Chapter 10

Merida now stood with the others as Jack began to grow curious. "Alright guys, there is something I need to ask; you too Hiccup." Jack said as he took a step back and started to pace back and forth. "I am a spirit, a deity, a ghost, call me what you will. But normally people can't see me; in fact most people can walk through me. So what I want to know is how come you three can?"

Rapunzel, Merida, and Hiccup all looked at each other and shrugged until Merida spoke up, "Well, I was raised believing in magic. I was only a wee lassie when I first saw the wisps and ever since then I believed that magic was true." Merida chuckled lightly, "I even used to scold my dad for not believing in it."

Rapunzel also chimed in, "Well I have a lot of time to myself at home so I guess when my mother would bring me books about fairytales, I believed in them. I've been, well pretty secluded from the rest of the world and it feels better when you have something to believe in that makes the world seem a little better."

Hiccup shrugged and said, "Jokul Frosti has been a spirit for decades in my culture. My mom was the first to tell me about him…uh…you. And well," Hiccup looked over at Toothless and gave him a gentle pat, "I'm one to believe everything, even the good in dragons, which no one else see's. So I guess we can see you because we believe you exist." Jack leaned on his staff and nodded with a hint of sadness behind his eyes.

"Well that does answer that." He said with slight remorse. Rapunzel watched Jack with sad eyes and then turned to Hiccup, "So, Hiccup, where are you off to?" Hiccup turned to her, understanding that she wanted to change the subject, "Well nowhere really…" He trailed off looking down at his furry light brown boots and running a hand through his straight brown hair, "I kind of ran away."

Jack looked up at Rapunzel and she gave him pleading eyes and a cute smile. He chuckled and waved his hand as an answer and Rapunzel giggled and clapped her hands together, "Hiccup, would you and Toothless like to come with the three of us?" She beamed with excitement and Hiccup smiled, "Where to?"

Rapunzel pulled some hair back behind her ear, "We are going to see these floating lights that happen every year on my birthday." She explained and Hiccup shrugged, "Well since we don't really have anywhere else to go, I'd love to come." Toothless made a noise and already looked excited to go. Hiccup then glanced at Merida, "As long as everyone is comfortable with me going…" Merida looked down at the floor.

She finally sighed and said with a small smile, "We'd love for you and Toothless to come." Hiccup smiled at her and nodded slightly. Rapunzel did a little happy dance and Jack chuckled and smirked at her. Hiccup thought about it and said, "Wait, did you say we were going to see some type of floating lights?" He asked and Rapunzel nodded with a meek smile, "Yes, but it's a little hard to explain because I truly don't know what they are."

Hiccup chuckled and said, "Do you mean the lanterns they set off in Corona?" He asked and everyone gave him a puzzled look, "Yeah, every year they light them up and into the sky. I'm not sure why though, something about their princess. It's funny how it falls on your birthday, that's pretty cool. We can sometimes see it from my village." He explained and Rapunzel's grin widened, "Lanterns! That's what they are! I knew they weren't stars!"

"So you knew where exactly to go?" Jack asked Hiccup and he nodded, "Yeah, from here it's just one more day of traveling, and if we go on Toothless we'd get there even faster." Jack nodded and shrugged, "Sounds good, but as for right now we need to make camp."

Merida joined Rapunzel's side as they, once again, went in search of firewood. Though this time Jack and Hiccup were the ones to strike up a conversation between themselves. "Not going to lie, I'm truly happy you decided to come along," Jack said with a laugh, "It ain't easy being the only guy between these two girls." Hiccup chuckled and said, "Well adding me may not give you the best results either; Merida already has a bit of a disliking to me."

Jack shook his head with a small laugh, "Well, to be honest, when Punzie and I first met Merida, I didn't want Rapunzel to invite her with us because she seemed violent and Rapunzel is a bit of the jumpy type and well kind of new at everything. But as I got to know Merida I realized she truly isn't that bad, it's just the small temper that may seem a bit threatening."

Hiccup and Jack laughed as the girls reappeared with the firewood. The boys looked at them and laughed even harder making the girls suspicious. "What are you two laughin' at?" Merida asked with her eyes narrowed and Jack shook his head trying to hold in his laughter, "Nothing princess, by the way, were you planning on telling us that story?"

Merida gave Jack an annoyed expression and rolled her eyes. "What? Do ya want everyone to sit around a campfire and have story time?" Merida said sarcastically and she dropped her wood into a pile, Rapunzel following her. "Actually," Rapunzel said, "I would like to hear this story," Rapunzel bit her lip trying not to laugh. "Ugh, fine, I'll tell the bloody story, c'mon."

Hiccup told Toothless to light up the wood and he spit fire onto the wood causing a good sized campfire to form. They all took seats as Merida sat down and began her story. "The reason I never told you that I was a princess is because I didn't want ya to pin me as someone who is always prim and proper. I wanted ya to judge me for who I am." She glanced quickly at Hiccup then returned to the rest, "There, ya happy? Not much else to the story of Princess Merida."

Jack spoke up, "So you're a princess of where exactly?" Merida took a seat alongside Rapunzel and said, "The Scottish highlands clan of Dunbroch, my mother is Queen Elinor and my father is King Fergus, the bear king." Merida confessed, tired of trying to hide anything. Hiccup's eyes grew hide but she turned his face so the others couldn't see. He knew who Merida was now, his dad, Chief Stoick, did not get along with Merida's father.

Merida then looked at all of them, "Well I did my part, now all of you have to go." She demanded and everyone else groaned, except Jack. But he knew it would be a long night.

A/N: Sorry it took so long guys I know I suck but...HAVE YOU GUYS SEEN THE HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON 2 TEASER TRAILER?! If not, you need to check it out because it's AMAZING! Again thanks for reading dears xoxo