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.*

37. New Visions and Old Scars

Eret and the Triplets

Eret sat silently before the triplets, anxiously anticipating their response to his tale. He'd told them everything about Hiccup from the time that they had met, all while meticulously omitting the dragons. It was certainly not an easy feat and did require some minor alterations, but it was at least believable. At least, he thought it was, until this moment. The triplets sat silently before him, their steely blue eyes gazing back at him critically. For the first time since he had shown himself to them, he began to feel slightly nervous.

"Alright mates," Eret said, holding up his bound hands, "you can untie me now." The three boys looked at each other then turned back to Eret, but still did not say a word.

"Come on," Eret urged, "I've done my part, I've told you everything you wanted to know." He turned to the boy known as Hamish. He could tell the boy was silently second guessing he and his brothers' initial opinion of him.

"You believe me," Eret said gazing at Hamish earnestly, "talk some sense into your brothers here." Hamish averted his eyes from Eret and glanced at Harris in nervousness.

"It doesn't matter whether or not we believe ye," Harris replied, "yer still a Viking, we can't in good conscience just let ye go." Eret laughed out loud, in spite of himself. The three boys looked at each other for a moment then turned back to Eret once again.

"Alright then," Eret replied, "what exactly was the point of my telling you about my chief if you've already made up your minds about him?"

"How fur can we make up our minds aboot a jimmy we've ne'er met 'afore," Harris questioned. Eret furrowed his brow at Harris' comment.

"Merida, our sister, trusts him," Harris replied, "and though I personally am not completely certain just yet, she believes he's an honest man. We trust Merida's judgement ower any Viking." Eret shook his head in confusion.

"Okay….so…, you trust your sister saying the chief is an honest man, but you don't trust my saying he's an honest man," Eret questioned, "I don't get it?"

"No…it's yer intent we dinnae trust," Harris replied, "ye said yerself ye were his enemy. How are we to believe that yer nae still his enemy?"

"Aye," Hubert spoke up, "n' Merida ne'er mentioned any Vikings aside from her friend."

"We dinnae know yer true reasons for coming here," Harris added, "nor yer intent."

"I told you my intent," Eret replied firmly, "I tracked the chief here."

"Aye n' for what purpose," Harris questioned, "for all we know, yer trackin' yer enemy tae capture or even kill 'em. Maybe yer just trickin' us tae trust ye, so that we lead ye right for him n' Merida." Eret snickered slightly at Harris' explanation.

"So…you would protect him," Eret questioned, "even though he's a Viking, and you don't know him at all?" Harris just gazed at Eret with a serious expression on his face.

"We protect our sister," Harris said firmly, "Merida trusts him, maybe even loves him, any harm that comes to him…. comes to her too." Eret nodded in understanding.

"Fair enough," Eret replied with a smile, "if you're planning to take me in then, I'll go willingly. Chief Haddock will vouch for me when he comes forward tomorrow." The three boys glanced at each other curiously for a moment, then turned back to Eret.

"Did ye just say that this chief o' yers is planning to come forward …. tomorrow," Hamish questioned. Eret nodded with a slight smile on his face.

"How do ye know that," Harris asked firmly. Eret shrugged.

"I'm an excellent tracker," Eret replied with a slight smirk.

"Ye mean spy," Harris replied.

"I have it on good authority what the chief's plans are," Eret replied, "and his intentions."

"Harris," Hubert said gaining his brother's attention, "he knows their plans…if he truly is an enemy…then bein' at the castle might very well be what he wants…. if we take him in, we'll be leadin' him right for 'em."

"Aye," Harris replied, "maybe that's his whole reason for surrendering in the first place."

"If it's true," Hubert replied, "then there's no way we can take him back with us."

"Not only that," Hamish interjected, "but we could mess up Merida's plans. If we take him in now…we'd have to tell mum aboot Merida's friend too." Harris remained quiet as he pondered their dilemma.

"Aye," Hubert said, "but if we cannae take him in n' we cannae let him go, then…... what do we do with him?"

"Aye…I'm thinkin'…I'm thinkin'," Harris grumbled. He stayed silent as he continued to ponder their dilemma. Suddenly an idea popped into his head. He looked at his brothers and smiled.

"I've got it," Harris exclaimed.

---

Hiccup and Merida

When Hiccup and Merida got back to camp, they found Fishlegs with a worried look on his face, pacing back and forth as Meat-lug and Skull-crusher looked on. Hiccup furrowed his brow as he gazed at his friend in concern, taking note that Eret was nowhere to be seen. Merida and Hiccup traded worried glances then turned back to Fishlegs.

"Fish," Hiccup called out as he dropped the reins and slid from Toothless' back followed by Merida, "what's going on…. where's Eret?" Fishlegs quickly ran to Hiccup.

"Th- they took him," Fish stuttered.

"Who," Hiccup questioned.

"Eret, he…he told me to stay here until you got back," Fish continued, "to warn you if things w-went wrong." Hiccup furrowed his brow at his friend's vague explanation.

"What do you mean warn me," Hiccup questioned fervently, "if what went wrong? What happened?"

"When we got back to camp, they were here," Fish explained, "they were rummaging through everything. I think they were looking for information about you." Merida's heart froze with Fishleg's words. Had she been followed? Or had somebody accidentally stumbled upon the campsite and confronted the two Vikings, or worse, had they captured Eret with the intention of dragging him before her parents? She had always been so careful whenever she came to Hiccup's camp. How could this have happened; and now, the day before, they were to come forward? Their luck could not have been worse.

"How did they know it was my camp," Hiccup questioned almost to himself. He turned to Merida in concern. "Do you think you were followed?" Merida shook her head vigorously.

"I would've known if I were bein' followed," Merida replied, "I'm always vigilant when I come to see ye for this very reason. I…I dinnae know how someone could have found it."

"I think they knew because they recognized your horse Merida," Fish replied, "Eret and I stayed hidden while they rummaged, it did seem that they were trying not to be noticed… but then they saw the dragon footprints and thought that you might be in some sort of danger. They were talking about going to inform your parents." Merida's heart dropped with Fishlegs words.

"And who was it," Merida questioned anxiously, "who was it that was here? Was it the guards?" Fishlegs shook his head.

"No," he replied, "it…it was your brothers."

"My brothers," Merida questioned with a hint of irritation in her voice. Fish nodded in confirmation. Hiccup turned to Merida once again in concern. He was slightly relieved that the intruders were only Merida's brothers. At least her brothers already knew about him and had already promised to keep her secret. But he wondered why they had come in the first place? He hoped it was only that they were curious about him and not for a more dire reason. Despite his relief, he was frustrated with Eret's reckless decision to show himself to the three young princes. Though it was a much better scenario than if it had been the guards, Eret's rash actions still had the potential to ruin everything he and Merida had planned.

"Aye," Merida groaned, "I should hae known th' wee devils would nae let this go." Hiccup reached up and gently laid a hand on her shoulder, in an attempt to calm her. She turned to him with an expression of concern.

"Don't worry just yet," Hiccup said soothingly. Merida huffed.

"Oh, I'm nae worried," Merida replied, "I'm furious." Hiccup took her hand in his and squeezed it gently in reassurance.

"Just try to keep calm," he said in an even tone, "we will get to the bottom of this." Merida nodded, as she sighed slightly. Hiccup then turned his attention back to Fishlegs.

"Okay Fish, what exactly happened," Hiccup questioned, "you said it went wrong…. What exactly do you mean? What went wrong?"

"After they discovered the footprints," Fish explained, "they were discussing what to do. Like I said, they thought Merida could be in danger, so they decided to go and tell their parents. That's when Eret decided to intervene. He…he was just trying to talk them out of going to their parents. He knew that if the boys went to them now, the king and queen would most likely send out the guards to find Merida and that would have completely ruined your plans for tomorrow. Eret was trying to stop that from happening, but he didn't exactly have much of a plan." Hiccup nodded as he continued to listen.

"What exactly did he say to them," Hiccup questioned.

"He told them who he was," Fish continued, "and why he was here. They drew their swords on him at first, but you know Eret, he can practically talk his way out of anything. He tried to throw them off, by telling them that the footprints were from the kelpie. The one boy seemed to believe him, even stood up to his brother about it, but the other one was very distrustful of Eret."

"Harris," Merida muttered knowingly as she pursed her lips.

"He tied Eret's hands up and demanded he tell them everything he knew about you, Hic," Fishlegs explained, "for the most part, Eret willingly did so. Of course, he did leave a few things out, mainly the dragons. I think he was using it to his advantage to try to stall them as long as possible. Afterward, the boy said that because Eret was a Viking they still could not let him go. Eret told them that if they did choose to arrest him, that you would vouch for him when you came forward tomorrow." Hiccup's heart froze in his chest for a moment with Fish's words. He glanced at Merida once more in concern.

"He told them our plans," Hiccup muttered. Merida furrowed her brow in both concern and frustration.

"Just great," she huffed. "Leave it tae th' wee devils tae muck up ever'thing. And what on earth was Eret thinkin' tellin' 'em that!" Hiccup sighed heavily in dismay. He looked to Merida with a worried expression.

"It's not too bad," Hiccup replied, "at least it was only your brothers that he told, you've already sworn them to secrecy."

"Aye," Merida replied, "I did already mention tae them that ye n' I might come forward soon, but I told 'em very little details of our plan, only what they needed tae know. And I dinnae tell them about Eret and Fishlegs either. There's a reason that I dinnae give 'em every detail. Even sworn tae secrecy, my brothers could let the truth slip by accident."

"Do you not fully trust them," Hiccup questioned. Merida sighed heavily at Hiccup's quandary.

"It's not that I dinnae trust 'em," Merida explained, "they're just kids, they dinnae always think things through before somthin' comes oot o' their mouths. And sometimes, they talk too much! Not tae mention that if my brother's think I'm in danger they might very well tell my parents ever'thing regardless!"

"Well, Eret did tell them that you were safe with Hic," Fish interjected, "and they did seem to believe him…if…if that helps." Merida relaxed slightly with Fishleg's words.

"Aye," she said softly. Hiccup smiled slightly as he took her hand in his once more in an unspoken show of reassurance and affection. After a moment, he turned his attention back to Fishlegs.

"So, where exactly are they taking him," Hiccup asked, "to the castle?" Fish shook his head.

"Initially they were," Fish replied, "but the boys second guessed themselves." Hiccup furrowed his brow at Fish's words.

"Why," Hiccup questioned.

"When Eret told his story, he mentioned that he was your enemy once," Fish explained, "the boys believed that Eret might still be your enemy and that he was only going with them willingly because he wanted to get close enough to harm or even kill you. They decided it was too dangerous to take him to the castle."

"So, where did they take him," Hiccup questioned. Fish shrugged.

"I…I don't know exactly," Fishlegs replied, "they headed east…. some place called Lakelin…. Lakey…"

"Lachlan's tomb," Merida said knowingly. Fishlegs nodded.

"Yes, that sounds right," he replied. Hiccup looked at Merida curiously.

"You know this place," Hiccup questioned.

"Aye, it's an ancient sea cave not far from here," Merida explained, "that must be where they've gone."

"Sea cave," Hiccup questioned.

"Fishlegs, how long ago did they leave," Merida questioned. Fish shrugged.

"Maybe like ten minutes before you both got back." Merida nodded as she turned back to Hiccup.

"Let's go," Merida said firmly, "I know a short cut…. if we hurry, we can cut them off." Hiccup nodded. Merida quickly untied Angus from the tree and climbed up onto his saddle.

"Do you think I should take Toothless," Hiccup questioned. Merida remained quiet as she pondered his question for a moment.

"Maybe it's best ye ride with me," Merida replied, "let Toothless follow close behind. I dinnae want my brothers to know aboot him just yet." She offered him a hand.

"We're going to tell them all about Toothless and the dragons tomorrow," Hiccup replied as he slipped his hand into hers and allowed her to help him atop Angus' saddle, "what harm will it be if they meet him a little earlier than expected?"

"Aye, they're ten-year-old mischievous lads," Merida replied, "do ye really think they could haud their weesht aboot a real dragon in Dunbroch for longer than ten minutes, let alone a day?"

"Good point," Hiccup replied. He placed his hands upon her hips, gripping them tightly as she pulled the reins, turning Angus to face east. Hiccup looked back at Fishlegs.

"Stay here Fish," Hiccup said, "we won't be long."

"Right chief," Fish replied with a nod of his head.

"And try your best to keep the dragons out of sight," Hiccup said.

"Will do chief," Fishlegs replied.

Hiccup turned his eyes to Toothless, "you heard Merida bud, you stay out of sight too, okay." Toothless nodded. With that Merida snapped the reins and directed Angus in the direction of the old sea cave at full gallop. Toothless followed close behind.

"So, what exactly is this place," Hiccup questioned, "with a name like Lachlan's tomb, I imagine it can't be good."

"Tis just an old cave, nothin' more," Merida replied, "but… there is a sad tale associated with it."

"A sad tale," Hiccup questioned in intrigue.

"Aye," Merida replied, "aboot an outlander named Lachlan who fell in love with a lass named Muireall. But she was the daughter o' a lord, and her father forbade their romance. So… the two hatched a plan to meet in secret at the cave n' run off together. The lord, however, discovered their scheme and locked Muireall away to prevent her from meeting with Lachlan. Lachlan, meanwhile, went to the sea cave and waited there for his love to meet him, having no way of knowing that she could not come. He fell asleep while he waited for her, but as he slept the tide rose n' Lachlan was drowned. The Lord sent his men to arrest Lachlan, but they found him dead in the cave. Legend has it that upon learning o' the death of her true love, Muireall threw herself from the bluffs in grief. They say sometimes at high tide ye can hear the poor lass calling' out in search o' her lover." Hiccup shook his head as he pondered the tragic tale.

"Ya know, I'm starting to notice a bit of a pattern here," Hiccup replied.

"A pattern o' what exactly," Merida questioned.

"Well, it seems to be a repeating narrative," Hiccup replied as he leaned forward resting his chin upon her shoulder and tightening his arms around her waist, "outlanders falling for Scottish girls of nobility."

"Aye," Merida replied distractedly, "all with tragic endings." Hiccup's heart froze with her ominous words as his mind once again drifted to the foreboding feelings he'd experienced in Adag. It was rather disconcerting that every love story in Dunbroch that he'd heard of thus far had indeed ended in some form of tragedy. Both Hiccup and Merida fell silent as they thought more on the subject, their thoughts leading them both to a similar idea.

"Hiccup," Merida questioned, "ye dinnae suppose…."

"What," Hiccup questioned, curious as to where her thoughts had led her

"Well…that Lachlan and Muireall could've been…."

"What ….one of our past lives," Hiccup questioned. He fell silent as he pondered this possibility.

"I don't know," he replied, "I suppose it could be possible. The witch did say we've had multiple lives, but…nothing about that story seems at all familiar to me. Does it to you?"

"Well…no," Merida replied, "but do ye think that we would recall details from every life…or just the most recent?"

"Good question," Hiccup replied, "I don't know, but I would think if it really was one of our past lives, it would seem at least a little familiar…just like how it is with the dreams of our grandparents. Ya know, like a Déjà vu kind of feeling. Or,…at the very least, I'd have some sort of residual aversion to water…and enclosed spaces. And…I would think that you would be somewhat fearful of heights."

"I suppose," Merida replied distractedly. She paused for a long moment, as she thought more about Hiccup's statement, in regards to her feelings about Eret. She wondered if this could explain why Eret seemed so familiar to her. Perhaps the witch was right, maybe Eret truly was connected to Dunbroch, not only by his mother, but also by a past life.

"Do ye suppose that could also explain why Eret is so familiar to me," Merida questioned, "do ye think he really could be connected to our past life?" Hiccup was quiet for a long moment as he pondered her question. He was beginning to believe that what Merida suggested might actually be. Especially after his earlier conversation with Eret, and now the revelation from the witch as well.

"After what the witch told us today," Hiccup replied, "I'm seriously beginning to consider it. I kinda wish the witch didn't kick us out so fast. It would have been nice if she had taken the time to explain it a little more clearly or at least answer a few more of our questions about it."

"Aye," Merida replied as she rolled her eyes, "sometimes that old witch can be as helpful as a one-legged jimmy at an arse kicking contest." Hiccup couldn't help but to laugh at her analogy.

"Seriously," Hiccup exclaimed as he pulled away from her, "Ya know, I take offense to that comment." Merida chuckled in spite of herself.

"I'm sorry," Merida said amidst her laughter, "I didn't mean to offend ye…I… I just forgot."

"Oh, you forgot," Hiccup scoffed.

"I said I was sorry," Merida shrugged.

"I'll have you know I can kick arses with my one leg just as good as anyone else," Hiccup replied, "and even better with my fake leg."

"Aye," Merida laughed, "I'm sure ye could….my apologies." Hiccup remained quiet.

"Well do ye accept my apology o' nae," Merida questioned.

"I don't know," Hiccup replied haughtily, "I have to think about it."

"What do ye mean, ye have to think aboot it," Merida questioned.

"Hey…this is not the first time you've insulted my…one…. legged... ness," Hiccup replied flatly, "it makes me question if your apology is even sincere."

"How could ye say such a thing," Merida questioned.

"You called my leg a hook," Hiccup reminded her flatly.

"Aye n' ye accepted my apology for that," Merida chuckled, "ye cannae hold it against me still."

"Well…you also threatened to beat me with my own prosthetic," Hiccup went on, "you didn't apologize for that!"

"Aye, after ye made me think that I hurt ye when I kicked ye in yer metal shin," Merida replied, "ye dinnae deserve an apology for that."

"Okay…fine," Hiccup groaned, "I guess we will just have to…call it even then."

"Ugh...yer ridiculous," Merida groaned with a shake of her head. Hiccup chuckled at her response.

"So," Hiccup sighed, changing the subject, "why do you suppose your brothers decided to take Eret to this old cave anyway?

"For safe keepin's my guess," Merida replied, "if they think he's a threat, but dinnae think tis safe tae bring him to the castle, then the cave would be the next best place."

"How so," Hiccup questioned.

"Tis like th' story," Merida replied, "at high tide th' cave will practically be under water."

"But that would kill him," Hiccup replied, "are your brothers trying to kill him?"

"The cave itself stretches up into the bluffs," Merida explained, "there is a portion inside high enough that the water cannae reach, but there is no way that Eret could escape after high tide without drowning, nor will anyone be able to go in after him. He'd have to wait till tomorrow at low tide tae get out."

"How do you know how high the water gets inside the cave," Hiccup questioned.

"My people used the cave during the Viking war tae protect their treasures from bein' pillaged. A scout discovered the place where they could keep their treasures safely."

"Okay…so… it's basically a way to keep Eret captive without turning him in to the guards," Hiccup concluded, "though it does seem a tad bit risky."

