A Little Destiny, a Little Fate, and What's Written in the Stars

by Roseisarose123

Fate is a funny thing, it can be mysterious, it can be illusive, but it's always there. Some people spend their whole lives chasing it, while others try to avoid it. But sometimes we meet our fate on the very road that we take to avoid it. * FYI- made a small change to ch 10(11)due to sm. discrepancy in my timeline, making it 8 yrs after HTTYD1 rather than 5 yrs.*

25. Chapter 25

Chapter 24

…

Flashback

"And they lived happily ever after."

Thirteen-year-old Ellie sighed dreamily as her sixteen-year-old sister, Isla, closed the storybook that she had just finished reading to her. Isla gazed silently at the cover of the book for a long moment with a far off look in her eye. Ellie watched her sister curiously.

"Isla," Ellie questioned.

"Aye Ellie," Isla replied as she turned to her sister, "what is it?"

"Do ye think ye will live happily ever after when ye marry the prince," Ellie questioned, "do ye think it will be love at first sight when ye finally meet him?" The older girl rolled her eyes.

Ever since their father had announced Isla's betrothal to the crowned prince of Dunbroch, Ellie could not stop thinking about it nor had she stopped asking questions about it. In fact, the thirteen-year-old thought this whole betrothal thing was something straight out of a romantic fairytale and she was absolutely obsessed with the idea of love at first sight. She was completely convinced that Isla and the prince would instantly fall madly in love the moment they met and they would live happily ever after, but it seemed that Isla wasn't quite so sure.

"I dinnae know," Isla groaned.

"But in all the stories," Ellie said, "when the lady meets the prince, they fall in love at first sight a-and then he whisks her off to his kingdom where they live happily ever after…"

"It's only like that in stories Ellie," Isla replied, "it's nae real." Ellie watched as Isla stood, walked over to the bookshelf and replaced the book neatly in its place upon the shelf. Ellie frowned at her sister's response.

"But Isla," Ellie asked, "aren't ye the least bit excited to meet the prince?"

"No," Isla replied thoughtfully as she headed toward the door, "I'm terrified…I dinnae know how I'll feel about him...I mean, how would ye like it if father told ye that yer to be married to some prince ye've never met before?"

"I would be thrilled," Ellie replied dreamily, "it's like fate...like our love was written in the stars." Isla turned back and crossed her arms over her chest as she gazed at Ellie with a smirk.

"Aye," Isla laughed, "and suppose he's a heathen of a man, what if ye hate the way he cracks his knuckles, or chews his food? What if he snorts when he laughs...or picks his nose?"

"Princes don't pick their noses Isla," Ellie replied flatly, "they are raised more properly than regular people."

"And what does happily ever after even mean anyway, if ye still have a whole lifetime to spend with this prince," Isla questioned, " Life isn't perfect just because ye marry a prince and go live in a castle. A lifetime is an awful long time to spend with a knuckle cracking, sloppy eating, nose picking prince who snorts when he laughs." Ellie could not contain her laughter. Isla shook her head with an amused grin on her face. She sighed as Ellie's laughter slowly subsided.

"Come on now, Ellie," Isla chuckled, "It's time for bed." Isla held up the blankets and motioned for Ellie to lay down. Ellie jumped into her bed and quickly lay her head upon her pillow. Isla draped the blanket over her and gently tucked her in.

"Were mum and dad betrothed," Ellie asked curiously.

"Aye," Isla answered, "nobles and Lords are always betrothed, only the common folk get to choose for love." Ellie gazed at her sister curiously.

"Why," Ellie asked. Isla shrugged.

"It's just how things are done," Isla replied, "It's how things have always been done." Ellie nodded as she lay back upon her pillow.

"But mum and dad were in love," Ellie replied, "weren't they?" Isla put her hand on her chin as if she were in deep thought.

"I dinnae know if they were at first," Isla replied, "but they certainly were as long as I can remember." Ellie nodded in understanding.

"Well, if ye dinnae fall in love with the prince at first sight," Ellie questioned, "do ye think ye may in time?"

"I suppose it's possible," Isla replied, "If anything, I suppose anyone can grow to love their betrothed in time." As Isla turned and headed back toward the bedroom door, Ellie sat up suddenly as a thought occurred to her.

"I know why yer reluctant about the prince," Ellie smirked as she gazed after Isla, "it's because ye like that boy ye met in the woods more." Isla turned instantly as a blush arose on her cheeks.

"Ellie, hush," Isla replied. Ellie beamed at her sister knowingly.

"Ye do, don't ye," Ellie exclaimed with a wide grin. She jumped up from her blankets and stood on her bed gazing playfully at her sister.

"No," Isla laughed, "I dinnae know what yer goin' on about!"

"Ye do, ye do," Ellie teased as she jumped up and down upon her bed.

"Alright, alright," Isla sighed, "I do like him…. he's very handsome, and very nice…" She paused for a long moment as she averted her eyes and her amused smile slowly faded from her face.

"But that doesn't matter," Isla said somberly as she plopped back down upon Ellie's bed, "I…I'm promised to the prince now a-and, I have no say in the matter." Ellie stopped jumping up and down and frowned as she gazed at Isla in sympathy. She sat down beside Isla and thought seriously about her sister's plight. After a few long moments she turned her eyes back to Isla and beamed.

"Maybe ye could run away with the boy in the woods," Ellie replied, "maybe he could take ye to where he comes from a-and then ye could live happily ever after there." Isla shook her head at her sister's suggestion.

"I'm afraid it's not quite that simple Ellie," Isla replied, "I have duties, responsibilities, I…I cannae just… run away, that would be crazy."

"It's not crazy," Ellie replied indignantly, "it's romantic." Isla rolled her eyes.

"Besides," Isla said, "if I run away… what would become of ye? Just imagine all the trouble ye'd get into without me to set ye straight."

"Please, don't let me stand in the path of true love," Ellie declared. Isla rolled her eyes once again at her sister's dramatics.

"Aye, ye need to start reading somethin' other than fairy tales," Isla said flatly as she crossed her arms over her chest, "they're fillin' yer heid with nothin" but nonsense."

"True love is not nonsense," Ellie insisted.

"Ye dinnae know the first thing about true love," Isla chuckled.

"I know plenty," Ellie replied.

"Is that so," Isla replied with a smirk on her face.

….

Elinor sighed at the far-off memory as she gazed at the embroidered image sewn into an old tapestry. She ran her fingers over the two young girls depicted in the image. It was the image of she and her sister as girls. As always, her heart ached at the thought of Isla. Though this particular memory was one of the many good ones that brought some joy to her heart to remember, it was ultimately foreshadowed by Isla's tragic fate. Despite all of Elinor's happy memories of Isla, she remained haunted by what happened to her older sister.

Elinor inhaled deeply and exhaled slowly as she tried her best to push the dark memories to the back of her mind before she could dwell on them for long. She was uncertain what had brought her sister to mind at this particular moment. It had been a long time since she had truly reminisced and she could not help but to wonder the reason for it now.

Whatever the reason, Elinor needed to focus on what was happening now, on the situation with Merida, the coming suitors and this mystery lad, if he existed, that Merida might favor. Just as Elinor turned from the tapestry, the door to her sitting room opened and Fergus walked in.

"There ye are dear," Fergus said, "I've been lookin' all over for ye." He paused when he noticed her emotional expression.

"Are ye alright dear," Fergus asked in concern.

"Aye," Elinor shook her head in denial, "just reminiscing a bit." Fergus glanced past her to see the old tapestry depicting Elinor's family. He looked back at her

knowingly.

"Are ye thinking o' yer sister today," Fergus questioned somberly. Elinor sighed at his question.

"Aye, she's been on my mind quite a lot today," Elinor replied, "I dinnae know why exactly... maybe it's somethin' tae do with Merida."

"Merida," Fergus questioned.

"Aye, "Elinor replied, "I...I just cannae help it. It's this situation with Merida at the moment. Fergus...if I'm right and she truly is meetin' with some boy in the woods...I...I'm just afraid that she may unintentionally put herself in a similar situation that Isla did." Fergus nodded in understanding.

"Elinor," Fergus began, "I can see where ye could draw a parallel between Merida and Isla...but Merida is a smart girl, not easily fooled."

"Aye, she may not be easy to fool as ye say," Elinor replied, "but she often does things wi'oot thinkin' them through, especially when she's upset."

"Aye...but dear..."

"Isla was a smart girl tae, Fergus," Elinor went on, "just as Merida is. Isla should have known better. She was responsible and set on her duties as daughter of a Lord. But that didnae matter in the end did it." Elinor paused a moment as she tried to regain control of her fraught emotions as she spoke of Isla.

"I never thought in a million years that she could be fooled so easily as she was," Elinor continued, "what's tae say the same thing won't happen tae Merida, and who's tae say that this lad she may be seein' isnae just as cunning, and diabolical as the one that fooled Isla?"

"Now just hold on, Elinor," Fergus replied, "dinnae ye think ye just might be jumpin' tae conclusions. Just this morn', ye believed that this alleged lad o' hers could be the answer tae the dilemma with the Lords. Now yer sayin' he could be nothin' more than a...a scoundrel intent on bringing harm tae Merida. Are ye second guessin' yerself dear?"

"No," Elinor sighed, "maybe…I…I dinnae know Fergus." Elinor sighed again as she tried to sort through her conflicting feelings over the whole situation.

"I'm not sayin' that," Elinor replied, "this lad may very well be the answer to our dilemma, but as it is right now, we know little tae nothin' about him, nor where he comes from, nor if he's even who he might say he is. He has yet tae come forward, and I cannae help but tae wonder why. But even if he did come forward how can we be certain he will even tell us the truth? I will not just blindly accept him at his word." Elinor paused and took another deep breath as she tried to straighten her thoughts. She gazed back at Fergus with a worried expression on her face.

"If he does exist, and if he is set tae pursue Merida," Elinor said, "then he'll need tae prove himself tae me beyond the shadow o' a doubt that he is worthy of her." Fergus grinned at his wife.

"Aye," Fergus replied with a slight chuckle, "as he should."

