Chapter Text
The weeks following Kalani's healing process had been slow, but she was making improvement.
The first couple of days, had distrust of course, but small chats here and there.
"any family?" Danny asked one day, "I had litter mates, 2 others, of course they weren't runts like me. I However was the runt and odd one out, the last to hatch." Kalani replied, before continuing to eat fish from a bowl one of the servants brought.
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The days following were slow, daily bandage changes, letting the wound air out before applying fresh bandages. It was still a slow process, but healing takes time, and time they had.
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It had been weeks after Prince Danieru had saved the young runt skrill, Kalani. During that time she had fully healed and decided to stay, as being out in the wild was far more dangerous, especially with the hunters and trappers Danny heard her talk about so much.
And now, Danny was creating a tapestry in the upstairs area of his room, the tapestry was of Kalani, flying in the sky and hiding in the clouds.
"what are you doing?" Kalani cooed, sitting beside him, watching his hands as he wove. "making a tapestry of you. For what you've been through, you deserve one." Danny replied. Kalani made no hiss or growl, but loudly purred, "You should take a break, you've been up here awhile" She suggested, Danny taking a moment before nodding.
"I would like some fresh air." he mused, standing up from his stool and climbing down after Kalani.
----
They stood on the black stone that was the balcony, overlooking the growing village bellow. Some new houses being built, and he could already see some trader ships arriving, dispite the young age of the growing "young" kingdom.
"Maybe... Today you could commission a saddle for me at the leathersmith and blacksmith's shop?" Kalani chittered the suggestion, Danny looking at her. "You wish for me to be your rider?" he tilted his head, Kalani nodding in agreement.
"If I am staying. It would make the most sense for me to get a saddle to avoid suspicion from regular mortal humans for me to be saddless, and I'd believe it'd be more comfortable." She mused, Danny soon replying, "You make a good point Kalani, lets head down to get the commission, and find something new to do" he mused, Kalani cackling in return, "You're always doing something new! Weaving baskets to drawing art this world has never seen! You practice many artforms and it never seems enough for you" Kalani looked like she was grinning, Danny laughing back, "Well, I don't like doing nothing! It is not my cup of tea" he smiled.
Soon enough Danny got on some proper clothes to head down to the blacksmith and leathersmith couple, Brynn Burner and Lakisha Burner.
Once he was done, Danny squawked when Kalani scouped him up onto her back.
"It'll be faster to fly down!" she insisted, making Danny smile, getting onto her back, and held on.
Kalani jumped onto the railing before hopping down, letting her wings catch the air, and flew up and down to the town square, some people aready making way for the two.
Once Kalani landed, Danny hopped off her back, greeting the villagers as he passed by to the Burner's shop.
"Young prince! Hello!" Brynn greeted, it looked like she was working on some arrow heads, Lakisha yelled from the back, "Oh? The prince is here?" she poked her head out, a chubby women she was, tan skin from the hours she spent outside, different from her wife, Brynn, who could probably scare a fleet of vikings away, her dark, almost charcoal skin, showing the ash building up from the forge, and her hight did no justice, 6'3! It made Danny a little jealous... "Hello! What is it that you two need?" Lakisha asked, her smile bright as always.
"I need to commission a saddle for Kalani here, if I am to blend in... In some way... I think being a dragon rider is for the best" he explained, the couple nodded, "Well! If Kalani is fine with us taking measurements, we can get started!" Lakisha clapped her hands together.
"Oh! I might suggest a hood of some kind for her eyes aswell! Her eyes look extra sensitive to light" Brynn suggested, Kalani cooing in agreement.
----
The couple said it would take 2 days max for both the saddle and hood, though the duo took to the skies, without a saddle, and it was cloudy that day, so Kalani had no issues.
The clouds danced and turned around the duo as Kalani cut through the skies, her scales blending in with the white, though she had a very slight blue stripe down her sides. "You know, Kalani, you easily blend in during the day in the skies... it's amazing isn't it? Not many dragons of your type can do so." he mused, Kalani making a chirp in turn, but not saying anything.
