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Merida looked at the sun, then back at the patch of sky her Northern friend had never before failed to arrive from. Father had said they managed to wound a few of the raiders, last time, and she had been glad to hear it but now she worried. Astrid was a shieldmaiden, one of her tribe’s best. f her chief told her to lead a raid she could hardly refuse, and Father was so very good at picking out who was in command of enemy troops. He might’ve overlooked Astrid once, but Merida wasn’t sure if Astrid would’ve allowed that a second time.
“Where are you?” she muttered, climbing up on the rock which had become Their Spot, sun-warmed and perfectly sized to lie on side by side. “Astrid, you daft madwoman, what ever happened to punctuality?”
A cloud rolled across the sky, and Merida dropped to the rock with a groan, propping an elbow on her knee and resting her chin in her hand. She wanted to be angry that Astrid would disregard how little time they had to spend together, wanted to get properly mad that the food she’d filched from the kitchens would go cold before Astrid could try it, but she couldn’t. After last night’s raid, and Father’s proclamations of success driving the Northerners off, she was too worried to be upset.
She straightened up, all senses alert, head turning to survey the forest around her and ears straining to hear anything out of the ordinary hat might’ve pulled her from her sulk. Nothing, at first, but then she caught it. So faint as to be almost unnoticeable, but growing clearer every second. The sound of dragon wings beating through the air. She sprang to her feet, shading her eyes as she searched the sky for the beast which bore her unlikely friend to their secret meetings, and a smile split her face when she picked out the familiar silhouette. She waited to begin waving until she could make out the colours, not only of Stormfly but also Astrid astride her back, and soon after the dragon was touching down in the glade, Astrid dismounting with her usual grace and smiling as she pulled her helmet off, gold hair spilling loose over her shoulders.
“Took you long enough!” Merida scolded, hopping down from their rock and walking over to meet Astrid with a hug. “I thought something might’ve happened, with the raid.”
“Come on, Merida.” Astrid pulled back, brushing a lock of hair behind her ear. “You know me better than that.”
“I know my father.” she muttered, and Astrid pulled away to grab something from her dragon’s saddle bag.
“I brought something for our lunch.” she offered, pulling out a waterskin and two mugs. “It’s called Dragon’s Blood.”
“Dragon’s blood?” Merida asked, walking with Astrid back to their rock. “I thought your people made peace with dragons.” she gestured at Stormfly, still wearing her saddle and drinking from the stream that ran through the other end of the glade.
“Only recently.” Astrid shook her head. “What did you bring?”
“Blood pudding and bridies.” Merida said proudly, opening the basket for Astrid to peer inside. “I promised, didn’t I?”
“You did.” Astrid grinned, settling down on their rock. “Now come on, I’ve made you wait long enough.”
“You did.” Merida smiled back, seating herself next to Astrid.