I felt as though the sudden glimpses of memories are causing confusion, so to deter the problem, I included page breaks in addition to the italics.

Disclaimer: I don't own Brave or the How to Train Your Dragon franchise

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Prologue- Part II

The Alliance

Along the Scottish fjord, the Berk trade vessel once again find itself sailing. Despite coming to the Highlands once per every 365 nights, after the calm of the hail, and beforetime of horrid winter, he was still unaccustomed of the changing climate, nonetheless, of soft spring warmth.

The alliance between Berk and Dunbroch had been operating for almost 4 years now. The length of time ever since the fight with the Green Death. He remembered stumbling upon such prosperous island, seeing with awe as he gaped on the castle towering over the trees. He had not seen such man made structure before, and he immediately knew the clan residing there was powerful. They, for the safest claim to utter, were probably not suffering from hunger, resources were never scarce, and they surely did not have any hungry dragons to feed. He remembered feeling determined to do it right in order to gain an ally of them.

And he did, all thanks to the fire haired girl who radiates authority even when she does not try to.

Then he remembered.

Despite the grief that wrapped itself around his people, especially to his mother and him, the thought of Merida brought a half grin on his face.

"Merida, I'm unfamiliar of your customs, yet aren't we suppose to ask for permission to enter?" his heart was tugging nervously in his chest, castle guards glared at him as though waiting a signal just to strike, their armor seemingly waiting to be penetrated through flesh.

To his suprise- well not exactly, the girl in front of him only rolled her eyes. "Come on, lad" she removed the knot around herself, throwing them at the sides of her saddle, and jumped off of her Clydesdale, the sun shining brightly against her hair making her look as though she bathed in its heat.

Or maybe the blood of her enemies. He doesn't know which was entirely fitting for her.

He lets her lead him, for when she was around, nobody seem to react on their impulses to kill him. "Merida, I don't think we should just do this as though we own the place"

They were at the huge doors now, the throne slowly peaking at him, and a sliver of pale, stocky leg was seen.

"Maybe I do live 'ere" she glanced at him, her brows furrowing in amusement. She looked at him with her bright blue eyes full of mischief and he felt his heart fall on his stomach. Was she trying to get him killed?

Suddenly, she pulled him in ere he could compose himself. Before he could momentarily faint, another pair of blue eyes and red hair glanced at them. The stocky leg from before soon formed in lines and traces of a man as big as his own father. He wore the same tartan skirt? like the others, as well as a golden crown upon his shaggy head. The man was the King, and Hiccup gulped because he was, no doubt, brought in for a surprise execution.

Of what he imagined the King's words would be as his voice boom in the entire Halls were entirely different to what actually came forth "Merida, lassie!" He stood up from his throne, his peg leg stomped with a sound familiar to him. "You brought a lad?"

"Mum, Da, this is Hiccup, he said he wanted to speak to yer"

He blinked from the exchange, still trying to recover. However, three pairs of eyes were already directed to him, attention already given, and he couldn't help but clear his throat.

Merida skipped her way to the thrones, setting herself next to her mother, as she gave him an encouraging look. He didn't have the heart to glare.

"Fair Morning your Majesties, I am Hiccup Horrendous Haddock the III, son of Chief Stoick the Vast, from the Isle of Berk-"

"Upon Mor'du's grave, Elinor, it's Stoick's bairn! A Viking!" The King gasped, his face a mixture of fascination, confusion, and even excitement all at once. The Queen next to him, however, wore a placid expression, her hand patting the King's arm as an effort to calm him down. Hiccup immediately straightened his stance, his nerves were racking once his eyes met the Queen's.

Facing the possibility of exile from a clan full of Vikings, he braved. Dragons as humongous as mountains, he can deal with. Deranged outcasts who can control one Alpha, he succeeded to defeat. Though under the slight woman's unreadable scrutiny, he's in danger of wavering. Her eyes were intelligent and her movements were carefully maneuvered, he felt as though he was unprepared.

"-we are here not as enemies, but as tradesmen, and most importantly, as your potential ally"

"Whit brought such idea, bairn?"

She was trying to falter him, using his age as a suggestion of inexperience. Merida had the bravery to groan from her mother's authority.

