The Frozen Brave

Lost, Found and Misunderstood

"Alright, Stormfly. Nice and steady..." Astrid said to the Deadly Nadder. Today, she and her dragon were practicing a new flying skill. Ever since Hiccup became chief, Astrid resolved to make herself busy with her dragon so that she can ignore having her attention drawn by him. It isn't easy but she manages.
Just then, the twins appeared. The figure of their also twin dragon got closer.
"Ruff? Tuff?" She crossed her arms at them when they got closer.
"Astrid, have you seen Hiccup?" Ruffnut asked her.
"Not since yesterday. Why?" She replied.
"Gobber wants him right now and we can't find him anywhere, not that we care but hey." Ruffnut said.
"Why do we have to do it?" Tuffnut asked, snorting.
"Because the others are busy preparing for the attack and we're the only ones available." Ruffnut knocked him in the head.
"Did you have to do that?" he rubbed his head, scowling at her.
"Ok, ok, we'll go look. Don't mess." Astrid told the two before leading Stormfly up high.
"Let's try the woods, Storm. He's bound to be there for sure." The Nadder glided to the trees.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

When Toothless, Hiccup and Merida finished eating, they went into the woods again. Hiccup had asked Merida to help him practice shooting arrows. So there he was, standing in front of a tree on an open ground. Merida decided to laugh at his every try while Toothless rested himself by her side, also laughing in the way a dragon would. Four arrows were already down in a distance from the target and Hiccup was drawing a fifth one.
He exhaled, trying to calm his nerves down.
"You were really serious about that help you're asking, weren't you?" she said, trying not to chuckle.
"I was, now stop laughing." He said, regaining his concentration. When he felt ready, he released the arrow. It passed by the target and he earned fits of giggles from Merida and Toothless.
"Oh come on..." he raised both arms as he turned to his helpful companions helplessly.
"Sss-so ssssorry Hiccup but I-oh hahaha!" Merida tried to say amidst the giggles.
"Not you too Bud." He turned to his best friend who laughed toothlessly at him. "So much for being my best friend."
Merida stood up, still giggling a bit. She took the bow and arrows from him. She drew an arrow and hit the bull's eye perfectly. She turned back to Hiccup, smirking.
"Easy for you because you're all good." He said.
"A little more practice and you'll be as good as me." She said.
A roar interrupted them and a dragon appeared. A blonde girl sat on and got off it just as it landed. She walked straight to them.
"A-astrid..." Hiccup stammered.
"Hiccup, how could you just-?" Astrid took note of the girl standing beside him. She had drawn an arrow pointed at her. Hiccup used a hand to lower the bow.
"She's a friend." She heard him tell her.
'Friend?' she thought. 'Just a friend to you? After everything we've been through?'
He snapped her out of her thoughts when he did the introductions.
"Merida, Astrid. Astrid, Merida. I found her here in the woods yesterday and helped her out." He said. Then he turned to Merida. "She's my childhood friend."
"Hi." Merida said to Astrid. She was not sure what to say because of the girl's frowning face. And it seemed to Merida that Astrid was more than a childhood friend of his.
Astrid only stared back in reply. She didn't like this Merida girl. How are the chances of her being an enemy - great? An accomplice of the evil queen they were after?
Hiccup was not blind to the tension between the two either. But he didn't know why there was such a silent disagreement when it was merely the first meet.
"Hiccup, you have to go back to Berk. Gobber needs you to check on the arrangements for the attack tomorrow." She told him and, without waiting for his reply, immediately went back to board Stormfly.
"Oh right. I almost forgot. I-uh-I'll be with you in a minute!" He replied after her. He went over to Toothless who immediately stood, sensing their leave. Merida followed him. Hiccup knew she was there and he knew that he didn't want to leave so suddenly.
"I'll be back. I want you to stay here and don't go anywhere. For all we know, your father might still be looking for you and they might find you." He told her as he hopped into his dragon.
"But-"
"No buts." He cut her off. "I'll be back as soon as I can, with food and clothes."
Toothless gave an almighty leap and shot into the sky. Astrid and her dragon followed short and Merida watched until they were out of sight.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