"I'm serious Fergus," Elinor replied.

"As am I dear," Fergus replied firmly, "it does not matter tae me which lad catches Merida's eye; even if she were tae settle for one of the Lords' sons, it'd be a cold day in hell afore a'd approve o' him if he didnae prove his-sel foremaist." Elinor sighed as she listened to Fergus.

"But that bein' said dear," Fergus continued, "we must also keep a level heid about him tae judge him fairly. We cannae just go intae it assuming th' worst now can we. Ye cannae let what happened tae Isla cloud yer judgement about this lad simply because there are a few similarities between this situation and Isla's. For all we know he might just be a good man, and a promising leader, we just need tae give him the opportunity tae prove it. Elinor took a deep breath as she pondered her husband's words.

"I know," she sighed, "but I just cannae help but tae be reminded o' what happened tae Isla. I cannae help but tae worry that despite all my warnings and all my lessons, that th' same thing that happened tae Isla might happen tae Merida. Lord knows I could ne'er forgive myself if Merida were tae suffer th'same fate."

"Elinor, ye know ye were not tae blame for what happened tae yer sister," Fergus replied, "no one could have predicted what happened tae Isla, not even Isla herself."

"I may not be tae blame," Elinor replied, "but I could have prevented it if I dinnae help keep her secret. If I had just told my father about that lad in the woods…instead o' romanticizing the situation, Isla might still be here. If I had just done what was right, if I had just tried to protect her just as she always did for me, then maybe she would not have been taken.

"Ye were but a wee lass," Fergus replied, "ye could not have known any better then."

"Be that as it may," Elinor replied, "I will not make the same mistake when it comes tae Merida."

"I dinnae blame ye for feelin' as ye do Elinor," Fergus replied, "but I swear tae ye that it wilnae come tae that with Merida."

"How can ye be so certain Fergus," Elinor questioned.

"For one, Merida was raised a wee bit differently than Isla," Fergus replied, "I taught her how tae fight and defend herself, if need be...and tae be resourceful in any situation. Merida is far from helpless. Even though ye were against it, being that she is a lady, tae me learnin' tae fight and survive is essential. It's especially true for a young lass. If anything, what happened tae Isla is proof o' that." Elinor nodded as she listened.

"But besides that," Fergus went on, "we will get tae the bottom o' this before it comes tae anything. Just give her a few days, and if she still does not come tae us, then I will find this lad myself and we will find out exactly who he is and what his intentions are."

---

Berk

Astrid paced back and forth anxiously as Valka sat immersed in the stack of letters that they had discovered days before. Valka was completely enthralled in the details of the letter. When she finished reading, she looked up at Astrid with a shocked expression on her face. Astrid sat across from Valka and gazed at her anxiously.

"I don't know what to say Astrid," Valka nearly stuttered, "this is...just…"

"These changes everything," Astrid replied, "I mean, if this is true then...then there is a very good possibility that Eret might be just as much a part of this mystery as Hiccup and this princess!

"It is compelling," Valka replied.

"But," Astrid sighed, anticipating Valka's disagreement. Valka looked up at Astrid seriously.

"But, I'm not quite sure how it pertains to Eret specifically, in the way that you say." Astrid sat down at the table across from Valka and gazed at her with a serious expression on her face.

"The symbol on the letters matches his pendant perfectly," Astrid replied, "I don't see how that can possibly be coincidental."

"No," Valka replied, "that bit is far more than a coincidence."

"Not only that but she mentions his name...twice," Astrid replied, "what are the chances that a three-hundred-year-old letter not only has Eret's alleged family crest on it and also mentions his name."

"You have a point," Valka replied, "but like you said the letters are also over three hundred years old."

"Yeah," Astrid huffed," so are these maps, and charts, and travel journals. You can't dispute that all of these things belonged to Hiccup's great, great grandfather." Valka nodded as she pondered Astrid's words. Astrid sighed as she tried to get control over her slight frustration.

"Look, I know this all sounds like it is a bit of a stretch," Astrid replied, "but i-it sorta makes sense doesn't it. I mean given what Eret's mother told him."

"I can see why you might jump to this conclusion Astrid," Valka replied, "but this is a far cry from conclusive evidence." Astrid nodded as she mulled over Valka's words. She sat back in the chair as she silently debated her finding. "If anything, having the other half of the letters would certainly help us to understand the situation better."

"The other half of the letters," Astrid questioned.

"All we have right now are the letters from the princess to Hiccup the first," Valka replied, "we don't know how Hiccup responded to her letters. If we had the other half of the letters, it could definitely give us a much clearer picture of the situation." Astrid nodded as she mulled over all that Valka had said. It would certainly help to know more about the situation that the princess had written about in her letters. Having as much information as they could find would help them to deduce exactly what had happened.

The problem was that they had many bits of information, but connecting them to form a full picture was near impossible without the missing pieces. The same was true for the story that Eret's mother had told him as a boy. It was a compelling story, but it was only one side of it. It was missing major details...like what exactly happened to Eret's father. Nor did it mention anything about Eret's grandfather, or how he had come to possess the pendant, or why he was displaced from his home in the first place.

His mother's story also did not explain why Eret's father was so obsessed with finding that long lost home or why he never took his family with him on his searches, or why he never stuck around for long.

It almost seemed as if he didn't want anyone to know that he had a family at all. Eret certainly had a lot of hard feelings toward his father for leaving. You would think his mother would also feel angry and abandoned, but from what Eret had told her, his mother never stopped loving his father despite their estrangement. Astrid couldn't help but to wonder if there wasn't more to the story.

"Maybe you're right," Astrid sighed, "maybe I shouldn't jump to any conclusions until we know more about this. It's possible the guys might have found more in Dunbroch by now...maybe even Hiccup the first's letters to the princess. I will write Eret and find out if they've come across any other evidence. But if this truly does relate to Eret's family then I think I know where I can look for more information."

"Where," Valka questioned. Astrid looked back at her with a determined look in her eye.

"Eret's mother's things," Astrid replied. Valka furrowed her brow at Astrid's answer.

"You're right Valka," Astrid explained, "we've only been looking at this from one angle. We've only been looking at how this all started...maybe we need to start where it might have ended and work our way back."

"So, what exactly are you going to do Astrid," Valka questioned, "are you going to tell Eret about this?" Astrid gazed back at Valka for a long moment as she thought over her question. She honestly wasn't sure what she should do with this discovery or how she should tell Eret about it. It didn't seem like something she should reveal to him in a letter. If her inklings about this discovery turned out to be true, then it could very well be a life altering development for Eret. But aside from that it was a rather important piece of evidence in regards to the mystery Hiccup sought to solve. Either way she was compelled to tell both Eret and Hiccup about what she had found. She sighed heavily as she looked up at Valka once more.

"I-I don't know yet," Astrid replied, "first I want to look more into Eret's story to see if I can find anything that might connect his family's story to Hiccup the first's and then go from there." Valka nodded in agreement of Astrid's decision.

"But first and foremost," Astrid replied, "I'm going to write to Eret and find out if they've found anything since we last spoke."

"Okay," Valka replied with a smile, "at least we have a plan."

---

Hiccup's camp

For the past two hours Hiccup had been trying and failing to get the will o' the wisp to appear on command...or at least by polite invitation. So far nothing seemed to work and he was beginning to get frustrated. He sighed heavily, gripping the bridge of his nose as he tried to think back to what he had done the last two times the wisps seemed to have appeared at his request. He was beginning to wonder if it was all just a coincidence after all.

He sighed heavily as he lifted his eyes once again to the forest. He took a deep breath as he tried to think specifically of what he had said the night the wisps led him to Merida's balcony. Honestly, he couldn't remember what he had said or done that night that would have coaxed the wisps to appear before him. He remembered being flustered over his argument with Eret and confused about his complicated feelings about his past with Astrid, then overwhelmed by his sudden desire to see Merida. He had not specifically requested for the wisps to lead him at all. But what exactly were the chances that the moment he stated aloud how much he longed to see Merida that they would then appear and lead him to the exact place he wanted to be.

According to Merida, there was no logical explanation. The wisp's only purpose, as far as she knew, was to lead one to one's fate. She claimed the wisps never appeared upon request, they simply appeared of their own volition when they seemed to be needed. He thought for a long moment about this seemingly well-known fact amongst the Scot's. Perhaps her belief of the wisp was more accurate than he thought.

Thinking back now to his troubled state of mind at the time, he could only assume that the wisps simply appeared in his time of need and led him to the only person that could help him through it. But was it only because they sought to help him, or was it because Merida was his fate? Or perhaps the two seemingly separate reasons were actually one in the same. She was his fate, he had no doubts now, but at the time that the wisps appeared he was still slightly unsure of his feelings and what he should do. He had been doing quite well at overcomplicating his feelings for her, perhaps the wisp sought to lead him to the only person who could un-complicate them.

That in mind, it was becoming more likely that his attempt to ask the wisps to appear would not work at all. Still, he was determined to try, for Merida's sake. Especially after what happened earlier with the wisp, he was absolutely determined to figure this out.

"Okay will o' the wisps," he called out firmly, "last chance to prove my theory. If it wouldn't be too much trouble...I'd really appreciate it if you could just show yourselves." He paused and looked around carefully, searching for any evidence of a wisp's appearance.

"I really am sorry about my friend," Hiccup continued, "he didn't mean to attack you…well…uh…he did technically mean to attack you…but that's only because he didn't know what you are." He looked around carefully, but there was still no sign of a wisp. Hiccup sighed heavily. He glanced over at Merida with a look of dismay. Merida gazed back at him reassuringly.

"Maybe it's not working because you don't have a specific place in mind that you want to go," Fishlegs suggested. Hiccup turned to him and shrugged.

"I didn't technically have any particular place in mind the first time either," Hiccup replied.

"Sure, you did mate," Eret replied assuredly, Hiccup looked over at him curiously. Eret grinned at him with arms crossed.

"You wanted to see Merida," Eret replied as he raised an eyebrow at him, "the place you wanted to be was anywhere that she was." Hiccup nodded as he thought about it. At the particular time the wisps had appeared to him, he was practically in turmoil over wanting to see her. Perhaps they had appeared only because of his overwhelming feelings. He turned back to Merida questioningly.

