Meanwhile, further away from the forbidden forest, the two bandits had managed to escape the strange place and had made their way back to Drago: empty handed.

Drago had not been pleased.

"Did you find her." Drago commented, clearly seeing the bandits on their own and cocking and eyebrow.

"We did catch up to her but-"

"But," Drago interrupted. "you didn't get her." The two bandits glanced at each other, awkwardly trying to think of something to say. Too slow.

Drago leapt at them, catching one by the throat and lifting him high so his feet dangled. "I set you a task, did I not? Yet you failed me. You know what happens when you fail me." Drago stated dangerously. The man in his clasp fidgeted desperately, nodding slightly at his leader which was hard since his neck was in his leaders strong grasp. Drago pointed at the other bandit that had stood tumbling as he watched his colleague hang from their leaders palm. "You!" He snarled. The man nodded, straightening himself. "Gather a small group," he demanded, his lip curled up in a sick grin "we're going hunting."

Merida and Hiccup had stopped for the evening near a small river; night was falling fast and Hiccup decided it best to start up camp now then when it was dark and they would barely see. They had gathered dry wood to create a fire. From the river they had caught fish, which were now roasting nicely over the fire Toothless had set on the firewood.

The ground below was damp but comfortable so the trio sat and ate their dinner greedily, the day's traveling having tired Merida. Across the fire from her, Hiccup's face was illuminated nicely as he concentrated on said fire, trying to keep it alive and away from the wet ground around them.

Hiccup looked up from poking the fire to see Merida's blue eyes watching him with some intensity, one he couldn't name. Her gaze stirred emotions in him that he hadn't felt for 6 years, his gut clenching as he coughed, clearing his thoughts and breaking Merida out of her reverie.

"What kind of spirit are we looking for?" Hiccup asked, taking out a small knife before sharpening a small thing from beside him. Merida blinked, recollecting herself.

"Whit?" She replied, dumbly. Hiccup snorted at her expression.

"Your spirit, what does he do?" He grinned. Merida paused, trying to remember what Drago had said.

"Uh...frost? Aye frost that was it!" She agreed. Hiccup nodded.

"Well that's easy then, just look for frost and snow. Should lead us straight to him." He reasoned. Looking up, he found Merida now looking into the fire blindly, looking thoughtful. "Why is he important, if you don't mind me asking?" He probed. Blue eyes looked back up, straight into his own green.

"I daen't know, I just know that he is."

"Who said so?" Merida bit the inside of her mouth, glancing around them.

"Drago..." She whispered. Toothless, who had been snoozing peacefully beside Hiccup, shot his head up suddenly, teeth bared at the name. Merida gasped, jumping up. Even Hiccup seemed uncomfortable with that name. He reached over and shushed Toothless who was hesitant to fall back to sleep, instead now on edge, his pupils slits.

"W-whit did I-" Merida worried.

"Nothing nothing, but this changes things." Hiccup voice was cold, frightening.

"I-it daes?" Merida timidly sat back down, glancing between Hiccup and Toothless. "Why?"

"Let's just leave it at, we don't exactly get along..." Hiccup grumbled. Merida's eyes widened, falling instantly on his missing limb. Hiccup noticed this and consciously placed a hand to it. "No, it's not that it's...something else..." He muttered.

"Oh." Merida cringed. She wrapped her arms around herself and shivered.

"Come over here, you can lean on Toothless, he won't mind and he's pretty warm obviously." Hiccup smiled, waving her over.

"Oh no it's-"

"Just get over here." He laughed. So she did so, hesitantly. Toothless didn't mind at all, only shifting slightly to get comfortable as well. Hiccup had been right, he was warm and she found herself falling asleep easily.

Next morning, Merida woke with a start. A cool morning breeze had

Settled, and the grass was wet with dew. Glancing to the side she found Hiccup still asleep, looking quite peaceful. She smiled then froze as a small sound reached her ear, getting up, she wandered towards the noise, looking for the source.

