Hi everyone, it's be a long time. a lot of has happened since the last chapter. some great others…..well i really hope you like this chapter
chapter 10-This is Berk
Merida couldn't believe she was finally seeing Berk. It was so much better than she'd imagined. Seeing the homes lit up by candlelight, the cliffs and hills with trees growing on them and the spiral like mountain which was the main point on the island. At that moment, two huge dragons flew by, headed towards land. Berk was unique and wild to the princess and she couldn't wait to explore.
"Well, what do you think Mer?" Hiccup asked.
"It's beautiful" Merida said, her eyes filled with wonder.
"Yeah, maybe it has a few quirks, but it's home" he said. He rubbed Toothless's head as they took a moment to admire their home. Afterwards Hiccup gently took Merida's hand to get her attention.
"Should we get going?"
"Aye" Merida answered, feeling more excited she held to him as they took to the air. They flew above the island, hiding out of sight so no one would spot them. Hiccup and Toothless could see the Vikings entering the Meet Hall, there must be a village meeting which was perfect for them everyone would be busy. Toothless landed behind what Merida knew was Hiccup's house. Hiccup jumped off and then held out his hand.
"Milady" Hiccup playfully said.
"Thank you, kind sir" Merida replied and lady like took his hand. She slipped off the dragon and the three of them snuck through the back door.
"Ok, let me find the candles" Hiccup said. Merida heard Hiccup's footsteps walking away from her. It was completely dark and she stood still unaware of her surroundings, then there was a flash of light and toothless had lit the fire which now gave out a warm glow.
Merida now could see she was standing in a wooden cabin, she saw a stone fireplace with a large black pot next to it, a huge chair with engravings on it which she knew it was Hiccup dad's chair, weapons and shields, furs and tapestries on the walls. As Hiccup lit the candles and set them out, Merida turned in a circle to have a good look around the room. It had warm and comfortable feel to it, she would rather live here than in her draughty castle.
"So, what do you think?" Hiccup asked her.
"I love it Hic, it's perfect for winter nights" Merida answered unfastening the brooch on her cloak.
"Well, it snows most of the year and if you don't mind the frostbite and drafts it's perfect winter get away" Hiccup joked. He helped her remove her cloak. He placed it on a chair while the princess followed the dragon upstairs. "Oh…that's my room, hey wait" Hiccup called up and quickly climbed up after them.
When Merida reached the top, she saw Toothless hopped up onto a large flat stone, as she looked he warmed it with his fiery breath before curling up into a ball and settling down to sleep. She took a moment to look around Hiccup's room.
She knew it was Hiccup's room because she spotted a desk filled with his drawings, a shield and a few tools scattered about and a few candles. But the only light in the room came from the moon, the light from which flooded in through the window, a single wooden bed with a pillow and blanket. It wasn't a grand room but it suited Hiccup very well.
The Viking was just at the top, when he heard "Ah I knew it" Merida said confidently.
"Know what?" Hiccup asked nervously. Seeing Merida looking back to him.
"I wondered if you had one of these" Merida explained turning around, holding Hiccup's helmet in both hands.
"Oh that" Hiccup sighed in relief. "Yeah, I don't parade it around but it's very fashionable here" he laughed as he stepped closer the princess. Then an idea came to him. Hiccup gently took the helmet. "May I" he asked.
Merida understood what he meant so she bowed slightly and Hiccup place the helmet on her head, she straightened up.
"Well, how's is it?" She asked fixing her wild curls underneath.
"It's suits you" Hiccup answered and Toothless agreed. "Well, I'm going to find my friends, if anyone comes knocking, Toothless will help you" he kissed Merida's cheek and quickly ran downstairs and out the door to find his friends.
The princess's smiled as she watched him go, her cheeks turned red. She still wasn't use to being kissed but she liked it. As Merida took the helmet off, she noticed Toothless smirking at her. She let out a laugh and gave the dragon a scratch.
