Later - Kingdom of Dunbroch, Highlands of Scotland

Hiccup listened as the King celebrated with his men. He may have lost the fight with the young man, but there was always something to celebrate in Dunbroch. Hiccup showed off his talents as a Blacksmith earning himself fame. Then came the fight. Cementing his talents as a warrior. But they don't know the full extent of his skills. As Hiccup ate some cooked fish, his mind wandered to Toothless. The Night Fury was undoubtedly in the nearby woods waiting to leap into action. Hiccup wanted to finish this dinner and head back to the Edge. It has been four years since Hiccup left Berk before he was forced to kill a dragon. Since then, the young man destroyed the Dragon's Nest and the Red Death, rescued countless dragons, made dozens of discoveries, and made a safe haven in the cave systems of Dunbroch. Hiccup was a Dragon Trainer and hoped that one day, people will see the dragons as friends. But until then, Hiccup has to hide them.

"So what are ya going to do now?" Princess Merida asked behind Hiccup. The Rider turned to face the young princess.

"Hello m'lady." Hiccup replied and Merida raised her hand.

"Don't do all that Princess formalities." she ordered and Hiccup nodded.

"So what are you needing?" Hiccup asked.

"I was wondering bout your sword. How did it do all those things?" Merida asked and Hiccup grabbed Inferno from his leg.

"When I hit this button and the sword extends out while this lighter here ignites the Monstrous Nightmare Gel." Hiccup explained showing the Princess the mechanical design. "Down here is another button which releases Hideous Zippleback Gas and second switch to ignite the gas."

"Monstrous Nightmare Gel? Hideous Zippleback Gas? What are those?" Merida asked and Hiccup rubbed his neck.

"Oh well, they are just some creations I made. Tricky and dangerous." Hiccup lied feeling like a fool for almost ruining the secret. Merida gave a glare as if she didn't believe him.

"Well Hiccup. I best be going. Try not to blow something up." Merida asked and the secret Rider nodded.

Next Morning - Kingdom of Dunbroch, Highlands of Scotland

Merida woke up bright and early. The young woman enjoyed the morning breeze. As she passed through the busy halls, the Princess grabbed an apple for a morning snack. Merida raced to the stables and found her mother in a more relaxed dress and undone hair. The mother and daughter hugged. Ever since the 'Bear Incident', the two grew close. Whenever Queen Elinor had the chance, she would spend the day with Merida enjoying the speed of their horses. As they raced alongside the countryside, Merida used her new bow from Hiccup and admired the lightness of the tool. She was still impressed with the young lad's skills. Once the arrows ran out, the two women raced to a cliffside overseeing the surrounding lake. The two breathed in the morning air and Merida noticed something on the ground. The woman jumped off of Angus and kneeled down to find a small cluster of red hardened objects. She grabbed one and it felt smooth and cold.

"What is it?" Elinor asked kneeling next to her daughter. The Queen examined one of the objects and neither one could tell what they were. "They look like scales, but they aren't this big."

"So what could have scales like this?" Merida asked concerned with the mysterious claw marks and now scales.

"I don't know." Elinor answered and Merida knew that something dark was coming to Dunbroch.

Elsewhere

"Don't worry, big guy. I won't hurt you." Hiccup promised the wound Monstrous Nightmare. The dragon snarled at Hiccup and Toothless growled. The Rider examined the wounds to find arrows and spears in it. Hiccup slowly walked to the dragon with Dragon Nip in hand. Hiccup raised it up and the Nightmare sniffed it. The large creature began to relax at the scent. Hiccup walked to the wounds and began to pull out the weapons of war. At every wound, Hiccup put healing herbs and ointments on the scars. The Nightmare yelped, but the Rider was able to keep it calm with the Dragon Nip. This wasn't the first Dragon to make its way this far South. Hiccup and Toothless managed to tame the wild dragons and take them to the Edge to hide. But he has never seen a dragon with this many wounds. It was clear someone drove this poor guy South and Hiccup needs to find out who.

Later

Elinor left Merida to ride for the duties of a Queen and the daughter understood. So the young woman rode North letting the wind blow past her. As the afternoon sun rose, Merida slowed down in the middle of the woods. As she rode through the woods, Merida's mind wander to the scales in her bag. She has never seen anything like them. It drove her crazy. But before she could think much more about it, a blue light appeared in front of her and Angus. Merida motioned for her friend to move forward and Angus followed the forming trail of Will O' the Wisps. The last time she has seen them, they lead her to a witch, a castle ruin, and helped Merida save her mother. Now she was following them once more. To where she didn't know. When she reached a clearing in the woods, the Wisps disappeared. Merida jumped down to find broken branches and dug up dirt. She saw broken arrows and spears gathered together in a pile with blood on them. Merida looked around to see nothing but trees and Angus. Whatever was here is long gone.

