AN: Well this is the end of the edited chapters. Next is a brand new one!

OF BOWS AND DRAGONS

Chapter 4

Hiccup paled and shifted nervously, "I-I-I don't th-think that it's a good i-i-idea." He did NOT want to meet monarchs of a potentially hostile group for no reason. He could barely handle their daughter. 'Not because she's a princess though…wait, what?', He thought.

Merida rolled her eyes and grabbed his shoulder pulling him along, "Come on." She had forgotten about his leg being removed and he only managed one hop before he planted his face into the ground. She covered her mouth, her face went crimson, and her eyes went wide. "Hiccup! I'm so sorry lad!"

She made to help him up but Toothless beat her to it. He glared at the young woman. No matter how much she felt like his human, she wasn't him. She had no right to treat him like that.

Hiccup wrapped his arms around the dragons head. He was hoisted to his foot. "Toothless don't give her that look. It was an accident," said Hiccup looked at the princess with some hurt hidden in his features. The Night Fury gave an annoyed huff and broke eye contact with Merida.

The flaming haired girl almost reached out to grab his shoulders again but she stopped herself, "I AM sorry."

Hiccup leaned to his right and rested on his friend. "It's fine. Don't worry about it. Happens all the time."

Merida fidgeted nervously but then regained her composure, "Well then we should probably be gettin' on up to the castle." She swept her arm in its general direction. "Bad news to keep them waiting."

Hiccup sighed, "It will take a while for me to make up there with my leg damaged as it is."

"That's okay. I'll support you!" she looked at the dragon who was doing his best not to look friendly, "or you can ride your dragon."

The young Viking looked at his companion with an inquisitive look. Toothless looked back. Hiccup nodded towards the saddle and the dragon nodded back. He flashed his eyes to Merida and nodded toward the saddle again. Toothless shook his head. Hiccup just stared at him with a raised eyebrow. The dragon gave first. He lowered himself so they could get on.

"Alright, climb on." Said Hiccup as he somehow managed to hoist himself onto the black beast. He held out his hand which Merida grabbed hesitantly, while blushing profusely. He pulled her up with relative ease. She was about to her hands around his middle, but remembered he wounds so she opted to hold his bags. Hiccup realized they were ready to run. He leaned down and whispered in Toothless' ear, "I'm a little tender right now. So be nice."

Toothless just rolled his eyes and huffed. But he complied any way. As they walked through the town, they drew the people's attention. Their reactions varied though. Some pointed and whispered at both the dragon and the princess that was riding in the same saddle as the stranger. Others, mainly the children, stared in awe of the large black beast. Many, however, were hostile and fearful. They gripped their weapons tightly or quickly hid inside their homes.

Hiccup sighed internally. 'If this is how they react to a dragon maybe we shouldn't even consider staying here. No matter how injured I might be.'

Toothless was receptive to his human's discomfort and turned his head to look at him. He gave him a toothless grin which Hiccup returned in kind.

As they approached the large oaken doors, Merida slid out of the leather saddle as only a practiced horse rider could. She ran to the doors ahead of the other two. Facing them she said, "I'm just goin' to let them know that you're here. Just wait. Right there." With that, she slipped behind the door.

Hiccup rolled his eyes and slid out of the saddle on to the right side of Toothless. He landed expertly on his right foot. He placed a hand on his dragon's head, "Stay calm. Don't give them reason to be suspicious."

Toothless gave him a confused look. He was always a perfect little angel. It was the humans who started things. He was innocent.

Both males had their attention grabbed by a clearing of Merida's throat. They turned to see her. "Come on lads! They're waiting."

Hiccup and Toothless shared a look with one another. Both shrugged. Hiccup gripped the saddle hoisted himself so he could place his fleshy foot into the stirrup and they moved into the throne room.

Moments earlier…..

King Fergus stopped talking to his wife about the tension between the clans as soon as Merida entered. Those bloody scoundrels wanted Merida wed soon, despite their previous agreement. He watched as his daughter approached him with a large smile on her face.

"They're outside. Please be nice."

"I'm always nice! Its other people that make me just seem not nice!" cried Fergus with mock indignation.

Elinor just rolled her eyes and patted her husband's hand, "Just let them in and meet them."

Merida smiled and ran off to open the doors. The two reigning monarchs shared a look. Then the heroes of the hour entered. What the king and queen saw astounded them. Before them was a dragon and an average lad sized lad hanging on the side off the saddle. The dragon was jet black and had piercing green intelligent eyes. The lad was overall unremarkable from this angle with the exception of the bandage around his waist. They walked until they had reached the stone step at the foot of the thrones.

