Dark Despair (Book 2: Together Forever)

Hiccup's Alive

Rowan cut me off, "Mist! Eclipse! Thank Thor we found you!"

"Rowan! Forestflame!" The Furies shouted at the same time.

"Okay, everyone this is Mist and Eclipse, they're mates. Mist, Eclipse, this is Astrid, Stormfly, Heather, and Windshear."

"Hi!" Mist said.

"Hiya!" said Eclipse, who was clearly more excited.

"So, Rowan, what are you doing out here?"

"Well, I was looking for you. Gods above, we've been looking for the three of you for the past... seven and a half months."

"Wasn't that when we first met?" Mist asked.

"Precisely!"

"Why?" Eclipse asked.

"Because I know who your friend is. I figured it out right after you left."

"Awww... I liked calling him Mr. Nameless." Eclipse whined.

"Wait, they called him Mr. Nameless?" Rowan ignored me.

"I'm sure that my brother appreciated you calling him Mr. Nameless very much. His real name is Hiccup Horrendous Haddock the Third."

"Wait... He didn't... Did he?" Eclipse asked Mist.

"He's your brother?" Mist asked. "How is that possible?"

"Have you ever heard the legend of the Dragon Prince?" They both nodded.

"But, what does that have to do with him?" Eclipse asked while Mist's eyes widened.

"No! No way! No way is he the dragon prince! Nope! Not possible!" Mist started and Eclipse looked at her, confused.

"My fiancé is most definitely the dragon prince!" I shouted.

"Wait, wait, wait, just a minute... You're the Astrid? The Astrid he's always talking about?"

"I'm Astrid, Hiccup's fiancée. Future-sister-in-law of Rowan."

"Well... as great a conversation as this is... where is Hiccup?" Heather asked. The two Furies looked at each other and then looked at the fleet of ships.

"Down there." They said together.

2 hours later

Eclipse and Mist had dropped back to join me.

"How long have you been looking for Hiccup?" Mist asked.

"Almost 5 years now. How long have you known him?"

"Five years," Eclipse responded.

We were silent for a couple of moments.

"Astrid? Do you know what happened to my home?" Eclipse asked.

"Where was your home?"

"The Island of Night."

"You're that Eclipse?"

"What's that supposed to mean?" Mist demanded.

"Everyone thought you were dead, Eclipse. They found your entire family, dead, except you. Sky misses you. She always hoped you were alive, but it was hard."

"Sky's alive!"

"Yes, she mated with Hiccup's brother, Toothless."

"Who's Sky?"

"She was my best friend when I was three. Who else is alive?"

"Well, not very many survived the first attack when you got lost. But then years later, there was another attack and Sky got taken by the Dragon Conqueror and while she was away the Dragon hunters attacked and killed almost everyone except for 14."

"No!"

"I'm sorry, the few that are still alive are, Sky, Lightning, Bolt, Waterflower, Leafshifter, Sunshine, Plum, Striker, Galaxy, Shade, Shadowmoon, Starfall, Storm, and Darkstar."

I saw Eclipse's eyes widen at the last name, "Darkstar's alive?"

"Ya, why?" I saw a flash of fright in Mist's eyes, "I mean he has a mate..."

"He has a mate!" Mist's eyes widened farther in fear.

"Yes."

"I can't believe my cousin has a mate."

"I didn't know you had a cousin! Why didn't you tell me?" Mist shouted relief flooding her features.

"Well, I thought he was dead. Tell me about his mate."

"You're not going to like this, but his mate is Delta."

"Why wouldn't I like that?"

"Because she's Hiccup's sister. She's the Dragon Princess."

"What! Great! I'm related to him now!" Eclipse shouted.

"Hey, did you know they also have hatchlings?" My eyes widened as Rowan joined our conversation.

"What?" I asked.

"Ya, they've got four. Two girls and two boys."

"Names, now!" I shouted at him.

"Geez! Calm down, sis. Their names are Nightengale, Blackmoon, Night and Vera."

"Did you just call me, sis?"

"Yes, I did because you're my future-sister-in-law."

"I thought Delta hated Hiccup's cover name."

"I think she wanted something to remind her of him. Anyway, it's Vera who looks like Hiccup. She even has green eyes." Rowan peered at Eclipse's eyes, "You know, Nightengale has your eyes, Eclipse."

"What?"

"Ya, she has the exact same eyes as you. The colour is almost identical."

"Weird."

"Not really, you two are related after all."

"True..." Mist said.

A couple minutes of silence later I said, "I know how we can get Hiccup back."