He rode through the clouds, toward the old Kingdom.

Hiccup had been traveling for a few hour's already.

He knew it was an inevitable event but he couldn't help but think he'd have more time, or have a say in the matter. Not that he didn't he just wasn't sure what to do anymore. It was all now set in stone.

The young chief spotted Dunbroch. "Come on, let's get this over with, bud," he spoke to Toothless as he maneuvered through the dense woods and came to a soft landing.

Over the last year, Merida had become Queen. Her parents had grown old and tired, they no longer felt the need to rule their Kingdom and passed the throne down to the young red head.

Hiccup knew she would be out in the woods, practicing her aim like she used to or simply relaxing. She didn't have much free time in her hands but when she did she would always go out and relive her younger years.

Just like he predicted, the young Queen was leaning against her steed as she picked at the grass, her bow right beside her.

Hiccup cleared his throat as he walked over to her. Merida jolted up in surprise.

"Ugh, you idiot! Nearly scared me to death," she smiled as she went over to embrace him.

She quickly stopped herself when she noticed the pale look on the others face. "Hiccup, what's wrong?"

"I came to talk to you," he said as he kept Toothless at his side, "Let's take a walk?"

Merida understood the sorrow and urgency in his voice and followed him as they walked through the forest, leaving Angus and Toothless to rest.

He couldn't bring himself to tell her but he had to. She was his oldest friend, having met when their fathers gathered for a meeting, the duo were just children when they first saw each other.

They always saw each other as equals, nothing less.

"We can't have this anymore," he motioned to the both of them. Hiccup was never good at explaining his emotions with words and went wild with his hands. "It's been a great ride but it had to end somewhere, we both knew that much."

"You're getting engaged," she spoke with purpose. Merida knew it. She knew it was going to happen just not so soon.

She wasn't angry. They both knew it would happen. But it seemed so sudden. The respect was always and would always be there. Perhaps they believed they could play the game as long as they could until they could be together but that turned out to be the wrong choice.

The young man nodded. "The whole village was expecting it for months, I tried to delay it but the day still came."

Merida forced a chuckle. They sat a few feet beside the lake they used to play in as children and she pulled at her sleeves.

"It's our fault mostly," she spoke softly. "Many years came and went, we just never had the courage to announce any type of partnership to either of our people."

That was true. Even to themselves they could barely admit it. There was always something there. They could never see it but they felt it. Such respect, admiration, such love for each other.

Hiccup couldn't help but think how much she sounded like her mother at the moment, so wise and fully aware of her actions. "We kept in the dark for too long. The older times have passed and taken our opportunity with it."

"I don't want this to end. I want it all to be the same as before when we were younger, when we were kids," he kept his head down.

Merida put a hand to his cheek and lifted his face. "These are the responsibilities that come with growing up, you can't stop time. No matter how much you want to."

He knew that was true but Hiccup couldn't stop thinking of the times when they were kids, just mere teens. They always had a connection. It was stupid to have never acted on it.

Now they were older, a bit wiser and they had responsibilities. Merida was now a woman and Hiccup a man.

The red head fashioned her hair into a tight braid, securing each strand and wore a dress similar to that of her youth, she made alterations to it, making it easier to move around in. Her dress was a deep shade of blue with designs sewn on it and made combat ready. Her face was more matured and her figure fit into the dress rather nicely.

Hiccup had also changed, he was forced to shave once his face begged for it, occasionally he would but he still had light stubble on his face. He didn't get to wear his flight suit as much as before, it was different than before and his mother had sewn a hood onto the back for the cold weather. He had also grown more masculine throughout the years of being chief.

They had each outgrown their childhood selves and now mirrored their own parents.

"Merida, I lo-"

"No, don't say it,." she stopped him "Don't say it, because... I won't say it back to you," she sighed.

Hiccup wasn't hurt, he just needed to let her know that they still had that bond between them. He would always be there for her. Always.

"This doesn't mean I don't care for you anymore. I do, always will. I just don't want to hold on to old memories," she stood up tall and proud. She had nothing against the engagement or the beautiful blonde whom Hiccup would marry. On the contrary, she and Astrid had such respect for one another. Merida had to open her dear friends eyes. They would not continue their secrecy. It was for the better. "The only reason we should look to our past is to see how far we've come, don't look back and think about what could have been. You'll go insane."

The young chief stood before his good friend. "I'll miss the old times though," he whispered. No matter how hard he tried to forget the times before, it wouldn't at all be easy for the young man.

"I know you will. But knowledge and growth comes from pain and sorrow. I think it's time we grew up, don't you?"

It was about time that they stopped their delicate partnership and did what would be best for their people. Of course they never truly were together, the emotions had to be forgotten altogether. It was time they matured and dealt with life. Fear was what kept them from any permanent or public courtship to one another. Yet respect and trust was what helped them remain so close, like a pair of magnets drawn to one another.

"We will forever be interwoven. I will fight along side you, always," the young Queen smiled.

"Goodbye, Merida."

"Goodbye, Hiccup."

I have respect for ALL ships and what not, just thought I would share this. Wrote it years ago and fixed it up a bit before finally posting it.