"What do you think," Hiccup asked. Merida smiled at him as she walked up beside him.

"I think ye ought tae take a break," Merida replied firmly, as she tossed him an apple. Hiccup caught the apple with one hand, then looked up at her curiously.

"Ye've been at this for hours," Merida went on, "I think it's clear the wisps wilnae be showin' themselves again today." Hiccup sighed as he gazed back at her. Though she was trying her best to be supportive, he still sensed the disappointment in her voice. The last thing he wanted to do was to disappoint her. She had been so upset about the wisps earlier, that he was determined for this to work, but clearly it was not working at all.

"You sure," he asked as he gazed at her in uncertainty. Merida nodded with a reassuring smile.

"Aye, they're wisps Hiccup," Merida replied with a shrug, "not dogs that come when ye call. It…it would have been amazing if it worked that way, but ye have to admit...it was a bit of a stretch." Hiccup nodded as he dropped his eyes from hers.

"So, you think I'm wasting my time," Hiccup sighed. Merida shook her head.

"I dinnae say that," she replied fervently, "I have no doubt that they led ye to me when ye asked…but there had to have been more to it than that. There had to have been another reason besides that ye just…wanted to see me." She gently slipped her hand in his as she smiled up at him reassuringly.

"There had to have been somethin' more that the wisps wanted ye to see…or find out by leadin' ye to me," she continued. Hiccup nodded as he thought about it.

He thought back to that last moment on her balcony on the night the wisps had led him. That moment that he looked back at her just before he left, he swore he could unequivocally see his future in her pale blue eyes. It was at that moment that he no longer questioned his feelings for her, and he knew without doubt, that he was always meant to find her. The same beautiful blue eyes now gazed back at him questioningly. He smiled warmly as he gazed back at her knowingly.

"You are my fate," he replied simply. Merida smiled up at him curiously.

"That night…the night the wisps led me, it...it was when I first knew it," Hiccup explained, "I mean, really knew it...for certain." Merida felt her heart flutter with his words.

"It was," she questioned. Hiccup nodded. He reached up and gently brushed a loose curl back behind her ear as he smiled at her warmly.

"I…I mean, I guess a part of me always sort of knew," Hiccup reiterated, "but after that night I had no more doubts." Merida blushed slightly at his words. She gazed back into his deep green eyes for a long moment as she smiled up at him

"Well, I certainly wish ye would have said something that day," Merida replied, "ye might have saved me a lot o' worry."

"Hey, I tried, remember," Hiccup chuckled, "but your mom showed up and you told me to leave."

"Aye, and it's a good thing I did," she replied, "otherwise ye might be in the dungeon this very moment instead o' out here trying to conjure up a wisp." Hiccup smirked at her comment.

"Oh...okay," Hiccup smirked, "so basically I should apologize for not telling you that day...but also be grateful that you kicked me out before I could." Merida shrugged as she smiled up at him. Hiccup sighed as he gazed at her in amusement.

"Why do I get the feeling that I am never going to win an argument with you," Hiccup questioned.

"I dinnae know what yer goin' on about," Merida grinned playfully. Hiccup chuckled at her reply.

"Alright, alright," Hiccup sighed, "I'll take a break." He smiled as he leaned forward and kissed her softly upon the cheek, causing her to blush slightly.

"Great," Fishlegs exclaimed as he jumped up suddenly, "Meatlug is way overdue for her afternoon snack." He quickly headed in the direction of the dragons as both Hiccup and Merida turned to him in amusement.

"Well, aren't the two of you just the sweetest thing," Eret said mockingly, "even your disagreements are adorable." Hiccup rolled his eyes as he turned to Eret and grinned. Eret crossed his arms over his chest as he gazed back at the two of them smugly.

"Hey, don't you have anything better to do then to just stand around making annoying comments," Hiccup smirked. Eret chuckled.

"Please, "Eret smirked, "I'm just an innocent bystander forced to witness your sickeningly sweet displays of affection."

"You should talk," Hiccup replied haughtily. Merida audibly groaned and rolled her eyes at the two men's banter.

"Hey, Astrid and I did at least try to keep it low key around you," Eret replied.

"Yeah well...that certainly didn't make it any less annoying," Hiccup replied flatly. Merida huffed as she pulled her hand from Hiccup's and started to walk away in the direction of the dragons. Hiccup turned to her curiously.

"Hey, where ya going," Hiccup questioned. Merida turned to him with her hands on her hips and a smirk on her face as she slowly backed away.

"Aye, I'd rather spend time with Fishlegs and the dragons, then stand around here listenin' tae th' two o' ye rufflin' yer feathers," Merida replied haughtily. With that she turned and walked away without looking back. Hiccup shook his head in amusement as she walked away. Eret could not contain his laughter. Hiccup turned to his friend and smirked as he rolled his eyes once again.

"She's feisty, that one, I'll give you that," Eret said as his laughter subsided. Hiccup grinned as he crossed his arms over his chest.

"That's Merida for ya," Hiccup replied as he turned back in her direction and watched her walk away, "feisty, stubborn, short-tempered and…just…practically…perfect." Eret raised his eyebrow as he smirked at Hiccup.

"Oh, you've got it bad mate," Eret chuckled as he turned and walked back over to the fire.

"Yup, I was pretty much doomed the moment I met her," Hiccup shrugged as he turned and followed after Eret."

"I know the feeling mate," Eret replied absentmindedly. Hiccup's heart lurched slightly with Eret's words. He furrowed his brow as he turned to his friend questioningly. Suddenly realizing what he had inadvertently said, Eret paused and looked back at Hiccup apprehensively.

"Uh…I didn't mean that h-how it sounded," Eret stuttered, "I just meant…uh, I...I a-always liked Astrid, "b-but it was all just innocent at first! Maybe I…I m-might have had a-a bit of a-a crush is all, but I never intended to act on it! I...I never thought about it…like seriously as a possibility until long after you broke up. Ya know, it... it was just like a-a passing thought. Like I...I'd see you with Astrid sometimes and think to myself…where can I find a girl like that…ya know. But I…I swear I never thought about being with Astrid, specifically, while you were together. I… I just admired her from afar is all."

Hiccup gazed at Eret for a long moment as his friend's unexpected admission swirled through his mind. Until now, Eret had always denied having feelings for Astrid until long after she and Hiccup had broken up, but now he had all but admitted that that wasn't exactly true. Eret's inadvertent confession had caught Hiccup slightly off guard. Perhaps it was nothing more than a knee-jerk reaction to this new and unexpected development but Hiccup couldn't help but to feel slightly jilted. He wasn't sure exactly how to react to this new information.

He was fairly certain that if Eret had come clean about his crush on Astrid back in Berk that he surely would have overreacted. But now it seemed that he could think on the situation a little more clearly than he was ever able to before. Hiccup knew now that he, himself, wasn't really fully to blame for how things ended with Astrid. Though he acknowledged the mistakes he made in their relationship, he knew now that their paths were simply leading them in different directions. There was nothing that either he or Astrid could have done to change that. It was, what it was, they were simply not meant to be.

That in mind, he supposed being angry with Eret over his confession was basically pointless. After all, what had happened with Astrid wasn't really Eret's fault either. He supposed Eret's feelings for Astrid had started much like his own feelings for Merida. Perhaps Eret was even in denial over his feelings for a long time. Maybe even the same was true for Astrid. Maybe the reason Astrid tended to lean on Eret so much was because she was inexplicably drawn to him as well. Perhaps it had only been a matter of time before they both began to realize it. There was simply no fighting fate, after all.

Hiccup sighed heavily and gripped the bridge of his nose as he tried to straighten his thoughts before responding. It was force of habit that made him want to lash out at Eret, but he knew deep down that it wasn't only wrong, but also completely counterproductive to moving on with Merida. Above all else he wanted his relationship with Merida to work and letting go of the past was the only way to ensure that it would. There was no question, he needed to accept this for what it was, and he needed to let it go. Hiccup sighed heavily as he dropped his hand at his side and turned his eyes back to Eret. Eret gazed back at him anxiously awaiting his response.

"Relax Eret," Hiccup replied in a calm tone. He averted his eyes once again, "I get it…and it's okay." Eret sighed in relief but he continued to gaze at Hiccup in remorse and slight apprehension.

"I'm sorry mate," Eret replied, "I…I…"

"Seriously," Hiccup replied in slight annoyance, "stop apologizing…it's in the past!"

"Yeah, I know Hic," Eret started, "but I still feel bad about everything."

"Well, you need to stop," Hiccup replied, "seriously…it's over and done with, okay. I've already forgiven you for what happened, you don't need to keep apologizing!" Eret nodded in response, still feeling slightly uneasy about the whole thing. Hiccup turned from Eret and continued to walk over to the campfire. Without a word, Eret followed after him.

As they walked, Hiccup remained silent, still contemplating all that Eret had said. Looking back now at the situation with slightly more clarity than before, Hiccup began to realize that there were many signs of what was to come that he had not seen before; things that he'd noticed and thought nothing of, or perhaps couldn't see because he was so caught up in himself. There were certainly times that he'd felt slight pangs of jealousy over Astrid and Eret's friendship but he'd mostly attributed that to his own lack of confidence. But perhaps it was more than that, perhaps their budding friendship had truly been the beginning of Astrid and Eret's feelings for each other after all. His mind drifted once again to Merida. He thought back to one of their earlier conversations.

…

"You okay," he asked in a concerned tone.

"Yeah," Merida replied distractedly, "I...I was just thinking, is all."

"About what exactly," Hiccup questioned. She glanced up at him.

"Just about our grandparent's situation," Merida replied, "I mean, it must have been so hard for them. They found each other and fell in love only to be forced apart. And what's worse, she was forced to marry someone she didn't even love at all. It's...it's...exactly what I fear Hiccup." Hiccup nodded in understanding as he listened.

