Hiccup was expected to be at the docks when the Highlanders arrived. But Hiccup was expected to do and be a lot of things, and he was known to disappoint. Obviously he couldn't show up on time, that would be too easy. He had to scramble down at the last minute. He had to show up out of breath and slightly disheveled looking. Stoick the Vast sighed. He hadn't really expected anything else from his son. Snotlout smirked, as though he had won something. And maybe he had, after all he was the embodiment of what a young Viking boy should be. He was also Hiccups cousin, making it that much worse. Hiccup pretended to ignore it, that was what he always did. Instead he began watching the passengers unload from the ship. He watched as three young redheaded boys ran off the boat and after a plate of pastries being carried by a handmaid. He nodded to the nobles and their sons, trying to suppress a smile, as they shoved each other, each trying to get off first. He bowed as the king stepped off, his wife on his arm. A young girl, about his age, followed them. She had a mane of curly red hair. She radiated power, she glowed with it. A quiver was strapped to her back and she carried a bow in her hands. He figured she must be the princess, but as he watched her, he grew less certain. She certainly didn't act like one. Instead of walking off the plank that attached the boat to the dock, she stood on the ledge of the boat and jumped. She landed on all fours almost directly in front of Hiccup. He stumbled backwards a bit. She hopped up and looked Hiccup directly in the eyes, as if she were studying him. Her blue eyes pierced through his green eyes. She seemed to be making a decision, though he had no idea what it was.
"Hi! I'm Merida." Her accent was heavy, and it fit her perfectly.
"Erm… Hi I'm, uh, Hiccup…" He stumbled over his words and couldn't quite seem to meet her eyes. But she seemed pleased with that answer.
"Well Hiccup, when I can get free of my mother, you have to show me around the island." He nodded, unsure what to say. Why was this girl talking to him, not that he minded but he wasn't exactly the type of person that girls are lining up to talk to… or anyone for that matter. Hiccup watched as Merida weaved her way through the crowed and up towards the town.
Later that night, when Stoick and Hiccup sat down to eat, Hiccup noticed his father's peculiar behavior. Stoick would look like he was bout to say something, and then he would stop, and then he would try again, and then stop. Hiccup began to think his father was trying to impersonate a fish. Finally Stoick seemed to find the right words,
"Son, I think that… what I mean is… The princess seemed to take an interest in you and…"
"Whoa, Dad no. She jumped off the ship and landed in front of me. She probably just didn't want to make it awkward so she struck up a conversation and-" Hiccup was interrupted by a knock on the door. Hiccup pushed back his chair and went to open the door. Merida stood impatiently outside.
"Can I help you?" Hiccup questioned, not sure of what to make of the situation.
"I said when I got free of my mother you had to show me around… Well I got free." Hiccup was entranced by the rhythm of her voice. The way the words melted together to embody her emotion, it was incredible.
"Oh well, it's dark…" Hiccup said, as though the answer was obvious. Merida just stared at him. "Dragons and darkness… not really supposed to go out…" Merida had begun to pout, "Well maybe if we stayed in the town…" Merida grabbed his hand and pulled him out of the house. Hiccup had just enough time to shout to his father that he was taking Merida out to the town and would be back soon.
Merida walked with her hands clasped behind her back, her shoulders thrown back causing her to stand tall, and her hair, there just weren't words. Merida skipped in front of Hiccup, blocking his path.
"I have a question for you Hiccup," Hiccup nodded for her to continue, "You don't look like I would expect a Viking to," She seemed to notice that he had taken offense, "Not that that's a bad thing! I was just wondering, are you lonely?" The question startled Hiccup. He had been listening to her accent again, she said I like Ah and wondering like woundrin'. Her speech was intoxicating. But the question snapped him back into reality.
"Yes," was all he said. She nodded like that was enough of an answer.
"I'm lonely too…" she trailed off.
"I suspected for different reasons though."
"I'm unapproachable. I'm a lady, the princess, and I could kill you with my bow in a heartbeat."
"I'm a sorry excuse for a Viking. I can't fight dragons, I'm not tough like the other children, and I'm scrawny." She laughed slightly at the face he made. He smiled, he liked her laugh, it was wild and free.
"That's why I noticed you. I thought, he knows what it's like to be alone." She turned so that her back was to him. "So tell me about Berk." The sudden change of subject startled him.
