Authors note:

In this chapter Eret remembers a snippet of a song his mother used to sing, the song is called 'Noble Maiden Fair'. This is the same song that Elinor sings to Merida in Brave. Google if you haven't heard it.

Chapter 27

…

Little five year old Eret sat at his mother's feet playing happily with the little wooden dragon that his father had brought from his most recent trip. His mother busied herself with a tapestry she'd been working on. His father had brought her a loom from his recent travels as well. As she worked she hummed a tune that Eret had heard often from her.

A naoidhean bhig, cluinn mo ghuth

Mise ri d' thaobh, Ó mhaighdean bhàn

Ar rìbhinn òg, fàs a's faic

Do thìr, dìleas fhéin

A ghrian a's a ghealach, stiùir sinn

Gu uair ar cliù 's ar glòir

Naoidhean bhig, ar rìbhinn òg

Mhaighdean uasal bhàn

—-

Eret looked up at her curiously as she sang. She always looked sad when she sang the familiar tune and he never understood why. He continued to gaze up at her in concern. In the midst of her work she glanced over at him from the corner of her eye. When she noticed his worried gaze she paused in her work and turned to him with a soft smile but the sadness still showed in her dark brown eyes.

She held her hand out to him and bid him come to her. Eret got to his feet and climbed up onto her lap. She wrapped her arms around him and he laid his head upon her chest. She held him close as she gently ran her fingers through his messy brown hair.

"Are you sad mama," he asked innocently. His mother leaned forward and kissed him gently upon the top of his head.

"Aye a little," she replied.

"Does that song make you sad," Eret asked. His mother nodded.

"Why," Eret asked.

"It reminds me o' the past," she replied, "my mum used tae sing it tae me when I was but a wee lass…and I used tae sing it tae my sister." Little Eret nodded as he thought over her answer.

"Where are they," Eret asked as he gazed up at her curiously.

"I lost them both a long time ago," his mother replied sadly. Eret thought about her reply for a long moment.

"Do you miss them mama," Eret asked.

"Aye, very much so," his mother replied with a sad far-off look in her eye. He lifted his head and looked up at her curiously.

"If they're only lost," Eret asked innocently, "why don't you just go and find them." His mother remained quiet for a long moment as she thought over his innocent question.

"Aye, maybe some day I will," she replied. She looked down on him and smiled, "but not today."

"Why not," he asked.

"Because, I have to look after ye, ye wee devil, don't I now," she said as she tickled him causing him to laugh uncontrollably. He leaned back once more upon his mother's chest as she wrapped her arms around him and hugged him tightly.

"Well if I'm ever lost you won't have to worry about finding me," Eret said, "cause I will always find you no matter what."

"Is that so my wee yin," she replied.

"Yes," Eret smiled, he then turned to his mother and kissed her tenderly upon the cheek.

….

Eret sat up instantly, both confused and curious about the strange dream. He took a deep breath as he leaned forward and rubbed his eyes in exhaustion. It seemed his dreams had been causing him to sleep poorly for the past few days and he was beginning to feel the effects.

He looked around groggily to find his surroundings still shrouded in the darkness of night. The only light was from the flickering of the campfire and what little moonlight was visible above the thick forest canopy. Across from him Fishlegs lay fast asleep curled up beside Meatlug but Hiccup and Toothless were still no where in sight.

Hiccup had left hours ago to walk Merida home and Eret was surprised he had not yet returned. This concerned him slightly, but more than anything he hoped Hiccup at least hadn't gotten himself into any sort of trouble along the way.

He sighed heavily as his mind drifted back to his newest dream and he pondered its meaning. The dream itself was but another memory of his late mother that he hadn't thought about in years. He wondered why, after all these years, he seemed to be so haunted by his past as of late. His mind flashed suddenly to what Hiccup had said just days before after his previous dream.

…

"If there is one thing I've learned since all of this started, it's that you shouldn't take dreams lightly."

…

Eret sighed heavily once more as he thought over Hiccup's previous statement. At the time, Eret had dismissed it entirely but, in truth, he hadn't really stopped thinking about it since Hiccup had said it.

As much as he tried to convince himself that his dreams were nothing more than his mind simply rehashing his past, he could not help but to wonder if there was some deeper meaning to his recent nightly visions. But what could these dreams of his mother be trying to tell him? Why had he only begun to have them recently? Stranger still, they seemed to have begun after he had arrived in Dunbroch. He could not help but to wonder the significance of this fact. Could it have anything to do with his accidental discovery of the symbol that matched his pendant?

The thought of his discovery caused his mind to drift back to Merida. He was still very perplexed by the strange yet very real feelings she seemed to have stirred in him. He was beginning to wonder if his discovery of the symbol, his feelings about Merida, and his dreams of the past were somehow all connected. But, if this truly was his father's homeland, as he was beginning to suspect, then what had all this to do with his mother? Perhaps his mother was trying to reach out to him, just as Hiccup and Merida's grandparents had reached out to them. Perhaps he was meant to find the truth about his own family ties to Dunbroch.

"You okay," Hiccup's concerned voice distracted Eret from his thoughts and he looked up to see his friend walking toward him from the woods.

"I'm fine," Eret replied dismissively, "just a little trouble sleeping is all." Hiccup gazed at him curiously. Eret sat up straight and gazed up at Hiccup with a distant look in his eye. He was still very reluctant to divulge what had been troubling him to Hiccup, especially in regards to his feelings about Merida. As many times as Hiccup tried to encourage Eret to talk about it, he was not comfortable doing so.

"That seems to be happening a lot with you lately," Hiccup replied, "anything you want to talk about?" Eret shook his head in denial.

"It's nothing," Eret replied, "just have a lot on my mind is all…nothing I can't handle." Hiccup nodded as he silently considered Eret's answer, but he remained skeptical of his friend's explanation.

It was clear to Hiccup that something had been bothering Eret for days, but thus far he had refused to talk about it and Hiccup couldn't help but to wonder why. He thought back to he and Merida's earlier discussion about Eret's possible connection to Dunbroch.

…

"He just seems familiar," Merida said, "like we've met before...I can't explain it exactly. When I spoke to him to apologize, I just...I couldn't shake the feeling that it wasn't the first time we met. There is just something so familiar about him. " Hiccup furrowed his brow as he thought over all she had said. Merida looked back at Hiccup questioningly.

"But that's impossible...right," Merida questioned. Hiccup looked up at her thoughtfully.

"Not necessarily," Hiccup replied. Merida gazed at him curiously.

"Eret doesn't exactly know much about his family," Hiccup replied, "or where he comes from. He had his mother until he was eight, but he doesn't even really know much about her or her family either..."

…

In light of Merida's recent confession regarding her strange feelings about Eret, Hiccup couldn't help but to wonder if Eret had felt similarly about Merida. He wondered if this could be the reason Eret had been acting off. In addition, Eret seemed to be having troubling dreams as of late. Though Eret never shared anything about these recent dreams, Hiccup was sure they were causing his lack of sleep. Was it possible that Eret's dreams, his odd behavior, and Merida's admission could all be related?