When they arrived, Hiccup watched over the preparations that were going on. The villagers were boarding things into the back of dragons. Some took the explosive canisters and bombs and loaded them into crates. The others made ready the battle catapults. Hiccup nodded in agreement at everything he saw.
"Everyone's been busy and it will be all ready in a short while." Gobber appeared at his side.
"I guess so." Hiccup said.
"And just in time too. The winter is starting to get to us." Astrid pointed upwards and they all saw them. The dark clouds they have been anticipating were creeping close and swirling in the sky.
"Snow clouds. Aren't they spreading too fast? Everyone get your coats. It's gonna be real cold soon so be ready." Gobber said. Everyone moved.
Hiccup turned to leave but Astrid grabbed his arm.
"Where are you going?" she asked.
"Uh home? I have to grab some things." He replied, gently prying her hand off his arm and jogged away to his place. Astrid had a rough thought on the matter and was about to follow him when Ruffnut called to her.
"Hey Astrid! Can you give me a hand here?" She was on her dragon, trying to carry some crates to the pile. "These are real heavy you know!"
Astrid looked to Hiccup then back to Ruffnut.
"Alright." She replied to her before getting on Stormfly to help. These will distract me from him, she thought.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Hiccup hurriedly took his extra coat and some food and hopped on Toothless, setting off to his secret cabin. When they arrived, he immediately looked for Merida.
"Merida? I'm back." He got inside and caught her staring out the window of the other room.
"Oh hey." She walked to him. "I was just looking at those big clouds outside. We must be having a really bad weather forecast today."
"Yeah and it's because of her." He replied unconsciously.
"Who?" she asked. For a while, he hesitated. This was supposed to be a secret operation. No one else must know but Vikings. But he started talking about it to Merida, he had to tell.
"The Snow Queen. We first heard a rumor about this certain place. The queen who ruled was said to control ice and snow. At first we didn't believe it but soon the weather started to change. The people living in nearby countries, including Vikings feared that it might be all true and if someone doesn't stop it, we will be buried under ice and snow soon." He explained.
"That sounds bad." She remarked.
"It does. And since we have dragons on our side, it's a challenge we think we should take. Now we are getting ready because we already tracked down the place where the rumors started."
"Which is?"
"Some place called the kingdom of Arendelle."
Merida thought for a moment. "I've heard about that place but I've never been there. It's popular during spring because they grow many beautiful flowers and bountiful crops."
"Yes. And so we are planning to attack first thing. Tomorrow, we set off to Arendelle." He said as he took out the food and clothes he brought. They both sat down to eat.
"I should leave then." Merida said before taking a bite on her bread.
"Huh?" Hiccup stopped. "Why think of that?"
Because of Astrid. She might be thinking wrongly about you and I, she thought but she pushed it away. "You said you were preparing for an attack. I don't want to be a bother."
"You're not a bother, trust me. It's actually fun to have you around." He said.
"I'll be leaving for a friend of mine. I'll be fine there."
He looked at her and sighed. "Alright. Your choice."
Silence enveloped the atmosphere for a while. Then Hiccup cleared his throat.
"I might not be able to sleep with you here tonight but I'll make sure to come back in the morning so don't go anywhere yet. I'm sending you off ok?" he said.
"Alright." Merida replied.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Merida woke up the next day and readied herself and Angus who had been staying behind the cabin the whole time. Hiccup had directed her to him last night before he left so that she could get him ready.
Hiccup came just like he promised. Merida hopped on Angus and trotted him alongside Toothless who had Hiccup on his back.
"Are you sure you know where you're going?" he asked her.
"Yeah. I've been there, you can say, practically my whole life." She replied.
"Well, be safe then. If you get in trouble, I'll find you." He said.
"I'll keep that in mind. Thanks for everything, Hiccup."
"Anytime, Merida." He responded.
Merida whipped the reins and Angus galloped to the road. She waved back at Hiccup who also waved back smiling.