Disclaimer: I can only own How to Train Your Dragon and Brave if I buy both Disney and DreamWorks, a thing that will never happen.
I was inspired to write this chapter after I watched a Sunday TV Show in our country that featured a cosplayer who looked almost exactly like Hiccup. I never intended to write a part two but I kind of feel that I owe this to all of you for making you wait until the last chapter to bring Hiccup and Toothless in. This is more of a filler and also a little shorter than what I usually do.
Chapter Four: The Dragon and His Rider Part Two
"I know but I know you love me."
Merida arched her brow in that as Hiccup gave her a crooked smile. There were times that she was still surprised when Hiccup displayed such confidence. Well, she was used to his constant awkwardness and clumsiness.
"Well, it means that even though I messed up a lot it is still fine and you wouldn't kill me," he said as he shook his head.
The princess then rolled her eyes and swatted him with her bow. Hiccup stepped back to avoid being hit by the said weapon.
"Hey! Be careful with that. It took me a whole month to make that," he said as he gave her a playful look.
The red head then crossed her arms on front of her as she regarded her best friend. "You know, I never even told you to make me a bow or to make one as complicated like this one, she said as she looked at the weapon with intricate pattern and absent mindedly trailed her finger into one of the twist.
Hiccup also looked at the bow a small smile worming its way into his face.
"If you are the one who was reading your letters you would also made one to shut you up," he answered as his smile turned into a smirk.
Merida then glared at him. "I don't do that," she said as she spoke each word with stress. Well, to be honest she did but not all the time like he said. She then walked at the side of her horse, which butted her playfully on the head, and play idly with his mane.
This was Hiccup's time to roll his eyes at her. "Yes you do. You're like, Hiccup I snapped my drawstring again, Hiccup I can't shot with my bow as flawless as I did before," he said as he imitated her voice.
"And the worse of all, is no matter how many times I already told you to get a new one, you just wouldn't do it because of your dramatic flair," he added. He then observed her to see her huffing and slightly annoyed at him.
The red head stopped playing with her horse as she looked at him with narrowed eyes.
"First of all my voice didn't sound like that. I also didn't speak like that and I'm not the dramatic one. If you forget it is you not me," she answered matter of factly as she ignore his comment about her complaints.
"Fine, then I'm the dramatic one. I forget that you are the sentimental one in here," he said as his hand made random gestures.
"You need everything to have a meaning. You cannot accept a bow for just being a bow. It needed to have a deeper meaning for you before you can accept it. That is what you are like for almost everything," he continued as a crease formed into his brows.
He then sighed, maybe that was also one of his best friend's problem why she couldn't choose any man that she would marry. It was not because they were dumb and a bunch of self centered men like she said, she just wanted -no- needed someone with a deeper meaning for her.
Sensing that Hiccup was lost in his thoughts, she asked what was in her mind. "What is wrong with being sentimental Hiccup?"
Hiccup shook his head. "Nothing Mer," he lied. There were a lot of problem with being one but he didn't have the confidence to tell her and ruined her mood. It was her birthday after all.
Honestly, there were nothing bad in being sentimental about things but if you were a future ruler being attached was not the best thing to do. It could affect the way you act and decide. It would damper your decision and put everything in jeopardy.
Recognizing that there was something wrong with his tone, she just dropped the topic. "Oh, thank you by the way. For the bow I mean," she said softly and hesitantly, as she peered at him under her lashes.
Hiccup caught the change of her tone and mentally scolded himself. He didn't want to upset her. "Just be careful with that. The way you're handling it I'm sure it will break it into pieces in no time," the viking chief added with a playful tone in his voice and then everything was back to normal.
"I know how to handle a weapon. Thank you very much," she said mockingly at Hiccup as she grabbed one of the arrows and notched it up in a blinding speed. She then let it free and it flew just a couple of inches above the Viking's head.
"Do you want to kill me or something!?" he asked as he grabbed his hair and glared at the princess.
Merida gave him a hearty laugh as she shook her head. Pushing some curls away from her face she walked on front of him and looked straight into his forest hue eyes.
"If I want to kill you, I already done it a long time ago idiot," she answered as she pointed at his chest with her index finger.
Hiccup held her finger as he bent his head. Their faces were only a couple of inches away from each other.
"Be thankful that you are a woman and my best friend. If not I'm not sure what will I do to you," he said as his eyes bore into her for a couple of second.
Merida lost herself into the pair of greens as she realized how close they were. Taking a step back, she turned around to fight the blush that crept into her face.
"Oh, what will you do? Make Toothless burn me down into ashes?" she asked, while fighting the slight tremble in her voice. He was right, she was still a woman as he was a man and the small distance that they shared briefly was uncomfortable to say at least.
Hiccup who didn't knew the inner turmoil of his friend laughed at what she said. "As if that is a choice, Toothless is already smitten with you. He didn't even bond with anyone aside from me and now you."
The princess then smiled at that. She would admit that even though the dragon made her ate a disgusting apple, she was still fond of him. Pushing aside what happened earlier, she then turned around to look at Hiccup.
"I guess," she answered as she looked at the path where the dragon went. She then saw the dragon walking back towards them. When it saw that she was looking at him, Toothless padded over her and gently bumped her side with his head.
"Hi there buddy," the princess said as she laughed and scratched the dragon's head. She looked at Hiccup to saw him rolling his eyes at his dragon, which completely ignored him again.