One thing that didn't quite add up with that theory was the fact that Eret's odd behavior had started a little before he had even met Merida at all. In fact, the first troubling dream Eret had was days before Merida's grounding was even lifted. Eret had also admitted that this first dream, which seemed to Hiccup to be the catalyst to Eret's recent troubles, had been about his mother. Hiccup found this to be intriguing considering his and Merida's newest suspicions.

Though it was a very likely possibility that Eret's dream could have been nothing more than the result of his very real worries about becoming a father, Hiccup had begun to suspect that it might just mean something more. After all, his own dreams hadn't started until after his discovery of Dunbroch and he knew now that they seemed to be leading him to find the truth about his grandfather's connection to this place. Hiccup supposed that if Eret truly did have some sort of family connection to Dunbroch, his dreams might very well be calling him to find the truth about his own past as well.

Dunbroch was an interesting place, it was steeped in legend and magic, and Hiccup began to wonder if the land itself was not enchanted. It was certainly plausible that if Eret was connected to this place as he and Merida, that his dreams were also driving him to find the truth about his mother just as Hiccup and Merida's dreams seemed to be driving them to find the truth about their grandparents. Given Eret knew little of his mother and practically nothing of his father, for all they knew, Eret's family history might very well be intricately intertwined with Dunbroch. Hiccup thought back to he, Eret and Fishleg's previous conversation.

…

"You said that Berk was an ally of Dunbroch,"Eret replied.

"That's right," Fish replied, "in one of the entries in the journal, Mairead said that her father, the king, fought with the chief of Berk previously. It said they were old friends."

"That's right mate," Eret replied, "so it's safe to assume that Berk and Dunbroch were allies long before we came here for their dragon problem." Hiccup nodded as he listened to his friends' suggestions.

"And like you just said," Fish chimed in, "a Haddock has always been chief of Berk."

"Right," Eret agreed, "so isn't it possible that your family in particular has a much longer history in Dunbroch than just the incident between yours and her grandparents?"

"Maybe we were even associated with a particular village in Dunbroch before we were banished," Fish suggested, "I mean, maybe some Berkans had connections here in Dunbroch or maybe even families. What if the banishment didn't just separate Hiccup and Mairead, but other families as well? What if Berk and maybe even the Haddock's specifically have family ties to Dunbroch."

…

As Hiccup thought over Fish and Eret's hypothesis. He couldn't help but to wonder if Eret's own family had suffered a similar displacement during Dunbroch's war with the Northern Invaders. If Eret's mother truly had been taken from Dunbroch, then perhaps Eret's dream was trying to lead him to learn the truth about his mother."

Though Hiccup's suspicions seemed compelling, he decided to keep it to himself for now. As much as he wanted to know what exactly was going on with his friend, he also didn't want to push the issue. He figured Eret would talk when he was ready.

"You're back late," Eret replied changing the subject, "I hope you didn't get into too much trouble taking your girl home, or too distracted along the way." Eret raised an eyebrow at Hiccup suggestively. Hiccup snickered at Eret's comment.

"I guess there were a few minor distractions," Hiccup replied with a grin, "but I still managed to get Merida home before dark." Eret chuckled at his answer.

"Well at least you didn't break her curfew again," Eret replied in amusement, "but if you got her back in time then what on earth took you so long to get back mate?" Hiccup only shrugged as he sat down beside his friend, but the tell tale grin on his face remained.

"Well…uh…ya know, I, uh, I just wanted to make sure she got home okay," Hiccup stuttered, "so…uh I…I waited at the edge of the woods until she got through the castle gates." Eret furrowed his brow skeptically at Hiccup's explanation.

"Oh, I suppose it took her four hours to reach the castle gates then," Eret questioned smugly. Hiccup rolled his eyes.

"I waited until I saw her go into the gates, but then…for some reason, I…I just couldn't bring myself to leave right away, that's all," Hiccup stuttered as he rubbed the back of his neck. Eret gazed at Hiccup curiously as he pondered his answer. He was not, however, fully convinced that Hiccup was being completely forthcoming. He was certain that Hiccup was being purposely vague, and he snickered slightly as he gazed at his old friend knowingly.

"You snuck back to the castle after dark didn't you," Eret questioned smugly. Hiccup didn't answer him right away, but the blush on his face was all the answer Eret needed.

"Hic are you crazy," Eret replied in both disbelief and slight amusement, "ya know, you're literally asking to get caught, right?"

"It's not that big a deal," Hiccup replied dismissively, "I just waited until after dark to sneak up to her balcony…nobody saw me."

"Not that big a deal," Eret repeated, raising his eyebrows in surprise, "Hic this isn't just some girl you fancy mate, this is the future queen of Dunbroch! She probably has an army of guards to protect her. Suppose you got caught in her room by one of them, or…or worse her parents! You want them to accept you right? How well do you think that will go if they find you sneaking up to their only daughter's room after dark?"

"Nothing happened," Hiccup replied defensively, "she …she wasn't even awake. I…I just wanted to feel close to her." Eret raised an eyebrow at Hiccup suspiciously.

"So….what….you just sat outside her balcony door practically all night…just to feel close to her," Eret questioned dubiously. Hiccup nodded.

"Pretty much," Hiccup replied vaguely. Eret continued to gaze at Hiccup incredulously.

"A-and I…I also…left her some flowers outside her door," Hiccup explained.

"Flowers," Eret repeated flatly as he crossed his arms over his chest."

"Yeah, flowers," Hiccup replied as he ran his fingers through his messy brown hair. He seemed to be avoiding Eret's gaze which did not go unnoticed by Eret.

"A-and a….a note," Hiccup stuttered. Eret raised an eyebrow at Hiccup as he gazed at him dubiously. Hiccup sighed heavily.

"Also I…I might have…sort of….snuck into her room to see her," Hiccup said quickly. Eret raised his eyebrows as he gazed back at Hiccup in disbelief.

"I take it back, you're not crazy" Eret replied. "you've completely lost your mind!" Hiccup rolled his eyes at Eret's statement.

"Give me a break Eret," Hiccup huffed in annoyance, "I told you, nothing happened."

"Nothing happened this time," Eret replied, "but if you keep putting yourself in situations where things could easily get out of hand, there is no telling what could happen next time." Hiccup furrowed his brow at Eret's words.

"Are you seriously trying to have "the talk" with me right now," Hiccup questioned as he moved his fingers in mock quotations.

"What…no," Eret replied immediately. He paused a moment as he thought over Hiccup's accusation. "Okay…maybe a little, but for good reason." Hiccup snickered at Eret's comment in both amusement and annoyance.

"Good reason," Hiccup huffed under his breath. He stood quickly and began to pace as he glared over at Eret. "Do you really think I would do that," Hiccup groaned, "that I …I would take advantage of Merida?"

"No….I….I'm not saying that Hic," Eret sighed, "I don't think that at all! I'm just saying that sometimes you can lose yourself in the moment is all, ya know…let your heart get the better of you in…in …certain situations. And, under the circumstances, it'd be best to not tempt fate." Hiccup blushed slightly at Eret's words, but rather than take them into consideration he became slightly angry with Eret's backhanded insinuation.