"Aye," Merida confirmed, "n' poorly thought out. High tide is nae that far off, n' if my brother's dinnae get out in time, they could very well be drowned themselves."

"Great," Hiccup replied flatly, "so what's the plan here?"

"Hopefully get tae them before they reach the cave," Merida replied.

"And if we don't reach them in time," Hiccup questioned.

"I guess we will just have tae improvise," Merida replied with a shrug. Hiccup smirked at her answer.

"Sounds like the perfect plan to me princess," he replied. Merida chuckled at his words.

---

Eret and the Triplets

The boys led their horses in the direction of the cave, Eret following behind with hands tied in front of him, the other end of the rope was tied to the saddle of Harris' horse. Though they moved at a slower pace, Eret still was struggling to keep up. Drips of sweat cascaded down his brow, his bruised ribs throbbed with every step, and he was very out of breath. Hamish gazed at Eret in both concern and doubt.

"I'm not sure about this Harris," Hamish said timidly. Harris rolled his eyes in annoyance.

"Aye," when are ye ever sure aboot' an'thing," Harris replied.

"It could be dangerous," Hamish replied, "n' besides, he…he doesn't look so good."

"I would listen to yer brother mate," Eret huffed as he stumbled along the trail. Harris turned sharply in Eret's direction.

"Ye dinnae get a say," Harris spat.

"Mum told us ne'er tae play in Lachlan's tomb," Hamish spoke up, "she said it was dangerous."

"Ye know what else is dangerous," Harris questioned facetiously, "letting' a Viking loose in Dunbroch."

"We dinnae have tae set him loose Harris," Hamish replied, "we can take him tae th' guards like we were goin' tae 'afore."

"We already discussed this Hamish," Harris replied in annoyance, "bringin' him tae th' castle could put Merida in danger…and ye said yerself it could muck up Merida's plans."

"Aye, b-but he's nae in a good way Harris," Hamish insisted, "he's in no shape tae carry oot any sort o' diabolical plan with that wound o' his. I doubt he'll survive th' night in that cave."

"And what would ye have us do then," Harris asked impatiently, "take him back tae Dunbroch, have th' doctor nurse his wounds, so he'd be fit to go after Merida's friend…maybe even Merida herself."

"Did you hear anything I told you mate", Eret huffed, "I wouldn't do that, he's my chief and my friend, I only came here out of concern."

"A likely story Viking," Harris spat.

"It's the truth," Eret insisted, "I owe Hic my life, he's practically like my brother. I…I'd do anything to protect him, just as you'd do for your sister." Harris gazed down at Eret, he could see that he was out of breath, and he looked pale and tired. He was hunched over slightly but trying his best to stand tall. Harris furrowed his brow in both concern and self-doubt. He honestly didn't know what to do. Eret did seem sincere…. but he was a Viking, nonetheless. Harris knew better than to trust this Viking…. didn't he? The truth was he was afraid to take that chance. He was as afraid now as he had been when their mother told them tales of the vicious Northern Invaders. Those stories, unlike the fanciful stories of dragons and fairies and knights in shining armor, were based on truth and they were terrifying. He and his brothers, like Merida, had grown up with a vile and evil picture of Vikings in their heads. It was that picture that had painted his opinion of this man and yet, that picture could not be further from the man he saw before him. For the first time since Eret had come forward, Harris saw the person, not the Viking.

"Stop," Merida's voice called out suddenly, distracting Harris from his thoughts, "ye cannae do this Harris." He looked up instantly, to see Angus barreling toward them with Merida atop his saddle. But Merida was not alone, another Viking sat close behind her with his arms wrapped around her waist in an almost intimate way. Harris furrowed his brow as he eyed Hiccup curiously. As Merida approached her brother, he gazed at her defiantly, but she could clearly see the turmoil in his eyes.

"What are ye doin'," she questioned. She turned her eyes to Eret briefly, then back to Harris. "Do ye nae see that this man is hurt," Merida questioned, "how could ye have made him walk this far in th' state he's in?" Harris averted his eyes from hers.

"What's it tae ye? He's a Viking, Merida," Harris replied, "maybe an enemy…we coudnae just let him go." Merida gazed at her brother for a long moment, but the boy refused to raise his eyes to her. Merida dropped the reigns and quickly slipped down from Angus saddle. She walked up to Harris' horse and stared up at her brother. If there was one thing Merida knew beyond all doubt about Harris, it was that he was just as stubborn and hard headed as she was. Though she could see the turmoil over his actions in his steely blue eyes, it would take much work to convince him to change his perspective.

"Enemy or nae," Merida replied as she turned and walked over to Eret, "Viking or nae…" Merida took the dagger from her belt and cut the rope from Eret's hands, "he's still a person, same as ye n' I." Eret fell to his knees rubbing his wrists. Hiccup quickly jumped down from Angus saddle and headed over to Eret. He crouched before his friend and helped him to remove the remainder of the ropes.

"Are you alright," Hiccup questioned as he placed a hand on Eret's shoulder. Eret nodded.

"Never better mate," Eret replied. Hiccup nodded his head. He stood up and turned his attention back to Merida and Harris. He noticed the other two boys gazing in his and Eret's direction curiously. Harris dismounted his horse and stood defiantly before Merida with crossed arms.

"Scots are nae like Vikings Merida," Harris replied firmly as he looked up at her. Merida remained silent for a moment in the wake of her brother's words. His words, like knives, cut her deeply. Her fear that her family would never accept the Vikings of Berk rose to the surface of her heart once more. Even after she had confessed to her brothers about her feelings for Hiccup, the seeds of distrust and hate still made root in their hearts. Merida could feel tears rising up in her eyes at the thought that they would never change their minds.

Hiccup gazed at her in concern. He could see the familiar fear in her eyes, and the tears that now threatened to fall from them. The sight of her nearly caused his heart to break. All he wanted to do in this moment was pull her into his arms and comfort her. Without thought he started in her direction, but Eret quickly put his arm up in front of him, stopping him in his tracks. Hiccup turned to Eret questioningly. Eret just shook his head, bidding him to stay put. Hiccup turned back to Merida and her brother.

As Merida stood there wordlessly, everything the witch had revealed to her and Hiccup earlier, ran through her mind...

---

"Dunbroch is where Berk began," the witch said.

"Are you saying that my clan was originally... from Dunbroch," Hiccup questioned.

"Aye," the witch replied, "yer people have deep ties to this land, both magical and historical

---

"Ancient Scots, ancient Berkans…. What's the difference...

---

Merida looked up at her brother and gazed at him with purpose in her eyes, "Yer wrong," she said firmly. Harris gazed at her dubiously.

"We're a'Jock Tamson's bairns Harris," Merida said, "Berk is nae different than Dunbroch. Dae their men nae bleed red just as any Scotsman?" Harris gazed at Merida for a long moment, taken aback by the expression of sheer determination on her face and the conviction of her words. Still, he would not back down.

"Just because yer partial to one Viking disnae mean they are all the same," Harris replied, "nae all Vikings can be trusted Merida!"

"Aye," Merida replied, "th' Vikings we learned of were vile men, they cared nae for th' lives of our people. They had no decency, nor compassion. But ye…. treatin' this wounded man so wretchedly, makes ye no better than they." With her harsh words Harris averted his eyes once more. His heart felt heavy with every word she had spoken.

"This man is innocent o' the crimes o' the Northern Invaders," Merida said as she motioned to Eret, "as are all the Vikings of his clan…but more than that, he's my friend too." She put her hand over her heart to show her sincerity. Harris continued to look down at the ground in remorse, until he realized what exactly she had said. He looked up at her quickly with a curious expression on his face.

"Wait…are ye sayin' that ye already knew he was here too," Harris questioned as he pointed at Eret. Merida nodded her head in confirmation.

"Aye," Merida replied. Harris turned to Eret and gazed at him incredulously. Eret gazed back at him apologetically.

"Ye lied," Harris growled, "right to our faces! Ye said that ye just came here in search o' yer missin' chief. Ye acted as if ye didnae know our sister!"

"I did come here looking for the chief," Eret replied, "all of that was true…mostly. I…I just left some things out is all." Harris continued to gaze at him in annoyance. "And what difference does it make anyway, "Eret said, "you already thought I was lying to begin with." Harris crossed his arms over his chest and glared at Eret.

"He has a point Harris," Hamish called out.

"Hauld yer weesht Hamish," Harris growled.

"Okay look mate," Eret replied, "I admit, I may have left a few key details out, I…I'm sorry that I wasn't completely forthcoming, but I didn't know what Merida had told you already, and I was trying to throw you off a bit to prevent you from going to your parents. My goal was only to protect Merida and Hic's plans to come forward." Harris remained silent as Eret explained, but he continued to glare at the Viking.

"It does nae matter," Merida interjected, "dae ye have any idea th' kind o' danger ye put him in, bringin' him here….th' danger ye'd have put yerselves in?" Harris turned back to Merida with a questioning expression on his face.

"How did ye even know that we were headin' to Lachlan's tomb to begin with," Harris questioned.

"I…I have my ways," Merida replied quickly as she crossed her arms over her chest. Harris continued to gaze at his sister questioningly as he silently pondered all she had said. He furrowed his brow in curiosity when a surprising detail struck him.

"Ye said Berk," Harris said. Merida's heart froze with Harris' accusation. She gazed at him wide-eyed.

"What," Merida questioned quickly, trying her best to act oblivious, "no I didn't…"

"Aye, ye did," Harris insisted, "ye said, Berk is no different than Dunbroch."

"Berk," Hamish questioned, "isn't that the clan of Vikings dad mentioned in his story the other day?"

"Aye," Hubert intervened, "the ones that fought the dragons?" Harris gazed at Merida in disbelief.

"Ye mean tae tell me that yer new friends hale from Berk," Harris said in shocked surprise, "that they are descendants of the same Vikings that were banished by our great, great, great grandfather. Merida remained silent for a long moment, uncertain of how to answer her little brother's line of questions. Harris continued to gaze at Merida dubiously.

"That's beside the point Harris," Merida stammered.

"Beside the point," Harris replied questioningly, "Merida have ye completely lost yer heid? "His clan is banished and has been so over three hundred years! What are ye thinkin' ?"

"None o' that matters," Merida replied dismissively. She attempted to change the subject, "Mum forbade ye three from comin' here tae this cave for a reason, tis not safe, especially at high tide!"

"Aye, it was worth th' risk tae keep ye safe Merida," Harris replied, "especially from the likes o' him and his banished clan!" Merida sighed heavily as she pondered her brother's words.

"Wrongfully banished," Merida replied defensively.

"Says who," Harris replied, "him?" He pointed in Hiccup's direction as he spoke.

"Listen, I appreciate yer concern Harris," Merida replied, "but it's unwarranted."

"Unwarranted," Harris questioned, "Merida we are trying to protect you!"

"I dinnae need yer protection, least o' all from Hiccup or his clan," Merida replied firmly, "I told ye three that ye coudnae come after me for a reason. Suppose ye had been followed. Ye could have ruined ever'thing that Hiccup n' I've been workin' towards." Harris stood solemnly, with an almost dazed expression on his face. He couldn't fathom why Merida would even consider putting her trust in a Viking from a banished clan, nor why she'd defend him knowing the questionable history of his clan. He silently thought over her words from their previous conversation.

---

"I know his heart...He's different, I promise ye. He is kind and honest, he'd never lie cheat o' steal. He'd never hurt anyone except to defend himself o' his people. He's brave and honorable and the least selfish person I've ever met. And he cares about me, the real me, not just the crown I come with..."

---

Though he did not understand it, clearly Merida saw something in this man that caused her to defend him as she did, to cause her to feel for him as she clearly did. Harris' eyes moved to Hiccup, and he gazed at him critically. Without a word he snickered slightly.

"His name is….Hiccup," he laughed. The other two boys inadvertently snickered at Harris' comment.

"Harris," Merida grumbled, "dinnae be rude!" Hiccup stood behind them with arms crossed smirking in amusement at the sibling's exchange. He chuckled slightly. Merida looked back at him in annoyance.

"Dinnae ye dare encourage them," she groaned. Hiccup shook his head in amusement.

"I didn't say anything." Hiccup replied with a smirk as he held his hands up and shook his head. Merida rolled her eyes, then turned back to Harris. Harris continued to stare in Hiccup's direction incredulously.

"So, yer th' one Merida is smitten for," Harris said flatly. He crossed his arms over his chest as he smirked at Hiccup. Merida's face nearly turned as red as her hair. Hiccup tried his best to stifle his amusement at her reaction to her brother's teasing.

"Harris Humphrey Dunbroch," Merida grumbled.

"Nae exactly what I was expecting of a Viking," Harris snickered, turning his eyes back to Merida.

"Aye," Merida huffed as she clenched her fists in annoyance, "as I said, he is nothing like the Vikings we've learned of all our lives. None o' his clan are."

"So, he says," Harris spat, "whose tae say he's nae just another liar, like his friend!" Harris glared at Eret as he spoke. Hiccup cautiously stepped forward and stood beside Merida. She looked up at him with a concerned expression on her face. Hiccup nodded silently as he gazed at her in reassurance. He then turned to Harris with an expression of confidence.

"Listen, Harris… is it?" Harris nodded as he turned to Hiccup and crossed his arms over his chest once more. Hiccup gazed back at the boy earnestly.

"I am truly sorry that Eret wasn't a hundred percent honest. His intentions were good," Hiccup paused and glanced at Eret, "albeit slightly misguided….and poorly executed."

"Seriously mate," Eret huffed as he crossed his arms over his chest. Hiccup turned his attention back to Harris.

"He was only trying to protect me, as he said, "Hiccup explained, "just because he left out a few details from our story doesn't mean he's a liar, nor does it mean every Berkan is dishonest. And it certainly doesn't make me a liar either. I know that all of you, like your sister, grew up believing that all Vikings are bad, but my clan is different. I promise you; we are nothing like the Northern Invaders." He slowly reached for Merida's hand and gently interlocked their fingers. Harris glanced briefly at their clasped hands then turned his eyes back to Hiccup.

"Your sister accepted me before she even knew me, despite the fact that I'm a Viking," Hiccup explained, "she's always seen the real me and I've always been completely honest with her since the day that we met." Harris remained silent as he listened.

"Merida is important to me," Hiccup continued as he placed his opposite hand over his heart to show his sincerity, "I care about her…I would never do anything to hurt her in any way. You have my word. All I want...is just to be with Merida." He looked back at her and smiled warmly. Merida smiled back at him.

"Aye, n' I'm sure the crown has nothin' tae do with it," Harris said haughtily.

"Harris," Merida cried out.

"What," Harris replied defensively.

"Ye know very well that has nothin' tae do with it," Merida said firmly, "I told ye that already."

"Aye," Hamish called out. He dismounted his horse and quickly made his way over to Harris, followed by Hubert. "We can trust him," Hamish said, "he only wants tae be with Merida!" Hamish looked up at Hiccup knowingly, "he loves her, just like his letter said!" Merida turned her eyes to Hamish questioningly.

"Letter," Merida questioned, "what letter?" Hamish looked up at her sheepishly.

"Uh…the one from earlier," Hamish replied, "ye dropped it when ye were telling us aboot yer friend…I… I took it."

"Hamish," Merida questioned, "why would ye do such a thing?" Hamish averted his eyes.

"I… I was just curious," Hamish replied, "I wanted tae be sure he was a good person." He turned his eyes back to Merida. "Mum said that it dinnae matter if ye choose an outlander…so long as he's a good person," he explained, "I…I held onto the letter so I could help…so I could show mum if it came to it." Merida shook her head in disbelief.

"Ye'd really do that for me," Merida replied. Hamish nodded.

"I just want ye tae be happy Merida," Hamish replied, "and so does mum. If Hiccup makes ye happy, then… it should be him that ye choose." Hiccup felt his heart flutter with Hamish's words.

"Aye," Harris agreed, "ye should choose who makes ye happy…. but are ye certain that's him?" He turned his eyes back to Hiccup and gazed at him skeptically. Merida smiled slightly as she turned her eyes back to Hiccup.

"More certain than I've ever been of anything," Merida replied. Hiccup smiled warmly as he gazed back at her. The love he felt for her was clearly evident on his face, to everyone present besides Harris. Harris remained skeptical of Hiccup's true intent. Harris crossed his arms over his chest and huffed in annoyance. Hiccup focused on the boy, gazing at him with a serious expression on his face.

"Harris," Hiccup said. The boy averted his eyes and refused to acknowledge him. Hiccup glanced at Merida for a moment. He released her hand then stepped forward toward Harris. He slowly knelt down on one knee before the boy, as he continued to gaze at him purposefully.

"Listen Harris, I know that you don't trust me yet," Hiccup went on, "and that's okay, I understand why. I don't blame you for feeling as you do. Honestly, I would probably feel the same way if I were in your shoes." Hiccup took a deep breath before continuing, "I know it's going to take a lot of effort on my part to change your mind. I would expect nothing less of all of you." Harris glanced at Hiccup briefly from the corner of his eye as he contemplated Hiccup's words. Hiccup looked back at Merida briefly with a slight smile on his face. Merida smiled in return. Hiccup turned his eyes back to Harris with a purposeful expression on his face.

"Hamish is right," Hiccup went on, "I…I do love Merida. I love her with all of my heart. Despite our differences, I want the same things that you do, to keep Merida safe and for her to be happy. By some crazy miracle she chose me because I make her happy, and she has made me happier than I've been in a very long time. All I ask is that you just... give me a chance to prove myself. Even if it takes a lifetime, I will prove to you that I'm worthy of your sister."

Harris silently mulled over Hiccup's request for what seemed a long time. The man certainly seemed sincere as he confessed his feelings for Merida, and she did trust him already. And though she still had yet to say the words aloud, Harris could see that she clearly felt for Hiccup just as he had admitted that he felt for her. Surely Merida wouldn't just fall in love with some random man for no reason. She must have seen something in him that caused her to feel for him as she did. Harris finally turned to Hiccup with a heavy sigh. Though he still had some reservations, he had promised Merida that he'd at least give her friend a fair shot. Harris sighed heavily as he turned his eyes back to Hiccup.

"Fine," Harris huffed, "but if ye fail…or do an'thing tae harm a hair on her head, so help me… I'll skin ye alive." Hiccup gulped slightly at Harris's threating words as he nodded in understanding to the boy.

"Understood," Hiccup replied in a serious tone.

"Dinnae make me regret this Viking," Harris said firmly. Hiccup smirked at the boy as he stood up once more.

"Don't worry," he replied as he glanced at Merida with a slight smile on his face, "I won't." Merida smiled warmly back at him. She then turned to face her brothers once more. She stepped forward with arms crossed and a stern look on her face.

