Chapter Text
It's been almost a year since Jack became a guardian, he was relatively new to the whole thing. it wasn't too long ago he was drawing wicked ice tracks for sleds, and conjuring snowball fights in random villages, most of which resulting in some kid getting hurt.
but after being on the job for so long, he feels he's starting to get the hang of this whole 'protector' thing.
Tho one day, for the first time in a while it seems, everything's perfect. And there's no job to be done, or light to be saved anywhere on the globe.
"So..." Jack rumbles as he sits, heavily slouched in the North-sized chair, his face a cold canvas of boredom that mirrors everyone else's.
every eye just watching the warm flames crackle in the large fireplace. "So," Bunny repeats.
"So," Tooth follows absently stroking a yellow feather on her head.
Sandy jingles.
"Yes..." North agrees plainly, his slouch filling out the other large chair much more appropriately than Jack. "What to do now..." North sighs heavily, his bushy brows wrinkling in contemplation.
It's clearly been a while since any of them have had nothing to do either, and Jack can't imagine how long that must've been.
he hasn't been a myth very long, definitely not nearly as long as North, Bunny, Tooth or Sandy. he's only been around for one century so far. Thats pretty young, he knows that, but still he feels at some point, something he's tried for the past 100 years would have made someone believe in him. made someone see him, yet still not a single person has...
well...
More like not a single CHILD has.
A smile creeps on Jacks lips, the memory of some certain friends he hasn't seen since the man in the moon chose him for guardianship lingering in his head.
"You know... a simple day off doesn't sound... horrible. No?" Bunny inquires, feigning a casual attitude as he tilts his head and glances in North's direction a couple times.
North's large shoulders rise and fall with a considering sigh. "Well... no I guess not-" he pauses mid-shrug as Jack leaps up from his spot. "Awesome! Great, see you guys later." he says quickly flying to the sky light, only for a large yeti hand to grab his slim leg, "w- hey!" He barks glaring at Frank in frustration as he's tugged down. the furry beast giving a low rumble sound and a shrug.
"And where are you going Frost?" North asks with a raised brow, crossing his thick arms.
Jack gestures around the room in lame protest, "just gonna go see some friends. don't worry, if you need me you'll be able to reach me." He assures as Frank lets go of him.
Bunny scoffs, "friends? I didn't know you had those," he says, mockery laced in his aussie accent and buck toothed smirk.
Jack rolls his eyes, "yeah, har har cotton tail," He mutters before turning and soaring out the sky light, "fly safe!" Tooth called out as he zipped away.
Jack took a deep indulgent breath of the cool northern wind as it carried him swiftly through the sky.
it's been a while since he's just flown carelessly, let the wind guide his journey and felt the icy cool air against his skin as it blew his hair wildly, making it even more unruly than usual. He took his time to enjoy his current freedom and the air beneath him as he glided through the clouds, taking every chance at a swoop, flip, and whirl he got.
After all,
DunBrock isn't going anywhere.
***
Merida is in her room, sleeping.
her wild red curls tousled over her pillow, her mouth hung open as a trail of drool runs down her rosy cheek.
Her dreaming is stopped short as the familiar sound of a roar—that almost rivals her snoring—and flapping of large wings outside her window stirs her awake.
Her eyes fly open and she shoots upright in her bed, turning to see Hiccup. A soft grin sits on his lips as he leans on the window frame, cheek rested atop his fist. something about her face making him chuckle as she blinks the haze from her eyes. "You ready for a day off princess?" he asks, tilting his head.
toothless peeking up in the window with a deep squawk sound, his large cleft tongue hanging out the side of his gummy mouth.
Merida quickly wipes the drool from her cheek and gives a begrudging snicker, and scrunches her nose at his teasing grin, leaping up from her bed. "Only if you can keep up, peg leg." she challenges, as she grabs her bow and arrows and dashing out her door.
"Keep up!? Oh you're in for it sweetheart." Hiccup chuckles, competitive anticipation swelling in his chest as he grabs onto toothless again, and they fly around the palace before swooping down just as Merida reaches the stables and hops onto Angus, her hands tangling in his mane. "Ya!" She kicks his side and they shoot off through the court yard.
She looks up to see Toothless gliding above, a smile tugging at her lips before peeling her eyes forward and increasing speed as they race off across the stone bridge to the forest.
Hiccup smiles as he watches her take the distance, "alright bud, time to show her, huh?" He mutters to toothless, and is met with a determined snort and incline of his large leathery head.
