The sky. Crisp. Clear. Wide. The clouds there—but not— as we fly and flip amongst them. The cool breeze on my face as I lift up my helmet. We float amongst the clouds, not a care in the world to weigh us down. I look down at my friend and smile. I open my mouth to talk, when—

"Daddy?" I jerk awake, bounding upwards from the table.
"Aagh! I'm—intruders?!" I gasp, spinning around.
"No, daddy...I-it's just me..." I look down to see a little face looking up at me. I give her a small smile.
"Hey, honey." I coo, lifting her up so she sits on my knee.
"What's wrong, Zephyr? Are you hungry?" I ask, brushing her auburn hair to the side.
"No, daddy. Sorry, I woke you, I...I wanted to ask you something..." her blue eyes shine with curiosity. My eyes widen.

Please don't be where she came from—she's only four! I KNEW letting her hang out with the Jorgensen's was going to be a bad idea!

"What is it?" I ask her, hoping to the gods it's not what I fear.
"It's just...the other kids were talking...and..."
"Go on." I urge her with a smile.
"...They were talking about...about dragons." I freeze.
"What about them, hmm?" I coo.

"They were saying that...that it's just a story you grown-ups tell us, to entertain us...and then when we're older...we'll be told the truth." She sniffs slightly, and I realise she's almost crying. She grips her little stuffed toy—a Deadly Nadder— a little tighter. "Is it...is it true?" She looks up at me.

"Aww, honey, of course, it's not true!" I coo, rubbing one of her tears away. "Dragons are as real as you and me! They're amazing, beautiful, intelligent creatures...they're almost as pretty as you and Mummy!" I tell her. She stops crying and looks at me with hope.
"...you promise?"

"Yes, Zephyr. And you tell them other kids, too! You tell them that your daddy, the Chief, promises they're real and that they can ask any adult in the village, and they'll tell you the same!" I grin.

"Okay, daddy." She mumbles, hopping off my knee. "I'm going to go play with Scauldlegs and Freya by the docks...and I'll tell them EXACTLY what you told me!" Her eyes shine with determination, and I bend down to kiss her head.
"That's my little warrior!" I smirk. "And if you see your mum, tell her I'll be in the Great Hall Chief-ing," I call after her as she runs towards the door.
"I will!" She calls, opening the door.
"And don't go too close to the water!" I shout warningly in worry, standing up.
"Daddy I'll be fine!" She laughs, closing the door. I sigh with a smile.
"Yeah, but you're my little girl." I murmur, before stretching widely.
Another day of Chief-ing.

I walk towards the door, and opening it I see her disappearing down the trail, meeting up with a few of her friends before they run off.

I wish there was a way I could show them dragons were real. It breaks my heart knowing she's never even seen one, apart from in paintings.

"There you are!" I turn my head to see Astrid walking up to me, holding our two-year-old son by the hand. "I was starting to think you'd never wake up." She laughs, greeting me with a kiss. I laugh into the kiss, then pull back. I ruffle Nuffink's blonde hair in greeting.
"Mm, yeah I had some paperwork to catch up on," I reply. "You're looking beautiful as usual, Milady," I add, and she laughs now, socking my shoulder.
"That's for being an idi—"
"Mummy, why did you hit daddy?!" Nuffink asks, horrified.
I shuffle a laugh. "Good luck explaining that one, babe. I better get to the hall, I've slept in enough!" I tell her, kissing her goodbye as she protests.

I chuckle lightly to myself as I hear her attempts at explaining it to Nuffink.
"Well, you see, it's a way of expressing my feelings!"
"Oh, so I should hit people too?"
"No, I don't think you under—"
"So if I shouldn't, then it's a bad thing?"
"...sort of."
"What is it again! V...viol..violenese?"
"Violence, honey. But this type of violence is a form of communication."
"It doesn't seem very nice."
"Well, yes......"

I think I'll be roped into this later.

Thanks for reading the first chapter :) it doesn't seem like it's going to far, does it? We'll have to wait and see...

Feel free to check out my other HTTYD fanfics!

Ilikehorsesandcake out.