"Now…I think th' three o' ye owe Eret an apology," Merida said firmly as she glanced at each one of her brothers.

"Merida, that's not necessary," Eret interjected as he walked up beside Hiccup, "no harm done, really."

"Nonsense," she replied as she glanced at Eret over her shoulder, "they dragged ye clear o'er th' highlands hauf- deid ….th' least they can dae is apologize." Eret furrowed his brow at her comment.

"Half-dead," Eret replied questioningly. He turned to Hiccup. "Do I really look that bad?" Hiccup shrugged.

"Well, you don't look good," Hiccup replied, "half–dead is only a slight exaggeration."

"Thanks mate," Eret replied flatly. Hiccup shrugged.

"Come now," Merida said firmly. She crossed her arms over her chest once more and gazed at her brothers expectantly. The three boys remained quiet for a long moment.

"Well," Merida said. The three boys turned to Eret and looked up at him solemnly, though Harris still had a hint of annoyance in his eyes.

"Sorry," the boys said in unison. Eret smirked slightly.

"There is nothing to forgive as far as I'm concerned mates," Eret replied with a smile, "you three were only trying to protect your sister…. I can understand that." The boys turned back to Merida.

"Thank ye for apologizing," Merida said, "now th' three o' ye prepare yer steeds, we still have tae make it home before dark."

"Are ye comin' with us," Harris questioned. Merida nodded.

"Aye," Merida replied, "it's practically sundown n' if we dinnae make it home before dark, we'll all be in trouble."

"Are ye gonna tell mum about Lachlan's tomb," Hubert questioned.

"I'll keep it tae myself, so long as th' three o' ye dinnae say a word about my friends tae another soul…. especially mum," Merida replied. The three boys glanced at each other for a few moments. They nodded to each other in unison, then turned back to Merida.

"Deal," Harris replied as he held his hand out to Merida. Merida smirked at her brother, then took his hand and shook it in agreement.

"Now let's go," Merida said. The boys turned and headed back to their horses. Merida, however, hung back a moment and made her way back over to Hiccup. He smiled at her warmly.

"You okay," he asked. Merida nodded.

"Aye," she replied with a sigh. She turned her eyes to Eret.

"What aboot ye," Merida questioned, "are ye alright?"

"I'm fine," Eret replied dismissively, "as I said before, no harm done. Your brothers are quite impressive for their age. I'm looking forward to getting to know them better." Merida smiled warmly at his comment.

"I appreciate that Eret," Merida replied. Her kind smile and the way she looked at him gave Eret pause. Unintentionally, Eret gazed at her a bit longer than he should have. He was still reeling over the uncanny similarities between Merida and his mother, from the moment the thought had entered his head. It now seemed impossible to unsee, and he still could not fathom that he had never noticed it before." Merida furrowed her brow questioningly as she gazed back at him, curious as to why he was gazing at her in such a way, or what exactly was running through his mind to cause him to do so.

"Are ye sure yer okay," Merida questioned in concern. Eret quickly averted his eyes and shook his head.

"No… uh… yes…I... I'm fine … I'm just gonna go, uh…leave you two alone for a moment, yeah," Eret replied as he stepped away. Both Hiccup and Merida watched Eret curiously as he walked a few feet away from them, both curious as to what exactly was going on in Eret's head. He still was acting a bit off. Merida turned back to Hiccup with an expression of great concern.

"I'm nae entirely sure he really is alright," Merida said in a concerned whisper. Hiccup nodded in reply.

"Don't worry," Hiccup replied, "I'll talk to him later... see if I can get to the bottom of whatever is going on with him." Merida nodded as she took one last glance at Eret. She turned back to Hiccup. He grinned back at her.

"So... those are your brothers," Hiccup said. Merida nodded with a smile.

"Aye, the wee devils themselves," Merida replied with a sigh.

"They are very protective of you," Hiccup replied with a smile, "especially Harris." Merida rolled her eyes.

"Aye, th' wee buggers dinnae ken when tae quit," Merida grumbled. Hiccup chuckled at her comment.

"Hopefully never," Hiccup replied simply, "they love you, Merida. It's nice to know that they look out for you like they do."

"Aye," she replied, "I suppose…even though they know damn well that I can look oot for m'self."

"Even so, it certainly doesn't hurt to have your brothers in your corner," Hiccup replied, "I think it would have been nice to have siblings to look out for me when I was growing up, instead of always being on my own." Merida smiled at his comment.

"Well, ye have some now," Merida replied, "Toothless, Eret and Fishlegs…and probably all the other riders too."

"And…maybe, one day, your brothers will consider me a sibling too," Hiccup replied hopefully.

"Aye," Merida replied with a hopeful smile, "maybe they will."

"One can hope," Hiccup replied with a slight shrug of his shoulders.

"Well…for now let's just hope that none o' them, blurts out th' truth before tomorrow," Merida replied. Hiccup nodded as he pondered her words.

"Well, ya know… I could just come back to the castle with you and your brothers tonight instead of waiting until tomorrow," Hiccup replied with a shrug, "that way … you won't need to worry about your brothers accidentally saying something. Plus, it will give me and them a little more time to get to know each other better."

"Aye," Merida replied as she thought over his suggestion, "I think… they can wait a day, n' so can ye." Hiccup chuckled slightly at her words.

"Oh, come on," Hiccup replied, "what difference is one day gonna make?

"Aye, there is still a lot tae be done before we come forward," Merida replied.

"Like what," Hiccup questioned.

"We need to look through that book that th' witch gave us," Merida replied, "n' plan exactly how tae tell my parents everything. Not tae mention, ye need tae learn a few Dunbrochian rules."

"Rules huh," Hiccup grinned, "I think I've been doing fairly well following the rules so far… for the most part." Merida smirked at his words.

"Oh really," Merida questioned haughtily.

"Alright… maybe not every rule," Hiccup replied with a shrug. He turned his eyes to where her brothers were on their horses waiting for Merida. They seemed to be getting impatient. He turned his eyes back to Merida and smiled slightly.

"Ya know," Hiccup said, "you have a pretty good knack for diplomacy. You have the makings of a great leader." Merida blushed at his compliment.

"Shut -it," she replied as she rolled her eyes.

"What…I'm serious," Hiccup chuckled.

"Aye, the only reason the wee devils listened tae me at all is because I have something tae hold o'er their heads," Merida replied dismissively.

"That's not true at all," Hiccup replied. Merida raised an eyebrow at him dubiously.

"Okay, having some leverage did help," Hiccup replied, "but you got through to Harris before that. You changed his mind about Eret. He saw Eret as a threat, he thought he was as evil as the Northern Invaders, but you changed his perspective. You showed him that Eret is more than just a Viking."

"I suppose," Merida replied thoughtfully.

"Don't sell yourself short princess," Hiccup replied with a smile, "a true leader shows empathy, compassion, diplomacy, and authority. You are going to make an amazing queen one day." Merida remained quiet as she pondered all he had said. Truthfully, she had never really thought of herself as a leader. Being queen had always been a distant notion, one she had continuously tried to put off, and consistently tried to run away from. Hearing Hiccup compliment her supposed leadership skills was something she had not expected.

"If you can convince your brothers to see Eret differently," Hiccup continued, "then I know you will be able to convince your parents to see Berk differently too." Merida shook her head disbelievingly.

"My brothers are nae the same as my parents Hiccup," she replied, "ye cannae compare the two."

"You're right," Hiccup replied, "it will probably take a lot more effort to convince your parents…and even more to convince the lords…but I believe in you Merida. I know you can do this." Merida gazed at him in uncertainty.

"It wisnae me alone," she replied, "yer the one who truly got through to Harris. The reason that he agreed to give ye a chance to prove yerself is because ye convinced him to do so."

"Well… this is a team effort, after all," Hiccup replied encouragingly, "you convince them to be a little more open- minded, and I'll prove my case for Berk."

"So, yer sayin' ye n' I make a good team then," Merida replied with a flirtatious smile. Hiccup grinned at her.

"Oh, there is absolutely no doubt in my mind princess," Hiccup replied as he leaned closer to her, "we are definitely great together." Merida smiled up at him warmly.

"Well, I should go if I'm to get my brothers home before dark," Merida said. She remained in place, seemingly reluctant to leave. Hiccup nodded as he continued to gaze at her, also reluctant to part.

"I uh…I would really like to kiss you," he said softly as he leaned slightly closer to her, "to say goodbye to you properly…. but… it uh…it seems we have a bit of an audience." He nodded in the direction of the boys. Merida glanced in her brothers' direction for a moment. She could see them all gazing in her and Hiccup's direction, seemingly assessing the moment between them. She turned back to Hiccup with a loving smile.

"Well, the wee devils do already know how I feel aboot ye…for the most part," Merida replied with a shrug, "n' they know how ye feel about me...n' I'm fairly certain there is no specific rule that says that ye cannae kiss me." Hiccup snickered at her words.

"Is that right princess," Hiccup replied in amusement. Merida nodded with a warm smile on her face.

"Well," he sighed, "in that case…" He reached up with his hand and gently brushed a loose curl behind her ear. His hand came to rest on her pale cheek. He leaned closer to her, gently resting his forehead against hers as he gazed lovingly into her pale blue eyes for a long moment. Slowly he moved to close the gap between them. He pressed his lips tenderly to her forehead, then pulled back slowly to look into her eyes once more.

"Just in case," Hiccup replied with a loving smile, "I wouldn't want to go tempting fate or anything." Merida smiled warmly at him, her cheeks flushed light pink. As he reluctantly pulled away from her, he took her hand in his, raising it to his lips and gently kissed the back it. Merida blushed slightly at his actions. He pulled back slowly as he continued to smile at her lovingly.

"I'll see you tomorrow princess," he said as he continued to hold her hand in his, "I love you."

"I love ye too Hiccup," she replied sweetly. Hiccup looked past her, to her brothers once more and nodded in their direction.

"I trust the three of you will make sure Merida gets home safely," he called out. The three boys nodded in his direction in unison.

"Always," Harris called out. Hiccup nodded back at Harris. He turned his eyes back to Merida to see her smirking at him. She pulled her hand from his and crossed her arms over her chest.

"What," he chuckled, "you're not the only one who can be diplomatic."

"Ye know I am perfectly capable of gettin' m'self home safely," Merida replied haughtily as she raised an eyebrow at him.

"I know, I know," Hiccup replied with a sigh, "you're a strong, independent woman, who can take care of herself."

"'N' dinnae ye forget it," Merida replied with a playful grin as she turned and started to walk away from him. Hiccup smirked at her comment as he quickly grabbed her hand once more and pulled her back to him. She chuckled lightly as he wrapped his arms around her waist. Merida rested her hands upon his shoulders.

"Come on princess," Hiccup grinned as he leaned closer to her, "can't you just humor me a little bit. I mean, it's kinda nice sometimes to feel like I can take care of you….ya know…like you need me…at least a little bit." He raised an eyebrow at her mischievously as he spoke. Merida chuckled at his comment.

"I do need ye, ye glaikit jimmy," Merida huffed with a shake of her head.

"You know what I mean," Hiccup replied flatly.

"Aye," Merida replied, "would ye have me swoon at the very thought o' travelin' alone without ye, o' become hysterical should any danger arise?"

"I mean…. would it be so terrible once in a while," Hiccup replied jokingly. Merida chuckled at his comment

"Seriously," she replied, "Might I remind ye o' what might've become o' the lot o' ye today had I acted as a helpless damsel when the kelpie attacked," Merida replied haughtily. Hiccup chuckled.

"Alright, alright," Hiccup sighed, "point taken." Merida smirked at him.

"Ye know... ye wouldn't have me any other way," Merida replied as she raised an eyebrow at him," Ye said so yerself, ye have a thing for strong-willed lasses." Hiccup grinned at her comment.

"That I do," Hiccup replied with a sigh, "especially the red headed ones." He raised an eyebrow as he gazed at her mischievously. Merida chuckled.

"Is that so," Merida replied with a playful smirk on her face. Hiccup nodded in reply as he leaned slightly closer to her.

"You know me Merida," Hiccup grinned, "I'm partial to any strong-willed lass, but give me a bad-ass, arrow-wielding, completely stubborn redhead and I'm absolutely done for." Merida chuckled lightly at his comment. Hiccup grinned as he pulled her closer to him, tightening his arms around her waist. He leaned toward her, resting his forehead against hers as he gazed at her longingly.

"There are many ways I would have you princess," he whispered huskily, "but you're right, weak and helpless is definitely not one of them." Merida felt her heart flutter with his slightly suggestive comment. She blushed slightly as she gazed into his intense green eyes.

"Is that so," Merida whispered. Hiccup nodded as he moved toward her with the intention of another kiss.

"Aye, whit's taking sae lang, Merida," Harris yelled out, interrupting their brief intimate moment, "haven't ye said goodbye tae him lang enough," Hiccup dropped his head from hers with the interruption. Merida rolled her eyes and groaned. She turned and glared at her brothers.

"Haud yer horses ye impatient wee jimmies," Merida yelled back. She turned back to Hiccup apologetically.

"Sorry…. I really have tae go before the wee devils lose their heids," Merida said.

"Alright," Hiccup sighed somewhat dejectedly. Merida smiled as she stood on her toes and kissed him gently upon the cheek, causing Hiccup's heart to flutter. Merida smiled up at him.

"Tomorrow princess," Hiccup replied as he took a few steps back, "I'm definitely looking forward to it. It's a big day tomorrow, ya know." Merida smirked.

"Aye dinnae remind me," she replied. Hiccup chuckled.

"Hey, I know that coming forward is a big deal," Hiccup replied, "but it's all gonna be fine, you'll see. Just look at how well it all went with your brothers."

"Oh, ye mean when they tried tae drown Eret, n' then threatened tae skin ye alive," Merida replied.

"It could have gone worse," Hiccup shrugged. Merida chuckled.

"Aye, I guess it could have," Merida replied in amusement.

"I mean, they could have shot at Eret with arrows and threatened to kill him on the spot," Hiccup replied. Merida rolled her eyes.

"Ye really are ne'er goin' tae let me live that down, are ye," she questioned.

"Not likely princess," Hiccup replied with a grin. Merida groaned and rolled her eyes again causing Hiccup to chuckle.

"Think of it this way," Hiccup grinned, "we have one of the best 'how we met' stories ever, one I'll probably be telling for years to come." Merida grinned.

"I suppose it will be yer go- to bedtime story for the wee bairns as well," Merida replied. Hiccup raised his eyebrows at her bold statement. He smiled warmly as he pondered her words. He knew without doubt that if all went well, his intent was to share his life with her. He wanted more than just to love her for the rest of his days, he wanted a life with her and all that it entailed. But the details of that life were still a bit obscure at the moment. They still had yet to reveal their relationship and their intentions to be together. They still needed her parents' blessing to even start thinking about whatever the future might hold for them. He supposed once they became official, they'd talk more about those obscure details. But the very idea of them telling their potential children bedtime stories caused his heart to flutter, and a feeling of warmth welled up inside him that was hard to describe. The more he thought about it, the more he wanted that future to come to pass. Just as suddenly as this thought crossed his mind, images of their coveted future life flashed before his mind's eye. He could almost see his hand on her swollen belly, her holding a tiny baby in her arms, Merida bent over a bassinet singing the same haunting lullaby from earlier, a tiny hand reaching for his. Hiccup was slightly overcome by the sudden barrage of images that had struck him like a whirlwind. The images felt so real, that they almost seemed like memories from another life. Hiccup looked up at her once more, unsure of what to do or say. He furrowed his brow as he silently contemplated the meaning of what he had just seen. He smiled at her warmly with an expression of purpose on his face. Whatever the reason for what he saw, Hiccup silently vowed to make the visions a definite reality.

"Maybe someday it will," he replied lovingly. Merida smiled back at him warmly, a slight blush arising on her pale, freckled cheeks.

"Now get out of here princess," Hiccup said, "or you'll miss your curfew…if you get grounded again, it could mess up all our plans."

Merida gave him one last smile before turning back to her brothers. She mounted Angus, then quickly guided the horse toward her siblings. Hiccup watched as she paused before them and they spoke for a few moments, then the four siblings turned their horses in the direction of the castle. As he watched Merida ride away, she glanced back over her shoulder at him and smiled.

Hiccup smiled back at her as he raised his arm and waved. She turned back toward the path before her and snapped the reigns urging Angus forward. Hiccup sighed as he watched her disappear beyond the ridge and into the woods.

"If I didn't know any better," Eret sighed, "I'd almost say something happened between you and your princess that made you even closer than you were before." Hiccup smiled slightly as he briefly recalled all that he and Merida had learned from the witch earlier./p

"You could say that" Hiccup replied cryptically as he glanced briefly at Eret. Eret raised his eyebrows at Hiccup in surprised curiosity.

"Hic," Eret said, "don't tell me that you two…"

"Not even close," Hiccup quickly interrupted, knowing exactly what Eret was implying. Eret furrowed his brow curiously. Hiccup glanced at him with a smirk on his face.

"What happened," Eret questioned disbelievingly.

"Nothing," Hiccup replied vaguely.

"Hiccup," Eret questioned.

"I told you already," Hiccup said in annoyance, "she and I are not ready for…that. And even if we had…which we haven't, I wouldn't tell you, because it's none of your business!"

"You don't have to feel weird about it Hic," Eret replied, "it's just me…I wouldn't judge you or anything. I just have a bit more experience in that… particular area…." Hiccup rolled his eyes and groaned out loud. Eret chuckled at his response.

"Besides with Astrid," Eret replied. Hiccup furrowed his brow at Eret's comment.

"You know….before," Eret explained, "….long before…." Hiccup furrowed his brow as he looked at him questioningly.

"Okay, look mate, all I'm saying is, you can confide in me if you want to," Eret smirked, "and I could give you advice, should you ever need any." Hiccup rolled his eyes at Eret's comment.

"I'll keep that in mind," Hiccup said flatly.

"That said," Eret replied, "I will not bring it up again…unless you do." With Eret's comment, Hiccup sighed in silent relief.

"So…where'd the wisps lead you to this time," Eret questioned as he changed the subject.

"Uh... they led us to the witch," Hiccup replied shortly.

"The witch that you've been looking for," Eret questioned, "the one that turned Merida's mom into a bear?" Hiccup nodded in confirmation.

"The very same," Hiccup replied. Eret nodded as he gazed at Hiccup in intrigue.

"And how did that go," Eret questioned.

"Interesting," Hiccup replied vaguely, "she's definitely interesting."

"What did she tell you," Eret asked in intrigue, "did you find anything else out about your mystery?"

"She told us a lot," Hiccup replied, "but it's far more than I want to get into right now." Eret furrowed his brow at Hiccup's comment.

"What… Hic," Eret protested.