Hiccup grins and leans forward in a brace of the wind, "that's the spirit." With a large swift flap of his wings, Toothless shoots forward.
Merida looks up and gasps, smiling in awe as she watches Toothless tear through the air in a black blur like an arrow, before shooting a blast of electricity from his mouth and disappearing as he soars through the smoke.
Hiccup told her about the different abilities Toothless possibly had and he was trying to discover, but whatever that was wasn't like anything she could have thought up.
"I think you need to learn that one Angus" she mutters, patting the horses thick neck, earning a bewildered whinny.
Hiccup is already there when she reaches the peak of the cliffside, his hands folded behind his head as he lounges against Toothless's side, not attempting to smother the arrogant grin plastered on his smug face.
Merida scoffs, rolling her eyes at him basking as she swiftly dismounts from Angus's bare back and pulls off her arrow quiver from her back. throwing it into his stomach, knocking wind from his lungs and drawing a soft belly laugh.
"Oh what? What did I do?" He chuckles, feigning confused innocence as she comes and plops down crisscross on the grass.
"that should be cheating." She states, chin raised as she picks a couple stray leaves caught in her wild curls.
Hiccups huffs in disbelief, pushing the quiver to the side and scoots to sit closer to her. "Cheating in what? What- Were we racing?" He asks, playful cluelessness laced in his tone.
"Oh ya, that was totally not a race." She jests with thick incredulous sarcasm, her head rolling to the side.
"Not a clue, Honest!" He claims.
"Lies-"
"Is THAT why you were going so fast, I mean-"
"Yeah, shut it." she retorts.
"Well excuse me for trying to impress you."
He tilts his head raising his hands in innocents, leaning a bit closer with a playful smirk that temps a truce.
A small smile fights her as she looks at him, his forest green eyes breaking down what little sense of spite she had. She sighs and gives in, punching his arm.
"ow!" He cries, holding his arm.
"there, even." She shakes her head as she looks ahead over the ocean lining.
he snickers as he looks down at her bow that sits on the grass at her side and picks it up, tracing the carving of a falcon on the wood.
"How did you figure out to do that anyway? He just disappeared, into thin air! didn't ya big guy," she says, turning to Toothless and scratches his rough skin and he leans his big head into her touch with a deep purr.
Hiccup smiles as he looks at him, his shoulders rise and drop. "he's just full of secrets. I'm not sure on the science of it, but the energy from one of his blasts can make him go invisible." He says.
Merida purses her lips at that "energy? Energy can just make you invisible?" She asks incredulously.
Hiccup furrows his brow turning to look at her and Toothless, "well.. yeah? I guess? I mean thats what makes the most sense right?" He blinks.
Merida shrugs as she goes back to stroking Toothless's head. "I think magic makes more sense." she says.
Hiccup rolls his eyes, "of course you do." He sighs.
"you know magic is real Hiccup, you just don't like it." She says, her Scottish accent taking a matter-a-fact air as she takes her bow from his lap.
He scoffs, "now wh- why would I not like magic?" He asks defensively, pulling small threads of grass from the dirt and watching them flitter away in the wind.
"Cause ya just want to understand everything. so something you can't understand, something that's just magic, the thoughts frustrating to you." She states, dropping her arms in the air.
Hiccup wasn't sure how to respond to that, she wasn't wrong... actually she was spot on, which caught him off guard for a second, he glances up at her, hoping his frown effectively communicates that she should drop it.
Merida blinks at him and sighs as her shoulders sag, "well... you can't just pretend it doesn't exist." She says simply, securing her last words on the topic before turning her attention back to the horizon.
When suddenly a familiar mess of snow-white hair pops up from the cliffs edge. "Pretend who doesn't exist?" Jack asks, brow arched with that signature mischievous smirk on his lips.
Hiccups eyes widen. "Jack!" Merida beams. Toothless jumping up at the sight of Jack, making hiccup fall back on the grass. only giving jack about 5 seconds to fly up and land on the opposite side of the cliff so he isn't hurled over the edge when the dragon tackles him.
Merida squeals and giggles in excitement as she jumps into his arms, nearly knocking him over. he laughs as she hugs him tightly, then winces as she practically tries to crush his ribcage.
Hiccup chuckles at his look of panic as he stands.
"okay, okay... release..." Jack wheezes, dropping on the ground as Merida releases him,"oh! Sorry.." she snickers.