"Not only that, but I could have just as easily been in the same predicament as my great, great nana," Merida said, "I mean, if my mum didn't change her mind, I'd have been betrothed when ye and I met, and most likely on the cusp of marriage."

"What," Hiccup chuckled," are you not allowed to have an adorable well-mannered Viking as a friend when you're betrothed?" He raised an eyebrow at her and shot her a crooked grin.

"No," she smirked at him, "I don't believe my betrothed would have taken too kindly to my being friends with a Viking, particularly an adorable, well-mannered one."

…

As he recalled his and Merida's conversation, he couldn't help but to wonder what would have happened if she had been betrothed when they met. Would he have been able to deny his feelings for her. Would it matter to him if she were already spoken for or would he have still done everything in his power to try to convince her that they belonged together?

His grandfather certainly hadn't let Mairead's betrothal stand in the way of his feelings for her and he pursued her regardless of her fiancé. It seemed that the heart has no boundaries when it came to love. When you meet the one your meant for, there is simply no denying it. He supposed the same was true for Eret when he met Astrid. It simply didn't matter who she was with at the time, she was the one for him, his soul-mate and there was simply no denying that. Hiccup paused once again and gazed back at Eret with a serious expression on his face, as this sudden realization occurred to him.

"Ya know, I...I don't think it was just a crush Eret," Hiccup replied in a serious tone, "I think…maybe…it was just the start of something more." Eret furrowed his brow at Hiccup as he gazed back at him in uncertainty.

"Hic, I never intended anything," Eret replied defensively, "you have to believe me."

"Yeah well, no offense Eret, but your intentions didn't exactly mean shit," Hiccup replied flatly, "did they."

"What's that supposed to mean," Eret questioned in slight frustration. Hiccup paused a moment longer as he tried to find the right words to explain.

"Just be honest Eret," Hiccup replied, "not just with me but with yourself; when you met Astrid…you were drawn to her, right?" Eret nodded.

"I…I suppose," Eret replied, "b-but…"

"There was just something about her, that attracted you to her," Hiccup continued, "like a moth to a flame. It made you think about her all the time, and just being around her made your heart race." Eret gazed at Hiccup speechlessly. He was uncertain if he should confess the truth or deny it entirely.

"It didn't really matter that she was with me at the time," Hiccup continued, "you felt what you felt and you couldn't control it…or deny it."

"Well…y-yes…but I…I would never have even thought about trying to come between you and her when you were together." Eret replied.

"Right," Hiccup replied, "and…I don't know… suppose I had chosen to stick it out with Astrid and we were still together now. Would you still be able to deny your feelings?"

"That's irrelevant," Eret went on, "If you and Astrid had worked things out than I wouldn't have allowed myself to fall for her…I would have found someone else eventually."

"No…I don't think you would have Eret," Hiccup replied skeptically.

"Hic…"

"Just think about it," Hiccup went on, "when you first joined Berk nearly every single eligible girl, including Ruffnut, had a thing for you. I mean, you're practically the equivalent of Thor to Viking women, what with the muscles and the hair, the charm and the smolder."

"The smolder," Eret replied questioningly.

"Yeah, the smolder," Hiccup replied flatly, "you know, it's that stupid face you make when you're trying to be charming."

"You're joking, right," Eret replied in slight amusement.

"Believe me I wish I were joking," Hiccup replied flatly, "do you know how many times I had to listen to Ruffnut talk about the smolder to Astrid?" Eret furrowed his brow at Hiccup's words. "Far too many, if I do say so myself," Hiccup emphasized. Eret shook his head as he briefly recalled Ruffnut's previous obsession with him. It was safe to say that nobody in Berk was more relieved when Ruffnut and Fishlegs finally became an item, than he was.

"Whatever, my point is," Hiccup went on, "all that time, you could have had your pick of any of those girls. But you never went for a single one of them. Why is that exactly?" Eret remained silent as he thought about how exactly to answer Hiccup's question. Hiccup gazed back at him expectantly with a serious expression on his face.

"I…I don't know," Eret replied defensively, "maybe I…I just wasn't looking for anything serious at the time." Hiccup shook his head skeptically.

"That's bullshit and you know it," Hiccup replied as he crossed his arms over his chest.

"Alright Hic," Eret said in annoyance, "if you're such an expert on the subject of my love life and why I do the things I do, then by all means explain it to me."

"Simple," Hiccup replied knowingly, "it was because none of those other girls could ever compare to Astrid." Eret just gazed at Hiccup with a dumbfounded expression. He had convinced himself for a long time that he had only had an innocent crush on Astrid in the beginning, but everything that Hiccup had said so far was startlingly true.

"Hic, I…I don't know what to say," Eret replied.

"Say that I'm right," Hiccup replied assuredly, "in your heart, somehow you knew that Astrid was the one from the start."

"I…I didn't," Eret stuttered, "I...I don't know." Hiccup continued to gaze at Eret knowingly.

"Maybe you talked yourself into believing otherwise because you thought you didn't stand a chance," Hiccup went on, "maybe you even guarded your heart because you didn't think she would ever see you as anything more than a friend…or maybe you just thought you weren't good enough for her because of your past. So, you didn't even allow yourself to acknowledge how you felt about her at all."

"No," Eret replied quickly, "I didn't acknowledge my feelings because she was with you…and as far as I knew then, she was happy…far be it from me to-to mess that up for her just because I had a...a stupid crush. And you…you were my friend Hic, you gave me a chance when everyone else would have probably written me off with the rest of Drago's followers. You even trusted me with your father's dragon despite what Drago did. So why would I screw that up by-by trying to steal your girl mate! I felt guilty enough as it is because of what happened with Drago."

"But it wasn't just a stupid crush, was it Eret," Hiccup replied knowingly.

"I don't see how you could possibly know that," Eret replied in denial. Hiccup shook his head and grinned slightly.

"I know," Hiccup replied, "because that's exactly how I felt, the moment I met Merida. I tried to deny it at first too…maybe not quite as long as you did, but still." Eret averted his eyes as Hiccup spoke.

"There was something about Merida...something that drew me to her immediately," Hiccup went on, "something that my heart just knew I wouldn't find anywhere else or with anyone else. Even though I didn't admit it to myself right away, somehow my heart already knew that Merida is the one for me. Maybe yours did too when you met Astrid."

"Hic..." Eret started. Hiccup sighed heavily once more.

"Look, I know I blamed you for what happened," Hiccup went on, "but technically it wasn't your fault, not really anyway. It wasn't anyone's fault. It was just a-a complicated situation. I knew Astrid would move on eventually, I just didn't expect it to be with you. When I found out about you and Astrid, it was just hard for me to accept at the time. It was hard for me to acknowledge all my failures and all the mistakes I made with her. It was hard to accept that she was better off without me. It was far easier to be angry at you. I guess…technically, I should apologize to you too." Eret gazed at Hiccup speechlessly for a long moment in both surprise and disbelief.

"Are you serious right now," Eret questioned skeptically. Hiccup furrowed his brow at Eret's question.

"Of course, I am," Hiccup replied flatly, "why wouldn't I be?" Eret shook his head as he gazed at Hiccup dubiously.

"Forgive me for being a bit of a skeptic Hic," Eret replied, "but it wasn't so long ago that you swore that you'd never forgive me. Now, not only have you done that, but you're apologizing to me as well." Hiccup nodded in understanding.

"Look…that whole situation was just… messed up, ya know," Hiccup replied, "I…I was angry and hurt and mourning my dad and I felt cornered into taking over as chief when I clearly was not ready for it. Everything at home reminded me of my dad, of how I failed him." Eret remained quiet as he listened to Hiccup.

"And then, every time Astrid tried to get through to me," Hiccup paused, "I avoided her because I just couldn't deal with it, ya know. I... I didn't want to deal with it. I just wanted to get as far away from Berk as I possibly could so that I wouldn't have to feel anything. I was just so caught up in myself and what I was going through that I didn't think much about how Astrid felt, or what she was going through. I just handled it all wrong." Eret nodded as he thought over Hiccup's words. He continued to gaze at Hiccup in sympathy.

"You were going through a lot at the time," Eret replied, "we could all see you were struggling to keep it together. All that Astrid ever wanted was to help you through it, mate. It really hurt her the way you pushed her away every time that she tried."

"I know that," Hiccup sighed heavily as he sat down upon one of the logs beside the campfire' "but there was literally nothing she could have done to make it any better. I...I had to go through it...in my own way, in my own time." Eret sat down on the log across from Hiccup but remained quiet for a long moment as he thought over all Hiccup had said. Hiccup glanced up at Eret for a brief moment before dropping his eyes to the ground once again.

"But if I'm being honest," Hiccup continued, "the whole thing with my dad...it wasn't the only reason why I started pulling away from Astrid. I was also starting to question my feelings for her too." Eret furrowed his brow at Hiccup's unexpected comment.

"Wait...what," Eret questioned.

"My feelings were never what they were supposed to be with Astrid," Hiccup replied thoughtfully, "I only stuck it out as long as I did…because I…I felt like I owed her, ya know. She believed in me, she pushed me to never give up, to fight for what I believe in, and to follow my heart no matter what. Truth be told, if it wasn't for Astrid, I probably wouldn't be who I am today." Hiccup paused a moment as he tried to find the right words to explain.

"I just…wanted to be the person that she wanted me to be. I wanted to give her everything that she wanted from me; but no matter what I did, I just kept letting her down. Sometimes it seemed like the harder I tried, the worse it got. For some reason I just couldn't feel the way she wanted me to feel. I thought something was wrong with me; I mean, Astrid is practically perfect, ya know. She was all I should have wanted, but I just couldn't stop feeling like something was missing."

Eret nodded as he listened. It was the first time Hiccup had actually opened up about his complicated feelings for Astrid. Though Eret was trying his best to remain neutral, he could feel his frustration growing as Hiccup spoke. After all, he had been there for Astrid for much of the time that Hiccup spoke of. He had seen first-hand how it all had affected Astrid, and it was hard to remain unbiased given his partiality to his wife. Hiccup sighed heavily.

