From Me To You: A Mericcup Story

Chapter 3

Merida inwardly groaned. Her dear mum was forcing her to spend the morning with the idiots who call themselves men. She had suggested they take a walk around the castle.

MacGuffin was mumbling in Gaelic(which she couldn't understand), Macintosh was flexing and pouting, and Dingwall staring at the ground, eyes glazed over.

Merida sighed, pulling her required shawl closer. The air was biting, fall forcing itself on them. She would have preferred a coat, but her mum gave her a shawl, a thin piece of cloth that barely kept her warm.

After an excruciating walk, she grabbed a coat, saddled Angus, grabbed her weapons, and rode off. She was so lost in her thoughts about the lessons that would undoubtedly come tomorrow since she had punched Macintosh and ran that she didn't realize where she was going.

Only did Merida notice her mistake when she burst through the trees and Angus stopped short, nearly bucking her off.

That viking, Hiccup, stood before her. This time, instead of just his black dragon, Toothless, he had at least four others. They were all different colors and different shapes, but they were all fierce.

"I knew I would find you here," he said with a smile. It wasn't cruel, more like he was glad he was right.

"Well sorry that my route takes me through this area," she snapped, dismounting.

Hiccup leaned against Toothless, arms crossed. "Since I have the upper hand, I get to ask you some questions."

Merida sighed. She calmed Angus down and sat on the rock by the trees. She grabbed a stick and twirled it around, glancing up at him, waiting.

"First off, who are you?"

"Merida. I thought you knew that?"

"No, I mean, servant, townsperson, warrior?"

She looked down, thinking of the right answer. Princess or warrior?

"If it helps, I'm the son of Chief Stoick the Vast."

"You're the son of Stoick?" she looked him up and down. "I guess you don't take after him, huh?"

"Nope! Now, answer the question."

"Fine. I'm a princess."

His jaw dropped. "You're a princess? But you're so,"

"Improper?"

"War like, I was going to say war like. Were you born in battle?"

"No, but a bear attacked when I was a wee lass. My dad lost his leg."

"Next question, how old are you?"

"Oh, now hold on, that's way too private."

Hiccup laughed. Merida smiled before realizing what she was doing. As a punishment, she dug her fingernails into her palm.

"I'm eighteen. What about you?"

"Nope, I'm the one interrogating. I ask the questions."

She gave him a look and he rolled his eyes.

"Fine, I'm twenty. Why did you let me go yesterday?"

She looked down at her hands. She chewed her lip, searching for the right answer. He continued to stare at her, and she felt his eyes, but it was a long time before she looked up.

"I don't want to kill anyone. I couldn't live with that guilt, especially since my three younger brothers look up to me. If they see that I've killed someone, they would either hate me, or want to kill people, too.

"I didn't want to bring you in, because then my mum would know that there are vikings out here. She wouldn't let me ride without an escort, and that would be horrible."

Those were all very good reasons, but the real reason Merida let Hiccup go? She felt in her gut that he was important. If he died, how could he do whatever he had to do? If he was locked up, he would be tortured for information. She had seen the people who were stuck in the dungeons. No one should be sentenced to that fate.

"Alright. Good reasons. Could you catch a fish with your arrows?"

"Of course! Why?"

"Well, I'm hungry. I'll make a fire, you catch some fish." Hiccup turned and started to walk into the forest.

"How do you know I won't leave?"

"You won't!"

Unfortunately, he was right. Merida shot the fish, finding long sticks to roast them on. He arranged the wood and then stood back. She saw a dragon shoot fire for the first time.

Toothless seemed to suck in, causing a high pitched squeal to ring through the air. He then opened his jaws and it looked like he coughed. A big ball of blue and white hit the wood, starting a fire instantly.

"Whoa," Merida said softly. She handed a fish-on-a-stick to Hiccup and began to cook her own fish.

"To continue with the questions," he said, "what's your favorite color?"

"Dark blue. Yours?"

"Probably green. How long have you been using your bow and arrows?"

"Since I was five."

"Could you teach me?"

"What?"

"Could. You. Teach. Me?"

"I heard you."

"Then why did you say-"

"Because I figured today would be the last time I see you, the day that I drag you in, or the day you drag me in."

"Nope. How about this, you teach me to shoot, and I'll teach you how to ride dragons."

Merida paused. This would be going against everything the war had taught her. Did she really want to risk everything just be teaching archery and learning to ride dragons?

"Ok. I'll meet you here tomorrow after lunch. We'll start with archery."

"Alright, Your Majesty." Hiccup stood up, swooping into a deep bow. Merida glared at him, getting up and stamping out the fire. She turned and climbed on Angus, pulling the reins and riding off.

She made it to the field, and a black shape whizzed overhead. It was going faster than the first time she had seen it, disappearing in a blink. Imagine riding that.

Merida made it back before dinner, which was a huge relief. She was able to avoid her mother the whole night, hiding out on the roof with a basket of apples and deserts.