Bravely Training Dragons!-Chapter Four.

Hiccup's P.O.V

"What in Thors' name?" I shout. "I was told I was sharing with a boy! You're a… Girl!" My face is now in my hands.

"How do ye think I feel? I was told I was sharing with another girl… Although…" She began snickering, which then turned into a progressing laugh. "With… With thae way-way ye… Ye… Squealed!" She snorted. "I s'pose I can see thae… The similarities!" She clutched her stomach as she laughed more.

My face fell. "Gee, thanks." I rolled my eyes. "You're so kind." I say, sarcastically.

She snorts thrice more and then finds the strength to calm down. "So-sorry… Urm… Hiccup, isn't it?" I nod meekly. "Yeah… Um, Hiccup, in the future I would advise you work on you… Squealing." She snorts again and giggles. "Not very manly, really… At all, actually." She tells me.

"Uh… Thanks for the advice…" I look at her.

Her eyes widen slightly in surprise. "Oh! My name is Merida!" She smiles at me, although it seems slightly forced.

"Well… Merida, thanks for the advice… Could you, from now on, refrain from doing so?" I asked.

I notice something, then and there. For some reason I can't get my head around her appearance. She looks so much more laid back compared to the Viking girls of my age. Specifically, her wild and curly, fiery red hair. It was strange… It looked as if it should look unattractive and scruffy… But it didn't… It looks the opposite.

She smiled weakly. "Sorry, but ye cannae blame me, really." She shrugged, then went to the window, opened it, and shouted. "Don't worry Mum; Dad! Hiccup and I have sorted everythin' out now! I'm ganna go tae sleep now! So g'night!" She ducked her head back in, closing the window afterwards. She opened a case and began rummaging through it.

I went over to my desk and sat down. "I would've though, you bein' a princess and all, you would have had more than just two cases-both of which aren't that big, really." I pointed out.

Merida didn't look up. "Mhmm… Yeah, well… You thought wrong… I'm not… Your average princess-Ah ha! There they are!" She pulled out a woven sack and grinned. She opened it and pulled out a shiny red apple. "Wanth fon? They're home-gwown!" She said with a mouthful of apple.

"Uh… Sure." She chucked one to me and I caught it just in time to stop it hitting my stomach at speed. I took a bite and loved it. "Thish ish delishous!" I compliment the apple.

Merida smiles as she swallows. "It's the soil, I say. I love these apples!" She takes a final bite and wipes her mouth and chin with the sleeve of her-what looks like-expensive dress… What kind of princess is she? I wonder. "Do you have somewhere I can put these?" She asks. From downstairs I hear the backdoor close.

"Yeah, actually." I walk over to the window and open it, Merida behind me. "Watch and learn." I say and chuck the apple core into a heap of decomposing waste-food that is… Just want to clear that up. Merida does the same, although with a puzzled expression. "The food decomposes and becomes good for the soil." I explain.

"Interesting…" Merida mumbles and goes over to her case and pulls out a… A white… Silk nightgown? It has turquoise ribbon tying it together at the back, starting at the small of her back and ending at the middle of her shoulder-blades.

"Won't that be uncomfortable to sleep in?" I point out.

"Hiccup… Have you not seen what I am sleeping on?" Merida raises a single eyebrow and points with her hands to her bed, almost disbelievingly. Wood! Nothing else! Just… Just… Tree bark! Oh, and two pillows and a thin blanket. No offence, but I think my nightie is the least of my problems." She finishes.

"Ooh… 'Kay…? I could get you more pillows if you want…" I trail off.

She looks surprised. "What? Oh, no! You don't 'ave to I mean… Tree bark… It's a lot more comfortable than sleeping on rocks or the ground or…" She thought for a second. "An actual tree, for instance. I speak from experience, just so ya know" she hit her pillows lightly and arranged them the way she wanted, and then turned back to me. "Urm, Hiccup? Could ye leave the room for a minute? I need to change." She asks somewhat uncomfortably.

