Third day of autumn, Campsite, Dun'Broch.
Hiccup here, and you are officially allowed to call me a stalker.
These past days have been crazy.
Let me give you a tiny summary: TGWITL is not a man, but a fair lady. She is, in fact, young and surprisingly beautiful. I did everything I could to find out her name. I asked her first, of course, and she won't tell me. I have been thinking about her ever since she kidnapped me, and we've met a couple of times in the battlefield.
Merida. Her name is Merida, I just found out and I can't stop saying it. Her name is stuck in my mind and it'll be wandering there forever, like folk music that shakes your insides with its melody and powerful meaning. How I found out, that's a story on its own.
Astrind summoned me to her tent, also used for strategizing. The tent was full of weapons and maps of Dun'Broch, some of them I've drawn myself, and others were stolen from the castle. There was also a charcoal-drawn portrait of the six members of the royal family, where I recognized Merida's face. Eret and my mum were talking about the death of King Fergus, who was killed by an unknown dragon. As you may notice, Merida's father was also killed by this mysterious creature. I asked if anyone knew the names of the royal family and, surprisingly, they all did. Queen Elinor is Merida's mother (Making her the princess!) and there are three younger princes, Harris, Hamish and Hubert. The lords are Merida's best friends as well as her suitors, but she hasn't been betrothed yet and I doubt she plans on marrying any of the three. The moment I found out Merida's name, everyone kept asking why was I so happy of that, and to be honest, not even I know.
Later, in the battlefield, she and I had a small chance to talk, so we did, as we pretended to fight each other. She said she was going to sneak into my tent tonight, to have an important conversation. I have no idea what it might be, but I'm eager to finally talk to her.
It is not like I haven't investigated on my own about her: I always ask the scots how is their princess like; some never answer and prefer to attack me, but some others have revealed very valuable information (Odin bless this bloody war).
This is what I have found out: She once turned her mother into a bear with the help of the Witch of the woods (to whom, I assume, Merida is an apprentice). She competed in the games in her honor and earned her own hand in marriage. She has not many friends besides the young lords, her horse and her lady-in-waiting, Maudie. There is a waterfall in the woods called "The firefalls", and the legend says only the strongest and bravest kings dare to drink from it... well, them and Merida. She knits tapestries with her mother, and most of them picture wisps or other fae-tales. Her three younger brothers, the princes, always pull pranks on people, and she is the only known maiden in the land who has any control over them. The scots assume she stays in the castle when the battles are fought, and no-one besides me seems to know that she is TGWITL.
Hiccup tried to write some more, but his mind was full of the fiery princess' image. He felt far too embarrassed for writing pages and pages about how he had stalked her and all the amazing, marvelous, wonderful things she had done and she kept on doing. Earning her own hand in marriage? Savage, astonishing. Befriending a Witch? Work of art, surprising.
As he gently tapped his pencil against the leather of his closed diary, a dark figure raised from the outside of the tent and got in, to then reveal princess Merida, with her furious red hair braided tightly behind her. She was wearing a long, dark blue dress and a hauberk over that. Her quiver was hanging from a side of her waist and she carried her bow in her left hand. As she walked towards Hiccup, the chain mail made low tingling noises, but her feet were completely silent. If she hadn't been so warm, Hiccup would've thought she was more of a ghost than a person, for her skin was deadly pale and her presence made the air inside the tent feel heavy and full of wandering souls.
She held the chief's hand for a second as a salute, but then retrieved herself, her face turning a fair reddish tint. He stepped up from his seat and saluted her, taking her hand in his once more and then proceeding to lay a small, damp kiss in her white hand. Although Merida was not comfortable at all with his welcome, she took no notice of it and sat down in the grass, leaving her bow beside her. Hiccup mirrored her actions and sat down in front of her, as they had done the first day they've met.
"Your people think the war is done. They are rejoicing and less and less of them are showing up. Is it that they are retreating?" asked the princess, after a few more seconds of silence.
"No" admitted Haddock, sheepishly. "They think we've won... Because king Fergus is dead."
"Ah" nodded the lass, looking around, trying to avoid Hiccups piercing gaze. "Have you tried to explain them that we aren't defeated until the last drop of royal blood has been shed?"
"We have. Astrid and I, that is. We studied the old laws, and we know that the war's not done until Queen Elinor and her children are all killed." Answered Hiccup. "But I daren't order them to attack the royal family. Her queen's grace is too special and killing mere kids is beastly. They would have to go and murder the triplets and... And you."
