The Lost Pride of Berk (How To Train Your Dragon Fanfiction)

Part Eight

No one in the castle slept a wink on Rose's birthday. If it were anyone's choice, they would have been in her room with her, keeping her awake so maybe then nothing would happen to her. But it wasn't anyone's choice except Rose's, and she chose to be alone.

She laid down in her bed, not tired really, but not afraid to fall asleep either. She stared out the window at the moon. "I know you gods don't like much to listen to women but," She sighed, "listen just this once. Then I'll never bother you again, I swear."

Her gaze shifted to a painting on the wall of her, Herid, and Bel when she was first born. She focussed on Bel. "Take care of my baby. Whatever this is that's happening to me, make sure she doesn't suffer the same fate."

"Be with my brother and his wife. Make Hiccup a mighty chief and...let Astrid bare his successor. Be sure Berk stands tall in the future."

"I know there's no helping my mother, I don't know what else to say about that. I at least want the reassurance that Hiccup will listen, and that he's far away from here by now..." She became silent for a long while...

Until sleepiness fell over her.

"That's...all...I have to...say." She yawned as her eyes closed for the last time.

***
(All next scenes in this chapter are happening simultaneously!)

"GO GET HICCUP, YOU WORTHLESS DRAGON!!!" Astrid screamed at Toothless. She's been trying to get him to go find him for the past two days. She's not over what happened to her, and she wanted her husband here.

But Toothless wouldn't budge. No matter how much Astrid pushed, poked, or scared him, he stuck to Hiccup's orders to take care of Astrid here.

But he suddenly did feel something wrong, instinct maybe. His ears raised and he looked in the direction of Herode. "Yes! That's it! Go! Find Hiccup!!" She shouted again as she fastened the lever to let Toothless fly himself.

And this time Toothless didn't even process the order, he just took off at full speed to Herode.

Astrid didn't know why, but she broke down right there, falling to her knees and bawling again. Valka came running out of the house to her, beckoning for her to go inside. Astrid stood up and started for the house, her shoulders slouched. She looked back and watched as Toothless flew away.

***

It was barely sunrise, and the queen rushed through the hallways to Rose's room. She had a small ray of Hope that Rose hadn't died in the night, she couldn't explain it. But she didn't run with a panic, she actually wore a smile on her face.

She didn't hesitate to throw Rose's door open. She stared at her daughter for a moment. She was sleeping, but not the kind of dead sleep she was in just a few days ago. Her eyes were just simply closed.

The queen smiled with relief and walked to Rose's bedside. "Briar Rose?" She whispered. When she didn't wake up, she tried it again, louder. "Briar Rose!" She shouted. All the hope she had just ran out.

With tears in her eyes she felt Rose's forehead, and suddenly Rose started to change. The queen flinched and backed away. The skin on the princess' face turned back to the sallow of her previous sleep, and her hair white.

"NO!!" The queen screamed, stepping toward the lifeless and deteriorating princess and shaking her shoulders. "BRIAR ROSE WAKE UP!" She shouted over and over.

Suddenly it washed over her...she was gone. The pain hit her like a ton of bricks and she backed out of Rose's room, thinking of her options. With this despair overwhelming her mind she could only think of one. And she ran to the opposite end of the castle to the dragon stalls.