"Well, I guess you would know that better than anyone," Hiccup groaned. Eret glared up at Hiccup.

"What the hell Hic," Eret growled, "I'm just trying to help…you don't have to throw my mistakes in my face! What happened to everything being as it should be and leaving the past behind us?" With that Eret stood and started to walk away. Hiccup sighed heavily with Eret's words. He felt immediately guilty for his outburst.

"Eret wait," Hiccup called out. Eret turned back to Hiccup with a look of annoyance on his face. Hiccup sighed heavily once more as he walked over to Eret.

"Look, I…I'm sorry okay," Hiccup replied as he gazed back at Eret in remorse, "I…I didn't mean to say that…it's just…old habits die hard ya know." Eret sighed as he nodded his head.

"I get it Hic," Eret replied, "you caught me with Astrid and you got hurt. I know that's not an easy thing to just let go of."

"That's irrelevant," Hiccup replied, "you're right, we both decided to put the past behind us…I… I shouldn't have said what I said."

"It's not irrelevant Hic," Eret replied, "it's exactly my point!" Eret sighed heavily and rubbed his eyes for a moment as he pondered his response. "Ya know, I…I never meant for that to happen…it just did," Eret said remorsefully, "it was just a…a moment of weakness, that you just happened to walk in on." Hiccup nodded as he listened.

"Things happen sometimes," Eret sighed heavily before continuing, "it's like you said Hic…my intentions didn't exactly mean shit. My intentions were…second fiddle to my heart that day." Eret dropped his eyes from Hiccup as he silently recalled his first encounter with Astrid years ago; the very catalyst that had sparked the entire feud between he and Hiccup.

It hadn't been the first time he'd met her in secret. Back then, the only time he and Astrid were free to act as a couple was during their secret rendezvous in the woods. In those first few months Eret already knew without doubt that they were meant to be. He knew irrefutably that one day they would be together, without hiding and without apology. That firm belief in their future was enough for Eret and he was capable of holding back his desires with the knowledge that one day they wouldn't have to.

But that day something changed. It could have been something as simple and insignificant as the touch of her hand or the look in her eyes that caused the walls holding his desires back to start to crumble. He wanted her more than anything and his feelings were becoming harder and harder to ignore. Astrid's own willingness to continue obliterated those walls completely and despite his honorable intentions he laid bare his heart and his desires. It was a moment of weakness on both their parts. Of course, if he had known then that the moment they both gave in would also be the moment that Hiccup discovered them together, he might have tried harder to resist.

Eret turned back to Hiccup and gazed at him for a long moment. "If you think what happened between us was bad," Eret said, "just imagine how bad it would be if you and Merida get caught by her parents! They already hate Vikings as it is, can you imagine what they'd do if they found a Viking with their only daughter?"

"I know," Hiccup replied, "believe me…my head is in the game Eret. I know what I'm up against…. I know that she and I have to do things the right way to be accepted. I won't be doing anything to put my relationship with Merida in jeopardy." Hiccup paused for a few moments before continuing.

"Besides, she and I are a long way off from…that," Hiccup continued, "we are both not ready to go to that level yet. I mean, for Thor's sake, we only just admitted how we feel about each other today!" Eret nodded at Hiccup's answer.

"Forget about putting your relationship in jeopardy," Eret replied, "these people might very well send you straight to the gallows." Hiccup gulped slightly at Eret's ominous words. Though he was confident that he could win over Merida's parents, the idea that it all could go terribly wrong still lingered at the back of his mind. Merida's own worry over the outcome didn't exactly help to ease his mind. Still, he remained hopeful that all would go according to plan.

"It won't come to that," Hiccup replied assuredly. Eret sighed heavily once more. He hoped above all else that Hiccup was right.

"Besides, if everything goes according to plan," Hiccup went on, "I won't have to sneak up to the castle to see her anymore."

"Well for your sake and hers I hope this plan of yours goes as smoothly as possible," Eret said.

"Me too," Hiccup replied, "of course it might go a lot smoother if Merida was willing to be a hundred percent honest with her parents from the start." Eret gazed at Hiccup in slight concern.

"Is she still insisting on keeping your relationship a secret then," Eret questioned. Hiccup nodded.

"Yeah," Hiccup replied flatly, "no thanks to you."

"No thanks to me," Eret questioned with a chuckle.

"Well, you weren't exactly being very supportive," Hiccup replied flatly.

"Not supportive," Eret replied in a questiong tone, "what are you talking about?"

"Merida and I already came to the decision to come forward to her parents as soon as possible," Hiccup explained, "and she was completely on board, …in fact she's the one that suggested we do it as soon as possible. Despite all her fears and all her worries, she agreed that it was our best option. Everything would have gone according to our original plan, if Merida's mother hadn't sprung this whole suitor debacle on her. Of course, it was perfect timing too, right after the argument they already had about Vikings! This whole suitor situation just made all the worries she already had ten times worse! It took a lot of effort for me to convince her that our plan to come forward is still our best option and despite all her reservations she still agreed. But then you started with all your arguments against it, which brought all her fears back to the front of her mind!" Eret sighed heavily as he thought over Hiccup's accusation.

"I'm not against you coming forward Hic," Eret replied, "I'm just not convinced that your plan is exactly the right way to do so. I was just trying to help, I wanted to be sure that you both took everything else into consideration."

"We have taken everything else into consideration," Hiccup replied defensively, "there is not a detail of this whole thing that I haven't gone over and over again, and whatever I missed Merida most definitely brought it up. Believe me, there is literally no obstacle we haven't discussed already, multiple times." Eret nodded.

"Okay," Eret replied, "I'm sorry if what I said worried Merida even more…but I'm not sorry I brought it all up. But it's far better to be safe than sorry, right? I mean, maybe Merida is right to be overly cautious." Hiccup sighed heavily as he pondered Eret's suggestion. He supposed Eret had a legitimate point. After all, if anyone could more accurately predict how the king and queen would react it was Merida. Perhaps her cautious approach was best. But he could not help but to question whether keeping this secret from them could help or hurt their situation.

"It's alright," Hiccup sighed, "honestly…it…it wasn't really a hundred percent your fault anyway. It's Merida, she just…has it in her head that when her mom finds out that I'm a Viking, she will condemn our relationship. And if that happens, she's afraid that her mother will take her choice from her and force Merida to marry one of the lords sons whether she wants to or not." Eret furrowed his brow in concern.

"She really believes her mother would do that to her," Eret questioned. Hiccup shrugged.

"That's what I said," Hiccup replied, "but, apparently, there is a lot more to her mom's aversion of Vikings." Eret furrowed his brow at Hiccup's statement.

"What do you mean exactly," Eret questioned.

"Well, according to Merida, Dunbroch was at war with some clan of Vikings years ago and unfortunately her mom in particular had a pretty traumatic experience with them when she was just a kid," Hiccup explained, "that's why she hates Vikings so much and why she's literally spent an entire lifetime teaching Merida that our kind can't be trusted. Because of that, Merida basically grew up believing that all Vikings are just a bunch of no good, evil monsters. That's the reason Merida is afraid that her mother will never change her opinion of us no matter what our argument is." Eret nodded as he thought over Hiccup's statement.

