(A/N I have no imagination for vulgar insults. I picture sailors blushing when you meet this character, but I just can't write that. But you'll get the idea.)

Her da was surprised to see two of the other leaders were women and even more surprised to learn Dagur had given up his position as chief of the Berserkers to marry a Viking queen.

Her mum screeched when she realized there was a dragon on her back. It took a lot of assurances to calm her about the dragonling's presence.

Breakfast was used to update all the leaders on vital current events. The rest of the morning the Scot leaders were presented to the former prisoners. Assurances were made and they spoke of when and how they would return home. As noon approached, the company of leaders, the king and queen and their clan leaders, as well as the four Viking leaders and Merida, made their way to an inlet where they would be meeting Chief Angar.

A small lunch was brought along, but no one ate. The atmosphere hung tense. Hiccup asked that the dragons not be mentioned and everyone agreed.

She realized she'd been by his side the entire morning instead of clinging to her parent's presence as she had expected. She felt a bit guilty, but she was also excited that they'd grown close enough to be naturally pulled to one another.

It didn't take long for sails to be seen on the horizon. Four ships were inbound. They all anchored near shore, but only a handful of people from the lead ship disembarked and started up the bank. There were six people, three men wielding axes, a woman with a hammer, and a man and woman who held no obvious weapons.

"Hiccup," Stoick nodded him forward and Hiccup barely suppressed a sigh as he took a step forward to greet the assembly.

"Chief Angar, we meet at last," he made an effort to sound enthusiastic, but it barely came through.

"Who is responsible for my camps?!" the unarmed man raged as he glared around at those assembled.

"They were given a multitude of opportunities to surrender," Hiccup pointed out with a scowl.

"You don't sound like the southern swine. Who are you?" The Scots barely contained their outbursts at his words.

"I am Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III. I come from the further northern reaches. You've invaded my wife's homeland and I couldn't leave her to fret on her people's behalf."

"Haddock? Of the Hooligans?"

"Yes."

"I've heard stories of Stoick the Vast."

"My father is quite the Viking."

"You're not as smart as him though." Hiccup raised an eyebrow as everyone watched the exchange. "You came a week south to launch an attack. You cut off your people and your allies, for what? The whore who warms your bed? You've started something you can't finish and your people are going to regret ever following you."

Hiccup stood tall with his arms crossed as the man, Angar, spit the insults at him. He seemed totally unphased by anything he'd said, only twitching when he called Merida a whore.

"Your people have been punished with their lives for taking your orders. Do not assume you are the one in control of this situation."

"It would seem I'm the only one armed in this situation," he sneered.

Hiccup grunted. Everyone knew Toothless was only a whistle away, and, with the exception of her mother, everyone here could handle a brawl.

"Should I know their names before I have them killed?" Angar indicated the group of eleven leaders behind Hiccup.

"The king and queen of the land you invaded, along with their clan leaders. My parents and allies who didn't enjoy hearing stories of your exploits. And my wife, Merida." She didn't know why she was addressed by name, but took it as a command to join his side.

"Oi! No wonder you enjoy tossing her! Why I bet-"

"Angar!" the unarmed woman scolded. "That's unnecessary."

"I thought he'd find consolation in the fact she might live." He licked his lips as he eyed her. "Maybe I'd make him watch the first tumble." Merida felt as if she was going to puke, but kept her head high as he continued spewing his vulgar words about what he planned to do to her.

She heard her father begin sputtering and her mother's intake of breath behind her. She was about to tell them to calm themselves when Hiccup's voice cut through the air like a knife.

"If you touch her you will not live to take another breath and you will doom your every tribesman to be killed on sight."

"Why you-!"

"Brother!" she scolded again.

"She's nothing but a route south I'd wager! We should kill you all here and now!"

Hiccup drew inferno snarling, sending the Wailers and the Scots back in fears as flame engulfed his blade.

The woman's hand stayed over Angar's arm and she shot glares at the people who had joined them.

Merida stayed Hiccup's hand as well but could hold her tongue no longer.

"My husband has prepared yer dead and left the final rites fer ye as a sign of respect. Four clans stand against ye because ye have invaded and defiled their home. Four tribes stand against ye because they stand together to defend me and are disgusted with the reputation ye've placed upon their shoulders. Yer raiders and slavers were not decimated, they were eradicated. This is yer chance for peace. Do not sully the respect ye've been given or squander the chance ye have simply because ye canno' hold yer tongue or see when you are outmatched." She glared at the man, daring him to contradict her.

"Esra?"

"Yes, brother?"

"Tomorrow we will negotiate our terms of surrender." He returned to the ship without another word. The woman, Esra, blinked and nodded for the others to stow their weapons and follow to the ship.

.

The negotiations took two days and Merida was livid. Esra had to do most of the talking for the Wailers because her brother kept trying to goad everyone into a fight. Atali, Dagur, and Heather headed a little north with most of the dragons so they could fish with leisure instead of constantly keeping hidden. Such large numbers were difficult to hide anyway. The stowaway stayed with Merida and it was nearly impossible to keep the hatchling from showing itself in front of the Wailers. Stoick barely spoke during the meets, choosing to let Hiccup speak for Berk. The clan leaders usually only had complaints to add in. Her parents handled everything fairly though, stepping back for Berk to keep the Wailers in line.

