Chapter 15
"What are you doing here Eret," Hiccup questioned in annoyance.
"Astrid was worried," Eret replied, "you've been gone more than a week...we didn't know if you ran into trouble during your scouting mission."
"Great," Hiccup huffed, "and of all the people to send after me, of course she sends you."
"She didn't send me," Eret replied, "I offered to come." Hiccup rolled his eyes.
"Look we weren't sure if you were captured or worse, we didn't know if this place was hostile or not. I offered...because I thought it'd be too dangerous. I...I didn't want her to come..."
"Too dangerous," Hiccup huffed, "for Astrid Hofferson." Eret just gazed at Hiccup.
"And you actually convinced her to stay in Berk and allow you to come after me on your own," Hiccup replied sarcastically.
Eret crossed his arms over his chest and raised an eyebrow at Hiccup.
"You know as well as I that there is no convincing her of anything," Eret replied, "we decided together that it was best that she stay and I go."
"Right," Hiccup replied flatly as he slipped his dagger back in its holster.
"Look she...she has her reasons," Eret replied cryptically. Hiccup turned to him in curiosity. He could see a look of genuine concern on Eret's face and maybe a bit of remorse.
"What reasons," Hiccup questioned.
"That is none of your business," Eret replied firmly. Hiccup glared at him.
"Well as you can see, I'm perfectly fine here on my own," Hiccup replied haughtily, "not captured, and not in danger, so you can just run on back to Astrid and tell her to mind her own business." Hiccup turned his back on Eret and started walking back to his camp.
"Come on Hic," Eret replied.
"How did you even find this place," Hiccup nearly spat.
"I had a little help," Eret replied. Suddenly a deep growl and a high pitched scream rang through the trees. Both men simultaneously ran in the direction of the scream.
"Hey," the voice yelled out, "it's me Toothless, it's me, it's Fish we're friends remember!" When they reached Toothless, they saw Fish standing before him and patting him on the nose. Hiccup crossed his arms and glared at him.
"I should have known," Hiccup said flatly. At that moment Fishlegs looked up at the two men.
"Oh hey Hic," Fish said sheepishly as he waved. Hiccup rolled his eyes and groaned as he walked forward. Eret just grinned and followed after him.
"So, instead of stalling, you decide to lead them right to me," Hiccup said in annoyance.
"I tried," Fish replied, "but you know Astrid, she...she's terrifying when she is interrogating you!" Hiccup rolled his eyes and pushed his way past Fish. He walked over to the campfire and lit it with his dragon blade, then sat down upon a log beside it. Eret and Fish followed after him, sitting on a log across from him.
"Not that I don't appreciate the company guys," Hiccup groaned, "but you really should just head back to Berk."
"Why's that Hic," Eret questioned, "what are you up to here anyway?" Hiccup glared at him.
"What do you care," Hiccup spat, "I told you this is my business."
"Yeah well, the acting Chief cares,"Eret replied, "and she wants to know what your up to!"
"That nice," Hiccup replied, "but the acting Chief is not the Chief, I am, and I don't have to answer to her!" Eret crossed his arms over his chest and glared at Hiccup.
"Oh I see," Eret replied in aggravation, "you're Chief when it suits you."
"If I wanted her to know," Hiccup went on, "I'd have told her myself, I don't need you acting as a mediator between me and Astrid."
"I'm not acting as a mediator," Eret replied, "I'm just doing what she asked me to do, she wanted to make sure you were okay, that nothing bad happened."
"Well then you've done your job, you came, I'm fine," Hiccup replied as he quickly stood from his place and began to walk past Eret, "you don't need to know why I'm here, but you do need to go!"
Eret put a hand firmly on Hiccup's shoulder before he could pass him and forcefully pushed him back.
"Why don't you stop treating me and Astrid like we are your enemies," Eret said firmly, "I mean we were friends once Hic, despite our falling out I still care about you and so does Astrid. We were legitimately worried that something bad might have happened to you."
"Yeah well, guilt will do that to you I guess," Hiccup spat.
"Are you ever going stop punishing her for what happened," Eret questioned.
"Me," Hiccup laughed, "Ya know if she cared so much, I would think she would come here herself and not send you!"
"What and leave the village without a Chief," Eret questioned, "Astrid is not as flippant about being Chief as you are, she takes it seriously!"
"She could have left the village in my mother's hands," Hiccup said.
"What's wrong with you Hic," Eret questioned, "Astrid is doing you a favor by taking on your duties every time you decide to fly off on a whim! And not once have you ever shown her even an ounce of gratitude!"
"Are you kidding," Hiccup replied, "Ya know this all has absolutely nothing to do with her, or you!"
"Really," Eret replied unconvinced, "so running off while she and I were on our honeymoon and staying gone well after we got back had nothing to do with us?"
Hiccup glared at Eret. The absolute last thing he wanted to deal with today was Eret's smug accusations. He had enough on his mind to sort through. This altercation was both unwelcome and unwanted.
"You know what Eret," he nearly growled,
"I don't have to explain myself to you or her or anyone else for that matter! The last I checked the world didn't revolve around you and Astrid. What I do, and why I do it has nothing to do with either of you and as far as I'm concerned it's none of your business!"
"I hate to break it to you Hic," Eret replied, "but you all but made it our business when you ran off and didn't tell anyone where you were going or how to find you!"
"Really," Hiccup questioned angrily, "did it ever occur to either of you that I didn't want to be found?" Eret crossed his arms over his chest and glared at Hiccup.
"You are a selfish prick, you know that," Eret replied.
"Me," Hiccup replied, "I'm the selfish one...Tell me Eret, how selfish is it to go after your best friend's girlfriend behind his back?"
"And there it is," Eret replied smugly, "the whole reason for all of this."
"You're full of shit Eret," Hiccup huffed.
"Come on Hic," Eret replied, "do you really expect me to believe that your running off had absolutely nothing to do with me and Astrid?"
"Ya know Eret," Hiccup said as glared at his former friend, "I actually don't care what you believe. If you feel guilty about what you did, then that's on you! Leave me out of it!"
"I don't feel guilty Hiccup," Eret replied, "because I didn't do anything wrong!"
"I trusted you Eret," Hiccup spat, "I gave you a chance to redeem yourself, I trusted you with my father's dragon, you were my friend, and you repaid me by coming between me and Astrid." Eret shot him an angry gaze.
"First of all," Eret replied, "I didn't come between you and Astrid, you did that all on your own!"
"Me," Hiccup scoffed, "we were fine until you started butting in!"
"Fine," Eret repeated with a surprised expression, "you weren't fine Hiccup...do you even know what you put her through?" Hiccup crossed his arms over his chest as he glared back at Eret.
"She loved you, she would have done anything for you," Eret continued, "she was there for you and all you ever did was push her away, or run off without her. She came to me only to talk about you, to...to get what was bothering her off her chest. She came to me for advice, because we were friends and she didn't know how to help you...neither of us did. But she still wanted things to work out with you." With arms still crossed, Hiccup gazed blankly at the ground as Eret spoke.