"Well, honestly she's not that far off mate," Eret replied, "most Vikings are no good, evil monsters. Berk is one of the rare exceptions."

"True," Hiccup replied, "and unfortunately her mom's bad experience might make it that much more difficult to prove to her that Berk is nothing like the clan that invaded her village. Especially given our own questionable history with Dunbroch." Eret furrowed his brow and gazed at Hiccup curiously as he continued to ponder all that Hiccup had told him.

"If you don't mind my asking," Eret replied, "what exactly was the queen's experience?" Hiccup sighed heavily before continuing.

"Merida didn't really know many details," Hiccup replied, "her mom hasn't exactly been very open about it. From what I understand, these Vikings raided her mom's village when she was a girl and, unfortunately, her older sister was taken by them." Eret gazed back at Hiccup with a remorseful expression on his face as he thought over this new bit of information.

"That is unfortunate," Eret replied.

"Yeah," Hiccup agreed, "no kidding, and it sorta complicates things just a bit more than they already were; but what's one more obstacle right?" Eret silently thought over all Hiccup had said.

"Any ideas on what clan they were at war with," Eret questioned.

"I've been thinking about that too," Hiccup replied, "Merida only called them invaders from the north…not very specific. It could have been anyone really, the Beserkers, Lava-louts, the Outcasts, maybe even the Hysterics." Eret silently pondered Hiccup's suggestions.

"What about the Northern Alliance," Eret questioned.

"What…Drago," Hiccup replied questioningly , "I doubt it. We're talking over thirty plus years ago…and Merida didn't mention anything about the invaders using dragons in battle. Like I said before, dragons haven't been seen in Dunbroch in over three hundred years. I was leaning more towards the possibility that the Northern invaders, might have joined the Northern Alliance sometime after the war with Dunbroch. Eret nodded as he contemplated Hiccup's words.

"Yeah well, Drago didn't always have a dragon army Hic," Eret replied as he crossed his arms over his chest, "before the Alliance was formed he was a loyal member of the Warlords. It was the former chief that started the Northern Alliance by forcefully acquiring other clans. Drago actually started out as a raider, and worked his way up to becoming chief. It wasn't until after he was chief that he started his plan to raise a dragon army. So, thirty- plus years ago would make Drago, what, 18…19 years old, maybe his early 20's, it was right around that time he had just become a captain of his own crew under the chief of the Warlords. If it were him, he'd still have been acting on his chiefs orders."

Hiccup furrowed his brow as he thought more about this possibility. Could Drago also have had some connection to Dunbroch as well? It was certainly possible that before Drago sought to raise his dragon army he had been involved in the war with Dunbroch. As Hiccup contemplated this possibility, the thought suddenly arose, if Drago had been among those that had taken the queen's sister, then perhaps he had also been involved in the abduction of Eret's mother as well. If that were truly the case then Eret's father also had a connection to Drago. As per Eret's story, his father had been working with the very Vikings that had captured his mother. But what did all of this mean for Eret? Had Eret's father in fact betrayed Drago to help Eret's mother? Had Eret really worked all those years under Drago, not realizing that the man might possibly have been responsible for his mother's abduction?

Despite his small, yet compelling revelation, Hiccup kept his inklings to himself. Having still not discussed with his friend his suspicions about his mother, he thought it best to keep it to himself for now. Still, his suspicions certainly warranted further investigation. If Eret's mother truly was of Dunbroch, if she had been taken by the same Vikings as the queen's sister, than it could possibly change everything. After all, Eret was living proof that all Vikings were not bad. His father had betrayed his own kind to rescue Eret's mother. In addition, despite being enemies initially, his mother and father had found love together, the result of which was Eret himself. Of course, the story his mother told was still riddled with many unanswered questions. Hiccup suspected that there might be a lot more to the story than Eret's mother had divulged. The problem now was that Eret didn't want to investigate his parent's past at all.

Hiccup wondered if he could just convince Eret to look into his family's history further, then it might possibly give he and Merida a slight advantage with her mother. Perhaps such a story could sway the queen's opinion of his kind for the better. Then again, it was just as possible that it might cause her to become resentful with the knowledge that Eret's mother had been saved but not her sister or any other Dunbrochian that might have been taken. Hiccup sighed heavily as he carefully weighed the possibilities. Regardless of either outcome, he couldn't pursue it further without first talking about it in more detail with Eret and at this point, Eret still wanted nothing to do with it.

Eret observed Hiccup curiously as he seemed to silently consider Eret's suggestion.

"What are you thinking," Eret questioned curiously. Hiccup looked up at Eret with an expression of deep thought. He shrugged in response.

"I don't know," Hiccup replied, "I didn't really consider the Northern Alliance, but I guess it could be possible that they might have been involved."

"If it was them," Eret replied, "then at least you'll have some sort of an advantage with Merida's mother." Hiccup furrowed his brow as he gazed at Eret in confusion. It was as if he had read his mind.

"You know," Eret explained, "because you defeated Drago. I'm sure she'd be grateful knowing that you might have been the one to bring the Viking that took her sister to justice." Hiccup nodded as he thought over Eret's explanation.

"Good point," Hiccup replied, "I didn't really think of it that way."

"If anything might help to convince her that your not like most vikings," Eret replied, "I'm sure that will."

"If I can find proof that Drago was actually involved that is," Hiccup replied. Eret nodded as he thought over Hiccup's statement.

"Yes, that might very well be a problem considering it was over thirty years ago," Eret replied. Hiccup fell silent as he pondered his new predicament.

"Well, maybe not," Hiccup replied as he looked up at Eret with a determined expression on his face, " like I said before, once I come forward I can look through the archives with Merida. I might find some answers there. But more importantly, I might be able to talk to an actual eye witness."

"You mean Merida's mother," Eret questioned.

"Who better than her," Hiccup replied, "she was there, if she caught a glimpse of their sails, or heard a name or saw a symbol on their armor that could be all the proof that I need! Not to mention there is also an entire village of possible witnesses that I could talk to!"

"Of course that all depends on whether or not they accept you and allow you to stay in Dunbroch," Eret reminded him. Hiccup sighed as he rolled his eyes.

"I know, I know, the situation is still fairly tentative right now and it's very possible that everything could go terribly wrong when I come forward," Hiccup replied, "but I…I have a good feeling about it. I know that her mom truly cares about Merida and she'll do everything in her power to protect her daughter. We have that in common. I just need to make her see that I truly care about Merida just as much and I'd also do anything to protect her."

"Well that shouldn't be too difficult," Eret smirked, "anyone with a set of eyes can see you're madly in love with her."

"Yeah well, I just hope my being a Viking doesn't cloud her mother's vision," Hiccup replied, "and I hope that her past experience doesn't affect her opinion of me."

