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chapter thirty
the hidden world

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     SHE KNEW, as soon as they returned, that something went horribly wrong. 

     She heard the distant squawks and cries of their dragons and Valkyrie looked up, the mallet she had to hammer down the wooden foundations of a catapult dropping straight to the grass. She hated leaving things between her and Hiccup in arguments━it made her stressed and fearful, not wanting to think that those could be the last words she said to him. She hated it. Her father couldn't even get a word in before she was leaving him at a run, skidding along the grass of New Berk towards the cliff's edge where others had gathered to greet the party. 

     Valkyrie's heart hammered in her chest, her hands clenching and unclenching as she searched her friends━she counted each and every dragon, and there was a breath of relief, until she noticed that on none of their saddles, did they have Grimmel. 

     And the moment she realised was when she caught sight of Hiccup behind Hott on Spikemoth━even from here, she could see the tension in his shoulders; saw the way he clenched his hands. Something had gone wrong━terribly wrong. 

     Despite their argument, and Valkyrie's believes she thought right━she had secretly hoped that Hiccup would prove her wrong. That he'd come back with Grimmel and half of their problems would be solved. She hoped it would be that easy. It was never that easy. 

     Asrifth came in to stand beside her as the group approached. They shared a glance; silent settled, and her brother seemed to know what she was thinking. He muttered, "It didn't go well?"

     Valkyrie shook her head, "They don't have him." She hugged her stomach, feeling a terrible ache in her chest. "I ... I wanted this to work━I really did━" 

    "I know."

     Val remembered when they were younger and used to butt heads over everything. She couldn't understand why Asrifth didn't want to fight dragons, and he never understood why she had━Valkyrie had gone out of her way to protect him each time he had tried to befriend Gronckles or got himself into trouble. They fought, they said words to each other ... now, Asrifth was like her, all grown up. He was tall, he was gentle, he wasn't the first-born son their father wanted, but these days, none of that mattered. Asrifth had the freedom to be exactly who he wanted to be. It was emotional for Valkyrie to look up at him, and see how much her younger brother had grown━to see the stubble of his beard and see how much he looked like their father. To see him become a young man that was wise, and intelligent in such an emotional way. 

     "You'll figure it out, you know that, right?" Asrifth then said. He sounded so sure. 

     "I know ..." whispered Valkyrie. "I just ... I hate seeing him like this."

    Her brother placed his hand on her shoulder and squeezed it. "You just got to be there for him ... like you've always been."

     They landed as he said those words. Valkyrie surged forward, heart beginning to race as she made her way over. It had felt so strange not to be with them━stressful; it made her fret over what could happen and what might not happen. It wasn't right for her to be left behind━it felt unnatural. And now that they were back, even if there was a sombre feeling in the foggy air, she felt better for it. 

    The villagers that had gathered surrounded the cliffside. They waited to see their chief bring back their greatest adversary yet━Gobber even had his cage well-prepared for the moment they'd all see Grimmel be locked away; they started to cheer, but those cheers faded away as they noticed the truth. They saw the weight upon the Dragon Rider's shoulders, but most importantly, they saw that the man who had burned down their old home of seven generations nowhere to be found.

     "God almighty!" cried Gobber, furious. He gestured to the twisted, thorned cage he had spent all night working on━all the way through to the early hours of the dawn. "Guess we won't be needing this then, huh?!"

     Hiccup leapt off Spikemoth. Valkyrie felt her heart jump to her throat as he tugged his helmet off with livid anger. "I led us right into his trap!"

     She wanted to walk up to him━to say something, but he completely brushed past her, and Valkyrie made no move to follow, feeling forgotten and defeated as she saw every piece of confidence he held just crumble under the glare of the morning sunrise. 

     Astrid immediately made her way over to Valkyrie, reaching out to grasp her arm━knowing exactly what she felt, and reminding her that it wasn't the right time. She gritted her teeth, but stayed silent, double checking each and every one of them to know that they had come back. She met her younger brother's gaze and he sighed, looking exhausted and shaken. 

     She scanned them all━they were all okay and they were all here, that was what mattered, each and every one of them━

     Valkyrie's stomach lurched, "Where's Ruff?"

     Instantaneously, each eye turned slowly onto her. Slowly, their stomachs dropped, their gazes widened━and they spun to Tuffnut who stared back at them, standing alone in front of his and his sister's two headed dragon. He shrugged at them, confused, "What?"