"Oh, sure! Just… Just tell me when I can come back in." And with that, I left the awkward tension that was thickening in the room.

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Merida's P.O.V

Can I just say, getting this nightgown on is Bloody Hell!

I mean, for one thing, hair gets all tangled up in the in the ribbon, which holds the nightgown together at the back, and trying to un-tangled is absolute torture!

Anyways, right now I was impailing my face into the pillows, bent over the bed and trying to tie up the ribbons into a bow to hold the nightgown together. If it loosens, so does the rest of the dress. And I refuse to ask for help because I am one seriously... Stubborn Princess!

"Damn it!"

There was a knock at the door. "Merida? You've been a while, can I come in now?" He asked from outside.

I straightened up. "Oh, sure..." I sighed in defeat as my fingers fumbled uselessly and pointlessly with the ribbon. I heard the door creak open slowly. "Can ya help me out?" I asked.

"Sure, do you need help with your ribbon?" He asked from behind me.

"No! I want you to help me find pet horse, Angus!" I say, obviously sarcastic. I take a few deep breaths to calm myself down. "I mean, yes. Just help me... Please?" I asked

"Sure, you got it, and afterwards we can go and have a look for Angus!" He openly laughed as he said this... Until I stomped on his left foot with mine. Hard. "Okay, okay, sorry!" He apologised as he finished tying up the perfect bow with the ribbons.

I stretched and yawned, then placed and black leather boots under the bed, as he headed back to his desk. "Thanks, I guess." I then laid down on the wooden bed and pulled the blanket over me. It was oddly... Comfy. Although, I guess I was already kind of used to sleeping on things that are much less than... Convenient.

I yawned again as I looked over to Hiccup. I watched him drag his desk-chair over to his bedside and place the candle on it, he then got into his bed. Huh, Vikings sleep in their clothes... Probably for warmth, I guess. I thought.

He looked over to me and tried a weak smile. "Night, Merida" He said sleepily, pulling the blanket over him, yawning as he did so.

"G'night Hiccup." I replied, just as tired.

He then blew out the candle and I let sleep take over me.

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Merida's P.O.V- Next morning...

I groaned lightly and blinked repeatedly as I woke up fully.

I sat up slowly and stretched.

My gaze shifted to the window. I looked at the sun and decided it was around nine in the morning. I felt a grin spread on my face.

I quickly got out of my bed as quietly as I could manage, which ended up being very quiet, I proudly thought so, anyway!

I got on my knees and pulled out my my largest case and opened it. I pulled out one of my usual full-sleeved Clover Green dress with shiny, turquoise, clovers stitch around the skirt part of my dress. I also wore my white stockings and calf-brown riding boots and placed them on my bed. Leaving my case open, I stood up and turned around to Hiccup. I bit my lip, nervous, he could wake up...

Then I saw how his face was in his pillow and he was snoring loudly...

My nerves then died down.

I set my things out and pull on a loose ribbon from the bow to loosen the night. I took a deep breathe and let my nightgown fall to me feet and quickly pulled my normal on over my head. Thankfully, this dress required no fussing that could wake Hiccup.

I quickly put on my white, woolly stockings and my boots.

I smirked and bent down to my opened case. I pulled out all my clothes and left them, in their piles, on my bed. When it was completely empty, I reach for the short, metal cord connected to the middle of the left side of the case and pulled it upwards. It open to reveal...

My archery set and my belt-quiver.

Excuse me... My forbidden Archery set and belt-quiver.

I tied my belt-quiver to my waist and loaded it with five arrows. I grabbed my bow.

I was about to open the bedroom door, when I noticed Hiccups snoring had stopped.

I froze for a few seconds, then stifly turned around, to face an utterly painting-perfect(*) expression of gobsmacked and in complete shock.

"Uh... I am trying to fgure out a way to explain this..." I said slowly.

Hiccup just looked to my case and back to me, I smiled weakly. "I kind of... Renovated-yeah, that's it-I renovated my travel case to... To fit my needs..." I gulped loudly, fear taking over.

