A/N: I know, it's been a while, but I've got a social life, responsibilities, and other things going. But here we are! So, just a heads up, no smut in this chapter, sorry. This chapter is progressing the story. With that said, let's get to it!

(The Citadel)

Drago Bludvist was seated on his throne, contemplating all that had transpired that had happened of late: sacking Scotland and allowing his army to advance in that land to form a staging ground into Europe, his Dragon Flyers had been hard at work as they aided the Samurai of the Red Dragon Order tame dragons, and preparing for outward expansion.

Upon returning from the swift and decisive victory over the Scots, Drago had begun giving orders to his forces to lay siege to the Hidden World. After all, if his Bewilderbeast could conquer the dragons within the ancestral home of all dragons, his dragon army would grow a thousandfold. After having his architects construct a dozen airships that resembled the ship of Zlobina the Malicious— The Huntress. These ships were large enough to stow dozens of dragons below deck and were equipped with razor net launchers, harpoons, and other weaponry needed to take down dragons no matter their size. The best Dragon Hunters and Trappers along with several detachments of soldiers and Dragon Flyers would be accompanying these ships, to ensure that whatever dragons remained in the Hidden World would be his to use and dispose of.

Failure wasn't an option. Not now, not when Drago knew he was so close to marshaling the largest army of man and dragons, all he needed to do was wait for his son to arrive with the forces he promised and when they were all together, they would attack Hiccup Haddock and his people, finishing them off and taking every last one of their dragons, multiplying his dragon army.

The thought of Hiccup Haddock made Drago's blood boil. He was a fool to underestimate the son of Stoick the Vast. That was a mistake that Drago was determined not to repeat.

A Terrible Terror chirping caused Drago to look above and see the small dragon land on his lap. Sneering at the dragon, the warlord removed the message attached to its leg and began to read quietly to himself. It was from his son, and the message spoke of Johann dispatching him on an assignment to acquire an item that men would kill to possess-- the lamp of a genie. Drago had heard of such an item when he had recruited Chagatai Khan and his Mongols many years ago, and to be honest, Drago cared little about magical items despite the power to be gained from wielding such a thing. If a man wasn't willing to take what he wanted then he is nothing but an insect that deserves to be crushed. Johann believes himself cunning, ruthless, and dangerous, and while that may be true, in the end, he's nothing but a little man with a big chip on his shoulder.

Reading the message further, Drago was pleased to read that his son was staying on task and turning Johann's Muslim Coalition against him and was attempting to sway them into the arms of the Northern Alliance. As the message neared its end, Drago continued to read and raised an eyebrow in curiosity that his son had acquired a dragon so terrifying and so monstrous that all dragons would fear it. It was a monstrous Tidal Class dragon, the apex predator of dragons, and one that would ensure all dragons in the thralldom of the Northern Alliance would be kept in line.

After placing his son's message in one of the fire basins beside his throne, Dragon had one of his men procure ink and parchment so that he could send his son a message of his own. Once he had finished writing, he had his man send the Terrible Terror that was on his lap outside and have it flutter off so that it could deliver the message to his son.

The doors to his throne room opened, revealing his warlords— Ragnar the Rock, Chagatai Khan, and Griselda the Grievous. Rising from his throne, Drago gave his trusted commanders the news. "My son, Kjell, is swaying Johann's coalition to our side. We will not only significant reinforcements, but we will also receive an alpha that puts my alpha to bitter shame." He then smirked. "Our forces will grow so large that no man will want to oppose but instead would rather join us. After the King of Vikings and his people are no more, we will finish what we started and conquer this world."

Letting out a boisterous laugh, Ragnar expresses his happiness. "Excellent news, master! When can we expect these reinforcements?"

"Within one month."

Pursing her lips, Griselda spoke up next. "And in the meantime, I take it we are to continue our operations and withdraw as many dragons from the Hidden World as possible and add them to our dragon army?" Drago grunted in confirmation. "I fear we won't have long to gather the number of dragons you have requested—"

"Our Dragon Hunter and Trapper squads that have departed are the best of the best. They, accompanied by soldiers and our Dragon Flyers, should be more than enough to subdue any remaining dragons in the Hidden World," Drago then growled softly. "I am aware that the Hidden World is a vast, unexplored place in this world, and when the time is right, we will learn more about it so that we can continue taking dragons and further swelling our ranks, but for the time being, we will wait for our people to return with what they can procure."