Toothless immediately painting him with slobbery kisses before he can climb to his feet again. "Eugh! Toothless! No! Down! Bad!" He shouts, trying to shove Toothless off of him as he reaches for his staff.
Once managing to slip out from under the dragon he swiftly uses it to freeze the layer of slobber on him and shake it off, shuddering in disgust as he gets to his feet again.
Jack turns to Hiccup, and scoffs as he brushes himself off, "train your dragon man." He says, shaking his head in playful disapproval, his grin matching the amused sparkle in his eye.
"Yeah, hilarious." Hiccup muses, plainly and rolls his eyes, despite his bright smile as he pulls him into a brotherly hug.
"Where have you been?! Was start'n to think you just ditched us forever." Merida questions, crossing her arms, leveling him with her gaze.
Jack shrugs, "a lot of places gotta stay cold," he says shortly, dismissing his time away as a 'work-issue'.—which, wasn't entirely untrue— he had never told them about the whole guardian thing, mostly to save Hiccup from the existential crisis he'd most likely have knowing Santa clause and the Easter bunny are his co-workers.
he shoves his hands in the pockets of his hoodie as he turns and strides back down toward the forest, Merida and Hiccup exchange a look. "In the middle of summer?" Hiccup asks, narrowing his eyes as Jack makes his way into the forest path.
"where are you going?" Merida calls out as they catch up to him.
Jack turns to look back at them, his brow arched, "oh, I only came for sweet rolls." He says, pointing down the path back to the castle.
Merida can't help but crack a smile, rolling her eyes at his feigned nonchalance and lightly shoves his shoulder, jostling a chuckle from his sharp grin.
"First one there's a rotten egg!" He yells, shooting up and away in the air.
Merida and Hiccup watch, turning to each other with a look,
it's a race.
"Hurry angus!" She giggles, mounting the steeds back and dashing back down the path whence she came, "go fetch bud," Hiccup pats Toothless's side before he takes off, catching up to Jack.
***
"Oooh man, I missed this," Jack groans, talking around the sweet roll in his mouth as he tilts his head back on the arm of the lounge sofa in Merida's study.
"Do you actually need food to live?" Hiccup asks him out of pure curiosity, taking a bite of his own roll as he looks over Merida's slacked shoulder at the scrolls she's supposed to copy and memorize for her mother.
"uhh it's 'reign'. with a G." He mutters, correcting her small spelling mistake quietly, pointing at it on the paper.
she gives him a blank side eye, "right." She grumbles in irritation, taking a breath as she scribbles a G with her quill between letters.
Jack swallows, "no I don't need it, but I can't live without these, that's for sure." He says, gazing upon the iced sweet roll in his hand as if it were pure gold before stuffing it in his mouth and folding his hands behind his head. "Mmh, my compliments to that Maudie lady" he murmurs with his mouth full. Hiccup smiles.
"I'll let her know." Merida sighs dully, hunched over her writing.
The door bursts open, startling them.
"Hiccup!" Tuffnut stands in the doorway urgency written on his long face.
Hiccup takes a moment to assess his friend, "what? What's going on?" He asks, searching his face for answers.
"Oh not this guy," Jack rolls his eyes so hard you'd think they get stuck in the back of his head.
He had gotten well acquainted with Hiccups dragon-riding friends over the years and they were all pretty unique, in their own ways.
but Tuffnut... lord...
just hearing Tuffnut speak was like hearing someone play bagpipes badly for hours.
But, once in a blue moon, he's actually hilarious. which almost makes Jack not want to tell the dread-locked goober to shut his gaping pie hole. Not that he could anyway, Hiccup and Merida are the only ones here who can see him.
"Gobber sent me to come get you, you're needed back home immediately. It's urgent." Tuffnut exclaims evenly, collected concern laced in his voice.
Hiccups jaw tightens, "say no more. let's go." He says firmly, striding quickly out the door with Tuffnut.
"I'm coming with you!" Merida calls out,
catching up to him as Jack follows.
The second they landed on Berk, Hiccup leapt off of Toothless, A heavily set peg-legged fellow, already across the plot waddling towards them.
"Gobber, what's the issue?" Hiccup asks, concern and seriousness painted on his face as he looks around them at the mostly chaos-less courtyard.
Gobber blinks at him, arching his brow, glancing at Merida as she hops off of Toothless's back. "no issue, but you've recieved a message from overseas." He says.
