Old Acquaintances

[Baldr Bjorg the Bonkers]

He’d watched as Luna beconed the young man and the dragon into the clearing. The dragon was pretty large and black. On closer inspection he recognised it must be some aquatic dragon, though he didn’t know the particular breed, “Is he or she your’s or his?”

“No one talks about it because Hrothgar decreed as such, that telling those who did not know the past would taint them against his rules. He had enough power to be able to kill the few vocal people to keep everyone else silent. There are a lot of pro-dragon people who have had to live though Hrothgar’s tyranny you were one of the few of them that were too young to known about our past.”

She asked what he had been forced to do, “At first he’d left my father and me alone while he took over, but as I got older he started to mess with me and try to get me to do things for him. Things for ‘the Silfr family’, it went from demeaning stuff to-” Not yet, the line cut through, he probably wouldn’t have been able to say it yet anyway, but the interruption was fine. Baldr was slightly surprised how silent they were being given what they’d been like before Scratchet had appeared.

He continued on, “Things got worse after you were born. I don’t think I need to tell you that he hated you, Luna, I knew you could feel it while you were still with us, its why you ran, right?” he didn’t need an answer, a part of him had been happy when she’d ran, it meant she could be free of them, and it did seem like she’d gotten a better life out of it. “He hated how I talked with you, all the help I gave to you. He was constantly pressuring me to stop, to push you away. And eventually I gave in.”

He looked away from her for a bit, this was something he was far from proud of, “He viewed the way you had turned out as my fault, even though my help to you was me trying to mitigate the damage the land you’d been born into was doing to you. Or more because of that. In the years after you left he started to get it into my head that if was my fault and my family’s fault that you had turned out the way you did, and that while you were here I and the name Bjorg was a disgrace to my Silfr blood. I have a few mental issues and all his work on me did made it worse, to a degree where I started to believe him.”

“When you disappeared, he used it as a weapon against the factions that were moving against him on Hysteria, making it out that they had kidnapped you, I was put into charge of ‘finding you’. He didn’t want me to find you, on Hysteria and on Berk my mission had been the same, find you and make sure no one else did.” He felt sick saying that, that he’d been doing talked into doing such an evil act.

[Luna Hieler & Ayer]

Luna glanced back at Ayer when Baldr pointed out her dragon. "That's Ayer- he's mine. An Aquaterris." she nodded to Curtis "He has a couple of White Fears back at the house... this is Curtis, by the way."

Baldr's voice faltered as he finished answering her question, as if he was going to explain more, but couldn't bring himself to. She chose not to press him, she understood what it was like. He continued to narrate his history, revealing the way her father had manipulated him. For the first time in years, Luna realized she felt deeply for her cousin.

Hearing Baldr mention that she was hated struck a chord that she'd buried deep inside her. Sure, she knew it was true, but hearing it again hurt, and she hadn't had to deal with it in so long. She stared down, unwilling to make eye contact. He'd addressed her using her Berkite name again. She tried to make it sound like she wasn't about to cry when she spoke "Please stop calling me that.I... I don't like the way it sounds..."

So, her father had also pushed Baldr away from her. She didn't really accept that as an excuse though. "Why did you give in?"

Luna felt terrible for her cousin. Why had her father made been so horrible to him? She didn't know what to say. It seemed she was not the only one with a reason for such deep bitterness against her father.

He'd been appointed to... keep her from being found? It didn't make sense. She looked up, hands trembling, and waited until he made eye contact to speak "So why didn't you just kill me?" She was on the verge of tears now. Curtis reached over and tried to slip his hand around hers, but she jerked it away. She new if she accepted the affection, she would fall to pieces.

[Baldr Bjorg the Bonkers]

He looked at the dragon as Luna explained, he was rather fascinated by it. He did turn back to the two of them in surprised when she mentioned the white fears, he’d heard of them, but never seen one. “Nice to meet you, Curtis.”

He looked at her confused when she asked her not to call her Luna, “Okay. I’m using it because, well, the Hysteria and the world you’re dead. I don’t really want to use your given name, but I will if you prefer.”

“Because I wanted him to stop,” he responded to the question, “because I wanted to not be hated, because they were getting worse and were twisting me into it I don’t know,” his hands went ip and clenched his head, “I was never well in the head and all the insanity that Hrothgar’s rain brought did made me so much worse, I can’t tell what was me back then.” She asked why he didn’t kill her, he knew she was upset right now and that he needed to look up again.