"I am guessing your parents didn't want you bringing those things." He assumed, correctly as well... Although it wasn't too hard exactly to figure out. Wait... Was he... Was he starting to... Smile at me?

Still, I didn't know if that was a Approving Smile or a Blackmail Smile, so I practically begged, "Please, please, please, please don't tell me parents about this!" I thought for a second. "Especially me mum!" I added as an urgent afterthought. "They would kill me if they found out! Please, stay sil-" Hiccup raised a hand to me to cut me off.

"Go." he said, simply.

I went into shock slightly. "... Eh?" I asked, disbelievingly.

He chuckled. "Go. Before your parents wake up!" He told me.

I slowly began regaining my composure. "Uh-Uuh... Sure. Bye Hic-" I was, again cut off. But by a knock at the door, this time.

"Merida? Are you presentable?" It was mother! I went into full-on shock. "I need to come in and tell you something." I looked to Hiccup, wide-eyed. He was out of his bed immediately.

"Uh... Just a minute, mum!" I managed to call-more like, squeaked-out.

I run as fast and as quietly to the case, fumbling with the belt of belt-quiver as fast as I could. I sighed in relief as it came of and pulled the arrows out of the quiver. I placed them into the case and closed the flap over it. Then a pile of clothes somehow... Fell? Fell on top of it... In a perfect pile...

I looked up to see Hiccup holding another pile of clothes. 'Thank you!' I mouthed to him and smiled gratefully. Hiccup passed me the last two piles and ran to his desk.

"Merida! I am coming in now!" She opened the door and walked just as I was about to close the case. "Oh!" She said, obviously surprised. "You're both ready?" Hiccup and I nodded. "Perfect. Hiccup, because the triplets will be enough as it is at the treaty meeting, could you take Merida with you to Dragon Training?" She looked me up and down and I knew she was thinking I didn't look regal enough for a princess. "It would help a lot-and, of course, she will only be watching." She said whilst looking at me and with a stern expression and a warning tone. I crossed my arms, rolled my eyes and huffed.

"Urm... S-sure, Queen Elinor" Hiccup said, nervous, and I didn't think it was because of my mother... Although I couldn't see why he wasn't, in all honesty! He turned to me and gulped. "L-let's get going, Me-Merida!" He tried another smile, but it just made him look even more scared.

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Hiccup's P.O.V-Later in the moring... Dragon Training!

"Welcome to dragon training!" Gobber announced as the rest of the recruits and I-oh and Merida file through the gate, and out onto the arena floor. Everyone apart from Merida, Gobber and I, take it in like gladiators entering the colosseum. The walls are covered in scorched silhouettes of blasted Vikings. It's a grim yet awe-inspiring place.

"No turning back." Astrid spoke up, proudly.

"I hope I get some serious burns!" Tuffnut says some-what sadistically. I stifle a laugh as I see Merida's expression, which has to be the same one I gave her this morning, just with more disbelief.

"I'm hoping for some mauling, like on my shoulder or lower back." Ruffnut says, causing Merida to look directly at me, eyebrows now at her hairline and mouths: 'Hoping for?!'.

"Yeah, it's only fun if you get a scar out of it." I look at Merida again, to see her reaction, which is now one of understanding.

... The Scottish can be quite strange...

"Huh? Yeah, no kidding, right? Pain. Love it!" I say, trying to impress Astrid.

The recruits turn to see me trailing behind them. Groans all around. They don't see Merida, who is intelligently hiding behind Gobbers... Urm... Stockyfigure.

"Oh great. Who let him in?" He argues, and others begin to join as Merida gives me a confused and slightly sympathetic look.

"Let's get started! The recruit who does best will win the honour of killing his first dragon in front of the entire village!" Gobber announces cheerfully.

"Hiccup already killed a Night Fury, soo... Does that disqualify him or...?" Snotlout mocks me. Making the recruits laugh and chatter in the background.

"Can I transfer to the class with the cool Vikings?" Tuffnut sneers and laughs.

Gobber throws a supportive arm around me and ushers me along.

