Ch5 Meeting The Family
They came upon the castle as the sunset which was quicker then Merida thought they would, but then again they were on a dragon.
"You might want to land there," she said pointing at a part of the forest by the castle, "I'm not sure how they'd react to seeing this great beast flying toward them."
"Good idea," Hiccup said maneuvering Toothless for the landing. Once on the ground they hopped off.
"Thank you for the ride lad," Merida said patting Toothless who gave a happy growl that she took for "you're welcome".
"I hate to say it buddy but I think it'd be best if you waited in the forest," Hiccup said earning an unhappy growl from Toothless, "We don't know how they'd feel about you in the castle."
"He's right. My dad would have an almighty fit if we brought ya in. We'll have to let you two meet before ya can come inside," Merida said trying her best to explain things to the dragon. Toothless gave a sound that sounded like he understood but wasn't happy with it, he nudged Hiccup who patted him goodbye. Hiccup was surprised when Toothless walked over and licked Merida's cheek. Merida just laughed and patted him, "Ah ya great beast we'll see ya tomorrow. Off with you now."
With another unhappy sound Toothless wandered into the forest while Merida grabbed Hiccup's hand and dragged him with her to the front gate.
As they approached the gate Hiccup noticed a man sleeping at there and wondered if Merida realized she still had hold of his hand.
"Evening Martin," Merida said still pulling Hiccup along.
The man woke with a start then smiled as she walked by, "Good evening princess."
"Whoa, whoa, whoa, you didn't tell me you were a princess," Hiccup said a little surprised.
"Ya didn't ask," Merida said. As they passed by the stable she was glad to see Angus there and gave him a pat, "Besides it doesn't matter that I am does it?"
"No I guess not," Hiccup said thinking about it a minute, "You know, where I come from, I'm sort of like prince myself."
"Are ya now?" Merida asked tossing her cloak onto the stall beside Angus, wondering if he was just trying to make her feel better.
"Well my dad is the village chief," Hiccup said remembering how much of a problem it had been in the past.
"I suppose you are then," Merida smiled and grabbed Hiccup's hand again, "This way."
They went in a side door that went into the kitchen; a few of the women who were preparing food greeted Merida and gave a surprised look to Hiccup. As she lead Hiccup though the kitchen she grabbed an apple and, after making sure no one saw her, a plate of pies. When she was done with the apple she tossed it over her shoulder, making sure not to his Hiccup, and continued out another door into a very large room.
As Merida walked in Hiccup stopped at the doorway and looked inside, he was surprised by the size of it at first then noticed that the room had raised thrones, a large stone fireplace that warmed the room, and stuffed bears around the center where an equally large table was. There was a very large muscular man sitting at the table, his curly red hair with a few streaks of white in it was under a silver helmet, he also had thick eyebrows, mustache and beard, and his blue eyes were similar to Merida's. He was wearing brown armor, a long green, gray, and red tartan robe with a large brown belt and fanny pack, he had what looked like black bear fur on his right boot and had a knobby peg leg for the left; he reminded Hiccup of his father in some ways. There was also a proper looking woman sitting there, she had long dark brown hair with a gray streak tied up with a gold ribbon, brown eyes, and was wearing a long green dress with a gold tiara that had a green emerald in it. Hiccup could tell she was wear Merida got her strength of character by the way she sat, she looked like she was a vision of grace, beauty, and wisdom. Lastly there were three small boys who appeared to be triplets sitting at the table. They had short curly red hair and blue eyes, each of them was wearing the same long green, red, and gray tartan robes that the man had on with large brown belts and brown boots.
The woman was reading letters while the three boys looked like they were falling asleep as the man told a story, except for one who was motioning with the man, "I saw something I'll not soon forget. From nowhere, the biggest bear you've ever seen! He stands twelve feet tall with razor sharp claws! His hide littered with the weapons of fallen warriors! His face scarred with one dead eye! I drew my sword, and…"
Merida interrupted so quickly and intensely she startled the three boys, awakening one and causing another to fall off his chair, "Whoosh! One swipe, his sword shattered. Then, chomp! Dad's leg was clean off! Down the monster's throat it went."
The man groaned, "Aww, that's my favorite part!"
Merida continued as she walked behind him with the plate she'd taken from the kitchen, "Mor'du had never been seen since; he was roaming the wild, awaiting his chance for revenge." She let out a roar and gnashed her teeth.
"Least till we had our little adventure anyway," the man said with a laugh.
Merida set the plate and her bow down on the table to which the woman spoke, "Merida a princess and lady does not place her weapons on the table."
"Mum, it's just my bow," Merida said sounding a bit annoyed.
"It still doesn't belong on the table," the woman said. Merida relented putting it on the back of her chair; she looked over and noticed Hiccup was still standing in the doorway.
Merida smiled at Hiccup and began to walk toward him, "Guess what? I met someone today I think you should meet."
"Is that so?" the man asked taking a bite of the turkey leg he was holding.
Merida was close enough she grabbed Hiccup's hand once more and dragged him into the room, "This is my new friend, he took me for a ride on his dragon."
They all turned and stared at him with shocked faces.
"Hi, I'm Hiccup," Hiccup said nervously not sure what to do.
"Hiccup?" the woman asked with a questioning look.
"Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III actually," Merida said having found out his whole name during their ride.
"You're Stoick's boy aren't you?" the man said more then asked, looking at Hiccup with a smile.
"Yeah," Hiccup did his best to smile at him though still nervous, he became even more nervous when the man stood up and came toward him.
"I'm Fergus, glad to meet ya," Fergus gave Hiccup a hug, lifting him up off his feet, "Not much to ya is there?" he asked setting Hiccup back down, "You're like a talking fishbone aren't ya?"
