Warring Worlds (Mericcup fanfic) [COMPLETED]

Chapter 7

Free.

Free at last.

Merida sat on the Polar Serpent's winged shoulders when she glanced back at Berserker Island. The sun was still sending a few weak rays over the desolate land mass before the celestial orb was to sink beyond the horizon. However it was too dark to make out anything clearly on the island. Still, Merida noticed a certain lack of pursuers in ships or on dragons.

We actually made it. Merida laughed in relief. Then, she through her arms wide and let loose a "Woo-hoo!" Her dragon joined in with his own trumpet blast. Toothless squawked in agreement.

Hiccup chuckled. "Having fun back there?" he called over his shoulder. Hazor politely leaned a little out of his way.

"Oh, we did it, Hiccup!" Merida beamed from ear-to-ear. "We escaped prison and almost-certain death." She patted the white dragon's neck good-naturedly. "And best of all, we beat that sorry bampot!" The princess punched the air. Then, she chuckled breathlessly and tossed her wild curls. "But then I suppose you do this all the time, don't you? With all your explorin' and adventures?"

The two heirs held each other's gazes and once again felt the connection they had experienced at the Great Hall. Hazor smiled knowingly, noticing that they appeared to have forgotten their quest or even the dragons they were riding. Rubbing his aching side, Hazor sat upright, cutting off Hiccup's line of sight. "So, where to now, Hiccup?"

The boy faced forward again. "To the Polar Islands to return the dragon to his home. And then we'll head home."

Hazor paused. "Do you think your people will accept a Berserker? At least a few days until I can find a new place to stay?"

"I told you already," Hiccup replied without hesitation, "you can stay at Berk."

He hadn't been trying to trick me? Hazor smiled and felt hope replace the aches in his chest. "Really?"

"Sure."

"You mean it?"

"Yes, Hazor, I mean it. You're still young, only a few years older than either of us. And with your superb fighting skills, my father would be a fool not to take you on as at the very least a blacksmith or dragon-trainer."

Hazor excitedly grabbed the smaller Viking by the shoulders. "That's just . . ." He chuckled. "Thanks, Hiccup." His meaty hand patted Hiccup's tiny shoulder.

With a little encouragement, Kynan (the name Merida gave to her dragon) found the strength to pull up next to Toothless and keep flying side-by-side even though the Polar Serpent's imprisonment had left him weak. However, his wing beats eventually began to falter, and although Merida's words and the scent of colder air invigorated him, Kynan still didn't fly as fast as he first had. Lower and lower the dragon flew. Then, he saw his homeland and called out to it. Kynan was able to last long enough to crash land into the waves rolling up on the shore.

Toothless landed on solid ground and, when his riders had dismounted, rolled in the sand. Kynan, on the other hand, laid his head down and let the waves wash over him. When he felt Merida slip off into the shallows, the Polar Serpent threw his head back on his long neck and sprayed icy water in a great arch above everyone's head. It came down in a drizzle to coat Merida and the boys who had come to help her to shore. Then, like a young dragon, he slapped his long wings on the water and splashed the humans. The great white dragon ran down the shore and slid on his belly along the shoreline.

The three riders laughed and trudged through the knee-deep water to shore. As they watched the dragon's frolicking, Merida thought that the dragon had the spirit of a Scotsman. Then she was reminded of their task. "Hiccup!" She grabbed his arm. "Did you get the leaves?"