Rise of the Brave Tangled Dragons

A Broken Heart - Chapter 11

"I'm going to hunt... I'll be back." Merida said to Jack and she ran into the forest, without Jack even so much as glancing at her.

"A broken heart?" Pitch's voice said behind Merida, and she grimaces.

"Leave me alone."

"What if I told you I could help you?"

"What if I told you I don't want your help?" Merida snapped back, grabbing her bow and some arrows quickly.

"What if I told you that the boy isn't a Viking."

"It doesn't matter! It doesn't matter that he doesn't use his last name! It doesn't matter if he believes he is no longer a Viking!" Merida yelled at Pitch, turning to shoot her bow at him, but he wasn't there.

"You know so much about him, but so little. There are so many secrets I could tell you, like there was a girl at his village."

"Even if there was... We all know we can't go back to our lives. Now leave me alone so I can hunt."

"Why, because you don't want to come back empty handed? To seem useless?" Pitch taunted, making Merida drop her bow and cover her ears.

"Stop it! Leave me alone!"

"Toothless... Fire." Hiccup said, and Merida looked over at Hiccup who was facing Toothless just to the side of her.

"Hiccup..."

"The boy doesn't care about you." Pitch hissed in Merida's ear before teleporting away.

"Merida. Do you want help to hunt." Hiccup asked, but it sounded like he was told to help.

"Yes please. Thank you."

"Let's keep hunting then."

"You screwed up again Jack." Pitch said, and Rapunzel looked around for the speaker.

"Pitch." Jack hissed, running over to Rapunzel protectively.

"The Boogieman?" Rapunzel whispered to Jack who nodded quickly, his eyes looking around for Pitch.

"I assume your Rapunzel. Gothel spoke highly of you." Pitch said, coming into view and looking at Rapunzel.

"You know my mother?"

"We are acquainted." Pitch replied, stepping over at Rapunzel and Jack stepped in between them.

"Stay away." Jack said, grabbing his staff fiercely.

"Jack. Your so lucky, that she doesn't love you." Pitch hissed, and disappeared as Jack threw an ice-bolt at him.

"Jack... What is he talking about?"

"He... He uses your fears..."

"And that is your fear? It's sweet..." Rapunzel whispered in Jack's ear, holding onto his arm, smiling at him.

"Rapunzel... What is your fear? I want to make sure Pitch can't use it against you."

"I... Having Gothel take all my new friends away, and taking you away mostly." Rapunzel sighed, looking down at her feet still smiling.

"That will never happen."

"How can you be so sure?"

"Cause I'll make sure of it."

"Hiccup... Can I talk to you?" Merida asked, carving the meat out of the elk she had just shot.

"We are."

"I... Wanted to apologize. For before." Merida said and she noticed that Hiccup was quiet, so she snuck a glance at him and was surprised by what she saw, the fact that he was actually considering her apology.

"OK."

"I didn't mean what I said before... I was surprised and I didn't want to please my mother by falling in love with a Viking... But I realised that you can't just not fall in love with someone."

"OK."

"I am really sorry."

"OK."

"Can you please say something other then 'OK'? Please." Merida said and she sighs as it goes silent again.

"Sure." Hiccup says after awhile and Merida looks towards the ground.

"I am truly sorry for what I have done. The outburst wasn't needed..."

"Stop apologizing Merida." Hiccup said, looking over at Merida worried.

"But..."

"Please." Hiccup whispered stepping over to Merida and wiping tears that Merida didn't even realise she had been crying.

"OK..." Merida replies, leaning on Hiccup.

"I'm sorry Merida. I thought that because Jack and Rapunzel were doing so well that we would work to... But I rushed everything. This is my fault." Hiccup whispered, pushing Merida's hair behind her ear.

"It wasn't your fault."

"It was... I asked Jack to help me. So he tried his best... But then you got so angry at me and so I thought that you didn't feel the same way about me."

"I..."

"But now I see I was wrong." Hiccup finished and Merida smiled.

"Let's get back... They might of thought you killed me."

"I wouldn't be able to kill you..." Hiccup sighed and they headed back.

"They might not know that." Merida smiled at Hiccup, who smiled back at her, but then frowned.

"Do you think I should go back at some point?"

"Back where?"

"Berk... My home." Hiccup said, glancing at Merida who had froze.

"Home..." She whispers and Hiccup hit himself mentally.

"Ah... I am sorry..."

"It's OK..." Merida whispered, thinking back to what Pitch said about the girl.

"So... Ah..."

"Is there a girl there?"

"Merida..."

"Answer the question please Hiccup... I need to know."

"I assume your talking about Astrid. But how do you know her?"

"I... Pitch said that you were in love with her."

"I was... But she fell in love with someone else."

"Oh... So... What about us?" Merida asked and Hiccup closed his eyes grimacing. "Did you guys... Ever kiss?"

"Once... But it was a complete accident. She was having trouble dismounting Toothless and she fell on me... And..."

"Was it good?"

"Merida..."

"Answer me Hiccup. Please." Merida demanded and Hiccup sighed.

"It was short, and I don't know if it was good. It was my first kiss, how can I say?"

"What was this girl Astrid like?"

"Come on... We need to get back. They will think one of us murdered each over." Hiccup said, and it was obvious he wanted to avoid the questions.

"Fine." Merida sighed and they kept moving back to where Jack and Rapunzel were supposed to be waiting for them.