     Hiccup staggered━like a blow had been struck right to his stomach. Valkyrie met his gaze, horrified, "You━you left without Ruffnut?" 

     Her heart began to hammer. She searched for her friend, expecting her to jump out of nowhere and surprise them all (and then laugh about it). But she didn't. It was horribly silent━there was no sly comment, no low chuckle, no insult from Barf's saddle. Ruffnut was no where to be found. 

      Fishlegs squeaked, rushing forward and almost tripping over his own two feet. He clutched Fishmeat in his arms as he demanded, shocked that Hiccup hadn't noticed, "We━we left her behind?!"

     "Why didn't any of you━?" Valkyrie tried not to get angry. She could feel herself grow frightful, thinking that Ruffnut was stuck wherever they had been━right in Grimmel's hands. She felt another hand gently grab her arm to help keep her breath steady; Valka. "You━you━none of you even thought to do a headcount?!"

     Most adverted their gaze. Hiccup looked pale━he looked sick to the stomach. He stared at the grass, hazy as he realised just what he had let happen. 

     Tuffnut turned to Barf, as if just finally realising his sister was not with him. "What?" he slumped. "Huh..."

     "Huh?!" exclaimed Astrid, livid. "That's all you have to say? Huh?!"

    Tuff spun back to her, offended. "Well━how was I supposed to know where my sister was?!" he demanded.

    Hott stared at him, incredulous. His eye seemed to twitch. "H━how could you not━you ride a two-headed dragon!" he shouted, arms flying out towards the younger Twin who shook his head, as if disappointed that Hott would raise his voice such. 

     Tuffnut then sighed, nodding to himself. "Oh ..." he soon realised. "Oh, yeah ... yeah ..." he tapped his braided beard thoughtfully. "I see your point." Snotlout face-palmed. "Now, I feel like how Ruffnut is every day: dumb."

     "I can think of someone dumber," grumbled Eret son of Eret beside Skullcrusher. 

    Valkyrie shook her head, unable to believe it. "Oh, my gods━" she turned around, and Valka was there to rub her shoulders, gently muttering words of peaceful tidings━and apology. While Hiccup might feel the weight bearing down upon him, she felt some of it, too. She felt as if she should have looked after them all better. "Well, we have to go out and find her!" The Chieftess spun back around, suddenly determined. She met her husband's gaze who just stared back at her, looking defeated━she hated that defeated look! It wasn't who he was. He wasn't a defeatist, why did he always feel like he was? "We have to go back, now!"

     "Odin be spanked!" meanwhile Gobber exclaimed, scoffing to the gods. "This just gets better and better!" Others began to grumble around them. Valkyrie awaited Hiccup to agree with her, to say something━to do something about it; something stupid, something crazy, but instead, his gaze just lifted to the clouds ... and his shoulders slumped to find them empty. 

    "I try to avoid looking at her," murmured Tuffnut mournfully to his dragon heads. He sighed, sombre. "It gives me acid reflux..."

     At the growing restlessness of the tribe, Hiccup finally held up his hands. His helmet swung loosely from his fingers and he let out, a little flushed in his overwhelming thoughts, "O━okay, guys! Just━just keep your helmets on. Toothless and I will find her━"

     "How?!" Starkard cut him off, annoyed. "Toothless has the Light Fury, now! He's probably not even coming back." 

     Those words made Hiccup's breath fall away━as if he had lost the very skill to even talk. There was a moment of aching silence, as Starkard's comment struck him so painfully, Valkyrie could see that even now, he did not realise. Hiccup refused to realise. 

     In the end, he managed a croaked, "W━what?"

     Valkyrie's anger washed away. Their argument did not matter last night, nor did it matter his mistakes this morning━she could feel his pain like an ache in her own heart. "Hiccup," she tried softly, and he glanced back at her━he shook his head, not wanting to believe that she had started to agree, as well. Her husband scoffed at her, admittedly hurt. Valkyrie pursed her lips. Gently, she said: "You ... you gave him his freedom ... what were you expecting?"