…

Ellie lay silently in her bed just on the cusp of sleep, when the warning bell rang out in the silent night. Half asleep and slightly confused, Ellie sat up with a start. The warning bell could only mean one of two things, either a brewing storm or an invasion. Ellie could feel her heart freeze at the sound. She sprang from her bed and ran to the window of her room. She threw open the shudders and peaked outside. She expected to see high winds, rain and perhaps a violent sea, but instead her eyes fell upon a terrifying sight; an armada of Viking ships in the harbor and a band of marauders storming the shore. There were houses burning and the sound of clanging swords rang through the air. The door to her room flung open suddenly causing Ellie to nearly jump out of her skin in fear. She turned to see Isla with a look of terror on her face.

"We have to go now Ellie," Isla cried out. Ellie continued to stand frozen in place with eyes as wide as saucers. Isla ran to her and tried to shake her from her stupor.

"Listen to me Ellie," Isla said firmly, "the invaders from the North are here, we need to go now!" Ellie shook her head in confusion.

"Where is dad," Ellie questioned frantically.

"He's gone tae hold them off," Isla replied, "the men have gone tae protect the village. But if we don't go now the Vikings will come for us. We are the daughter's of a Lord, they'll come for us first! We have to run." Ellie nodded.

"Now come on," Isla insisted. I know a place we can hide until it's over." With that Isla grabbed Ellie by the hand and forcibly pulled her out of the room. The two ran from the manor exiting from the servants entrance in hopes that they would not be seen. But despite their efforts, they were seen by one of the Vikings.

"Hey," the deep raspy voice yelled out. But Isla did not stop, nor did she dare to turn and look his way; she ran faster pulling Ellie with her. Ellie was numb with terror and felt as if she were in some kind of a nightmare. She was dazed and confused and terrified more than she'd ever been in her life. As Isla ran she glanced behind her. She was relieved to see somehow they had managed to lose sight of the Viking. She quickly ducked into the barn adjacent to the manor pulling Ellie by the hand behind her.

Once inside she quickly shut the door behind her and barricaded it with a heavy wooden plank. She turned quickly and grabbed Ellie's hand and dragged her away from the door. But no sooner did she pull Ellie away, did the man start violently pounding on the door as he tried to break it down. The two girls backed away in fear.

The Viking hit the door over and over again with such force the the wood was beginning to splinter and Isla knew that it wouldn't be long before he managed to force his way inside.

Ellie stood paralyzed in a state of shock. Coming to her senses quickly, Isla turned toward her younger sister with tears in her eyes and panic on her face. She quickly pulled Ellie toward the loft. She paused by the ladder and knelt down to look Ellie in the eye. She held a shaky finger over her lips bidding Ellie to keep quiet. Ellie nodded in understanding. Isla motioned to the ladder urging Ellie to climb to the loft. Ellie did so quickly with Isla following close behind. Once Ellie had climbed into the loft, Isla covered her with a blanket and some hay.

The pounding on the door was louder now and the wood of the door was starting to break. Isla looked back in terror. In that moment she knew that there was no escape and no hiding. The Viking knew that she was in here and he wasn't giving up. She looked back at Ellie with tear filled eyes. She knew that she had to protect her sister above all else. Maybe she would not escape the Vikings, but she would make damn sure that Ellie did. She turned back to see the wooden plank that she had barricaded the door with was beginning to split. She knew without doubt that if she chose to hide with Ellie, the Vikings would rip the barn apart to find them both, so she made the heartbreaking decision to sacrifice herself to save Ellie.

"Isla," Ellie whispered fearfully, "Isla come on. Isla turned back to Ellie and silently shook her head. Ellie's eyes went wide with panic and the sight of her fear filled eyes broke Isla's heart.

"Please, Isla," Ellie pleaded desperately, "please come on."

"I can't," Isla whispered, "they know I'm here….they won't stop until they find us both."

"But Isla…"

"Look at me Ellie," Isla said calmly, "I know what I'm doing…I can't let them find you."

"Isla please, no," Ellie cried.

"You stay hidden," Isla ordered, "and you don't come out, not for anything! No matter what you see….or what you hear. You stay hidden until morning. You hear me." Ellie nodded with tear filled eyes.

"Promise me Ellie," Isla said firmly.

"I promise," Ellie said tearfully.

"Cross yer heart," Isla said with a sad smile. Ellie nodded.

"Cross my heart," Ellie whispered.

With that Isla climbed back down the ladder. Thinking quickly, she ripped a pitch fork from a peg on the wall and then quickly ducked inside an empty horse stall.

Ellie trembled as she turned her eyes back to the barn door. She could see the wood cracking more and more with every violent hit until it finally gave way. All at once the room fell silent. The Viking kicked the remainder of the door in with his foot as he entered. Ellie held her breath for a long moment as the Viking stepped forth from the broken door. Ellie covered her mouth with her hand to keep from making a sound as she peered down from the loft. Though the man looked young, maybe the age of twenty, he was an intimidating sight. He was tall and muscular with long dark braids tied back in a pony tail and a trimmed beard upon his chin. He wore a sleeveless tunic that boasted his muscular arms, which were covered from shoulder the wrist in intimidating tribal tattoos. Upon both fore arms he wore leather gauntlets that were embedded with sharp metal spikes. His face was gaunt and worn, and despite his youthful appearance, he looked as if he had seen many battles, and much bloodshed in his young life. He stared ahead with dark emotionless eyes as he scanned the barn like a predator stalking his prey.

"I know you're in here," the man's deep snarling voice sent chills down Ellie's spine, "you can't hide." He continued to scan the barn until his eyes came to rest upon the loft above. Ellie held her breath and pressed her hands tighter over her mouth to avoid making a single sound. She tried desperately to stay as still as possible. Her heart was frozen in fear as it seemed the Viking was staring in her exact direction. The Vikings mouth curled into an evil grin as he slowly approached the ladder.

Suddenly the sound of something falling to the ground echoed from the stall where Isla had hidden. Ellie's heart remained frozen in terror as the Viking turned away from the ladder and he gazed instead in the direction of Isla's hiding place. Ellie peered down from the loft helplessly with tears streaming uncontrollably down her face. A snarling smile formed on the Vikings face as he peered into the stall.

"Found you," he nearly growled. He reached down quickly in an attempt to grab Isla, but she swung the pitchfork at him. The Viking howled in pain as he stumbled backward. He covered his face with his hands and Ellie could see blood trickling through his fingers and streaming down his arms. Isla dropped the pitchfork and quickly ran in the opposite direction in an attempt to get away. Her plan was to lure the Viking as far away from Ellie as was possible. She ran for the broken door as fast as she could, but just as she reached it the pitchfork whizzed past her face narrowly missing and stuck into the door in front of her. She stumbled as she ducked for cover and landed on the ground with a thud, she looked up in fear as the Viking lurched forward, towering over her with a malicious grin.

"You think you could stop me wench," he growled. The Viking began to laugh maniacally. Isla quickly got back on her feet and attempted to run, but the Viking grabbed her roughly by the arm and threw her backward knocking her hard against the wall of the barn. He quickly pinned her against the wall and leaned so close to her that their faces were mere inches apart. Blood still oozed from the deep gashes across his face where she had struck him with the pitchfork, inadvertently causing him to look even more intimidating than he had before. Isla turned away from him as she tried desperately to break herself free. The Viking only laughed in amusement at her futile attempt to free herself.

