Battle Scars (Mericcup Story)

Chapter 17: Promises

The world outside the make-shift home was no better. The air was bitter, and tasted of fall. Without having a clear path Merida took to the road, traveling swiftly to the town of Berk below. The streets were busy, with the whole community in a bustle. Fishing and travelling ships were departing, other's just arriving, filled to the brim with the early morning catch.

 Her sharp eyes looked through the crowd. It took her no time to find three small boys, their tiny frames weaving through the town and down to the water's edge. Behind them trailed a less-than-pleased Smothering Smokebreath*. The creature's demeanour made it clear that the boys had done something that they shouldn't have. Quickening her pace, Merida cut through the streets, dashing to get between the triplets and the dragon. "Boys!" Merida called, drawing their attention to her. "What do ya think your doing?" All three of the young lads sent a look towards the beast, dark smoke billowing from it's jaws. Merida too looked at the dragon, trying to remember anything Hiccup had told her about them. Kneeling down to the powdery black beast Merida presented her palm out to the creature, who didn't hesatate to draw closer to her. It was trained, that was good.

"Smokebreath's like metal." An unfamiliar voice said, leaning over Merida's shoulder. That's right. Hiccup had mentioned that Smothering Smokebreaths used metal for their nests. "The little guy may have been attrached by something your brothers are carrying... which would be my fault." Drawing back she was met with the blue eyes of an older viking. The man's most notable feature wasn't his eyes though, nor the small round stone that replaced a missing tooth. Rather, the large hammer he had in the place of his hand.  "My name is Gobber." The viking continued. "and I sent your brother out to get me a special package. I'd been working on a Thunderdrum's teeth, and those dragons can be real figity if you make them wait." A dragon dentist, Merida could almost laugh at the thought.

Gobber; the name was familiar. Merida remembered her father mentioning him on their way to Berk. "I'm Merida," She greeted, standing up to curtsy as politely as she could. "and it appears you know my brothers." She sent a sideways glance at them, trying to imitate the many her mother used to give her. "I was wondering where they'd been disappearing to."

"Aye," Gobber laughed. "There sharp as nails, those boys. And between you and me they remind me a bit of Hiccup at their age. Always getting into trouble. Although a wee bit less fishy-bony." He winked after the last comment, as if it were some private joke.

Merida smiled. It was obvious that Gobber was close to Hiccup, probably something of a mentor with how much her father had talked-up about the older man. "And what exactly did you get these three devils to deliver for you?"

Gobber raised a hand, making a tsk-ing noise before leaning in. "Only if you won't tell Hiccup your highness." Rolling her eyes Merida insisted that he continue. "Well, if you're really curious." He took the box from Hamich, who seemed to relax from the sudden loss of weight from his grasp. 

Taking off the wrapping, Gobber revealed a dazzlingly shiny piece of metal, long and silver in color it shown brighter than most swords, but was strangely misshapen in structure. "It's the last piece Hiccup needs for a piece he's been working on, started it ages ago. This beauty's solid steel...well not really solid, but more like a steel framework." He held the object out to Merida.

After taking the sword from Gobber Merida couldn't help but laugh. "Well," She said, handing it back after rolling it in her hands for a short time. "I'm not sure what good a sword with no blade will do him...although speaking of Hiccup." She said, trailing off. "Have you seen him today?"

Gobber seemed to think hard for a moment, his brow scrunched in a way that looked almost painful. "Well," He said after a short time. "You could try his workbench down at my shop. Early I saw him there messing with something." Shrugging the man turned to head back down the street. "If you'd like I can watch your brothers until your family sets off, it's at least better than letting them run around the village."

Merida smirk before nodding. If Gobber had compared them to Hiccup, she wondered how much trouble the younger boy had caused when he was the triplet's age. "Thank you Gobber." She said taking a few steps back to head to his workshop. "Let me know if they cause trouble."

"With all due respect princess," Gobber laughed. "Danger is an occupational hazard to vikings." With that the small group parted ways, the dragon having disappeared some time during the conversation.

Gobber's workplace was easy enough to recognize. All but hanging off the island, it looked very similar to a smithy in Dunbroach with the exception of some tools she guessed were specially designed for Berk's fire-breathing occupants. "Hiccup?" She called, knocking firmly at the shop's entrance. Taking a few steps into the building she could smell smoke, although that didn't necessarily mean someone was there. "Hiccup?" She tried again.

At that moment a loud bang echoed through the small building from somewhere in the back, followed by the clustered noise of a thousand other things falling from their place. "Merida." said a voice somewhere in the clanging. Hiccup emerged from behind a door, quickly shutting it behind him and leaning for support. "What are you doing here?" He laughed, sounded nervous and flustered.

Merida crossed her arms and through out a hip, trying her hardest not to laugh. "I think the better question," she began, biting a lip as she continued to watch him, a light pink hue beginning to cover his face. "is why shouldn't I be here. Don't you like my company, Hiccup?" She tried to sound upset at the end, but didn't care if he knew she wasn't serious.

"Well, yeah of course I do." Hiccup stammered. "But, I know you guys were getting ready to leave. I just figured you'd be packing, or you know... not here. Looking for me." It was clear he wanted to step away from the door, comfort her maybe (strange, considering how horrible her acting had been) although after another moment he just moved to watch the floor. "Listen Mer, I'm sorry. About that whole thing with you mom.

Merida's eyes widened, as her once false expression of saddess became real. How had she so easily forgotten her mother's illness? She a layer of guilt mix with the saddness in the bottom of her stomach, threatening to make her sick. "Right." She sighed, brushing away an invisible tear from her rounded cheeks.

"Hey," Hiccup cooed, reching out this time to wrap an arm around her small shoulders. "She's gonna be alright." He worked to sound reassuring. His free hand reached down to draw small circles on her own. "I promise everything'll be fine Mer." The princess's round eyes looked up as his. She questioned how he could know, how he could be so sure, but she couldn't vocalize it. The words were stuck, threatening to choke her if she tried to speak.

Looking down at her, Hiccup recounted the number of time's he'd held her like this. Thinking of the first time they'd met and how infimidating she'd been, and how fiece she could be; like her speech at the ceremony. He wondered how someone fueled with so much fire to be so easily burned by the world around her. "Everything will be fine," He repeated again. Sounded as assured as he could. "I promise." He leant down to kiss her cheek, catching a tear that'd she hadn't wiped away. A gesture he normally thought would be crazy, but just seemed necessary.

Merida closed her eyes as if it would help. She knew this wasn't real. Not really. She was from somewhere so diffrent than Hiccup, far from Berk or anything like it. There weren't dragon at her home, nor people like him. Still, she took a breath, trying to remember everything around her. If it were a dream; it wasn't one she wanted to forget.