     "I never thought he'd stay away for good!" Hiccup cried out, spinning to her with a ferocity that wasn't directed at her, or anyone more than it was directed at himself. Valkyrie looked down at her boots, not sure what to say. What else she could say. "I━I━I━" He clenched his hands with a trembling sigh, pushing back the tears that threatened to well up in his eyes. "Look, I'll━I'll figure it out!" Hiccup threw his hands up and stormed away. Valkyrie watched him go, feeling herself grow tearful, too. "I just━I just need more time..."

    The Chief marched off into the field, shaded by the low hanging trees of the woodland at its edge. The sunrise didn't make him look glorious, nor did it give him strength━Hiccup had never looked so lost ... so broken ... so alone. 

     Valkyrie always thought that she made him feel otherwise. That she helped him see that he was far from being alone━that he was strong, and he was smart, and he was brave; that he was far bigger a person than he always believed himself to be. She thought she would always be at his side, helping him, believing in him, ruling alongside a man who had grown into something that was admirable, and great ... right now, it hurt her so bad to think that she had given him none of that. That she was still seeing the lost, troubled and desperate boy he was, trying to prove to his father, to everyone, to himself that he could be more than a useless kid. Except he never was ... and he couldn't seem to see that, no matter how hard she tried to show him otherwise.

    Valka sighed sadly. She rubbed her daughter-in-law's back, seeing just how heartbroken she was at the sight of her husband's frustrated tugs at his hair. "He thinks he has to lead alone," she murmured to her. "Well ..." Valka chuckled sadly, "... because his father had to." She turned to her and Valkyrie briefly met her gaze before setting it back onto Hiccup who threw his helmet aside into the grass. "He doesn't realise the strength you have together ... Do you still believe in him?"

    Valkyrie gaped at the question, so shocked that Valka would ask it ... until she wondered, had she really been so distanced in herself━so upset, and angry ... not with Hiccup, not with anyone except herself and the world, that she made it seem that she did not have any faith left? 

     Valkyrie Haddock hugged her stomach, nostalgic for the days where everything seemed so easy. "Of course!" she answered without hesitation, though she frowned to herself, horrified as she realised the mistakes she's made. "Of course, I do! I always have. I just ... I want him to believe in himself ..." She pursed her lips, her fingers finding the brooch still clipped to the top of her tunic. She felt the indents Hiccup had made━ran along the lines where their two dragons met. "But ... he thinks he's nothing without Toothless."

     Valka smiled softly at her. She frowned at it. "Then ... help him realise the truth."

     It settled in her stomach. Valkyrie's breath hitched as she finally understood. This entire time━through thick and thin, that was what she had always done. She didn't tell him what he didn't want to hear, she didn't frustrate him nor did she lose faith in him. Valkyrie hadn't stood by his side as the rock of his confidence, nor did she become someone he relied upon to fix his mistakes, or to get him out of situations he couldn't handle. Ever since they were fifteen, and he showed her something she never realised she needed, she had then done the same to him. She followed him, she supported him, she loved him and she listened to him. Valkyrie was his best friend, she was his partner, she was his wife. And like she relied upon him to help her realise the truth about herself━how he had, from the day in the cove, in a way that made her into the person she was today, Hiccup relied upon her to do the same thing. She had always done the same thing. She had always helped him realise the truth. 

     Valkyrie set her gaze upon her husband yet again, and she held nothing less than love and admiration━absolute, breathtaking, heart-aching love that sometimes almost made it hard to breathe. But also comfort; safety ... Hiccup yet again made her realise the truth, even when he didn't even try: he was her home ... no matter where they were. They could be on Berk, they could be at Dragon's Edge, they could be at the end of the Earth, about to fall off the edge, and Valkyrie would still feel as she did now; as she always has. She would still help him, and support him, and love him━and he would do the same. 

     She now understood what life she wanted Linnea to have. She wanted Linnea to have a life where they were happy, where she felt loved, and she felt supported, and she had someone there to show her the truth to herself just like she might them. Valkyrie realised there was no better place for her to get that than right here, with them. 

     And so, Valkyrie nodded to herself. She took a deep breath and set her shoulders━she was determined. 

    Spinning on her heel, she ran to Zephyr sniffing at a group of Hobgobblers hiding behind the barrels. He glanced up at her rushing figure and immediately knew what she wanted. He held out her wing and she grasped it, letting herself be lifted onto his saddle. "Come on, boy," she whispered, turning him towards Hiccup. She drummed a pattern on his scale, and he lifted up into the air. "We have a Night Fury to find."