Moving past a wall covered in ivy, she stopped. Turning to face the wall, she moved closer: the noise was coming from there. Putting a hand in front of her, she reached forward towards the wall. Unexpectedly, her hand went through and she moved behind it, finding a small cave with a light at the end. Walking towards it, she found a secluded open cavern, sunlight streaming from above. A waterfall was to one side, lapping pleasantly at the cavern wall. However, that wasn't what Merida was looking at. At the other end was a tall tower, a single window at the top. Curious, she went to it. After a while she realised the noise was coming from there, and was in fact singing. Circling the bottom of the tower she found no entrance and grew confused. How was someone up there, without a way up? Deciding, quite stupidly, to find out she began to scale the tower, finding the nooks and crannies mucus like she had with the firefalls. Reaching the window, she found the singing had stopped. Swinging a leg over the window sill, she looked around; it was a small parlour, scarce in furniture with it instead having a window, a cupboard and a small kitchen, of what Merida could see. Stepping fully into the room she also found it quite dark, with all the light colours of the room however brightening it somewhat.

"Hello?" She called into the seemingly empty room. "I think I heard you singing so I came to see who was up here!" Still no reply. "Hello!" Merida cried, growing angry.

"Who are you?" A new voice came from above. Merida looked up to see a young girl of similar age to her on the stairs.

She had exceedingly long blonde hair and bright pea green eyes. A light pink dress and corset was what she wore and she was bare foot. Across her face were splats of paint and in one hand she held a frying pan.

Merida cooked an eyebrow. "Uh..." The girl came down the stairs slowly, pointing the frying pan at Merida. "Who are ye?" She responded.

"I asked first!" The girl cried, shaking the pan at Merida in a way that Merida guessed was supposed to seem threatening.

"Okay...well I'm Merida...and ye are?" She asked, using a finger to lower the pan from her face. The girl eyes her for a moment before resting the pan on her shoulder like a knight would balance his sword.

"I'm Rapunzel." She said, smiling slightly.

"Pleasure..." Merida grinned, trying hard not to look at the mile of long blonde hair that trailed the girl. "Um...now I know who I heard earlier I suppose I should-" Merida began, turning to face the window but was stopped by a hand grasping her shoulder.

"Wait!" Rapunzel cried. Then pulled away, looking embarrassed. "Um...why are you here? In the woods?" She asked.

"I'm looking for something." Merida said, quirking an eyebrow.

"Where are you from?" Rapunzel added.

"The kingdom, ye know away from here..." By now Merida was now fully facing the blonde. "Why?"

"Take me with you! M-maybe I could help you with what you're looking for?!" She squealed.

"U-uh...why?" Merida asked.

"Well...soon it's my birthday, and everyday on my birthday, these floating lights would go up in the sky! And I guess I just really want to go see them..." Rapunzel response had involved the girl running over to a piece of curtain where a painting had been done of a girl who looked like Rapunzel, sat upon a tree looking up at these 'floating lights'. Merida had watched though, her eyebrows vowing higher and higher as the story went along.

"Ye mean lanterns?" She finally asked.

"Lanterns?" Rapunzel stopped moving to look at the other girl.

"Aye, the kingdom near ours releases them every year...did you not know that?"

"No..."

"And anyway why dae ye need my help? Ye can leave somehow right?" Merida asked incredulously.

"Well..."

"Well what?"

"I've never actually left the tower..." A silence went over the two as they stared at each other; Rapunzel looking rather sheepish as she played with her hands, whilst Merida had a completely unreadable expression, most likely disbelief.

"Whit?"

"Look just let me come with you! Show me this kingdom that release the lanterns and I'll help you find what you're looking for! I promise!" Rapunzel pleaded, desperate.

"Well...I suppose ye could-"

"Oh thank you, thank you, you won't regret it I swear!" Rapunzel squealed, running over to the window.

"Sure..." Merida exhaled, trying to decide how Hiccup would respond to this new 'recruit'.