Merricup Story chapter 3

Hiccup swallowed hard. No names. He could hear all his friends shouting possible pseudonyms in his head. “Yarlkroft!” “Sam Squat-thrust!” “Wimp!” “Drunk!” “DarkLord DragonSlayer!” “Drunk!” “Studley McMuscle!” “Drunk!” “Toughnuttz!” “Drunk!” He almost told the voices to shut up out loud.  “Uh, what do you say we get away from the party? Get your bow back?”

Merida perked up and beamed and forgot any mention of names. “Ye can do that?”

“Sure! Where is it?”

“In me mum’s room.”

“Lead the way, your majesty,”Said hiccup with another bow. And the two snuck through the crowds and raced out of the ballroom and into the castle.

"So," said Hiccup casually, "I noticed there aren't any vikings at this ball."

"'Course not," said the princess, not turning around, so focused was she on her destination. "Mum'd go mad. She hates vikings, no idea why."

"Wait... Your mom hates vikings? Isn't your dad the one at war with them?" The two snuck past an older woman with a plate of cakes. 

"Nah. He doesn't mind them. Actually thinks they're brilliant. But, of course, he's never said no t'her a day in his life."

Hiccup couldn't believe it. Fergus, the Bear King, the man who lost a leg to Mor'Du the Evil Bear, couldn't stand up to his wife. After all the tales he'd heard about that man! Then again, she did seem rather... Frightening. "Has he ever gone against her?"

"Only when he gave me my bow. Says learnin' t'fight's essential." She flattened herself into the shadows as another servant passed by.

"My dad says that, too."

"Who's yer dad, then?"

What was with this girl and asking questions? "Is this your moms room?"

"Aye," she knelt by the keyhole and looked in. She rattled the doorknob. "Locked."

 "No worries. I got this." Hiccup knelt down, pulled a metal wire out of his pocket, and picked the lock. He taught himself to pick such mechanisms when he was… seven? He had much practice with manuevering the tumblers into just the right position and when he felt that satisfying click, there was no question it was open. “Milady,” he let Merida have the honor of opening the door. Part of this was just so he could see the look on her face when she found out it was indeed unlocked. One of the very few shortcomings of a genius is that you have to show off. 

“Where’d you learn how t’do that?” Merida gasped. 

“Well,” Hiccup scratched the back of his neck. “There was this one time I was in a barn, and a goat was chewing on my… It’s a long story.” He chuckled.

Inside was a bedroom, a little less elaborate than Hiccup had imagined. It was rather small, and if he were just a few inches taller then he would have to duck down. It was rather well furnished however. There was a bed that looked like it was just oozing with softness, a beautiful stationery desk, a looking glass of the most pristine sorts, and a tapestry on the wall. This caught Hiccup’s eye. It depicted Merida and her mother and father, outlined with the most delicately detailed embroidery. Merida and the Queen are holding hands. 

Maybe… just maybe… wondered Hiccup. Maybe she actually does care about her daughter. He could see that no ordinary craftsman made this. By the slant of the stitch he could tell it was made by a left handed person, and he couldn’t help but think of the queen’s hands. Nimble, yet strong. Riddled with pricks and blisters of all kinds. Did she make this?

“Here it is!” Merida shouted, her muffled voice coming from under the bed. “Ah got it!” She pulled out a bow, which was pretty humble looking compared to the rest of the royal palace. It was just a normal recurve bow, rather shorter than what the Viking was used to seeing. The only outstanding features was some light carving on the limbs and a simple leather wrapped handle. 

No matter, a breath of the ordinary was refreshing after all this extravaganza. “Are you good with it?” Hiccup asked, which was probably the wrong thing to do, he thought.

“No,” she sighed. “Yes.” She corrected herself. “Well, I’m…” She shook her head between the two thoughts pulling on her with invisible ropes. 

“Come now, you look like a strong and skilled girl to me,” Hiccup chuckled.

Merida just shrugged her shoulders.

“What is the draw weight on it?”

Her curiosity was peaked, as she had not suspected her friend of knowing of such things. “Eighty pounds.”

“Wow! That’s… that’s heavy.”

“Well, it’s pretty easy considering the curve of the limbs,”

“Ah, yes. But a rounder belly on it would give you much more speed in the release.”

“I know, right?” Merida said with genuine excitement. “I’ve been tryin to talk me mum into lettin me build one of my own, but…” 

Hiccup saw that she was having a rough time with the topic. “Why don’t you show me?”

“Show you what?” she asked.

“Show me your shooting!”

Merida loved the idea, but insisted that they would never be able to make it outside. Hiccup scurried around the room for something he could use, but then realized that making an escape rope out of the queen’s dirty laundry… that wasn’t exactly decent. 

“Ah, yes!” He remembered the ace he’d been hiding up his sleeve.

“What is it?” Merida asked. 

“Just hold on to me.”

“But sir…” Merida tried to conceal a smile. “I barely know you.”

“What?” Hiccup realized what he said came out wrong. “Wait, no, just… I’ll give you a piggy-back ride.”

Merida burst into laughter and with that agreed. Hiccup explained that he must have his hands free, so she worked out some manner of grip that wouldn’t strangle him but would be secure. 

“Hold on tight now,” the Viking said.

“Hold on tight for wha-” Merida was cut off when Hiccup leaped out the window, which prompted a scream. But she immediately silenced herself when she saw him pull something from his suit with both arms. The outer part of his attire transformed into large cloths, spanning from his outstretched arms to his black leather boots. Wings. They were flying! Merida couldn’t believe what she was experiencing, she was floating through the air on his back, and better yet, this was a young man she enjoyed being with. So, that was definitely a plus.