It didn't take long for Hiccup to find his fellow dragon riders. The group were hanging around the fire, laughing and chatting when Hiccup approached them. After he explained why he was back so early, he asked them to come to his house. The teens wondered why but didn't question. Knowing Hiccup, it means be something big was going to happen.
"Hiccup, is there something you need to tell us?" Astrid said as they reached Hiccup's home. He finally faced them, he took a few breaths before he began to explain.
"Ok, I'm going to show you something that I been keeping secret for months now" he rubbed his neck nervously, seeing their confused and suspicious looks on their faces. "And before I show you. You must promise me you won't tell anyone, and I do mean anyone."
"You haven't found any new dragon, have you?" Fishlegs asked for he'd it if there was a new kind of dragon.
"No, I haven't found a new breed of dragon, but please don't rush into action when you see…" Hiccup said as he opened the door and went in.
"I bet he actually found an ogre" Tuffnut whispered to his sister.
"Well, I bet he has a mermaid in there" Ruffnut replied as Hiccup went inside.
"Don't be stupid you two, if he was hiding something. It would be a girl" Snotlout said to the twins.
"Wanna bet on that" Tuffnut asked Snotlout, holding out his hand.
"Three weeks washing Hoodfang and throw in two sheep" Snotlout answered quickly, shaking Tuffnut's hand.
Astrid just rolled her eyes at this conversation. Still, she wondered what Hiccup was up to. She didn't have long to wait until Hiccup appeared again.
"Ok come in now" Hiccup said before looking around. Once the group were inside, Hiccup closed the door and made his way to the front. "Right, everyone ready?"
They nodded. The suspense was killing them, they just wanted him to hurry up. The Viking took a deep breath and turned.
"Mer, you can come out now," said Hiccup.
Merida hesitated for a moment then stepped out from under the stairs, she walked next to Hiccup, giving the group a small smile, the group stood dumbfounded.
"I can't believe it… Snotlout was right" Tuffnut said aloud breaking the silence. Snotlout flashed a triumphant smirk at Tuffnut as Astrid stepped forwards.
"Hiccup, what's going on?" she said in disbelief.
"Guys, this is Merida. We met months ago; she is a princess from Scotland" Hiccup explained.
"WHAT!" The teens all cried. This was just what Hiccup had expected. But he couldn't think of a better way to tell them.
"A… a princess, you're a princess" Fishlegs spluttered before falling dramatically to his knees.
"Ooooh, you're in so much trouble" Ruffnut in a knowing voice, pointing an accusing finger at Hiccup.
"I'm not worthy, I'm not worthy, I'm not worthy" Merida and Hiccup turned to seeing Fishlegs bowing like mad.
"Please, please stop. You don't have to do that" Merida said to Fishlegs who stopped to look at her.
"Oh, oh sorry your majesty" he apologised, standing up and dusted himself off.
"And not, your majesty or highness, please" Merida then added.
"Oh sorry…again" Fishlegs said realising his mistake.
"Hiccup have you lost your mind" Astrid said finally walking up to the couple. "A princess of Scotland! have you thought that she could be tricking you to find information to launch an attack" she was bubbling with anger, not really thinking clearly about what she was saying.
"Excuse me, I can hear you, you know" Merida said her temper rising. Seeing the Viking girl realising her mistake. "I'm not spying on anything or anyone. My family don't know I'm on an island full of Vikings and another thing, I have real feelings of him" Merida finished, taking Hiccup's hand.
Astrid tried to suppress her anger. Too many thoughts were running through her brain. "Well, how can we trust you, knowing your kind?"
"My kind?" Merida answered. The girls were nearly nose to nose, Hiccup could have sworn he saw lightning shooting out of their eyes.
"Now, now please. There is no need for this" Hiccup said calmly, getting in between the girls "We're all friends here, we don't want anyone to discover Merida, so we need to work together, as a team, right?" Hiccup pushed them slightly apart. The girls kept glaring at each other, he could sense that a fight could break out. "So can we all be friends?" it took a moment before the girls said together a reluctantly
"Fine".
