Footsteps heavy and hard, prosthetic creaking ever so slightly as he stumbled down the cobbled street, his heart pounding like a bass drum, his breathing ragged. Running as fast as he could, he just caught sight of the ship, coming into port from where he stood on Raven Point, and he ran faster still.
Onlookers were confused until they realised who was visiting and why he was running so fast and desperate, then they turned to each other and smiled knowingly.
The ship was docked and he had run so hard he could barely breathe but he was there and he was ready and his eyes were wide open and it felt like forever; couldn't she just come here quicker? He'd been waiting so long; it had hurt him like an infected wound every passing day...
"May I present Queen Merida of Dunbroch!"
A trumpet rang out and a woman stepped off the ship. She wore a dress of navy blue with Celtic embroidery donning the hems in silver thread. Her braided curls fluttered slightly in the wind and her cloak caught the sea breeze as it passed so it whirled around her. Some might have mistaken her for a goddess.
Her eyes caught his and the sight of her was too much for him. He ran forward, completely against all etiquette, and took her into his arms, burying his head in her shoulder. She remained silent and unmoving as he drew back, holding her at arm's length.
"Merida?"
"I am pleased to see you again, Chief Hiccup," she replied stiffly, like an automatic response had been triggered. "I trust you are doing well in your leadership and I hope no troubles have befallen you."
"What's happened to you?" he whispered. "Who are you? What have they done to you?"
"No one has done anything," she replied, colder still, but her eyes gave her away. They filled with tears and her lip quivered. "I have matured. I have realised how foolish I was those years ago and have decided not to let them impair my judgement. I trust you will - will do the same."
"Merida..." His voice trailed and he stepped back, unable to speak. He'd waited for her for so long, they'd promised each other their futures together when peace came between their kingdoms and now? Now she was acting like none of it mattered. Everything she said, everything they'd been through, it was all for nothing. "What happened to everything? Everything I promised you?"
"You are not obliged to keep to your word," she replied. "You were young and didn't know what you were getting into. I should apologise for not, not intervening sooner."
"May we talk?" Hiccup asked, his breathing deep and his brow furrowed. When no one proceeded to move, he added, "Alone?" Merida nodded and she allowed him to lead her to the Great Hall. He closed the doors and sat by the fire, gesturing for her to sit beside him. She did so, but didn't look at him, merely stared into the flames as they danced and chased each other over the embers. Sparks flew up into the chimney and the logs were crackling as they burnt. "Everything we promised each other," he finally said, "you forgot everything?"
"I never forgot," Merida breathed, closing her eyes. A tear rolled down her cheek and Hiccup's hand itched to brush it away gently with his thumb, to cup her cheek in his hand and kiss her as her hair glowed brighter than the embers by the fire. "We can't do this. We can't be together, Hiccup."
"Give me one reason," he said, staring at the floor. "One reason, that's all I ask."
"I'm being put into a marriage with one of the lord's sons," she replied, burying her face in her hands. "My mother eventually insisted that if I didn't, she wouldn't let me rule. Apparently a woman isn't strong enough to rule a country alone. She heard that I was waiting for you, and instantly betrothed me to Lord Macintosh. Apparently you were out of the question and if I married you she'd - she'd disown me! Because I loved you!"
"I don't care what your mother thinks," Hiccup whispered, reaching out finally and touching her cheek with his calloused palm, "because nothing matters if you love me."
"I didn't want to say anything that I did earlier!" Merida said, tears running faster than a river. "She told me to tell you that we can't be together, that you're not right for me! All I wanted was to tell you that I wanted to stay with you, but she wouldn't let me and now -"
"Now it's okay," he replied. It was then that he realised how close they were; his breath was warming her cheek and she must be able to hear his heart, beating a tattoo in his chest. "I love you Merida; I always have. Ever since we met and you nearly shot me in the arm because you saw my Viking hat and you got fish for Toothless that day and you promised me you'd come back and you did and I'd never had a friend like that before."
"Then the day you made me a sword of Gronkle iron for my birthday and I kissed you on the cheek in the woods because otherwise we'd be caught and you blushed so hard and mumbled that it was only a sword," Merida smiled weakly, "and then I grinned and you told me to come closer and I was so confused and you kissed me properly and you panicked because I was a Scottish princess and you were the son of a Viking chief so we'd never work out and you didn't speak to me for a week until one day I found you at the Fire Falls and we promised each other we'd make it happen -" Her voice trailed off as she tried to speak but couldn't. "I'm so sorry Hiccup."
"Merida -"
"No - please, don't let me do this again! Don't let me get hung up over something I won't ever be able to make happen!"
"Stop speaking."
"Hiccup -"
His mouth was on hers before she could speak again and she instinctively wrapped her arms around his neck, drawing him nearer and his were on her back, making all her nerve endings snap like someone had cut a taut bowstring at full draw. Eyes closed and desperate, they held each other like it was the end of the world.
"We can't do this."
"We can. I'll speak to your mother. I'll get her to see, get her to change her mind -"
"You can't, Hiccup. We can't do this."
"Merida - we can. I will make it happen. I will wait for you, if you will wait for me."
She nodded.
Their vow didn't break.