He did for a moment but her face made him stumble in his words, he closed his eyes and tried to control his breathing. He opened them again, “All the stuff I had done for him over the years, all the stuff I did to get to that point, at the time I thought I could. But seeing you there in that moment, standing over you and hearing your crying…I couldn’t do it, I remembered who much I’d loved. How much I love you. I wanted you to be free of Hysteria, not dead.”

“That’s why I pretended to be a Berkite when a dragon came, had her take you to be healed up. It’s why I took your knife,” he gently and non-threatingly took out her knife, he’d brought it with him for this moment, “I used it as a prop to fake your death on Hysteria as convincingly as I could. I want you to be free of the pain of our island, the politics of our island because…” He stopped for a moment.

“One single good thing came out of the dragon’s rebellion. During the fight Hrothgar was injured in a…unpleasant and relatively unknown way, only your mother, myself and Theroputix know about this and what happened because of it.” He knew it was time to say this, it was the biggest real reason he’d come to Berk, and with Hrothgar dead he was free to say it.

“Hrothgar was made infertile due to the wound, and when his first son died soon after he was born, he had to find a way to get an heir, and he didn’t want his sisters son. So he made your mother sleep with someone else to gain an heir. That’s why he hated you so much, because you weren’t the son needed or a daughter by him. You were exactly the kind of child he didn’t want and looked so much like…”

He’d wanted to say this ever since he first saw Luna, but he couldn’t get it out. She’d slightly reminded him of her since she was born, a fact that Hrothgar had hated more than anything else. The red hair, the silver eyes, the face that Baldr knew as a child was looking at him once more. He turned away for a moment, he felt more shame as he looked at it, shame about what he had done and how that face knew any of it. The face of his mother.

He knew he had to say it now, he could feel his heart beating so much faster and he was breathing heavily. “Hrothgar wasn’t your father,” he finally looked back up at Luna, “I am.”

[Luna Hieler & Ayer]

Baldr responded too Luna's request about her name. He seemed confused "It just... It sounds too much like a lie when you say it..."

Luna listened carefully as Baldr continued, telling of the horrors of his own past. She could tell he was having a difficult time with it. She pitied him greatly. A look of concern spread over her face as he recollected their interaction during the battle. Very few people had ever told her directly that she was loved, it was a strange phrase to her.

She wondered what mental issues he was referring to. She wanted to ask, but it seemed insensitive. She was sickened that her father would take advantage of him in such a way.

Luna glanced down at Theraputix as Baldr spoke of her conception. He had known?

Balder's voice dropped off as he mentioned something about her appearance. There was a terrifying silence before he looked up at her. Luna was utterly dumbfounded by what came next. She was tempted to doubt it, but it made too much sense; the reasons fit perfectly. She wasn't sure how to react, this was something she hadn't expected. She stared at him without speaking, she didn't care anymore that she was crying.

Luna stood and walked over to him- her father. She knelt before him and took his hand, gently prying the knife from his fingers. She set it behind her- couldn't be too careful. She turned her gaze to her father, heart drumming against her chest. She realized how young he must have been when she was born- probably close to the same age she was now. Luna searched his face carefully. For the first time, she saw how many features they shared. How had she ignored it before? She smudged her tears before asking "Who is it that I look like that my father - I mean Hrothgar - hated so much?" she had a guess, but she needed to know for sure.

[Baldr Bjorg the Bonkers]

He felt sad when she said it sounded too much like a lie from him. He realised how fake he would feel if he pretended to be someone he’s not and then someone he knows were to pretend that was the truth. In a way, that had already happened.

There was silence after he revealed she was his daughter, sure he had stuff to say, but his head wasn’t giving him anything, so they sat there in silence. To Baldr it was almost eerie, something should be talking, someone should be there in his ear.


Then Luna stood and walked over to him, he didn’t watch as he did, he hast sure what to do. Then she took the knife out his hand, he looked up at her. They stared into each other’s eyes. It was strange to see Luna’s silver eyes so up close. He wondered what thoughts where going on behind those watering eyes.

She asked him who she looked like, Baldr chuckled slightly, he realised then his eyes were close to tears too, “his sister of course. You look so like my mother, it’s uncanny.” After a pause he leaned forward and hugged her. He hugged her tight and started crying, “I know I don’t deserve anything pity or love from you, given all the evil things I’ve done to you over the years. But I still wanted to say sorry. I still want to do everything I can to help you.”