"Look… it all can wait until tomorrow okay," Hiccup replied, "what I'm more interested in right now…is what the hell you were thinking when you decided to show yourself to Merida's brothers!"

"Hic…I…I said before, I was just trying to help," Eret explained.

"Oh right, by lying to them," Hiccup replied flatly.

"Hic, I…," Eret began.

"Dunbroch already believes that all Vikings are dishonest, and untrustworthy," Hiccup went on, "so I'm sure telling the princes a bunch of lies would definitely help them to see Berk differently."

"Hic, they were going to go to her parents," Eret responded, "I… I didn't know what else to do, I didn't want any of your plans to fall through. So, I did what I had to do to stall them! I…I didn't expect it all to go down as it did."

"And how exactly did you expect it all to go down Eret," Hiccup questioned in frustration, "did you think that they would just…. welcome you to Dunbroch with open arms? You know Dunbroch's history with Vikings as well as I do! You know the queen's opinion of us, and what Merida and her brothers have been taught about Vikings all their lives!"

"Yeah, I do Hic, but…"

"Do you even realize that you could have ruined everything Merida and I have been working toward," Hiccup questioned. Eret dropped his eyes from Hiccup as he pondered his words. He hadn't meant to put Hiccup's plans in jeopardy, quite the opposite, he had only been trying to steer the young princes away from the idea of involving their parents. Eret looked up at Hiccup remorsefully.

"I…I'm sorry mate," Eret replied, "I...I acted without thinking it through completely, I truly didn't mean any harm." Hiccup nodded as he gazed at Eret, with a serious expression on his face. He sighed heavily.

"Well… it did all sort of work itself out, so… I suppose there was no real harm done," Hiccup replied, "but you're lucky Merida and I caught up to you guys in time. If they had actually gotten you to that cave, it could have been a lot worse."

"I really am sorry mate," Eret replied.

"No use worrying about it now," Hiccup replied, "what's done is done. Besides it was kinda nice to meet her brothers…to actually talk to them face to face. Even if Merida didn't really, technically introduce me officially.

"She really didn't, did she," Eret replied as he thought about it more thoroughly. Hiccup shook his head.

"Nope," Hiccup replied, "but it's okay, I'm sure it just slipped her mind in all the chaos of trying to rescue you." Eret gazed at Hiccup apologetically. Hiccup took a deep breath as he looked at Eret curiously. His mind drifting once again to the moment Eret held him back from going to comfort Merida. Hiccup furrowed his brow as he thought about it more, he turned back to Eret in curiosity.

"Hey, why did you hold me back," Hiccup questioned suddenly. Eret looked at Hiccup in confusion.

"What," Eret asked.

"Earlier," Hiccup explained, "when Merida was talking to Harris, when she got upset?" Eret remained quiet for a long moment as he considered how to answer Hiccup's questions.

"Oh…uh… because," Eret replied, "it…it wasn't your place to intervene." Hiccup furrowed his brow at Eret's answer, he gazed at him questioningly.

"Not my place," Hiccup replied defensively.

"You know what I mean... you said it yourself…Merida's been holding back out of fear," Eret replied, "she had to do that on her own mate. I know it was just her brother, but if she didn't take a stand against him herself,…how would she find the courage to take a stand against her parents, or the Lords, for that matter." Hiccup nodded as he regarded Eret's answer carefully.

"I guess you make a good point," Hiccup replied, "though Merida is truly set on holding out until the last possible second."

"Don't worry mate," Eret replied, "tomorrow will come faster than you think." Hiccup sighed heavily as he pondered he and Merida's plans once more.

"Ya know, I even suggested that I just go back to the castle with her and the boys tonight," Hiccup replied, "since the big secret is finally out… but she refused."

"She's probably just still nervous about everything," Eret replied, "she's not second guessing your plan, right?"

"No," Hiccup replied, "I …I mean, as far as I know… we are still going through with it tomorrow."

"Well, then don't worry yourself over it too much," Eret replied. Hiccup nodded. He remained silent for a long moment. His thoughts once again drifted back to his and Merida's previous conversation earlier in the cave. She had stressed to him her deepest concerns and fears over their path and where it might lead them. He thought of his own ominous feelings in Adag. Though he tried to push these thoughts to the back of his mind, his worry still remained. He sighed heavily as he tried to shift his focus. He turned away from Eret quickly and whistled for Toothless.

"Come on out bud," Hiccup yelled. Toothless immediately bounded out from behind the trees and padded happily over to Hiccup. Hiccup chuckled slightly as he patted the dragon affectionately upon the side of the neck. He turned back to Eret and smirked.

"Let's get you back to camp," he said, "you've had a rough day… you look like you could use a new bandage and probably a good meal, besides, you and I have a conversation to finish." Eret nodded slowly as he remembered what he was about to tell Hiccup when the wil' o' the wisps interrupted earlier.

"That we do mate," Eret replied.

---

The castle

Merida waited patiently in the stable, awaiting one of her brothers to return with a fresh cloak. The last thing she wanted was for her mother to grow suspicious of her whereabouts today, and the less questions her mother asked the better as far as Merida was concerned. She could not very well walk into the castle with a torn and tattered cloak and expect there not to be questions. She peeled off the remnants of her old cloak, crumpled up the dirty piece of fabric and stuffed it into one of the saddle bags. She'd dispose of it later at a time less conspicuous.

She tried her best to clean off her dress as much as possible, but her shoes were a lost cause. She wasn't overly concerned though. It had rained for the better part of the day, and it was easy enough to blame the state of her dress on getting caught in the storm. A destroyed cloak, however, would be a bit more difficult to explain.

The door to the stables opened quickly causing her to jump. She relaxed a bit when Hamish approached her with a fresh cloak in hand. The boy held the cloak out to her. She smiled appreciatively as she took the cloak from him.

"Thanks Hamish," she said as she pulled the cloak over her shoulders and draped the hood over her head. Hamish stood quietly for a long moment with an uncertain expression on his face. Noticing his quietness, Merida looked up at Hamish finally.

"Is everything okay Hamish," Merida questioned. Hamish looked up at her for a moment then averted his eyes. Merida furrowed her brow as she gazed at him in concern.

"Aye," Hamish replied without looking up at her. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a folded piece of paper. Without a word he held the paper out to her. Merida took the paper and unfolded it to find it was Hiccup's letter that he'd left her the night before.

"I'm sorry I took it without tellin' ye," Hamish said. Merida turned her eyes back to Hamish and smiled.

"Tis alright Hamish," Merida replied, "I understand why ye took it. There is no need to apologize." Hamish nodded his head without looking up. Merida gazed at him curiously.

"I'm sorry about everything else too," Hamish said, finally looking up at his sister, "we should nae have come after ye….it was Harris' idea. We were just gonna spy a little and look around the camp…. everything else just got oot o' hand. I…I tried to talk sense into Harris…but he would nae listen."

"Ye stood up tae Harris," Merida questioned in surprise. Hamish nodded.

"Aye," Hamish replied, "but it dinnae matter, he ne'er listens tae me."

"I'm proud o' ye Hamish," Merida replied, "ye stood yer ground, and ye tried yer best." Hamish smiled slightly at her comment. He took a deep breath as he pondered everything that had happened.

"Why dinnae ye tell us aboot the other Viking," he questioned. Merida sighed slightly.

"I was just tryin' tae protect them," Merida replied, "I figured the less ye knew the better." Hamish nodded.

"And the one ye fancy," Hamish questioned carefully, "Hiccup …. was it?"

"Aye," Merida replied questioningly.

"Do ye truly love him Merida," Hamish questioned. Merida remained quiet for a long moment as she pondered how exactly to answer her brother's question. She felt her heart flutter at the thought of her feelings for Hiccup. Since the day they had met, she had kept her feelings concealed within her heart, locked away from all except Hiccup. Now as her brother questioned her, she could feel the heaviness of her secret-laden heart. For the first time since this all began, she felt the toll of keeping said secrets. She gazed at Hamish sincerely.

"With all my heart," Merida confessed in an emotion-filled voice. She placed her hand over her heart as she spoke. Hamish nodded.

"Ye looked very happy when ye were with him," Hamish replied.

"I am happy," Merida replied, "he is the most amazing, kindest, and most honorable person I've e'er met. I...I cannae imagine choosing any one else."

"Then ye need tae tell mum the whole truth," Hamish replied encouragingly, "before the suitors come."

"Aye, that's the plan," Merida replied.

---

Hiccup's camp a few hours later.

Eret sat quietly by the fire, thinking over all the events of the past day. The most prevalent thing on his mind, however, was the discovery of his possible family connection to Dunbroch and to Merida.

Before, he was unwilling to learn about his past, but now it was all he could think about. He wanted to know the answers once and for all, and yet paradoxically he still was afraid of what those answers might be. Regardless of his deep rooted fears, Eret's unofficial meeting of the three young princes had subsequently increased his desire to learn more. After all, if his mother truly was related to Merida, then she was related to the princes as well.

Without a word, Hiccup came over to the fire and sat down across from him with a heavy sigh, distracting Eret from his thoughts. Eret looked up at him curiously. He had expected that he and Hiccup would have picked up their previous conversation where they had left off the moment they got back to camp, but Hiccup seemed distracted for much of their journey. After arriving and settling in, instead of continuing their discussion, Hiccup went off on his own for a bit. Eret could only assume that Hiccup had a lot on his mind, especially considering that he and Merida had finally found the witch whom they had been seeking. Eret could only imagine what Hiccup and Merida might have learned from said witch. Eret gazed at Hiccup curiously as he sat across from him. He still seemed slightly distracted.

With another heavy sigh, Hiccup glanced briefly at Fishlegs, who was now sleeping peacefully, curled up beside Meat-Lug. He then turned his eyes back to the fire.

"Hey Hic," Eret said, "what have you been up to mate?" Hiccup looked up at his friend finally.

"Oh….uh, I was, uh, just going over the plan again for tomorrow," Hiccup replied distractedly.

"It's down to the wire now isn't it," Eret replied.

"Sure is," Hiccup replied with a grin, "I can't wait to finally get this over with." Eret furrowed his brow at Hiccup's comment.

"Get it over with," Eret questioned.

"Yeah, ya know…. the dreaded meeting of the parents," Hiccup replied, "it's just a tad nerve wracking."

"I thought you were pretty confident about all of this Hic," Eret replied, "what happened?"

"Nothing happened," Hiccup replied. Eret raised an eyebrow at Hiccup skeptically.

"Believe me," Hiccup replied, "I've never been more confidant about it than I am right now." Hiccup paused a moment before continuing.

"It's just…uh…ya know… this is a big step for Merida and I," Hiccup said, "and God forbid anything goes wrong…" Hiccup sighed heavily. He stood up suddenly with a huff and began to pace. "This is our future we're talking about," Hiccup continued, "I…I just can't leave anything to chance. It all needs to go according to plan." Eret nodded as he listened to Hiccup.

"But then…suppose it all does go well with her parents," Hiccup went on as he continued to pace, "I'll still have the suitors and the lords to deal with. And Merida will still have to go through the motions of the suitors courting her." Hiccup clenched his fists as he mentioned the suitors, which did not go unnoticed by Eret.

"Is that what you're really worried about mate," Eret questioned, "the suitors courting her?" Hiccup audibly groaned as he slumped back down upon the log across from Eret.

"I'll take that as a yes then," Eret replied in a questioning tone. Hiccup huffed.

"The suitors are not an issue," Hiccup replied quickly, "I...I know that…I really do. Merida chose me already, so it shouldn't matter, b-but I just can't get it out of my head. Honestly…I don't know how in the hell I'm supposed to get through this whole courtship thing without losing my mind."

"Whoa…whoa…whoa, Hic, hold on," Eret replied, "where is all of this coming from, mate?" Hiccup sighed heavily once more as he ran his fingers through his hair. He tried his best to get his frustration over the situation under control. The idea of the suitors coming to court Merida had never worried him all that much before but the closer it got to their impending arrival in Dunbroch, the more the idea seemed to bother him. He supposed it might have something to do with Merida's admission about Ryan Macintosh which had put him over the edge. The knowledge that she had once been partial to Ryan, even if only slightly, and that the two had shared a brief affinity for one another in the past seemed to bother him most of all.

"I don't know," he groaned, "I just can't stop thinking about it." Eret gazed at Hiccup curiously, sensing that there might be more to Hiccup's reluctance about the suitors then he was attesting to.1.5;"

"About what exactly," Eret questioned further.

"A-about the suitors and their intentions," Hiccup replied in a flustered tone, "I…I just can't stand the thought of any of them coming near Merida. The closer this whole courtship thing gets, the worse I feel about it." Eret sat silently for a moment as he pondered Hiccup's words. He supposed that Hiccup's feelings of insecurity might stem from his unfortunate history with Astrid. For this Eret couldn't help but to feel slightly guilty.

"Do you think I'm being unreasonable," Hiccup questioned.

"No… not completely unreasonable," Eret replied. Hiccup furrowed his brow at Eret's comment.

"Look mate, she's your girl, you love her," Eret explained, "it's perfectly natural to feel somewhat protective of her, even a little jealous, when other blokes pay her attention." Hiccup rolled his eyes at Eret's comment.

"But... I also think you are making a mountain of a mole hill," Eret went on.

"What's that supposed to mean," Hiccup questioned.

"It means you're making this a bigger deal than it needs to be right now," Eret replied as he raised an eyebrow at Hiccup. Hiccup rolled his eyes in response.

"You sound like Merida," Hiccup huffed.

"Well, there you have it," Eret replied with a smirk, "listen to your girl, mate. If she is telling you not to worry… then don't worry. Merida is not gullible, she's not going to go and fall for any smooth-talking suitor and leave you behind. She loves you; she chose you. Don't lose sight of that just because you feel a little jealous." Hiccup sighed heavily as he pondered Eret's words.

"You're right," Hiccup groaned, "I know that. And... after everything the witch told us, I know without question that she and I are meant to be together. As far as I'm concerned, there is nothing that can keep us apart. I just wish that all of this wasn't so complicated."

"Well, I hate to break it to you Hic, but life is complicated," Eret replied, "and even when you think you've finally figured it all out, it tends to get complicated all over again." Hiccup nodded at Eret's words. He supposed Eret knew about the complications of life better than most people. After everything Eret had been through in his own life and how he had managed to change his path, it seemed some of those complications had unexpectedly come back to haunt him. It was something Hiccup himself could relate to as well.

"Nobody knows that better than me," Hiccup replied, "and I suppose nobody knows it better than you either." Eret nodded.

"I suppose that's one thing you and I have in common," Eret replied with a slight smile. Hiccup nodded in agreement. His mind drifted back to the witch's strange revelation regarding the appearance of the wil' of the wisps and the idea that Eret might be just as connected to the mystery of Mairead and Hiccup the first as he and Merida were. He looked up at Eret contemplatively as he thought about the witch's impartation and what it could possibly mean for Eret.

He and Merida had long suspected that Eret was connected to Dunbroch through either one or even both of his parents, but the idea that he might also be connected to the mystery of Hiccup and Merida's grandparents was certainly intriguing. He silently recalled he and Eret's previously unfinished conversation, and Eret's own admission that he too suspected his family's connection to Dunbroch.

"Maybe it's not the only thing we have in common," Hiccup replied cryptically. Eret furrowed his brow at Hiccup's statement.

"We need to finish our conversation," Hiccup said firmly. Eret nodded wordlessly. He was uncertain where to start. After all the chaos earlier, he had practically forgotten where he had even left off, before the wisps showed up.

"You said you were leaning toward your father being from Dunbroch…but something happened that changed your mind," Hiccup said as if reading his thoughts, "so…. what exactly happened?" Eret remained quiet for a moment as he pondered how to answer Hiccup's question.

"It wasn't really just one thing," Eret replied, "it was many things…but what really made me second guess was... Merida." Hiccup furrowed his brow at Eret's statement. He silently recalled what Eret had confessed earlier regarding his feelings for Merida. The thought of Eret's confession caused him to feel slightly uneasy.

"You mean…in regards to your feelings for her," Hiccup questioned tentatively. Eret nodded in reply.

"I…I can't even explain it really," Eret went on, "all this time I…I've kept from you how I felt about Merida, because I didn't want you to misunderstand. I…I didn't want you to think that it was like Astrid all over again. Hic, I would never do that to you… or Astrid. And besides all that, my feelings for Merida are not like that in any way."

"I know," Hiccup replied, "though, I'm not gonna lie…I've had a few moments of weakness, where I thought...maybe… but I know that it is just my insecurity affecting my judgement."

"You did," Eret questioned tentatively. Hiccup nodded.

"The day you met her," Hiccup explained, "you put on the charm and that made me …a little defensive." Hiccup sighed before continuing. "Then…when she talked to you alone to apologize for starting that argument, … I sort of…interrupted your conversation purposely because I felt just a little uneasy leaving her alone with you. When I did, it seemed like something more was going on, the way you both acted around each other."

"Really," Eret questioned. Hiccup nodded.

"It just felt like there was a little bit of tension between the two of you," Hiccup explained. Eret remained quiet as he silently recalled the strange feelings he had when he had spoken to Merida for the first time after their initial argument. He recalled the strange way Merida had looked at him during their conversation

"And just today," Hiccup went on, "in the cave when she bandaged you up." Eret raised an eyebrow at Hiccup's statement.

"What about that did you take wrong," Eret questioned.

"It was the way you were looking at her," Hiccup replied, the way she smiled at you, the way you took her hand…" Hiccup sighed heavily trying his best to keep his feelings of jealousy from bubbling to the surface once again as he recalled them.

"Hic, nothing about that was even remotely close to being what you thought it was," Eret replied, "she…she noticed my scar, the brand from Drago. She asked me about it, and I told her what happened. She showed me sympathy. She told me I was a good person, despite my previous affiliation with Drago and that I didn't deserve what happened to me." Hiccup remained quiet as he pondered Eret's words. Eret sighed heavily before continuing.

"Just as I said earlier, Hic, I do have some feelings for Merida," Eret admitted, "but they're not unlike my feelings for you. Merida is a good person, she's sincere, and empathetic. Like you, she sees the good in me, despite my past. I…I respect her, I admire her, and I would defend her the same as I would you." Hiccup nodded as he listened to Eret. He felt a slight sense of pride knowing that Eret held Merida in such high regard. He crossed his arms over his chest and grinned slightly at Eret.

"I told you she was amazing," Hiccup replied as he raised an eyebrow at Eret.

"You weren't wrong mate," Eret replied with a smile, "you're a lucky man…don't mess it up by letting your insecurities get the better of you." Hiccup nodded in agreement.

"By the way," Eret went on, "I wasn't aware that you had already told Merida about Drago, thanks for the warning." Hiccup gazed at Eret apologetically.