"A pity Zlobina the Malicious and her lover, Govan, are not part of the Dragon Hunters going down into the Hidden World. Their assistance would be most beneficial." Chagatai Khan sighed.

"A pity, indeed, Chagatai Khan. But by defying my orders and seeking Hiccup Haddock to exact the death of her father, Zlobina has disobeyed me. And I will not tolerate disobedience," pacing, Drago gave his Mongol warlord a devious smile. "As I said before, we will use Zlobina's disobedience to our advantage. The Vikings and their fellow Scandinavians have not fully settled in the land they have been given. And they will surely waste resources in fighting her and the other defectors from our ranks, and by the time we arrive with overwhelming force, our enemies will not be strong enough to stop us this time."

The doors to the throne room opened, revealing two flyer scouts. After bowing their heads in greetings to their master, one of the scouts spoke up. "Forgive the intrusion, master, but we've just returned from our patrols."

"And?"

"We've laid eyes on a fleet of galleys anchored near Denmark, along with dozens of Viking longboats." The second scout replied.

Sharing a confused look, the warlords remained silent as Drago narrowed his eyes at the scouts. "These gallies, what symbol did they bear?"

"They bore the mark of the Blackstone Legion, master."

Sneering, Drago murmured. "Apollyon." He then dismissed the scouts before returning his attention to his warlords. "If the Blackstone Legion is here, Apollyon means to sow discord and betrayal among our ranks. When she arrives on our shores, we will entertain her offer of a temporary alliance, however, when I find that she and her forces are of no further use, we will kill every last one of them." The warlords nodded in understanding in agreement. Of all the threats that they had faced as a collective force, the Blackstone Legion was a formidable force, thanks to Apollyon's ruthless leadership and tactics to turn her opponents against each other.

"We will emerge as masters of this world, and our people will share in the spoils of our new world order that will reign for ten thousand years. But we cannot allow ourselves to be distracted nor can we allow ourselves to be outsmarted by Hiccup Haddock or Apollyon. There is no greater threat to our success than these two. Once they have been removed from the board, nothing will stand in our way."

(Unknown location)

Over two dozen Viking ships sliced through the waters as they neared Denmark. They had been instructed to meet with Harald Haraldson there, via Terror Mail, and the leader of these Vikings had his men row to the provided location.

Ulfbjorn the Undefeated, the one and only son of Harald Haraldson had been out in the world making a name for himself as he and his small army of Viking mercenaries fought for wealth and glory. Having been out in the world for ten years, Ulfbjorn had become a warrior whose skill was so great, that he was considered to be undefeated, hence the reason for his title. Years of rigorous training and determination to become the best warrior that he could be bore much fruit, and he was well-known throughout the world and was the pride of the Fairhair dynasty.

Returning to his lands, however, Ulfbjorn was shocked to see how desolate it all was. He had heard rumors that Scandinavia was blighted by plague and that the land was no longer providing sustenance for man and dragon alike. But he dared not believe the rumors. Now, seeing Scandinavia so ravaged was like feeling pity for a decayed corpse.

"Ulfbjorn, there're ships nearby!"

Pulling out his spyglass, the ferocious mercenary could spot massive galleys bearing the symbol of the Blackstone Legion. He had heard of these knights and how their leader was a force to be reckoned with. However, Ulfbjorn wasn't worried, his father, Harald Haraldson was Apollyon's... "honored guest" for the time being, and the son of Harald could see handfuls of Viking ships anchored alongside the Blackstone galleys.

"Signal to them who we are and bring us alongside their lead vessel,"

"Aye, Ulfbjorn!"

Once his ship's helmsman steered his ship alongside the Blackstone Legion's lead galley, Ulfbjorn looked up to see a rope was offered for him. Climbing up the ship, the young mercenary was greeted by many Blackstone knights and his father.

"My son," Harald extended his arms out and shared an embrace with his flesh and blood. "How was your voyage?"

"Long, father," Ulfbjorn then gestured around them. "Scandinavia is no longer suitable for our people to dwell in?"