[Luna Hieler & Ayer]

Luna's heart dropped when she realized whose likeness she bore. Of course. She'd guessed it, but the truth hurt. "Tyra, right?" Hrothgar had never told her who Tyra was, but she knew the name for one reason "When he was drunk and angry with me, he'd call me that sometimes." It made sense now.

She noticed the tears in her father's eyes; his face showed so much pain. It bothered her a lot that her own pain had simply been a source of leverage against her father. It was unfair to them both.

When he reached forward and hugged her, it surprised her. It was the most sincere embrace she'd ever received. He didn't realize it, but his hand grasped the place on her back where he'd left a scar. It felt symbolic, like he was trying to heal it. The sound of his crying broke her heart. She wrapped her arms around him as he began to speak. His words moved her deeply. She felt strangely fulfilled.

"I forgive you... you weren't evil, it was Hrothgar, and he's dead. Neither of us have to worry about him any longer" she paused "and I'd rather be your bastard than his real daughter, any day."

She hesitated a moment before asking her next question "If you had chosen my name, which would it have been?"

[Baldr Bjorg the Bonkers]

He nodded when she said his mother’s name. He did wonder what evil Hrothgar had done to Luna without Baldr ever finding out, with the stuff that he did know. He never would get an answer to that question because Baldr would never ask that of his daughter.

He a part of him didn’t want to believe what she was saying; he could feel his voices trying to push that away even though they weren’t physically talking. But right then he didn’t want to disbelieve it. He was hearing what he’d needed to hear for years and he was going to enjoy it. He smiled when she said she was happy to be his, it was weird hearing the term bastard being used in a positive term, but for her it probably would be.

She then asked him what he’d have named her; he froze for a moment before pulling away from the embrace and looking at her. Baldr had never thought about that, she’d never been his since the start so it had never been his right to name her. She’d always been Ashaere up until he’d first met her in Berk, and it was obvious that she didn’t really like having the name Luna.

When he thought about it he naturally thought of Tyra, but he knew he couldn’t give her that, even if he would have named her that if she’d been his to name at first. While Tyra was a good name for him, it would be a reminder of Hrothgar’s hatred for her. Anyway, his mother had been a great fighter and a strong leader, and his daughter wasn’t either of these. He knew she shouldn’t get her name.

After a few moments a name slipped into his head. He smiled slightly, “how does Robyn sound?”

[Luna Hieler & Ayer]

Baldr let go of Luna and sat back, looking her over. She wondered what was going through his head. She nervously broke his gaze, staring down at her knees.

Her mind was still trying to process what she'd just learned. Most would have doubted it instantly, but inside, she wanted it to be true. Her entire life she'd experienced parental rejection, and the idea of someone claiming her made her feel warm inside. Not only that, but the facts that Baldr had shared with her made everything make sense: the way he had treated her when they could be together, the funny looks Theraputix had given them when they were in the same room, what Hrothgar had done to her, her mother's neglect. Even the unthinkable conditions of her conception weren't hard for her to believe. She'd experienced Hrothgar's power struggle, and she didn't doubt the lengths he'd gone to, no matter how shocking.

Luna looked up as her father spoke a name. 'Robyn' She smiled back. It seemed right. She nodded, saying "That's what I want you to call me, and remember me as- just that- I'm not a Silfr." It had been his mother's name, so she didn't mention how happy she was to be free of that name. She was unsure about how she felt about her resemblance to his mother- her grandmother. She wondered if Tyra had been as small as she was, it seemed unlikely, given her legacy as a warrior.

It struck her how little time she had actually had with her real father during her childhood. It would have been necessary for Hrothgar's plan to remain secret, but it still seemed cruel. They'd seen each other just often enough for it to hurt. She frowned. "So he... you really weren't allowed to see me were you?" She paused, then started again in perfect dragonese "I haven't forgotten my dragonese, though"

[Baldr Bjorg the Bonkers]

Baldr was glad things were going as well as they were, he’d expected her to reject what he was saying, at least a little. But she was just accepting it. It felt slightly off but he wasn’t going to complain.

She smiled when he gave her a name. She seemed to like it. He asked her to use Robyn from now on as she didn’t view herself as either of the other names she had. “I was able to get myself to use Luna, I’ll call you Robyn from now on if that’s what you want.” He got what Robyn meant by her rejection of the Silfr name, though he didn’t like it that much. While Bjorg was his family name now and Silfr had been Hrothgar’s, Silfr was still his lineage.

Robyn asked him if what he’d said was true about him not being allowed to see her, “Yes.” He gleamed when his daughter spoke in dragonese, “I’m so glad, it was the only thing I was every really able to give you and I’m so happy that you’re able to use it in a good way.”