     Soaring over the group of Vikings, her friends and her family, Valkyrie landed Zephyr right in front of Hiccup in the plains. He jumped, startled at the thud her mighty Windstriker made against the earth. He frowned up at her, wondering what she was doing.

     But Valkyrie just smirked. She nodded her head to the room behind her, "Get on."

     Hiccup's brows furrowed. "What?"

    She held out her hand for him to take, leaning down off her saddle━just like he had for her years before as she dangled from that tree. "We're going to find him."

     He stared at her hand, a little surprised. Then, a small smile inched its way onto his lips. "Really?" 

     Valkyrie nodded. She smiled at him gently, "Come on, Your Highness," she told her husband. 

     Hiccup chuckled━relieved and with a breath of love. Determined, he grasped her palm and she pulled him up behind her. He settled on her saddle and wrapped his arms around her waist. Valkyrie glanced over her shoulder to meet his gaze, her nose inches from his. "Ready?" she whispered. 

      Her husband nodded, grateful, "Let's go, Milady."

     Valkyrie held up her chin, satisfied before she turned to face the front. Fixing her grip on Zephyr's saddle, she squeezed her knees and her dragon took off into the dawn, the yellow on his blue and white scales matching the glow of the morning sun. 

      "Everybody," Hiccup called down to their friends as she did, "stay put! We'll get Ruffnut back. Don't worry."

     Back down on the grass, Tuffnut scoffed to himself. "Worry?" he snorted, shaking his head. He nudged Snotlout beside him who hunched up, dubious. "If they're stuck with Ruffnut, I'm more worried about them."

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    IT WAS SILENT, the first part of the trip. Valkyrie wasn't particularly sure where they were going; she just took off in the direction she had seen Toothless take off earlier in the day, and prayed to the gods Zephyr would somehow take her the rest of the way. Hiccup hadn't said a word━he was stressing about everything and anything, no doubt: Toothless, Ruffnut, Grimmel, his villagers, her ... his mind was never at rest even when there was a chance it could be. Still in his dragon armour, she could feel it scratch against her tunic as he held her around the waist━careful and hesitant, as if expecting her to push him away. 

     Valkyrie remembered what Valka had said, and she felt a breath of shame, but also frustration. How was she supposed to show Hiccup that he didn't need Toothless to be the same person he's always been? That he didn't need to constantly search for him, or for her in a room to be sure on his decisions? How was going to find him in the Hidden World going to help that? Valkyrie didn't know━she didn't even know what they'll find there...

    If they can find it in the first place. 

    "Thank you," Hiccup then said, speaking up for the first time the entire flight. They soared across the ocean as dawn still swept over the horizon, turning the water from deep blue to a sun-kissed dream. 

     She glanced back at him briefly, meeting his forest green eyes underneath auburn hair and braids. "What for?"

     Her husband sent her a gentle look and she sighed, shifting herself on the saddle so she was more comfortable━honestly missing the feeling of her back against his chest. "I'm your wife, Hiccup," she whispered. "I'm also your best friend. I'll always be there for you."

     "I'm sorry," he then added, frowning out into the distance. "I should have brought you along━I daresay things would have gone better if you were there."

      There it was again. Valkyrie pursed her lips, biting back the want to smack him over the back of the head hoping that then, he might see some sense. "Even if I was there, it wouldn't have changed a thing. I'm just glad you got out safe, and we'll find Ruffnut and get her back, too."

     A soft silence settled between them again. Valkyrie sighed once more, and she watched the way the sunrise stretched across the ocean━slowly and yet beautifully. It reminded her of a sunset so close to home. Not Berk, but her heart. 

     But while she managed a small smile, Hiccup only frowned. He held onto her a little tighter, "What if Toothless never comes back, Val?" he asked in a timid voice. Her brows lifted, meeting his gaze as Zephyr swept them through a blanket of clouds. Valkyrie trusted him to find Toothless━while not of the Tracker Class, a Windstriker had the extravagant ability to sniff out any creature of real importance to it; whether that be its own kin, Valkyrie or Hiccup, or even the scent of another breed; as long as it meant something to them, a Windstriker felt obligated to be close to it. "What if ... what if he's ...?" she knew he didn't want to say left me, but Valkyrie knew that was what he had thought.

     And she didn't know what to tell him. Because Valkyrie had a sad feeling that yes, Toothless didn't have a need to come back, now, not when Hiccup sent him off with his unbeknownst blessing. 