Merida laughed and patted the dragon in the head. "Now, now, we didn't want Hiccup to be jealous of me. He might never let us see each other again," she told the dragon as she looked at his eyes, a shade lighter than his owner.
Toothless turned and narrowed his eyes at Hiccup as he padded towards him, he didn't like that idea. As he reached him he butted the man a lot harder in the side causing the Viking to lose his balance and tumbled down. He then licked Hiccup's face until he was satisfied that it was drenched enough with his drool.
"Ugh, Toothless, stop!" he said as he tried to push the dragon away from him. Merida giggled as the two wrestled each other.
Hiccup heard her and he glared at the curly red head, causing the princess to laugh more. "You are so cute together," she commented as Toothless finally finished licking Hiccup and laughed at himself.
"Both of you are the worst best friends ever," he said as he sat down and wiped the dragon's saliva at his face with his arms.
Merida walked towards him still snickering. She offered him her hand to help him get up. Pulling him up they both almost stumbled over. They both laughed and shook their heads.
"Hey Hiccup," she started as she looked at the dragon, which seems to be pleased with itself, then to the clear sky that was obscured by the large trees.
"What does it feel like to ride a dragon?" she asked as she looked back at him. Her eyes were sparkling and a dreamy look was etched in her face. She was craving to feel the clouds under her fingers and experience flying for the first time.
Hiccup could clearly saw the excitement in her eyes. He then looked at Toothless who perked his head at the idea and was already pulling his saddle towards them. Shaking his head he knew he really didn't have a choice.
Walking back towards his stuffs he grabbed his helmet. "Fine, but wear this," he said as he tossed his helmet at her.
Merida frowned at him."You know that my hair wouldn't fit in it," she said as she looked at the helmet. She doubted that she could even breathe inside of it.
Hiccup gave her a serious look."If you didn't want to wear it then we are not going. You know that anyone who can catch a glimpse of your hair will know that it is you. Just forced your hair inside it," he said as he started to strap the saddle at his dragon.
"How do you know that my hair will fit in this?" she asked as she twisted her hair together with one hand while she held the helmet with her other one.
"Your mother managed to fit in a wimple. I'm sure it will also fit in there," he answered as he walked towards her. She then wrinkled her nose at the memory. She was also forced to wear the most uncomfortable dress that day and the event that happened afterwards were things she didn't want to remember.
"Here let me help you," he said as finished strapping the saddle. He then held the helmet from her, as she twisted her curly hair again with both of her hands and held it at her back. Hiccup put on the helmet to her head and like what he said it was a perfect fit.
Merida pursed her lips and frowned under the metal. "I hate it when you are right," she said as she adjusted the helmet a little bit.
Hiccup just shook his head and smile. "And when did I do something wrong?"
After saying good bye to Angus and buckling up. The two of them were already at the back of the dragon.
Merida was buzzing from excitement and nerves. She could feel her heart pounding in her chest. Lightly wounding her arms around Hiccup's waist, she waited for the dragon to take off.
"Are you alright?" Hiccup asked her. He could feel her trembling and he didn't know if it was from fear or excitement.
"Yes. I'm just excited," she answered in a cheery tone. She couldn't believe that her birthday could turn into this.
"Okay, hold on tight," he said as Toothless shot up from the sky.
Merida yelped in surprised but she relaxed as they continue to fly up. She could feel herself grinning. Looking at her back, she saw the forest turning smaller and smaller as they went up. The huge trees looked like sticks and Angus became only a small black dot as they continue to travel up.
As they passed up the clouds, the only thing she could saw below her was the lush color of green of thd forest. Reaching her hand of in the clouds, she was surprised to see her hand wet.
"I never knew that clouds are made of water," she said amazed. "I always thought they are as soft as cottons," she remarked to herself.
Hiccup laughed as he turned his head to look at her. She looked ridiculous wearing his helmet. "I also thought of that before." He said as he looked ahead of him.
Toothless continue to fly as Hiccup steered him around. Merida looked at awe as she saw her village and their castle. She never knew that the scene could be this breath taking. Leaning her helmet covered head to Hiccup's back, she watched everything they passed with amazement and wide eyes. Taking as much as she could like it was the last time.
"You can remove the helmet when we are far from the village,"Hiccup said.
"Mmmhh?" she asked as she tilted her head up to looked at him.
He then chuckled and shrugged his shoulder. "You look silly in that, that's all," he answered as he steered Toothless to move away from the kingdom.
Merida sat straighter and hit him at the back of his head. "You really have a very good humor," she said sarcastically as she removed the helmet and carelessly put it on Hiccup's head.
She then faked a gasped and clapped her hands together. ''Oh, look at you Hiccup you looked so dashing and handsome! The helmet can really help a lot," she shot back at him.
The Viking rolled his eyes, "The pleasure is all mine, milady," he answered with heavy sarcasm.
Her laughter then filled the cloudy sky. Leaning her head back at him and encircling her arms in his torso, she watched a flocked of birds flew together below them. There was only one thought running in her mind. This was the best birthday she ever had.
Author's Note:
So guys, this is the fourth chapter. Is this good or bad? Please tell me what is in your mind. You can also drop me some questions if you want.
Again, I want to send my gratitude to all of you who read, follow, favorite and review this. I never imagine that I can have this kind of support from all of you.
Now, to the guest reviewers,
Kathlyn Hease: Thank you. You're the first person to tell me that. J
Turtles are boss: Haha, thank you very much.
Okay guys, see you in the next chapter!