"So can we go now?" Ruffnut interrupted.
"Oh of course" Hiccup said "Let's meet back here tomorrow". They agreed, Astrid just stood there for a moment, looking at the couple before she turned to leave.
"Oh, by the way" said Snotlout, leaning against the door. "So does she have an older sister, if…" Hiccup slammed the door in his face.
"Well, that went well" Hiccup sighed with relief.
"Aye, I'm glad it's done" Merida answered, taking his hands into hers.
They hugged in agreement and headed to bed. Hiccup suggested that Merida have his bed but she told him that she was fine sleeping on the floor so he had the bed. They ended up sleeping next to Toothless, cuddling up in the blankets, for a peaceful nights sleep.
Merida was the first up the next day, she was admiring the village now it was daylight.
"Hello milady" Hiccup said stretching as he walked to her.
"Hello to you too" Merida replied, kissing him sweetly. "Did you have a good sleep last night?"
"Aye, I did" Merida said with a smile, then they heard a grumbling noise. "And apparently I'm really hungry".
Both of them laughed together as the dragon woke and stretched before joining them.
"Well, I'll get breakfast, be right back. Oh, dad will probably be in the hall asleep so it safe here"
Hiccup kissed her cheek and headed out. Merida placed her bag safely under Hiccup's bed (in case Hiccup's dad found it). She then headed downstairs, mostly for something to eat, there she found a barrel of water next to a bunch of swords.
She picked up a ladle and started drinking, she just taken her third drink when she glimpsed something reflected in water. Merida stayed perfectly still as the thing grew bigger, glancing quickly she remembered at the swords. Merida waited and at the right moment, she grabbed one and got ready for a possible attack. Her instinct was right because…
"Astrid, what are you…?" Merida exclaimed seeing the blonde headed Viking towards her wielding with an axe.
"You can't fool me. You tricky witch!" Astrid cried with anger in her eyes she came at her again but Merida blocked it and pushed her away.
"Astrid, just listen…" Merida tried to speak but Astrid just swung at her. The only thing she could do was defend herself. She fought Astrid, their weapons clash against each other. Astrid suddenly kicked Merida in the stomach she fell hitting the door which opened as she fell. The redhead didn't have time to think about the pain for Astrid was about to try to split her in two. Merida rolled over just in time as the axe hit the ground. She managed to get to her feet and ran and left Astrid struggling to free her axe.
"COME BACK HERE, YOU HOTHEADED VIPER!" Astrid shouted at the top of her lungs, she'd freed her weapon and followed Merida like a wild creature hunting for prey.
Hiccup and Toothless took a long-time gathering food but they manage it. As they walked back, they found his friends watching something.
"Hey guys" Hiccup called.
"Hey Hiccup" the gang answered before they turned back.
"So, what are you looking at?" Hiccup asked curiously. "Another dragon fight?"
"No, just Astrid and Merida having a fight to the death" Ruffnut casually said.
"Oh, that's nice. Tell me who…WHAT!" The Viking dropped the food and rushed to the balcony. He could see clear as day Merida and Astrid running and fighting all over Berk. A few Vikings were outside, usually doing their usual business but didn't see or hear the two in their epic battle. "Oh, my gods, this is a nightmare".
"Nightmare?" Snotlout said before putting an arm around Hiccup and hugging him hard "This is every man's dream, to have girls fighting over you".
"Yeah, and they're going to kill each other" Hiccup said as he broke away and ran to stop them with Toothless behind him. The dragon lifted the Viking to his back.
Merida wasn't really sure where she was going, of course she'd never been to Berk until yesterday. She heard footsteps, Merida hid behind a barrier just as Astrid appeared, gritting her teeth and scanning her surroundings. Merida waited for the Viking girl to turn before she could escape. She ran the second Astrid turned her back, Astrid spun around to see Merida running and heading to the old dragon circle. The princess saw the arena, she then heard shouting for Astrid. Wasting no time, she ran in to hide. Merida took this moment to breathe and look around. She remembered Hiccup talk about the killing ring in his story, she already imagined Viking warriors fighting the dragons, she also noticed scratches imbedded into the walls. She was looking at some of the scratches when an axe flew right past her. Merida looked up and saw Astrid. Quickly Merida dashed to avoid the Viking who had jumped in the arena and expertly landed on her feet, she looked threateningly at Merida with a firm grip on her axe.
