Chapter 2:

Merida:

It was the first question Hiccup asked me, it certainly wasn't the last, I later found that he asked questions almost constantly. I described the taking of livestock, the burning of villages, the frequency of the draconic attacks.

"This used to happen on Berk..." It was the first time that the woman, Valka, had spoken. She spoke with a soft certainty that commanded ones attention. "If we hadn't stopped the dragons attacking, Berk would have almost certainly would have ceased to exist".

"How do you stop an attack by dragons?" I asked. Looking from Valka to Hiccup and back again.

"It's Hiccup's story to tell not mine," she stated quietly, appearing uncomfortable for some reason. I fixed Hiccup with a look. He briefly told me a story of himself as young boy bringing down a dragon, but being unable to kill it. When he returned the dragon was stuck in a cove and couldn't get out. He realised the dragons was unable to fly, figuring out that there was damage to the dragons fin. He managed to build a friendship with the beast. Once he managed to help it fly he and a companion found out that a much larger dragon was orchestrating the attacks on their village. Together he and his dragon, Toothless(!) took down the behemoth, injuring him in the process.

Hiccup's astute green eyes looked into mine directly

"Do you know what these dragons look like?"

"We have had a vague description from the refugees, as the attacks mainly happen at night." I repeat what I have been told by the traumatised villagers, "Exceedingly quick, dark in colour. Seems to be an unimaginable combination of lightning and death itself. Never misses."

Valka's intake of breath and the way she reaches out to touch Hiccup's arm catches my attention, Hiccup's eyes go wide and he passes his other hand over his face.

"Is that bad?" I ask.

"No, no, not bad. Unexpected," his voice shakes slightly as he says it

I raise my eyebrows in unspoken question.

Hiccup looks to Valka, then to me.

"Toothless, the dragon I ride, is a Night Fury. He's exceptionally rare, the only one I've found in all the time I've been training dragons – over seventeen years. Mom for even longer. The dragon you describe sounds like it could be a Night Fury. The account you gave us is very similar to what used to be written in the Book of Dragons"

"The good thing is that this type of dragon is incredibly trainable, from the sounds of it they're expressing natural dragon behavior – scavenging for food for a queen. Rather than being forced to destroy villages and capture slaves, by a group of people." Said Valka attempting to reassure me.

I look across at Valka and Hiccup, brining myself up to full height, I still have to look up to look them full in the face.

"May I ask how you arrived here?"

"We rode Toothless and Cloudjumper" answers HIccup

"Your dragons?" I ask just to make sure. Hiccup and Valka nod slowly in agreement. "Where are they now?"

"We left them by the standing stones in the forest"

I smile and ask

"Can you take me to them?"

Hiccup:

I gave the Queen a short bow in acquiescence.

Merida clapped her hands twice and a servant appeared at her elbow. "Ask the stable master to ready Artair please", she moved through the door towards the entrance as we followed in her wake. Once out of the keep and into the courtyard, the Queen excused herself to mount her horse. The summer sun had begun to dip towards evening in the sky...

Whilst alone Mom and I began talking hurriedly.

"Hiccup, you realize what this could mean..."

"Yeah, I know... Toothless might not be the last of his kind"

The thought of Toothless not being alone, filled me with joy. I know what it is to be isolated from my tribe, my childhood was lonely and I felt like I was so much less than those around me. It's what helped me bond with Toothless in the first place.

The Queen joined us mounted on the biggest horse I had ever seen, I looked agape at this small, athletic woman confidently astride this giant hairy beast.

"Valka, Hiccup, come. I know the way even in this light." The Queen began to walk the horse in the direction of the gate. It was then that I noticed she had slung a bow over her back and a quiver full of arrows at her waist.

"Er, Your Highness, I wouldn't approach the dragons with your weapons," I said as I and Valka walked beside her and her horse, "dragons are sensitive to weapons of any kind and will take it you mean to attack them if you get too close whilst you have them on your person."