"This, is Berk…" Hiccup said with a swooping gesture of my arms. A tone of sarcasm entered his voice as he continued "It's twelve day North of hopeless, and a few degrees South of freezing to death. It's located solidly on the meridian of misery." Merida giggled at this. "My village. In a word, sturdy. And it's been here for seven generations, but every single building is new. We have fishing, hunting, and a charming view of the sunsets. The only problems are the pests. You see, most places have mice or mosquitos. We have..." Just then Hiccup was interrupted by the blast of a loud horn. Hiccup grabbed Merida's arm and pulled her into the nearest building. He opened the door to see if his fears were correct. They were. "Dragons" he finished as a burst of flame shot out at hem. He slammed the door just in time. Hiccup looked up at Merida who was grinning. He shook his head and grabbed her arm, pulling her out the now blackened door. Merida was laughing.
"Why don't you just leave?" She said as a smile played at her lips.
"Most people would leave. Not us. We're Vikings."
"What does that have to do with it?"
"We have stubbornness issues…" She laughed like she was having the time of her life, dodging fireballs and falling buildings.
"So Hiccup, I have another question!"
"What is it?" they were shouting just to be heard at this point.
"What's with the weird names?"
"Oh, well it's not the worst. Parents believe a hideous name will frighten off gnomes and trolls Like our charming Viking demeanor wouldn't do that…" they slid under a falling building as Hiccup said this; her hair seemed for once blending in with the surroundings. They finally reached the blacksmith after an interesting run-in with Hiccup's father…
"Ah! Nice of you to join the party. I thought you'd been carried off." Gobber said as he worked furiously.
"Who me? Nah, come on! I'm way too muscular for their taste. They wouldn't know what to do with all this…" I tried to strike an intimidating pose but all I got was a laugh out of both members of my company.
"They need toothpicks, don't they?" Gobber prodded.
"The meathead with attitude and interchangeable hands is Gobber. I've been his apprentice ever since I was little. Well...littler." Merida stifled a laugh at his correction. Gobber was shouting directions to another Viking as Merida watched a building fall.
"See? Old village. Lots and lots of new houses." She nodded, as though entranced by all that was happening around her.
"Hey, who are they?" Merida said pointing to a group of teenagers.
"Oh and that's Fishlegs, Snotlout. The twins Ruffnut and Tuffnut. And Astrid. Their job is so much cooler. Hey Gobber can we go out, please. We need to make our marks."
"Oh, you've made plenty of marks. All in the wrong places. And I don't know how the queen would feel if I sent her daughter into dangerous combat on her first day here." Merida and Hiccup both sighed.
"Please, two minutes. I'll kill a dragon. My life will get infinitely better. I might even get a date."
"You can't lift a hammer. You can't swing an axe..."
"I can shoot my bow!" Merida chimed in. Gobber ignored her.
"You can't even throw one of these!" He indicated to a rope with lead balls attached to the end.
"I don't have to! This will do it for me!" Just then my machine chose that moment to shoot a Viking in the head. "Mild calibration issue!"
"Hiccup. If you ever want to get out there to fight dragons, you need to stop all... this…"
"You just pointed to all of me."
"Yes! That's it! Stop being all of you."
"You, sir, are playing a dangerous game. Keeping this much, raw...Vikingness contained. There will be consequences!" Gobber tosses him a sword. Merida nodded in mock approval. Hiccup shot her a "thanks for being so helpful" look. She just shrugged.
"I'll take my chances. Sword. Sharpen. Now." he took the sword and began sharpening it. Merida went over to Hiccup and began asking about the different types of dragons. Hiccup gave her the general rundown and how they could improve his statues. He ended with:
"Night fury! That's the one I'm gonna be the first to kill."
"Tonight's not your night lad, man the fort, Hiccup, they need me out there! Stay. Put. There. You know what I mean." Gobber ran out and was lost in the crowed.
"We're not gonna stay here, are we?" Merida questioned, mischief playing at her face.
"Nope. Help me with this." he said, gesturing to his large contraption. Merida helped him push the contraption outside, but was distracted by her three brothers who were currently provoking a dragon. Merida ran off to get them and Hiccup was left to lug the large contraption up the hill, by himself.