Hiccup pulled away from Merida, who was wrapped in his arms, and gave her a lopsided smile, his eyelids heavy and his cheeks flushed. Merida shyly looked into his eyes as she bit her lip.

Her blue eyes burned with a rage she thought she'd never feel again. She raked her blonde hair out of her face and growled. She didn't know why she was so angry, those kinds of kisses weren't hers anymore, that smile wasn't created out of love for her, but instead it was about Merida now. It was about how they found Merida; she understood that her home had burned, but how many times had her house been burnt to the ground, and rebuilt again? How many years had they survived dragon attacks? And this girl comes along, with three little boys, who survived one measly dragon attack and she was marked as a hero? Had she even killed a dragon? No. And now they found her mom so, of course, they threw her a village wide celebration!

She let go of Eret's hand and stormed through the crowd of people, Eret on her heels, and rammed into Merida and took off. The Scot turned around, the flush from her cheeks was now out of anger.

"Oh no yah don'!" Merida yelled as she chased after Merida.

"Astrid!" Eret called, stopping next to Hiccup.

"Merida, wait!"

"Astrid!" The two men sighed and stood in an awkward silence next to each other. Eret coughed and sighed.

"Look, Hiccup I'm-"

"Don't. You don't need to apologize to me for anything, alright?"

"No, actually, I do. You've been my best friend since I got here, you're the one who stuck up for me, and gave me the love of my life."

"Astrid?"

"Skullcrusher." Hiccup laughed. "But seriously, Hiccup, you're the first friend I ever had in my life, and I hate what Astrid and I did to you, as a man it was wrong, and as your friend it was unacceptable. But you have to understand, Astrid, she's a wildflower growing in weeds. I hate to see her upset, and that's all she's been since they day it happened. She hates herself, and she thinks you hate her too. I just need you to know that we didn't mean for it to have gone as far as it did. We honestly didn't think it'd ever get that far. We just started spending time together, being friends, and suddenly her lips are against mine and I'd never felt this before. I know it's wrong, but I just-"

"ERET! It's okay, it really is. I accept your apology, and I understand why it happened. I'd never seen Astrid that happy, and I know that I could never give that to her, but you can. As long as you keep her happy, there's no problems between us, but right now we have a serious problem. Astrid and Merida are angry at each other, and we don't know where they are." Realization struck Eret, and his eyes grew larger with fear and worry.

"Astrid will kill her!"

"Honestly, I don't know who I'm worried about more." Hiccup said as he and Eret ran off into the direction the two girls disappeared to.

Merida didn't know what pushed her over the edge, it wasn't like Astrid had been voilitle to her but once. But when she shoved her it started a fire within her heart that boiled her blood. Now, she was chasing after Astrid, flying past the training arena, down the docks, and onto the beach. With her feet digging into the sand, Astrid slowed, allowing Merida to catch up. The redhead growled and jumped, tackling Astrid to the shore burying her face in the sand. Astrid turned over, fists swinging. She made contact with Merida's shoulder, knocking her off balance. Astrid took advantage of Merida's situation, she flipped over, laying Merida on her back. She pulled back her fist, but Merida caught her hand and met the girls blazing blue eyes. Merida wriggled her way out from under Astrid, throwing her off as she lifted her knee. She and Merida pulled themselves off the rough ground, glaring at each other before they clashed again, fists flying.

Astrid ducked down to avoid Merida's fist, and swept a foot along the sand, knocking Merida's feet from under her. Merida fell into the sand, and Astrid pounced, aiming a knee at her head. Merida rolled out of the way and was back on her feet as Astrid landed harshly, the sand digging into her skin. Merida looked down at Astrid, and when their blue eyes met for the second time, Merida's heart softened a bit. Astrid had tears streaming down her face, and she recognized the emotion lying beneath the anger. Vulnerability. Merida knew this fight wasn't worth it. It wasn't really a fight to begin with. Merida turned away from Astrid, and began to walk away.

"Don't walk away from me!" Astrid yelled, quickly rising to her feet. Merida shook her head, still walking. Astrid ran to her and grabbed her shoulders. Merida turned to the girl and grabbed her arms and twisted them around her back. Astrid let out a gasp of pain, and Merida gathered herself, and put on her best Elinor impression.