Hiccup's brows knit together, noticing the small, pristine wax-sealed scroll in his large hand for the first time as he out stretches it to him. "Tuffnut, you said this was urgent." He huffs in frustration, shaking his head as he takes the scroll from Gobber.
Tuffnut scoffs and crosses his arms, "gods forbid I get you here faster." He grumbles.
Merida comes to Hiccups side, studying the crisp parchment scroll, tied with two silk ribbons, one a deep royal purple and the other a flowery sage green, four golden knobs on each end of the two rolled up sides. the wax seal stamped with the gold-painted emblem of what looks like a tulip. It's by far one of the nicest she's ever seen, but the pearl white color of the wax seal is what captures her interest.
"it's an invitation. A very fancy one at that," she says, eyes alight with curiosity, just as Jack lands gracefully beside them. "Ooh, Mr. Popular," he teases, tilting his head as he nudges hiccups side playfully.
Hiccup considers the scroll before gently tearing the wax seal, "do you know who it's from?" He asks Gobber.
Gobber gives a shrug, "not sure who, but this very civilized bloke wearing linen slacks came on a boat, said it was a message for you from some place called... uuh Ar... Aarons-ville? No, something... dale- I can't remember." he quits, shoulders deflating.
Hiccup unravels the scroll, taking in the contents, "The Royal House of Arendelle," he reads aloud.
"Arendelle! That's it." Gobber interjected, before Hiccup continued.
"Cordially Invites, Chief Hiccup Haddock of Berk, to attend the Coronation Ceremony of Her Royal Highness, Princess Elsa Oldenburg,"
Gobber's shoulders seem to stiffen,
"in celebration of her ascension as Queen of Arendelle. This momentous occasion shall take place on the 29th of July.
Your presence is both expected and deeply honored,
as one bound in future union to Her Majesty.
Formal attire is required-" He stops, face contorting in confusion at what he just read.
in a moment Merida feels her heart sink through the floor.
"future WHAT!?" Jack's brows shoot up, a disbelieving laugh rumbling in his throat as he leans over hiccups shoulder to look closer at the scroll.
"wait- hold on give me that." Merida snatches the invitation from Hiccups hands, thoroughly investigating its exact words as she skims it over.
"Okay, there has obviously been some kind of mistake right?" Hiccup says, struggling to grasp the situation.
Something uncomfortable spreading in Merida's chest like thick ink as she reads those taunting words 'bound in future union to her majesty', were these people trying to say Hiccup was engaged to this foreign princess? No, not her Hiccup. If he was she would know, at the very least he would know. at the moment he looks just as lost as the rest of us, and not nearly as amused as Jack. what kind of cruel trick is this?
"Lass, read the girls name again?" Gobber asks, uncertainty sat on his tongue.
"Elsa Oldenburg." Merida reads, the so called Queen-to-be's name having a sour taste.
Gobber frowns, a beat of silence passing before he turns and gestures for them to follow, "come on, I think I know what this is about." he says wearily as he starts down the court yard.
"What this is about? What could this possibly be about? We'd never even heard of this Arendelle place until today." Hiccup rants, following hastily aside Gobber.
"Arendelle, no. but Oldenburg, is a name Berk's history has not yet forgotten." Gobber states.
Reaching the library, he pushes the large wood doors open, Merida, Hiccup and Jack exchange puzzled looks as they follow Gobber toward the rows and rows of old books that line the walls from the floor to the high ceilings, where the village elder stands with her cane that reaches far above her short frame. her large wrinkled eyes focused on the book she holds in her hand as her little Terrible Terror dragons play at her feet.
"Hello, Gothi," Gobber says, peeling the old woman's attention up from her book. They watch as Gobber leans down and whispers something in her ear, Gothi's brow crinkles thoughtfully as Gobber rises again and then nods as she begins to waddle further down the long bookcase wall.
The old woman then reaches a tall rolling latter and climbs up it with the swiftness on one of her little dragons before grabbing a large thick book off one of the higher shelves and holds it under her arm before sliding down the latter again and landing gracefully.
"Wow." Jack says, his eyes wide, more caught off guard by that impressive scene than the others.
They follow Gothi to one of the many tables lined around the center of the room and sit.
There, they then learn that long ago, before the people of Berk had ever set eyes on a dragon, their land was attacked and pillaged yearly by a clan of ever-sailing Vikings called the Oldenburgs. cruel, greedy warriors with arrogance to spare. The old chiefs had done everything they could to defeat them but year after year the Oldenburgs only came back stronger. they could have taken Berk for their own but they never stayed, they wanted the people of Berk to fear their coming, that was their power, their amusement.
