"That's enough!" shouted Dagur as he slammed his fist down on the table hard, making sure it was loud enough that it got everyone's attention. Everyone stopped arguing long enough to glance at him. "Please, you need to listen to us! Viggo will stop at nothing until he rules the world and has every dragon under his command!"

"Oh yeah, how can we trust you?" asked Tuffnut, crossing his arms. He and his twin glared at Dagur and Heather.

"We, we don't know how we can prove our honesty to you," replied Heather. "Especially since we were working with Viggo. But please, you have to listen to us. We know what he's going to do. If you don't stop him . . . no one else will be able to."

Elinor leaned on the table, making eye contact with Dagur. "And you want us to bypass our laws and attack first? No, diplomacy must come first."

"Yeah, he knows," snapped Dagur. "And he knows how to work your system, your majesty, he's been studying it for the past year, looking for any and all loopholes. If there are any, and based on his reactions in studies, I'd say there are, he'll find them and use them to his advantage. And you don't have time to study your own laws the way he did. He's planned this perfectly. You will have only one choice, either let him win through diplomacy, or fight him. He's betting on winning either way, but if you send out the Defenders, there's a chance that he can be stopped once and for all." Dagur straightened up and crossed his arms, never breaking eye contact with Elinor.

"Mother, maybe we should listen to them," suggested Merida.

"Your daughter's right, we should listen. This might be our only chance to take him down," said Hiccup in agreement. He turned to Dagur and Heather. "Will you fight alongside us, become a Defender yourself?"

"What? Hiccup! Are you mad?"

Hiccup turned to the queen. "Your majesty, with all due respect, I decide who joins my team, not you. I am Chief Berk, remember?"

"Yeah, but she does have a point, Hiccup, we can't exactly trust them," pointed out Tuffnut.

"Well, at least, we don't trust them," quipped Ruffnut, indicating herself and her brother.

"Well, maybe it's time we should. I mean, they did risk capture by coming here to warn us," Fishlegs pointed out. "I think it would be a great honor to have you on our team."

Heather smiled. "Why, thank you Fishlegs." Fishlegs smiled back at her.

"I agree," said McGuffin in his thick accent.

"I do too," said Dingwall.

"Alright, I guess I do too," said Snotlout with a sigh, though he then winked and grinned at Heather. Heather merely rolled her eyes.

"Well then, I guess we are in agreement. Welcome to the team," said Astrid with a smile.

"Hey, we didn't agree!" blurted Tuffnut.

"Yeah!" exclaimed Ruffnut. "Neither did MacIntosh!"

MacIntosh merely shrugged. "Doesn't matter to me."

"Oh?" asked Ruffnut.

"Yeah, so, I guess, yeah, welcome!"

"Oh, well, if that's the case, yeah, welcome!"

"Hey, you're supposed to be on my side!" whined Tuffnut.

"I am! But if MacIntosh doesn't mind, then neither should we."

"Ugh, fine. Welcome to the team," mumbled Tuffnut.

Elinor let out a sigh, "Very well, so we trust them. For now."

"Your majesty, if I may?" Elinor nodded at Hiccup, indicating him to continue. "What if we set a trap?"

Elinor glanced at him questioningly. "How so?"

"Viggo doesn't know that you two came to us, did he?" Hiccup quickly asked the siblings.

Dagur shrugged, "I don't know, but he probably suspects it."

"Well then, why don't we proceed as planned?"

"Uh, in English, please?" asked Tuffnut.

"We bait Viggo, with diplomacy."

Merida let out a gasp, she was catching on to his idea. "And once he thinks he's winning, we fight him! He'll be taken off guard!"

Hiccup nodded, "Exactly."

"Unless he's already thought of that move," mumbled Dagur.

"But it's the best idea we've got at the moment. We'll definitely need a few backup plans. Viggo is very smart; not only could he have thought of every move we could make and the counter moves, he's also willing to lose a few men to win."

"He's thinks you're all soft because you aren't willing to 'make a few sacrifices'," muttered Dagur.

Hiccup's face hardened. "Well I'm sorry I put so much more value on life than he does."

"Yeah, especially if Viggo decided to kill everybody, there wouldn't be anyone left for him to boss around," quipped Tuffnut. Everyone glanced at him.

"He does have a point," Ruffnut chimed in.

Hiccup let out a sigh as he rubbed the back of his neck. "Right, well, we've got some dragons to get ready, and a few backups to call in."

"If you will see to the preparations for the attack, I'll get in contact with Viggo," said Elinor.

Hiccup nodded, "Sounds good, your majesty, good day. Let's go team, we have a couple of new Defenders to equip."

"Right!" the others chorused before they filed out of the room. Hiccup took up the rear, his mind going deep into thought. If Viggo was as smart as they said, how would they be able to defeat him?

"Hiccup!" The voice jostled him out of his thoughts. Turning around, he saw the fiery red hair of the princess billowing behind her as she dashed towards him.

"What is it, Merida?"

"So, you let two practically brand new, wee little lambs onto your team, but not me?"

"Merida, we already discussed this . . ."
"Yeah, sure, I'd just be ground support . . ."

"Merida . . ."

"I'm your best shooter! Give me a gun, or a bow and arrows, and I can keep you guys covered from anywhere!"

"I can't lose you too!" Hiccup's outburst, along with him grabbing her shoulders, stunned Merida into silence. "I, I already lost my dad, OK? I don't want to lose you too."

"What makes you think I want to lose you? When, when the report came in that a Defender had, had fallen . . . I was scared, Hiccup, scared that it had been you. I'm sorry that it was your father, and it hurt to see the pain in your eyes, but, he gave his life for you. Don't put that sacrifice to waste." She placed her hands on his face as the pain came through again. He took one of her hands and brought it to his mouth, placing a gentle kiss upon it.

"I'm doing my best not to. And that's part of the reason why I don't want you out there with us, I'd become so worried about you that I could leave myself open."

"Hey, being part of a team means having each other's backs. And I can take care of myself."

Hiccup snorted. "Yeah, and I know what that looks like."

"Say what?" Merida removed her hands from his face and placed them on her hips.

"I mean, after all, I don't think the Queen of England would agree to be one of your references."

"Hey! That was thanks to the twins, and you know it!" she blurted as she swatted at his arm. He merely snickered all the louder. The next thing he knew, her hands were on his face again, and the two met in a kiss. "I love you," she whispered when they broke apart.

"I love you too."

"Now can I be on your team?"

"Ugh, Merida!" he mumbled.

"Please?" The two looked at each other for a few minutes, Hiccup's face trying to keep stern while Merida shot him her best puppy eyes.

"Oh, alright," he finally said with a sigh.

"Yes!"

"But for this first mission, I need you to stay with your mother and be our eyes and ears."

Merida grabbed his hand as the two began to finally walk down the corridor. "Alright."

"And you . . ."

"Hiccup! I know what to do! I've been training alongside your entire team for the past two years, I know!"

"Alright, alright, you're right, you do know. Welcome to the team, Mer, I'm sure everybody will be happy you're on board." He leaned in and kissed her on the cheek.

"Especially Astrid. Now, let's go find ourselves a few plans that should hopefully stump Viggo."

"Right." The two quickened their pace to catch up to the others, and to prepare for the inevitable battle.