Broken Prophecy: How to Train Your Dragon

THE BROKEN PROPHECY Chapter 17

This is a fanfic and I make no money from this. Original copyrights belong to Dreamworks and Cresedia Cowell

Songwriters: Justin Hayward

I Know You're Out There Somewhere lyrics © Fintage House Publishing

Chapter 17

Tannlaus and the nearly twenty dragons reach Berk well before dusk. Ryder leads Cloudjumper toward the center of town, with himself taking the others to the edges. In his sixteen years, never had he seen these monsters, these two-legs, so demoralized. Not one raised a weapon, most cowered in the few remaining husks of wooden caves they seemed to like living in. The largest, and another with an odd gait, went to meet Ryder. "Chief" and "Gobber" Tannlaus hears his blond passenger utter. Recognizing the names, his eyes turn into slits, waiting for any reason to blast the two most responsible for his mates misery.

The largest stops dead in his tracks when Ryder removes her helmet. Tannlaus stands stunned and impressed as the big one collapses to his knees before Ryder. 'She is impressive... I never saw her strike him.' He feels the blond upon his back pat him gently atop his head, to catch his attention.  Looking back, she points to the tallest spire of stone in the village, "Gothi" she says. Recognising the name, Tannlaus take to the sky with a single beat of his wings, soon landing on the small platform the old woman is sitting on.

"Astrid..." She says without preamble. The young girl is stunned into silence, as the old woman steps up without any fear. "You must be Hiccups mate." She turns an appraising eye to the Shadewing. With a deep sigh, "Are you here to see all this come to an end? Or will you stop your mates madness?"

"What do you want me to say? She has been missing from our nest for so long now! I only want her home and safe! I care not for you or anyone else here... I should raze this place for what she had to endure, but that isn't what she would want."

"No, Hiccup wouldn't want revenge. That child has a heart bigger than anyone I've met in so long."

Tannlaus pauses, "You understand me? Wait! I understand you!?"

"What is it with you Night Furies? Do you all have to think so loud?" She reaches out and helps Astrid from his back, "Now before we do anything else, let me see your socket. Been cleaning like I told you? Using the ointment?" The old woman gathers herbs and powders, mixing them deftly into a paste, "I want you to use this for the next few weeks, assuming we live that long. Now go back down, I have a feeling Valka may need help with that stubborn husband of hers." Turning her attention back to the ebony dragon. "What do you plan to do about your Mate?"

"I... I don't know. I was hoping I could talk to her and convince her to come home, back to our nest. I don't know what to say, how to make her understand."

The old woman leans heavily against her staff. "You don't know what to say? Really? You took her and claimed her. If she still lives it's because she carries your egg."

"That's... That was just to save her... I would wait a thousand lifetimes for her to come to me. I only..." Tannlaus hangs his head in shame, "I did take her... She was so afraid of dying alone. Just like me. I couldn't bear being alone again, and so I took the opportunity... Yes, maybe it was selfish, but it wasn't just physical..."

"Sounds like you have your answer. Go... Go and sing your heartsong."

He looks at the weathered old woman, his breath coming in gasps, "What if she isn't... What if she doesn't?" His sudden panic ends with the sound 'thwack' he gets from the old woman's walking stick. Despite her age and tiny stature, he grows convinced he will have an ugly bruise left from the sudden strike.