Hiccup was dressed in his best suit and tie. He'd brushed his teeth, twice, shaved and used extra deodorant. His shoes were polished to perfection. He stared at himself in the mirror and took a steadying breath. Reaching for the small black box in his pocket, he smiled nervously. This had to go well. It had to.

All Merida knew was that they were having a formal dinner with her parents, where Hiccup would meet Fergus and Elinor for the very first time, so he had to make a good impression. She had no idea of his intent to propose marriage. Merida had warned him beforehand that her father was an old fashioned man though, so they would be in formal wear for the evening. Not that Hiccup minded. Merida always looked stunning, whatever she wore. However, the looming prospect of asking Fergus for Merida's hand in marriage was making butterflies appear where he didn't even realise it was possible to get them.

Merida knocked on the bathroom door cautiously; Hiccup called to her that it was fine to come in. She entered and Hiccup's jaw dropped when he saw her reflection in the mirror. He whipped round to see her properly and he felt like he'd been hit in the stomach he was so lost for breath.

She was wearing a floating navy dress that came in layers down to her knees. It hugged her curves (which were perfect, Hiccup might add,) and around her neck she had placed the pearl necklace he had bought her for her birthday last year. She was wearing matching earrings and her hair was in a bun with several curls coming loose and softening her face. A pair of midnight blue heels graced her small feet. The red head was grinning at him.

"You scrub up well," she smiled as she adjusted his tie. She rubbed his chin as he grinned down at her. "Aftershave too huh? You're really serious about this!"

"Well it's the first time I've meeting your parents isn't it?" Hiccup replied as she fiddled with his collar. "I've got to make a good impression. I mean, we've been living together for over a year and all they know about me is that I'm an aspiring architect who's hopelessly infatuated with their daughter."

"Oh come on," Merida smiled weakly at him, "It's not all bad! It's only dinner!"

God, if she knew the truth...

"Yeah," Hiccup steadied himself. "Yeah. Just dinner."

The car journey there was largely silent except for the radio playing in the background. Rude, by Magic, filled Hiccup's ears and made his palms sweaty. God, he hoped this would be okay.

They pulled up outside Merida's parent's house, well, more like mansion. It was pretty big. A Porsche 911 graced the driveway, making Hiccup feel even more like he didn't belong, in his small and inelegant Skoda. He was getting even more hopelessly nervous. Merida turned to him from the passenger seat and took his hand. He turned and looked at her in desperation.

"What if they hate me?"

"Hiccup, no one could ever hate you."

"But what if your father doesn't approve?"

"D'you think that means we can't be together? Are you joking? Hiccup," she placed both of her hands on his, "I don't care what happens today; I'll still love you, no matter what. We've been together for ages, and living together for a year. I'm pretty sure I won't break up with you over dinner."

When he turned away, sighing, she pulled at his bow tie and turned him to face her. She kissed him, both of her hands on his cheeks.

"I'm serious Hiccup," she said as she broke away. "They'll love you."

Without another word, they got out of the car and walked up to the front door. As Merida rang the doorbell Hiccup looked up and saw countless windows, mainly with the curtains drawn. It was built entirely from stone and Hiccup knew it used to be a castle, modified in the Georgian era, probably, to turn it into a stately home for more comfort. His architecture degree was useful for something then. He whispered in Merida's ear,

"You grew up here?"

"Yep." She sighed, looking up at her old home with disgust. "I can't tell you how much I hated it. It was just a prison to me."

Before Hiccup could reply, the door had opened, revealing two people in very traditional attire. One, a tall, brown haired woman with streaks of grey running through, and a tall, broad shouldered, red haired man with a peg leg. Something they could bond over at least. He reminded Hiccup of his own father.

"Merida!" The woman swooped her daughter into a hug and the man stared down at Hiccup as the two women exchanged greetings, as though he was weighing him up. Merida finally broke free of her mother and gestured to him.

"Mum, Dad, this is Hiccup."

Unlike her husband, Elinor seemed enchanted with Hiccup. She held out a hand which he gladly took.

"It's so lovely to meet you in person! Oh, Merida, you have done well!" Hiccup blushed hard underneath his freckles and smiled. She let go of his hand. "Merida told me you're an architect?"

