Heart of a Berserker: Faith (School of Dragons)

Chapter 11

"I never meant for you to feel this way
The Decembers were never meant to be our graves
It's not a question of who is wrong and what is right
But time cannot heal what you will never recognize

'Cause all of this is all that I can take
And you could never understand the demons that I face
So go ahead and bat your eyes and lie right to the world
For with everything you are, you're just a little girl" 

- "Just a Little Girl" by Trading Yesterday

Chapter 11

I held the boy at the docks while Skulder flew off to fetch Hiccup. I took this chance to thoroughly examine him. He was a relatively skinny teen a few inches taller than me, though he had not yet lost his baby face. His eyes were clear blue, and his blond hair was pulled back by a red bandanna wrapped around his head and sticking out from a hole in the back.

His dragon I finally recognized as a Shockjaw. The little guy was mostly dark green with a yellow underbelly and purple highlights. He seemed especially interested in Bolt and Sanna, probably because he shared some of the same electrical abilities as Skrills.

Finally, Skulder arrived with Hiccup and Astrid. The three of them dismounted and approached the group. "Brennda," Hiccup said, "what's going on?"

"We just saved this kid from Harald and his men," I said.

"I said I'm not a kid!" the boy said indignantly.

"It would help if you told us your name," Eret said.

"It's Cason. And this is Turbo."

Hiccup smiled at the baby dragon. "Nice to meet you, Turbo. A Shockjaw, right?" He looked at Cason. "Did you train him all on your own?"

Cason smiled smugly. "I did."

"The dragon allegedly helped him escape a group of pirates he says held him captive," Viggo said.

Cason's smile frowned. "'Allegedly?' You can't believe what that Harald guy said! You have to trust me!"

"While normally I'd agree with not believing anything Harald says, we have a right to question you under these unusual circumstances," Astrid said.

"I'm sorry if I overstepped my boundaries by offering him sanctuary," I said to Hiccup, "but Stormheart was going to kill him because he's from a rival crew, and I couldn't let that happen."

"You did the right thing," Hiccup said. "He came to us for help, and we can't deny him."

"But Hiccup," Astrid said, "what if this is a setup? Yes, he befriended a dragon, but you know that doesn't mean anything."

"I risked my life coming here," Cason said with sorrow in his voice. "I have nowhere else to go."

"I think we should give him a chance," I said. "His situation isn't all that different from mine when I joined the School."

"And if these new pirates attack us in retaliation?" Astrid said.

"We'll defend ourselves," Hiccup said. "We can't let fear stop us from doing the right thing."

Cason smiled at him gratefully. "Thank you. You won't regret this!"

Hiccup nodded. "Good. Before I introduce you to the headmaster, we should figure out where you're going to stay. Viggo, I know you have room in your dorm. Do you mind looking after him? And it might be good for Turbo to be around another electric user."

"I do not mind," Viggo said. "And if he is tricking us, I will find out." The boy flinched away from him, but he grabbed him back by the arm. By doing so, he lifted Cason's short sleeve up a little, and Viggo's eyes hardened. "Cason, who is your captain?"