"Don't worry." He told my, cheery and confident. "You're small and you're weak. That'll make you less of a target. They'll see you as sick or insane and go after the more Viking-like teens instead."

I deadpan.

Gobber sticks me in line with the others and continues on toward five massive reinforced doors. Terrible and terrifying roars and bellows issue from within.

"Behind these doors" Gobber continues. "Are just a few of the many species you will learn to fight."

Fishlegs bounces and giggles with excitement, barely able to contain himself.

"The Deadly Nadder." Gobber gives as an example.

"Speed-eight. Armor-sixteen." Fishlegs mutters under his breathe.

"The Hideous Zippleback."

"Plus eleven stealth. Times two." Fishlegs says, louder this time.

"The Monstrous Nightmare."

"Firepower is a fifteen."

"The Terrible Terror."

"Attack-eight. Venom-twelve." Fishlegs announces more trivial facts about the dragons.

"CAN YOU STOP THAT?!" Gobber shouts, silencing Fishlegs. "And...the Gronckle."

"strength, eight." Fishlegs mutters quietly to himself.

Gobber pulls a lever, raising the cross beam on the last of the doors.

"Whoa, wait! Aren't you gonna teach us first?!" Snotlout exclaims, off guard.

"I believe in learning on the job." Gobber says, nonchlantly. Then...

BAM!

A Gronkle thunders out of its cave, charging into the ring like an irate rhino. Us recruits scramble in every direction, while Merida continues hiding behind Gobber (... How hasn't he noticed her yet?), all except for Ruffnut and Tuffnut who rush toward it, like pumped-up rodeo clowns.

"Today is about survival. If you get blasted, you're dead. Quick, what's the first thing you're going to need?

"A doctor?" I say meekly.

"Plus five speed?" Fishlegs gulps.

"A shield!" Astrid shouts... She is so smart...

"Shields. Go." He instructs. We recruits scramble for shields, finding them scattered around the ring.

"Your most important piece of equipment is your shield. If you must make a choice between a sword or a shield, take the shield." He shouts above the noise.

I am struuggling to lift mine. Gobber helps me and push my back to send me running.

Ruff and Tuff stand amidst a dozen shields. But only one has a skull painted on it. They both grab it.

"Get your hands off my shield!" Tuffnut shouts.

"There are like a million shields!" She snarls right back.

"Take that one, it has a flower on it. Girls like flowers." Tuffnut growls at her.

Ruffnut uses the shield to bash Tuffnut harshly in the face. He still doesn't let go.

"Ooops, now this one has blood on it." She sneers and smirks.

The Gronckle takes aim at the distracted twins... And...

Blam!

The shield is blasted out of both of their hands. Tuff and Ruff spin like spinning-tops and go down.

"Tuffnut, Ruffnut, you're out!" Gobber hollers.

"What?!" Tuffnut and ruffnut shouts, dazed and confused.

The Gronckle scoops up a pile of rocks and swallows them back. Us teens gather on the far side of the ring.

Those shields are good for another thing. Noise. Make lots of it to throw off a dragon's aim." Gobber informs us... Wait, where has Merida disappeared to?

Immediately, we scoop up weapons and begin hammering on their shields. The Gronckle shakes its head at the clatter.

"All dragons have a limited number of shots. How many does a Gronckle have?" Gobber shouts at us through the noise.

"Five!" Snotlout shouts at us as an answer.

"No, six!" Fishlegs corrects him.

"Correct, six. That's one for each of you!" Gobber hollers at us.

"I really don't think my parents would-"

BAM!

Fishlegs is cut off by his shield being blasted away.

"Fishlegs, out." Gobber shouts to him.

Gobber spots me, hiding from the Gronckle's molten slugs.

"Hiccup, get in there!" He tries to encourage me.

I turn my attention on Astrid, who is bouncing on her heels, ready to dodge a blast. Snotlout appears, trying to hit on her.