"Yeah," Hiccup replied, "I just finished my courses, I'm hoping to get into some of the larger companies with some of the ideas I've got."

"So you haven't got a job?" Fergus stepped forward, frowning at him angrily making Hiccup appear to shrink under his stare.

"Dad!" Merida snapped. "What does that matter? Hiccup's got amazing talent, it's just that they haven't noticed it yet."

"I don't doubt that," Fergus said coldly. He did not shake Hiccup's hand.

"I think dinner is ready!" Elinor said over-cheerfully, trying to break the awkward silence between her glaring husband and Hiccup who had managed to get sweaty palms again. "Would you like to come into the dining room?"

"After you," Fergus smiled sarcastically. Merida glared at her father as she took Hiccup's hand and followed her mother. However, before they could sit down, Fergus tapped Hiccup on the shoulder and said, "Could I have a private word?"

"Of, of course," Hiccup stuttered. Fergus led him into a small room just outside and immediately he had a hand against his throat.

"Now you listen here," Fergus whispered menacingly. "Don't you ever think you'll be good enough for my daughter. Ever. D'you understand?"

"Yes sir," Hiccup stammered breathlessly. "Yes sir, sorry sir -"

"I wasn't finished," Fergus uttered through clenched teeth. Hiccup's breathing turned sharp and infrequent. "The only reason I'm going to let you marry her -"

"W -what?" Hiccup yelped. Fergus let go of him and Hiccup fell to the floor as Fergus started laughing.

"You think I didn't see how nervous you were? Everyone's nervous meeting the girl's parents for the first time but you? Ha! You were quaking in your boots boy! I knew there had to be something else! Anyway, I'm only letting you marry her because of how much you two appear to like each other. Maybe I'm being an overprotective father, but what father wants their daughter marrying someone dodgy, eh?"

"I promise sir -" Hiccup said quietly, but defiantly, "that I will never do anything to harm your daughter. I love her. I've loved her for years. The only thing I want is to see her happy."

Fergus sighed, then ruffled Hiccup's hair, chuckling.

"Ach - go on. If she loves you, there's nothing I can do about it. If she's got her mother's stubbornness, then I'm worthless in this argument. Ask her after pudding."

"You're -" Hiccup stammered, "you're okay with this?"

"Yes!" Fergus laughed, giving him a playful shove. "Now, come on. We've got dinner to eat."

They returned to the dining room where Merida was waiting for them anxiously. Hiccup's eyes were bright and shining; he had a smile placed effortlessly on his lips which made Merida slightly confused. Her father was smiling too. Hang on - what had they been talking about?

"You okay?" Merida asked as he sat beside her.

"Never been better," he replied. Fergus smiled from across the table. The two women just looked confused.

As they ate, Hiccup began to get progressively more nervous. When pudding was served, Fergus gave him a secret thumbs up from behind the vase of flowers. Hiccup smiled weakly back. Finally when the plates were cleared, Hiccup stood up before he could change his mind.

"Mr and Mrs Dunbroch," he began, "Could I please ask your daughter a question?"

Elinor, who had also managed to work out what Hiccup's intentions were, smiled and said,

"Of course."

Merida was only more confused, but everything clicked when she saw him kneel in front of her and take her hand.

"Merida," he breathed, "I, I won't pretend that I'm hopelessly in love with you. All I want is to stay with you for the rest of my life. I can't, I can't possibly imagine myself with anyone else. I know I'll never be good enough for you, but that won't stop me from loving you." He drew the box from his pocket and opened it. The tiny emeralds twinkled in the soft light from the chandelier above them. "Merida Dunbroch, will you marry me?"

In a second her arms were round his neck; she had tears running down her cheeks and he was holding her tight against his chest.

"Don't you ever, EVER think that you're not good enough for me," Merida whispered, "I love you, I love you so much Hiccup, and don't you ever forget that. Ever."

"You haven't given me an answer," he murmured in her ear. She pulled away and held him by his shoulders.

"- Yes!"

Hiccup could barely breathe. He clasped her tight; over her shoulder he glimpsed Merida's father giving him the thumbs up and Elinor dabbing a napkin to her eyes at the sight of her eldest and her fiancé. As she kissed him in complete and utter joy that day, Hiccup knew that being threatened by her father was the best thing that had ever happened to him.