Emma: The Legend of the Darkstalker (HTTYD Fanfic)

Chapter 20: Eret

I was angry. I was very upset. My first real friend turned out to be just like everyone else in this world. Thunder clapped and I jumped at the sudden roar. Violet lightening splintered across the sky. I put my hands to my head and kept walking. My head hurt. My powers were doing many things at once in my fury, and I just wanted it to stop.

Then, I got sick of it all, and ran.

I ran from my friends. I ran from the storm. I ran from my own powers. I ran from myself.

I heard someone crying and it took me a second to realize that it was me. The world around me faded into a blur and I stopped paying attention to where I was going. I ran a few steps into a clearing and my body slammed into something. I grunted and fell on my back. I opened my eyes and saw two hazel eyes staring back at me. My body shuttered.

"E-Eret?" I stammered. Eret's eyes widened as he noticed the markings, my hair and eyes.

"You!" Before I could react, Eret grabbed me by my shoulders and pulled me to my feet, before slamming me into a tree and holding me there. I raised my hand up to escape his grip, but Eret quickly brought a gleaming knife to my throat.

"Drop that hand." I slowly dropped my hand to my side.

"Eret, wait I-"

"Be quiet." Eret pushed me harder against the tree, and tightened the knife against my throat. The blade prickled the skin of my neck as I stared helplessly up at him. I wanted to explain myself, but if I so much as opened my mouth, Eret would kill me.

"Now, what are you doing here?" He demanded. He gave me a look that I knew permitted me to speak.

"I-I..." I squeaked. My voice sounded so unlike my own: much higher and more afraid. I tried to answer, but the words never came. I trembled in fear. I had never been so powerless: for sixteen years, I've always been able to protect myself.

"Answer me." If at all possible, he pushed me harder against the tree.

"I-I just wanted to be normal. I just wanted to see people again-happy people. But I..." I didn't want to mention Hiccup unless I had to. He was in enough trouble already.

"But you what?" Eret's icy gaze never averted from my eyes.

"I... I can't tell you. It will put others in danger. Eret, please, I'm not going to hurt anybody!"

"Emma, of course you will!" Hearing him say my name like that stunned me into silence. Hot tears threatened to fall, but only a single tear glided down my right cheak. I pretented not to notice as I stared into Eret's eyes. We sat in silence for at least a minute, just staring at each other. I couldn't bring myself to speak. Finally, Eret broke the silence.

"You will always hurt people, Emma. You hurt me before in attempt to save your brother. What would you do to the village in order to get him back? I imagine anything. You would probably destroy everything and everyone if it meant you could have Blaze back!"

"Don't say his name like that!" I blurted. I looked at him in disgust. The only thing I would sacrifice for my brother was myself. That I would do gladly. But never innocent people.

"Excuse me?" He lifted my chin with the tip of the dagger.

I knew it would be a bad idea to respond the way I did, but I couldn't stop myself. "I said, don't say my brother's name that way! His name doesn't belong in a sentence full of hatred. My brother is the most amazing person in the world and he is 100x's the man you'll ever be!" Eret raised the back of his hand, about to slap me, but he stopped himself. I flinched, but the contact never came.

"You know that I could kill you right now, yet you have the nerve to chastise me?"

"I could kill you right now too."

"Only if you were quick enough. And I only have to move my wrist a few inches to kill you, and if you so much as move your hand, I will do it." I knew that he was right. I couldn't move withoug dying first.

"Then what do you want from me, Eret?!" I cried, a few sobs escaping my lips, paired with a few more tears.

"You know, Gobber told us to kill you on sight?" he teased. "I should kill you right now." I closed my eyes, a few more tears sliding down my face. "But I won't..." I looked back up at him, and he had a smirk displayed across his face. "If..." Oh, great. an 'if'. "If you will owe me a favor in the future. Any favor I chose, no matter how big. Do we have a deal, Darkstalker?"

I stayed silent for what felt like an eternity. Then, I nodded.

"Good." Eret slowly removed the knife from my neck and sheathed it, releasing his painful grip on my shoulder. "Now, get out of my sight."

I walked backwards away from Eret, making sure he wasn't going to stab me in the back (literally.) I tripped over a tree root, but quickly got up and ran off. What did I just get myself into?