Pursing his lips, Harald shook his head. "Not all of Scandinavia is lost. We discovered some islands and land that had been spared from the blight and are still suitable for habitation. Thanks to an unknown species of dragon that resembles a butterfly, it releases a strange mist that seems to make the dead landscape more vibrant and life-giving than it was previously," chuckling at his son's disbelief, Harald nodded. "Yes, I shared your disbelief, however, I saw it with my own eyes. And at some point, we will use that dragon to bring our homeland back to life. After we dispose of Hiccup Haddock and his whores, and his loyalists, I will take the mantle of King of Vikings, and return our people home and then the Fairhair dynasty will rule for a lifetime."

Heavy metallic footsteps caused the knights onboard to stand straight, and both Harald and Ulfbjorn turned to see Apollyon approach. The leader of the Blackstone Legion eyed Harald's son before speaking out loud. "You're the son of Harald Haraldson," Ulfbjorn gave a firm nod. Apollyon walked passed both Vikings and looked down at the two dozen ships full of battle-hardened Viking mercenaries loyal to Ulfbjorn before continuing. "Once we raise anchor, we will set sail to an island that has become a staging ground for Drago Bludvist and his Northern Alliance. Once there, we will become allies, and then I will propose my plan to the madman on how we can destroy Hiccup Haddock from the inside out." Looking over her shoulder, Apollyon addressed Ulfbjorn. "How well are you at disguising yourself amongst an enemy force?"

"I've been to lands where I've played such ruses before, and I know how to fool an enemy well."

"Good." Apollyon then gave the orders to her men. "Signal our fleet to raise anchor and set sail to the Northern Alliances' base of operations!" As the Blackstone knights manned their stations, Apollyon approached the Viking duo before looking into Harald's eyes. "Your son will stir the wolves that remain within Hiccup Haddock's flock and once they have been riled into a frenzy, they will turn on their sworn king and aid us in paving a path for your family to claim the Viking throne." Harald bowed his head in understanding and watched as Apollyon walked away, leaving the father-son duo to themselves.

"Do you trust her?"

Turning to his son, Harald scoffed softly. "No. Not at all," he replied in a hushed tone, "I will use her and her forces to help our family claim what's rightfully ours— rule over all Scandinavian people. Our family will inherit an empire in the wake of Hiccup Haddock's ruin. And you, my son, will be the instrument of my vengeance against Stoick's pup."

"I understand, father."

Smiling, Harald clasped the back of his son's head and pressed his forehead against his. Ulfbjorn soaked in the simple gesture of affection and was ready to do whatever his father wanted of him. His sole ambition in life was to become the greatest warrior in Viking history, and he had achieved that ambition by becoming Ulfbjorn the Undefeated; he traveled far and wide, facing the greatest warriors the world had ever seen, and he defeated them. Now, in the days to come, he would be a sword that his father would thrust into the belly of Hiccup Haddock, drawing his blood, and claiming the Viking throne for the Fairhair dynasty.

(Germany— Viking controlled territory)

Merida and a group of her most trusted Scots disembarked from their lead vessel set foot on Germanic soil and were greeted by a dozen of Hiccup Haddock's bodyguards, while many more of these Kingsguard were sounding drums, announcing the arrival of these Scots. The Viking king himself was awaiting Merida and her entourage within the German forest and to say that Merida was anxious was a gross understatement. The beating drums were a welcome distraction for the Queen of Scots, her heart was threatening to burst out of her chest as she followed the Kingsguard into the forest, where the Viking king was waiting.

To put it in the simplest of terms, Merida hates the Vikings. Furthermore, she outright and unapologetically fears them, almost as much as Mor'Du.

The reason for such fear is that the Scandinavian invaders from the seas who came to invade Dunbroch were indeed the Vikings. Many centuries ago, Viking and Norse settlers, mainly Norwegians and to a lesser extent other Scandinavians and their descendants, colonized parts of what is now the periphery of Scotland, the Vikings brutally attacked, invaded, and colonized every part of what later became referred to as Scotland and this had a profound effect on Scottish history. It's safe to say the Vikings were the reason behind the four clans of Dunbroch establishing an arranged marriage to merge their clans. The Vikings had put such pressure on the vibrant Pictish kingdoms that the Picts were forced to merge kingdoms with the Scots. The Vikings also held a deep hatred for the Highlanders.

