Suspicion is a heavy armor. And with its weight, it impedes more than it protects

-Robert Burns

~O~

A Midnight Visit

~O~

Merida wasn't one to fall for compliments, or simple gestures of admiration. She'd seen it all from suitors, dukes and warriors. So how did the lanky, awkward Hiccup Haddock of the Outer Hebrides manage to tinge her cheeks blush red? She didn't know either. But it was one of the questions she would find out sooner.

Toothless was still missing.

Hiccup couldn't figure out why. Who would take his dragon away in this island? He didn't' notice his pacing around the castle brought him somewhere near the dungeons. It was dark, cold and devoid of light compared to the lively cheer of the manor. The spiralling staircase below pooled a complete pitch-black chamber. Hiccup grabbed a torch from the walls and decided to go explore what was beyond it.

He scuttled through the shadows, his gleaming fire providing his own shadow for his company. Mice scurried across his feet while bats instinctively flew into his hair and disappeared to the camouflage of the walls. Suddenly, a low growl stirred his gaze to a pathway leading further beyond the darkness. He raised his torch higher and approached the sound with wary caution. As the gleam of the fire brought more vivid surroundings about him, he saw the metal bars about 20 feet high and they were as thick as the bark of a pine tree. As he came closer, he saw the stark outline of a huge nail just protruding just outside the bars.

"Torch! Is that you?" Hiccup scrambled to his feet upon seeing the fallen dragon curled up on the side of the stonewalls, its claws digging through the unbreakable bars. "What did they do to you?" His used to be dark red vivid colour now became a fading shade of grey and Hiccup could see he looked too weak to blast fire. His eyes used to be languid and dark, now his eyes were white blank and had a glassy stare.

He could see the dark bruises on the dragon's feet where giant shackles were fastened, but the chains that were supposed to tether the shackles to the ground were cut off because of the incident in the arena. But, the thing was, the chains were definitely made out of tough steel. As strong a dragon as Torch was, it was impossible to break such fine crafted chains.

He should know because he forged those chains using dragon's fire. Toothless's fire.

"Don't worry there, big guy," I'm going to get you out of here." Hiccup scrambled to find the lock along the barricades. There seemed to be none. When He examined the grounds of the dungeons, Hiccup discovered the cell bars were actually structured as a portcullis, which meant that to be lifted up, it had to be propelled by some kind of lever. It would need a heavy one that matched the weight of the portcullis located on a high elevation so that if it were to fall, the portcullis linked to it would rise.

Hiccup examined the rock formations twenty feet above the air. He then noticed two ropes below two large boulders nesting along the stone walls.

"I found it, Torch! Hang in there, buddy." He proceeded to scale the rocks, his dagger Endeavor, latched to his kilt. Once he reached the part where the rock was tightly attached to the portcullis, he pulled the dagger out.

He was about to cut the rope when suddenly, he heard the opening echo of the entrance where he came in. There were voices fast approaching. "Damn, it." He cursed to himself. "Just wait a little longer, there, Torch. I'll get you out there soon." Torch didn't even look his way. His head stayed glued to the bottom of the floor. Hiccup proceeded to climb down, chancing the occasions where the light coming from the approaching visitor's torch wouldn't hit him.

"So how exactly are we going to kill him? The both of us can't simply do it."

"No, we're going to let our friends do the killing while we stand by and look good."

"I like that."

Hiccup's foot made grazed a smooth rock, and he landed on the floor just in front of Dagur and Rugad.

"What the hell are you doing here, Helmet?" Dagur frowned, showing Hiccup his menacing growl. Rugad gave him his arm and helped him up. Hiccup patted off the dust on his vest casually.

"Oh, you know. Just exploring the nice sceneries here. Not doing something wayward against the Scottish Kingdom, of course." He felt his sweat drip on the beadline of his hair. "Um, so what are you guys doing here anyway?" He pretended to inquire to distract the attention from him.

Rugad spoke up. "We were sent here to see the condition of the beast."

Dagur flashed a sly grin and walked towards Torch. "I'm just here to see how the big fella is doing. " He unsheathed a blade from his scabbard, the sword ringing as it was slid out. "Until I kill it at Hogmanay."

"Hogmanay?"

"Only the most important festival in all of Scotland. It's got many meanings to its name, but it is the eve when a beast is slaughtered to welcome the winter feast." Rugad explained. Dagur chuckled as he caressed his blade, almost as if he was fantasizing the idea of Torch's blood spilled on the sword's sharp edge.