     Thoughtfully, she ran a hand along Zephyr's scales. In the end, she decided to say, "Your bond with Toothless, Hiccup ... it's something special━extremely special ... no matter where life takes either of you, whether it be together or separate, that doesn't mean that bond you have splits━it stays strong. Think about your father and Thornado ... they had to say goodbye to each other, but your father kept his saddle━to honour him. They still had a bond, islands apart.

    "But still," then added Valkyrie, taking a deep breath and setting her shoulders, "who knows what we'll find, yet."

     Hiccup's frown went from the ocean to Zephyr as suddenly, he jolted in his flight. He flared his wings, taking them up in a staggered pattern that made Valkyrie gasp and hold on tighter. "Whoa!" she let out, startled. "Zeph━boy━what is it?"

      He squawked, as if hesitant for what lied beyond the billowing clouds. Valkyrie's brows knitted together, quite confused━she tried to see beyond it ... there was a thundering sound, one that set her on edge; like a waterfall, and yet, they were in the centre of the ocean.

     "What━what is Zeph doing?" asked Hiccup, taken aback. "What's he found?"

     "I don't know," muttered Valkyrie, a comforting hand on her dragon's neck. "But he seems to have found something━Zeph━" she leaned down to speak to her dragon as if he understood every word she said, and sometimes, she wondered whether he did, "━what is it boy? Is it Toothless? Have you found━whoa!"

     He jolted forward, diving deep to the ocean's surface so quickly Valkyrie and Hiccup barely had time to stiffen their postures to hold on. The Chieftess's tunic billowed in the sudden ocean wind━even with her furs, she was starting to gather a chill; but she thought none of it as they neared the billowing clouds, and the rushing sound of water grew louder and louder until it pounded in Valkyrie's ears, making her heart race with fear. 

     "Zephyr..." she tried, wary, but he didn't listen. Something was drawing him━and she wasn't sure whether it was even Toothless. He was adamant, now; he held no hesitation as he took them at a piercing speed through the clouds. Valkyrie closed her eyes, anticipating ice or rain; Hiccup held onto her tighter━

     They burst through the mountains of clouds. Valkyrie hitched a gasp, hunched up in her saddle. Zephyr's wings beat against her legs and he took them up in a spiral, letting out a defiant roar she had never heard him cry before. 

      Hiccup opened his eyes before she did, and she felt him tap her waist, "Valkryie━Val, Val, look..." his voice sounded breathless with awe and so she did as he said, and her gasp this time got caught in the back of her throat. 

      The morning sunlight broke through the clouds upon a godly sight━a cavern within the very ocean; the sea fell down past jagged rocks and coral towards a depth unknown━billowing waterfalls and fog ... like a god had fallen from the heavens and blasted a crater right towards the centre of the earth. 

     Zephyr soared above it and Valkyrie leaned over as much as she dared, eyes wide and━if not━slightly horrified by the sight. She couldn't see the bottom━it seemed endless; an endless cascade of ocean water and steam, twisting further and further down to the unknown. 

      She pulled him back towards the edge so they could circle it, her heart pounding against her ribcage. She glanced back at Hiccup behind her, and saw that he held a look very similar to hers. The wind was crazed━it sent her hair flying off her shoulders and spat whips of ocean water against her cheeks. She could barely hear herself think over the roars of the falling sea. 

     And then, Hiccup's eyes widened with fresh realisation. He stared at the chasm and Valkyrie almost didn't hear him: "A great waterfall..."

     She understood what he meant and she, too, stared at it with newfound wonder. Valkyrie shook her head, unable to believe it. She breathed a smile of awe━yet again, she had been proven wrong. Yet again, Hiccup proved the impossible to be probable. They had found it. They truly had found it ...

      "At the end of the world," she finished. 

     Zephyr didn't waste a moment. Before Valkyrie could comprehend, he folded his wings and dipped down for a dive. She let out a scream, not expecting it━she and Hiccup unable to do anything except hold on for their lives. 

       She cried out her dragon's name as he descended them through the cascading waterfalls. He twisted and turned, spun around jagged rocks and behind rushing water. Valkyrie grew drenched, but she didn't care━her mouth was agape in wonder as they flew deeper and deeper into an underwater cavern; gaping caves that were showered in icy water━they had truly seemed to drop down off the edge of the world. 

