Let Me Be Your Wings (Mericcup Month 2018 HiccupxMerida)

Alliance

Here's the first prompt for Mericcup Month 2018: Alliance

Disclaimer: I don't own httyd or brave

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Alliance

Merida's hands shook as she held her father's arm while they traveled down the aisle to end her old life. It had finally happened—she would be married. No matter how hard she fought or pleaded or screamed at her parents, she was to be married off. Even after turning her mother into a bear years ago, it was all for nothing now because she had to put aside what she wanted for her nation.

She just didn't expect being married off to a Viking.

She supposed it made sense. Conflicts between Vikings and Highlanders were becoming worse as every day passed. Both sides were losing men rapidly, and it was called for the Celts to align themselves with a Viking tribe to settle tensions and create allies among the tribes. While not solving the problem completely, it would help to have Viking sources to aid the Highlanders against other more violent tribes.

If only it didn't call for the marriage of their future queen.

The price was almost too high. Fergus and Elinor refused at first, fighting that Scotland needed its future queen more so than Stock's heir needing a wife, but Stoick the Vast was always stubborn, refusing to give them his son to be King as he was his only son, and Elinor and Fergus had more children to take Merida's place as heir. Eventually, them losing too many people to the Viking raids weighed too heavily on Scotland's King and Queen, and with heavy hearts, agreed to marry off their precious daughter.

Fergus tightened his grip on his daughter, attempting to reassure her, but it fell flat. None of them were familiar with Vikings or the Hooligan tribe with Elinor being the only one who was able to speak their language. Despite Elinor's urgings, Merida had refused to learn Viking language, her final rebellion against this farce of a marriage.

She didn't know what this Hiccup was like. He could be a brute or a domineering husband for all she knew. At least if she didn't understand him, she wouldn't have him break her with verbal abuse. Her mother had warned her not all marriages were happy like hers and Fergus's, and with sadness, her mother had explained that she could end up in an unhappy marriage with these arrangements, so it was best to try and appease Hiccup rather than fight him. This made Merida vow to not be a docile wife. She would not be something she was not. If this Hiccup did not like a spitfire as a wife, it would be as miserable for him as it was for her.

She kept her eyes locked to the floor while her father and her journeyed down the aisle towards her future husband. She didn't dare look up, not even when Fergus transferred her to her intended's hand. Her hand was still trembling, but she refused to be weak and cry. She was a Scot. She was strong and proud. Merida told this to herself over and over to try and ease herself from breaking down. The Vikings would not see her weep.

Her hand was given a comforting squeeze and she snapped her head up, looking straight into Hiccup's eyes. They were a beautiful green, reminding her of the lush hills of Scotland she would ride across with Angus. If she wasn't careful, she would get absorbed in them. Her eyes traced his face and she found handsome features where she expected deformities to be. Unlike her untamable hair, it appeared his messy hair suited him well with little braids in it to accent it.

The ceremony was combined with both Scottish and Viking traditions, and Hiccup continued to convey softness in his gaze as he squeezed her hand to try and comfort her while Stoick tied a cord around their joined hands, reciting to his people and Merida's family the official words of what Scottish tradition dictated. As for Merida, she couldn't understand a word he was staying as it was all in Viking language, and straightened her shoulders, titling her chin up, and narrowed her eyes in challenge, showing Hiccup she was not a Scotswoman to be broken. Hiccup jolted a bit, blinking curiously, surprised by the fire in her gaze. Nonetheless, he wasn't deterred. In fact, her spirit seemed to make him smile, his eyes sparkling in mirth as he tried to keep himself from laughing.