Hiccup frowned. "But didn't the King say only the victor could kill the dragon? And we don't even have a winner yet, and I have a slight feeling we won't."

"Oh yes we will," Dagur let out a wide grin. Hiccup could almost hear the loud chuckle trying to escape from his throat. "We will for sure."

Rugad looked slightly disturbed with his brother and whispered to Hiccup. "Don't mind him. He's a bit delusional today. I'll be sending him out to the forest tonight to sort himself out, if you know what I mean."

Hiccup coughed out a fake laugh with him. "Haha, right."

Dagur's sword glinting surface caught his attention. "Nice sword," Hiccup remarked. "I don't remember making that for you."

"That's because I forged it myself, you idiot." Dagur snapped.

Hiccup raised an eyebrow, staring at the sword suspiciously. "Hmm. I never would've guessed." He noticed the something familiar. He recognized the processing it took to make steel like this. The scaling and forging pattern are evident in the steel surface. But to create such durable build, it would need the heat a dragon's fire, no, a Night Fury's fire.

It was impossible. Where could he have gotten that?

"How did you make it?" He hoped he could uncover some truth behind this uncanny coincidence.

"That's my business, isn't it, Helmet? A good blacksmith never reveals his secret." Dagur smirked.

"What are you talking about you sappy spit you learned all your forging skills from me." Rugad protested.

"I learned a lot from you Rugad, but you still have learned nothing from me." He laughed. Hiccup rolled his eyes at how brash Dagur was. "Let's leave. We're wasting our time talking," Dagur declared.

"Come with us, Hiccup. You don't have anything to do here, I suppose?" Rugad asked. Hiccup nodded and began to walk with them out. He glanced pitifully at Torch and mouthed an apology.

"You know, it was a close call with McGuffin and this dragon." Dagur remarked as he played with his sword. "All too bad."

Hiccup felt like he shouldn't ask, but felt it necessary. "What do you mean?"

Dagur laughed, and proceeded to open the doors of the chamber, "I meant it would've been a whole lot better if you hadn't interfered."

"Hiccup, ah'm tired." Merida groaned.

"We just started five minutes ago."

"Five minutes? Then ah believe we deserve a break." She said, then stood up and began to exit the library.

Hiccup chased after her. "Look, we have to figure out what the second prophecy means. Come on, Mer. You promised to help look for the answer."

Merida groaned as she dragged her feet back to the table. "Now what have we discovered so far?"

"Lets' see. The first prophecy warns about betrayal. Now the second one is called, 'The Auld Alliance.' Hiccup enthusiastically flipped chapters and read the first paragraph. "It's about the ancient Scottish and Norse leaders forming together to battle a common enemy in order to protect their kingdoms."

"The alliance had been so successful that they built a strong bond. In every combat where in for five centuries that the destiny of Scotland was at stake, there were always men of the North to fight side by side with them, and what Scottish people felt was that no people has ever been more generous with its friendship."

Hiccup frowned. "This happened in your history?" Hiccup asked, unconvinced with the book's credibility. "Because I've read many historical books in the Meathead Public Library, but not once have I ever encountered something about Scottish alliance with my people."

"Neither have I. Well, not that ah read much anyway." Merida frowned. "Why would they hide this?"

"For the future generations to remain at war with the neighboring kingdoms, I suppose. But how did their alliance end?"

"Ah think that answers the cause of the Third Prophecy. 'The Battle of the Two Kingdoms. The answer we're looking for right now, is how they were even allies in the first place." Merida told him. She's clever. Hiccup thought.

It was strange how it was all connected. But they still had to find bits and pieces to find out the whole story.

"It says in the part right here," Hiccup pointed out to a paragraph. "…that the reason they were allied was because of a formidable beast that threatened their lands. So they joined forces in order to defend their kingdoms."

"Torch?" Merida asked, thinking the dragon would parallel to the beast in the story.

"It's the most obvious answer. But somehow it doesn't feel right that Torch is the beast the book is talking about." Hiccup commented. "It doesn't say what kind of beast it was."

"What other formidable beast do you know that's threatening? Ah mean just look at what happened in the arena. It was a relief McGuffin got away. The wee lad could have been murdered when Torch's chains got broken." Merida added.

Hiccup's forehead wrinkled. "Or cut."

Merida paused. "What?"

"I forged those kinds of chains back home with Toothless. I brought the steel along and just before Toothless disappeared, I finished honing the material and presented it to your father. When Torch appeared, the king requested that I put the chains on him because I guaranteed nothing could break them."