      Zephyr kept on going; he passed them through the cavern of waterfalls and onto a forest of pointed rocks. He weaved around steam that billowed from the glowing red depths below; shooting up with sudden, uneven bursts. Valkyrie couldn't utter a word, just keeping a tight grip as his head tilted back and forth━sensing something they couldn't. 

      He dipped them low into a cave just at the water surface. Valkyrie ducked and felt Hiccup do the same, both of them wide eyed as they passed through a dark tunnel of pitch black.

     Valkyrie couldn't see an end to it for while━until something in the distance made her frown, breathless in curiosity. There was a light; a glowing, blue light that brightened through to the water surface━soon, she realised it spread out from the break in the cave before them. She blinked, trying to see through, but it didn't take them long to reach it ... and before she knew it, they were cascaded in a brilliant glow.  

    It shined against their faces━Valkyrie squinted as they travelled through a shallow lagoon of bright Flightmare blue. Val's face lit up and she reached down to touch it━she breathed a giggle, feeling the glowing blue water disperse between her fingers. 

     She quickly pulled herself straight back onto her saddle as they passed underneath under cavernous archway; spinning into an even narrower cave this time. It was only seconds of darkness before Valkyrie bore witness to a sight she's never seen before.

    She thought she had broken forth into a dream━a land of mystical beings and glowing lights; where trees of fluorescent blue, green and purple stretched to the heavens. Valkyrie gaped, her neck straining to see the tops of the woods━but all she saw was a sky of blue and magenta, blinking like midnight stars. 

     More colours blossomed, wrapping around the trunks of rock fissures━crystals of pink, cerulean and white; they brightened in a sheer heaven of colour. Valkyrie felt something glow against her cheek, and━excited━she glanced down.

     Hiccup chuckled a laugh━amazed as Zephyr's scales warmed. Valkyrie felt tears shed, overwhelmed as she watched her beloved dragon change from his already beautiful colour of blue, yellow and white into a mystical rainbow. Underneath his blues, there was a glowing pink, his wings stretched out in sunbeams of pale yellow, dusk oranges. All along his neck to his tail, pastels danced towards dazzling bright greens, and his spines glowed like pure white torches. 

     She traced the patterns on his scales, completely enamoured by the way they glowed right through her skin. 

     Hiccup leaned forward over her shoulder, gently holding her as he pointed in front of them, "Look..." he whispered. 

     Valkyrie choked, "Oh, my gods ..." 

     They soared to the edge of the pool and the forest turned into a bottomless maze; a maze of glimmering yellow coral, gushing waters of twilight purple, twisting fissures that were wrapped in vines of vibrant pinks, blues and greens. A kingdom of glowing lights━an entire world living underneath their own. With strange flowers that bloomed with hooded petals, mushrooms that were the size of houses and spires were lit up with what Valkyrie could describe nothing more than that of magic━real, beautiful magic that sparkled colours she could never even think of. 

      She couldn't help but beam as they passed over nests with dragon eggs that were transparent━showing growing Deadly Nadders within. Caverns, nooks and crannies that held sleeping mountain dragons such as Windstrikers, Whispering Deaths and other long-neck species. Down in the glowing pools she noticed the electric shock of a Sea Shocker; old and resting.

      Valkyrie met Hiccup's gaze━bright and ecstatic like a young child. She grinned so brightly he couldn't stop himself to match it even if he tried. Youthfulness glowed in the Chieftess's eyes and cheeks very much like the splendour around them. She looked just as she had done all those years ago━fifteen and finally seeing freedom with the eyes of a girl who never realised she could; so peaceful, and so gentle━Hiccup felt as if he had taken a step back in time, and his heart swelled. He saw the girl she once was, the woman she had become; he saw their daughter in her wide and inquisitive eyes, he saw the girl he watched run past the forge, saw the girl who picked flowers at the pathway edges━he saw every reason he married her; every reason he loved her, and continued to love her every moment of every day. 

    Zephyr glided through the Hidden World; a place where only fables and myths seemed to exist━for it itself, had become one. A place where dragons lived in peace; with no fear of discovery or being hunted. Where they had families, lived lives and passed them on. This was no sanctuary, this was no sacred burial ground, this was no Utopia any of them could try and create. This was the dragons' home. 

