Since they were forbidden of seeing each other, Hiccup, through the secret passageways of the castle (a deal, or better, the exchange of chocolate cookies for Merida's brothers assistance), sneaks out to her bedroom for one hour everyday after dinner. This continued for several weeks until one day, during his normal road inside the castle, his mother's necklace, a treasure he has been holding close to his heart for so many years, fell, without even realising... 10 minutes later, Elinor stumbles upon it, shinning like a new silver piece of jewelry, trapped inside a crack of the stairwells, while looking for her lost golden bracelet. "I recognize this pendant..." She picks it up and flashbacks roll in her head. Finally, she gasps as soon as she remembers "Merida!" without thinking twice, she runs towards Merida's chamber, places an ear close to the old wooden door and listens to the conversation.
"Aye'm so sorry 'bout everthin'..." she grieves attached to his furry brown vest.
"It's ok. I would fight monsters just to see those vibrant red curls once again" he replies by gently cuddling her hair.
Elinor bashes in, almost throwing the door to the floor, interrupting Merida who carefully combed his bangs backwards and tried to seal the moment with a sigh in his name...
"Mom?!" Merida stands up from the bed, staring surprised and afraid...
"Let's GO!" Elinor, angry and disappointed, grabs her arm tightly, tosses her violently out to the hall and locks up the door.
"Let me IN!" Merida continued to protest, hopelessly, smashing her hands against the door. In a second, she began to form tears in the inner corners, quickly spreading evenly throughout the eyes. Everything seem blurred, an illusion... but she knew those feelings were real, loud and clear. She shuts her breath for a moment and starts crying. Truth to be told, Merida never was a crying person however, from times to times, whenever the anxiety emerged to the surface, she experiences the urge of unburden that pain somehow. In her thoughts were "what is goin' to happen next?" Her mother was too unpredictable: either could send him free or lock him on the dungeons for eternity. His fate was in his hands. In order to not get caught while she was drowning on her own sorrows, she rushes to get to her special place, a lair, lodged in the deepest area of the woods, where she could finally rest, be herself - no pressure, no judgements...
"What do you think you're doin', young man?" She yell, mad and shocked by his audacity.
"Queen Elinor... I-I-" he stuttered embarrassed, head down, attempting to swallow the hard knot on his throat.
"I don't care fo' your explanations. Ya were born a viking after all. One of a people whom desires our lands, our dead bodies 'n' our homes destroyed. Ya are no different." Hiccup was tired of the same accusations and comparisons. Since the primary times of his life, he was always treated like 'not one of us' or 'incapable of doing something worthy'. You know what? Not being 'one of us' made him be the first victorious viking who ever rode a dragon. Yet, he still thinks he is not worth of recognition. "So, Aye will explain it simple to you boy... You ain't good enough fo' Merida!" Through his vision, she just 'split the last glass'. Hiccup turns red of fury, his eyebrows raise a level and looses his temper.
"Don't your majesty think I know that?!" He replies, loudly. Elinor takes a step back, mumbling. "Merida is the most amazing person I have ever met. She makes me happy, she cares, she listens, she mocks me, she scares the hell out of me but, the most wonderful part is... she sees me even when I feel transparent (...)" he continued babbling on and on how he adores and respects her, even the Queen got distracted by his green eyes glazing and his cheeks blushing every time her name was spelled. "(...) I don't know how she feels about me, she keeps her heart closed. I don't care, I love her since she noticed me with a smile. As long she is my friend, I-"
"Sir Hic-cup, right?" She respectfully interrupted. Elinor walks two steps foward, looks at him face to face and realizes how serious he was. Grabs him for his shoulders and whispers "You have my blessing..." Somehow his eyes bulged of hope and Elinor scatters throughout the room as she admires the embroidery she made for her only daughter "Aye'm glad she finally has a friend, outside the family. But..." the pause sighs for its memories "ya 'ave to fight young man, not only for Merida's heart, but also for our kingdoms' union. It won't be easy! Merida can be very stubborn... but ya 'ave my support" Her speech transmits a message full of faith to his bravery. "Now go! 'N' bring me good news!"
"I'll do my best to bring your majesty some peace!" And quickly he took off onto the secret passage behind her bed.
"Good Luck." She mumbles with a relaxed expression in her face.
Meanwhile, Merida finally stops crying, still her eyes were swollen, her nose burnt out and her mind immersed in nightmares. She stands up from the ground for a walk, Angus, her loyal companion, was just behind her, worried by her lack of words. He poses his head on top of her hair, waiting for a cuddle. Merida chuckles by the horse's growl and quickly satisfies his wish. "Thank ya fo' bein' here with meh..." Instantly, a snap of a twig is heard from afar inside the cave. "Who's there?!" She didn't had her arrow or even her sword. A tall, strong silhouette approaches slowly. Merida, cautious and scared, holds to the horse's bridle, preparing to run away if that turns to be the most viable option."Chief?!"
"Just the person I was looking for. I know what you two have been doing lately so listen carefully, I won't repeat myself: Stay away from Hiccup" Merida couldn't hardly hear it again. Her spirit almost breaks down again with a doubtful mutter as he walks away. "Because you are our enemy, little brat."
Despite seeing how exasperated he sounded nevertheless, life is all about taking chances and be bold enough to project your ideals... "then why can we all get along?"
"You are the wall to our goal". He answered quietly but furious.
At the same time, the wind brought the sign of an end "Merida? Where are you?"
Hiccup's voice was near and given to the situation, the father makes sure she doesn't forget - firmly presses her neck for a few seconds as she attempts to save herself "Say goodbye or else..." and flees. She crashes on her knees into the mud, shaking, crying and touching in her nail open wounds. Hiccup, in the middle of the forest hears a terrifying sobbing and follows that tortured voice. He finds the red curls in agony and shouting for help.
"What happened?" He asks as get downs to help her out. "So much blood..." he rips off his jacket to cover the cuts and purple asphyxiation marks. She wouldn't show her eyes and it was almost impossible to talk.
"Leave me alone..." She begged while rises from the dirt and walks off in the opposite direction.
Hiccup caught her hand covered in dust and blood "I won't let you go!" He pulls her back to her knees and hugs her "I want to fight for our hapiness and I want to punish who ever did this to you."
The feeling was mutual and she hug him back "Aye 'ave to confess, aye... aye lo-"
"neighh..." to the urging of the horse she falls back to reality, and with a disguised fake small laugh she crowls back to Angus covering up her flushed face.
"Let's head back to th' palace"
"Thank you Angus" Hiccup murmurs sarcastically, sitting on the grass, admiring the late sunset.