"So anyway I'm moving into my parents' basement." Best way to start flirting. "You should come by sometime to work out. You look like you work out-"

She cartwheels out of the way as easily as a wheel turning around, allowing a shot to shoot past her and hit Snotlout's shield. He's blasted onto his back.

"Snotlout! You're done!"

Astrid rolls to a stop beside me, and I begin to stir awkwardly, trying to look cool.

And failing.

"So, I guess it's just you and me huh?" I say, my voice cracking.

"No." She's says, bluntly. "Just you."

Astrid then rolls away, immediately after finishing her sentence...

And A split-second later a lava slug knocks shield clear off of arm arm. I am completely and utterly exposed.

"One shot left!" Gobber tells me and the top of his lungs.

I begin to panic and chase after my shield as it rolls across the ring.

This sudden movement sends the Gronckle chasing after me, leaving Astrid in the clear... BUT I HAVE A DRAGON CHASING ME!

"Hiccup!" Gobber sounds worried, this cannot be good.

The Gronckle drives straight toward Hiccup, pinning him against the wall. It opens its mouth and cocks its tail, ready to fire point-blank.

I wince and begin to cower as I prepare to be scorched. I here Gobbers footsteps approaching, but too slow. The fire is begin to build up in the back of the dragons' throat and I finally close my eyes and brace myself, when...

"Back aff me friend, ye over groon toad!" A strong Scottish accent shouted. "And get back in yer cage, now! Got it, ye pest!" I felt a weight taken off me and I fall to the ground. I slowly slowly cracked my eyes open...

To see Merida, protecting herself with a shield direct a perfectly balanced sword in the direction of the... Gronkle?!

The girl's got guts, that's for sure. I noted, along with how her accent and words go even stronger when angry.

The Gronkle was backing away from her, as well! Couldn't blame it, either, Merida had a terrifying and determined expression and that partnered with her wielding a weapon... She became Scary Scot Merida!

She got it in line with its cage and swung her sword, not tring to hurt it though, just make it back up.

Gobber closed the the cage's door behind the dragon and Merida dropped the sword and shield on the second the cage door slammed closed, breathing heavily and sweating slight and looking at her weapon with light disgust.

She turned around to face a group of five confused and, ultimately, confused teenage Vikings. All she did was grin and wipes each of her hands on the other one. "And that..." She pants lightly. "... That is how you do that." She smiles and picks up the sword and places it on the Weapons Board.

Gobber raises a single eyebrow at her, impressed. "Merida?" She turns around to face him. "Sorry, Princess Merida." The five remaining teens' eyes widen even more. Gobber holds out his one hand to her. "Welcome to Dragon Training."

Merida's eyes widen and they dart to me for two seconds, and they show fear, just like mine, most likely, did this morning. I give her a look that tells her to accept. I know if she doesn't, she's in for it.

She swallows and clears her throat. She regains composure freakishly fast and reaches out her hand. "My pleasure, Gobber, my pleasure." She doesn't look happy. Not. One. Bit.

Gobber turns to me. "You'll get another chance, don't you worry." He turns to all the recruits now.

"Remember... a dragon will always..." He gives us a stern look to Merida and I. "... Always go for the kill.

He hoists me up to me feet and walks off. I look overhead to see a steaming pit in the solid stone wall.

I gulp, nervously.

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Hiccup's P.O.V-Nearing the evening...

Battered from the disastrous day of training in the ring, I had decided to sneak off into woods and collect my thoughts.

I managed to sneak off without anyone seeing my.

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Merida's P.O.V-At the exact same time...

I had managed to get my Archery set and belt-quiver and sneak out of the house. I needed to clear my head after today, I was stilling shaking from the power surge I had felt earlier.

I heard a twig snap near me, and I ducked behind a tree.

I quietened my breathing a looked around the tree.

To see Hiccup, looking extremely stressed.

He walked deeper into the forest and i was met with a dilema...

Shoot arrows to calm down, or follow Hiccup for entertainment?

...

I think I'll go for the Hiccup entertainment option, please!

And, who knows, I might be able to shoot a couple of arrows if things get too boring, he-he...