"She held out as long as she could Hiccup," Eret continued, "but you just kept her at arms length no matter what she did. It broke her heart to let you go, but you broke it more when you were together, by leaving her behind, and shutting her out. She just couldn't wait on you forever, it wasn't fair to her."
"Fair," Hiccup growled, "you want to know what really isn't fair Eret? How about your best friend stealing your girlfriend!"
"Did you you even hear word I've said? Hiccup, when are you going to get it through your thick skull, I never went after Astrid," Eret replied in frustration, "and despite what you think I didn't steal her from you. I...I always liked Astrid, but I didn't start to have real feelings for her till long after she left you. When you were together she only ever confided in me as a friend. I never took advantage of that. My feelings didn't change until after she ended things with you." Eret sighed.
"And even then I tried to ignore them, but over time my feelings grew and before I knew it I'd fallen for her. I...I never meant for it to happen," Eret continued, "it just did. I didn't have much say in the matter." Hiccup huffed in frustration. He felt fed up and his mind was clouded in anger. All he wanted was to walk away from this argument, to clear his head. Without a word Hiccup huffed as he turned and walked away.
"Hey where are you going," Eret called out.
"None of your business," Hiccup yelled back without turning around.
"Go on then Hic," Eret yelled in frustration, "run off like you always do!"
—
Hiccup let Eret's voice fall into the background as he walked away into the woods with Toothless following after him. With little thought and little care to where he was going, Hiccup trudged deeper into the quickly darkening forest. He muttered to himself angrily under his breath as he continued to walk. He was trying his best to sort through his clouded thoughts, but the more he thought about it the more complicated everything seemed to be. Eret was absolutely the last person he had anticipated coming after him, and the absolute last person he wanted to deal with today.
The confrontation with Eret only brought up all the anger and frustration he'd had over the past few years and the many hurtful feelings that he had thought had been long behind him. This was by far a terrible ending to an already not so great day.
The majority of his stay in DunBroch he felt almost like himself again. All the depression from his father all the anger hurt and frustration over Astrid seemed so far behind him. Over the past week that he had spent with Merida, it had almost felt as if all those negative thoughts were a far off memory. She made him happy again, she took his negativity and turned it around, she made him see the things he had been through in a new positive light. Just being around her made him feel like he was a better person.
Now with Eret's arrival in Dunbroch, it was as if reality had come crashing back down around him. All the bitterness and anger came flooding back and he realized he was still a long way away from forgiving Astrid and Eret. He honestly didn't know if he ever could.
But Merida was like a light keeping that darkness at bay. When he was with her all he could see was that light. It was a light so bright it made all his shadows seem small. But now knowing he might not see her again soon made him feel as if he were abandoned in the darkness still grappling with all the towering shadows of his past. He audibly groaned as his thoughts began to overwhelm him.
As he trudged on, his mind became flooded with thoughts of Merida. He wondered what advice she would give him in this instance. She always seemed to help him see things clearer or even gave him another way to look at things. He thought back to what she had said in the cave.
...
Maybe it's time ye just...put all o' that negative stuff behind ye," she said, "and take pride in who ye are right now. Because who ye are right now is pretty impressive if ye ask me." She raised an eyebrow at him as she grinned.
He smiled warmly at her, though, once again at a loss for words. He felt a blush arise on his cheeks and he prayed it was hidden by the glow of the fire. It seemed she never could cease to amaze him with her thoughtful words.
"Maybe you're right," he replied as he looked at her once more, "maybe it is time I...I...moved on."
...
He sighed as her words ran through his brain. He had begun to realize that maybe he had spent so much time still caught up in the fear and anger and bitterness of his past that he now only saw the future through jaded eyes. His mind drifted to what Eret had said.
...
"First of all," Eret replied, "I didn't come between you and Astrid, you did that all on your own!"
"Me," Hiccup scoffed, "we were fine until you started butting in!"
"Fine," Eret repeated with a surprised expression, "you weren't fine Hiccup...do you even know what you put her through?
She loved you, she would have done anything for you. She was there for you and all you ever did was push her away, or run off without her. She came to me only to talk about you to...to get what was bothering her off her chest. She came to me for advice, because we were friends and she didn't know how to help you...neither of us did. But she still wanted things to work out with you."
...
What Eret had said struck a nerve in Hiccup. He had all but throw every mistake he had ever made with Astrid in his face, which hurt more than anything else. As much as he tried to convince himself and everyone else that he was over what happened, he had begun to realize that maybe his feelings weren't as resolved as he thought they were.
By all accounts Astrid was perfect. She was beautiful, smart, fearless, and a born leader. She had stood by him even when no one else did. She believed in him when he didn't believe in himself and she had tried to help him through one of the worst times in his life. He knew with certainty that if it hadn't been for her he wouldn't be the man he was today. He owed her so much. She should have been everything he ever wanted, but he just couldn't feel what he was supposed to feel. He sighed as his mother's words went through his mind.
...
"I'm only saying that maybe it's not as complicated as you make it seem Hiccup," Valka replied.
"Oh, okay," Hiccup replied, "well by all means then, uncomplicate it for me."
"Okay," Valka replied, "put simply, you and Astrid were just not meant to be."
...
Maybe the simple truth was that he and Astrid were never meant to be. He didn't know why he didn't just let her go and move on from the start. He did care about her, that was not a question. Perhaps he feared hurting her. Perhaps he felt guilty that after all she had done for him, he still couldn't feel the way she needed him to. Maybe he held out a little too long hoping his feelings would change for the better.
But now as he thought about it, the thought occurred to him that perhaps Astrid was never meant to be with him in the first place. Maybe Astrid had found her true place with Eret. Perhaps it never really mattered if Hiccup had done anything differently.
Why then had he still so much anger and resentment when it came to Eret? Why couldn't he just let go of the past? He sighed heavily as he thought about it. Maybe it didn't matter how or when Astrid and Eret had come to be together. Maybe they were simply meant to be. Though it hurt to acknowledge, Eret and Astrid were the happiest they'd ever been when they were together. Perhaps what bothered him most of all was the fact that Eret could give Astrid what he never could.
As selfish as it now seemed, he was also afraid to loose Astrid completely. She was important to him, he relied on her and despite everything he still cared for her. Now seeing her with Eret, he felt as if he no longer had a place or a purpose in her life. He was slowly being fazed out, he was being replaced. He shook his head as he tried to sort through his conflicting and very confusing thoughts.
He groaned at his own selfish thoughts.
What did he expect to happen when they broke up? Did he just assume Astrid would be by his side weather they were together or not? Did he think she would never move on after him? How unfair was he to expect that of her? Had he really been that selfish? Or was it only the fact that the person she had moved on with was Eret? If it had been anyone else would it have bothered him so much?