Merida climbed back onto Angus and before they could return home, another trail of Wisps led her to the East. Merida and Angus cautiously followed the trail. A part of Merida was nervous. The Wisps were powerful in changing people's fate, but they were also unpredictable. When the trail ended, Merida was in awe of a large wooden building. It was a two floor build with a large tower to the side, decorated with strange colorful and well crafted designs. It was unlike anything in Dunbroch. Behind it was the cliffside to the ocean and Merida saw a Wisp floating at the door. The Princess walked to it cautiously. When she arrived at the door, the Wisp disappeared and she knocked on the wooden door. Moments later she heard a rustle from inside. Seconds later locks were loudly removed and the door was soon opened.

"Princess Merida?" Hiccup asked surprised to see her who was just as surprised.

"Merida. This is your home?" she asked astonished at this lad's skills.

"Yeah. Do you want to come in?" Hiccup asked nervously and Merida wondered why the Wisps lead her here. She nodded and Hiccup held the door open while she entered the house. Merida caught eye of many fur coats hanging from the walls, small wooden objects littered around the house, and drawings of strange creatures on the walls. "Uh so why are you here? I didn't do anything wrong?"

"No, no. I just found an area in the woods flatten by something big and was lead here the Will O' the Wisps." Merida answered turning to a nervous Hiccup.

"Well, maybe a bear decided to break some trees. They are large. Also, what is a Will O' the Wisp?" Hiccup asked confused.

"Not important I know what Bears can do. This wasn't a bear. Not to mention I found strange claw marks in the woods." Merida replied and Hiccup was still acting nervous while she walked around the living room.

"Bears have claws." Hiccup added as Merida stopped to look at shields made by Hiccup no doubt.

"But me and my mum found these strange scales today." Merida remarked before pulling out the strange scales. Hiccup grabbed them and inspected them.

"Just some strange rocks." Hiccup replied before handing them back.

"You are acting weird." Merida pointed out and Hiccup gave a nervous chuckle.

"Me. Weird. Sure back home I was called weird, but I don't see my weirdness as an issue." Hiccup replied and Merida caught something in her eye. She walked past him to a pile of furs with a horn in them. Hiccup stepped in front of her. "Well, I better be heading off the bed, late night and all."

"What are you hiding?" Merida asked brushing past the wee lad.

"Hiding? Me? That's crazy talk." Hiccup answered as Merida kneeled next to the furs. "I prepare if you don't touch my stuff." he added but Merida discovered a metal helmet with horns on the sides. She didn't recognize the design, but she knew what kind of helmet it was. Merida turned to face the Viking. It was rear for a Viking to have a horned helmet, but there were many with such helmets.

"You are a Viking?" Merida asked with hurt in her voice. Hiccup sighed.

"Was. I self exiled myself." Hiccup answered.

"Then why keep this? The symbol of Vikings." Merida asked and Hiccup sat on a chair.

"My father had it made from pieces of my mother's armor. It keeps her close despite being gone." Hiccup answered and Merida looked at the helmet. It was clear that it hasn't been worn in some time, but was kept in good shape. Merida put the helmet on a table and sat in a chair facing Hiccup.

"But why were you dismissing the strange items?" Merida asked knowing a smart man like Hiccup wouldn't confuse rocks with scales. He sighed and looked at the woman.

"Remember when I said I rescued a wound enemy?" Hiccup asked and Merida nodded. Hiccup pointed up and the Princess looked up to see a large black creature above them. Merida backed up and fell to the ground in fear. Hiccup stood up calmly while the creature landed behind him. "Merida Toothless. Toothless, Merida."

"What is that thing?" Merida asked never seeing anything like it.

"This is Toothless and he is a Night Fury. One of the many dragon species." Hiccup answered as he pet the dragon's head. Merida was amazed at the sight. She heard the folklore of dragons but they were terrifying beasts of mighty power. But she watched as Hiccup calmly pet it and the creature acted like a puppy. "Don't worry he won't hurt you."

"How is there a dragon here?" Merida asked and Hiccup explained everything from the beginning. His home was at war with dragons, he managed to shoot down the Night Fury but no one believed him, he search all night for it but couldn't kill him, then Hiccup began to do something crazy. Ride a dragon. Merida learned that he left his home so he can live free. She felt a bond between the two. Once Merida wanted to be free and she was free. Granted it could have achieved better, but she was free.

"Now I'm trying to help the dragons from here. You're the first person to discover my secret." Hiccup remarked and Merida slowly got up from the shock.

"So you've been rescuing dragons for four years?" Merida asked and Hiccup nodded.

"I was packing for a trip up North to find out why more dragons were being forced South. But you showed up." Hiccup replied and there was silence. Merida eyes the dragon in both awe and fear. "Raise your hand like this." Hiccup said before moving Merida's arm with her palm out.

"What are you doing?" Merida asked concerned as the Night Fury walked closer.

"Relax." Hiccup comforted and Merida closed her eyes. Moments later, she felt scales against her plan. She looked to see the Night Fury's head in her palm. Merida smiled at the sight. "See wasn't so bad."

"No, it's not." Merida remarked before petting the dragon.