"My clan has always been a proud, stubborn one. Being Vikings, we try to resist ourselves to seek any form of help as possible. We never admit defeat, much so our weaknesses. However, we are not like our gods, strong and mighty and perfect. We thirst, we hunger, and we die. Usually from battles, if we're lucky, but there are still cases of dying from life's atrocities.

Our land, you see, is twelve days north of Hopeless and a few degrees south of Freezing to Death. It's located solidly on the Meridian of Misery.. It's always been a life of survival, we try to grow crops and fend ourselves as much as we could. However, as our population grow, the winter also became worse. Our food were becoming scarce, and resources poor. Henceforth, what I ask of you our Queen, our King, is to heed our cry and help us in this dire time of need"

"An' what aboot my kin? what de we get in exchange?" This time, the King asked, though his' was more gentle, his voice echoing his concern for his people. Hiccup prayed that the royalties will at least know that their heart, their compassion and care for their people have the same sentiments, in the same strength he has for his.

"If there's anything admirable with Vikings, is our honor. We take loyalty to the deepest depth of our roots. We'll die to protect what we perceive as our brothers, as long as they hold true to their intentions, and pure in protecting the seal of peace and betterment of each others' lands."

He felt the Queen's eyes shift upon him, though this time, he saw warmth. The warmth he could identify in Merida's stories despite the annoyance the scoldings have been bringing.

"Yer sincerity is nothing but canny an' honorable, lad. However, this needs ter' be discussed aboot with the other lords." The King and Queen gave him their small smiles, but they're smiles he could bring hope from.

"No problem your Majesty. In behalf of Berk, we are honored and thankful for this opportunity. We are looking forward to forge a friendship with your people"

"Very well then, young Hiccup." The Queen curtsied, and with the elegance of a dove beneath a lake, she glided to stand. She tipped her head, neck craned to a bow, eyes sharp as though the arrow. "As the Queen-"

Alongside her, the King stood, strong and sturdy, the battle scars faint on his face and arms blazing in pride, "-and King,"

"-of Dun'Broch, wei pronounce yer', Hiccup Horrendous the III, as is yer clan, visitors fer the time bein' as we await fer the arrival an' fate for the subject of alliance." Hiccup visibly relaxed, whatever weight he didn't know he had swallowed dropped right back in to his seemingly empty stomach.

"No', lets talk aboot the trade, shall wei?"

Hiccup felt as though he has a phantom limb- another one besides his already missing leg. He wanted to bring Toothless with him, he really did. But his better judgement thought it would be unwise, since he'd be testing foreign waves. Who knows what the Highlanders will think when they see their former enemy suddenly spring out of nowhere with a bunch of seemingly threatening dragons? Yeah, it'll be grand.

But he hadn't anticipated staying for a longer while than well, one sun setting and one moon in the dark casted sky. Traveling to Dun'Broch took them three suns, with bits of rests in-between. Now, he has to deal with six suns, and five moons, without the traveling to consider.

Their trade vessel was now loaded with the trade DunBroch offered. Mostly, it was stocked with fishes, of cods and salmon, the gods must've smiled upon them, for having more than the dragons back home could devour in the meantime they're still edible enough to eat. Then, they also have wool, and especially bread and grain, which they could gladly feast on in days of horridly bad winter.

Dun'Broch also gained necessities from them. The most popular, and possibly what sealed their trade was the various kinds of hardwood lumber they brought. Their Kingdom was having a hard time during winter, and few of their less fortunate people had already died because of the temperature. Their supply of wood was just about enough, yet the problem was their quality. The look of astonishment in the Royalties eyes soared a sense of pride, pride for his people, especially those of the timberjack dragons.

As soon as everything was clear, Astrid walked over him, "will everything be okay, Hiccup?" and asked, her eyes wary to the princess who was fortunately out of earshot. He looked at her through sincere eyes, her own ones open and expressive of the commitment, respect and awe of him. She suddenly holds him in a pedestal in which he wasn't sure he could take shape onto. He's still not used of the sudden shift of positive light and attention his people have been showering him with.