"Anyway… I should have just let her go the moment I started feeling that way," Hiccup continued, "but a part of me was just afraid to lose Astrid completely, a-and I didn't know who I was without her. She was there for me when I had no one; how could I just abandon her after all that she did for me? I can see now that I was wrong, a-and that it was pretty selfish of me to feel that way." Eret shook his head in slight frustration.

"You should have told her all that mate," Eret replied firmly, "maybe she wouldn't have felt so guilty about hurting you and maybe letting you go wouldn't have hurt her so much either." Hiccup nodded as he thought about what Eret had said but he remained quiet. He could feel the familiar guilt once again reverberate through his heart as Eret spoke.

"I never meant to hurt her," Hiccup replied remorsefully, "believe me I...I've felt guilty about hurting her for a long time."

"You think you felt guilty," Eret replied in frustration, "imagine how Astrid felt. She felt like she was abandoning you in your greatest time of need. She has had so much guilt for hurting you, for how things ended and how you found out about us. Even now, after she's moved on with me, the guilt is still there. I mean, right now, in what should be a happy time for her...for us both, she is far too afraid to even tell anyone about the baby because she is worried about hurting you!" Eret paused in frustration for a moment before continuing. Hiccup continued to sit in silence with eyes averted as Eret spoke.

"Ya know Hic," Eret paused trying his best to keep his frustration under control, "when she finally decided to break things off with you, it broke her heart. I've never seen Astrid cry before…or since for that matter. All I wanted to do at the time, was just to take her pain away...to make her smile again. My heart broke for her. It was then that I realized how much I actually cared for her." Hiccup nodded as he listened. but he remained silent and kept his eyes averted from Eret

"And what's worse," Eret continued, "I literally could do nothing about it because she still loved you. And you...you were my friend Hiccup...my brother, I felt like I was betraying you in a way just for thinking of her that way. So, I just kept my feelings to myself. I didn't do anything and I tried my best to push my feelings aside for a long time." Eret paused once more as he tried to put his thoughts into words.

"But there came a point when I just couldn't fight it anymore," Eret averted his eyes from Hiccup as he confessed, "so I took a chance and I told her how I felt. I thought for certain that my feelings would be unrequited, that by admitting my feelings I was crossing a line that I shouldn't even attempt to cross. To my surprise she admitted her own feelings for me, but even so, she was still reluctant to attempt any kind of a relationship aside from friendship. She was too afraid to take a chance after being hurt. It took a long time for her to come around and even though she did eventually decide to give me a chance, we both were still afraid to hurt you and it was because of that, that we kept it a secret." Eret could feel his frustration growing as he recalled the time that he spoke of. He sighed heavily as he tried his best to keep his frustration at bay.

"All this time…it's been a struggle to move forward because we both felt so guilty about what happened," Eret went on, "a-and for what? Now you're saying that you didn't even care to begin with."

"I didn't say that," Hiccup replied defensively, "I did care...I loved Astrid...I did…I just...I didn't want the same things that she did. I didn't really know what I wanted. I…I was trying to figure it out. I didn't know then why I felt like I did. I thought I could fix it, I thought I just needed time to figure it out!" Eret sighed heavily as he listened to Hiccup.

"And that didn't start with Astrid either," Hiccup went on, "my whole life I felt like something was missing, and nothing I did could ever fill that empty place! Not finding my mom, not gaining my dad's approval, or the acceptance of Berk, not befriending Toothless...not even being with Astrid was enough to fill it. No matter what I did, I always felt like a part of me was missing all the time, and I didn't know what it was or why I felt like that!"

"At the time, I thought that being with Astrid was what I wanted," Hiccup continued, "I thought, if she loved me... then maybe she could fill that empty spot. Maybe even for a little while she did, but that empty feeling kept coming back no matter what I did. I thought maybe I just needed to find my purpose, but it didn't matter what I accomplished or how far I traveled, or what I discovered, I still could not find what was missing. I tried to ignore it, but when my dad died…that empty feeling only got worse a-and it practically consumed me." Hiccup gazed back at Eret with a serious expression on his face.

"But all of that changed when I came here," Hiccup continued, "when I found Merida. Everything that I was missing, I found in her. She is my missing piece...she is everything I've been looking for my whole life...It wasn't until I met her that I realized what I've been searching for all this time. I did love Astrid; maybe I even still do in a way. But the feelings I had for Astrid could never compare to how I feel about Merida. Merida is the one I am meant to be with. I know it in my heart and soul; there are no questions and no doubts, and no second guessing. I know that Merida is my fate; just like you knew that Astrid is yours." Eret smiled slightly as he nodded in acceptance of Hiccup's explanation.

"Knowing what I know now," Hiccup sighed, "I can see that I probably should have handled the whole thing way better than I did...but, like I said, I wasn't in a really good place then and my judgement was a bit cloudy."

"Yes, well, perhaps Astrid and I could have handled it a bit better than we did as well," Eret replied. Hiccup huffed slightly.

"Yeah, but maybe if I had handled it better to begin with," Hiccup replied, "then the both of you wouldn't have felt like you needed to hide your relationship…and then I wouldn't have found out about the two of you the way that I did." Eret dropped his eyes to the ground as a blush crept over his face with Hiccup's words.

"Not my finest hour," Eret admitted.

"Yeah, no kidding," Hiccup replied flatly.

"I really am sorry for how it all went down mate," Eret replied, "we didn't mean for you to find out like that... we were going to tell you...you just found out on your own first. It was wrong of us to keep it a secret as long as we did, I can see that now."

"It is what it is," Hiccup sighed, "besides, it all worked out the way it was supposed to, right? I mean, now you and Astrid are married, with a kid on the way, and the both of you seem to be...truly happy."

"We are," Eret replied, "for the most part." Hiccup furrowed his brow at Eret's comment. Eret sighed heavily.

"We're happy," he reiterated, "life isn't always perfect, but there is no one I'd rather face the trials with than her." Hiccup smiled slightly.

"It's as it should be Eret," Hiccup replied as he put a hand on his friend's shoulder, "I mean that." Eret nodded as he grinned back at Hiccup.

---

Toothless padded over to the princess happily as she approached. He nuzzled her lovingly as she gently rubbed the side of his neck.

"Aye, it's good to see ye too Toothless," Merida replied, "I'm sorry I didn't say hello to ye sooner, but it's been a bit of a day today, I was just a wee bit distracted." Toothless sat on his haunches, turned his head to the side and whined slightly as he gazed at her with his big green eyes. Merida chuckled slightly at the sight.

"It's no excuse, I know," she sighed as she rubbed behind his ear. Toothless chirped slightly and nodded in Hiccup's direction. Merida glanced over at Hiccup and Eret. She rolled her eyes then turned back to Toothless and smiled slightly.

"I'm afraid Hiccup is being a bit of an arse at the moment," Merida replied, "but I guess it's alright if I can spend some extra time with ye." The dragon happily nuzzled the princess once more causing her to laugh. She thought of how her own brothers acted around each other. Often, they had meaningless sibling squabbles. They would always compete against each other, or try to one up each other.

"I suppose it's some sort o' a man thing," Merida went on, "ye should see my brothers, they're just as bad…if not worse at times. And the Lords' sons," Merida groaned, "don't even get me started on them. Ye'd think acting like a bunch o' bampots around each other was some sort o' requirement to becoming a man." Toothless groaned in reply.

"Tell me," Merida questioned with an amused grin, "do male dragons act like that around each other too…o' is yer kind more civilized than men?" Toothless chirped and shrugged his shoulders in response causing Merida to chuckle.

"Well, I suppose it could be worse," Merida sighed, "they could still be at odds with one another; at least now they are somewhat friends again." Toothless nodded as he chirped in response.

"Speakin' o' friends," Merida said, "why don't ye introduce me to yer's Toothless." The dragon's eyes lit up at her words and he smiled with his signature toothless grin. He then pranced around Merida happily before trotting off toward the other dragons. Merida chuckled as she followed after him. Toothless excitedly butt heads with the other two dragons and the three of them playfully pranced around each other. Merida gazed at the other two dragons in awe. Never in all her years did she ever think she would meet a dragon face to face, and now she had met three of them. They were each unique and amazing and far different than the dragons described in any of her books, and they were also far from the mindless beasts that her father had described in his story. They were intelligent and gentle creatures. They were peaceful by nature and loyal to a fault. It seemed that they only resorted to force, when necessary, in defense of themselves or their own. It was a wonder that in three hundred years, Hiccup was only the first Viking of his tribe to have taken the time to understand these beautiful creatures.

Toothless looked back at Merida and seemed to smile, he then turned to the others and nudged them in Merida's direction. Both dragons gazed at her warily as they crept slowly forward. Merida gazed back at them in slight nervousness. Though the dragons were beautiful they were still slightly intimidating to be in the presence of. She gulped slightly as she tried her best to push her nervousness aside.

"It's okay," she said softly, "I...I'm a friend o' Toothless, and Hiccup…no need to be afraid, I won't hurt ye." Merida knelt down before the dragons and held her hand out as she had with Toothless the day they met. She averted her eyes from the dragons and awaited their response. The two dragons looked back at Toothless questioningly. Toothless nodded as he continued to grin at them.

Both Skull-Crusher and Meatlug glanced briefly at each other and then turned back to Merida, who continued to kneel before them. Meatlug was the first to inch forward pressing her snout gently upon Merida's palm. Merida smiled slightly at her touch, but continued to keep her eyes averted.

Skull-Crusher paused only a moment longer in uncertainty, but he followed Meatlug's actions shortly after.

Merida turned slowly and looked up at the massive creature. He was the largest of the three dragons, and his scales were nearly as green as an emerald, but his face and the horns on his snout and head were deep red. He looked to be a formidable beast but he gazed at her with peaceful eyes. Merida smiled up at him.

"Yer nothin' more than a gentle giant aren't ye," Merida said as she gently rubbed the top of his snout. Skull-crusher groaned gently causing a grumbling sound so deep that Merida could nearly feel the vibrations of the sound as it rumbled through the air. Merida slowly stood and then looked over to Meatlug. Meatlug was slightly shorter than Angus but probably equaled him in girth. The dragon's scales were the color of sandstone and it had tiny wings that seemed to be disproportionate to the rest of it. It was a wonder to Merida that it's wings could support the weight of its sturdy body.