Putting the history between the Vikings and Scotland/the Scotts/the Scottish Celts into perspective, it's safe to assume that while growing up, Merida would come to harbor great hate towards the Vikings, with good reason.

It's because of them the other three clans of Dunbroch have been traditionally forcing marriages onto their young, out of fear and desperation to merge families in an attempt to rally more forces solely due to the Vikings' ruthless and relentless torment spanning across the centuries. Because of them, Merida was nearly stripped of her freedom and had no choice but to defy her tradition and her mother by winning her hand in marriage if not to just feel as if she had some control of her own life. It's because of them that her mother thought the way she did when it comes to the traditional marriages of Scottish society, it was because of them that her now-dead mother thought it was necessary to marry one of the sons of the neighboring clans; Merida knew deep down that Elinor didn't mean to seem so dismissive of what she truly wanted in her life while she was still among the living, she was just scared.

They all are. And it was all because of the Vikings.

But right now, as Merida approached the King of Vikings, she knew that these people were the lesser evil. Drago Bludvist and his army are a threat that's far greater than the Vikings. And if Merida had any hope of taking back Scotland from the Northern Alliance and its brute of a leader, then she would need to side with Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III and the Scandinavian people.

There was a well-carved seat that unoccupied, undoubtedly for Merida herself. Looking at the devilishly handsome man with shaggy auburn hair, tan ivory skin, and the small, yet noticeable scar on his chin, Merida assumed that this was King Hiccup. Extending a hand to the unoccupied seat, the King of Vikings silently invited the young Queen of Scots to sit. Once she was seated, the drums stopped and all was silent. The tension was thick, and both young rulers knew that this was a delicate situation, especially given the bad blood between their respective peoples, but Hiccup wasn't looking for a fight with the Scots, he wanted to know why they were here.

"I'm Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III, King of Vikings." He introduced with a firm nod. "Before we speak any further, let me address the Rumblehorn in the room. You don't trust me or my people. I don't blame you, especially given our people's... track record of pillaging and raiding to expand our territory or simply to acquire wealth. But you and your people wouldn't be here unless the circumstances were extremely dire."

"Aye,"

Humming softly at the beautiful redhead's confirmation, Hiccup leaned back in his seat and narrowed his eyes at her. "Let's start with your name. Hmm?"

Sitting straight, Merida spoke with a strong voice. "I am Merida, Queen of Scots, and those who are with me are all that's left of the Scots." Her voice cracked with emotion as she recalled watching her home being razed to the ground and the army that Drago Bludvist commanded slaughtering thousands of her people. "I am at your mercy, Hiccup Haddock. My people have no place to go, and our home has been taken by the madman, Drago Bludvist."

Hiccup's inner circle murmured amongst themselves before the Viking king silenced their chatter with a look over his shoulder. Looking back at Merida, he narrowed his eyes. "Drago took your home?" The queen nodded, and Hiccup questioned further. "And... he let you live? Why?"

"He wanted me to send you a message. He's coming for you and your people. And the forces he will bring to bear will unlike anything you've ever faced before—"

"I say bring it on! We dealt with that screaming lunatic before, we'll deal with him again!" Snotlout exclaimed with a smirk.

Astrid, who was seated beside her husband, looked over her shoulder with a disapproving glare. "Snotlout!"

"What? I'm just stating facts!"

"Yeah, I mean what do we have to be worried about? The last time we dealt with Drago's army at the steps of New Berk, they took a big hit," Tuffnut grinned.

"Uh-huh! There's no way they can take us on in a straight fight!" Ruffnut added.

Eret, who was once under Drago's employ turned to the twins. "Underestimating Drago would be a fatal mistake. That man is nothing but determined to see his ambitions of conquering this world become a reality. We've heard from both Mulan and Raya that Drago and his army have been in Asia for the years we thought they were no longer a threat. They could've recouped their losses and are continuing to garner their strength."

"I'm with Eret," Valka agreed. "Drago is a relentless animal and will stop at nothing to ensure that those who threaten his plans are eliminated. And at the top of my head, we stand as his greatest threat to his designs."