"You should know I always get what I want," he sneered as he leaned into her, his filthy lips pressed to her neck and she cried out in disgust. He reached down in an attempt to lift her skirt but Isla quickly kneed him in the groin causing him to release her as he bent over in sudden pain. She ran from him quickly and headed once again for the barn door, but she was stopped in her tracks as she ran directly into another Viking.

Ellie watched as Isla gazed up at the young man in slight confusion. It was almost as if she recognized the man but was somewhat confused as to why he was there. The man gazed back at her silently with a slight look of remorse on his face.

"Stop her," the other Viking yelled out. The second Viking's expression changed suddenly from remorse to a hardened stare. He gripped her arms tightly to keep her in place.

"What should I do with her captain," the Viking asked. Isla shook her head in disbelief as tears streamed down her cheeks. She gazed up at him with a look of anguish in her eyes.

"Take her to the ship with the rest of them," the captain ordered, "but no one is to touch this one but me."

The second Viking nodded unemotionally as he tied Isla's hands together with a heavy rope. Isla simply stood still as he wrapped the rope around her wrists. It was as if she had simply given up her fight against them. Just as the second Viking was about to drag her away, the captain stopped them. He stared at Isla with a smug, evil grin on his face. Slowly he reached up and ran his rough bloodied fingers through her long brown hair causing her to wince at his touch.

"I told you," the Viking sneered, "I always get what I want." Isla glared at him as she defiantly spit in his face. In a split moment of anger he slapped her hard across the face, leaving a red welt in the shape of his hand upon her cheek. The force of the blow was so great that she might have been knocked off her feet had the second Viking not been holding her in place. Despite being dazed for a few moments, Isla turned back to him, glaring defiantly, and spit in his face once again. This time the captain only chuckled.

"You're a fighter," he said, "I like that. I'll have plenty of fun breaking you in." He then motioned for the second Viking to take her away.

…..

"NO," Elinor cried out as she sat up suddenly, gasping for air. Her heart was still beating furiously in her chest. The nightmare still fresh in her mind, she tried desperately to catch her breath and calm her nerves. She leaned forward covering her eyes with her hands as if trying to make the haunting images disappear from her mind. Her sudden movement and soft sobs caused Fergus to stir. He sat up quickly at the sight of his sobbing wife and wrapped his arms comfortingly around her. She quickly leaned into him taking comfort in his warm embrace.

"Elinor," Fergus cooed, "what's all this then?" Elinor leaned away from him as she wiped the tears from her eyes.

"A nightmare," Elinor replied tearfully, "about Isla and the day they took her." Fergus sighed heavily as he gazed at her in sympathy. He gently pulled her back to him and kissed the top of her head as he tried his best to soothe her. The memory of what happened to Isla was hard for Elinor but it was just as difficult for him.

Isla had been his first betrothed and when she was taken, Fergus was determined to find her. He vowed to Isla's father that he would not rest until he brought her home. Unfortunately, it was a promise that he ultimately could not keep. A year passed and no sign of Isla was ever found. It was as if she had dropped off the face of the earth and they all had to face the harsh reality that the worst had probably happened. For this first broken promise to Isla's father and in part to Elinor, Fergus carried much guilt, even after all these years.

After the search for Isla was abandoned Fergus and his family left Elinor's clan and headed back to castle Dunbroch. He wouldn't see Elinor again until years later when it was decided by their families that the two would be betrothed.

"Ye haven't had a nightmare about Isla in a long time," Fergus replied, "what's brought all this on?" Elinor shrugged as she wiped the tears from her eyes.

"I dinnae know," Elinor replied, "I suppose it's because she's been on my mind as of late what with everything goin' on with Merida. Fergus nodded as he thought over his wife's explanation. He sighed heavily as he weighed his response.

"I know yer worried," Fergus replied, "and ye have good reason, but try not to judge this situation with Merida by what happened to Isla; at least not yet anyway."

"I know," Elinor replied, "and I'm trying not to Fergus…but I…I can't help but to worry. Merida is so angry with me right now, you saw how she completely avoided me when she came home yesterday. She didn't even set foot in the dining hall for dinner. I'm worried that she'll do something rash without thinking just to get back at me."

"Yer not worried she'll have ye turned into a bear again are ye now," Fergus questioned with a chuckle.

"Fergus," Elinor grumbled as she pushed him slightly, "I'm serious!" Fergus chuckled at her reaction.

"No, I'm more concerned that if Merida thinks we've been plotting against her, she'll see fit to run off with this lad in the woods," Elinor replied.

"Elinor, I promise ye it willnae come tae that," Fergus replied assuredly, "I told ye, if there truly is a lad who she fancies, I will find out about him before she gets any ideas in her head. One way or another we will find out exactly who this lad is. Elinor nodded as she contemplated Fergus' words.

"As for this dream o' yers," Fergus replied, "maybe it's time Merida knew the truth about Isla…the whole truth." Elinor looked to Fergus with a concerned expression on her face.

"I…I don't know Fergus," Elinor replied.

"She's not a wee lass anymore," Fergus replied, "she's old enough to know the truth. Who knows, maybe knowing everything will help her understand ye better. She'll understand why ye are so protective o' her, why ye worry as ye do, why ye feel so strongly about followin' the rules." Elinor furrowed her brow as she thought over Fergus' suggestion.

"Perhaps knowing will encourage her to come forward," Fergus went on, "if anything to prove ye wrong about this mystery lad o' hers.

Hiccup's camp

After his and Eret's long conversation, Hiccup headed over to the now sleeping Toothless. He pulled the fur blanket from his things then sat down beside the dragon and leaned his back up against his side. He yawned as he draped the blanket over himself.

As Hiccup quietly gazed up at the canopy of trees, his mind once again drifted to Merida. He sat up for a moment, pulled his notebook from his pocket and opened it up to his most recent sketch. It was a picture of Merida sleeping peacefully that he had drawn from memory on the way back to camp. He gently traced the perfect lines of her face as he gazed at it. He silently reminisced over the events from earlier that evening when he had snuck back to the castle to leave flowers for her.

….

After Toothless dropped him off on her balcony, Hiccup had told him to go and wait at the edge of the woods until he signaled him to come back when he was done.

He quickly arranged her surprise and then pulled out his notebook to write a short note. He sat down upon the cold stone floor with his back leaned up against her balcony door as he wrote his sentiments. When he had finished writing, he tore the page out, folded it neatly and then placed it with Merida's flowers. He then quickly got to his feet and headed over to the edge of the balcony. He pulled a small piece of glass from his pocket to signal Toothless to come back and get him, but for some reason he paused in his actions.

He turned and gazed back at Merida's balcony door for a long moment. He could feel his heart beat increase as he thought of her only feet away, just beyond the door. He tucked the piece of glass back into his pocket as he quietly walked back toward the balcony door almost as if he were being pulled by some invisible force.

He stood there for a few moments just staring at her door wanting so much to be on the other side. He lay his hand upon the door as he debated his actions. Though he knew, with all things considered, that it was best he should go, he found it near impossible to leave. It was almost as if he were the moth and she were the flame, captivating him and drawing him to her, rendering him practically incapable of turning away.