He sighed. Enjoying the quietness save for the wind that pushed against him.
He could get used to this... He sat up, looking around, seeing Carcosa far behind, and the sun about to set, colors exploding in vibrance, from purples to dark blues, to Brilliant reds that he liked.
"I think we should head back now, Kalani, even though my dad knows where I am at all times, wouldn't want him to worry." he spoke.
"Hmm... Yes, that'd be fine, but I'll spend some time flying around the island" Kalani replied, before turning around and flying back. Danny heard a whistling... Kalani was hearing it too.
When Danny looked over, he saw a boy on a dragon looked to be around his age, 15.
"Uhh hi! Mind if we have a chat?" the boy asked, Danny thought for a moment before pointing to a seastack.
[----]
Hiccup was more than intrigued by the new quickly budding kingdom so close to berk, if the other boy's piercing yellow eyes had to say anything, and the dragon he rode on looked to be a Skrill, and one with pale scales, paler than Hiccup had ever seen. He merely thought the Skrill was a myth, but seeing one, especially this one of a strange coloration, was so interesting... And the Skrill acted tame, not attacking, nor making moves to attack him or it's rider.
But the strangest part, was under the Skrill's wings. They were pale yellow with black spots almost like stars, and red fire-like markings, all equally as pale but slowly looked to be growing brighter with color. The eyes, were less as strange, a pale yellow they were.
Hiccup finally called out, "Hello? You might be?" he allowed the other boy to speak.
[----]
Danny cleared his throat, before speaking, "I am Prince Danieru of Carcosa, son of King Hastur. This is my friend, Kalani." he gestured to Kalani.
Kalani then pressed her snout against his hand.
"Oh! I am Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III, son of cheif Stoick, chief of Berk, this is my friend! Toothless! He is a nightfury, and Berk is just south east from here!" he walked over to Danny, lending out his hand to him. Danny hesitantly shook Hiccup's hand.
"It is nice to meet you... I figure your father would possibly like a meeting with my father?" Danny asked, letting Hiccup's hand go, Hiccup coughed and replied, "Uh- probably- But uh-"
"Take your time, I wasn't expecting anyone in the skies other than other dragons." Danny chuckled.
----
Hiccup was fine it was fine, not like he was meeting up properly with a literal KING and the PRINCE who he met ON ACCIDENT.
"Don't be worried son, I've met with many powerful figures, but a King?" his father laughed, "I don't think I've met with a king before! And if the son as you said had a dragon, let alone the skrill! The very dragon my grandfather said the Beserkers controlled. I believe everyone will go right." he attempted to sooth his son's nerves while they were flying towards to the new, and quickly budding kingdom, Carcosa.
Thornado, upon seeing the island, focused on nearly everything, clearly on edge, and Thornado continued to be on edge, even when they landed infront of the giant castle that loomed before the father and son.
When they approached the giant double doors, one of the gaurds spoke, "The Prince informed us that you can bring your dragons within, it would only be fair." the gaurd informed, Stoick cleared his throat, "Thank you" he replied, the gaurd simply nodded.
----
The palace was lavish, detailed tapestry depictions of creatures almost similar to that of dragons covered the walls, some beyond what they've seen, some depticions of known dragons, but some unknown, Hiccup might bring Fishlegs in the future to discover what the dragons or creatures were.
But as they continued to the double stairs, Thornado rumbled lowly, and they heard something they never heard... It sounded like music, but what was producing it, neither Stoick or Hiccup knew what instrument it was.
The sound was rich, echoing against the walls, a resonant sound it was, the music almost mellowing. It went from high pitch to low. A simple tune it was.
And before the two humans and two dragons was a large, curved table that was opened. The like of which of any wealthy aristocrat, or even Snotlout who would dream to own the thing. The melodic sound verbrating from within, a wooden rod holding the larger piece of what looked to be wood, up.
Someone was playing it, and Hiccup reconized it as Danieru.
Danieru was sitting on a long cusioned stool, pressing white flat levers, occasionally the smaller black lever aswell.