Maybe it was because he still felt guilty about the way things ended and about how he had handled the break-up. Maybe he felt guilty about how he'd treated her since he found out about Eret. Maybe Eret was right, maybe he was nothing but an ungrateful, selfish prick.
He sighed heavily as he tried to push these conflicting thoughts to the back of his mind. As he continued on, his thoughts once again drifted to Merida.
For the past few days he had been longing to tell her how he was feeling, but his fear was stopping him from doing so. Maybe the reason he was so afraid to tell Merida how he felt was because he still needed to settle these unresolved feelings for Astrid. Maybe he just needed to make peace with her and Eret. Holding on to the anger and frustration of the past all this time only made him feel heavy, if he could just let go of everything he could be free to truly move on. But letting go of the past seemed an impossible task. He sighed heavily as he thought about it. It felt almost as if he were being pulled from opposite sides between his difficult past and the future he wished to have. Now more than ever, Hiccup wanted to move on. But more than anything else he wanted to take a chance with Merida.
Before long he inadvertently found himself in the very spot where Merida had told him to meet her. The place where he took her home the first day they met. His mind flashed back to the moment she stumbled into his arms. The first moment that it had crossed his mind that there could be something more to his feelings for her.
...
"Whoa," Hiccup chuckled as he caught her, "you okay?"
"Mmm hmm," She nodded as she gazed up at him. Hiccup just gazed back at her with those deep green eyes that reminded her so much of the Viking in her dream. His arms were wrapped around her waist and her hands were gripped onto his shoulders. For a moment the two stood holding on to each other and gazing into the others eyes. Their faces were only a few inches apart. They were so close that Hiccup could feel the warmth of her breath on his face. He could not explain the pull he felt toward her since the moment they met, and all he could think of in this moment was how much he longed to make those measly few inches disappear. And all he wanted to do was pull her to him and feel the softness of her lips pressed to his.
"Uh...okay," Hiccup said softly as he suddenly came to his senses. He let her go as he backed away, nervously rubbing the back of his neck
...
The memory sent chills down his spine and he felt a sudden overwhelming need to be with her. He wondered why after only such a short time of knowing her, that his feelings already felt so strong. He longed to just see her beautiful face, and just to be close to her. He longed for just the comforting touch of her hand in his.
Hiccup paused and turned to Toothless.
"God I...I just want to see Merida bud," Hiccup sighed, "I just want to talk to her a-and hear her voice." Toothless grinned at him.
"I don't know what to do," Hiccup groaned as he lay his head against the dragon's.
"I just I don't know what it is about her, I just want to be around her all the time." He felt overwhelmingly hopeless knowing it would probably be days before he would be able to see her again.
Suddenly he heard a faint murmur behind him. He stiffened up at the sound. He lifted his head and stared at Toothless for a moment with wide eyes. The dragon was staring past him and gazing at whatever was behind him. Hiccup slowly turned and saw the familiar glowing will o' the wisp floating a mere foot from where he stood. He could feel his heart freeze at the sight. He cautiously took a step forward.
"So uh...I...I'm supposed to just...follow you right," Hiccup questioned, "and you lead me to my fate...or...or at least to another clue about my grandfather maybe? That's how this works right?" The wisp seemed to motion to him to follow. He turned to Toothless and shrugged.
"It's only a wisp right," he replied. Toothless nodded and bent down to let Hiccup on.
"Let's go bud."
—-
Merida sat quietly at her vanity brushing her long red curls as she prepared for bed. She gazed blankly at her reflection in the mirror as her mind drifted back to Hiccup. She wondered what he and Toothless had done for the day without her. She wondered what mischief Toothless had gotten into. But mostly she wondered if they missed her as much as she missed them. She took a deep breath as she put her brush down upon the vanity. She was suddenly distracted by the faint sound of a tap on her window.
She glanced behind her briefly but brushed it off and thought nothing of it. Suddenly she heard it again, and then again. She furrowed her brow as she turned back in the direction from which the sound had come. It seemed to be coming from her balcony door. She picked up her thick navy blue robe and slowly slipped it on over her off-white kirtle. She then picked up the chamberstick and crept forward to the door. She heard another unmistakable tiny tap on the window just as she approached the door.
Cautiously she opened the heavy green drapes just a small amount to peek through, but she could see nothing through the window. She held her hand up to the glass and peered through trying to see what was making the noise. Suddenly a small stone struck the glass right in front of her, causing her to flinch.
"What in the world," she muttered to herself. Was someone throwing stones at her window? If so, from where? Her room was on the fifth floor of the castle and was far too high for anyone on the ground to be able to throw stones at. She opened the door and crept out. There was nobody on the balcony, she walked to the edge and looked down below. She could see there was nobody nearby at all. Suddenly a hand touched her shoulder, startling her. Without a second thought, she turned instantly, smacked the hand away and punched the person in the face. The person fell to the ground with a thud and groaned in pain. She held her candle up to see the culprit. Her eyes went wide in sudden realization.
"Hiccup," she questioned. She instantly knelt beside him and helped him to sit up.
"Jeaze Merida," Hiccup groaned as he rubbed the side of his face where she had hit him, "you really pack a punch."
"I'm sorry," she replied, "I...I didn't know it was ye." She put her candle stick down quickly and then gently took his face in her hands. She pulled him forward and looked closely at his cheek where she had hit him. Hiccup's heart fluttered at her gentle touch. Her hands were soft and warm and comforting and as she held him he could feel his earlier frustrations slowly melting away. Being suddenly so close to her as she held his face in her hands made him feel as if his breath was suddenly caught in his throat. He gulped as he gazed back at her and he couldn't help but to smile.
"D-don't apologize," Hiccup replied softly as he gazed up at her, "I...I should have known better than to sneak up on you." She suddenly pulled her hands away from him and crossed her arms over her chest, leaving him silently longing for her touch. She glared back at him.
"What are ye doing here Hiccup," she asked in an angry tone, "have ye lost yer mind, how did ye even get up here?" Hiccup grinned up at her as he pointed upward to the top of the turret. As she looked up, Toothless grinned down at her from above. She turned her eyes back to Hiccup and glared at him. She stood up quickly with arms still crossed.
"Yer crazy ye know that," she replied in annoyance as she glared down at him, "flying Toothless right up to the castle, what were ye thinkin'?" Hiccup grinned at her. Though he could see she was annoyed with him, he couldn't help but to smile. To say she was a sight for sore eyes was an understatement. He could feel his heart racing at the sight of her. She was just as beautiful in the moonlight if not more so. He realized he was staring at her again, but this time he couldn't seem to pull his eyes away. He had missed her and he realized that part of the reason for his foul mood earlier was because he hadn't seen her all day.
"It's okay," he replied, "Toothless is a Nightfury, he's near impossible to see in the dark." Merida continued to glare at him. He stood up from the ground and smiled at her despite her annoyed glare.