"A'm nae gonna fight yah. Et's not right. Yer not mad, yer hurt. A daenae know why, but yah are."

"Merida! Astrid!" the distant voices of Hiccup and Eret drifted to the two girls' ears.

"A know yer hurt because what happened between Hiccup and yew. But A didnae do anythin' wrong ta yah. Yew have so much happiness here, so many friends, friends that A would have died ta have. Yah have people who love yah, who would do anythin' in this world fer yah, remember that." Merida let go of Astrid, and turned to walk away again, when Astrid called out angrily.

"You're a princess, you got everything you asked for. I had to work for everything I got, everything I have. Then you show up, and everything is different. You're not working for anything. Nothing, and now you have another perfect life here, in my home." Merida stopped, not turning to the girl she sighed and softly replied.

"Astrid, mah life was, and is, far from perfect. A'm not gonna let yah ruin this day fer me an' mah family. Today is a day fer mah family ta mourn the loss of mah da', not ta fight with anyone. One thing that A've learned is ta love what yah've got, not ta be jealous of what yah've lost." Merida looked over her shoulder at Astrid. "Yah've got so much ta be thankful fer. Yah've got a man who loves ya unconditionally, and yah better realize that before this one realizes yah still love Hiccup."

"I- I do not love Hiccup like that anymore!"

"Astrid, yah may be able ta fool yerself, but et's only a matter of time before Eret figures et out. He's a good guy." With that, Merida walked away from the blonde, who was left staring at the redhead in disbelief.

The two boys finally found them, and Eret rushed past Merida to Astrid. He swept her into his arms, talking to her softly. Hiccup slowly approached Merida and laid a tentative hand on her shoulder. She looked up into those moss eyes and smiled.

"You alright?"

"Yeah," Merida looked at the two further down the beach. Astrid didn't melt into Eret's embrace, but she looked at Merida, still stony faced. Merida sighed. "A really hope she realizes what she's got." Hiccup gave her a questioning look and Merida just shook her head. "Later." Hiccup nodded and took her hand in his, giving it a light squeeze. Merida gave a reassuring squeeze back and the two walked to the docks.


The sun was setting on the horizon, causing golden hue to clouds that filled the sky, a vivid fuchsia that faded into lavender. Merida, Elinor, and the triplets stood on the edge of the dock, five bows, with five oil dipped arrows lying beside them. A torch was light at the end of the dock that flickered with life. The village watched from the cliffs, and the shores, of Berk, bows and arrows in hand. A large ship was floating in the waters holding a portrait of Fergus that they had brought back from DunBroch, and his helmet sitting on top of his folded kilt.

Merida looked at her mom, who squeezed her shoulder, a grim smile on her face, her eyes brimming with unshed tears. Merida smiled at her mom, and took Fergus' bow off her back. She grabbed an arrow off the small table and nocked it, the brought it to the torch to light. She brought up the bow to her face and pulled it back as she took a deep breath. She closed her eyes and let go of the arrow, letting out the breath. The arrow went flying, a perfect arch, that landed on the boat. Elinor and the boys nocked their bows, light the arrows, and let them fly to the boat. From the cliffs, and the shores, the rest of the village let the arrows loose, and a rain of support fell onto the boat.

The flames grew slowly, licking at the portrait, spiraling up the mast of the ship, burning holes in the hull. The entirety of Berk watched the boat disappear on the horizon. A cold wind blew through the crowd off the ocean, sending chills to the bones of everyone there. Merida swore she could hear him, his laugh, ringing in her ears. Her eyes widened and she turned to her mom, whose eyes were wide, a smile spread across her face, as the tears rolled down her cheeks. The two of them shared a knowing glance, knowing that Fergus would be with them forever, if they just listened.


Merida sat at home in front of the fire in the living room of Hiccups house wrapped in a blanket. She wore his large pajama pants and one of her father's shirts that had survived the wreckage. She pulled the fabric up to her face and took a deep breath, the musk that was her father dulled her senses and she let a tear slide down her face. She took a shaky breath, willing herself not to cry. She heard the door open and close. Thinking it was Hiccup, she paid no mind to the person who sat next to her, but the shock of blonde hair next to her was a surprise.