"What are they made of?"

"They're forged through carbon electrodes to make such a dense material; chrome steel. Very rare, very volatile. Since it is plasma based, the only known source is a Night Fury's fire. There's no other blade that can cut through it except—"

"Itself." Merida finished, eyes widening. "But that would mean someone in the castle has dragon forged steel, and used it to cut Torch's chains to kill McGuffin."

"Exactly." Hiccup finished. "And Toothless is the only with that kind of fire around. This must be a clue to why he disappeared."

"Who would've taken him?" Merida frowned, putting her hands on her hips. Hiccup paced on his feet, gathering his wits.

Turning around, he paused with sudden realization. "I think I know who."

"You really think he's the one who cut Torch's chains?" Merida asked as she and Hiccup spied on Dagur from behind tree stumps. He was walking around aimlessly with rum in his hand. He was definitely drunk and was urinating everywhere, much to Merida's dismay.

"Who else could it have been?" Hiccup speculated. "Besides, what would someone like him be doing out in the middle of the night?" They watched as Dagur wobbled over to a tree and spread his legs a bit.

Merida giggled. "Maybe a midnight tinkle?"

Hiccup rolled his eyes and covered hers with his hands "Avert your eyes, Mer. It's not a pretty sight."

"I didn't want to see it anyway." She muttered as she swats his hand. "If this is what we're going to look at all night, then I'd rather go back to the castle."

"We risked our heads getting out here. I'm not going back without at least discovering something."

Merida grimaced, still disgusted at the view. "Well, ye discovered the tiny shekel in the lad's lower bank."

Breaking focus, Hiccup faced Merida and shushed her potty mouth with his finger. "Can you shut up for one moment?"

"Ah just think this could've been a better plan,"

"Then, by all means, propose one." Hiccup suggested irritably.

"Why don't we sneak up behind him and knock him out? Then we'll interrogate by torture like cutting off his tiny she-"

"Merida!"

"Ah was joking ye egghead. Although it wouldn't be a bad idea."

"Merida!"

Hiccup shouted instinctively, but after realizing how loud that sounded, he immediately cupped his mouth. He turned around to look at the tree where Dagur was, only to find themselves Dagur-less since he was suddenly nowhere to be found.

"Great," Hiccup sighed. "How did we manage to get evaded by a drunkard."

Merida glanced around. "I think I heard someone over there," She pointed at the thicket of shrubs. She reached for her bow. "Stay here. I'll check it out."

"You know, I'm the guy. Maybe I should—"

"Shh!" She raised her finger to silence him. Something moved when she started to approach the bush. Merida drew an arrow from her quiver and loaded her bow. Drawing the string all the way back, she aimed at the slightly irrelevant figure standing in an impressive green camouflage.

"Look out!" Hiccup yelled.

She was about to release when the figure abruptly launched towards her with an axe raised. It landed on the princess' shoulders with its thighs locked around her neck until it spun her downward, dragging Merida to the ground. Once she was lying down, the figure lifted its axe to slice her head.

With a quick reflex, Merida pushed upwards and kicked the figure with both feet. It staggered back against a tree, before hunching down and leaping back into the fray. It slammed itself against her with an impressive strength.

Merida tumbled over in the process as she wrestled with the silhouette.

"Merida!" Hiccup chased after them as they rolled downhill, taking Merida's bow and arrow. Their shadows were a tangled mess as they trundled, pushed and shoved, so Hiccup found it impossible to aim at the intruder with a clear shot. When they landed at the base of the hill, the figure was on top of Merida, pinning both her hands with one arm. It reached for its belt and pulled out a dagger.

Before it could do anything further, Hiccup reached them in time and leapt towards the figure, expertly disarming it midair.

"Who are you?!" He demanded as he pinned Merida's struggling dispatcher. In the darkness, he could hardly make out the features, but when the passing moonlight painted a soft glow on its head, he recognised the familiar streak of blonde hair.

"Astrid? Is that you?"

A/N: I am so so so sorry I've made you all wait this long. I'm not a very dependable writer I swear.

But thank you all so much for sticking with me all this time! If I'm correct, you guys have spent almost two years with me. It means the world to me that you guys are such dedicated and wonderful readers!

also huge thanks to SineadJones, this one particular reader who was generous enough to make a video inspired by this fanfic. It was so beautiful dear, I appreciate it so much. You can check it out here in this link watch?v=EehaCai0lT0

Again, I can't stop thanking you all for your support! Every single review is so precious to me and keeps me going so here, free brownies for everyone.