"Give away the fight
Release your foolish pride
The very bond is broken down
You need to leave behind
Oh, and the time has come to realize
And see the plan you've been designed for
So, face the fear of all unknown
And see the heart inside
So, open up your eyes"
- "Open Up Your Eyes" by Jeremy Camp
Chapter 16
Ruffrunner managed to support my weight all the way to Auction Island. My heart hammered as I started up the long path. "Stay close to me," I said to the dragon. I knew Stormheart did not like dragons on the island, but there was no way I was leaving Ruffrunner alone. Besides, if she wanted to kill me, she could find numerous reasons that had nothing to do with the Night Light.
As soon as I reached the top, I felt pirate stares on me. I realized this was the first time I had come to Auction Island alone except to meet Harald. Was I in my right mind? Could I really succeed here? I thought about Harald in peril and knew I had no choice. Now, where to find Stormheart?
"Hey, it's you!"
I froze even though the voice did not sound threatening. I slowly turned to see a smiling pirate jogging toward me. That was a little unexpected.
"It's Brennda, right?"
I looked him up and down but could not place him. "I'm sorry,do I know you?"
The pirate rubbed the back of his beck. "I reckon you wouldn't. I'm Morvin. Harald helped me out the last time you were here after Randel attacked me."
My eyes lit in recognition. "Oh, it's you! How are you doing?"
Morvin smiled. "I'm much better, thank you. The wound has healed nicely. So, what can I do for you? It's dangerous for you to be here, alone, you know."
I glanced down at Ruffrunner. "I'm not alone."
"And that might make it worse."
"I know, but I have no choice. I need to speak to Stormheart."
The pirate appeared hesitant. "That's also not a good idea. She's been in a... mood lately."
"It doesn't matter. Harald is in danger, and I need her help!"
Morvin's eyes widened. "What?! I'll take you to Stormheart straight away. Harald saved my life, and he was always a good captain. We've missed him a lot."
I found the news surprising. Did Harald realize his men felt that way about him? Considering pirates did not appear quick to show emotion, I doubted it. I followed Morvin up the hill to Stormheart's throne. The queen was alone, and her eyes narrowed at Morvin when we approached.
"Morvin, what is the meaning of this?" she snapped. "Why did you bring her here?"
Morvin flinched but did not back down. "With all due respect, she has something important she has to ask you, and I think you should listen to her. It's-" He visibly swallowed. "It's about Harald."
Stormheart's eyes tightened. "Very well. You are dismissed."
Morvin sent me an apologetic look. I thought he mouthed 'good luck' before scurrying back down the hill. I took a deep breath and met Stormheart's harsh gaze. Great, now I was alone with her.
"What do you want? And make it quick."
Despite my love of truth, I realized my relationship with this woman was defined by deception. Yes, some of it came from her, but I had gone great lengths to conceal many things from her as well. Now I needed to be open and vulnerable and hope it did not come back to bite me. Where did I even start?
Ruffrunner seemed to take my silence as an invitation to act, for he bounded ahead and looked up at Stormheart curiously. The pirate's eyes immediately flickered to the Night Light. "What is this?" she said sharply.
"I'm sorry," I said quickly. "He's a baby, and I didn't want to leave him alone. Ruffrunner, come here." For once, the little dragon listened to me and returned to my side.
"Those markings... I've never seen a dragon like that before."
While her tone was still harsh, I found this to be an opening. "He's a Night Light. Surely you heard about Light Furies, right? They're one of the dragons depicted on Harald's map, and his ancestors were friends with them." I received a stare in return, but she did not contradict me. "Anyway, Toothless mated with one of them, and this is the result. Ruffrunner has two siblings, and they and their father were kidnapped by Toki. Luckily, Ruffrunner managed to escape.
"The problem is... Hiccup blamed the attack on Harald and wanted to punish him. So, Harald escaped on the Light Fury and went after Toki to rescue the dragons. Then Cason - Toki's son - admitted he overheard Toki say he was going to kill Harald as soon as he got the map from him. I asked Hiccup to let me go after him, but apparently he doesn't trust me either. He tried to keep me confined, but my friends helped me escape with Ruffrunner. He's the only ally I have, and he's just a baby who doesn't know the meaning of the word 'enemy.' So, please, will you help me save Harald?"
Throughout my entire speech, Stormheart stared at me with a hard, unreadable expression, making it impossible to tell if I was getting through to her. Finally, she spoke, "After everything you have done, you dare come here and ask me for help? Why should I give your request any thought? What will you offer me in return?"
This was the point where I would normally appeal to her sense of reason and show her why my idea would benefit us both, but that was unacceptable this time. "You will get the same thing out of it that I will get: saving Harald's life. I know you care about him, and that is why you will do it." This was very bold of me, but I did not have the patience to deal with her crap. This would not work if she did not admit the truth.
For a second, surprise flashed in Stormheart's eyes, but it was soon replaced by anger. "Care? You seem to mistake me for one of your sentimental friends. And even if I did care, Harald betrayed me. Any bond we had was destroyed."