"Hey." Astrid said quietly.

"Hello." Merida returned.

"Listen, I'm sorry for earlier. It was selfish of me. You're right. I'm not completely over Hiccup, and it took a fight with someone I don't even know to figure it out. I acted like a child. I was jealous that you were getting so much attention. I just… I guess I've held this grudge against anyone outside our world, the Viking world. My dad, he was killed during the war with Scotland when I was about seven. I know it was thirteen years ago, but I just can't get over it. It was something that broke my family. I was really close to my dad…"

"A get et. A was close ta mah da' tew. He gave me mah first bow." Merida pursed her lips. "He was one of the kings on yer side, by the way. He probably fought with yer da'." Astrid's eyes widened.

"What?"

"DunBroch was on the side with the Vikings. We didnae agree with all the rules the kings in Eastern Scotland were doing. Peace was really settled with one thing."

"What was that?" Astrid asked, leaning closer.

"Mah hand in marriage when A became of age." Merida said, staring into the fire. "Et was one of the hardest decisions mah da' ever made. He told me about et after the first competition fer mah hand. Anyone of status in or around Scotland, were eligible ta fight fer mah hand. They didnae expect me ta fight fer mahself." The two girls sat in silence, just watching the fingers of the fire prod the stone walls of the fireplace for what seemed like hours.

"Yer lucky Astrid. Yah really are."

"What? How am I lucky? Like I said earlier, you're a princess. How am I the lucky one?"

"Bein' royalty doesn' mean a thing, et's what yah dae with yer position that really matters. But even royalty faces hardships, an' A don't mean dealing with problems in the villages. A mean within yerself. When A was a wee lass, mah da' would take me with him when he would go inta town ta deal with some problems. One day A got bored, so A snuck off ta find some other kids ta play with, A was maybe five or six, and when A found some kids A introduced mahself. But none of the kids wanted anythin' ta do with me. They ran away from me, they avoided me, an' A didnae even know why. A'd never felt so alone in mah life. When we went out after that A never left mah da's side. Yer lucky in the fact that yah have friends who care about yah, an' would sacrifice themselves fer yah ef et came down ta it. Yah've had yer friends all yer life, and yer so close ta them. A've been here fer a month, nothin' will ever grant me access ta them like yew dae. Astrid, yer lucky, in every sense of the word." Merida turned to look at the blonde sitting next to her and gave her a genuine smile, eyes crinkling, lips turning up, and every laugh line on her face showing their use.

Astrid couldn't believe the woman in front of her. This girl had been through so much and, only a year older than her, probably understood so much more that she could ever grasp. Merida grew up lonely, knowing only what it's like to be her own best friend, seeking comfort in the only constant she knew, her parents. Astrid would never understand what it's like, growing up alone. She had always been surrounded in acceptance and compassion, not just from her parents but from everyone in Berk. But even out of the loneliness Merida grew up in, she bloomed into such an accepting, and flexible person. This woman just bared a part of her soul to the person that just fought her no less than an hour ago. This woman helped her realize something she couldn't even find within herself and, having never so much as spoken to her before, knew her better than she did. Astrid was always proud of the fact she wasn't an open book, but this woman unnerved her to the core.

"Yah know, we're not that different." Merida mused, smiling at the fire. Astrid smiled and nodded her head. The two girls sat there,, watching the fire, talking to each other, laughing, bonding.

Hiccup and Eret stood outside the house, watching the scene unfold in front of them. Eret clipped Hiccup on the back and grinned at the younger man. Hiccup smiled, watching the two women inside, his heart warming when Merida let out a deep throated laugh. This was a great start, to a new friendship, like a flower blooming out of the ashes of a burnt building, this friendship was going to be beautiful.


A/N: I know it took a while to write, but I started a new job and am going to school as well. Finding the time is difficult, but I'm finding the time in spurts. But it'll get done. I can't wait to continue this story. Alright, leave a review, follow, favorite, or do whatever you please. I know it's kind of short, but I'll defiantly be writing more. Alright lovelies, have fun!