"Yer lucky Lord Dingwall left this afternoon," she exclaimed, "otherwise he'd surely have spotted ye and Toothless!" Hiccup attempted to reply but she continued to rant.
"And how is it that ye even knew this was my room," Merida questioned. Hiccup shrugged.
"Well...I..."
"Suppose ye had my brother's room, or my parents room, then what?"
"Well, I didn't know," he replied simply, "I...I just guessed. I...I mean, I did try like two rooms before this one."
"Ye guessed," she exclaimed as she smacked him on the arm. Hiccup chuckled at her reaction.
"Whoa...hey...I...I'm kidding," he replied with a chuckle. Merida huffed and turned away from him. Hiccup took a few steps closer to her.
"Actually, uh, t-the truth is," he went on as he rubbed the back of his neck nervously, "the wisps led me." Merida turned to him with look of surprise on her face.
"The wisps...led ye here," she questioned. Hiccup nodded.
"Right to your window in fact," he replied as he took a step closer. Merida gazed up at him curiously.
"Why would they lead ye here," she questioned. Hiccup shrugged.
"I'm not really sure," Hiccup replied, "I think I...I might have a-asked them to."
"How," Merida questioned, "nobody can conjure a wisp, they...they simply appear when their needed."
"Look, I don't know," Hiccup replied, "all I know is that I was walking in the woods to blow off some steam, a-and I started thinking about you. Then I...I said out loud that I wanted to see you a-and right after I said that the wisps appeared." Merida turned from him as she thought about what he'd said.
It didn't make any sense, the wisps couldn't be conjured, they only revealed themselves when it suited them. Of course she was no expert on wisps, she supposed it was possible. But the wisps were supposed to lead you to your fate, not to whatever you wanted just because you asked. Unless of course...what you wanted and your fate were one in the same. Merida turned and gazed up at him curiously. Pieces of their earlier conversations flashed through her mind.
...
"Well, maybe...maybe it's not chance," Hiccup replied. He stood suddenly and approached her. Without thinking he took hold of both her hands in his.
"Merida," Hiccup said, "I...I think you're the one, I mean the one I'm meant to find..."
—-
"It...it's not a coincidence of that I'm sure," Merida said, "honestly, it...it feels more like fate that we met Hiccup."
...
Merida gazed at him in curiosity. Could she somehow be a part of Hiccup's fate? If so what did that mean? She could feel her heart begin to race at the thought.
"Look I...I'm sorry," he replied, "I...I just followed the wisps like you said I should. I mean, I...I didn't even know where they were leading me at first. When I realized where I was going, I...well I know I should have stayed away from the castle but I just...I really wanted to see you, a-and I kinda need to talk to you about something." Merida's eyes softened as she continued to gaze up at him.
"Well ye can't stay long," Merida replied.
"I know, I know," he replied, "I promise I won't stay long."
"What did ye want to talk to me about," she asked.
"Well," he sighed, "first...what happened with your mom, are you grounded?"
"Aye," she sighed, "for three days!"
"Really," Hiccup sighed disappointedly. Merida nodded.
"And that's not even the worst part," she sighed, "she's talking about appointing me a guard to follow me around everywhere I go, which would mean..."
"That you wouldn't be able to come see me even after the three days," Hiccup finished her sentence in a disappointed tone. Merida nodded with a sullen look on her face. Hiccup looked down at the floor as he thought about their predicament.
"I'm really sorry I got you in trouble," he sighed.
"Don't be," Merida replied, "it was my fault, I knew better."
"Still," he replied, "I knew you had to be back before dark...a-and I..."
"Hiccup, it's not like we fell asleep on purpose," Merida replied simply, "it just happened." He grinned at her sheepishly.
"Yeah...a-about that," he paused a moment as he contemplated his choice of words, "you, uh, you fell asleep before I did. I...I knew it was getting late and I should have woke you up, but y-you were so peaceful leaned up against me and I...I just couldn't bring myself to disturb you. I just thought it couldn't hurt to let you sleep but then I fell asleep too and..."
"What happened, happened," Merida replied, "it's no one's fault really, it was just an accident." Hiccup nodded silently as he gazed back at her. How he longed to tell her how he felt inside whenever she was with him. But his fear still seemed to be holding him back. He couldn't bring himself to tell her how he felt holding her in his arms or that the reason he didn't wake her was so he could hold her close to him just a little longer.
"Well maybe It's not too late," Merida went on, "I mean I still have three days to change her mind. Maybe if I just accept my punishment without a fuss, she'll see I don't need a guard." Hiccup nodded.
"Okay...so maybe three days before we can see each other again," He replied as he stepped closer to her, "that's not so bad."
"No, I guess not," Merida sighed, "but it'd be three days of not being able to solve the mystery of our grandparents and that spell."
"Well, maybe you should use the time you're stuck in the castle to maybe look through the archives to find out why Berk was banished from Dunbroch," Hiccup suggested.
"Aye, that's not a bad idea," Merida replied as she thought about it." She looked back at him. "I don't know that I'll have much more luck than my Dad, though."
"Well it's worth a try at least," Hiccup replied, "I mean, if we could find out why Berk was banished in the first place, we'd be closer to finding out what really happened to our grandparents." Merida nodded as she thought about what he'd said.
"Aye," Merida replied, "it's definitely worth a try."
"So," she sighed as she changed the subject, "what did ye need to tell me?"
"Oh uh," Hiccup rubbed the back of his neck nervously, "well something kinda happened after you left today."
"What," Merida asked in curiosity.
"A couple of my dragon riders found me," Hiccup replied, "apparently I was gone a little too long for their liking so my second in command, who is currently acting as Chief, sent them after me thinking I had gotten into trouble."
"What do you mean they found you," she questioned in confusion, "did they think ye were missing?"
"Well, uh...the thing is," he sighed, "uh, I, uh, I didn't exactly tell anyone where I was going, I...I mean besides my mom and Fishlegs.
"Okay," she replied, "that's not so bad, I mean at least ye told someone."
"But I...uh...I also sorta...took all the maps with me, so that when my second in command got back to Berk they wouldn't come after me," Hiccup replied. Merida furrowed her brow in slight confusion as she tried to make sense of what he was trying to tell her.
"Okay, so ye left without telling anybody and ye also didn't want them to find ye," Merida questioned. Hiccup nodded.
"Why didn't ye want to be found Hiccup," Merida questioned, "what exactly was it that ye were running from?" Hiccup groaned at her question. He could feel his frustration bubbling to the surface as she questioned him.
"You know what I was running from," Hiccup replied in an aggravated tone. He turned away in frustration and leaned on the edge of the balcony. He sighed heavily as he gazed blankly into the distance. Merida was slightly taken aback by his sudden outburst.
"Hiccup," Merida said softly as she gazed up at him in concern. She came up beside him and gently lay a hand on his arm. Hiccup looked down at her hand on his arm. The simple touch of her hand brought calmness to his mind. He sighed as he turned his eyes to her lovely face. For just a moment, his mind flashed back briefly to the woman in his dream and he wondered the significance of it. Merida gazed back at him with an expression of genuine concern.