"It wasn't really my intention to say anything," Hiccup explained, "but after our argument the night you and Fish showed up, I felt terrible and I wanted to see her because I feel better just being near her. When I ended up on her balcony, she saw right through me. She knew I was troubled and I just poured my heart out to her. I told her everything about you and what happened with Astrid. Then, after officially meeting you…she was curious… she had more questions."

"Curious," Eret questioned, "why was she curious?" Hiccup remained quiet for a moment as he pondered how much to tell Eret. He wasn't quite sure if telling him about Merida's similar feelings was a smart decision just yet.

"First, tell me what happened," Hiccup replied, "what was it about Merida that made you change your mind about your mom." Eret nodded, he supposed he'd put this off long enough.

"Earlier in the cave," Eret explained, "I awoke to the sound of my mother singing. It was an old song that I haven't heard in years. She used to sing it to me or even sometimes to herself. I never knew what the words meant…it was just soothing to hear her sing it." Hiccup furrowed his brow as he pondered Eret's words.

"So, you're saying that you dreamt of your mother singing," Hiccup questioned.

"I thought so at first," Eret replied, "before I realized that I was awake enough to know what I was hearing, awake enough to realize that the voice was subtly different." As Eret spoke, Hiccup silently recalled Merida's soothing lullaby from earlier in the cave. He gazed at Eret in intrigue.

"It was Merida," Hiccup replied knowingly, "singing your mother's song…. wasn't it?" Eret nodded.

"Merida knew my mother's song word for word mate," Eret replied, "she knew every note, every lyric, every syllable. It was surreal and in that instant, I realized why she seemed so familiar to me."

"Merida reminds you of... your mother," Hiccup muttered knowingly, "doesn't she?" Eret nodded in confirmation.

"And it isn't just the song mate," Eret explained, "it's everything about her Hic; every glance, every expression, every mannerism. It's the way she speaks and even how she carries herself. That's why she seemed so familiar to me, why I felt like I knew her already when I met her. The similarities are so uncanny that it's a wonder I never noticed it before." Hiccup remained silent as he pondered all that Eret had said thus far. Keeping in mind all that he and Merida had learned from the witch earlier, however, he was fairly certain that there was far more to all of this than just Merida reminding Eret of his mother.

"That's when it all clicked," Eret went on, "my pendant with the emblem of the royal family of Dunbroch, must've truly belonged to my mother. The long line and prestigious roots she told me about, must've been her own lost family. It can be the only explanation of why Merida reminds me of her so much. I…I think Merida is part of my mother's family Hic… I…I think she…she's my family."

Hiccup gazed at Eret, dumbfounded by his apparent conclusion. He silently thought over all that he and Merida had discussed on the specific subject of Eret's mother and the possibility that she had originally come from Dunbroch. He thought about Merida's own feelings toward Eret. She too, found Eret familiar. Could the reason for Eret and Merida's mutual familiarity be that the two were actually related through his mother, or was the connection even deeper?

After the witch's revelation regarding the wisps and Eret's ability to see them, Hiccup began to suspect that Merida's feelings of familiarity with Eret might actually be due to his alleged connection to Mairead and Hiccup the first. But this didn't account for Merida singing his mother's song, nor for Merida reminding Eret of his mother. Then, of course, there was the pendant. While the pendant itself was their most significant, tangible clue yet, it was the most difficult to fit any of their theories. There still seemed to be multiple possible explanations for it, and the question of how his mother had actually come to possess the pendant still remained.

Eret had been told by his mother that the pendant had belonged to his father and that he had given it to her. If that were indeed true, it would mean that Eret's father, himself, was the one connected to the royal family in some way. On the other hand, it could also mean that his father, being a Viking, had stolen the pendant and then given it to his mother. While both of these scenarios could explain the origin of Eret's pendant, neither could explain Eret's suspicions about his mother. If Eret's suspicions were true and the pendant had belonged to his mother from the start, then it would mean that Eret's mother was the one connected to the Dunbroch royal family.

This particular scenario, though compelling, seemed unlikely after what he'd learned from Merida earlier. She told him that no one from the royal family, besides Isla, was targeted or taken by the Northern Invaders. If Eret's mother was indeed connected to Merida's family, then who was she and why did nobody know of her being taken? Unless… perhaps the pendant was given to her by someone other than Eret's father. Perhaps someone else had gifted her the pendant, someone who may have intended to make her a part of the royal family. Could it be that Eret's mother was not connected to the royal family by blood, but by betrothal? Hiccup turned to Eret suddenly as an intriguing idea popped into his brain. The connection couldn't possibly have been staring them in the face this whole time, could it?

"Eret,"Hiccup questioned suddenly, "what was your mother's name?" Eret furrowed his brow curiously at Hiccup's sudden question.

"Inghean," Eret replied, "my mother's name was Inghean." Hiccup sighed heavily in disappointment. He thought for certain that he might've been on to something, but none of the clues were quite lining up. Clearly, they were missing something. Eret gazed at Hiccup anxiously. By the look on his face, Eret could tell that Hiccup was trying to piece all the clues he'd been given together in his mind and he wondered what exactly Hiccup was thinking.

"What is it mate," Eret questioned. Hiccup looked up at Eret with a distracted expression on his face."

"Nothing," Hiccup replied as he dropped his eyes from Eret, "I just thought…maybe…" Hiccup shook his head as he sighed once more, "nothing…never mind. It just …seems like all of this just keeps getting more and more confusing by the minute."

"What do you mean," Eret questioned. Hiccup turned his eyes back to Eret.

"I…I have something I need to tell you too," Hiccup replied

"What," Eret questioned cautiously.

"You're not the only one having feelings like the ones you describe," Hiccup replied, "Merida is too." Eret furrowed his brow at Hiccup's comment.

"She is," Eret questioned. Hiccup nodded.

"When you and Merida were fighting after you scared off the wisp," Hiccup replied, "I noticed that you understood Merida's Scottish accent and slang words without even a second thought. When I mentioned it to her later, she told me that she felt like she knew you somehow as well." Eret gazed at Hiccup in intrigue.

"She said that," Eret questioned in surprise. Hiccup nodded in confirmation.

"We've been thinking that the reason you can understand her dialect is because you grew up hearing it. At first Merida suggested that you were from Dunbroch, and that maybe you were taken by the Northern Invaders as a child during the war. We even thought maybe you knew someone in the Northern Alliance that was once from Dunbroch. But…then it hit me, you said that your mother was taken by Vikings, and you never knew anything about her home or family. It makes sense that the reason you understand Merida's dialect so well is because you learned it from your mother. Merida and I believe that your mother was taken from Dunbroch by the same Vikings that took Merida's aunt."

As Hiccup spoke a troubling realization arose in Eret's brain, one that had, for some reason, not occurred to him before this moment. If his mother truly was from Dunbroch as the evidence suggested, and she'd been taken by the northern invaders as Hiccup and Merida had concluded, then that could mean…

"What if…..what if my father was one of them," Eret said almost as if explaining it to himself, "what if he was one of the northern invaders." Hiccup gazed at Eret sympathetically as he spoke. He could see Eret's troubled expression over the revelation that his father might have actually been a member of the vicious and hated enemy of his mother's people, rather than another clan. It was very possible that Eret's mother had glossed over the details of her rescue to protect Eret from learning a terrible truth about his father.

"Even if that's so," Hiccup replied, "your father wasn't like the rest of his clan. He went against them; he saved your mom."

"He did," Eret replied, "but how many raids did he take part in before that? How many crimes did he commit in his clan's name? How many times did he follow his chief's despicable orders despite who it hurt?" Hiccup nodded as he gazed at Eret sympathetically.

"How many times did you Eret," Hiccup questioned. Eret gazed at Hiccup with a dumbfounded expression on his face. But his surprise at Hiccup's question was immediately followed by anger.

"Do not compare me to my father Hic," Eret growled.

"I'm not comparing you to him," Hiccup replied firmly, "all I'm saying is that…maybe your father was just caught up in a bad situation, just like you were with Drago." Eret remained quiet for a long moment as he listened.

"According to what you told me before," Hiccup went on, "your father only joined those Vikings to continue his search for his lost homeland. If he really was a northern invader, it's possible he really didn't know anything about them until after he had joined them." Eret remained silent as he pondered Hiccup's words. He supposed Hiccup made a good point.

Eret was young when he had joined Drago and the northern alliance. Up until that point in his life he had never truly had a male role model consistently in his life, save for probably Chief Ivar. Ivar had always looked out for him, but it seemed, at least to Eret, to have always been from a respectable distance. The truth was that he had always felt like an outsider in Eystribyggð. It was for this reason he had chosen to leave in the first place. Once his mother had passed, there simply was nothing left to tie him to that place save for memories that were too painful to bear.

Drago took him in, took him under his wing, taught him his trade, and gave him a sense of belonging. Drago, for a time, filled the void in Eret's soul that his father had left. But Eret was just a foolish kid, who couldn't see Drago for what he truly was. He was desperate to be accepted, desperate to be a part of a family, and so blinded by that desperation that he willingly followed where Drago led. By the time it became apparent the type of clan he had joined, Eret was already completely embroiled with them. Drago owned him and Eret stayed out of fear.

Perhaps it had been similar for his father. If his father truly had been a northern invader, perhaps in his desperation to find his homeland, he had blindly joined the despicable clan. Perhaps he also only stayed out of fear. Until this moment Eret had never thought about how similar his own plight might have been to his father's. It seemed no matter how he tried to distance himself from his father's legacy, nor how he tried to forget him, he had all but repeated his father's past mistakes.

"Even if he truly was a Northern Invader," Hiccup continued, "your father still made the right choice in the end. He didn't stand by and do nothing. He helped your mom escape; he rescued her and sheltered her even though it put himself at risk."

"So, what are you saying," Eret huffed, "that upon meeting my mom he just suddenly realized that everything his clan did was wrong?"

"No," Hiccup replied, "not that he suddenly realized what they did was wrong. He probably always knew it was wrong, but he feared them enough to do as he was told. I'm saying that what happened with your mom gave him the courage to stand against them. Just like how you did when you helped Astrid and the other riders escape from Drago." Hiccup paused a moment as he gazed at Eret in concern. He could clearly see the trepidation on his friend's face.

"Listen," Hiccup continued, "I know your father is a sore subject, okay. I understand why you want nothing to do with him or his story. But his story… is your story too Eret. Finding the truth about your past will help you make peace with it."

Eret nodded as he thought over all Hiccup had said. He was still afraid to look at his father any other way than how he had always seen him all these years. He was afraid that the truth might turn out to be far more heartbreaking than having been abandoned by his father. As the thought of this ran through his mind, he remembered something else from his most recent dream…

---

"Inghean you know I have to go," Eret said, "I can't risk the chief's suspicions, If I don't go back, he'll suspect me for certain."

"I dinnae care," Inghean cried, "we can run away, we can hide."

"Is that what you really want," Eret asked, "to be on the run for the rest of our lives, constantly looking over our shoulders, always in fear? I... I won't do that to you...to little Eret. Not after everything I've put you through already.."

"You and little Eret are everything to me...all I want is to be with you...together...safe..." Eret paused for a long moment as if he were willing himself to continue, "but we wouldn't be safe…not for long. I can't risk that after everything we've been through...after all that we've sacrificed."

"We could run...but it wouldn't be long until they found me...and if they find me, they will find out about you and little Eret. If that were to happen, I wouldn't be able to protect you.

---

"He was hiding us in Eystribyggð," Eret said as if speaking his thoughts aloud. Hiccup furrowed his brow at Eret's comment. He gazed at his friend curiously.

"What do you mean," Hiccup questioned. Eret nodded wordlessly as he turned his eyes back to Hiccup.

"I…I had another dream," Eret explained.

"Another dream… about your mother," Hiccup questioned. Eret nodded.

"Not just my mother this time," Eret explained, "about my father too. But it…it was more than a dream…it…it felt like a memory." Eret remained quiet for a moment as the visions from his dream replayed in his head. "He and my mom…they were… they were arguing."

"Arguing about what," Hiccup asked. Eret shrugged his shoulders slightly. He closed his eyes for a moment as he tried to recall more of the details of his dream…

---

"I cannae lose ye Eret," Inghean sobbed, "I cannae lose ye like I lost everyone else...yer all I have."

"You are not going to lose me Inghean," Eret whispered, "I know you are afraid. Believe me, I have the same fears you do. Whatever you saw Inghean, it's just your fear getting the better of you. It doesn't matter. I promise you, no matter what happens...I will always be with you, and I will always come back... Just trust me."

"I do trust ye," Inghean replied tearfully, "I trust ye with my whole heart... but I cannae shake the feelin' that somethin' is terribly wrong! Somethin' bad is goin' tae happen…I can feel it in mah bones."

---

Eret opened his eyes and gazed blankly into the fire."My mother was afraid for him," Eret recalled, "she was pleading for him not to leave." Hiccup furrowed his brow as he listened. Perhaps it was the forlorn expression on Eret's face, or the despondent tone of his voice as he spoke, but his statement sparked an ache deep in Hiccup's chest. It was almost similar to the feeling of heartbreak that he'd endured in Adag, though not quite so pronounced and not nearly so consuming.

"It was like I was me, but five years old," Eret went on, "I was peering out at them from the shadows of my room, listening in on their conversation. I could feel everything I felt then, the fear, the worry. I think I've been blocking it out all this time." Eret paused for a moment before continuing, "it's almost like…something about this place… is bringing it all back to me."

Hiccup nodded, as he silently pondered Eret's words. He was fairly certain that Eret's connection to Dunbroch was indeed causing these dreams of his parents, but he wondered what exactly his dreams were trying to help him to remember.

"You said your mom was afraid," Hiccup questioned, "what exactly was she afraid of?" Eret shrugged.

"I'm not sure exactly, it seemed like my father was going to meet with someone whom my mother feared," Eret replied, "he…he mentioned something about his chief suspecting him. He told her that if he didn't go back, the chief would come after him, and they would always be on the run." Hiccup remained silent as he pondered all that Eret had told him thus far./

"Okay, so, your mother was afraid for your father, and she didn't want him to leave," Hiccup began to list the clues he'd been given, "but your father was afraid that his chief would suspect him of something if he didn't go back. You also think that he was hiding you and your mom in Eystribyggo from, I'm assuming, this chief that both she and your father seemed to fear." Eret nodded.

"My mother didn't want him to go, she wanted to take me and run away with my father, but he refused," Eret continued, "he said that if we ran, we would be discovered, and he wouldn't be able to protect us. But my mother was afraid that if he left, she'd lose him forever."

As Hiccup continued to listen to Eret he thought back to the tale Merida had told him earlier about what happened to Isla. From the queen's own first-hand account, the chief of the northern invaders was a ruthless and evil man. If the chief Merida's mother had described and the one Eret's father had mentioned were in fact one in the same then it was no surprise to Hiccup that Eret's mother feared him as she did, nor that his father wanted to protect his family from this diabolical man.

"It's starting to make a little more sense now," Hiccup said almost as if to himself, "your mother had every right to be afraid." Eret furrowed his brow at Hiccup's statement.

"What do you mean," Eret questioned.

"Merida talked to her mom about what happened to her sister," Hiccup explained, "her mom told her everything."

"Okay, but what exactly does her aunt's story have to do with me or my parents," Eret questioned skeptically.

"Just hear me out," Hiccup replied, "Merida's mom was just a kid when her older sister was taken by the Northern invaders. Her mom believes that the chief of the invaders specifically targeted her sister. He went after them himself." Eret furrowed his brow as he tried to make sense of whatever dots Hiccup felt he had connected."

"Why did she think that," Eret questioned.

"Long story short, her sister was betrothed at the time to the future king of Dunbroch," Hiccup replied, "who also happens to now be Merida's dad.""

"Okay, hold on," Eret said, "you're telling me Merida's aunt was betrothed to her dad and then later he married her mom?" Hiccup nodded.

"Yes, but that was years after her aunt went missing," Hiccup explained, "and that's beside the point." Eret furrowed his brow as he tried to follow Hiccup's train of thought.

"So, you're saying the invaders took her for ransom then," Eret questioned.

"That's what the queen believes," Hiccup replied, "but the Viking's demands never came, and the queen's sister was never found." Eret nodded as he listened.

"Again," Eret replied, "what does any of that have to do with me or my parents?"

"The chief of the Northern Invaders chased down Merida's mom and her sister," Hiccup continued, "they hid in a barn and Merida's aunt made her sister hide in the loft. When the Viking chief broke the door down, she faced him alone, fought tooth and nail against him, but he showed her no mercy. He hurt her badly, and tried to assault her. Then he had her tied up and drug off to his longship, God only knows what happened to her there. Merida's mom witnessed everything from the loft."

Eret swallowed hard as he listened to the terrible account. He wondered if his mother had endured the same brutal treatment that Merida's aunt had at the hands of her captors. The very thought of it broke his heart. His mother was a gentle and loving woman, beautiful inside and out. She did not deserve the harsh treatment which she had undoubtedly received when she had been stolen from her home.

"Well, that certainly explains why the queen hates Vikings so much," Eret replied solemnly.

"No kidding," Hiccup replied with a heavy sigh. He turned his eyes back to Eret.

"My point is," Hiccup went on, "that if the Northern Invaders took your mom, if the chief she feared is the same chief from Merida's story, then your mom was right to be afraid. From what Merida said, her mom described him as a ruthless, and evil man. I can see why your mom feared for your dad, and why your dad was desperate to protect you both." Eret shook his head disbelievingly as he pondered Hiccup's suggestion.

"Okay, but if that were the case," Eret questioned, "why were they discussing my father going back to do his bidding? Do you think he was still a part of their clan even after helping my mom escape?" Hiccup shrugged.

"Maybe," Hiccup replied. Eret shook his head as he thought about this possibility.

"Why would he do that," Eret questioned almost as if asking himself. He turned back to Hiccup, "why would he go back after everything they did?"

"I don't know," Hiccup replied, "maybe…he didn't have a choice." Eret furrowed his brow at Hiccup's words. He looked at him questioningly.

"Didn't have a choice," Eret muttered under his breath. All his life he had cursed his father's choices; his choice to pursue some fantasy homeland, his choice to never be around, his choice to abandon his family. Of course, his father had a choice, but he never chose his family.

"He had a choice to stay with his family," Eret growled, "never once did he choose us."

"But you don't know why he made that choice Eret," Hiccup replied, "you, yourself, just said that your father was worried that his chief would suspect him of something if he didn't return. Maybe your dad was afraid that the chief would suspect that he was the one who saved your mom. From what I gather, this chief sounds as crazy and ruthless as Drago. A man like that is not one to give up easily. If he had even the slightest suspicion that your father betrayed him…he would probably have stopped at nothing to punish him and take back what he felt was his." Eret remained silent as he glared at Hiccup, trying his best to keep his frustration at bay. Though everything Hiccup said made sense, Eret was very reluctant to see his father's plight sympathetically.