The dragon sat on its haunches and seemed to smile up at Merida as it gazed back at her with big yellow doe-like eyes. Merida was surprised at how different each dragon looked. Though each of them was beautiful in different ways, in Merida's opinion, Toothless was the most beautiful of the three.

"Wow you're a natural your highness," Fishlegs voice interrupted Merida's thoughts, "they all seem to like you." Merida turned to Fish with a smile.

"I told ye to call me Merida," she grinned. Fish blushed slightly with her words.

"Right…right," he stuttered, "uh sorry…Merida. Merida shrugged. She turned back to the dragons as she thought over Fishlegs statement. She turned her eyes to Fish in curiosity.

"Do ye really think so," she questioned. Fishlegs smiled back at her.

"Sure," he replied. Merida blushed slightly and turned back to the dragons.

"From what I've heard," Fishlegs replied, "Toothless took to you right away." Merida glanced back at Fish with a smile.

"Well, not right away," Merida replied dismissively, "we did sort of have a bit of a rough start at first." Fish shrugged at her answer.

"Hey it couldn't have been much worse than Hiccup and Toothless' first meeting," Fish replied with a shrug. Merida nodded in reply. She turned her attention back to the dragons.

"Hiccup told me their names earlier," Merida replied, "which one is which?"

"Oh…well allow me to introduce you," Fish replied as he gently patted Meatlug on the head, "this sweet girl is my dragon, her name is Meatlug."

"She's a girl dragon," Merida questioned in interest.

"That she is," Fish replied with a smile. Merida looked back at Meatlug and smiled.

"She's absolutely beautiful," Merida complimented as she gently patted her on the head, "what type of dragon is Meatlug?"

"Oh uh, she's a Gronkle," Fish replied.

"A Gronkle," Merida repeated the word as she recalled hearing Hiccup say it once before, "Hiccup said his sword was made of Gronkle iron." Fishlegs' eyes lit up at the mention of Hiccup's dragon blade.

"That's right," Fish replied proudly, "Meatlug here actually invented Gronkle iron." Merida looked up at Fishlegs in surprise.

"Meatlug invented it," she questioned in curiosity as she pointed at the dragon.

"She sure did," Fish replied, "well...sort of. See, Gronkles are considered boulder type dragons. One of their lines of defense is to eat boulders, melt the stone into lava in their bellies and then spit the lava balls out at their enemies. After those balls of lava cool off it forms a very hard and very strong metal. We think it might be some sort of a chemical reaction that changes the basic composition of the stone when it melts down in their bellies that causes the resulting metal to be much stronger than other metals." Merida gazed at Fish in interest as he spoke.

"Hiccup and I actually discovered that if we feed Meatlug a variety of different rocks that the metal comes out nearly indestructible and highly heat resistant," Fish went on, "we actually narrowed it down to a specific formula to create the strongest and most heat resistant metal in existence; not to mention light weight too. That is the metal that Hiccup's sword is actually made of."

"That's amazing," Merida replied.

"Then of course Hiccup had to tweak it when we discovered that we could use Monstrous Nightmare gel as a fuel source to ignite the blade and then he added the Hideous Zippleback gas canister as a second ignition source," Fish went on, "well technically they are two separate features. The Monstrous Nightmare gel is just to ignite the blade itself...the Hideous Zippleback gas acts more like a flame thrower of sorts."

"And those are...other dragons I'm assuming," Merida questioned.

"Yeah," Fish replied, "ever since we made peace with the dragons, Hiccup has been determined to learn as much about them as we possibly can. Thanks to him, Berk has found a number of ways that the dragons can improve our way of life. The use for Hideous Zippleback gas, Monstrous nightmare gel and Gronkle iron are just a few. Nearly all of his inventions are inspired by dragons."

"It seems ye've discovered many ways that dragons can help humans," Merida replied in surprise, "it's quite impressive."

"That's Hiccup for ya," Fish replied, "I swear his mind never stops working. He probably invents stuff in his sleep. And ever since we made peace with the dragons, he is constantly thinking up ways they can improve the lives of everyone in Berk, as well as inventing things to help the dragons too. It's hard to believe that we were at war with them not that long ago. After all that fighting...turns out we are much better off living in peace with the dragons than we have ever been when we were enemies." Merida nodded as she smiled at Fish's comment. She felt a bit of pride in her heart knowing that if it hadn't been for Hiccup that the peace of which Fishlegs spoke would not have ever been possible. Hiccup was an exceptional leader whether he believed it or not. The fact that Berk seemed to be thriving living in peace with the dragons was indisputable proof of that. She turned back to the larger of the dragons.

"So, I assume that means that this is Eret's dragon then," she questioned.

"Yup," Fish replied, "that's Skull-Crusher. He used to belong to Chief Stoick the Vast...uh that was Hiccup's father. After Stoick died, Hiccup asked Eret to look after him, they've been inseparable ever since."

"Eret's dragon belonged to Hiccup's father," Merida questioned in surprise. Fishlegs nodded.

"Sure did," Fishlegs replied, "it was a pretty huge gesture too, I mean, given that Eret was a dragon trapper when we met him." Merida gazed at Fish in interest.

"See, uh, Hiccup is pretty firm in his belief that dragons are our equals," Fish explained, "they're meant to be free and respected just like us. He is against any dragon being kept as some sort of a...a slave or a caged pet. But Drago, the Viking Eret worked for, was bent on enslaving dragon kind and using them for his own benefit. So, for Hiccup to look past the fact that Eret was a trapper for Drago was a pretty big deal….and given the circumstances of Stoick's death, it might have been really easy for Hiccup to wash his hands of Eret completely just because of his association with Drago. But being the true diplomat that he is, Hiccup opted to give him a chance instead.

Merida gazed at Fish inquisitively as she thought over his words. Hiccup had only told her that his father was killed by an enemy Viking. Due to his seemingly deliberate lack of details on the subject, she had not questioned him further. But Fishlegs' comment caused the wheels in her head to start turning. Could the Viking responsible for his father's death actually have been…Drago?

"Hiccup said that Eret helped Berk defeat Drago," Merida replied. Fishlegs nodded in response.

"Sure did," Fish replied, "see, during the whole fiasco with Drago, there was a bit of time when Hiccup went missing. We all thought that Hiccup had gotten captured by Drago. So, Astrid, Ruffnut, Tuffnut, Snotlout, and I went to find Eret, who was still working for Drago at the time. Her plan was to get Eret to lead us to Drago so we could rescue Hiccup. Merida gazed at Fishlegs in great interest.

"Are they the other Dragon riders," Merida questioned.

"Yeah," Fishlegs nodded, "Snotlout is Hiccup's cousin...on his mother's side, and Ruffnut and Tuffnut are brother and sister. Ruffnut is actually my girlfriend. And I guess you already know about Astrid." Merida nodded.

"Anyway, Eret was pretty reluctant to take us to Drago," Fishlegs went on, "but Astrid convinced him to help us."

"How," Merida asked.

"Let's just say Astrid has a way of getting people to do what she wants them to do," Fish replied, "I mean, she is pretty intimidating when she wants to be." Merida furrowed her brow as she thought over what Fishlegs had said.

"Long story short," Fish went on, "Drago did not have Hiccup and we were the ones who ended up being captured by Drago. It was Eret who helped us escape and after that he helped us fight Drago and his army."

"Aye," Merida replied as she gazed at Fish, "Hiccup said that he was the first to trust Eret...did ye all still not trust him even after he saved ye from Drago?"

"Well, it was certainly a start," Fish replied thoughtfully, "but how were we to know that Eret wouldn't decide to turn on us or that it was all just a ploy to get us to trust him and then he would double cross us in the end. It was Hiccup that took the leap of faith with Eret, we all just followed him because he was Chief. But, after everything, Eret did prove himself to all of us. Now it's just like he was always a part of Berk."

Merida nodded as she thought over all that Fish had said. Despite their initial meeting, Eret did seem to be a good man. He seemed honorable and loyal and despite his and Hiccup's previous falling out, Eret still held much respect for Hiccup. She wondered how it was that someone like Eret could have ever gotten himself mixed up with a ruthless Viking like Drago.

She turned back to Skull-Crusher. "What kind of dragon is Skull-Crusher," Merida asked as she tried to change the subject. Fish turned toward the green dragon as well.

"He's a rumblehorn," Fish replied, "he's considered a tracking class dragon...which is kind of ironic if you think about it. I mean, given that he now belongs to a former dragon trapper and tracker."

"Tracking class," Merida questioned as she turned to Fish in curiosity, "what does that mean exactly?"

"Oh, uh," Fish replied as he turned back to Merida,"rumblehorns have a really powerful sense of smell, they can track a Viking from miles away by scent alone!"

"Really," Merida questioned in interest. Fishlegs nodded.

"How do you think we found Hiccup so fast," Fish replied, "between Eret and Skull-Crusher, he didn't stand a chance of staying "lost" for long." Merida nodded as she thought over Fish's words. She turned back to Skull-Crusher and smiled slightly.

"He's a beautiful dragon as well," Merida replied.

As she gazed at the dragons, she couldn't help but to notice that each seemed to complement their rider and she wondered what type of dragons the other riders had. Suddenly Toothless came up beside her and nudged her shoulder distracting her from her thoughts. She looked back at the dragon and smiled as she gently scratched behind his ear. The dragon seemed to purr softly as he leaned into her, causing her to chuckle softly. She turned back to Fish in curiosity.

"What can ye tell me about Night Furies," she questioned.

"Night Furies are considered a strike-class dragon," Fishlegs replied, "they are known for their stealth and speed and they can dive bomb their enemies and strike with plasma balls." Merida furrowed her brow in curiosity.

"What is a... plasma ball," she asked. Fishlegs shrugged.

