The Gift of the Princess (HTTYD)

A Chief's Predicament

Krogan flinched, for the thought had crossed his mind for a split second. "That may be true, but are you sure you feel safe being alone with me?"

Reidun slightly tilted her head to the side. "I may not look it, but I am perfectly capable of defending myself. I have been trained for combat and know what I am doing."

"Your training does not exceed mine. No matter how skilled you think you may be, I could kill you easily. I have killed easily." He lowered his head in shame.

Something changed in Reidun's eyes, but instead of the condemnation he expected, it was... compassion? "Is that what is keeping you up? Not your current circumstances but memories of your past actions?"

The woman's perceptiveness surprised Krogan. Then again, Eira probably gave her basic information about him. "Yes. The present does not bother me. I can work to change my circumstances and I have friends to help me, but the past cannot be altered."

"Would you alter it if you were able?"

Krogan looked away, not knowing the answer. There were many things he wished he would have done differently, but he did not know how he could have chosen differently with what he knew at the time. "I have done a lot I wish to forget. Moving on is... difficult."

"Now, that I understand. There are some things I find hard to let go of us well. Some events are hard to forget. Come with me." Reidun walked past him, leaving him little choice but to follow. They passed through the trees and came upon a small grotto with a pond that sparkled in the moonlight.

"Beautiful," Krogan whispered.

Reidun smiled at him. "This place always makes me feel better."

"I can see why." Krogan admired how at ease the chief look. She no longer appeared to be a tough protector but a beautiful woman enjoying the evening. Indeed, even he felt calmer in this place.

"I hope you know I am sorry about your current predicament. I wish it could have been avoided."

"You are trying to protect your village. That I understand."

"Protecting them by aligning with dangerous people who could easily turn on us. It's not exactly the optimal situation." Reidun paused and gave Krogan a curious look. "And what of you? I make choices for the survival of me people. Did you align with Drago for your own survival?"

Krogan dipped his head. "Something like that, yes. It did not start out that way, but by the time I started to have regrets, it was too late to get out."

"Until Eira saved you. Is that why you joined the dragon riders? For protection?"

Krogan smiled at the ridiculousness of the question. "Eira chose to give me her protection, but I didn't want it. I had no reason to believe the dragon riders stood a chance against Drago. And once I was reunited with my dragon, I had the chance to fly far away from the archipelago and be safer than I thought I ever could with the riders."

"But you didn't."

Krogan clearly remembered that day. He almost left, but something held him back. "Eira had disappeared and could have been in trouble. Up until that point, everyone else I encountered thought I was a monster. I could not leave the one person who saw something more in me."

Reidun nodded, appearing deep in thought. "That is remarkable. She must have been right if it had that effect on you."

Krogan knew it was true, but sometimes it was difficult to believe. "I was able to stand up to Drago because I found something more important than my own survival. It must be different for you when you have a whole village to think about."