"Listen Eret, I get it," Hiccup went on, "I know that this is hard for you, but this is important. There is a reason all of this is coming back to you now. You need to follow this through…even if it's hard."

"No, you don't get it," Eret replied in frustration, "your father never left you!"

"No," Hiccup replied firmly, "but my mother did. She also had a choice to come back, or even to at least let us know that she was still alive, but she didn't. No matter what the circumstances were, none of it changes the fact that she hurt me, and she hurt my dad by staying away. But she had her reasons Eret. She made a hard choice to protect us by staying away. Even though it hurt me, she did the right thing. Sometimes the right choice is the hardest one to make, sometimes choosing to do the right thing breaks your heart in the process. Sometimes those hard choices hurt the people you love the most, even though you're trying to protect them."

Eret remained quiet for a long moment as he pondered Hiccup's words. Though what Hiccup had said made sense, it was hard for Eret to accept. All his life he had resented his father, and he believed his mother only told him grand tales so that he wouldn't know the truth about who his father really was. If all of this was true, then his father was a member of a ruthless clan. The very clan that had stolen his mother from her home, maybe even hurt her just as they had hurt Merida's aunt. How could his father have turned a blind eye to all of his clan's evils, even after rescuing his mom. How could his mother be okay with his father's decision to do so. But what frustrated Eret even more in this moment, was Hiccup's attempts to make excuses for his father, and his possible explanations as to why his father had chosen his clan over his family, time and time again. Even worse was Hiccup's suggestion that his father had done so to protect he and his mother.

"What is any of this to you, mate," Eret spat, "what do you care what my father did, or his reasons for doing so."

"I could care less about your father," Hiccup replied firmly, "I care about you, Eret, and how all of this is affecting you."

"Then why are you defending my poor excuse for a father," Eret fumed.

"I'm not defending him…I'm just trying to help you figure out the truth. These dreams," Hiccup continued, "they're trying to tell you something…to help you remember…."

"And what if I choose not to remember," Eret spat. Hiccup remained quiet in the wake of Eret's outburst. He understood Eret's frustration, and the reasons why he was so reluctant to learn anything more about his father. While he sympathized with his friend, he could not ignore the fact that Eret was being led to find the truth of his own story just as Hiccup and Merida were, and there was a very good possibility that each of their stories might in fact be connected somehow. Knowing now, what he'd learned from the witch hours earlier, maybe Eret's story was even an integral part of his and Merida's own story.

Though he could not rationally explain it, Hiccup couldn't help but to feel that there was much more to the story of Eret's parents than even Eret knew himself. In particular, Hiccup felt that there must definitely be more to the story of Eret's father. Maybe it was Hiccup's natural tendency to see the good in others, or his willingness to give people the benefit of a doubt, despite their past. Or perhaps it was his deeply held belief that good exists even in the most troubled of hearts and that people are not always what they at first seem. Whatever the reason, Hiccup was not fully convinced that Eret's father was the no-good Viking and absentee father that Eret believed him to be, just as he wasn't convinced that the Viking in Merida's story about her aunt had truly and intentionally betrayed Isla. It was almost as if his heart somehow knew that their stories were incomplete. Perhaps that is why he felt the need to encourage Eret to see things from another perspective, to look past his anger and hurt and see the facts for what they were.

"You know this is important Eret," Hiccup replied calmly, "otherwise it wouldn't upset you this much." Eret gazed at Hiccup with an angry expression on his face but Hiccup could clearly see the turmoil in his eyes.

"You need to look into this Eret," Hiccup continued encouragingly, "and we need to talk to Merida about all of this too." Eret shook his head.

"I don't know," Eret replied in uncertainty. Hiccup gazed back at Eret as he tried to think of the right words to say to encourage his friend."

"Look, you said it yourself," Hiccup replied, "there is a very good chance that you and Merida are family. If not for yourself, don't you think you owe it to her to look into this, and to your mother?"

"Learning more about my mother is one thing," Eret replied, "but I could care less to know anything about my father!"

"I understand that Eret, but whether you like it or not, your father is an important part of your story too. You can't just learn one side of the story without uncovering the other," Hiccup replied. Eret sighed heavily with Hiccup's words.

"Besides, finding out the whole truth isn't for your father," Hiccup said firmly, "it's for you, and your mother, and for the family she lost. A family that might very well include Merida and her brothers. It's for Astrid and your future child. Learning where you came from is just as important for all of them as it is for you." Eret nodded as he listened, taking everything Hiccup had said into deep consideration.

"Please Eret," Hiccup went on, "let Merida and I help you look into this."

After a long pause, Eret sighed heavily. He turned his eyes to Hiccup with an expression of uncertainty on his face. He felt torn. On one hand, he had the chance to find out where his mother came from, and discover the family that she'd always missed but rarely spoke of. On the other hand, he might learn even more terrible details about his father. Though he already hated his father for abandoning he and his mother, there were far worse things his father could be. Eret feared that the things he learned about his father might be much worse than simply walking out on his family. Even worse was the possibility which Hiccup had suggested, that his father had sacrificed everything in his desperation to protect his family. To be honest, Eret didn't know which was worse, to find out his father was far more despicable than he ever knew, or to discover that he had spent his life hating a good man who had given everything for his family. Eret took a deep breath as he silently decided what to do. He turned his eyes back to Hiccup.

"Okay," he said simply.

Hiccup grinned slightly as he put his hand on Eret's shoulder encouragingly, "this is a good thing Eret, trust me."

"Yeah, well, forgive me if I don't exactly share your enthusiasm," Eret replied flatly.

"That's okay," Hiccup replied, "whatever we find out, good or bad, we will find it out together. Merida and I will be there every step of the way. Not to mention Astrid, who, as you already said, is looking into it as we speak."

"Yes, well, I wouldn't exactly hold my breath on that one mate," Eret replied, "I don't think there is much to be found in Eystribyggo." Hiccup furrowed his brow at Eret's statement.

"Why do you say that," Hiccup questioned. Eret shrugged.

"Why do you think I left mate," Eret replied, "there was nothing left for me there, besides painful memories and reminders of all the false tales my mother told me. After her death, I tried to find out the truth about her and my father, but Chief Ivar refused to tell me anything. It seems even in death my parents hid the truth from me."Hiccup nodded in understanding as he thought over Eret's statement.

"Okay, so… maybe we won't learn much from Eystribyggo," Hiccup replied, "but we haven't even begun to look in Dunbroch and we already have one of the best resources to start our search."

"What's that," Eret asked skeptically.

"You," Hiccup replied simply as he reached out and lay a hand on Eret's shoulder.

"Me," Eret questioned. Hiccup nodded.

"Somewhere in that head of yours is the truth," Hiccup replied, "we just need to find it."

"And how exactly do you expect me to do that," Eret questioned.

"Well, you can start by telling me more about these dreams of yours," Hiccup replied.

"How much more," Eret questioned.

"Like… all of it," Hiccup replied.

"All of it," Eret said flatly.

"Every detail," Hiccup replied, "well, every detail that you can remember anyway. Even the most insignificant detail can turn out to be a significant clue."

"Okay," Eret replied, "where would you like me to start mate?"

"How about with your most recent dream," Hiccup replied, "you said that your mother was afraid for your father, afraid that she would lose him. Did she say exactly why or how she thought she was going to lose him?"

"I don't know exactly, I think she had some sort of a…a premonition," Eret replied, "but…my father brushed it off, he kept saying that what she saw was just a dream…that it didn't matter. My mother insisted that something bad was going to happen, she said she could feel it in her bones." As Hiccup listened to Eret, he began to feel slightly reminiscent. Inadvertently, his mind drifted to his own conversation with Merida earlier…..br style="outline: none !important;"

---

"I know that yer right…I do..."Merida said, "I'm just so afraid tae lose ye Hiccup…"

"I understand how you feel Merida," Hiccup replied, "believe me…I have the same fears as you do, but we can't let our fears stop us from trying.…I need you to trust me, okay."

"I do trust ye, Hiccup," Merida replied, "I trust ye with my whole heart. But I…I can't shake this feeling that history is just repeatin' itself."

---

The sudden memory took Hiccup by surprise. It was certainly strange that his mind had, for whatever reason, drawn some sort of a parallel between Eret's recollection of his parents and Hiccup's own conversation with Merida. Noticing Hiccup's expression of deep thought, Eret gazed at him curiously.

"What is it mate," Eret questioned. Hiccup shook his head dismissively.

"It…it's nothing," Hiccup replied, "what you said just now…it…it just reminded me of my conversation with Merida earlier….something she said." Eret furrowed his brow in curiosity.

"What was it," Eret questioned. Hiccup shrugged.

"Earlier in the cave," Hiccup explained, "Merida and I got to talking about…well, everything. Basically, she told me the story about her aunt, and that just brought up all of her own fears about the two of us coming forward. I told her the same thing that I always tell her,…that I understand why she's afraid, and I have the same fears that she does, but we shouldn't let our fears stop us from coming forward. I asked her to trust in me." Hiccup sighed slightly as he recalled their conversation. "She told me that she does trust me with her whole heart," Hiccup continued, "but she can't shake the feeling that history is going to repeat itself." Eret furrowed his brow as he continued to listen. He found it extremely interesting that Merida's words from her conversation with Hiccup, were strangely similar to his mother's words that he'd heard her speak to his father in his dream.

"She's still afraid that our path will lead us to the same ending as our grandparents," Hiccup explained, "or the same tragedy as her aunt and the Viking." Eret furrowed his brow at Hiccup's words. "Honestly," Hiccup went on, "it… it feels like no matter what I do or say…her fear persists... "I'm beginning to wonder if there truly is something more to it."

"Like what," Eret questioned curiously.

"Like, maybe her fear is some sort of a… a warning of some kind," Hiccup replied. Eret gazed at Hiccup in intrigue.

"What makes you say that," Eret questioned. Hiccup shrugged.

"Just a feeling," Hiccup replied, "I…I can't explain it exactly." Hiccup sighed heavily as he continued to ponder he and Merida's predicament, "I know it sounds crazy, but….what if Merida is right…what if we really are just doomed to repeat the past? I have tried over and over again to convince her otherwise, but…what if I'm being just as naïve as your father was with your mom? What if Merida's fears truly are some sort of a premonition that this will all end just as it did for our grandparents…and I'm just blatantly ignoring it?" Eret gazed at Hiccup in concern.

"Hic, you can't think like that mate," Eret replied, "you and Merida are not your grandparents, your situation is completely different from theirs."

Hiccup sighed as Eret spoke. Eret was right, there were many differences between their grandparents' situation and their own, but there were also significant similarities as well. Particularly troubling, was the fact that he and Merida were not just similar to their grandparents. According to the witch, they actually were them, or at least another version of them. But did that mean that he and Merida were also doomed to follow the same ill fated path as their predecessors? Or were Merida's fears only residual from their many past lives that had possibly ended in heartbreak? Hiccup remained quiet as he continued to ponder this newest revelation, in addition to everything he and Merida had just learned from the witch. He took a deep breath and exhaled slowly as he once again attempted to push his troubled thoughts to the back of his mind. He shifted his focus back to Eret.

"I'm sorry," Hiccup apologized, "we are supposed to be talking about your dream and I am just bringing up my own worries." Eret shook his head dismissively.

"That's alright mate," Eret replied, "it's understandable… you have a lot on your mind right now. We can talk about all of this more in the morning if you'd like." Hiccup nodded.

"Maybe that's not a bad idea," Hiccup replied, "and then when Merida gets here, we can fill her in on everything." Eret nodded in agreement.

""Sounds like a plan mate," Eret replied, "I just have one, sort of, specific request."

"What's that," Hiccup asked.

"I told you earlier that Astrid went to my old village to look for more clues about my parents," Eret said.

"Yeah," Hiccup replied questioningly.

"Well, her plan is to come straight here from Eystribyggo with all the evidence she found in Berk and whatever she manages to find in Eystribyggo," Eret explained, "she sort of asked me to send her a map of Dunbroch. Is that okay with you?" Hiccup remained silent for a long moment as he pondered Eret's request. He felt slightly anxious about the prospect of Astrid coming to Dunbroch, not to mention slightly uncertain of what feelings Merida might have about it. Still, Astrid was going out of her way to help them and right now amidst all his confusing theories, and seemingly conflicting evidence, Hiccup was willing to accept whatever help he could get. Perhaps, whatever Astrid had already discovered in Mairead's letters might just turn out to be the exact missing pieces they needed to figure out this mystery.

"Yeah," Hiccup replied in a slightly uncertain tone, "I'll draw up a copy of it in the morning."

"Are you sure mate," Eret questioned. Hiccup nodded immediately."

"Absolutely," Hiccup replied, "though I…uh…I should probably give Merida a little bit of a heads up." Eret furrowed his brow at Hiccup's comment.

"Why is that," Eret questioned. Hiccup shook his head.

"It's no big deal really," Hiccup replied with a shrug, "it's just…well, I told you how I feel about the suitors coming." Eret nodded.

"Merida sort of feels a similar way about meeting Astrid," Hiccup explained.

"Is that right," Eret replied.

"See...I told Merida everything about Astrid," Hiccup explained, "including that I was madly in love with her before and how hurt and betrayed I felt after the break up. Before I finally confessed my feelings for her, Merida was sort of under the impression that I might still be in love with Astrid. As you can imagine, the idea of meeting Astrid one day causes Merida a little anxiety."

"To which you set the record straight I hope," Eret replied.

"Of course," Hiccup replied immediately, "Merida knows that my heart belongs to her and her alone." Eret nodded at Hiccup's answer.

"Well if you don't mind," Eret replied as he stood from his place, "I think I may turn in for the night." Hiccup nodded but remained seated before the fire. Eret gazed at him curiously.

"Ya know, you should get some sleep too Hic," Eret said, "what with the big day tomorrow." Hiccup sighed slightly.

"I know…and I will," Hiccup replied, "I'm just probably gonna take a walk first…to clear my head a bit." Eret gazed at Hiccup skeptically.

"A walk or a flight," Eret questioned knowingly. Hiccup sighed once more, as a slight smirk appeared on his face.

"No comment," Hiccup replied. Eret shook his head.

"Just be careful mate," Eret replied, "it would be quite unfortunate if you were to get yourself caught the day before you come forward." Hiccup nodded.

"I'm always careful," Hiccup replied haughtily.

"Right," Eret smirked.

---

Dunbroch Castle

---

Merida lay silent and still in her bed. She had only just fallen asleep when a shuffling noise startled her. She opened her eyes and gazed blankly up at the canopy above her, awaiting for her vision to adjust to the darkness of the room. Still half asleep, she wondered if the noise had been her imagination. She silently lay there, listening closely for any other sound. When none came, she let her eyes fall closed once more.

Just as her mind was on the verge of sleep again, she was startled by a hand suddenly covering her mouth. Her heart froze and her eyes shot open as she struggled against the unknown assailant. Her still blurry vision and the darkness of the room, only allowed her to see the dark outline of a man kneeling by the side of her bed and bent over her slightly.

"Shhhh," he tried to calm her, be still…it's me." She stopped struggling and gazed at the man curiously. He had addressed her as if he knew her, as if she should recognize him from his statement alone. Merida's mind immediately questioned if this man was Hiccup, but something about him didn't seem exactly right. His accent was off, the voice didn't quite sound like Hiccup.

"They're coming for you," The man whispered. Merida furrowed her brow at the man's chilling words. She squinted her eyes to try and see him better, but he remained obscured by the darkness of the room. The man slowly removed his hand from her mouth.

"I'm sorry," he whispered emotionally, "this was never my intention." Merida slowly sat up, gazing at the outline of the man intently.

"I can't stop them," he said cryptically. Merida's heart froze in her chest with the man's ominous words of remorse.

"Who," Merida questioned tentatively.

"My clan," the man said, "they are coming for you and I cannot stop them." Merida felt a cold wave of fear go through her body with his dire words.

"You need to go," the man said firmly, "you need to run away now….I'll try to stall them as long as I can." As he spoke a sense of panic and urgency ran through her veins, and yet she remained frozen in place. Merida gazed at him curiously as she tried desperately to make sense of this.

The man gently lay his hand upon the side of her face. She could feel the roughness of his fingers on her smooth skin. The moment he touched her an unexplainable feeling of great sadness and near heartbreak gripped her heart.

"I never meant for this," the man said emotionally, "I never meant for this to happen…maybe someday you can forgive me."

He leaned forward slowly pressing his lips to her forehead. Just as with her previous dreams the man's gentle touch caused her to feel a strong sense of familiarity with him and the emotion in his voice nearly caused her heart to break. He seemed to gaze at her for a long moment. She could feel the weight of his gaze, though she still could not make out any of his features in the darkness. She could feel the hand on her face trembling as he slowly pulled it away from her.

"You need to go now," he said more firmly, "before it's too late."

---

Merida sat up quickly in a cold sweat, breathing heavily and trying desperately to make sense of what had just happened to her. She looked frantically around the room. No man was present. She sat for a moment trying to figure out what had just happened, what she had just witnessed. She closed her eyes tightly and grasped the bridge of her nose as she tried to make sense of it all.

"A dream," she sighed, "it was just a dream." Though it was a relief to know that what she had experienced was all some sort of a haunting nightmare, she could not calm herself down. The fear and panic she had felt in the moment that the mysterious man accosted her, still clung to her heart. She stood from her bed quickly and began to pace anxiously, unable to quiet her mind.

"Just a dream," she repeated the words to herself over and over again in her mind like a mantra. She still felt anxious and almost as if she couldn't breathe. The dream was so startlingly lucid that she was finding it difficult to relax. Completely forgoing her robe, Merida stepped into the pair of slippers by her bed. She then quickly headed toward the balcony door, deciding that the cold crisp air might do her some good and help to clear her mind. She quickly threw back the curtain, opened the door and rushed out into the cold night air, only to unexpectedly run directly into a warm body nearly causing her to fall backward. The person quickly grabbed her by the arms to prevent her from falling.

"Och jings, crivens, help ma boab," Merida cried out as she nearly jumped out of her skin. She immediately tried to fight her way out of his grip.

"Let go of me," she nearly growled as she ripped her arms from his hands.

"Whoa, it's okay…Merida…it…it's me," a familiar voice said frantically, "it's just me."

"Me who," Merida huffed.

"Me who," he repeated in confusion, "who else would be on your balcony?" She peered through the darkness in his direction. She shook her head as she came to her senses, gazing at him in recognition.

"Hiccup," she grumbled, "what in God's name urr ye daein' here at this hour?"