"You won't leave this island alive" Astrid growled, swinging the axe. The redhead blocked the blow and the two girls stood face to face, with all their might, they pushed their weapons against each other.
"Astrid please stop, just listen".
"I'm not listening to a Scot like you" Astrid yelling as once more the weapons clashed together.
"Just listen, Hiccup and toothless crashed in Scotland and I found them. He didn't tell me or anyone that he was a Viking" Merida explained as they fought around the ring. "He only told me the truth days later, but by then we had feelings for each other. He could have forgotten all about me but he came back, he came back knowing the danger. Hiccup said there's truth about showing trust and understanding and he wanted to prove it.
Astrid looked at Merida in surprise "He said that?" she suddenly felt tired and hot, the realisation hit her and pulled she laid down her axe. "Oh gods" was all she said as she sat down. Merida sat next to her, catching her breath. The two girls didn't say anything of a while until the Viking said softly "I've never fought over a boy before".
"Me neither, never been interested in all that romance stuff before" Merida admitted then complimented Astrid "Nice axe skills".
"Thanks" Astrid said before adding "You have great swords skills".
"Thank you," said Merida. The two shared a smile before she asked Astrid "Quick question, when Hiccup is explaining something, can you understand him because he speaks so fast that I couldn't understand".
"All the time, and when he plays with Toothless, it's sounds very intimate" Astrid added.
"Aye and I'm like, do you two want to be alone?" Merida said. Both of them burst out laughing. They laughed so hard; they were rolling on the floor. It was then Hiccup and Toothless ran into the Arena to stop them. Hiccup quickly jumped off his dragon and ran to them.
"STOP! Please stop, it's…." Hiccup stopped in confusion. He imagined the girls in a blood drenched fight, but found Merida and Astrid laughing? Toothless looked confused too. "What's going on?" He asked they took one look at him and laughed even harder.
Toothless gave out a growl and tilted his head as if to say "Is this was girls are like?"
"Yeh bud, I don't understand them either" said Hiccup in reply.
Eventually the girls calm down and went to find the others still giggling a little. They walked back towards the village when they met their friends who were excited to know the result.
"So, who won?" What is the first thing with Tuffnut asked when Hiccup, Merida, Astrid and Toothless reached them.
"Well, we agreed on a draw" Astrid said, both girls nodded.
"Oh, come on!" Snotlout groaned with Tuffnut.
"Where's the fun in that?" Tuffnut added.
"Ok, play times over. Now who wants breakfast?" Hiccup said and everyone agreed.
"Hang on" Ruffnut said suddenly "She can't walk around wearing that. She'll stick out like a eel in a barrel full with fish" pointing at Merida's dress.
"I travel light so I didn't bring any other clothes" Merida explained.
"Well, we can fix it" Astrid said, "Come on" She linked the princess's arm in hers and she Ruffnut led Merida to her home.
The boys were outside waiting (they were ordered not to enter) as Astrid and Ruffnut found some clothes for Merida who was excited to try something different. She held a pair of trousers, thinking they'd suit her better than a dress.
"My mum would kill me if she saw me in these" she voiced her thoughts.
"Does your mum always tell you what to do?" Astrid asked as she place more for Merida to choose.
"Aye, but it's not so bad, she used to try and make learn how to be a lady" Merida answered.
"Who has time for that, not me" Ruffnut commented. Merida smiled at that.
"Yeah, it is" Merida replied before she found a tunic she liked.
"Well, while you here. You can be yourself. I can see you're not a princess at heart" Astrid reassured her. Merida already like them, she hadn't any girls as friends back home, most of the girls in Dun Broch were more proper and ladylike and not on the same wavelength as her. "Ok let's get you dressed, Viking style"
"But first, the hair" Ruffnut the said.
