The Brave and the Bold

A Mericcup Fanfiction

Prologue

(Set 4 years before HTTYD and 6 years before Brave)

AN: This whole story was inspired by a Mericcup post I found on Tumblr and my mind just started racing with the possibilities of this crossover. I have read many a Mericcup fanfic that has taken its premise and characters too seriously and I am writing this as a sort of antidote for anyone who just wants to revel in the silliness of the whole thing. This chapter is just to set up the character relationships and the arcs that they will inevitably go through.


The great chief of Berk, Stoick the Vast, looked out over the Scottish highlands from the castle wall and smiled at the two 10-year-olds that played amongst the local residents. The two children would run in tandem with each other, weaving in and out of the crowd of villagers as they each managed to pinch a bread bun for themselves before making their hasty getaway. They thought they had gone unnoticed but Stoick always saw them. Stoick always looked out for Hiccup, he was the only family he had left, but by Thor's hammer did Hiccup make it difficult for him. Luckily Hiccup was in safe hands today. The young boy was like a moth to a flame when it came to trouble.

Dunbroch was not infested with dragons or outcasts, it was a peaceful settlement a few days south east of Berk; an easy ally that was run by Stoick's childhood friend and damn near closest to a brother that he ever had, King Fergus Dunbroch. And just as Fergus had watched out for him, Fergus' daughter, Merida, seemed to having fun showing Hiccup around.

Stoick smiled as he remembered the simpler times of childhood, a time when an entire village did not depend on him to provide protection, morale, food and leadership. A time when he and Fergus would go hunting and prank the other villagers. A time when a dragon was a simple annoyance that he could crush with bare hands and not a flaming monster of death that could get anyone killed at any moment. Being a chief was tough, yes. Did it have its benefits though? Definitely. Being a chief meant that he could order people around and not be accused of bullying and he could see Fergus whenever he had the time. Today he and Hiccup had the chance to visit Scotland because the dragons had left to have their young and would not return for many weeks. This time of year was a welcome blessing to Berk as it allowed the people to relax, stocks to be refilled and Stoick to visit Dunbroch and Fergus.

The aforementioned king patted Stoick on the back with vigour as he laughed a greeting.

"I can see your Hiccup is a hit with Merida," Fergus chuckled heartily.

"It's a good thing too," Stoick replied, "He doesn't have many friends back at home."

"Wonder if it's 'cause ya named him Hiccup."

Stoick chuckled at this.

"No, that was Valka's name for him."

"And ya kept it?"

Stoick turned to look at Hiccup again as he scampered through the market place.

"I start to see more of her in him everyday," he said quietly, "It wouldn't be right to name him anything else."

"How are you dealing with her being gone?" Fergus asked, genuine concern laced his voice. He had been devastated when he heard Valka was taken by dragons and he knew Stoick would be too. He remembered when he met Stoick all those years ago when Valka had just been taken. His eyes were filled with sorrow, the energy that he usually commanded was shattered and it saddened Fergus to see his best friend like that.

Stoick smiled appreciatively at Fergus and chuckled humourlessly.

"That was far too long ago to dwell on now," Stoick said firmly, "But whenever I kill or maim a dragon...I always think of her, just how much I want her back."

"Well, how has Hiccup been with it?"

"Hiccup's been well, actually. A little on the curious side, but all limbs still attached."

"Why wouldn't they be?"

"Ah, Hiccup always tries to go off finding dragons, he's obsessed with em."

"Isn't that a good thing?"

"Not when you're Hiccup it isn't! That child's so fragile that he wouldn't stand a chance against a dragon."

"Have ya tried training him?"

"Of course I have, but he..." Stoick sighed in annoyance, "He just...doesn't get it."

Fergus just sighed as well as leaned on the castle wall, arms folded.

"Look, he's gonna have ta defend himself eventually! He's gonna become a chief!"

"I know."

Stoick looked down at his young son and frowned as he remembered the boy after he'd been beaten up at the forge one night. The bruises and dirt that covered the child's body haunted Stoick even to this day. The boy was not built to be a Viking and he wondered if Hiccup ever would be able to become a chief by the time Stoick kicked the bucket.