"I…I wanted to tell you something," Hiccup explained, "but I didn't realize how late it was until I got here. I…I was just going to leave you another note, but then I heard a noise in your room. I thought maybe you were still awake after all. I was just about to tap on your window but then you rushed out here unexpectedly and ran right into me." Merida groaned as she covered her eyes with her hands trying desperately to calm her still frazzled nerves. Taking note of her agitated state, Hiccup gazed at her in concern

"Are you alright," he questioned worriedly.

"No, I'm nae alright," Merida snapped, "I'm frazzled as it is without ye givin' me a fright, are ye tryin' tae give me a heart attack!" She turned away from him quickly and began to pace as she tried to calm her nerves. Hiccup gazed at her in concern, he could clearly see she was not herself. Something more was going on here.

"Merida," he called out. She didn't look up at him. She shook her head as she continued to pace. Hiccup quickly grabbed hold of her hand, bringing her to a halt.

"Merida," he said softly. She paused before him but still seemed to be avoiding his eyes. He gently placed a finger under her chin, and raised her head slightly.

"Look at me Merida," Hiccup said gently. She reluctantly raised her eyes to him. He could see a torrent of emotions running through her eyes and the tears that threatened to fall from them. Hiccup's heart flinched at the sight of her troubled expression. Without a word he pulled her into his arms and held her close in an attempt to comfort her.

"It's okay," he cooed soothingly, "I'm here." Merida did not resist him. She simply pressed herself against him, as Hiccup wrapped his arms comfortingly around her. Merida lay her head upon his chest and allowed herself to be comforted by his warm embrace. As he held her, he could feel her body trembling in his arms.

"You're shaking," he said as he looked down on her in concern. He gently ran his fingers over her long red curls, encouraging her to look up at him.

"What's happened," Hiccup questioned fervently, "why are you so upset?" Merida shook her head wordlessly as she tried to find the right words to say. She looked up into his worried eyes.

"What's going on Merida," Hiccup asked again, "did something happen with your mom?" Merida shook her head.

"No...no, nothing like that," she replied, "it...it was a dream, or...more like a nightmare."

"A nightmare," Hiccup questioned curiously.

"It…it woke me from a sound sleep," Merida explained, "I…I wanted to get some air…to clear my head and then ye just scared th' jobby oot o' mah ye mingin' jimmy!" She pulled away from him quickly and smacked him on the arm.

"Ouch, hey," Hiccup replied as he rubbed his arm where she had struck him, "Hey, I'm sorry, okay. That wasn't my intention." Hiccup's choice of words struck her heart. The very words he spoke instantly brought the details of her dream to the forefront of her mind. She furrowed her brow and averted her eyes from Hiccup as she pondered the words of the mystery man from her dream. The man's words were near identical to the ones Hiccup had just uttered, though in a drastically different context.

"Wasn't yer intention," she muttered under her breath. Hiccup gazed at her in curiosity.

"Merida…what's going on, for real," Hiccup questioned again, "you're acting really weird right now."

"That's what he said," Merida muttered to herself. She turned to Hiccup with an expression of deep thought on her face. "He said that he was sorry….that it was never his intention." Hiccup furrowed his brow as he tried to make sense of what exactly she was talking about.

"Who," Hiccup questioned.

"The man in my dream," she explained, "at first I thought it was ye…. but it wasn't ye…and it wasn't yer grandfather either,…it…it was someone else this time. It…it felt so real…and just like in the other dreams, it felt like I knew him." Hiccup gazed at her curiously.

"But all those other dreams never affected you like this," Hiccup replied, "none of them ever scared you like this."

"None before were quite so ominous," Merida replied. Hiccup gazed at her with a serious expression on his face as she spoke."

"What do you mean," he asked tentatively.

"The man said that his clan was coming for me," Merida recalled, "that he couldn't stop them and I should run away." Hiccup furrowed his brow as she spoke.

"Who do you think he was," Hiccup questioned, "what did he look like?" Merida shrugged.

"I couldn't see his face," Merida replied, "he was in the shadows. He was tall, with Eret's build. His accent was also similar to Eret's. The skin on his hands was rough."

"He touched you," Hiccup questioned guardedly. Merida nodded.

"He covered my mouth with his hand to keep me quiet," Merida replied. With her words Hiccup became agitated.

"Did he…did he do something to hurt you," Hiccup questioned. Merida shook her head.

"No, nothing like that," she replied, "he seemed genuinely concerned for my safety."

"And you're sure it was just a dream," Hiccup questioned, "and there is not someone here messing with you?"

"Aye," Merida replied, there was no one in my room when I awoke." Hiccup gazed at her in concern.

"I'd feel a lot better if I checked it out anyway," Hiccup replied, "if that's okay." Merida nodded.

"Aye, but ye must be as quiet as possible," she replied. Hiccup nodded in understanding. He took a few steps toward her balcony door and gently turned the latch. He then slowly and carefully pushed the door open. He stepped over the threshold carefully, followed by Merida. He squinted his eyes as he peered into the darkened room, with only the faint glow of the slowly dying fire to aid him. He meticulously searched the room, looking in every corner, every closet, and every potential hiding place for any signs that someone besides Merida had recently been there. Finally he knelt down beside the bed to look underneath it. When he found nothing there as well, he sighed in relief.

He then stood and turned to face her. At the sight of her, he was suddenly taken aback. She stood with her back to him, her arms crossed over her chest gazing into the fire. Only now in this moment, did he realize that she was only wearing her kirtle and nothing more. He had grown accustomed to seeing her in darker colors, and the long white kirtle she wore now gave her an almost unearthly appearance. The thin fabric was practically illuminated by the dim orange glow of the fire and he could just barely see the silhouette of her slender body beneath it. His heart fluttered at the sight, and he felt suddenly overtaken by his desire to hold her in his arms.

As he stepped forward toward her, his mind was abruptly struck by a strange vision. He was stopped in his tracks by the image of a young woman with long dark plaited hair standing by the fire much the same as Merida was now. Her back was facing him, and her long white kirtle was also illuminated by the orange glow of the fire. She turned slightly to the side as if turning to glance over her shoulder. He could just make out the profile of her face in his mind's eye. All at once he heard a soft feminine whisper echo through his mind.

"Please…don't go…"

Then just as quickly as the vision flashed before him it was gone, leaving Hiccup startled and perplexed. As the image left his mind he continued to gaze at Merida curiously, trying to decipher what exactly it was that he had just seen. All of his previous visions had been of Mairead; but this woman was completely different. He wondered who this mysterious woman could be, and what the significance was of having seen her. Could a long lost memory of one of their other past lives have unexpectedly broken through his psyche? If so, what did it mean and why had it struck him here and now? Hiccup furrowed his brow as he pondered this possibility. If this vision was indeed some sort of a past life memory, was the woman some long past version of Merida? Could this moment be yet another that they had experienced before in another life? As all these things passed through his mind, a striking thought occurred to him. What were the chances that Merida would be awakened by a strange nightmare involving a man she had never seen in any of her previous dreams, and then shortly after for Hiccup to have had a vision of a mystery woman other than Mairead. Hiccup silently gazed in Merida's direction. She still stood quietly by the fire, with her back to him, gazing blankly into the flames. Even though a somber expression was displayed on her face, she was still a beautiful sight to behold. Once again, he was struck by the overwhelming urge to take her in his arms and never let her go. The sudden intense urge nearly left him breathless as he gazed upon her. Without a word, he stepped up behind her. He gently lay his hands upon her shoulders and leaned forward close to her ear.

"All clear princess," he whispered softly as he gently nuzzled her cheek. Merida's heart nearly leapt from her chest the moment he touched her. The feeling of his rough fingers caressing her soft skin and the warmth of his breath on her neck caused Merida to shiver slightly. She turned to look at him over her shoulder and smiled warmly.

"I told ye, it was some sort of a vision," Merida whispered back, "just like our other dreams." Hiccup smiled slightly.

"I know….but one can never be too careful," he replied softly, "It's better to be extra cautious.""

"Aye," Merida whispered, "especially knowin' that our dreams have a tendency of comin' true." Hiccup felt his heart flinch with her ominous words. Without thought Hiccup slowly moved his hands from her shoulders to her hips. He then slowly wrapped his arms around her waist protectively and pulled her closer to him.

"It's okay Merida," he whispered softly, "I will always protect you and keep you safe," He leaned closer to her, gently resting his chin upon her shoulder and kissed her softly on the cheek. Merida's heart fluttered with his words. The feeling of his lips on her skin once more caused chills to run down her spine. She quickly covered her mouth as a sudden gasp escaped her lips. Hiccup grinned slightly at her subtle reaction. He leaned forward and kissed her on her neck closer to her ear, this time letting his lips linger longer on her sensitive skin. Merida felt her breath hitch as he continued his slow trail of kisses to her collarbone. Suddenly feeling overwhelmed by her desire, Merida pulled away from him slightly, much to his dismay. She turned around in his arms and gazed up at him lovingly. Although she smiled up at him, he could still see a torrent of anxiety in her eyes.

"Ye shouldn't be here," Merida whispered. Hiccup flinched slightly with her words.

"I…I know," Hiccup replied as he dropped his arms from her waist and pulled away from her. He watched as Merida reached for the dark green robe that hung over the top of the cushioned chair beside her. She quickly slipped it on over her kirtle then tied the sash around her waist.

"Every time ye bring Toothless here, ye risk getting caught and ye put Toothless in danger," she whispered, "trust me, the guards would not hesitate to shoot down a dragon." Hiccup nodded silently in understanding.

"All that aside, I'm still glad I came," Hiccup replied, "you needed me."

"Aye, I'd have been fine workin' it all out on my own," Merida replied, "tis far more important to me that ye and Toothless stay safe." Hiccup nodded as he dropped his eyes from hers, feeling slightly dejected. She was right, of course, on all accounts. He had pressed his luck on multiple occasions by flying Toothless up to the castle. But aside from that, he also knew that he was treading dangerous waters just being here with her, alone in her room, in the middle of the night. Things between them had a good chance of getting out of hand if they weren't careful.

"Do you want me to go then," he asked softly. Merida remained silent for a long moment as she pondered his question. Logically she knew it was best for Hiccup to go, but she was still reeling a bit from the strange and disturbing dream. The fear that she felt with the strange man's dire warning still clung to her heart. She could still feel tears threatening to fall from her eyes. All she wanted in this moment was the safety and comfort of Hiccup's warm arms to soothe her and his calming presence to bring peace to her mind. She looked up at him and shook her head.

"I…I dinnae want tae be alone," Merida replied emotionally. Seeing her so distraught caused Hiccup's heart to ache. He quickly stepped forward and pulled her into his arms once again. He held her tightly against him. She lay her head against his chest, listening closely to the soothing sound of his beating heart. She slowly closed her eyes, allowing herself to be comforted by the rhythmic sound.

"Okay," Hiccup replied softly with a warm smile, "then I'll stay."

"So long as ye promise to leave before daybreak," Merida replied, "I'll not have ye endanger Toothless because of me." Hiccup chuckled slightly at her comment.

"So…you're more worried about the dragon than me huh," Hiccup replied flatly.

"Of course," Merida replied matter of factly, "ye at least stand a chance against the guards. At the most, ye will spend the night in the dungeon, until I speak for ye to my parents. But if the guards see Toothless they'll shoot first and ask questions later."

"Point taken," Hiccup replied as he gently lay his cheek upon her bright red curls, "I'll make sure to go before daylight." He tightened his arms around her. As he held her close, he could feel her body trembling still. He pulled back from her slightly and gazed at her in concern. He gently took her face in his hands, then slowly lifted her head from his chest and gazed at her intently. As she raised her eyes to his once more, he could still see the anxiety and worry behind them.

"It's okay," he whispered, "it's all over now, whatever you saw….it was just a dream.""

"But what if it's more than that," Merida said emotionally. She pulled away from him suddenly, as the anxiousness over her dream overtook her once again. She took a deep breath as she turned and gazed into the fire once more.

"The man…he said that his clan was coming after me; that he couldn't stop them," Merida turned to Hiccup questioningly. "Hiccup," she said with a slightly shaky voice, "ye said our dreams may be showin' us our future…ye dinnae think…that somethin' bad might happen between our clans…do ye?"

"Nothing like that would ever happen," Hiccup replied immediately, "nobody from Berk would ever come after you or threaten you in any way. I would never allow that to happen." As the words crossed his lips his mind flashed briefly to Eret's words from earlier regarding his mother.

---

"I think she had some sort of a…a premonition," Eret replied, "my father brushed it off, he kept saying that what she saw was just a dream…that it didn't matter. She insisted that something bad was going to happen, she said she could feel it in her bones. But my father didn't listen."

---

Hiccup furrowed his brow as Eret's words flashed through his mind. Eret's mother had some sort of premonition and Eret's father had completely dismissed it as nothing more than a dream. In much the same way, Hiccup had nearly dismissed Merida's fears about her own dream now. It was suddenly apparent that Eret's dream about his parents was somehow closely correlating with this moment with Merida. Could it be some strange coincidence, or was something more going on here? Despite the question in his mind, Hiccup knew better than to chalk anything up to a coincidence anymore. As far as he was concerned, coincidence seemed to be nothing more than a fairy tale at this point. But then, what could all of this mean?

Noticing the sudden look of confusion and deep thought on his face, Merida gazed up at him in concern. "What is it," she asked. Hiccup shook his head as he tried to make sense of it all. But he was somewhat reluctant to tell Merida about it at this moment, while she was still so upset over her own dream.

"It…it's nothing," Hiccup replied dismissively, "nothing that can't wait until tomorrow. Right now, you need to get some sleep."

"But Hiccup," Merida protested.

"I know what you saw is important," Hiccup replied, "I'm not denying that, but I think it's best to look into it with a clear mind after a good night's rest. I promise we will talk about all of it tomorrow, and also about what's been going on with Eret."

"Eret," Merida questioned.

"Yeah….so, I did talk to him tonight," Hiccup explained, "that's what I came here to tell you. I…uh…I also convinced him to include you in what's going on too. So tomorrow we will figure all of this out together…okay." Merida nodded in agreement.

"Plus it might be good to get another perspective on this new dream of yours," Hiccup said.

"Aye, I suppose," Merida replied.

"For now," he sighed as he reached toward her and gently brushed a rogue curl from her face, "you should try to put this nightmare out of your mind, and attempt to get some rest."

"I dinnae see how that's even possible," Merida huffed, "with so much runnin' through my head."

"You just need a little bit of a distraction," Hiccup grinned, "maybe I can help with that." Merida rolled her eyes at Hiccup's comment. She crossed her arms over her chest as she gazed at him dubiously.

"What sort of distra….," before Merida could finish her question, Hiccup reached for her quickly, taking her face in his hands and capturing her lips in a sudden, passionate kiss. Though taken by surprise, Merida quickly relented, dropping her arms at her sides flaccidly as she was suddenly overcome by a heady mixture of desire and nervousness and what felt like a rabble of butterflies fluttering around in her gut. All at once her worries and anxiety melted from her mind. Hiccup broke the kiss before she was ready. As he pulled away from her slightly, she continued to lean forward with eyes still closed. After a moment, her eyes fluttered open and she gazed back at him dreamily, her cheeks were flushed pink and she displayed a slightly dazed expression on her face. Hiccup smiled warmly as he kept his eyes locked with hers. He was still close enough that she could feel his warm breath on her face every time he exhaled. He leaned forward once more pressing his forehead to hers and playfully kissed the tip of her nose. He dropped his hands from her face and slowly wrapped his arms loosely around her waist."

"Better," he questioned with a playful smile on his face. Merida remained silent for a moment as she gazed up at him. She smiled lovingly as she slowly snaked her arms around his neck, drawing herself even closer to him. She nodded slightly against his forehead.

"Almost," she replied. Without another word, she leaned toward him, meeting his lips once more with equal fervor. Hiccup eagerly reciprocated. He tightened his arms around her tenderly as he lost himself in their second heated kiss. Merida sighed happily against his lips, causing Hiccup to smile. He pulled away slowly as he continued to gaze at her with pure love emanating from his deep green eyes.

"I love you Merida," Hiccup whispered softly. Merida smiled warmly up at him.

"I love ye too, "Merida replied. Hiccup grinned with her words.

"I need you….." he whispered huskily as he pressed his lips to hers in another quick kiss, "to try…" *kiss, "to get some sleep now, princess." He raised an eyebrow at her mischievously as he spoke. Merida groaned in annoyance as she dropped her arms from his shoulders, causing Hiccup to chuckle slightly.

"Och…are ye kiddin' me," Merida grumbled as she pulled away from him. Hiccup smirked at her in amusement.

"Just try your best," Hiccup replied with a smile, "it's been a really long and trying day for all of us between the kelpie attack and the whole fiasco with your brothers. And…like you said before,….we have a lot to do tomorrow to prepare to meet your parents. You should really get a good nights sleep." Merida sighed heavily in resignation with Hiccup's words.

"Fine," she groaned, "I'll try." Hiccup chuckled slightly at her response. He stepped closer to her.

"No complaints princess," Hiccup smirked, "it wasn't so long ago that you practically ordered me to get some rest, now it's my turn."

"Aye," Merida replied softly as she took a step toward him, "and I seem to recall that ye completely ignored my orders." She raised an eyebrow as she gazed up at him. Hiccup grinned as he leaned closer to her, shaking his head in amusement.

"Well, I seem to recall a certain someone getting me far too wound up to sleep," Hiccup replied defensively.

"Och, are ye blamin' me for yer refusal to rest," she replied haughtily.

"Yes," Hiccup replied simply, " yes, I most definitely am."

"That's not fair," she huffed. Hiccup snickered. He slowly reached for her, he placed his hand upon her hip and gently guided her back to him. He gazed at her with a playful smirk upon his face.

"Not fair," Hiccup huffed as he raised an eyebrow at her mischievously, "you're the one who doesn't play fair princess. You ordered me to rest and then made it near impossible to do so, what with all the kissing, and the teasing."

"Hmmm….I thought that ye quite enjoyed all o' that," Merida replied.

"Oh I enjoyed it," Hiccup replied, "just as you quite enjoyed driving me crazy." Merida smirked up at him. She raised her arms, and gently lay them upon his shoulders once again as she moved closer to him.

"Ye asked for a kiss," Merida replied shortly, "ye brought it on yer self." Hiccup raised his eyebrows at her in amusement. He slowly wrapped his arms around her waist drawing her closer to him. He leaned closer still, until their faces were mere inches apart.

"Touché princess," Hiccup whispered nearly against her lips, as he raised an eyebrow at her. Merida smiled as she moved to close the gap between them. But Hiccup pulled back slightly.

"Ah…Ah…Ah princess," Hiccup smirked, "your kisses may lead to many things….but sleep is definitely not one of them." Merida groaned as she pulled away from him. He smirked at her reaction.