"What's going on," she questioned, "ye've ne'er seemed so frazzled before... please...just talk to me." Hiccup shook his head and dropped his eyes to the ground as he contemplated what to say.
"Look, uh...I'm sorry I...I didn't mean to snap at you," Hiccup said remorsefully, "it...it's just everything's a-a little more complicated now."
"How," Merida questioned in a concerned tone. Hiccup sighed heavily. He turned back to her and gazed at her as if he were unsure of telling her more. Merida gazed at him with a worried expression on her face.
"Well I...I told you that my second in command was a woman," Hiccup sighed, "but what I didn't tell you was that...Astrid is my second in command." Merida's heart froze for a moment as she gazed at him in realization.
"I-is Astrid one of the Vikings here in Dunbroch," she questioned.
"No," Hiccup shook his head, "no, she stayed behind." Merida took a deep breath as a brief sense of relief washed over her.
"She only sent Fishlegs, who I told you about," Hiccup continued, "and Eret." Hiccup nearly gritted his teeth as he spoke Eret's name.
"Ye don't sound like yer too thrilled about this Eret fellow," Merida replied.
Hiccup took a deep breath before continuing. He was slightly hesitant to tell her more.
"That's because...Eret is Astrid's husband," Hiccup replied in aggravation.
"Oh," Merida replied simply. She gazed at him solemnly, unsure exactly of how to respond to his explanation. She slowly drew her hand away and turned her gaze to the dark horizon, feeling slightly disheartened.
"I know, I'm not fully explaining," Hiccup replied, "it's just my mind is all over the place, overthinking as usual. I should probably start from the beginning." Merida nodded.
"Eret was my enemy once," Hiccup replied, "but after he helped us defeat a really bad Viking named Drago Bludvist, I allowed him to join the Dragon riders. He became one of us, he was one of my best friends. I was the first to trust him." Merida sighed as she listened.
"And I suppose the reason ye and this...Eret are not friends anymore has to do with Astrid," Merida questioned. Hiccup nodded.
"Is it because yer jealous of him," Merida asked solemnly as she glanced up at him.
"No," Hiccup replied too quickly. He shook his head and took a deep breath.
"I don't know...maybe," he replied, "a little...I guess." Merida could feel her heart lurch with his words. She sighed slightly as she dropped her eyes from his.
"Look I...I don't know what to say," Hiccup replied, "I know that it's over with Astrid, I accepted that a long time ago. But every time I see them together, every time I have to deal with Eret, I just I get so angry and it just reminds me of what happened and all my feelings come flooding back!"
Merida remained quiet as she contemplated his statement. She couldn't help but to wonder if perhaps she had misjudged his feelings after all. It seemed to her that Hiccup still might be grappling with his feelings for Astrid.
"It doesn't make any sense," Hiccup continued in frustration, "I know she's moved on and for the most part so have I, but I still feel like...like he's taken my place!"
"Do ye still feel something for Astrid," Merida questioned softly. Hiccup remained quiet for a long moment as he thought about her question. He supposed a part of him would always care about Astrid one way or another, they were still friends after all. But what did that mean? Was he doomed to harbor feelings for his ex forever? Would those unresolved feelings always hinder him from moving on completely? And what about these new feelings he was having for Merida? What if he decided to tell Merida how he felt and he only hurt her later on because he still harbored residual feelings for Astrid? Merida gazed up at him as she awaited his answer.
"I don't know," Hiccup replied, "maybe a part of me still does." Merida sighed softly as she dropped her eyes from his.
"It's just...it's hard to explain exactly," Hiccup replied, "I mean, I'm over her...I am. But every time I see them together, I just, I think about how it ended, and what I could have done differently. I think of everything I did wrong, everything I said or didn't say. I think of everything Eret can offer her that I couldn't or just didn't."
"It sounds to me like ye blame yer self for what happened with Astrid," Merida replied knowingly. Hiccup nodded.
"I suppose I do," he replied, "I...I put her through a lot when we were together. I...I don't think that I treated her very well. I certainly didn't appreciate everything she did for me."
"How so," Merida questioned.
"It's kinda complicated," Hiccup replied. Merida sighed again, unsure if she should push him to say more.
"Look, ye don't have to tell me if ye don't want to," Merida replied, "but it might do ye good to get it all off yer chest." Hiccup nodded as he thought about it.
"Well it sorta started after my Dad died," Hiccup replied. "After I became chief, I was in a pretty bad place. It was just really hard for me to mourn him a-and try to live up to his legacy. It got to the point I would just leave for days just to get away from the pressure and all the reminders of my Dad. I was just trying to escape from the overwhelming guilt I felt because of how he died."
"Guilt," Merida questioned. Hiccup sighed heavily.
"It was my fault," Hiccup replied softly, "he...he died trying to protect me."
"Hiccup," Merida replied in sorrow. She took his hand in her's and squeezed it reassuringly. Hiccup just gazed at her hand in his, thankful for her small show of affection.
"And Astrid...well, she tried everything to help me," Hiccup said softly, "but I didn't let her, I just pushed her away. Every time she tried to talk about it, I changed the subject. If she forced the issue we got into a fight. I started just taking off without even telling her, just to avoid another argument. I just felt like I was being pulled in every direction. I had to be Chief, I had to make decisions I felt inept to make, and then she was pressuring me to talk about all the feelings that I just wanted to forget. Honestly, I didn't want to feel anything, because if I did, the pain of loosing my Dad would just tear me apart. So I shut her out, completely, which really hurt her. And of course my leaving all the time also caused her to resent me because every time I left she had to take over as Chief."
Merida stayed quiet as she listened.
"So you see, It was mostly my fault that things ended with Astrid," Hiccup went on, "I just...I wanted to stop thinking about my Dad and she wanted me to talk about it. She thought talking would help, so she would pester me about things she just didn't understand and I didn't know how to explain that to her, so I just avoided her all the time." Hiccup sighed heavily.
"In her frustration over me, I guess she started to really lean on Eret. She relied on him, he was always there when I wasn't," Hiccup continued, "In my absence they just got closer and eventually after she broke up with me they got together."
"And this is why ye dislike him," Merida questioned, "because he is with Astrid now?" Hiccup shook his head.
"No, it's because he betrayed me," Hiccup replied in frustration, "they both did!" Hiccup sighed heavily as he turned his eyes back to the horizon.
"I mean she was my girlfriend a-and he was my best friend," Hiccup went on, "you don't do that, you don't go after your best friend's girlfriend! I just, I can't forgive them for that. I don't know if I ever will!"
Merida's heart plummeted to her stomach with his words. Hiccup had all but admitted that he still wasn't completely over what happened with Astrid. She was sure the feelings she had started to have for him were most likely unrequited, and her heart almost broke at the thought. Still, he had come to her for advice, and as a true friend she vowed to help him in his time of need.