"It's sorta hard to explain," Fish replied, "Uh, it's like a ball of gas a-and electrical energy that explodes on contact. We are still not quite sure how it works exactly, but it seems like Toothless can control the heat and intensity of his blasts and he has deadly accurate aim. That makes him a pretty formidable foe. It's a good thing he isn't our enemy anymore. Aside from that, we are still learning more everyday about Toothless. Being as though he is the only Night Fury we've ever really encountered we don't have much else to compare him to. It seems that Toothless here is one of a kind as far as we know." Merida turned her eyes back to Toothless in both surprise and sympathy.

"There aren't any other Night Furies," she questioned.

"None that we've ever come across," Fish replied, "Toothless is the only Night Fury any Viking has ever seen. Before him, we knew little to nothing about them. In the original dragon manual, we didn't even have an accurate description of them. We thought they were evil incarnate, the unholy offspring of lightning and death itself. No one had ever seen a Night Fury and lived to tell the tale...until Hiccup." Merida gazed at Fish in surprise. She turned back to Toothless to see him playfully chasing a butterfly and batting at it gently as it fluttered around him. It was hard to believe that his kind could be so feared by the Vikings. Of course, when she first encountered him, he was pretty terrifying. It was because of Hiccup's insistence that the dragon was only defending his rider that Merida had not run off in terror of the alleged beast. Now she couldn't see Toothless any other way than she did now; a gentle giant who wouldn't harm a butterfly. She frowned slightly when it dawned on her that there was a real possibility that there might not be any other dragons like Toothless.

"So Toothless might be the last of his kind," Merida questioned somberly as she turned her eyes back to Fish.

"I guess it's possible," Fish replied with a shrug, "but it's also possible that they are just very good at hiding from humans. Given the history between humans and dragons...who could blame them." Merida nodded in understanding. She couldn't help but to wonder how it was that Toothless had come to be alone in the world to begin with. She wondered what could have become of the rest of his kind. Surely, he must have come from somewhere, it's not as if he had just come into existence out of thin air. She turned back to Toothless and gazed at him as he played.

She began to wonder if this could have been why Toothless and Hiccup were practically inseparable. From what Hiccup had told her, he'd always felt like an outcast, and though he still did have his family and village, he often felt quite alone. Perhaps much like Hiccup, Toothless also felt alone as well. But in each other, not only had they found a true friend, but also an unlikely family. She smiled warmly as she continued to gaze at Toothless. She longed now, more than anything, to be a part of their unlikely family too.

She sighed heavily as the thought of the coming suitors once again resurfaced in her mind. Her worry over this whole situation was still just as strong, but she trusted Hiccup...and she hoped above all else that they would find a way to make this work. Merida knew that Hiccup was right, gaining her parents' approval was their best chance. Although she had no doubt that it would be difficult to convince her mother...she also knew that they had to at least try. Even so, the threat of what the Lords might do still loomed on the horizon, and she couldn't help but to worry what the outcome might be.

Merida was suddenly distracted from her thoughts when a pair of arms wrapped around her waist from behind. Hiccup leaned forward and kissed her softly upon the cheek causing her to heart to flutter. She leaned back against him and smiled warmly.

"Are you done being annoyed with me yet," Hiccup questioned. Merida smirked slightly.

"That depends," she replied, "are ye done acting like a bampot?" Hiccup furrowed his brow at her.

"That depends," Hiccup replied. She turned around in his arms and smirked up at him.

"On what," she questioned playfully.

"On what exactly a bampot is," Hiccup replied flatly. Merida chuckled slightly at his answer.

"A fool," Merida replied haughtily as she pulled away from him, "or a man who acts like an arse around his peers just to prove his masculinity…or a jackass."

"Oh...so the same as an eejit basically," Hiccup replied as he crossed his arms over his chest.

"Aye, Merida replied with an amused grin. Hiccup sighed slightly as he took a few steps closer to her. He gazed at her with an amused grin on his face.

"Well, I guess I'm done, for now anyway," Hiccup replied, "but I can't guarantee that it won't happen again."

"It is what it is I suppose," Merida sighed. Hiccup chuckled at her answer.

"Well, you may be happy to know that although Eret and I may have been acting like a couple of bampots initially," Hiccup replied, "it led to a pretty good and really long overdue conversation." Merida gazed up at him curiously.

"Did it now," Merida questioned. Hiccup grinned at her as he nodded his head.

"What about," she questioned curiously.

"Let's just say, we had a few more things to work out before we could truly put the past behind us," Hiccup replied. Merida smiled at his answer.

"So, I take it that the two o' ye are now closer to being friends again," she questioned hopefully. Hiccup smiled warmly.

"You could definitely say that," he replied. He smiled as he took another step closer to her and reached for her hand, "and if it wasn't for you, I don't know that that would have ever been possible before."

"All I did was give ye a wee bit of advice," Merida replied dismissively, "yer the one that had courage enough to heed it….besides my advice wasn't entirely impartial." Hiccup raised an eyebrow as he smirked at her.

"Really," he questioned haughtily as he took a final step closer to her. "well, do tell princess; what exactly was your vested interest that prompted such keen advice." Merida gazed up at him tenderly for a long moment as she pondered an answer to his question.

"Ye were so troubled by your past," Merida replied softly, "When ye first spoke of Astrid, ye said that ye loved her once...and in the same breath ye said that ye'd given up on love altogether. In my head that meant that yer heart was bound to her regardless of the fact that she loved another. But ye swore to me that ye were past it, that ye were over her, and I believed ye. I started to feel for ye, I hoped ye felt the same. But that night on my balcony, when ye poured yer heart out, it was evident that yer being over it was a lie." Hiccup shook his head in instant denial.

"I never lied to you," Hiccup replied firmly.

"It wasn't a lie to me," she replied, "it was a lie to yerself. Ye were not past it, ye were still bound to yer her and to yer past by yer own guilt and I was afraid." Hiccup furrowed his brow in concern as she spoke. He dropped his eyes from hers as he pondered her words.

"Why were you afraid," he questioned solemnly. Merida took a deep breath before continuing, she could feel tears starting to form in her eyes as she recalled her complicated feelings.

"I was afraid that if ye couldn't make peace with yer past, that ye'd ne'er be free of it, that ye could never move on," Merida replied softly, "I was afraid that if ye couldn't let go o' yer anger, yer heartache, and yer guilt…that ye'd ne'er see what was right in front o' ye." Hiccup could feel his heart flutter with her words and at the same time it felt heavy knowing he had caused her to worry. He sighed heavily as he raised his eyes to her and gazed at her remorsefully.

"I'm sorry," Hiccup replied softly, "I shouldn't have come to you that night...I shouldn't have laid all of that on you like that." He dropped his eyes from her once again. Merida smiled warmly up at him, and squeezed his hand in silent reassurance.

"Don't be," she replied. She gently put her hand upon his stubbled cheek and raised his head so she could look him in the eye. "Ye came to me because ye needed me Hiccup. And I would have given ye the same advice, whether ye felt somethin' for me o' not. I told ye before ye are my truest friend...and even if ye never saw my love at all, if my fate was only to be yer friend and nothin' more...I'd still be there for ye, because that's what friends are for. All I did that night was tell ye what ye needed to hear, the rest was up to ye." Hiccup smiled warmly, keeping his eyes locked with hers. He lifted his hand to her cheek and gently brushed the rogue curls behind her ear he. He let his hand come to rest upon her soft cheek as he leaned slightly closer to her. She could see a look of pure love emanating from his deep green eyes and it caused her breath to hitch slightly.

"I am looking at what's right in front of me now," Hiccup replied, "and all I can see is you." Hiccup paused a moment as he tried to find the right words to express his feelings to her. "At first I could only see the possibility of what we could be," Hiccup went on, "but now when I look at you all I can see is, my best friend, my true love, the one I am meant for and the one that's meant for me. I can see my future in your eyes and I know without question that I am where I was always meant to be. I see you Merida, you and only you and I never want to look away." Merida gazed up at him lovingly. She could feel her heart beat furiously with his words. Hiccup leaned forward pressing his lips to hers in a tender kiss.

"Awe," Fish's voice suddenly interrupted them. Hiccup pulled away slightly and smiled against her lips.

"We have an audience don't we," Hiccup questioned sarcastically. Merida smiled back at him in amusement.

"Aye," Merida replied as a slight blush arose on her freckled cheeks, "it appears so." Hiccup and Merida turned simultaneously to see Fish and Toothless gazing at them with goofy smiles on both of their faces.

"That has to be one of the sweetest things I've ever heard," Fish replied with an emotion-filled voice," I think I'm gonna cry." Toothless chirped in agreement and then purred dreamily as he gazed at his rider and the princess. Fish then pulled out his handkerchief and blew his nose loudly. Hiccup rolled his eyes and sighed heavily.

"Okay, that's enough, shows over," Hiccup replied, "is it too much to ask to have a little privacy around here. I...I mean, come on. We were kind of having a moment here."

"Oh, I'm sorry Hic," Fish replied emotionally, "I just love...love, it...it's all just so romantic." Hiccup groaned as he pulled away from Merida. He turned toward Fish and Toothless with arms crossed over his chest.

"Alright already," Hiccup replied flatly, "can you two...just...I don't know, uh, go act like blubbering eejits somewhere else." Fish nodded.

"Right chief," Fish practically sobbed as he walked away. Hiccup shook his head in amusement as he watched Fish and Toothless head over to the campfire. He sighed once more as he turned back to Merida, but instead he found himself suddenly face to face with Meatlug.

"ALLFATHER IN ASGARD," Hiccup cried out as he jumped back in fright at the unexpected sight. The dragon hovered just above the ground and seemed to be smiling at Hiccup just as dreamily as Fish and Toothless had been. Hiccup sighed heavily

"You too, Meatlug," he replied firmly as he pointed in the direction in which Fishlegs had gone. The dragon sighed and slowly flew off after her rider. "And thanks again, so much, for the minor heart attack," Hiccup called after her, "really, nothing like a coronary to keep me on my toes." Merida couldn't contain her laughter. Hiccup turned back to her and smirked.

"I didnae know ye could be as jumpy as a bawherr rabbit Hiccup," Merida said amidst her laughter.

"Alright, it wasn't that funny," Hiccup replied flatly. Merida nodded her head as she continued to laugh hysterically.