The talks themselves were boring and tiresome, but she understood the necessity of her presence and maintained her composure during them. Hiccup even asked for her input a few times. She saw he wasn't thrilled to be there either, but he handled leadership well.

What was really bothering Merida was her free time. She'd recoated Wisp's wound several times. She'd started calling the Light Fury the fae name just to stop referring to her as "dragon." When she wasn't with Wisp she was with her parents or shooting her frustrations out. Every now and then she'd corner Astrid and practice hand to hand combat, but Astrid was still waiting for the verdict on her previous actions, so Merida didn't want her to get into any more trouble.

She would have loved to simply talk to Hiccup, but he'd been avoiding her. She didn't know why. He'd only spoken to her in company since the landsmeet two days ago. Anytime she tried to approach him alone he'd make himself scarce. She even camped out on top of Toothless for a few hours and couldn't get him alone. It was infuriating! He hadn't avoided her like this back in Berk when they weren't no speaking terms.

Right now she was headed to the forge. It was dusk and the negotiations were over for the day. Wisp had a healthy coat over the open spots of her wound, though most of it had closed by now. Merida wondered if all dragons healed so fast.

Opening the door to the workshop she was disappointed to find Gobber alone.

"Hey, what's the look for?"

"Have ye seen Hiccup?"

"He nearly pulled out all his hair after the negotiations let out and then he headed into the woods I think."

She huffed and shot a thank you over her shoulder as she made her way to the wood's edge. Thinking again she doubled back to the cabin they were keeping Wisp in.

"Ye wanna go fer a walk? I know flyin' is easier fer ye right now, but I'm looking fer Hiccup."

She warbled and tilted her head a few times before rising and sneaking out the door silently.

They were amid the trees and Merida couldn't help the grumbling that fell from her lips. She was even kicking rocks and swatting branches as they marched into the wood.

More than once Wisp bumped her hip against Merida to tell her to be quiet, but the silence never lasted long. As they came upon the clearing where they'd met the first time Wisp lifted up and soared above the trees.

"Wisp!" Merida cried out, feeling a touch betrayed by the flight. That's when she noticed the nearly invisible shadow drifting with the brightly scaled dragon. "Toothless," she breathed out.

She looked around and huffed. She had no clue how to get back without Wisp or Hiccup. Slumping onto the boulder she decided to wait instead of getting herself even more lost. That was, until she saw Hiccup with his back to her through the treeline.

Jumping down she snuck through the trees, determined not to let him get away this time. He was fiddling with something in his hands, but she couldn't see it from here.

She planned to get right behind him before announcing her presence, but at about five feet away a twig snapped under her foot.

He was on his feet facing her with inferno drawn before she could curse her rotten luck.

"Um…" she eyed the fiery blade as he blinked at her.

"Merida? What are you…?"

"Looking fer ye! Why have ye been avoiding me?" She hadn't meant to growl at him or let her ire through, but apparently she had little control of that right now.

"Oh." He retracted his blade and sat back down.

"'Oh?'" She repeated.

"Yeah… I've been avoiding you." He looked so defeated at that moment. She was still fighting angry, but now a bit concerned as well.

She took a breath to even out her voice. "Why have ye been avoiding me?"

"I've spent most of the time we've known each other trying to earn your trust…"

"Aye…"

"But I don't deserve your trust."

"Hiccup?"

"I dream of them. Every time I close my eyes I see their faces. While I was focusing on strategy it wasn't as bad, but now…"

"Dream of who?"

"I'm a killer, Merida. I can't count how many people I killed in the last week."

"Aye," she nodded slowly and approached. "Ye can't count yer kill, but I can. I had twelve arrows left at the end of the battle. Every arrow loosed was a kill… I didn't see their faces though."

"I'm sorry Merida. You never should have been there."

"It was-"

"Your choice, I know."

"There's more?"

"When I was supposed to kill my first dragon I dropped my blade and my helmet and said 'I'm not one of them.' I can't tell that to you."

"But yer not…"

"Do you know what I see when I don't see their faces?"

She shook her head.

"You."

She blushed.

"You've no idea…"

"Hiccup. Yer not like them."

"Would you like me to explain why I am exactly like them?" he asked, advancing on her until her back hit a tree.

"Yer not like them," she repeated, as his right hand gripped the hair at her nape and his left gripped her hip.

"I'm a killer. I can't begin to describe what I want from you. I'm a Viking who took you from your home. I'm exactly like them." He was breathing into her neck as his grip on her tightened.

"Yer not like them," she whispered again. "Yer me husband."

His grip tightened painfully, but she refused to pull away. She wasn't sure she could if she tried.

"Merida..." His voice had turned husky.

Placing her hands at his collarbone she pushed him away just far enough to place a tender kiss on his lips.

"Yer me husband, and I trust ye."

She kissed him again and it was like a dam broke when he kissed her back.