Viggo, who had now become part of Hiccup's inner circle hummed in agreement with Valka before giving Merida an inquisitive tilt of his head. "What did you see when Drago attacked your home?"

"He... rode a dragon the size of a mountain into battle. That beast was covered in armor and bore a metallic tusk as it commanded swarms of dragons to rain hellfire down on my home. On the homes of my fellow Scots." Merida recalled with gritted teeth. "Those who were fortunate to escape by way of ship rallied to me and they decided to name me Queen of Scots."

Hiccup's face twisted with concern, the last time he saw Drago and his Bewilderbeast, Toothless had defeated the opposing alpha, blowing off its left tusk and forcing both the monsters off of the shores of Old Berk. If Drago still had control over his alpha, he could use it to acquire more dragons, even going into the Hidden World and increasing the number of dragons in his thralldom.

"With that out of the way, I think the question now is an obvious one. What are we going to do with the Scots?" Spitelout spoke up. "Our people have bad blood—"

"Only because you animals killed countless of our people and sought to claim our lands for your own!"

Spitelout looked to a Scot who resembled him in stature and strength. Glaring at the man before him, the elder Jorgenson bore his teeth. "And you are?"

"Ualraig MacNeacail, of Clan MacNeacail. My people are warriors and if it comes to it, we'll spill your guts and laugh as the crows feast on your innards."

"Oh, big talk, care to see if you can back it up?" Spitelout challenged while resting a hand on his battle axe.

"Uncle, enough!" Hiccup seethed at Spitelout, causing the elder Jorgenson to stand down. Growling to himself and silently cursing the Jorgenson's need to pick a fight when it was unnecessary, Hiccup looked back at the Scots. "Forgive my uncle, he and his family are... fighters. And they tend to forget their place on occasion. They will say nothing more from here on out."

Merida merely grunted before gesturing to Ualraig. "His family has suffered greatly because of Viking cruelty over the centuries, and so you can understand his reasons for wanting to fight your uncle. All my people have suffered greatly because of your people. Many years ago, a prince and his three brothers were to rule a powerful Scottish kingdom which has been forgotten by history to repel the Viking incursions. The eldest of these princes turned to dark magic to combat the Vikings because the army he and his brothers commanded was not enough to fight off the Scandinavian invaders. This older prince, who was meant to take his father's place as sole king took advantage of the Viking raid to claim his birthright and demand the obedience of his brothers or die along with the Vikings. After a bloody civil war and suffering losses to the Vikings as well, this elder brother sought out a witch to change his fate and give him the power to dominate all his enemies." Closing her eyes, Merida shook her head softly before continuing. "This elder prince would then become Mor'du, renouncing his humanity and family bonds for the sake of obtaining power. He then became a great, black bear, the spell the witch had given him had corrupted his body and his soul, ultimately leading to the ruin of that ancient kingdom." The redhead concluded. "That story serves as a warning to all Scottish leaders that entitlement and lust for power can lead you down dark paths. Even if your intentions are pure, power can corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely."

Merida's words struck Hiccup hard in the heart, he knew full well that the power he wielded could make him into a leader who ruled through tyranny, but because of the wisdom his father had imparted, he knew better. "And you believe that because I hold such power over my people, I may become a monster that threatens all people," his statement was met with silence, and that was more than an answer for Hiccup. "I'm not like most Vikings, as you will soon come to understand. And I'm a leader who seeks peace over old grievances and offenses. You and your people are welcome to settle within our territory for now. Should you have plans to move on and find a new home for yourselves, you're free to leave whenever you wish, I won't keep you or your people here against your will." Standing, Hiccup extended an arm out for Merida. "Do you accept my offer?"

Taken back by this man's character, words, and generosity, Merida too rose and approached the Viking king before taking his hand, shaking it firmly. "Aye. On behalf of my people, I accept," then a pleasant bolt shoots up her hand by merely grasping Hiccup's hand. Shaking off the feeling, Merida bowed her head in thanks. "On behalf of the Scottish people, I thank you for your generosity, King Hiccup."

"Of course, Queen Merida. Let this be the first step in bringing our respective people to peace."