"That's a lie! Bonds like that don't go away so easily. If they did, my life would have been a whole lot simpler. Harald tried everything within his power to destroy our bond, and it didn't work. And, no, I don't buy that romantic love is any stronger than other types of love. Do you know how many times he betrayed me? I trusted him again each time because I saw through his act and knew he really cared. Despite his actions, I understood his heart."
Stormheart's eyes narrowed into a glare. "I am not like you! It is very presumptuous of you to assume such things. I never need Harald for emotional support. He was a valuable ally, and that's why I kept him around."
I shook my head. "I don't buy it. You may not have been friends the way I understand the term, but there was something there. You trusted him. The question is, why did you trust him?"
"Are you mocking me?"
"No, that's not what I meant." I paused to collect my thoughts. "Harald is not the most trustworthy guy. For the most part, he looks after himself. Everyone he comes across eventually learns this and distrusts him - everyone except me and his best friend, Viggo. We have similar reasons for trusting him despite his history, and I want to know yours."
"And why should I give you such information?"
I held in a sigh. Why did she have to make everything so difficult? "I'm not going to use it against you or anything. I know you met Harald after your father died. He stayed and helped out your tribe. Both of you have said that you're alike. That's when you realized it, right? He was there when you needed him. You trusted him because you understood each other when you felt the world was against you."
For the first time, Stormheart's expression softened slightly. "I was young and immature. I didn't know what I was doing. You keep mentioning my feelings, but what about his? He stayed with me because he was getting something out of it. He left when I was no longer useful."
"That is not what happened. If you doubt he cares, ask yourself why he stayed so long when you first met. Harald does not like most people, and he will not tolerate their presence longer than he has to. And he would never willingly submit to anyone he didn't respect and care for. He could have achieved his goals quickly and efficiently, but instead he stayed. And he never wanted to leave you. He felt he had to because staying put the other people he loves in danger. He was broken up about it afterwards. If he thought there was a way we could all get along, he would have gone for it.
"The problem is, he doesn't understand that you care. And while your denial may be part of that, a lot of that has to do with him. His confident attitude is a front to hide his insecurities. He finds it difficulty to believe that people could love him or that he is deserving of love. It took tremendous effort on my part to get him to accept my love. I think he didn't want to push anything in his relationship with you because he didn't want to lose it all, and he didn't want to look weak. He's terrified of rejection. In his mind, it's better to sabotage a relationship than to risk abandonment.
"But I know he cares about you. You're his family. Do not deny your bond. I know you think you're after power, but I believe you want more than that. Everyone desires love. Do not let your pride get in the way of what you really want. If you don't act to save Harald now, you could lose him forever. If his companionship has meant anything at all to you, you will help me save him. You know he wouldn't hesitate if the situation were reversed. He may be willing to double-cross most people, but he is extremely loyal to the people he loves. Please help me save him. He needs you." I gazed at her with all the emotions I could muster, hoping to break through her hard exterior. She was silent for a long time before responding.
"I cannot justify risking the lives of my men for a traitor. However, if you manage to rescue him, I will allow you to come back here since it appears you have nowhere else to go. We will talk more than." Her face grew stoic, concealing even her anger.
I let out a long breath. "Yes, I understand." I sensed that arguing further would do me no good. She had shut herself off to me... and to Harald. Yet, her counteroffer gave me hope that she did care. Was it too much to wish that she would reconsider once alone with her thoughts? "Thank you anyway."
I started the long descent down the hill. Thankfully, Ruffrunner followed me with no prodding. I met Morvin at the base of the hill. He gave me a hopeful look, but I shook my head sadly. I didn't have the heart to give him a recap.
I avoided the other pirates as I made my way to the dock. Finally, it was time. I looked down at Ruffrunner, who appeared completely oblivious to our perilous situation. "Well, it's just you and me, buddy." The Night Light gave a yip in response and allowed me to mount him. And we were off.
Even if it was a suicide mission, it was one we would both willingly make for those we loved.
***
Fortunately, Ruffrunner inherited some of his dad's abilities, including his echolocation, allowing us to navigate in the darkness. I recognized Randel's ship when we approached. Ruffrunner flew low to the sea, and his dark scales helped us blend into the night. It did not appear that any of the pirates on deck noticed us land in the back.
I quickly found the hatch and entered the lower part of the ship. From there, I did not have much of a plan. Harald was probably with Toki, and I was not ready to face him. Ruffrunner had no such reservations and ran down the hall. My heart thudded as I followed him. Hopefully we would not get caught.
The Night Light stopped in front of a large cage. Inside I found his entire family coated with Death Song amber! I held in a gasp and fumbled for my solution. I very carefully reached my arm into the cage and dropped solution on each dragon. As soon as they were free, Dart and Pouncer scrambled to the bars and excitedly yipped at their brother.
"Shh..." I said. "You have to be quiet." I examined the lock. "I don't know how to open this. I'll be back." I looked Toothless and Raija in the eyes, and they seemed to understand. I knew better than to ask Ruffrunner to abandon them again, so I set off in search of Harald on my own.
I slowed when I heard talking coming from a nearby room. That sounded like Toki's voice. A moment later, I heard Harald respond. I slowly moved closer until I stood near the door. I pressed my ear against the wall in an attempt to eavesdrop.