The lad stepped off in a strange way and faced the family, steadying himself on his dragon who was sitting almost like a dog who is begging would. Fergus' mind was reeling. That was a black dragon. He had heard stories about a black dragon and his rider in black armor, whose actions in Viking wars had shook traders in fear. They called the rider a demon. They called him the Black Rider. But it couldn't be these two. The boy wasn't seven feet tall like the rumors said.

He quickly reevaluated the pair. The dragon seemed to not be the blood thirsty beast that ancient legends made his kind out to be. It seemed almost docile. The left side of its tail also seemed to be artificial and attached to an odd device on the left side of the saddle. The boy was skinny but muscled and scared, he had seen some action. He stood about five foot, eight. His dark brown hair hung to his chin. As Fergus studied him he noticed that his left leg ended in swirling scars at just above mid shin.

At the same time Hiccup looked them over as well. The King was a mountain of a man. He had long red hair like his daughter's and a large mustache with chin stubble. He was wearing a large green kilt, much like hiccups, but had a shirt and chainmail underneath. His peg leg was of a piece of knotty his shoulders was a massive bear skin. If not for the Kilt he'd have passed for a Viking.

The Queen was smaller than her husband and didn't resemble Viking women at all. She wore a flowing green dress with a golden belt running around her waist. Her hair was tamed in a braid, unlike her daughters.

Merida faced her parents, "Mum, dad. This is Hiccup and Toothless. Hiccup and Toothless. King Fergus and Queen Elinor." She had pointed each person in turn. "The wee devils aren't here right now. You'll meet them later." Merida quickly sat next to her mother.

For several moments no one said anything else. The Queen broke the silence, "Thank you for saving our daughter."

Hiccup nervously bounced on his foot. In a fight he didn't know fear, but in a social situation he couldn't make even eye contact. "It's nothing."

The King and Queen looked at each other. "Nothing?" bellowed Fergus, "Lad, you saved our daughter, the princess, twice."

Hiccup looked up, "I-i-it wa-was what anyone would have d-done."

Fergus was about to speak but Elinor cut him off, "Many would have bandaged and given her aid, yes. But how many men would jump in front of a bear? How many would be attacked for a stranger?"

Hiccup smiled softly and looked down, "I have the habit of doing things others might consider stupid and crazy."

Fergus grinned at the lad, "Well, I'm glad you do. Now we want to reward you. Is there anything you want?"

Hiccup's mind raced. What did he want? 'His Father'. He wanted things like they were before it all went to hell, two years ago. Or at least him safe. 'Berk to be safe'. He wanted to go home but he couldn't return without a new location. 'Home'. He wanted a place he could call home again. ' For Toothless to meet another Night Fury' 'Meri- Wait. What?' "I want a lot of things. Very few of them you can give me. But I'd like a place to stay while I heal that Toothless can stay in as well and a forge to use to fix my leg."

Fergus's face broke into a wide grin, "Done. I'll have Merida take you to the Forge. It hasn't been used for a while. Our old smith died last winter. In the meantime I'll have servants make you up a room here, in the castle."

Hiccup's eyes went wide, "That sounds good."

Merida stood and walked over next to Hiccup. The Viking stood in the stirrup again. "Be back by sundown for dinner." The trio moved out of the room and towards the forge.

Elinor looked to her husband, "Is that a good idea? Allowing him to stay in the castle? The only livable room at the moment is right next to Merida's. It isn't proper."

Fergus leaned back in his chair, "Dear, the lad could hardly speak to us without being nervous. I don't think that will be a problem." 'But the only places with confirmed dragon sighting is Viking territory. If that boy is a Viking, I want someone I trust to be watching him. The last thing we need is another war like twenty years ago….'

Forge of Castle DunBroch

Hiccup was in awe of the forge he was brought to. It was more sophisticated the one he learned in on Berk. He grabbed a dusty apron from its hook. With a blast of fire from Toothless, he was underway. While the forge heated up he took the leg from his dragons back.

Merida watched in fascination as he expertly disassembled his wood and metal limb. The picked up the mutilated piece that was causing the problems. The princess realized it used to be a spring. Now it was a twisted clump. He tossed it on the ground. "Aren't you going to re-use that?"

Hiccup was work mode. He didn't even turn and face her, "I can't. I have to use soft metal for the spring. Over time it compacts and I can't stretch it back out. I have to start fresh."

With that he began to work on his art. Merida watched for an hour and a half as Hiccup shaped the metal. He heated and hammered it repeatedly. By the end it was obvious how the young man had built his muscle. The hammer finally became silent. And the forge began to cool.

Hiccup reassembled his leg. Pulling up a dusty stool he began to strap on his appendage. It only took him a few moments to tighten the three leather straps. Standing up he tested the spring. Perfect. He turned to his friend, "Are we ready to go?"

Merida looked at his completed left leg. It made him seem more complete. Merida nodded and they walked in silence back to the castle.

At the castle they were all directed to their rooms to freshen up before dinner.