After releasing his hand, Merida and her inner circle departed the neutral ground and went to inform their people that they would be settling here for the time being. Once the Scots were out of earshot, Hiccup knew he was about to receive an earful from his family and friends.

"Some wounds can never heal, lad. The Scots and our people have a heated rivalry, I don't think the grievances we've inflicted on each other can never fully heal." Gobber shrugged.

"Maybe not, but if I can get through to Merida, she'll see that I'm different."

"Changing minds is one of your specialties, babe," Astrid took her husband's hand and squeezed gently. "I know you can do this."

"Sure, so long as both our people and theirs play nice," Snotlout snorted.

"The last thing we need is to be fighting the Scots, so if I were you, Snotlout, I'd keep that fat mouth of yours shut," Fishlegs said firmly, earning a glare from both young and elder Jorgensons. Brushing the glares off, Fishlegs then looked at Hiccup. "Snotlout does have a point though, Hiccup. How do you plan on getting our people to behave around the Scots?"

Hiccup merely smiled at Fishlegs. "Let me worry about that. For now, we just need to come to terms that the Scots are our neighbors. And if I find out that anyone bothers them or threatens them, there will be serious repercussions for this," he then glared at Ruffnut and Tuffnut. "I expect all of you to be on your best behavior around our guests."

"Hiccup, please, we may love to cause mayhem where we can, but even we aren't stupid enough to start a war between our people and the Scots," Ruffnut chuckled.

"Yeah, you have nothing to worry about, Hiccy." Tuffnut added with a grin.

Snorting softly, Astrid murmured. "That makes me feel so much better,"

Horse riders soon approached, and the lead rider spoke up. "King Hiccup, we're receiving a great number of traders and merchants who wish to conduct business. On top of that, one of these strangers seeks an audience with you."

Sighing, Hiccup nodded. "No rest for the wicked," he murmured to himself before dismissing the riders. Summoning Toothless, Hiccup turned to his inner circle as they too mounted their respective dragons. "Our settlement is still very much in its infancy, that said, it's vulnerable to an attack from enemies disguised as potential friends and partners. Keep a sharp eye on these traders and merchants."

"Yeah, we all remembered what happened when we received new traders back on Old Berk," Astrid said with a roll of her eyes, recounting the time they were at war with Johann and Krogan.

"Of course, we remember what happened, Astrid. And if these merchants are offering food, let's not have the twins go on a feeding frenzy again," Snotlout snorted.

"Hey! You would see us starve rather than enjoy a series of well-cooked meals?" Tuffnut gasped, offended at Snotlout's words.

"Heh, better that than allowing our enemies to get the drop on us," was Snotlout's response.

"Hmph! You're just jealous you didn't get to sample those amazing meals back then," Ruffnut smirked before she and Tuffnut urged Barf and Belch to take to the air.

"Like I care, Ruffnut!" Snotlout barked out before patting Hookfang's lower jaw, the Monstrous Nightmare took to the sky after the twins.

As everyone else began to take off, Hiccup noted how Valka was giving him a hopeful look. He knew what she was silently asking, and he knew that he had delayed his response to whether he shared her illicit feelings for her or not, and he did, but he had yet to tell her.

"Later, Mom. I promise. Okay?" Smiling, Valka nodded before she and Cloudjumper took to the sky. Before Hiccup could urge Toothless to fly, however, the Night Fury's ears perked up and he smelled the air before snarling softly. "Toothless? What is it, bud?" Following his dragon's gaze, Hiccup saw nothing, but he swore he could see movement in the thick Germanic forest. "C'mon, bud, it's nothing." Patting his dragon's head, Hiccup looked over his shoulder as Toothless took to the sky and still saw nothing. How odd. Maybe it was just a critter.

Unknown to the King of Vikings, the entire meeting between him and the Scots had been observed by Linette and her dragon, Gust. The young Dragon Hunter was perched on her dragon's back and urged the hybrid to tail the Viking king and his Night Fury, and once she was led to the Viking settlement, she would get to work on luring Hiccup and his precious dragon into Zlobina's hands.

A/N: No smut this time, but expect more in the coming chapters! Again, sorry for the wait, but life happens.