    They soared through an open nest of Fireworms, and Valkyrie's heart rose with their little wings, watching them flock around them and suddenly, they were surrounded by beams of pure sunlight━like they were flying through daylight themselves. 

     Valkyrie extended her fingertips up━knowing she could not touch them, and yet followed the streams of light they left behind. She leaned back, closing her eyes as a smile of pure delight lit up her features; and she was content, she was happy, she felt alive. 

     And there she stayed, rested up against her husband's chest; just enjoying the view. 

     She watched dragons flock together━spinning and soaring in complete harmony amongst a deep burgundy paradise; dropping back down to areas too far to even see; caves and caverns━twists and turns, passaging in and out of coral mazes. All of which leading towards the centre━a meadow of pastel light━where a crystal, larger than any Valkyrie has ever seen, dropped down; like a glowing sunrise.

     Commotion grew from the hub; all dragons headed towards it, and Zephyr was no exception. Valkyrie heard the cries of hundreds of specials; bellows, squawks and tender mewls━beckoning and calling them all to bear witness to something important and grand. 

     She was amazed, and she made no move to stop them. Until Hiccup leaned around her and tugged Zephyr to the side, avoiding the gaze of a rather nasty Titan Monstrous Nightmare━and she was jolted back into a reality. This was the place for dragons, not for Vikings; she knew that the moment she set eyes upon it; it was a treasure she was lucky, but not permitted to gaze at. If a rather territorial dragon noticed them, the beauty of this world would not matter; they'd be dead. 

     Valkyrie followed Hiccup's initiative, taking the bar of her saddle and leading them to a secluded hiding place nestled amongst bright pink coral that were so large, they'd not only hide them, but Zephyr as well. 

     They landed in the blue darkness, away from all the blinding lights onto a ground padded and marshy━covered in a grass that Valkyrie did not know. She felt as if they were adventuring the ocean bed without the interference of water. 

     Hiccup got off first, quiet in his suit before turning and offering to help her down. She let him, welcoming the way he grasped her hips and hoisted her off the saddle and she set her feet down beside him, testing the strange earth under her boots. She gazed up at the colossal plants, stretching far above than the eye could see. They blocked out almost everything━and she didn't realise just how large they were until she stood at their roots.

     She heard Zephyr wander off━but she knew he wouldn't go too far; without them on his back, he'd be free to see whatever was happening closer than they could.  

     Hiccup stepped towards the large coral keeping them hidden, peering through the edges with breathless awe, "It really does exist..."

     Dragons flew overheard. Timberjacks with wingspans the length of forests, sneaky Silkspanner's crawled up the sides of the twisting fissures, exotic Flightmares strayed far from the other, but all in sync, Hackatoos━with their slender bodies and many limbs━sped past soaring dragons to reach the front. 

     Hiccup took Valkyrie's hand to keep her moving, for she could stand there all day, gawking up at the squadron of dragons in all their differing colours glide above them━all towards the centre to which they were begging to see. The two Vikings snuck their way to the edge of the landing, clutching onto purple stones and blue roots to gaze downwards at the bustling Hidden World hub. 

     The smile never left Valkyrie's face. She's seen dragons━almost every species, she is sure; she was travelled the depths of caves, conquered the skies, adventured across the far seas and found dragons only whispered about in legend and fable━some dragons no Viking has ever known to exist before! Some with eight limbs, others with two, a few with two sets of wings, some with a melodic voice that entrapped the naive mind━blue dragons, green dragons, pink dragons, dragons with blinding scales and others with such that camouflaged into their surroundings. Ones that spat acid, others that liked to have their teeth brushed and one just looking for the final bone to make its armour. She's seen sea dragons twenty times the size of the great blue whale, she's seen dragons made entirely up of stone and rock, she's seen dragons with scorpion tales, dragons that ran faster than the wind. She's the Queen of Dragons, and she's seen the King of Dragons, she's witnessed the sight of the mythical Guardian of the Forest and swam the waters to understand the formidable Submaripper. 

    And she was still constantly amazed by the world of their beloved companions. Still constantly surprised, still constantly rendered speechless. 

     For here each and every dragon she's seen in her short life so far were━each and every single one; flocking together upwards and over the magnificent glowing crystal that hung over them all, emitting them all in an underground sunrise. They swept in between and around coral, ducked inside caverns and spun up out into the open with tricks of splendour. They lived not in fear, or in misery, they lived in harmony━in a place that was accustomed to each and every climate they were made and adapted for. 