"Yes, I'm sure, extra positive that they will approve. They see reasons and they actually take me seriously" There was no self deprecation weaved through his words, no hidden message of bitter past. Astrid, however, cringed somewhat. She looked sheepish in her proud posture, almost as though guilty. "I'm not talking about them"

With that, she eased herself in the vessel, offering him a small smile in hopes of not having him all worried for nothing.

"Safe travels guys, may the gods watch over your journey" he raised his hand, and the Vikings did the same, saying goodbye.

As the ship ascend, with all the Viking horns glistering against the sun, rallying towards the deep vast sea, Snotlout turned his head, an easy smirk was in place, "oh, and try not to mess anything up while you're at it, couz"

He cannot believe he'd miss it, but he's certain he will. Even Snotlout was a reminder of his home. The Village where dragons can be seen flying and in harmony with mere human beings. "Oh no, they'll love me here, no problem" he tried to jest, but he knew they could no longer hear him.

The Viking vessel grew smaller and smaller, then it was just a mere dot, until he couldn't see it anymore. As it disappear, so did the sun sets in order to kiss the sea.

The Dun'Broch sun was warm against his skin, so much so that he was just wearing his shirt and breeks. Yet, alike before, it felt as though he was bare, not used to having such light garments hanging on his bones and covering his skin. He stretched his arms toward the skies, elongating his bones as he tried to breathe.

Peace was foreign to him. Back in Berk, even the nights were filled of grunting or the loud snores from dragons and Vikings alike. Dun'Broch felt as though it was the epitome of silence.

Behind him, Merida had finally chosen to get near.

"The Queen an' King al'ready love yer', Hiccup" He turned to look at her and squinted as the rays almost blinded him. The girl looked as though fire has encapsulated her, red strands thrashing wildly around her face, at the back of her head, her blue eyes were the utmost burning.

"I mean, who wouldn't, right?" He snorted at the end, posing dramatically as he flexed his mediocre, well as mediocre as the Viking standards, biceps.

Merida rolled her eyes, the flaming embers dancing in front of the light. "Come'on, me' Mum's probably worried sick 'bout yer'," she grabbed his wrist and tugged, "thank yer', cause of ye' she's nae as worried 'bout me as she normally dae,"

"I am honored, your majesty, to be your worrying-mother shield for as long as you have me"

The girl glared at her and pushed him lightly, "don' call me tha'!"

"Call you what? a princess?" his teasing caused him to grin widely, one that made the flame haired girl to blush and hide herself inside her thick hair, "oh gods, I just realized that I pestered your afternoon, you must want me executed, don't you?"

They were about to climb the small hill when he stopped and offered his hand. She glared even harder, "I'll want yer head if ye now start treatin' me like frail wood."

"But your dress looks so heavy and-"

Before he could reason out, she grabbed layers and layers of skirt, bunching them in her hands way up to almost a thumb in length above her knees.

He blushed as red as her hair. It was just skin, but he still felt as though tiny dragons crawled on his body then to the back of his neck, making his light hairs rise and his blood boil.

"Now, what were ye' sayin'?"

She stood at the top, her brow raised and her mouth formed into a grin.

"Nothing, Merida" He shook his head, clearing his thoughts. With Angus next to him, they hiked through, his prosthetic leg stomping, though this time, he felt relaxed having it pronounce it's presence around Merida.

With Angus below, he could close his eyes and immediately revert back to memories of flying in the skies, but no matter how smooth the glide, whether his blood thump with adrenaline, it was still not a match with flying with dragons, especially with Toothless.

However, the ride with Toothless would be even better with the snorts and rampant laughter Merida never fails to elicit. Maybe, if he has the chance, he'll take her to the skies.

Someday. He might just make it happen.

Wherever he turns, eyes were watching him unblinking, almost as though waiting for him to make a fool of himself. He never felt so thankful for all the shunning he had endured growing up, now, it was almost as if the air was normal and breathable.

"Will ye seal it, son of Stoick?"

"In the name of my clan, and with the guidance of our gods"

"May this alliance hold true, until the generations to come"

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I'm sorry for the short length of the chapters thus far, for approximately the first four chapters, we'll see some glimpses of their past, of how Merida and Hiccup had grown to be the closest of friends. They serve as prologue somewhat so the first real chapter is definitely not this one.