Merida's face grew even paler, hitting a blueish shade. She frowned and her pupils went the size of a dot. A cold shiver traveled through her spine.
"How?" She asked fiercely. "I was a fool in a man's shoes to ever trust you!"
Hiccup raised both hands "No-one knows that the princess and the mysterious warrior are one, except me."
Her muscles relaxed, but she was still giving him a dirty look. "So you now know my name and me stories, eh?"
The Viking nodded as the Scottish princess pulled her braid anxiously.
"I should've brought me sword" she muttered.
"I do not want to hurt you" Said Hiccup, scared that she might think of him as a traitor.
"Friend or foe, it was foolish of me to walk straight into your domains knowing that all your people want my blood"
He held her hand a third time, sharing each other's warmth and trust.
"If anyone ever tries to lay a finger on you, I wont try to protect you, but I will fight alongside you, until the end of times"
She wanted to run. His warm hand felt rather burning against her skin, and as her heart beats went faster and faster, her body all froze. Was he promising to betray all of his people just for her? And (may the gods forbid it) she liked it?
Even though the thought of her befriending the Viking chief frightened her, she did not want to let go of his hand. As a maiden, and as part of the royal family, it was inconceivable to even imagine her touching a man --although she had fought many—and holding Hiccup's hand in the dead of night was the naughtiest and the most delightful thing she could ever think of.
"So, Hiccup Horrendous Haddock the Third, son of Stoick and Valka, will you help me put an end to all this bloodshed?" Asked finally the princess, giving a stronger grasp to Hiccup's hand and pulling her face near the Viking's.
When their noses were almost touching, the shy chief muttered a low "yes", earning a smile from the lady in front of him. Or, rather, atop of him at this point, for she had been going nearer and nearer, never letting go of him.
Their skin was touching now, not only on their arms, but their foreheads were united and Merida's nose was tickling Hiccup's cheek. Neither of them knew what were they doing, exactly, but they wished it could last for ever. Both nervously moved, rubbing whatever parts of their bodies were touching against each other. It went against any common sense, being there, knowing basically nothing of each other, but this, whatever it was, it felt right
"Merida" muttered Hiccup, although the lack of breath made it sound more like a light moan.
"What?" Said the lady, as her waist was being grabbed by her new friend. She placed her arms on his shoulders and ran her cold hands through the brunet's hair, making a thousand lightning bolts run across Haddock's entire body.
"I love your name" he chuckled. "Merida, Merida, Merida"
They both laughed at this, for her name sounded melodic when it lived in his lips, and for a moment, she wished his lips were the only ones that could ever sing her name.
They found it hard to breathe, and an unbearable desire to place their lips atop of each other's made the place feel way hotter and stuffier than it really was. She kept her hands moving, and he had led her waist so she was sitting on his lap. The scene was quite erotic, but they could not dare to kiss, it was far harder to do it when each time one tried to start the kiss, the other would draw back, and vice versa.
"We can't" Said the princess, finally. "We daren't. We know nothing about each other"
"Speak for yourself," he quoted, bringing back the memories of their first night.
She stared directly into his eyes. They seemed to dance, lightly coloured by a single torch.
Blue to green. Green to blue. The deep woods seemed to tremble at the sight of the ocean, so graceful, so far away.
"I know you can speak to the spirits of the woods" he said "And that you earned your own hand in marriage. And that you are to be crowned queen by the lords' blessing and approval. And that your horse's name is Angus."
With each fact Hiccup mentioned, he planted a small kiss on Merida's forehead.
"So you've been spying on me" She whispered, as she buried her nose in Haddock's chest. "Naughty lamb."
He let out a laugh and, copying the lass' actions, he buried his nose on the top of her hair. Although it was braided, a few wild curls popped out and tickled him.
"At least I didn't kidnap you"
"Oy" she protested. "You're glad, aren't ye?"
"I got to meet the greatest warrior and the fairest maiden of Dun'Broch. Of course I'm glad"
They sat there after that and talked quietly about themselves. It was kind of a ritual, for their souls were bonding, their smells being memorized. Hiccup smelled like smoke and leather, Merida remembered for the rest of her life. Merida smelled like sage and wild berries, Hiccup reminded himself for eternity.
They were foes, outcasts, and they shouldn't've met, but once they did, they realised they were the only people that could've understood the other. And despite what the world might think, or what their gods might curse, they fell in love like one falls asleep: first, slowly, then all at once.