"But Hiccup," Merida replied softly, "if ye can't forgive them...how exactly do ye expect to move on?" She gazed up at him once more with a look of sympathy and concern. Hiccup looked back at her and shrugged, unsure of how to even answer. He shook his head and dropped his eyes from her's then turned to face the dark horizon. He was trying his best to keep his frustration from bubbling to the surface once again.
Merida reached up slowly and placed her soft hand upon his stubbled cheek. She gently pulled his face to look at her. But he seemed to be avoiding her gaze.
"Look at me Hiccup," Merida said softly. Hiccup turned his eyes to her and gazed at her for a long moment. He couldn't explain how he felt as he gazed back into her sky blue eyes. It felt as if everything about him were exposed. It was as if she could see right through him, right to his very soul. He could feel his breath catch in his throat as she gazed back at him with a sympathetic expression on her face.
"I know what happened broke yer heart," Merida said softly, "but if ye really want to move on a-and give love another chance, ye need to be willing to let go o' the past. Ye need to swallow yer hurt pride and be willing to forgive them. It's the only way to put it to rest." Hiccup remained quite as he contemplated her words.
"Unless of course ye don't want to," Merida replied solemnly as she dropped her hand from his face, "unless maybe yer not as over Astrid as ye say?" Hiccup shook his head in denial.
"No, I am," Hiccup replied insistently, "I am over her...everything I told you about Astrid before is true."
"Then maybe ye should stop allowing yer past to lead ye around by the nose," she said firmly, "I mean, how exactly do ye expect to find love again if yer so caught up in the past that ye can't see yer future?" Hiccup gazed at her wordlessly as her wise words swirled through his brain. He sighed heavily as he contemplated what she said.
"Is Eret a good person," Merida questioned.
"Y-yeah," Hiccup replied, "I guess, I...I mean I wouldn't have trusted him otherwise." Merida nodded.
"And does he treat Astrid well," she asked.
Hiccup nodded, "he seems to."
"Do ye believe that he truly loves Astrid," Merida questioned. Hiccup sighed as he nodded again.
"And do ye believe that Astrid is happy," Merida questioned.
"Honestly, she...she's the happiest I've ever seen her," Hiccup replied softly as he dropped his eyes to the ground. Merida nodded as she gazed up at him.
"Then ye should be happy for her," Merida replied, "if ye do still care for her, then ye should only want for her happiness. Even if she's happiest with someone other than ye. Despite everything she deserves her happiness...just the same as ye do." Hiccup nodded as she spoke.
"So I should just accept what happened," Hiccup questioned, "just let go of my anger and just...let it be?"
"Aye," Merida replied.
"How is just letting it go supposed to make me feel any differently," he questioned.
"And what do ye think holding on to all the anger would do for ye Hiccup," Merida questioned, "besides hold ye back from finding yer own happiness?" Hiccup gazed at her as she spoke.
"I mean, did it ever occur to ye," Merida went on, "that maybe Astrid's place was never with ye to begin with. Maybe her fate was always to be with Eret? Maybe they are soul mates...just the same as Mairead and Hiccup the first." Hiccup stayed quiet as he thought over her words. What Eret had said earlier that night replayed in his mind.
...
"I never meant for it to happen," Eret continued, "it just did. I didn't have much say in the matter."
...
He looked out over the horizon as he thought over all Merida had said. Hearing the words from her lips made what he'd known in his heart all along crystal clear. He had carried the guilt of how things ended with Astrid for far too long.
When they were together he had tried so hard to feel what she needed him to feel. He felt guilty when he realized his feelings weren't what they should have been. After they broke up, all he could see was his failures and his guilt became worse. Then seeing Astrid's happiness with Eret only magnified that guilt. He sighed heavily. Honestly he should probably have ended things when he first started to realize that his feelings weren't what they were supposed to be.
But Merida had brought up a good point. Maybe the truth was that his and Astrid's relationship was never meant to last.
Hiccup had never thought about it as Merida had said it. It had never crossed his mind that the break-up wasn't really anyone's fault to begin with. Regardless of whatever he and Astrid did or didn't do, their relationship had simply run it's course and there was nothing that could have changed that.
Fate and destiny were never exactly something that Hiccup had ever really believed in before, but now he had begun to wonder. Could everything they had been through just been leading them to where they were always meant to be...to whom they were always meant to be with? Maybe for Astrid, he was only just a brief stop on the path that had always been leading her to Eret. Just as Hiccup's had always been leading him to...
Hiccup turned his eyes back to Merida. He could feel his heart racing at the thought that perhaps the reason he had felt so drawn to her in the first place, was because he was always meant to find her. Maybe she was his fate.
He reached for her hand and gripped it tightly in his as he gazed longingly into her sky blue eyes. He leaned a little closer to her wanting so much to kiss her. He could feel his heart racing. He had never wanted to be with her more than he did right now.
"How do you do that," he questioned with a soft smile. She just gazed up at him and smiled slightly in return.
"What," she asked.
"How do you always know exactly what to say to get through to me," he asked as he leaned just a little closer. Merida shrugged as a blush arose on her cheeks.
"I don't really," she replied as she nervously tucked a rogue curl behind her ear, "I...I just...I speak from the heart." Hiccup nodded as he thought over her statement. He took a deep breath and exhaled slowly.
"I'm sorry if I overstepped," Merida replied, "but I meant what I said, ye deserve every happiness that she does. I just hope what I said helps ye to maybe see things differently."
"Don't apologize," he said softly, "you did help...you always do," he smiled slightly, "maybe that's why the wisps led me here." Merida smiled back as she blushed once again. Hiccup's heart nearly melted at the sight.
"Well yer my friend Hiccup," Merida went on, "I...I care about ye, and I just...I want to see ye happy, not bogged down by yer past. Yer a good person and ye deserve to be happy whether ye believe it or not."
Hiccup smiled warmly at her as he reached up slowly and brushed more of her curls away from her beautiful face. Merida shivered slightly as his finger tips grazed her cheek.
"I'm glad you speak from your heart," Hiccup replied, "I'm glad that you tell me like it is, and you don't hold back. It's what I like about you the most I think."
He had never felt more ready to tell her how he felt than he did in this moment.
"In fact, maybe I should speak from my heart too," he said. He took a deep breath as he continued to gaze at her longingly. Merida's heart skipped a beat with his words
"Merida," Hiccup sighed nervously, "I...Uh, okay...um, you know that I like you." Merida nodded.
"A-and you like me," he went on, "a-and we're friends." Merida felt her heart lurch slightly with his statement.
"Uh, but uh, what I mean is..., the way I...I feel a-about you, uh, I just," Hiccup stuttered, "I...I mean, what I'm trying to say is..." Suddenly there was a knock at Merida's chamber door. Merida's eyes went wide with panic.