"My hair?" Merida asked in concerned, taking a few steps away.
"Well, we Vikings rock a look that we're famous for" Ruffnut casually said. Flicking one of her braids. Merida was always uncomfortable with people messing with her hair. Especially if it was her mum but she felt like she could trust them to not hurt her.
"Ok just not too tight" she said reluctantly.
"Don't worry" Ruffnut said cracking hair fingers "I'm an expert".
A few minutes later, Astrid and Ruffnut opened the door, waking a sleeping Tuffnut and Snotlout while Hiccup was talking to Fishlegs.
"Gentlemen and dragon" Ruffnut announced waving her hands in exaggeration. "May we present Merida" and Merida walked out, rubbing her arm. She normally wouldn't be nervous about anything but she was worried what Hiccup would think, but seeing the awe struck look on his face, Merida relaxed.
Merida was wearing a cornflower blue tunic, dark green pants and brown fur boots. She had her quiver attached to her belt and her hair was in a braid, Ruffnut made sure it wasn't too tight so it was quite loose and some curls poked out.
"Wow, you look great Mer" Hiccup complemented, the night fury nodded in agreement. This made the princess blush, Astrid playfully nudged Merida.
"She definitely fits in around here now" Astrid added. The others agreed.
"Well, we better go in before…" Hiccup began to say but then.
"Hey Hiccup" they all looked over to see Gobber walking towards them.
"Quick hide Merida" Hiccup quickly said. He couldn't believe things were unveiling so quickly. Merida hid underneath one of Toothless's wings while the others tried to act casually.
"Morning you lot" Gobber greeted.
"Hey Gobber" the teens replied as natural as possible.
"I didn't know you were back Hiccup, your dad will be happy you're home" he said.
"Yeah, me and Toothless came back late last night, but we were tired." Hiccup explained rubbing his neck.
"Well, I won't delay you any longer, you and your redheaded friend need to hurry" Gobber said with a knowing smirk.
"We will, we'll be…" Hiccup stumbled. Did he hear that right or was it his imagination tricking him.
"Come on out lass" the old Viking said gently, looking over where Merida was hiding. With hesitation, Merida slowly stood up. "You're new around here aren't you, what's your name?"
"Merida, I'm…" she replied not sure what to say. Definitely can't say princess of Dun Broch or Scottish, in fear of getting caught.
"She's my cousin" Merida heard Astrid say, she wrapped an arm around Merida's shoulders. "She came to visit for a while and we're just showing her around Berk".
"Cousin? I didn't know you had a cousin that I didn't know" Gobber asked sceptically.
"I'm a distant cousin, we write to each other and I wanted to see Berk for myself" Merida said glancing at a worried Hiccup standing behind Gobber.
"Well, welcome to Berk." Gobber said and shook Merida's hand. Merida gave him a sweet smile.
Hiccup had told her that Gobber was nice when you get to know him. "Well, I better get my chores done, I have dragons that need me to fix their teeth" he said before walking back to his workshop.
"Oh, mind the dragon droppings" the old Viking called out to them.
"That was close" Fishlegs sighed. All of them were relieved, it went through their minds, how can they can keep this up?
"Thanks Astrid, for that quick thinking" Merida said gratefully.
"No problem, that's what friends do" Astrid replied.
" Hi definitely owe you one, fancy some more sword practice later?" Merida asked grinning.
"You're on" Astrid said excitedly before she and the others ran back to the meet hall.
"I don't get it" Hiccup said aloud.
"What do you mean?" Merida asked, raising an eyebrow.
"I'm just saying. One minute you're killing each other, the next you two are friends" He explained. "Sorry, I don't know much about girls"
"I don't know anything about boys, but we can learn together" Merida said and kissed him on the cheek which made her Viking smile. "Come on, all the food will be gone" she took Hiccup's hand and they ran to catch up to the other.