Ch10 Because I Trust You

Merida jumped off Angus before he was fully settled and rushed to her room, grateful to not run into anyone. She flung herself on her bed looking at the ceiling, an engagement, talk of war, why was it all happening now? She'd just found a friend she didn't want to loose and now she might have to fight him? She closed her eyes for a moment to try and block the world out when she heard a sound by her window that she recognized instantly. She went to her window scowling and flung it open crossing her arms as she spoke, "I told ya to leave me be, Hiccup."

Hiccup and Toothless were doing their best to maintain altitude outside the window as quietly as they could.

"I wanted to see you," Hiccup said softly, with a growl of agreement from the dragon, "We need to talk."

"And what if someone see you? Eh?" Merida whispered intensely. "What then? Do ya know what my father would do if he saw a bloody Viking on a great dragon outside his daughters window?"

"I…I guess I hadn't thought out that," he admitted while she gave him a pointed look. "But…I don't…I don't care. Merida, please. I know how it feels to want to be friends with someone you aren't allowed to be friends with…" he leaned down at Toothless. "But I promise you, it's worth it to try."

Her face softened slightly, "I don't know…"

"Come on, are you really gunna let fate boss you around?" Hiccup asked, raising an eyebrow.

Merida let out a laugh, "I suppose not."

"Besides," Hiccup said smiling glad to have gotten her laughing, "I promised to take you flying again right?"

"That ya did," Merida said with a smile as she climbed up onto her window ledge, "I think now's a good a time as any."

Hiccup smiled wider as he helped her onto Toothless, whatever was bothering her maybe a flight around DunBroch would help.

"I knew about the attacks," Hiccup said as they flew, "The whole village heard about them and my dad was worried about a war breaking out. It's why he decided to come talk to yours, to try and stop it."

"I hope he can," Merida said not wanting any kind of war to break out.

"Merida?"

"Yes?"

"What's really bothering you?" Hiccup asked obvious worry in his voice.

She sighed and dropped her forehead against his back, "My mother says I'm to be engaged to one of the leader's sons."

Toothless let out a questioning sound while Hiccup was quiet for a minute, as if not sure what to say. When he did speak he questioned her cautiously not wanting to upset her, "You don't want that?"

"O' course not," she said sounding a bit angry as she sat up, "I want to choose my own fate; she said I could too before this war talk. Now I have to marry one of them to try and stop it."

Hiccup tried to think of something he could say to help but only came up with, "That's not fair. You should be able to do what you want and marry who you want."

"Thanks," she said quietly not really feeling like talking much now; she just wanted to enjoy the ride. As if reading her mind, or being too busy thinking to say anymore, Hiccup stayed quiet. After riding for a few minutes in silence Merida looked over Toothless' side and became curious.

"Have you ever fallen from up here?" Merida questioned.

"Yeah a couple times," Hiccup responded thinking of how many had been accidental as appose to on purpose.

"What was it like?"

"It's scary but kind of fun at the same time."

"And he always catches you?" she motioned to Toothless.

"Of course," he said, it was obvious Toothless had otherwise on a few of them he wouldn't be here.

"Good," she said straightening herself. Hiccup felt her shift behind him and place her hand on his shoulder; looking behind him he saw her standing.

He gave her a strange look, "What are you…?" before he finished his question Merida took a breath and stepped off into the open air. "Merida!" he shouted, Toothless let out a worried sound as they went into a nosedive, "Not good, not good."

Merida didn't look or feel scared. As she fell she slowly spread her arms out as if they were wings wondering if this is what eagles felt when the flew, it was a beautiful feeling. She closed her eyes for a moment enjoying the feeling of freedom the fall had when she heard Hiccup call her again.

"Merida!" he sounded worried, she opened her eyes and looked at him and Toothless flying toward her. She smiled and waved as they got closer causing Toothless to give her a confused look, Hiccup hardly noticed he was more concerned with getting Merida back on Toothless. Heading under her Toothless spread his wings to slow their decent, unfortunately Merida had no way of doing that herself and crashed into Hiccup's back. Hiccup let out a groan as he quickly reached behind him to catch Merida before she fell off.

Merida held onto Hiccup's hand as she repositioned herself back onto the saddle behind Hiccup, "You alright?" she asked looking at his back for any signs of injury.

"Me?" Hiccup asked sounding shocked, "What about you? You jumped off Toothless! Why would you do that?"

"I wanted to see what it was like to fly."

He paused for a moment then sighed, "Okay but do you have any idea how worried I was? I mean what would have happened if we didn't catch you?"

"I wasn't worried."

"You weren't, why?"

"Well I suppose I knew I could count on you or at least your dragon. Aye ya cowardly Viking?"

He laughed hearing the playful tone in her voice, "Thanks you Scottish troll." He wondered why those names seemed to be becoming their nicknames for each other but he didn't mind.

"Besides," she said quietly and sincerely, "I trust you Hiccup. You're the best friend I ever had next to Angus."

"I know what you mean," he said with a small smile, "You're a very special person to me too Merida."

She smiled too and wrapped her arms around him, not so much for safety as she just wanted to, and rested her head on his back. Hiccup blushed happy and grateful for being able to be close to her. He didn't care what happened; they'd figure something out, all he really knew was he wanted to be with her for as long as possible.