He looked over at the boy for a moment before turning back to Robyn, “How’s your life here on Berk?”

[Curtis Veen & Slity / Silvia]

Curtis was trying his best to soak everything in as it happened. First of all he was brought to this meeting spot by Luna to talk with Theraputix and Ari which he wasn't fully aware of in the first place of, then they ran into Baldr who Curtis could only remember as the guy who almost about killed Luna on the spot the last time he had seen him. But of course, Scratchet was also lingering around the area, although he had no idea at this point where the nadder scurried off to least it mattered to him anyways.

While things were progressing and developing, Curtis found it hard to believe Baldr just with the past events that had happened but he couldn't have too much input on that because he didn't actually know who Baldr was truly. The whole idea of trusting someone was not in Curtis blood, he could spot a liar and most of all did not trust them one bit, Red Rock helps you develop such skills for life. But whether Baldr was lying previously or not did not matter now once of course Luna introduced Curtis to Baldr as her boyfriend, and then of course Luna and Baldr started talking between themselves.

Curtis looked around, feeling awkward by just simply standing to the side and doing nothing. He looked around him for a moment before glancing over to the pair, "I'm just going to go look around the area. Let me know when you're done." He made comment before turning around and walking away.

He didn't know what or who he would run into, but that didn't matter much right now, he was just processing everything that had just happened. As Curtis walked along, he paid more attention down at his feet than in front of him which didn't cause too much of a problem while walking granted the area had a sparse amount of obstacles around. But that didn't mean he wouldn't run into anything, such as now when his head bumped into something. First thoughts were that he had just ran into a tree by chance, but he soon realized that it was a softer impact then a tree would of delivered. His eyes widened as he stepped back and glanced up at the object that had stopped him, it sure as heck wasn't a tree that was for sure.

"Well... God just hates me doesn't he.." Curtis muttered as he looked at the familiar nadder that stood in front of him. Scratchet was the LAST dragon he wanted to run into.

[Scratchet]

And so Scratchet listened in on the whole thing. This was news to her, since it was after the dragons rebelled, and Scratchet had to make her leave. She was saddened at how much had gone into a downwards descent after she had gone. She wondered what life was like now. Surely if Baldr was the chief now, everything would get better? They talked, focused on Luna. Wait... Luna was Hysterian? Her eyes widened. Why did no one tell her anything? She had to listen even more carefully now. She heard a little noise not far from her. She looked and she could see an old man peering from the bushes. She recognised him as Ari, one of those villagers in Berk. Was he eavesdropping as well? Why? She made a small noise, hopefully loud enough for him to hear but not loud enough for those in the light to know that she was actually there. She stared at him for a while.

She almost squawked at one point, when she realised she was talking about her. It was her - she had recsued Luna in the battlefield. That man she saw who helped... That was Baldr? In the flight of the battle and the stink of rain, mud and blood, she didn't even recognise him! She felt bad for that. They had actually been reunited prior and didn't even know... He still doesn't even know! She would have to tell him...

Wait! Baldr had a kid! And that was Luna? Scratchet didn't blurt for this one, but she was somewhat surprised and mellowed by it. It was almost a reality check; Baldr wasn't exactly that kid she grew up with anymore. He was someone new now, weathered by the experiences she had just learnt, as well as the last few, trying and horrible moments of their time together. It sort of explained why Scratchet felt more inclined to let her heal her, that first time she decided to go rampant in the village, especially after all this time distrusting humans, after the catastophe on Hysteria.

Suddenly Scratchet detected movement. Curtisboy was getting up and he was heading her way. She was suddenly alert, wondering whether she should move or not. But she decided to stay, she reckoned it might be a good moment to come in slightly earlier than the time set for her by Baldr. (not that the concept of time really bothers her) She looked back to Ari with a smirk, before making a move. Curtisboy was out of reach of the camp now, and Scratchet moved to intercept him. She stepped in his path and he bumped into her. She grinned, evilly.

He made a hilarious remark before she grabbed him by the scruff of his neck and pulled him off the ground. His body was swaying from side to side. She shook her head from side to side for fun, before with a squawk of glee sauntered into the circle of light. She trotted a victory lap around the camp before standing near Baldr and Luna. "I tink yew rost somting uff yours." She said, muffled slightly by keeping Curtisboy intact in her maw. She shook him again, making sure he wouldn't land on his feet when she let go, and proceeded to drop him before the duo, watching him crumple to the floor in a heap.