"And it appears we have a visitor," Toki said abruptly. "Come on out, my dear."
I froze. Was he talking about me?
"Who's there?" Harald said sharply. Then he was in the doorway, looking at me. His expression was perfectly controlled.
I gave him a weak smile. "Hi."
"Come, join us," Toki said from inside the room. "We have much to discuss."
When Harald moved aside, I took this as a sign to oblige the man. I entered the room and found Randel there as well. His eyes narrowed slightly at me, but he said nothing. Meanwhile, Toki regarded me with a fake smile. "Fancy seeing you here," I said amiably.
Toki closed the door and stood in front of it, effectively blocking my only exit. I tensed in anticipation. "Harald, you asked what you could do to prove yourself to me," he said, effectively ignoring me. "Here it is: This girl is no longer any use to us, and she is an intruder." He smiled wickedly. "Kill her."
My heart nearly stopped. I examined Harald's expression and found him remarkably calm. I swallowed hard. How are we supposed to get out of this?
"He won't do it," Randel sneered. "He's too soft."
"He will if he doesn't want us to consider him an enemy and act appropriately," Toki responded. He fixed his gaze on Harald. "Kill her. Now."
"There is no need," Harald said. "There are other options available to us."
"But none will prove your loyalty. I know you care for her. Are you going to let your attachments get in the way of your ambitions? I can find you another like her. Kill her."
Harald's hand moved to the hilt of his sword. "No."
Toki withdrew a dagger faster than Harald could wield his sword. "Just as I thought. I'll do it." He pointed his dagger at me, but his eyes were on Harald. I immediately understood.
I rapidly closed the distance between Harald and me just as Toki threw his dagger at him. The dagger struck my stomach and dug in deep. I doubled over in pain, crying out. Within a heartbeat, Harald supported me, his face full of horror.
"You are weak," Toki said. But I could hardly hear him as my attention was focused on Harald.
"You attacked my son," Randel growled.
"I knew the girl would get in the way. He was never in any danger." Suddenly, the whole ship shook violently. Alarmed, Toki threw open the door. "What's going on?!"
"We're being attacked!" a pirate exclaimed. "It's the Tempest!"
Despite the circumstances, a small smile formed on my face. "I knew she would come."
***
Harald
Harald felt his world crumbling apart as he stared in shock at the girl in his arms. How had the tables turned so quickly? He thought he had everything under control. He knew Brennda would come after him, but he believed himself competent enough to protect her from harm. But Toki had figured it him out from the start. He had tricked him into handing over the map and inflicted a potentially mortal wound on the woman he loved.
Harald barely registered the panic outside the room. Brennda looked up at him with weak eyes, and he knew he had to be strong for her. "It'll be alright, love," he said softly. "I won't let you die." But for that she needed medical care. Now.
His head snapped up when he heard movement. Randel moved past him towards the door. Something slipped from his grasp and fell to the floor. Harald's eyes flickered to the key and then too his father's stoic expression. Randel stared at him for a moment longer before exiting the room.
Harald did not know what to think of the bizarre behavior, and he had no time to figure it out. "Leopold, pick up the key," he ordered. The Terrible Terror flew from his shoulder and snatched the key in his mouth. Harald carefully picked up Brennda in his arms and started down the hall.
He soon reached the cage that held the Fury family - save for Ruffrunner, who sat by the door. To Harald's surprise, they were all clear of Death Song amber, probably thanks to Brennda. Leopold managed to push the key into the lock and turn it. Then Harald used his foot to pull the door open. "We're getting out of here!" he declared. The dragons raced out with glorious roars.
Harald and the prisoners made their way up to the deck. Fortunately, the pirates were too concerned with the assault on their ship to take much notice again. Despite knowing it was there, Harald was still surprised to see the Tempest. Brennda had not been surprised. Had she really gone to Stormheart for help? And more importantly, why had Stormheart accepted?
The dragons stood nearby, apparently waiting for direction. Harald considered his options before approaching Toothless. "I need to get Brennda help. Could you give us a lift? Your saddle will help give her something to hold onto."
Toothless snorted as if the answer were obvious. Harald wondered if he would feel the same if he knew Hiccup had banished him. Then again, his relationship with Brennda might be good enough to justify the risks. Harald carefully set Brennda on the dragon first and then climbed on behind him.
Now he had a decision to make. Where could he bring Brennda? New Berk, the School of Dragons, and Berserker Island were all too far away, and he did not want to risk Brennda slipping into the ocean or her injury becoming infected. The most logical option was to board the Tempest and seek the help of the pirate healer. But if he did that, would he make it off alive? He feared Stormheart's wrath and hated the thought of facing her after what he did.
Brennda coughed, causing Harald to regain his focus. There was no decision to make, really. "Toothless, I need you to land on the Tempest." The Night Fury looked back at him as if he were crazy. "You can leave as soon as we're off. Please. We have nowhere else to go. I promise nothing will happen to you."
Ruffrunner yipped at his father. Toothless still appeared reluctant, but he did take off in the direction of the pirate ship. The other dragons followed suit. Harald sincerely hoped he had not just doomed them all.