His Skrill, Kalani if Hiccup remembered correctly, laid beside the long stool, once opening her eyes, seeing the two humans, then lifted her head to nudge Danieru's side.
He stopped playing, looked over, smiling warmly. "Ah! I was wondering when you would arrive! Come! I'll lead you to my father's study, and please, call me Danny." Danny stood from the seat, closing the front of where the letters reside and quickly but carefully closed the top.
"My Thor... If I could ask what is that?" Stoick asked, genuine curiosity. "That, dear guest is a Piano, the sound it creates is from the keys, the small levers, being pressed and at the same time a small hammer is hit against the string inside, every once and awhile it needs to be retuned, or parts needing to be replaced, a beautiful instrument is it not?" Danny replied, before guiding them upstairs.
----
The study was just as lavish as the entire palace, filled to the brim with books upon books, Danny chuckled at Hiccup and Stoick's wide eyes, "You haven't seen the Library yet" he laughed.
They made their way up, and the supposed King sat.
The table was dark wood, curved with many indicate carvings on the front, likely having drawers where they couldn't see. The King looked up and had the same piercing yellow eyes.
A crown laid upon his brow, red gems held in place with gold.
"Ah, you must be Stoick the Vast and Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III, greetings. The boys can go off so we can discuss a treaty." He smiled warmly, Thornado still looked on edge, but Kalani cooed something to Thornado, calming him it seemed.
[----]
"So can we go see the library?" Hiccup almost asked immediately, and that made Danny almost laugh again, "Of course! I rather not listen to the drawls of treaties and political matters" he whispered to Hiccup, who groaned in turn, "Yeah lets go before my dad changes his mind."
[----]
The hall they walked was as ornate as the rest of the palace, Danny could feel how both Hiccup and Toothless were just looking around at the art and tapestries, "Amazing isn't it? The mind and creativity of one can create such pieces of art." Danny expressed, truely appreciating the works of art, "More than amazing! I've never seen anything like it-" Hiccup stood still where they stopped.
Two giant doors, just as detailed, but he didn't have enough time to stare at the little details when Danny pushed the doors open....
"Oh my Thor..." Hiccup gasped, his eyes practically bulging out of the sockets, rows and rows of books lined the room, entire halls worth of knowlege, it looked like there was a lower floor Gods damn it!
"Fishlegs would pass out..." he accidentally said out loud, "Fishlegs? Is that a friend of yours?" Danny asked walking to the large fireplace to sit on a large, almost bench-like structure but had what looked to be sheep's wool and stuff inside to make comfortable, Toothless walked over to the other one opposite of Danny, sniffing it, before climbing onto it and almost immediately collapsing onto it, purring in contentment.
Danny chuckled, "Seems like he likes the couch" Danny smiled, "that's what it's called?" Hiccup asked, genuine.
"Yes, we use sheep's wool for the inside and out, very comfortable if I say so myself," he paused, standing up, "and help yourself for any of the books here, there are legends, myths, stories of creatures not of this world." He walked over to a far shelf and grabbed one book labled 'Bestiary of the Dreamlands'.
"I had to rework some things in this one myself, figured you'd like it" Danny then walked off to probably find something to read up on.
The book look old and had three strange symbols on the back.
The first page he flipped to, BoltWorm of the Banazic Desert, it had no limbs, a hood almost of that of some kind of serpent and had armor, it listed various abilities like electricity and how protective it is of it's nest.
Next page, Buopoth, a strange creature it looked like, long nose, big ears, moss covered body. Used as some kind of finder for something underground.
all the pages were strange, Hypnos, Lord of Dreams and Sleep, Forgotten ones, Hounds of Tintalos.
Hiccup found a chair and study, and begain to read, and soon found more books on strange creatures. Even those similar to dragons, he made sure to sketch down each creature he found the most instresting.
He never realized how much time has passed until... "Son! There you are! Looks like you've lost yourself in quite a bit of books huh?" his father laughed, Hiccup's face flushing... Yes there were a few stacks of books, which he started to put away with his father's help
"Well I have so much to tell you when we are flying back to Berk!" Hiccup exclaimed.