"I am under your instruction Hiccup. I will leave them with Artair outside the stone circle as he will not enter there." Merida said mildly, patting her horse. Mom and I exchanged a look, we were nearing the edge of the forest once more. This time no blue spirits appeared. We followed the Queen's fiery mane of hair as it caught the last of the rays light, through the gloaming forest.

On reaching the circle of megaliths the Queen dismounted and true to her word left her bow and quiver of arrows with her mount, she then bent down and withdrew a dagger from her boot (that was unexpected), I suppressed smile, rubbing my mouth with my hand.

The Queen held out her arm towards the stones indicating that we were to go first. On entering the circle Toothless bounded up and licked me from knee to face

"Arrrgh, Toothless, you know that doesn't wash out" I exclaimed as I attempted to push him away. It was then that I heard this snorting laugh coming from where the Queen was standing. I turned to see her pointing and bent double on seeing our familiar exchange. Mom was stood to one side smirking at the Queens response. Toothless had noticed Merida by this point and looked from me to her, "go a head, buddy" I said in a quiet, reassuring tone. "Your Highness, allow me to introduce Toothless."

The Queen righted herself and became somber, she stood taller and appeared to give herself a bigger presence, like I'd seen her do in the Great Hall. She stepped forward and watched as Toothless approached her, she reached out her hand and naturally turned her head; averting her gaze from the approaching Night Fury. Both Mom and I inhaled and held our breath at the same moment as the pair paused. The seconds stretched out like hours as Toothless gazed at the Queen as she looked at the ground. The clearing appeared to still as Toothless finally stretched forwards to nose Merida's hand. The Queen visibly released a breath she didn't appear to be holding. Looking up she finally gave Toothless an appraising look.

"It's like making friends with a giant cat," was all she said as Toothless rubbed himself around her legs. I struggled to keep the stunned look from my face, the Queen looked pleased with herself. Valka stepped forward and indicated to Cloudjumper to come forward. Ever sensible and intuitive to Valka's needs Couldjumper approached Valka as she lead him towards the Queen. Merida stood her ground and a small smile gracing her face. Cloudjumper rolled his eyes at Toothless' antics before holding Merida's gaze and inclining his head to her in what was unmistakably a bow to the Queen. She mirrored his action before reaching out a hand to brush Cloudjumer's flank. On walking past Cloudjumper the Queen's gaze fell on the skeleton of the crushed bear.

In the deepening gloom the Queen's quiet voice echoed clearly across the stones

"This is a place full of magic," she stated to no one in particular. Mom reached her first, and joined her looking down at the bones. In the same monotonous quiet tone she continued, "this is the final resting place of the demon bear Mor'Du, my mother killed him to protect me and my brothers. When the stone crushed him it released his spirit and he became a Wisp"

"A Wisp..." Breathed Valka still staring at the remains of the giant bear.

" Aye, a Will O' the Wisp. They lead you to your fate..." Whispered the Queen

"Are they small, blue, and coo like a happy babe?" Asked Valka in her calm serious voice

The Queen's head jerked up and fixed Mom with a hard stare

"We followed them through the wood until we reached the village when we arrived" I add in a helpful holding her gaze. The Queen's face has become and unreadable mask.

"We should go, it will be full dark soon" She states, her regal tone once more in place. "Bring the dragons, they will be housed in the stables. I have already made arrangements. It is up to you if you would like to stay with them there. Rooms have been made up in the castle, if you prefer. She lead the way out of the circle, towards her monstrous horse, clipping the grass, just visible in the deepening twilight.

The Queen mounts her horse, she places her weapons in her boot, over her shoulder and at her waist. I call to her that we will fly low over the trees keeping up with her. She doesn't wait and we ride our dragons soon catching her up. She's right, she certainly knows the terrain even in near darkness.

"What do you think that was about?" I whisper to Mom. She catches my eye and shrugs with a small shake of her head.