"Merida," Elinor's voice echoed from the other side of the door, "may I come in dear, I would like to speak with you." Merida turned back to the opened balcony door.
"Um...uh...just a second mum," she called. She looked back at Hiccup in both concern and panic.
"Ye need to go," she said frantically. Hiccup let go of her hand reluctantly and sighed. He called to Toothless. He mounted the dragon the moment he landed on the balcony. Hiccup looked back at her longingly. If only her mother had waited just a few more minutes to interrupt, he might have confessed his true feelings. He sighed heavily.
"Alright," he sighed, "I'll be at our meeting spot in the morning," he said softly, "I know the odds are against us but I hope I see you there." She smiled slightly.
"I mean, who knows," he grinned, "maybe the reason your mom wants to talk is because she changed her mind about your grounding."
"Well if ye don't get out o' here now and my mum sees ye, I'll be grounded for life," she replied, "and ye'll be a prisoner!"
"Okay...okay," he chuckled slightly, "I'm going." Merida walked quickly to the opened balcony door, she paused and looked back at him. She smiled slightly.
"For what it's worth Hiccup," she said, "I'm glad the wisps led ye here." Hiccup smiled warmly in her direction.
"Me too," he replied.
"Be careful," she said softly, "and don't get caught!" Hiccup nodded as he gazed at her tenderly. Her previous words flashed quickly through his mind.
...
"How exactly do ye expect to find love again if yer so caught up in the past that ye can't see yer future?"
...
His vision had been clouded by his past, but gazing back at her now he could swear he could see his future in her pale blue eyes.
"Sleep well princess," he said with a soft smile. She smiled one last time before turning quickly back into her room. She pulled the balcony door shut behind her. She then drew the heavy curtains quickly.
"Let's go bud," Hiccup said. Toothless nodded and took off into the night sky.
—-
"Merida," Elinor called again. Merida quickly opened her door.
"Is everything alright dear," Elinor asked, "I...I could have sworn I heard ye talking to someone."
"No," Merida said quickly. Elinor looked back at her daughter curiously.
"Uh, I mean I was talking," Merida corrected herself, "to myself, I mean I was just thinking out loud I guess."
Elinor continued to gaze at her incredulously.
"So...um...what did ye need to talk to me about mum," Merida asked.
"Oh uh," Elinor replied, "about yer staying out and...and what I said earlier."
"Mum," Merida interrupted.
"No Merida let me finish," Elinor replied.
"I talked it over with yer father," Elinor went on, "and well...maybe I overreacted a bit. I can't help it, I...I still see ye as a wee lass at times. I forget yer a grown woman now. So maybe its time I started treating ye as such." Merida smiled up at her mother.
"So with that in mind,"Elinor replied, "I decided against the guard." Merida smiled as she hugged her mother.
"Thanks mum," she replied. Elinor smiled as she hugged her back.
"So long as ye heed my rules," Elinor replied firmly.
"Ye have my word mum," Merida replied, "it won't happen again."
"Now as far as the grounding goes," Elinor replied, "that still stands, as well as the extra lessons."
"Aye mum," she replied.
"Okay dear," Elinor replied, "ye should get some rest then, I'll see ye in the morn'.
"Goodnight mum," Merida said.
"Goodnight dear," Elinor replied as she exited the room.
—
Eret paced back and forth as Fishlegs aimlessly stoked the fire.
"Maybe it was a mistake for me to come," Eret muttered.
"Eh, Hiccup just had to blow off some steam," Fishlegs replied, "he'll be back once he's cooled off."
Eret sighed heavily as he paused by the fire. He crossed his arms over his chest and stared blankly into the fire as he thought about his and Hiccup's earlier argument. It was no surprise to him that Hiccup still felt betrayed. He did not blame Hiccup for feeling as he did, but he had hoped by now that he would have accepted things as they were. That they all could put the past behind them and finally move forward. Perhaps it was only wishful thinking on his part. Perhaps the only way that he and Astrid could move forward was to just give up the hope that Hiccup would ever accept them and move on.
He did not want that to happen. He still hoped that he and Hiccup could eventually make peace. They had been as close as brothers once, and it was a great loss to Eret to have lost that comradery.
"Well I can see you still have a blatant disregard for authority," Hiccup said as he stepped forth from the woods. Eret glared in his direction. Toothless happily padded behind Hiccup and greeted Meatlug and Skull Cusher.
"I'm following orders by being here aren't I," Eret replied.
"Yeah well I, your Chief, ordered you to leave," Hiccup said haughtily, "and yet here you still are."
"Look Hic," Eret replied calmly, "I don't want to fight with you mate, I didn't come here to have it out with you." Hiccup walked up to Eret and stood in front of him with arms crossed and nodding at his response. Unsure of what Hiccup would do or say, Eret stared back at him in uncertainty. Hiccup sighed heavily.
"I...I don't want to fight with you either Eret," Hiccup replied, "I've been angry with you for a long time...and honestly...I'm really tired of being angry." Eret gazed at Hiccup in surprise, unsure of how to respond.
"Hic," Eret started, "look I know how you might feel about me after everything, and I honestly don't blame you, I'm sorry for how things went down, truly I am..."
"Listen Eret," Hiccup replied, "you don't need to do that."
"What," Eret questioned.
"Apologize," Hiccup replied, "or...or explain yourself again...look things happen for a reason, maybe we don't always know what that reason is at the time, or...or maybe we just get too caught up in our grief and anger to truly see it. Fate isn't always what we think we want, but it is what we need."
"What are you saying exactly," Eret questioned.
"I'm saying that," Hiccup sighed as he tried to find the right words to continue, "I'm saying that things are as they should be...regardless of how or...or why it all went down, everything is how it was always meant to be. I mean I...I loved Astrid...and it really hurt to lose her but I know now that she and I...we just were never meant to be. Not the way that you and she are anyway."
Eret stared at Hiccup for a long moment at a loss for words.
"Hic, I...I don't know what to say," Eret replied, "I just..."
"Don't say anything," Hiccup interrupted dismissively, "ya know this was awkward enough as it is, I'd really rather just let it go for now, alright." Eret smirked at Hiccup.
"What ever you say Chief," Eret replied smugly. He suddenly noticed the fresh bruise on Hiccup's cheek bone.
"What happened to you after you ran off anyway," Eret questioned. Hiccup furrowed his brow at Eret's question.
"What are you talking about," Hiccup questioned.
"You look like you got into a fight," Eret replied. Hiccup scoffed as he pushed past him.
"A fight," Hiccup scoffed, "a fight with who?"
"How did he get the black eye then," Eret asked smugly, "did you fall off your dragon?"
"What this," Hiccup questioned dismissively as he motioned to his bruised cheek. Eret nodded as he gazed at Hiccup incredulously.
"Let's just say, a friend knocked some sense into me," Hiccup smirked as he turned his back on Eret and headed over to the fire. Eret furrowed his brow at his cryptic answer as he followed after him.