    They jumped up and they fell back down. Valkyrie gasped and pointed when she saw more Light Furies━pure white dragons in similar build to a Night Fury; baby Light Furies, adolescent Light Furies; all of which glowed a sparkling pink under their pristine scales. She even saw the Bewilderbeast; free of Drago once and for all and living his life in peace, purely of his own mind. 

     And amongst them all, sat foot at the very top━king of them all, was Toothless. And beside him, sat his queen: the Light Fury. 

     As soon as he saw him, Hiccup lurched forward, "Toothless━"

     Valkyrie was quick to pull him back down. And at the look on his face she said in a rushed whisper, "Shh━you'll spook them!"

     Hiccup's frustration turned to something quite pained, and he set his gaze back on his best friend, watching him stand over all of the dragons. They bowed their heads, sitting down in rows and rows. And when he extended his wings, their bellows grew louder with cheers━they applauded their king, bowed their heads and holding out their wings as well. 

     But his bellow was the loudest━echoing across the entire underground, quivering Valkyrie's arms and resonating in her chest. She stared at Toothless in shock. For so long, he's followed them around, played with them and rolled across the grass; he's grabbed Hiccup's leg and tossed it over the edge to catch it, asked for belly scratches and pushed himself to lie on their laps in front of the fire ... for so long, he had become almost a pet that Valkyrie forgot that he━just like all of their dragons━were always, and always will be that: dragons. Wild dragons. 

     They had lost sight of that. She and Hiccup had lost sight of that. 

     She smiled, proud of Toothless. She nudged Hiccup, "He looks such a real king, does he not?"

     But he did not match her smile; he did not meet her eyes. Valkyrie eyed him, and felt her own smile falter. She saw his shoulders sag, and his eyes turn dull ...

     As he watched his best friend brush against the Light Fury, happy, safe and content in his home ... Hiccup realised that he had to let his best friend go. And Valkyrie could see how much it ripped through him with aching pain and loss, like he had just lost another limb. 

     "Hiccup?" she whispered, gentle. 

     He swallowed something harsh. "We should go," he mumbled, barely even glancing at her. 

     Valkyrie's hand inched to his shoulder, suddenly wishing Hiccup was blissfully ignorant once more━seeing him recognise the truth, for real, this time, ached her right to her heart. 

     She tried to say his name again, though she wasn't sure what she would say after it. But she never got the chance to find out. For behind them, prowling deep within the shadows, there was a low, and trembling growl. 

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     a/n: what annoys me so much is that people hate httyd 3 toothless because he's nothing like how he was in httyd 1 - that he was too domesticated and like a 'dog'. but that was the whole point of it. hiccup had gotten so used to having toothless around, and toothless got so used to having him around - having food given to him, having a place to sleep and having a companion to take him for flights, that both of them forgot that toothless was indeed a wild dragon. it was to make us, the audience forget, and then we are reminded just like hiccup is reminded. we realise just like hiccup realises that he cannot be with toothless forever. that he is a dragon, and the hidden world is where he belongs, with other dragons, and the light fury - and that eventually, we all needed to let him go. hiccup and toothless needed to let go of each other and grow up, to become who they were supposed to always become; initially together, but now separate. both kings of their own little kingdoms. 

     that's the development, and it frustrates me that people don't actually see that and just complain. 

     because when he is away from hiccup, and its ten years on his design  is similar to as it was when hiccup first met him BECAUSE HE'S NO LONGER IN AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE HE IS NATURALLY DOMESTICATED BECAUSE HE'S WILD AGAIN-

     sorry lol I'll stop my ranting. 

     I had a really good digital painting for this chapter on my iPad. I spent days and hours on it because I wanted a parallel to the one I did in the first book for romantic flight BUT MY IPAD HAS STOPPED WORKING AND I'VE LOST IT AND I'M SO MAD AND UPSET-

      I'll draw it. I'll draw it on paper and post it next chapter because I will not be happy if I don't do fricken PARALLEL DRAWINGS. also gonna do an updated drawing of valkyrie and hiccup in their httyd 1 designs because it only just seems right.

     I know I'm writing rtte after this book but I still feel like I'm saying goodbye like they're all growing up and I'm writing parallels to the first book and wrapping up development and it hurts-