"I know..."


Merida pulled Hiccup by the hand into a small gap in the wall and focused her hardest on containing her laughter as the angry baker ran right past them. The two children burst into fits of giggles as soon as their chaser was out of earshot. She smiled smugly as she took a triumphant bite out of her bun.

"Mmm, delicious," she exclaimed through a full mouth towards a smiling Hiccup who also took a bite.

"Worth the run?" he asked.

"Oh, definitely," she replied happily as she finished the bun, "I could go for another!"

"But we just stopped running," Hiccup whined, "I'm tired!'

"Come on, ya wee fish bone," Merida teased. As soon as the words left her mouth Hiccup flinched as if something had stung him.

"What's wrong?" Merida asked at his reaction. Hiccup blushed bashfully.

"Sorry, just a reflex," he replied quietly, "Is it OK if you don't call me that?"

"What? Fish bone?" Merida asked to which Hiccup slightly shivered.

"Y-yes," he said.

"How come?"

"It's what the others call me when they hit me."

"That's not very nice!"

"I know."

"So why do they do it if it's not nice?"

"Because I can't fend for myself," Hiccup replied solemnly. Merida crossed her arms angrily.

"Well, if they do it again, tell me and I can punch em!" she smiled as she thrust her fist into her palm. Hiccup smiled and nodded, Merida noticed his crooked front teeth that shone through his lips and quickly decided that she liked them.

"Now cheer up, laddy! There be sausage rolls!" Merida said as she pointed to stall selling the precious delicacy. Hiccup's grin only grin only widened as he eyes up the pasty treats.

"Last one to get a roll is a loser!" Hiccup exclaimed as he rushed out of the alcove and into the busy market place.

"Oh, I'm not going to lose to a boy!" Merida cried as she rushed after him. For such a skinny boy, Hiccup was surprisingly fast and Merida only just managed to keep up with him in her dress. She laughed as he tried to swipe a roll and the whole pile came toppling over, leaving Merida with the opportune chance to grab one as well and disappear out of sight.

She rounded a bend and found a smiling Hiccup digging into his roll.

"That's not fair!" Merida said to a smug Hiccup, "You had a head start!"

"I still won!" Hiccup taunted, sticking his tongue out.

Merida stuck her tongue out as well as she giggled along with him. She had never this much fun with another kid before, all the others were far too scared to play with her or go exploring with her but Hiccup was different. No matter what she wanted to do, Hiccup was all for it. She loved having a friend like that and hoped to have him around for a long time.

"Can I keep you?" Merida thought aloud and instantly regretted it. She blushed as Hiccup burst into laughter, "Shut up, you!"

"Why do you ask that?" Hiccup asked in between giggles.

"Well, I've wanted a friend like you and you have to leave tomorrow," Merida replied solemnly.

"Well the closest thing to keeping me is marrying me," Hiccup said shyly but with conviction. Merida openly grimaced at the thought.

"Bah! No thanks!" she exclaimed, "I don't want to get married!"

Hiccup looked down at the ground.

"Not even to me?" he asked hopefully. Merida looked at him guiltily.

"Well, maybe marrying you might not be bad," she replied.

"Tell you what," Hiccup chirped, "How about we make a deal. When you have to get married, I will come back and ask you. That way you can say no and show that you don't want to get married or say yes and we can get married."

Merida looked at Hiccup and imagined him on one knee with her in a white dress and flowers in her hair. What she would usually just dismiss as a girly idea seemed quite appealing at the moment. Merida never thought she would want to have a wedding but if it were with Hiccup she might be able to see it happening and maybe even enjoy it. She smiled to Hiccup and held out her hand.

"Ya got yourself a deal, Hiccup," she said as Hiccup took her hand and shook it and sealed the deal that they had just thought up of.

What then just seemed like a childish deal that would be lost to time as the two heirs grew up would turn out to be something that would decide the two children's fates in the years to come.