When the dragons had finally appeared on Berk, the Oldenburgs had caught themselves in the crossfire, and their chiefs daughter was killed. Stricken by grief, their pride was broken and said they'd never return again. but the chiefs of Berk did not trust their words and wanted a pact to ensure peace between them. And there it was established that the first unmarried heiress of Oldenburg to take the throne, would be promised to the first male heir of Berk, and they shall rule as one clan, whenever the time may come. The Oldenburgs had eventually settled on land, and the kingdom and Arendelle was born. for years the royal family had at least one son to prevent their promise of merging with Berk.
But now a daughter of Oldenburg was taking the throne, and Hiccup was the only heir they had.
Gobber shuts the thick book with a dull THUD. "So, yes, technically, you are arranged to be married to this princess." He confirms, nodding as he studies Hiccups reaction.
Hiccup stares down at the table, silently processing all this, HE'S chief, he's supposed to be the one in control of things. "Wh- well, we aren't at odds with them anymore, we haven't been for centuries. I don't have to do anything, I'm the chief, I can just say no." He says firmly, rising as his hands slam hard down on the table, making the few others in the library momentarily turn their attention towards him.
Gobber nods, "you can, of course. That's your decision." he affirms simply, before standing with the book and walking off.
Hiccup seems to deflate a bit at that. that is his decision. The chief's decision... and a chief knows there is way more about this to consider, way more than just his feelings. Not just what's best for him, but what's best for Berk, for past injustice, and for his people.
Merida can see the cogs of uncertainty turning in his head as he slacks back down in his seat. "You're not seriously considering this." she says, desperately searching his face for reason.
"I say go for it!" Jack encourages, a grin plastered on his face as he rests his chin in his pale palm.
"Jack!" Merida scolds in disbelief, her voice low in hushed hiss, so nobody looks over and thinks she's yelling at someone who's not there.
"What? What's the harm? He should at least go to the coronation, I mean, engaged to a Norwegian princess? Some guys would kill to be you bro, just saying." He says simply, with a casual shrug.
"Wait how do you know she's Norwegian?" Hiccup asks, looking up from the table at Jack, brows knit.
"Cause Arendelle's in Norway?" Jack clarify's, as if that was something obvious.
"Wait you've been there before?" Merida asks in mild surprise, arms folded on the table as she leaning forward.
Jack cocks his head to the side, "I've flown around there a couple times. Just for quick snows around the country, don't know anything about it. but the people are definitely not any cruel warriors anymore, that's for sure." He chuckles, shaking his head as he plays with a single snowflake in the air that whirls through his fingers.
Merida frowns, turning her attention back to Hiccup. "What are you gonna do?" She asks, quietly as she watches him, anticipating his answer, what he could possibly be thinking.
Hiccup's gaze lies in his lap as he draws a breath, shaking his head, "I.. I don't know, uh... I need time to think." He says evenly, leaving her with an assuring nod as he rises from his seat and strides towards the library doors.
"Well the coronations in 2 days so think fast!" Jack calls after him.
Merida leans over the table, punching Jacks arm.
Jack hisses and clutches his arm "OwUH! Do that again, I dare you, curly." He grits through his teeth, shooting her a threatening glare to match her own as he grips his staff.
She rolls her eyes and scoffs, "goh, you're such a baby," she says, rising as well and starts following towards the exit.
Jack's lip curls as he squints in offense "baby?! You HIT me! Unprovoked." He counters, quickly flying after her.
***
The cool night breeze having a crisp earthy scent as Hiccup takes a deep breath, like a prayer, as he sits on the back porch ledge of his house, Toothless sleeping soundly curled up behind him.
He had never really thought of marriage much in his life, but of all the ways he could have imagined it coming about, this wasn't even close. Spending the rest of your life with a complete stranger? She could be a lunatic or a serial killer or worse...
not a dragon person.
He glances back over his shoulder at Toothless, his big lovable face peaceful as he snores faintly in his deep slumber.
Hiccup shutters with disdain at the thought, as he turns back to the ocean of clouds ahead reaching the dark horizon, moonlight dancing across its pillowy surface.
But the old chiefs are the ones that had wanted the arrangement in the first place, not the Oldenburgs, they'd made sure to have sons for centuries just to prevent it.
