Merida spurred on Angus, looking for any signs of the path her father and the other Scots had taken. "Oh come, on where are they?" she asked in a panic. If she didn't get to them soon, he would die. Angus gave a little rear as something blue popped out of the ground in front of him. Merida gasped, it was the will-o-the -wisps! More were popping up, giving her a path to follow, at the end, a fire's glow could be seen bouncing off the rocks. Merida sighed with relief, "Oh, thank you, thank you so much! Let's go Angus!" The horse rushed forward, speeding up as they passed each wisp until Merida could hear voices, they were almost there.

"Let my son go, you Scottish monster!"

"Me, a monster? Have you looked in the mirror lately? Oh wait, I forgot, you heathens don't have mirrors!" Merida got a glimpse of the Scots' backs, they were laughing at her father's cruel joke.

"Come on, say something else, keep him occupied for just another minute, please!" Merida muttered under her breath as Angus was closing the gap quickly, though she felt it wasn't quickly enough.

"If you dare harm my son, I will hold nothing back!" roared Stoick, a hint of fear in his voice at the possibility of losing his only son. Merida caught the hint, her own fears urging Angus to go faster. She was finally close enough to see everything, Hiccup bound and gagged to one of the boulders, the Vikings stationed just to the side of the ring, Stoick's face full of fear and rage, her father about to unleash a volley of arrows into Hiccup. She didn't stop to think, she pulled on the reigns, making Angus stop, tumbled off, and knocked an arrow into place as she rushed forward to stand between Hiccup and the arrows, aiming it at her father.

"No, get back!"

"Merida! What are you doing? He's a Viking! And he pushed young MacIntosh off the cliff!" exclaimed her father.

"Ugh, why won't you listen to us? No he didn't! Someone else pushed him off!"

"Why would my son lie about it?" asked MacIntosh.

"B-because he saw something," muttered Merida, glancing down.

"Oh, and what did he see?" Merida glanced up at the Scots, then at the Vikings before turning to face Hiccup. Sighing, she freed him, and kissed him. Everyone gasped.

"Yeah, I'd jump off a cliff meself after seeing that," quipped MacIntosh. Fergus smacked him, "Ow!"

Merida turned to face her people, "I know Hiccup wasn't one of the suitors presented, but I choose him." Their fingers interlaced as Hiccup turned to face his people.

"And I choose Merida. Exile us if you want, but we will have it no other way. The choice lies with you, will we learn to live in peace, or will you exile us because you want to continue fighting each other?" The chiefs glanced between each other and their feet, seemingly unsure of what to do. Hiccup glanced back at Merida, she gave his hand a squeeze and smiled.

"Well, I don't know, we've fought the Vikings for so long, it would be kinda hard to get used to it," stated Fergus.

"Not really, your majesty, I've learned a lot about your people from Merida, we're really not that different."

"Well, if ya say so."

"Besides, we can help you keep the Romans away, and you can help us fight off other Vikings. Yes, even we have Viking problems." Hiccup glanced at his father.

Stoick nodded as he stepped into the ring of stones," Hiccup is right, about both of those. We can help you fight the Romans, and you can help us fight other Viking tribes. If you'd like."

Fergus rubbed his chin, "Well, that's certainly a nice-sounding proposition, but how will we be able to tell you apart from other Vikings?"

"Um, we wouldn't fire upon you," replied Stoick.

"And I could come up with secret codes and whatnot," suggested Hiccup.

"Well, I guess there's only one thing to do then," stated Fergus. Everyone gasped as he unsheathed his sword, and planted in the ground, holding out his hand to Stoick. A smile spread across Stoick's face as he too unsheathed his sword and stuck it in the ground, reaching over and shaking Fergus' hand. A cheer went up from both sides as Scots and Vikings raced forward to shake hands, dropping their weapons as they went. That is, except for one voice.

"What, how is this possible? Uncle Stoick, they're our enemies! They should be destroyed!" blurted Dagur.

"Dagur, no, it's better this way. We can work together to . . ."

"Oh, shut up with your attempts of peace! This isn't the Viking way! We must battle everyone . . ."

"No, Dagur! Things have to change! This isn't going to help us progress our society . . ."

"No, it will completely destroy it! We won't be purely Vikings anymore, we'll be a mix of this culture, and that culture, and . . ."

"Even though Scots have a lot in common with us already?" Dagur glared at Hiccup, he was making a good point, and Dagur was beginning to see it, but he didn't want anything to change.

"So, first the dragons, and now the Scots? Who's next, the Romans?"

"If it comes to that, maybe, but they have to be willing to negotiate with us."

"Hiccup's making a good point," began Fergus, but then glanced at Dagur. "Wait, was he the one who pushed MacIntosh off?" Hiccup nodded his head slowly.

"And I'd do it again," snarled Dagur.

Fergus turned to Hiccup, "Don't ever do that again, if one of your own hurts one of ours, don't take the blame for it, bring them forward for justice."

"But . . ."

"I agree with Fergus, son, that was foolish, and nearly started a war," stated Stoick.

"Well, looks like we can agree on some things," grinned Fergus. The two chiefs laughed, as their people joined in. Hiccup though, noticed Dagur's movement.

"No!" Hiccup pushed Fergus to ground, right as an arrow embedded itself in Hiccup's side.

"Hiccup!" screamed both Merida and Stoick as they dropped to their knees to tend to him.

Fergus immediately took charge, "Arrest that mongrel, he has now harmed both a Scot and a Viking."

"I was aiming for you, you stupid Scot!" blurted Dagur from between the guards.

"I know," muttered Fergus as the guards dragged him away. A few Scots and Vikings banded together to bring Hiccup to the castle. Elinor and Merida tended to his wound, making sure he was stable before leaving him to rest, though Merida lingered for a few more minutes.

"Hiccup, you did it," smiled Merida as she placed her hand over his.

Hiccup shook his head, "No, we did it." He glanced at her beaming face, and pulled her in for a kiss.