Slowly opening her eyes, Merida groaned as she tried to sit up. Blinking she looked around her then gasped when she saw the bars of the cell. Scooting back until her back touched a brick wall she went wide eyed as she looked around. "Where am I?"

"Settle down. It is alright."

Jerking around to look where she could barely make out the shape of a man in another cell her blue eyes filled with tears. "Who are you?"

Sitting in the corner of his own cell, Hiccup looked into her terrified blue eyes as he stood up. "Someone who is in the same situation you re in right now." He then walked out to where the sun was just starting to come through the window that was in her cell. "My name is Hiccup. What is yours?"

Still shaking as she looked into his soft eyes, Merida didn't move. "I am Merida."

"I see. Well Merida it is nice to meet you though I could say that it could have been under different circumstances."

Nodding as she pushed herself to stand on shaky legs she wrung her hands together. "Meeting anyone other than like this would be better."

Hearing footsteps Hiccup glared at the door. "Lay back down and act like you are out cold. This time of day I know who that is. Hurry."

Merida was even more scared now as she let herself just sort of drop back in the hay and closed her eyes forcing her breathing to even out. 'What is going on?'

Turning his usually soft and warm green eyes toward the door, they were hard as stone as he glared. When Alvin walked in he fisted his hands. "So it wasn't enough that you forced me as a captive of yours. Stranding Toothless. Who is she and why is she here?"

"Oh so you don't know then?" Walking past Hiccup then over to look down at the girl. "She is of the princess of Dunbroch. You ever hear of that place boy?"

"Should I know about it?"

Laughing as he turned and faced Hiccup, Alvin nodded. "Indeed you should boy. But I guess your father never told you. She is the only daughter of an enemy of your village."

Crossing his arms, Hiccup glared at him. "What the hell are you talking about Alvin? You and Drago were the only ones that my father said were out to get us."

"Oh no boy. He probably didn't tell you because it was about ten generations before you and the girl here." Looking back down at the red head he sighed. "Ya see. At one point in time, Berk and Donbroch were at war. When the Haddock's lived in Scotland. But that just changed one day. And the Haddock of the time swore that her people were the enemy and moved up here with all his people. And I am going to start them fighting again so they can wipe each other out. Then I will be able to move my men out of this hell and to Scottland. Take over Dunbroch."

"And just how are you going to do that?"

"Making your dad think Dunbroch has you. And Dunbroch that Berk has her. Once they kill each other off, then I will not only be chief of a village. But King of an entire Kingdom!"

"Never going to happen. If there is anything my father has learned it is not to take everything at face value. You ass it won't happen."

"I think it will Hiccup. I think it will."

Narrowing his eyes even more, Hiccup stood his ground. "Not if I can help it."

Laughing as he headed back toward the door, Alvin waved his hand in the air. "You got no choice but to sit back and watch. You won't be getting out of that cell boy. Trust me on that one."

Once he was gone, Hiccup turned and flopped down on the hay and fisted his hands. "You can get up now."

Sitting up, she turned to see Hiccup was sitting down again but glaring at the floor. "What was that all about? If there was someone that Dunbroch was ever at war with at any point I would know it. Mum made study the history of Dunbroch from the time I was knee high. I never heard of Berk."

"I think that this is something that he is making up. I no doubt think he is going to make your parents think that Berk took you, and mine that your parents took me to start a war. The question is, will they fall for it or not. Without Toothless there to help them know he is lieing, and stuck in this damn cell." Dropping his head he sighed as he relaxed his body. "We got to get out of here."

"Agreed. One question who is Toothless?"

"My dragon."

Gasping as her eyes went wide she just looked at him. "What do you mean your dragon?"

"Long story short, we fought dragons, I made friends with Toothless. We took out the Red Death dragon that was controlling all the others proving dragons could be our friends and now everyone on Berk has them. But in the process of making friends with Toothless I hurt him and he only has half a tail. He can't fly without me and he is stranded one an island a good distance from here." With a smile he laughed. "If I could get to him we could be to Berk in no time."

"So ya got a plan?"

Looking up at her with an odd look, Hiccup blinked. "I don't actually."

"What are yous in here gabbin about?"

Both Merida and Hiccup looked over as one of the more stupid outcasts. Hiccup glared. He hated this one, he talked like he was two, but he also had brute strength on him. "Stench."

Ignoring Hiccup Stench walked straight over to the girl. She was so pretty. "Hi princess."

Plastered to the back of the cell, Merida gave him a half grin. "Hi."

"You sure is pretty ya know. Imma ask Alvin ifin I can have you when we go to your castle." With a smile Stench then sat her food down, slid Hiccup his and then starred down the red head as he walked out the door.

But during the rather uncomfortable exchange with Stench and Merida he figured out a plan that would work to get them out! It would have to take a couple of days. But he had it! Stench was their key out!

Once Stench was gone he moved to the cell bars and smiled. "That gave me the perfect idea to get us out of here. But you got to act it out."

Giving him a look as she crossed her arms, Merida narrowed her eyes. "Act what out?"

"That you like him."

"What!? You are out of your mind I think."

Laughing as she turned her back on him, Hiccup sat down. "Just for a couple of days flirt with him. Make him think you like him, even just a little. Then we will make our move and get out at his cost. Come on, otherwise I don't know how to get out of here."

Groaning as she sat down and dropped her head, Merida sighed. "I guess I really got no choice. But I do it under protest."

Laughing as he shook his head, Hiccup smiled. "Under protest understood. Afterwards I will let you have one good hit on me once we get free from here."

"I will be taking you up on that one."

"That is fine."