Scratchet beamed.

[Your Humble GM]

Ugh, I can't be bothered to rewrite Ari's post right now, especally since it hadnt been easy or good the first time. I'll replace this with Ari's thing at some point, but it doesnt really effect anything so gist was he snuck forward watched the convo, noticed Scratchet, was surprised at the revelation and snuck away again when Scratchet goes towards Curtis. Sorry about this, I'm currently not in a good mood and having this post hanging over me isn't helping.
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[Luna Hieler & Ayer]

Luna smiled. She liked her new name, and she liked that she'd be remembered by it in the minds of the people she cared about. "Yeah, that is what I want." she said in reply.

Hearing Baldr's dragonese brought back good memories. "Well, thank you for teaching it to me, it means even more to me now."

Her father glanced back at Curtis before breaking the silence that followed by asking about her life now. She sighed and began, "You probably know most of it by now... I'm very happy here. I'm sure you know I'm the dragon healer, which is... really an honor. It's everything I came here for. Living with dragons is just so right. And uhm, that's Curtis, by the way. Did I already mention that? We met about a year ago. He's not from here though, he's from Red Rock- down south. He moved in to help take care of me a couple months ago after the battle and never really left- which I'm okay with- but my uh, my house was burnt to the ground, so he helped rebuild and everything- "

Luna's awkward rambling was cut short but the noise of something rather large approaching through the forest. She was immediately fearful. If someone were to come upon this meeting.... she didn't know what they'd do. Ayer was on the defensive, ready to pounce, but his posture smoothed when the source of the racquet burst into the clearing. Scratchet trampled around, swinging a familiar writhing bundle between her teeth. After parading around those gathered, she dropped Curtis close by- declaring him lost property. Luna sprang up and was by Curtis' side. She rolled him over onto his back "You okay?" she asked with concern. She looked him over for any apparent injuries, and found none, so stood, confronting Scratchet. Luna crossed her arms in exasperation "What do you think you're doing?!"

[Baldr Bjorg the Bonkers]

Baldr’s face gleamed when she thanked him for helping her, it felt so nice to hear gratitude from Robyn, it wasn’t what he’d expected to hear from her at all when he’d come to Berk. She started to tell him about her life on Berk. He was proud that his daughter’s job was healing dragons.

She then talked about Curtis, he’d been very quiet over this time so Baldr hadn’t been able to get a proper gauge of him. He hoped he was alright. Baldr recognised Red Rock, it was some land south of them, so Curtis was an Outsider by every standard, not even a Viking. But then not being a Viking was probably a good think for Robyn.

She mentioned that her house had been burnt down which tore into him a bit. He knew immediately that that had been his stealth force that had caused that. It hadn’t been what he’d told them to do or anything, but he did remember Scorn had been a bit of a pyromaniac. He was glad her home had been rebuilt.

It was then that they both heard a noise, in the background. Baldr’s hand instinctively flew to his scabbard then he remembered his sword was still on the floor. They both looked off to where the noises where coming from. Then Scratchet appeared carrying Curtis like a cat would her kitten. Baldr smirked as the nadder trotted around showing her prize before dropping him in front of them. Baldr let out a snicker when she made her comment.

Luna ran over to Curtis, he looked fine, shaken but fine. “Why did you do that?” Baldr asked grinning like mad, “That wasn’t very ni-“ he broke composure and just started laughing. He just had that image in his head now of Curtis as a kitten.

[Curtis Veen & Slity / Silvia]

All Curtis felt was being dropped right on his butt by Scratchet. He hit the ground and immediately glared up at Scratchet who was above him before she scampered off to the side. Why didn't he just run in the first place? Oh yea that's right, because she would have chased him and that would of been more enjoyable than just picking him up. He looked back in front of him to see Luna there asking if he was alright, then promptly asking Scratchet what her issue was. He held up his hand and nodded to show he was alright and as he did he heard Baldr laughing in the background. He furrowed his eyebrows and looked at him, "The hell you laughing about." Curtis questioned as he slowly got himself up from the ground.

He glanced behind him at Scratchet and waved his hand at her, "I still don't know why you're around here you pest." He looked back to Baldr and walked over to him, almost repeating what he said before, "No really. What did you find so funny." He stood by and awaited a response.

In the back of his mind, Curtis didn't exactly like being made a fool of, but with Scratchet that was almost impossible not to happen to anyone. He and that dragon have never exactly been on the same page as each other and the chances of that ever happening were going to be zero to none at this point.