He was reminded of the night in the woods when the wisps had led him to this very spot. Before the wisps had appeared, he felt the nearly overwhelming longing just to see her. The feelings he had now, knowing she was just on the other side of the glass door were just as overwhelming if not more so. Before, he longed for just the sight of her face and the sound of her voice, but now he longed for so much more.

He closed his eyes and leaned his forehead upon the door as he silently suffered. He longed now for her touch, her hand upon his cheek, or slipped into his with their fingers intertwined. He longed for the feeling of her body pressed up against his as he held her in his arms, and the feeling of her delicate arms encircling his neck. He longed for her loving gaze and the love she felt for him reflected back at him from her perfect blue eyes. He longed for her soft sweet lips pressed to his and the warm feeling that filled his heart and soul as he kissed her. He held his breath for a long moment as he reminisced about the passionate kisses they had shared in the woods earlier. His longing just to be in her presence was intense and felt nearly impossible to resist. It was a wonder to him that within a weeks time he could have fallen so completely in love with her that he couldn't bear to be away from her even for a moment.

Without thought he reached to the door latch and found it was unlocked. His hand still upon the door latch, he paused there for a long moment trying desperately to resist the overpowering urge to open it. Logically he knew entering her room was a bad idea, probably even the worst he'd had all day. Logically, he knew the risks such action posed, but it seemed not even the knowledge of the very real consequences of being caught was enough to thwart his desire.

Against his better judgement he gave in to his impulse. He slowly turned the latch and opened the door just a crack. Slowly and quietly, he pushed the heavy drapes to the side and poked his head into the room. He looked around curiously for a moment.

The room itself was large yet modest. Truly there was nothing royal about it. The furniture was plain and aside from the intricate tapestries that hung on the walls there was very little décor. The fire light from the fireplace bathed the room in a warm orange glow giving it an amiable atmosphere. The room was warm and inviting and the knowledge that Merida was sleeping only feet away made him want to enter all the more. In a brief moment of resistance, Hiccup stepped back from the room. He turned his back on the door and stood just outside once again debating his actions. He dropped his eyes to the stone floor of the balcony, his eyes coming to rest on the bouquet he had left for her. He smiled slightly as an idea popped into his head. He knelt down and pulled a single wildflower from the bouquet then he stood and turned back to the door.

Slowly and cautiously, he stepped over the threshold and into the room trying his best to be as quiet as possible. He then closed the door softly behind him. He quietly crept around her room just taking everything in. Being in her room was like being surrounded by all things Merida. In this moment, he was content just to be engulfed in everything that reminded him of her and everything that he loved about her. He glanced around curiously at the multiple tapestries that hung on the walls, one in particular seemed to depict the events of her bear story. He gazed at it curiously for a long moment. He turned and noticed her bow and quiver hanging beside her cloak on a peg by the door and beneath it was a handwoven basket filled with arrows. Upon the opposite wall was a large wooden vanity. He stepped closer to it for a better look. There was an array of things upon the vanity as well as her worn leather archer's arm guard, but what he noticed above everything was the small vase with two purple wildflowers in it. He smiled at the knowledge that she had kept the flowers he'd given her. Beside the vanity hung another set of green drapes over what he assumed was another window. He walked over to the large stone fireplace. Above the fireplace there hung a large green tapestry that depicted the same symbol that was upon the flags outside the castle walls, a downward facing sword in front of three interlocking circles.

Beneath the tapestry upon the wooden mantle was an iron sword propped up on a stand. Hiccup ran his fingers over the smooth blade. He picked it up carefully to get a good feel for it. It was well balanced and sturdy. The hilt was interesting and the design was ornate and it reminded him very much of a Viking longsword. It seemed a well made weapon, it's only flaw was it's weight, but then again, he had grown more accustomed to using the more lightweight of gronkle iron weapons.

Carefully he replaced the sword, he then turned slightly noticing the twin plush chairs beside the fire place. One of which had a fur blanket draped over its arm. He envisioned Merida sitting in the chair wrapped up cozily in the blanket reading a book or maybe even whittling some design into her wooden bow. On the floor between the chairs lay a bearskin rug.

His eyes came to rest upon the bed in the middle of the room. It was a large wooden canopy bed. The canopy itself was hung with heavy green drapes that were currently drawn. He smiled slightly to himself as he gazed upon it, knowing full well that Merida was sleeping peacefully on the other side.

Slowly and quietly, he tiptoed toward the bed. He furrowed his brow in interest when he noticed the bed post closest to him had what looked like multiple notches cut into it. It almost resembled the wooden posts that Berkans used to practice their sword fighting skills. He chuckled slightly under his breath knowingly as he ran his fingers over the gashes in the wood. He envisioned Merida thrusting her sword against the post just as she had expertly wielded his dragon blade the day in the cave.

As he made his way to the other side of the bed he was startled to find the drapes by her bedside were opened on one side. There she lay in her peaceful slumber and the very sight of her caused his heart to freeze mid-beat. He gazed down at her, seemingly frozen in place as he took in the beautiful sight before him. She lay on her right side facing him. Her right arm was tucked under her head and the other was draped over her left side and folded comfortably in front of her. Her wild red curls were strewn all about her, partially covering her peaceful angelic face. The glow of the firelight illuminated her face giving her a nearly ethereal aura. A heavy green fleece blanket was draped over her sleeping form up to her elbow. The off-white linen kirtle she wore had fallen slightly past her shoulder revealing her pale smooth skin beneath. Hiccup gulped at the sight of her and it felt as if his heart were racing a mile a minute. His heart was nearly overwhelmed by his desire just to touch the soft smooth skin of her bare shoulder.

As he gazed at her longingly, he found himself just basking in her peaceful presence and, as always, he was completely enthralled by her beauty. Silently he crouched beside her bed and gazed at her for a long moment. Her beauty was unparalleled and, in his opinion, could far surpass even that of the goddess Freyja herself. As he gazed at her, he felt nearly consumed by his feelings of love and desire. But his desire for her was just as much physical as it was emotional and he found himself struggling to keep his thoughts and desires under control.

He wanted nothing more than to kiss her soft pink lips, to hold her in his arms, and to run his fingers through her long tangled curls. He could feel his face flush as he continued to gaze at her longingly. Though he had only just admitted that he loved her, he already knew that he couldn't live without her.

She moaned softly in her sleep and rolled onto her back. As she adjusted her sleeping position, her long tangled locks nearly covered her face completely. Hiccup chuckled softly to himself as he reached up slowly to brush the red curls aside and then tucked them gently behind her ear. She furrowed her brow slightly for a moment at the gentle touch of his hand. Hiccup paused in his actions so as to avoid disturbing her any further, but after a moment or so, she settled back into her peaceful slumber.

His heart nearly melted as he gazed upon her and he longed so badly to curl up on the bed beside her and wrap his arms around her, to feel the weight of her head upon his chest, and the rise and fall of her soft even breaths as she slept. He sighed heavily as he tried his best to restrain himself from doing so.