Then it dawned on him, maybe this wasn't some scheme of an enemy to trap him, but them finally taking up their end of the deal.
After all, who is he gonna blame? Not the princess, how was she supposed to know how he felt about it? At that, how was he supposed to know?
Unions are the best way to bring people closer together, the easiest way to turn foe into friend. To make the most of the past you can never erase, it's not about what happened in it but what it presents you with. Hiccup thinks deeply. Releasing a large breath he wasn't aware he was holding, as he hunches over his knees and bury's his face in his hands. no matter how much he wants to be the best chief he can, he knows he can never reach the man he tries to be..
"Dad..." he whispers, running a hand through his tousled hair as he tilts his head up, facing the night sky. Each star burning like the back of his eyes, "I wish you could just tell me what to do... you're good at that." He murmurs quietly into the night.
***
Jack wasn't sure what to make of his fiery headed friends unusual silence as she sat on her bed, polishing her sword.
She had been quiet since they left Berk. But something about the strangely aggressive manner of her polishing tells him this is the calm before the storm.
He assesses her condition, arching a brow as he wearily inclines his head, "...Yyyou okay?" He asks cautiously.
Merida practically leaps from where she sat to her feet, "AAAAUAAARRRAAAGH!" She roars as she strikes one of the wooden bed posters repeatedly with her sword.
Jack jumps and shrinks further back into the corner of window seat, eyes wide in alarm.
She pulls the blade from the wood and begins pacing around the room. "How can he actually be considering this!? I just- urgh! i can't believe him!" She seethes, and hurls her sword down bitting deeply into the foot of her bed frame and it sits still there as she lets it go.
Jack watches her circle, his dark brows wrinkled in concern, "hey, relax! He's just making critical choices, he's a leader, that's his job. Why is it such a big deal?" He asks, not understanding why she's so upset about Hiccups situation that doesn't really affect her, let alone include her in anyway.
Then it occurs to him that perhaps that's the problem.
"Why is it...?!" Merida trails off, blinking away the glossy disbelief in her eyes as she drawls in air to cool the burning in her lungs and exhales, turning away from him. "You wouldn't understand." She says, softly, arms folded across her middle.
Jack presses his lips into a thin line as he kicks up his staff from the wall and leans forward on it comfortably. "Well... help me out then," he suggests, listening. his attentive gaze thickening the stretch of silence in the air.
Merida's not used to talking about her feelings, at least not to another person. Angus is the best listener she knows.
She turns back, her eyes flickering between him and the floor, she sighs and begins treading the floor once more, "I don't know, I just... this is all so... sudden and unexpected, we know practically nothing about this kingdom or their people. even less about this.. Elsa Oldenburg, so... If he's really willing to even consider just jumping the gun and going off to a foreign land to marry someone else, someone he's never met blindly then..."
"Someone else?" Jack interrupts, repeating her words with a questioning brow as he stares at her.
she freezes, resisting the physical instinct to cringe. damn it Merida! She mentally scolds herself for slipping up as she looks at him. the beginnings of a grin that plays at his lips enough to tell her there's no point in trying to get out of this.
She sighs as she deflates into the chair behind her. "someone else, yes." She confirms, despite herself, shame warming her cheeks.
Jack smiles widely, "oh my go... oh.. oh no.." his smile quickly drops as the full reality of the situation sinks in.
The pit in Merida's stomach only grows as her eyes trace the grooves across the stone floor. "If he's willing to consider doing something like this, he can't feel for me the same way I feel for him... can he.." she confides her worries, her voice uncharacteristically meek.
Jack watches her with a frown, he doesn't want to kill her spirit—which, by the looks of it, is currently hanging on by a thread.— but he had to be realistic.
Hiccup and Merida were always close, even before they met Jack. He knows Hiccup cares about Merida, that's not a question, but he's not to say if Hiccups feelings are platonic or romantic.
"I promise you, Meri, it's way more complicated than that. he hasn't made a decision yet, and even if he does go to the coronation, he's not going to agree to anything before hand." He affirms.
Merida considers his words, they don't necessarily make her feel better. If Hiccup goes to Arendelle by himself, what's to stop him from never returning? The thought is a bit irrational, but it prods at her mind nonetheless.
The door swings open, Hiccup steps in, square shouldered.
Jack and Merida look up at him with bated breath, the conflict that once swam in his eyes replaced with resolve.
"We are going."