Rise of the Brave Tangled Dragons

A Story for Others - Chapter 8

"My name is Merida Dunbroch. I am the first born of the Dunbroch clan, and my skills are archery and horse-riding." Merida said, nodding her head at everyone.

"I'm Jack Frost, and that is all I know about myself." Jack said, shrugging at everyone else.

"I'm Rapunzel, and I am a skilful healer, artist and cook. Before I came here, I lived in a tower with my mother." Rapunzel said and the three of them looked over at Hiccup, who was stepping backwards.

"Hiccup?" Jack asked watching him shake his head and continue stepping backwards.

"What is the matter?" Rapunzel asked next and Merida sighed.

"I... Just don't want to talk about myself." Hiccup said, stepping back as Merida pulled out her bow.

"Hiccup, we just want to know a little about you." Rapunzel replied, pulling Merida and her bow back.

"I don't want to talk about myself."

"Why not?" Merida snapped, putting her bow away.

"Because of my... Because."

"Hiccup!"

"How about you tell us how you met Toothless?" Jack asked, ignoring the glares Merida and Rapunzel gave him.

"Ok... I guess." Hiccup sighed stepping forwards again and sitting down, Toothless behind him.

"Yay! A story!" Rapunzel exclaimed happily and settled herself down next to Merida.

"Well... This story happens a couple of weeks back, in one of the wars with Vikings and Dragons, a war I was meant to be inside for but... I wanted to help. I have never been able to help in any of these wars. So I was getting ready to shoot the Night Fury down, to prove my worth." Hiccup started the story, drawing on the floor a picture of him and Toothless.

"Wait... So Vikings don't ride dragons?" Rapunzel asked confused and Hiccup nodded, and continues on with the story.

"So... I waited and I shot the dragon, watching it plummet to the ground, and I told my father, but he didn't believe me, so the next day I went searching for the dragon. And I found it in a valley, and that is how we met," Hiccup finished the story and the picture he was drawing was finished, it was him putting his hand on Toothless' snout, all in very fine detail which was difficult with a stick.

"That's all? So how did you train a dragon." Merida asked, making Hiccup look uncomfortable.

"That is a different story. I'm going to sleep now."

"Now?" Rapunzel asked and Jack shook his head.

"If Hiccup wants to sleep let him. I'll keep watch." Jack said and Rapunzel sighed, laying down. Merida glared at Jack and laid down, pretending to sleep but an eye was watching Hiccup.

"Jack... I am going for a walk. Please don't tell anyone." Hiccup whispered to Jack, who nodded and Hiccup ran into the forest, Merida getting up quietly and following him.

Hiccup sighed, his hand brushing against the leaves with Merida following closely behind. A rustle was heard in front of Hiccup, making him freeze and Merida to slowly pull out her bow.

"Who's there?" Hiccup called out, sneaking forwards as a dark man stepped out of some bushes to his side.

"It's OK. I'm not here to hurt you." The man said, stepping over to Hiccup who stepped back quickly.

"Who are you?"

"It doesn't matter who I am."

"Yes it does."

"It doesn't matter who I am, Hiccup Horrendious Haddick the III." The man snapped and Hiccup gasped suddenly.

"That is not my name. Not anymore."

"Why not Hiccup. It is your birth name."

"It is not my name. Now who are you before Toothless comes and incinerates you." Hiccup yelled, making the dark man smirk and Merida aim her bow at him.

"I am Pitch."

"Pitch?"

"The Guardians really did tell you nothing... did they. I'm Pitch Black." Pitch said smirking at Hiccup's surprised look as an arrow flies past him.

"Get away from him." Merida said, stepping out from behind a tree.

"Merida. The one who turned her parent into a bear." Merida turned pale.

"Stop, and leave. Get away."

"Merida. Hiccup. You know everyone will find out, even if you try to hide it." Pitch said disappearing into the shadows and Merida fires another arrow at him.

"Merida... Thank you. Let's get back now..." Hiccup said awkwardly, heading back to where Jack and Rapunzel was.

"Hiccup... What did you mean that wasn't your name?" Merida asked, unable to keep her curiosity at bay.

"Nothing..."

"Please... I want to help you, but I need to know what the problem is." Merida said pleading, grabbing Hiccup's arm.

"I... I'm not a Viking. Not anymore." Hiccup said turning to face Merida.

"What do you mean?"

"My father want's nothing to do with me, so I refuse to go by my name. It is just Hiccup, I have no other names." Hiccup said fiercely, pulling his hand out of Merida's grip.

"I'm... I'm sorry." Merida said and was quiet for the rest of the walk back.

"Merida! Hiccup! Jack said you and Hiccup had disappeared... It is almost sunrise. Where were you two?" Rapunzel exclaimed as she saw them and ran forwards to greet them. Jack glanced at Hiccup and shrugged.

"I was taking a walk, I don't know what Merida was doing." Hiccup said smiling at Rapunzel and Jack. Merida looked up, and although it was clear that she had been crying, no one asked her what was wrong.

"I just wanted a walk, and I bumped into Hiccup." Merida replied and she looked up at the sky, where the stars were disappearing from.

"OK. So what are we going to do now?" Jack asked, looking at the other three.

"What are we going to do?" Rapunzel repeated dancing around worried. "What now?"

"I... We can't go back to where we came from... P... The Guardians will looks for us there." Hiccup stuttered, looking over at Merida who nodded.

"I don't even want to go back." She said and everyone else nodded.

"So... Does anyone have anything they want to do?" Rapunzel asked and everyone else shook their heads. "Because I want to see the lights, close up."'

"The lights?" Hiccup asked but Jack just smiled.

"The ones that fly up into the sky and disturb my flying sometimes? Well... We have nothing better to do." Jack said and Hiccup nodded, but Merida just looked at the ground.

"I guess..." She said and Rapunzel smiled at Jack, blushing slightly.

"So... How do we get there?" Jack asked.