Instead he reached for the blanket and pulled it gently over her up to her chin. Merida sighed in content as she rolled back onto her side. Hiccup smiled warmly as he leaned forward and gently kissed her upon the top of her head. He then took the single flower he'd pulled from the bouquet and lay it upon the pillow beside her. He opened his notebook to another clean page and wrote a quick note. He then tore the page out and left it beside the flower. With another heavy sigh he reluctantly stood and turned to walk away.

"I love ye Hiccup," he paused mid-step at the sound of her sleepy voice. Was she awake this whole time? Did she know he was there? He turned back to her instantly, only to see that she was still fast asleep and had apparently uttered her feelings for him in her slumber. He smiled warmly as he gazed at her. Her seemingly subconscious utterance caused his heart to flutter. He came back to her and knelt beside her once more as he continued to gaze at her lovingly.

He couldn't help but to think of their earlier discovery, that the Viking and the woman in each of their dreams had possibly been them all along. He could feel his heart flutter at the idea that she might even be dreaming of him at this very moment. If it were true, if they had dreamed of each other all this time then perhaps in her slumber she had somehow sensed his presence now.

As crazy as it all seemed, the more he thought about it, the more he considered the possibility that somehow their ancestor's spell had brought he and Merida together. He began to wonder if perhaps that had been their intention all along. He was nearly certain now that their grandparents" spell was truly meant for their descendants to one day come together and set things right between their clans. But, had their predecessors also intended for them to fall in love as well, or was that merely an unintended affect of the spell? While he had been initially resistant to the idea that their feelings were in any way influenced by this alleged spell, he couldn't deny the seemingly irrefutable evidence otherwise. There was simply no question that the spell had most likely been the cause of their shared dreams that had led them to find each other, and there was simply no denying the strong emotional feelings they had experienced in those dreams. Now, the knowledge that they were possibly dreaming of each other all along made it nearly impossible to deny that the spell had played some sort of role in the whole thing.

Whatever the reason, he knew, without doubt, that he was truly, madly and deeply in love with her and, spell or no spell, he would love her from this day until his last. He sighed softly as he continued to gaze at her longingly. He gently ran his fingers over her long red hair as he slowly leaned over her close to her ear.

"I love you too Merida," Hiccup whispered softly in her ear. With that he pressed his lips gently to the top of her head, then stood and literally forced himself to leave. He quietly tip-toed toward the door and stepped out into the dark, chilly night. He turned back and gazed in her direction just before closing the door. He smiled warmly knowing that someday, if all went according to plan, he would never have to leave her again.

…..

Hiccup sighed at the brief memory. If he could, he would have stayed with her all night just to be in her presence. He continued to gaze at the image of her for a moment longer. He sighed heavily as he closed the book and then stuffed it back into his pocket. He laid back against Toothless' side and gazed up at the canopy of trees above catching the occasional glimpse of the stars beyond as the gentle wind rustled the tree tops. His mind was awash with thoughts only of her. As he thought of her, he hoped above all else that she would take his earlier advice and just be open with her parents about their relationship from the very start. That way, when he did finally come forward, he could do so honestly. Though he was still slightly nervous about it, Hiccup was also fairly anxious to finally meet her parents. He wanted them to know that he truly cared for Merida. He wanted to show them that he and the rest of Berk were nothing like the Vikings that Dunbroch had come to fear. But above all else he wanted to prove to them that he and Merida were truly meant to be.

Castle Dunbroch, The next day

...

"Up n' Adam yer highness," Maudie's voice echoed into Merida's room causing the sleeping princess to reluctantly stir. The nursemaid quickly made her way to the window across from Merida's bed and flung open the green drapes allowing the light of day to cascade into the princess' room. The sudden barrage of bright light caused Merida to squeeze her still closed eyes tightly shut. She groaned in annoyance and rolled over on her opposite side as she tried desperately to ignore the sound of Maudie shuffling around the room. As she attempted to pull the heavy fleece blanket over her head, her hand came in contact with something rough that didn't belong causing her to furrow her brow in slight confusion. She dropped the blanket from her face and opened her eyes to see a single purple wildflower placed neatly on her pillow along with a neatly folded piece of paper. She smiled slightly. She could feel her heart skip for a moment as a blush arose on her pale freckled cheeks.

"Come now m'lady," Maudie continued as she neatly laid a navy blue gown atop one of the green plush chairs, "yer mother th' queen expects ye tae be at breakfast this morn'." Merida ignored Maudie as she quickly grabbed the flower and shoved it under her pillow. As Maudie walked to the other side of the room Merida quickly unfolded the paper to read one single word.

…

"Balcony."

…

Her heart nearly froze in panic and she quickly sat up. Maudie was about to throw open the drapes of her balcony door.

"Maudie no," Merida quickly yelled out. The nursemaid paused and turned to Merida in bewildered confusion. Merida instantly leapt from her bed and quickly put herself between Maudie and the curtains.

"Uh…I…I'm not feelin' all that well at th' moment," she stuttered as she clutched her head, "I…I have a…a terrible head ache. The sunlight may make it worse."

"Oh m' lady," Maudie said in concern, "yer cheeks are flushed, have ye come down with a fever?" Maudie quickly felt the princess' head with the back of her hand.

"Ye dinnae feel warm at all though," Maudie continued, "should I fetch the doctor…or yer mother?"

"No…no…it's just a headache," Merida insisted as she pushed Maudie away from the balcony, "I, uh, I just need a few moments to wake up is all. Tell mum I'll just be a little late to breakfast."

"Oh okay," Maudie replied in uncertainty, "I'll tell her right away m' lady."

"Thanks Maudie," Merida replied. The moment Maudie was in the hall, Merida quickly shut the door behind her. She sighed in relief as she leaned her back up against the heavy wooden door.

She smiled slightly as she quickly headed for the balcony. She flung the heavy green drapes aside, opened the door and stepped outside. There she found a small bouquet of wildflowers laying upon the stone floor at her feet. She could see a neatly folded piece of paper slipped into the center of the flowers. She smiled as she shook her head.

"Doolally Viking," she muttered under her breath. She bent down and picked up the bouquet. As she stood back up with flowers in hand, the radiant smile never once left her face. She then turned back to the door and stepped inside her room as she held the flowers to her nose and inhaled the sweet fragrance. She pulled the note from the bouquet and began to read.

...

I know I promised that I wouldn't risk flying Toothless up to the castle again until after we come forward, but after you left tonight, I just couldn't bring myself to leave. So, here I am, sitting on your balcony, writing you this cheesy letter because I miss you already, even though I literally just saw you a few hours ago. I know, I know, it's extremely cliché, but I can't help it. I just wanted to do something nice, to show you how I feel, even if we only just became official today. Don't worry I was careful and I made sure that Toothless stayed safe, so just try not to be too mad at me later. Anyway, I really just wanted to say that I love you and I'm thinking of you and I can't wait to see you again tomorrow.

Love always, H.

...

Merida smiled as she refolded the piece of paper and gently tucked it back into the bouquet. As she replayed the words from his letter in her head, she couldn't stop the blush that arose on her cheeks once more.

"What am I goin tae do w' ye, ye glaikit Viking," she muttered under her breath.