"Dad," Merida said trying not to laugh giving her dad a hit on the shoulder.
"I get that sometimes. I think people just don't know what to do with all this," Hiccup said joking back and striking a pose.
Fergus laughed, "Well young man we're glad to have ya, is Stoick with ya?"
Hiccup shook his head no, "He sent me ahead to say he'd be happy to accept your invitation and would be here in a couple days."
"That's grand," Fergus said putting his hand on Hiccup's shoulder leading him to the table, "You must be hungry, have some food and I'll introduce ya."
Hiccup sat in a chair beside Merida, feeling a bit more comfortable near her.
"This is my Queen Elinor, and these are my boys Harris, Hubert, and Hamish," Fergus said gesturing to them as he went. Elinor nodded and continued reading the letters she held. The triplets smiled, Hamish waved at Hiccup who waved back.
After eating a bit Hiccup noticed Merida look at both her parents then her brothers.
"Psst," Merida whispered to the triplets moving her eyes down to the plate of pies she had then back up. The triplets smiled as Merida quietly placed it under the table.
"I take it they aren't suppose to have those?" Hiccup asked with a small smile as the three boys went down after the plate.
"A little dessert never hurt anyone, and they have the appetites of bears. Besides they hate their haggis," Merida answered pointing at what was on their plates.
"What is that?" Hiccup asked her staring at the haggis trying to figure it out.
"Sheep stomach," Merida stated simply taking a drink from the cup beside her.
Hiccup made a face and looked at her to make sure she wasn't joking, apparently she wasn't, "You guys have some weird food."
Merida put her hand in front of her mouth to try and hide the fact she was chuckling. Hiccup smiled again, he liked when laughed.
"So young man," Elinor said putting down the letters she'd finished reading, "How do you meet my daughter?"
Hiccup tried to think of the best way to explain their meeting, "Well I was kind of lost in the forest looking for Toothless, my dragon, and when I stopped for a moment this arrow flew by…"
"Merida!" Elinor said obviously knowing what he was talking about and unhappy about it.
"It wasn't on purpose, besides he's fine I didn't hit him," Merida protested.
Fergus laughed, "That's one way to meet a new friend. Stoick and I fell down a mountain after we met for the first time."
"You did?" Hiccup and Merida asked at the same time.
"Oh aye that we did," Fergus said ready to start a new story but Elinor put a stop to it.
"Perhaps another night dear. Boys," Elinor said turning her attention to her sons, they were back in their chairs with tarts stuffed into their shirts and mouths, "You may be excused, now get to bed."
The boys smiled and ran to the stairs, one of them tripping and spilling his pastries while the other two laughed and grabbed some off the floor.
"I think we should all get some rest," Elinor said standing, "The next few days promise to be busy ones."
"Aye," Fergus said standing also, "Shall we show ya to your room?" he asked Hiccup.
"Sure," Hiccup said trying to stand but found his feet were tied together. He tried, unsuccessfully, to stay upright and in the end he fell, to his surprise, into Merida's arms who had just stood up herself.
"Boys!" Fergus yelled as Elinor went over to check on Hiccup.
"Are you alright?" Elinor asked as she helped him stand and looked him over.
"Yeah I'm ok," Hiccup said, a bit embarrassed by the whole thing, as Merida untied his feet.
"There ya go," Merida said standing up again tossing the rope on the table, "I'll take him mum, I think you have someone else to be lookin' after."
Elinor turned back around to see Fergus heading up the stairs toward the boy's room; she sighed and started after him.
"This way," Merida said grabbing her bow and heading upstairs, Hiccup followed.
When they got to the top of the stairs Merida headed for her room, "This is my room, hope ya don't mind but I'd like to ask you a few more questions before ya head to yours."
"No that's fine with me," Hiccup said a bit nervous, he'd never been in a girl's room before. Merida opened the door leaving it open for Hiccup to follow her. Inside Hiccup saw it was a good sized room that had the normal wardrobe, table and chair, and trunks one normally found in rooms, but a few of the decorations definitely showed he was in Scotland. A few things he hadn't fully expected was the shield and a pot with arrows in it beside her bed, he also noticed her bed frame had cuts in it that he guessed was from the sword he saw sitting beside it. Merida sat on a ledge by her window; she motioned for him to sit with her. As he sat down Merida noticed Hiccup looked rather unhappy.
"You alright?" she asked a bit concerned her brothers had been too rough.
"Oh yeah, I'm fine, don't worry about me. Just a bit lonely I guess with Toothless in the forest," he said trying to laugh.
She thought that was probably true after all besides Toothless he was here alone. She wondered if there was a way to help him, and after thinking for a moment she took a small round medal from her bow. It still looked scorched from what had happened with her mother but she'd fixed it well enough that it looked about the same as it used to, she handed it too Hiccup.
"What's this for?" he asked taking and studying it.
"Luck," she answered with a smile, "I always thought it brought me luck when I shot an arrow, now it can bring you luck. Besides you said you're a bit lonely and sometimes when ya hold it, it helps."
Hiccup smiled and held it tight, "Thanks."
"You're welcome Viking."
Hiccup laughed, "You're not going to stop calling me that are you?"
"Nope," Merida wrinkled up her nose at him and giggled, "Now I want to know more about Berk, what's it like there?"
"Well it's definitely different then here," Hiccup began. Merida and Hiccup talked long into the night, learning about each other and what it was liked where each lived.
"It snows how many months out of the year?"
"You actually climbed a stone how tall?"
"Ya fought a dragon, how big?!"
"You turned your mom into a bear? And your brothers?!"
"Shut it the both of ya and get to sleep," Fergus called their voices having gotten louder as they'd talked. They laughed as quietly as they could and continued with their questions in hushed voices, so as not to disturb others.