"Aye it was," Merida laughed, "Ye practically hollered like a banshee and ye nearly jumped oot o' yer skin." Hiccup rolled his eyes and crossed his arms over his chest as he smirked back at her.

"I can't tell you how happy I am to be such a riveting source of entertainment for you," Hiccup said flatly.

"Come on Hiccup," Merida replied as she wiped the tears of laughter from her eyes, "ye need to laugh at yourself once in a while." Hiccup rolled his eyes once more trying his best to seem unamused, but his heart nearly melted at the sight of her laughing and he found himself unable to stop a smile from forming on his face. He chuckled in spite of himself.

"Oh...this coming from the girl who couldn't take a joke a few days ago," Hiccup replied flatly.

"That was completely different," Merida replied, "I thought I really hurt ye that day...that wasn't funny."

"Oh but my death from fright is hilarious," Hiccup replied with a smirk.

"Don't be ridiculous Hiccup," Merdia replied in amusement, "ye cannae die from fright." Hiccup sighed heavily as he walked back over to her. The sight of her beautiful smile and the sound of her laugh cause his heart to flutter and he couldn't help but to smile.

"Alright," he groaned, "I guess it was a little funny."

"Aye," Merida said as her laughter slowly subsided, "ye should have seen yer face Hiccup, it was priceless." Hiccup continued to smile at her warmly as he reached for her hand, Without a word he pulled her gently back into his arms.

"Now," he smiled mischievously, " where were we before we were so rudely interrupted."

"First thing's first, Merida replied with a chuckle, "I think congratulations are in order." Hiccup furrowed his brow in confusion.

"Congratulations," he questioned, "for what exactly?" Merida smirked up at him.

"Ye used eejit correctly in a sentence," Merida replied, "there may still be hope for ye yet." Hiccup sighed and gazed back at her deadpan.

"Hilarious," he replied flatly, "what are you, a comedian now?" Merida chuckled at his response.

"Hey, I am truly proud o' ye," Merida replied defensively," keep this up and before ye know it...ye'll understand me just as well as any Scot."

"Well, practice makes perfect I suppose," Hiccup sighed.

"No truer words," Merida replied. Hiccup grinned at her with a mischievous look in his eyes.

"Hey, while we are on the subject," Hiccup said slyly, "I think there may just be one other area that we could use a little more practice in." Merida furrowed her brow as she gazed up at him somewhat suspiciously.

"And what would that be," she questioned flatly.

"Kissing," Hiccup replied in a sly tone, "especially you, I mean, you are sort of new to this whole kissing thing after all."

"Kissing," Merida replied indignantly, "what are ye sayin' Hiccup...dinnae ye think I can kiss well?" She pulled away from him abruptly and glared up at him with her hands on her hips.

"No, that's not,...I mean, that is...uh, it's not that you're not good at it," Hiccup stuttered, "I...I mean, you are...well, surprisingly, you are exceptionally good at it. All I'm saying is that there is always room for improvement, right. There is no such thing as too much practice after all." Merida shook her head in amusement.

"Right," she replied haughtily, "and I suppose ye know just the person to help me practice this...art of kissing, do ye." Hiccup shrugged.

"Oh, ya know, I...may know a guy," Hiccup responded as he leaned slightly closer to her, "and I've heard that he is somewhat of an expert in his field."

"Oh, is he now," Merida snickered.

"Oh yeah," Hiccup sighed, "he's had plenty of hands on experience...well, technically, in this case I guess it would be lips on experience." Merida furrowed her brow questioningly as she gazed back at him in slight indignation.

"Oh, has he," she questioned pointedly. Hiccup chuckled at her reaction. Merida huffed in annoyance.

"Okay...okay, so he's not really all that experienced," Hiccup replied quickly, "but he is still pretty good at it." Merida rolled her eyes as she she smirked up at him once again.

"Well, if he's such an expert," Merida huffed, "can he do this?" Without a moments pause, Merida quickly stood up on her toes pressing her lips firmly to his in a tender yet precipitous kiss. Though Hiccup was taken slightly by surprise, he instantly gave in, happily reciprocating her actions with little resistance. But just as quickly as she had kissed him, she abruptly pulled away leaving him pining for more. She gazed up at him in slight amusement. He was still leaning toward her with eyes closed and he seemed to be slightly dazed. His eyes fluttered open and he looked back at her with crooked grin. He cleared his throat and stood up straight the moment he had come to his senses.

"Uh...that was pretty good...for an amateur, of course," Hiccup replied trying desperately to keep a straight face.

"An amateur," Merida groaned as she smacked him on the bicep playfully.

"Hey...I'm just trying to be objective," Hiccup replied teasingly. Merida smirked up at him.

"Objective," she replied indignantly.

"I have an idea, why don't we just try that one more time," Hiccup replied, "that way I can get a better comparison...ya know, uh, for research purposes." Merida raised an eyebrow as she smirked up at him.

"Well...I guess so," Merida replied with a shrug, "if it's for research." Hiccup grinned at her mischievously.

She stood up on her toes once more, pausing only for a moment as she gazed lovingly into his deep green eyes. Hiccup's breath caught in his throat as he gazed back at her. Her eyes were like hypnotic blue pools that seemed to pull him in like the tides of the sea. He was captivated by them and he found himself completely unable to turn away. She leaned forward resting her hands upon his chest as she reached up and gripped the collar of his tunic tightly in her fingers. As she pulled herself closer to him, he bowed his head down slightly granting her easier access to him. She moved forward slowly this time, as if she were trying to make this moment last as long as she possibly could. She continued to inch forward until her lips were mere centimeters away from his and there she paused, for what seemed like an eternity, as Hiccup anxiously anticipated the feeling of her soft pink lips pressed tenderly against his own. She was so close that he could feel a tingling sensation where their lips barely touched and her soft and even breaths on his face. Hiccup held his breath, silently fighting the nearly overwhelming urge to close the miniscule gap between them. This was her kiss after all, if she wanted to drag it out forever than who was he to rush it. Without another moment to spare she closed the gap herself. The moment her lips met his, Hiccup's heart nearly burst from his chest just from the sheer anticipation of it. She kissed him softly at first; it was a kiss nearly as chaste as the first they had ever shared but it seemed to hold so much more meaning now. He knew he loved her, and she loved him and it was almost as if their lips had sealed their fate, binding their hearts and souls together forever as one.

Merida slowly wrapped her arms around his neck as she gradually deepened the kiss. This time her kiss was far from rushed and seemed to be filled with all the love and desire that she felt for him in this moment. Hiccup slowly wrapped his arms around her tiny waist as he reciprocated her actions. He could feel his heart beating frantically in his chest as he became lost in his own feelings love and desire. As Hiccup leaned into the kiss, he tightened his arms around her even more. He pulled her almost desperately against him, as if trying to satisfy his nearly overwhelming need to be as close to her as was physically possible. Merida's lips parted slightly and her tongue slipped past his lips as if searching hungrily for his. This caused Hiccup to moan slightly against her lips as he completely gave into her. Hiccup's surrender seemed to make Merida more determined than ever. He felt her hands come to rest on both sides of his face as she pulled herself even closer to him and her kiss seemed to become slightly more desperate than before. Hiccup relented to her, giving her complete control. He was hers completely, heart and soul, and body if she so desired. It was true that he loved Merida with all his heart, and he desired to be close to her often, but this moment was the first time that he truly desired her...as only a lover does.

He could not help but to imagine them in that way, wrapped up in each other, so close that one could not be discerned from the other. In this moment it was only Merida that he knew. It was Merida who caused the heart in his chest to beat, it was Merida that filled his lungs with breath. It was she who rose the sun and moon, and caused his world to spin on it's axis. She had reached into the ashes of his soul and brought him back to life again. She had singlehandedly laid waste to every doubt he ever had. There was nothing more in this life that he desired, his search was over and if he died in her arms in this moment, he'd die a happy man. The two remained locked in the passionate kiss for a long moment, practically forgetting everything around them. Merida pulled away just slightly and smiled against his lips. Hiccup was left practically breathless and longing for more. He seemed to be slightly dazed and it took him a moment or two to gather his thoughts. He opened his eyes and gazed back at her longingly, his lips still tingling from the long heated kiss. He took a deep breath as he slowly came back to his senses.

"Wow...uh," Hiccup stuttered, "yeah, uh, ya know, o-on second thought, uh, I...I think maybe this kissing expert, could be just slightly out of practice. He may be unqualified to mentor you." Merida smirked up at him.

"So, which method do ye think I should work on more," Merida questioned haughtily.

"The second one," Hiccup answered immediately, "definitely, definitely the second one." She furrowed her brow in amusement.

"Aye, is that yer fair-minded opinion," Merida questioned.

"Uh-huh," Hiccup replied almost dreamily. He cleared his throat as he tried his best to keep a straight face, "a-as far as kisses go, that was pretty good, a-and that tongue thing you did...that was...just...I...I mean, it was...uh, well, I...I don't quite have the words to describe that actually. But it all could use a little work, uh, ya know, uh, objectively speaking of course."

"Is that so" Merida replied flatly, "and what exactly do ye suggest I do to improve it then?"

"Practice," Hiccup replied with a mischievous grin, "lots and lots of practice. We're talking every day...no breaks...maybe even like three o-or four times a day even."

"Aye that seems a bit extreme doesn't it," Merida replied sarcastically, "was it really that terrible?"

"Oh...yeah," Hiccup replied feigning a concerned expression," i-in fact it was so terrible that you may have trouble finding someone to practice with."

"Really," she replied sarcastically. Hiccup nodded his head vigorously.

"Yeah, I mean it needs a lot of work," Hiccup replied smugly, "but you know what, since I like you and all, I guess I could volunteer as your kissing practice partner."

"Oh, ye'd do that just for me, would ye," Merida questioned in amusement.

"You and only you princess," Hiccup replied with a grin.

"Ye are such an arse," she replied in amusement.

"Uh, I'm pretty sure the proper term you're looking for is eejit, m'lady," Hiccup replied with a grin.

"Aye that too," she replied.