoes, Book 1

11: Lost Lineage

   I struggled against the net, but it was no use.  With Hiccup and the Riders unable to do anything while Ryker had his sword positioned over Frostflake and me, all they could do was turn and leave.

   I soon was rolled onto a dragon hunter boat.  Any hunter that looked at me was given a glare right back.  "Viggo wants to speak with her."  Someone said, shooting me a look.  I glared at him in the eyes.

   When I approached the door, I noticed the gold and rubies and diamonds, all of it somehow placing different dragons together.  Ryker lifted a rough fist and knocked on the door.  "Come in,"  Viggo ordered.

   I remembered his silky, chocolatey voice from the fight to get the Eruptodon to leave the Edge, but it startled me so close.  "They say there are two ways to be fooled.  One to believe wasn't isn't true...the other is to refuse to believe what is."  I narrowed my eyes at him.  He wasn't showing his face, just staring down at a board beneath him.

   "But you see, in Maces and Talons, as in life, the line between good and evil is often unclear."  Viggo continued.  I already wanted to punch him unconscious and throw him overboard.  Already he was getting under my skin and poking at my nerves, hitting every angle exactly at what I doubted myself for.   "Black and white can become gray so easily.  What one soul considers evil, another may consider righteous."

   "What are you getting at?"  I growled.  He finally looked up.  "Brother."  Viggo ignored me and gave him a hug.  The opposite of what I was expecting.

    "Well, here she is."  Ryker prodded me forward with his green-tinted sword.  "No need for the sword, scarface,"  I muttered.  Ryker tensed, but Viggo was quick to intervene.  "Forgive my brother, he doesn't understand the concept of savoring victory."  Viggo held my arm.

    I jerked away.  "Oh, I think he gets it.  I think he gets it just fine."  Hiccup had always recommended to let Viggo speak, but I had no intention to let this...hunter get inside my head.  "Ah, well."  Viggo searched my gaze for a moment.  I held his gaze, finding myself suddenly calmed at the idea of flying around as a dragon with Frostflake.  Somehow the image must've reflected in my eyes because Viggo signaled for Ryker to leave.  

   "Dreams, things that can never be fulfilled."  Viggo sighed.  "I can fulfill my dream right now.  By punching you in the face and throwing you overboard."  I objected.  Viggo chuckled.  "Kiara, Kiara, although your courage is admirable, I know very well that you lack the ruthlessness you need."

   "Get on with it, Viggo.  Either finish up with me quickly and toss me in a cell or toss me in a cell now and save me the boredom."  I said, annoyed.  "Come.  Walk with me."  Viggo took my arm, but this time when I tried to jerk away, it didn't work.

   That's when I realized that we had arrived at Viggo's base.  Hiccup had drawn maps and shown me pictures of it before, but it was so much different in person.  Viggo brought me up to a cliff where the edges were crumbling.

    "So my choices are die of boredom or die of fall damage,"  I said.  "Great."

   Viggo held out a picture of...me.  Me and...what looked to be Frostflake...as a hatchling.  And a woman I didn't recognize.

    "Wha -?"  I gasped.  "I suspected ever since I saw you defending the Edge from strangers, people you barely knew that you were my daughter."

   "And yet you still fired at me."  I objected, finally jerking my arm back.  "I had to,"  Viggo said.  "I will always have to.  Unless..."

   I scoffed and turned away.  "You're insane, Viggo.  What makes you think I would help you?"  I crossed my arms, although my gaze kept trying to flicker back to my supposed father.

   "You can only remember yourself growing up alone, with nobody, until Frostflake came along.  Don't you want a kind of family again?  Even if it's a...different one?"  Viggo asked.

   I lifted my head and looked toward the sky.  "...Fine.  I'll think about it."  I said.   When I turned back, Viggo quirked an eyebrow.  

   "You know, the night sky is a funny thi -"

   "Not in the mood for it, Viggo."  I turned and walked away, covering my face with my hood.    He didn't stop me.

    I must've fallen asleep at some point because when I woke up I found Frostflake licking my face.  I had a half-written letter.  Had.  Where was it?

   I looked up to see the other Riders, the letter is Astrid's hand.  "What do you think you're doing?"