"Come on," he chuckled. He took her by the hand and led her to the bed. He pulled back the blankets and motioned for her to get into bed. She unceremoniously plopped down upon the mattress in front of him and crossed her arms over her chest in defiance. Hiccup smirked at her as he dropped down on one knee in front of her. Without warning, he grabbed her leg, pulling it out from under her quickly, causing her to inadvertently fall back upon the mattress with a yelp. She quickly propped herself up on her elbows and scowled at him, much to Hiccup's amusement. He kept his eyes on her as he gently took the slipper from her foot and dropped it to the floor. She shivered slightly at the feeling of his warm rough fingers gently caressing her leg as he did so.

Hiccup held his breath as he slowly trailed his fingers over the smooth skin of her calf and ankle, then gently massaged her foot for a moment. He could not explain how he felt right now. His heart was racing and he was suddenly nervous. In this moment he became keenly aware of his desire for her. He wanted her, he wanted her badly and it seemed to take all of his focus to push his desires to the back of his mind.

But it was more than his desire that flooded his mind. All of this felt vaguely familiar, as if it all had been a routine for them, as if they'd lived this moment many times before. Without thought, Hiccup leaned forward and gently kissed the top of her foot which he still held in his hand. As he gently trailed his fingers up her leg, he kissed her ankle, and then her shin. Merida gulped slightly as he did so. He gently lifted her leg and lay it softly upon the mattress, then did the same with her other leg. Merida remained propped up on her elbows gazing at him curiously. His expression was unreadable, but the intensity of his gaze was undeniable.

Hiccup inhaled deeply and exhaled slowly as he got back on his feet. He slowly pulled the fleece blanket over her as he smiled down on her warmly.

"Lay down," he said firmly.

"Yer no fun," Merida huffed under her breath, as she dropped her head onto her pillow. Hiccup snickered at her comment.

"It's not time for fun," he replied as he leaned down and kissed her on the forehead, "it's time for sleep.""

"I thought…ye wanted to distract me," she replied.

"I did distract you," Hiccup replied, "but now, it seems like the only thing I'm distracting you from is sleep." He sat down on the edge of her mattress, thinking heavily on his actions. He wanted to stay with her, as per her request, but he was seriously debating on if that was a wise decision. He was tempted already just being in her presence. How much worse would that temptation be if he stayed here, laying beside her in her bed, with her in his arms? He sighed heavily as he glanced over at her. She smiled warmly up at him.

"I know you want me to stay Merida," he said hesitantly, "but…I think maybe it's better if I go." He stood up slowly in preparation to leave, but Merida quickly grabbed his hand. He looked down on her lovingly.

"Please don't go," she said softly. Hiccup furrowed his brow as she spoke. Her words struck his heart and instantly caused his strange vision from earlier to flash briefly through his mind. Merida's exact words were identical to the words uttered in his vision.

"Stay," Merida pleaded, "at least until I fall asleep." Hiccup shook the vision from his mind and gazed at Merida hesitantly.

"I… I'm just not sure that's such a good idea," Hiccup replied, "I really don't want to risk getting caught in your room the night before we come forward." Hiccup sighed as he plopped down upon her mattress once more. Merida sat up beside him and lay her head upon his shoulder as he spoke. She gently stroked his back with her opposite hand. Hiccup closed his eyes as she did so.

"I'm afraid that if I stay, things may get …..out of hand," Hiccup tried to explain tactfully, "I…I guess I'm just feeling a little…overwhelmed."

"Overwhelmed," she questioned. Hiccup turned to her with a tentative smile. He sighed heavily as he pondered what to say. He was fairly reluctant to fully confess his desires, as he felt it was far too early in their relationship to say such things

"I…I feel like I did in the cave," he replied softly, "it wasn't so difficult to resist than…there were other things to distract us. But now, I'm here with you…in the middle of the night…. in your room…alone…." He turned to her with a raised eyebrow. Merida's face flushed slightly with his implications. She smiled at him warmly.

"So….what yer sayin' is… ye were overcome by desire at the sight of my ankles," Merida replied playfully as she raised an eyebrow at him. Her witty comment broke the tension instantly. Neither could contain their laughter.

"Yeah," Hiccup chuckled as he ran his fingers over the back of his head, "I suppose I am. He turned to her with flushed cheeks and a smirk on his face. Merida gazed up at him with a jovial smile. Hiccup rolled his eyes, as he smiled back at her.

"Alright fine," he sighed, "move over." Merida grinned as she quickly scooted to the opposite side of the bed. Hiccup took off his one boot, than lay back atop the blankets beside her, tucking his one arm behind his head. Merida instantly rolled over to him, and lay her head upon his chest. He wrapped his opposite arm around her shoulder as she nestled herself comfortably in the crook of his arm. He turned toward her, pressing his cheek against her soft red curls. He looked down on her with a slight smirk on his face.

"Ya know…. it's more than just your ankles, right," Hiccup said softly. Merida raised her head and looked up at him with a warm smile.

"Is it now," she questioned playfully. Hiccup smiled back at her lovingly.

"It's everything about you," Hiccup replied, "your beauty, your wit, your blue eyes, your wild red hair, not to mention your fiery personality." Merida chuckled.

"Is that so," she questioned in amusement. Hiccup nodded.

"Absolutely," he replied. Merida smirked at him playfully.

"Your ankles are just a minor perk," Hiccup said jokingly as he raised an eyebrow at her. Merida snickered at his comment.

"And, I have to say,…you have the smallest feet I've ever seen," he went on. Merida's face blushed at his comment.

"Hiccup," she grumbled.

"What," he replied with a chuckle, " it's just an observation…I never really noticed it before." Merida rolled her eyes and groaned much to his amusement.

"So, you have dainty, little feet to go along with the rest of you," Hiccup said dismissively, "what's so bad about that?"

"Did ye just call me dainty," Merida questioned.

"What…there's nothing wrong with being dainty either," Hiccup replied. Merida scowled at him causing him to laugh.

"Okay….maybe dainty is not exactly the right word," Hiccup said, "I just meant that you're small….but far, far from delicate…..you're more like….uh… a….a terrible terror." Merida furrowed her brow at his comment.

"A terrible what now," Merida huffed. Hiccup chuckled.

"A terrible terror," Hiccup replied with a shrug, "it's a type of dragon."

"So….yer comparin' me tae a dragon now," Merida huffed.

"Hey, that's a compliment," Hiccup replied defensively.

"Is it now," Merida replied.

"Terrible terrors are one of the smallest species of dragon," Hiccup explained, as he turned his eyes to the canopy above her bed, "not to mention completely adorable. But they are quite often underestimated."

"Is that so," Merida questioned. Hiccup nodded.

"Terrible terrors may be small, but they are highly intelligent, tough and fearless," Hiccup explained, "they will not hesitate to pick a fight with a bigger dragon, and they shoot fire with deadly accurate aim. Not to mention their fire blasts pack one hell of a punch."

"Hmm…I should like to meet one of these dragons," Merida replied in amusement. She lay her head upon his chest once again. Hiccup looked down on her and smiled.

"You will," Hiccup replied, "one day I'll show you all the dragons that live in Berk….maybe I could even teach you how to ride one."

"Me," she questioned skeptically, "learn to ride a dragon?"

"Sure," Hiccup replied with a shrug, "why not? It can't be much different than riding Angus…..except, ya know, thousands of feet in the air."

"Aye…I dinnae know about that," Merida replied in uncertainty. Hiccup chuckled.

"Well, just wait till I take you flying on Toothless," Hiccup replied, "tell me how you feel about it then. I have a feeling that you'll change your mind after that."

"Maybe," Merida chuckled. The two of them fell silent once more. Merida's eyes began to feel heavy and she involuntarily let out a yawn. Hiccup looked down on her and smiled warmly. He turned his eyes back to the canopy above her bed, gazing blankly in its direction. His mind once again drifted back to his long conversation with Eret, particularly all that he'd said regarding Merida and their possible connection. Hiccup turned his eyes to Merida inquisitively. Though he could see her eyes were closed, he simply could not quell his curiosity. He leaned closer to her.

"Hey Merida," he whispered.

"Mmmm…what," she replied without opening her eyes.

"What was that song that you were singing earlier," Hiccup questioned, "ya know...while we were stuck in the cave?"

"It was…just a lullaby ...*yawn*…called uh...Noble Maiden Fair," Merida murmured sleepily. Hiccup nodded as he took in the information.

"Why do ye ask," Merida questioned. Hiccup shrugged.

"Just curious," Hiccup replied, "where uh...where did you learn it from?" Merida opened her eyes slightly and looked up at him.

"My mum," Merida answered sleepily, "she used tae sing it tae me when I was a wee lass…whenever I could nae sleep, if I had a nightmare or I was startled by thunder." Hiccup smiled slightly at her answer.

"You…were afraid of thunder," Hiccup asked in amusement.

"Shut it Viking," Merida grumbled. Hiccup chuckled at her response.

"Hey, it's no big deal," Hiccup chuckled, "I was afraid of thunder and lighting when I was a kid too…I just….can't picture you being afraid of anything."

"Ye were afraid of thunder and lighting," Merida questioned.

"Well…ya know…in my defense, it wasn't always clear if the sound of thunder or even the sight of lightning was from an approaching storm…or an impending dragon attack. As you could imagine, both are pretty terrifying. He looked down on her once more, his curiosity still piqued over the lullaby.

"So… uh…that song…Noble Maiden Fair…did…uh…did your mom learn it from her own mother," Hiccup questioned as he turned his eyes back to the canopy above her bed. Merida furrowed her brow as she pondered his question.

"I suppose her mother might have sung it to her," Merida replied, "but she lost her mum when she was but a wee lass herself. Mum remembers it most from her sister." Hiccup looked down on Merida curiously.

"So…it was… Isla then,...who taught the song to your mom," Hiccup questioned in sudden intrigue. Merida nodded against his chest. Hiccup furrowed his brow as he thought over her answer. This particular detail intrigued him greatly. Something about it felt significant, but he couldn't quite put his finger on why.

"Aye, Isla practically raised my mum after their mother passed," Merida replied, "even though she was just a lass herself."

"She did," Hiccup questioned.

"Aye," she said with another sleepy yawn. Hiccup remained quiet as he pondered this new information. If the song had been passed down from her mother, could it be possible that Eret's connection to Merida might actually be on her mother's side, rather than her father's? It was certainly intriguing that the very same song which Eret claimed his mother had sung to him as a child, was, according to Merida, taught to her own mother by her sister Isla.

As Hiccup pondered this specific detail, it occurred to him that there could be multiple connections between the two stories. Both Eret and Merida had learned the song from their mothers. Merida's mom learned the song from Isla. But, the most compelling detail of all, was the fact that both Isla and Inghean had been taken from their homes by the Northern Invaders. The Northern Invaders were the very clan of Vikings, which Eret's father had very likely been associated with. They were the very same clan to which, according to Merida, the Viking who had allegedly betrayed Isla also belonged. What were the chances of that? Perhaps, the two women really had met during their capture as Merida had suggested earlier. Perhaps Eret's mother had actually learned the song from Isla during their time in captivity together. Or maybe the two women even knew each other before they were taken. However, this did not explain why Merida reminded Eret of his mother.

As he thought more about it, he realized that there were also other details of Eret's story that could also possibly suggest a connection to Merida on her mother's side. Eret's mother claimed that he had come from a long line, with prestigious roots. Merida's maternal grandfather had been a Lord, his daughters were basically nobility. Lord Macleod's line ended, because he had no sons to pass his title on to, but perhaps there were many generations of his clan before him. This certainly could explain Eret's supposed prestigious heritage. Also, a strong familial resemblance between Merida and his mother could explain why Merida reminded Eret of his mother so much.

The only detail that threw this theory off was Eret's pendant which had, allegedly, belonged to his father. According to Eret, the pendant was inscribed with the royal seal of Dunbroch, the symbol which Eret's mother claimed was his father's family crest.

Earlier during he and Eret's conversation, Eret had confessed his suspicions that the family of which his mother spoke, was actually her own and not his father's. This combined with Merida's earlier statement, that no one else from the royal family besides Isla had been taken by the infamous Vikings caused Hiccup to briefly suspect that the pendant might have actually been some sort of a royal betrothal gift to Eret's mother. This could possibly suggest that Eret's mother, and Isla might in fact be one and the same. Though compelling, Hiccup had immediately banished this theory after learning that Eret's mother's name was Inghean and not Isla.

Of course, on the other hand, if the pendant truly had belonged to Eret's father to begin with, as Eret's mother claimed, it could have also been a betrothal gift from him to Eret's mother. Much like the pendant passed down in Hiccup's own family. This opposite theory, could still mean that Eret's father was actually the one connected to the royal family in some way. It could possibly explain the pendant, as well as his mother's statement regarding Eret's heritage. It also might explain his father's search for his long lost homeland. Considering all that he and Merida had learned from the witch regarding Eret, Hiccup wondered if this theory could also explain Eret's possible connection to Mairead and Hiccup the first? Could it be that Eret's father had actually been a descendant of someone banished from Dunbroch during Mairead and Hiccup the first's era? Could a member of the royal family have been banished along with the rest of Berk?" Hiccup supposed that could be true if they had defied the king at that time. Perhaps, said family member, had attempted to aid Mairead and Hiccup the first and were punished accordingly.

Both theories seemed equally plausible, and likewise each also had its own flaws. Hiccup sighed slightly in frustration. It felt like he had some fairly decent pieces to this puzzle, but fitting those pieces together to form a seamless picture was proving far more difficult than he had anticipated. One thing was certain, he, Merida and Eret needed to sit down together and figure this all out.

At that moment, Merida let out a yawn, distracting Hiccup from his thoughts. He glanced down at her lovingly. Her eyes were closed once more and she adjusted herself comfortably beside him. Hiccup smiled warmly as he leaned toward her and gently pressed his lips to her forehead. Merida smiled as she opened her eyes slightly and glanced up at him.

"Do ye know any," Merida questioned sleepily. Hiccup furrowed his brow in confusion.

"Know any what," Hiccup questioned.

"Lullabies," Merida yawned once more. Hiccup shook his head.

"No," Hiccup replied, "not really."

"Didn't yer mum ever sing to ye," Merida questioned.

"I dunno," Hiccup replied, "if she did, I was far too young to remember…and my dad was definitely not a lullaby kinda guy." Merida furrowed her brow slightly as she pondered his words.

"Come to think of it," Hiccup went on, "I never even heard my dad sing anything, let alone a lullaby….well….until the day he found my mom again."

"Yer dad sang to yer mum when he found her," Merida questioned. Hiccup nodded silently. His mind drifted briefly to the moment his parents reunited for the first time. He remembered, how uncertain his mother looked, fully expecting Stoick's wrath. But instead his father was overjoyed, it was as if a long-dead piece of his heart had been suddenly reanimated. The one and only time he'd ever heard his father sing, was when he sang a love song to his mother. He remembered the warm feeling he felt seeing his parents embrace for the first time. He recalled the happiness on his father's face, and the new gleam in his eye. It was a side of his father that he had never seen in his life up until that point. Even he, himself was surprised at the instant change in his father. Looking back on it now he understood why it was so easy for his father to have forgiven his mother, why he was so eager to just pick up where they had left off after years of being estranged. Stoick loved Valka deeply. She was his soul mate and no amount of time or space was enough to break that bond.

"Your dad loved yer mum very much didn't he," Merida asked thoughtfully. Hiccup sighed slightly with Merida's question.

"Yeah," Hiccup replied in a far-off tone, "he really did." Noticing the distant look in his eyes and the reminiscent expression on his face, Merida gazed at him curiously.

"What did he sing to her," Merida questioned. Hiccup looked down on Merida and smiled warmly.

"'For the Dreamin and the Dancing'," Hiccup replied simply.

"Isn't that the same song that Fishlegs was singing earlier, when he was…not himself," Merida questioned. Hiccup nodded.

"The very same," Hiccup replied with a sigh, "I told you it's very popular in Berk."

""Hiccup*yawn," Merida muttered sleepily.

"Yeah," Hiccup replied.

"Could ye sing it to me now," Merida questioned. Hiccup furrowed his brow at her request.

"Are you sure about that," he asked doubtfully, "it hasn't even been twenty four hours since the kelpie incident…"

"So," Merida replied.

"So….what if hearing it again triggers some bad memories," Hiccup replied, "I certainly don't want to be responsible for causing you any more nightmares tonight."

"It won't," Merida replied simply. Hiccup smiled

"Okay, okay," Hiccup replied, "maybe the thought of the kelpie won't give you nightmares…but my singing voice might."

"I'll be the judge o' that," Merida replied. Hiccup smirked at her comment.

"Alright….alright," Hiccup sighed, "but don't say I didn't warn you." Merida chuckled slightly.

"I'll swim and sail on savage seas, with ne'er a fear of drowning

And gladly ride the waves of life, If you will give your heart to me.

No scorching sun nor freezing cold, Will stop me on my journey

If you will promise me your heart, And love me for eternity," Hiccup paused and looked down on Merida once more with a smirk.

"Typically….you would sing the next part," Hiccup said as he raised an eyebrow at her, "but since you don't know the words yet…" Merida grinned.

"My dearest one, my darling dear, Your mighty words astound me

But I've no need for mighty When I feel your arms around me," he sang in a higher pitched voice, causing Merida to chuckle slightly.

"Yer ridiculous," Merida replied. Hiccup chuckled.

"What," Hiccup replied in mock defense, "I'm trying to be as accurate as possible." Merida rolled her eyes.

"Me again…," Hiccup continued, "I would bring you rings of gold, I'd even sing you poetry

And I would keep you from all harm

If you would stay beside me." Hiccup paused once more as he looked down on her in amusement.

"I have no use for rings of gold," he sang in a higher pitch voice again, "I care not for your poetry,

I only want your hand to hold," He turned his eyes back to the canopy above her bed once more, gazing blankly in its direction as he recalled the lyrics of the song.

"I only want you near me," he continued in his own voice, "to love and kiss, to sweetly hold.

For the dancing and the dreaming.

Through all life's sorrows and delights, I'll keep your laugh inside me

I'll swim and sail the savage seas

With ne'er a fear of drowning

And gladly ride the waves of life

If you will marry me…."

Hiccup's voice trailed off as he sang the last line of the song. His heart fluttered at the thought of the question he'd inadvertently asked her. He turned his eyes back to Merida once more with flushed cheeks, only to find her fast asleep. He smiled warmly as he leaned toward her and gently kissed the top of her head.

"Someday princess," he whispered softly.

---

Notes

Lyrics from the song 'For the Dancing and the Dreaming': From HTTYD 2

used for all the Scottish slang phrases