Emma: The Glow Within (Book 2, HTTYD Fanfic)

Chapter 7: A Blinded Heart

I was so confused.

Could I trust Daniel? 

There was something really... off about him. But something warm and inviting and sweet and silly... he was a lot like Hiccup.

Daniel lied to me. About everything. But he was so... friendly. Kind. Considerate. I didn't know what to think about him.

The sound of footsteps tore through my thoughts and I looked in the direction of the sound. I heard more footsteps tear through the grass, but I saw no one through the thick foliage.

Curiosity spiked.

I started walking in the direction of the sound. "D-Danny?" I asked. The footsteps halted. I pushed past the wines and leaves blocking my view and stopped abruptly when I saw a man Hiccup's age standing about eight feet infront of me. His hair was a silvery blonde that appeared white with one black streak in it and his stormy grey eyes looked clouded. His head turned in my direction, but he wasn't looking right at me. It was unnerving. His build was about the same as Hiccup's, and his skin was extremely fair. He was skinny, but he was taller than me.

"H-Hello? Who's there?" He asked. I stood still directly infront of him. Why was he asking who was there? I didn't move and I didn't speak out of confusion and curiosity. 

"I said, who's there? I don't want to fight you..." Fight me? Why? He looked around as if I weren't even there  and I even pinched myself to make sure this wasn't some sort of weird dream. He waited, but when I didn't answer, he brought his hand to a short sword in a sheath, but his hand just rested there. He looked like he was about to take it out of the sheath, but instead he stopped and just listened.

The forest was silent. No birds sand, no wind whistled, nothing. Just the sound of my own breathing. Was that what he was listening to? He took a reluctant step forward and I didn't move. I realized that the top of my head came in between his mouth and nose. He reached a hand out and brushed it on my cheek and I flinched.

"I-I'm sorry, I'm... blind." I didn't respond but continued to look into his bold, unseeing eyes.  "Who are you?" 

"Uh--I..." I took a step back, his touch leaving my face. He shifted uncomfortably on his feet and bit his lip. Then somehow, his eyes seemed to find mine and it looked as if he could see them. But he couldn't. 

"I'm sorry to ask... I just like to know what's happening around me... For all I know you could kill me." He smirked. "Or you could try."

I tilted my head, but didn't speak right away. "Who are you, and why are you in my forest?" 

"Your  forest?" He smirked again. "Well I'm sorry, but I didn't see your name written on it."

"How do you know? It could be, you just wouldn't see it." I blurted insensitively. I gaped at my own comment and cupped a hand to my mouth. His smirk shrunk, but a faint smile was still there. He stared at the ground and I wondered why.

"I-I'm sorry, I didn't--"

"It's fine. I walked right into that one." He smirked again. 

"So," I said, crossing my arms and smiling. "You still haven't told me why you're in my, yes, my forest."

"I fell asleep in my boat and landed here. I decided to explore."

"How do you sail a... when you're... uh.. nevermind." I facepalmed and the man laughed as though he could see how stupid I looked.

"It's okay: you're allowed to ask. How can I sail a boat if I'm blind? Short answer: practice. Based on sounds I can sort of make a 3-D picture in my mind of my surroundings. But I can't picture everything, for instance, I don't know what you look like. And I never will. I don't know what a lot of things look like, but... I can survive." I stare at him doubtfully.

"I'm not completely helpless, you know. I can walk and avoid most obsticles, and I'm an archer and I'm good at hand-in-hand combat. I'm just a regular person. I can do everything you can... Almost everything..."

"What's you're name?"

"Jayden." He smiled.

"I'm.. I'm Emma."

Jayden touched my cheek again. "You've been crying... Are you okay?"

I hesitated. "I'm... I'm fine it's just... my new friend lied to me about who he was..."

"Emma??" I heard a distant yell from behind me--Blaze.

"Oh, uh, my brother is calling me... I'd better... Go. Uh, you can manage on you're own right?" I slapped my forehead. "Sorry, nevermind, I know you can, pretend I didn't ask you that..." Jeez, I was acting as if he was helpless. He had gotten here by himself, he can find his way by himself too.

"Em?" I heard Blaze again.

"Uh, bye." I waved, then mentally face-palmed again. He couldn't see me wave anyways. "I'm coming, Blaze!" I shouted running off in the direction of my brother. I broke through the trees until I was on the outskirts of the village.

"Emma, are you okay?" 

I sighed. "Yes." All thoughts of Daniel's betrayal flooded me. I nearly broke down crying staring into my brother's amber eyes. I couldn't hide anything from him. Before I shed a tear, my big brother wrapped me in a hug, and then I began crying. It's like how you don't think you're going to cry... and then you see a family member and you just errupt. That's what just happened to me.

"Emma, I will always be here for you. I would do anything for you. I'd do anything for you're safety." Blaze stroked my hair.

I sucked in a breath. "That's what scares me the most."