"Hey wait...Hic," Eret stuttered, "what friend?" Hiccup continued to smirk as he made his way over to Fish, ignoring Eret's question.
"Hey Hic," Fishlegs greeted.
"Hey Fish," Hiccup replied as he sat down beside his friend.
"So have you found anything about your grandfather and the mysterious woman," Fish questioned. Hiccup smiled at his question.
"A lot actually," Hiccup replied. He turned and noticed Eret staring at him in intrigue He turned back to Fish.
"Well do tell," Fish said in anticipation, "who was she, what happened with your grandfather, what was the symbol on the pendant?
Okay, okay, look," Hiccup replied, "it's really kinda a long a-and complicated story." Hiccup looked up at Eret again. Eret looked intrigued.
"Well I, uh, I sorta accidentally met her great great granddaughter," Hiccup replied.
"Really," Fish asked in surprise, "how did you know...I mean uh how did you find out she was related?"
"Well uh it's uh really kinda crazy actually," Hiccup went on, "she...she looks exactly like the sketch. I mean when I first saw her I was just stunned at the resemblance. Anyway the girl in the sketch was named Mairead and Merida is actually named for her."
"That's crazy Hic," Fish replied, "so did uh...Merida have more information about your grandfather."
"Yeah, actually," Hiccup continued, "when I officially introduced myself after our initial meeting she immediately recognized my name." Fish and Eret continued to listen intently.
"Turns out she had recently found her great great grandmother's journal which mentioned Hiccup the first," Hiccup continued, "and it's basically an entire account of the two of them meeting and falling in love."
"That's crazy," Fish replied.
"Yeah no kidding," Hiccup continued, "but even crazier is the fact that she has the same exact pendant as me."
"The one from your dream," Fish gasped, "the same as the one your dad gave your mom?"
"Exactly the same," Hiccup replied, "her's was passed to her from her great great grandmother."
"Okay well, what about the symbol," Fish questioned, "did she know what it meant?" Hiccup nodded.
"Yeah actually," Hiccup replied, "she called it a Celtic knot, it apparently means soul mates." Fish nodded his head in interest. Eret just remained quiet as he thought over all Hiccup had told them.
"Oh uh, that reminds me," Hiccup said as he reached for his notebook, "I was going to run this by you when I got back to Berk...but since you're here maybe you could take a look at it now."
Hiccup flipped to the drawing from the standing stones and then handed it over to Fish. Fish gazed at the sketch in intrigue.
"So I copied this from the standing stones a few days ago," Hiccup replied, "I translated it already but I wanted you to take a second look for me."
"Did you say standing stones," Fish questioned.
"Yeah," Hiccup grinned, "they're real too." Fish looked at the drawing intently.
"It's old Norse," Fish replied excitedly, looks like it says, 'Souls be bound...lovers true...fate be linked...two hearts now one." Fish looked up at Hiccup curiously.
"What exactly is this Hic," Fish asked.
"Well, we think it could be some sort of a spell," Hiccup replied, "but we're still trying to figure it out."
"See these symbols," Hiccup pointed to the combined symbols, "they're the same as the ones on our pendants, and I was thinking this could be some sort of a binding spell...but I can't figure out what the purpose of it was."
"Interesting," Fish replied, "so you think both of your grandparents had something to do with this...this binding spell?" Hiccup nodded.
"Well, why exactly," Fish questioned, "what do you think they were trying to do."
"Well, it...it's hard to say," Hiccup replied, "I mean there's a lot more to it, we still have a lot of questions. Merida and I were trying to find a witch that could maybe answer some of them but that's sort of on hold right now."
"Why is that," Fish asked.
"That's kind of a little more than I want to get into right now," Hiccup replied as he cleared his throat. Eret raised an eyebrow at Hiccup as he gazed at him incredulously. He wondered if there was something more about this girl that Hiccup had not mentioned.
"Well why don't you just tell us a little more about this girl you met then Hic," Eret smirked.
"Uh...well she's a princess," Hiccup replied, "well I mean, technically she's uh...uh the crowned princess, uh she's next in line for the throne." Eret raised his eyebrows in surprise.
"W-what's she like," Fish asked curiously. Hiccup gulped as he thought of her again and he found himself at a brief loss for words.
"Uh, well, uh, she's nice," Hiccup stammered, "a-and she's, well, she's amazing...actually, a-and uh, I...I mean, uh she's just s-she's...she's a...a really good person, she's brave, smart, strong-willed, she will not hesitate to tell you like it is. She is nothing you'd expect a princess to be. And she can fight as well as any viking I think."
"Is she pretty," Fish asked. Hiccup nodded as he tried to fight a smile.
"Uh...yeah," he replied trying his best to seem aloof about it, "ya know uh she's uh, well she's beautiful, ya know as far as princesses go." He cleared his throat as he looked away, but he could not hide the blush on his face
"Is she the one that hit you then," Eret questioned. Hiccup looked up to see Eret smirking at him.
"What," Hiccup asked.
"Well you ran off earlier all in a tizzy," Eret replied, "then hours later ya show up with a shiner, ya claim a friend knocked some sense into you...was it her?" Hiccup just gazed at Eret deciding on how exactly to answer him.
"You just said she can fight as well as any Viking. So what happened," Eret questioned smugly, "did ya offend her, did ya try to kiss her and she clocked ya one, did ya tell her she fights like a girl? Hiccup could feel the blush on his cheeks growing deeper.
"What...no," Hiccup replied dismissively, "I wouldn't do that! I...I just I snuck up on her when she wasn't expecting it." Eret raised his eyebrows in surprise.
"And she gave you a black eyed for it," he questioned.
"She didn't know it was me," Hiccup replied, "she was defending herself!"
"That's some princess," Eret replied. Hiccup smirked at him.
"You don't know the half of it," Hiccup replied. Eret raised his eyebrow at Hiccup's comment.
"Now it makes sense," Eret said.
"What," Hiccup questioned.
"You like this girl, don't ya Hic," Eret questioned smugly. Hiccup scoffed at his question.
"Of course I like her," Hiccup replied dismissively, "we're friends aren't we." Eret gazed back at him skeptically.
"I don't know Hic," Eret said smugly, "it kinda seems like you might be a little smitten with this girl."
"Smitten," Hiccup said sarcastically, "what am I five?"
"Deny it all you want mate," Eret smirked, "it's written all over your face."
"You don't even know what you're talking about," Hiccup huffed.
"Right," Eret replied, "you run off hell-bent on never forgiving me, then you go meet your 'friend' and you suddenly have a change of heart." Hiccup groaned and rolled his eyes. He stood from his place and headed off in Toothless' direction.
"Where are you going now," Eret questioned.
"Look not to be rude or anything," Hiccup groaned, "but it's been a really long and pretty annoying day and I'm done talking about this with you, so I'm going to bed."
"Right," Eret chuckled slightly, "whatever you say Chief."