Dated May 5, 2013

[talking_fishbone]

To say things hadn't gone as planned would have been both a gross understatement and, essentially, the story of Hiccup's life. Last time, it had ended with a dragon for a friend and, maybe, some interest from Astrid. Today, though, it ended with him covered in a splicer's blood and creeping towards the showers. Normally, he'd have just dove into the waterfall to get the worst of it off, but the feel of it was so foul that Hiccup had a feeling he'd do better with more immediate measures.

Hopefully, he wouldn't have to make too many explanations. No matter what the reason, saying hello to someone whilst dripping with all manner of filth never went well for anyone.

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[followsthewisps]

Merida turns, recovered with tray with two mugs of tea, the kettle, and the salve in its jar on the side, clearly marked. She's grinning a little stiffly, even though her tunic is clearly soaked with spilled tea and her fingers slightly red from scalding.

"Tea's ready!"

[talking_fishbone]

Politely, Hiccup pretended not to notice the spilled tea and turned his focus on the tea and salve. "Thanks. I'm pretty sure it's just the bruise. I don't think I'm bleeding."

[followsthewisps]

She rolls her eyes at him and put the tray down on the table before nudging him into a seat quite forcibly, though she's careful about his injured side.

"Aye, but I saw the size of that bruise. Ye'll thank me for it. Now take that shirt off again, so I can treat it."

Merida takes a seat beside him and opens the jar of ointment, smelling the slightly familiar scent of arnica and what she's come to recognize as clove.

"I thought to grab some of the cider vinegar from the cupboard, but why settle for that and rob the cooks of ingredients when there's a perfectly good supply of medicine in the clinic? This should help numb any pain and help the bruise to go down. At least, that's what it says it should do on the label."

[talking_fishbone]

"Gobber would have just chewed up some leaves–and told me that the spit was the thing that did the trick." Granted it had worked pretty damn well, but if he could stick with the ointment then so much the better.

"You really think it looks that bad?"

[followsthewisps]

"I've certainly seen worse," she answers with a shrug. After all, much like Hiccup, her father was missing a leg. He's not the only warrior of Merida's clan who'd suffered injuries from sport or battle that she's had the displeasure of witnessing.

"I just think there's no sense in having our resident blacksmith suffer longer than necessary. You're lucky that it isn't bigger, or I'd wonder at the state of your ribs all together. It couldae required bed rest and I'd have to be the one hammering away at scrap and entertaining your beastie for you."

[talking_fishbone]

"Hey, I would pay good money to see that," Hiccup joked, quickly adding. "The entertaining Toothless, I mean."

Though he thought she looked like someone who could learn the tools of smithing. A little practice and experience with the heavy tools and they'd have more than one smith handy.

"I could show you how to use the forge though."

[followsthewisps]

"And I'd do a fine job of it, worth your money," Merida laughs, poking his uninjured side again. With the salve properly warmed between her fingers, she smooths a generous layer over in bruise, making sure she covers all the sickly yellow-violet skin.

The mention of actually learning his trade had her pausing. It would indeed be both useful and interesting to her, as well as to the island, what with the seemingly small number of smiths present. Merida can't help but wonder what sort of objections her mum would raise.

"I'd have to consider... And I think you'd have to consider learning to actually use the weapons you make with me, in that case."

[talking_fishbone]

"If only so I don't learn to shoot my eye out." He took a deep breath as he felt her smoothing the salve over his bruise. If only because he told himself it would help, he felt better.

"I'll show you how to make a sword and then we'll get a few swings in."

[followsthewisps]

"Let that soak all into your skin and don't put your shirt back on until it's decently dried. I'll make sure no cheeky lasses try to turn your stomach into washboard again."

She caps the jar of salve and wipes away the excess on her fingers, happy that they also cooled down the slight burns from the tea on her finger tips. Taking a seat to enjoy her own tea, she grins across the table at him.

"So, it'll be my turn to make you a worthy sword then?"

[talking_fishbone]

"Only as worthy as the one I made for you," Hiccup said, grinning wryly. He went over to another chair and sat carefully to avoid smearing salve everywhere.

"I don't think that's anything to worry about, unless Valkyrie's around to tease me."

[followsthewisps]

"That's a hard challenge, then. Feremaucht is a fantastic piece of steel,"she grins back, lifting her mug to her lips. Merida doesn't doubt that she'll take to the forge faster than she had with the loom, but even then, anything she could create in the next few months will likely pale in comparison to Hiccup's more practiced hand.

[talking_fishbone]

"When you make a sword for someone you care about–friends, family, whatever," Hiccup carefully didn't mention romance. "Then you're going to put your all into making sure it'll protect them."

He hoped that Merida understood that it meant he'd put even more effort into perfecting her sword than any one he'd made before.

[followsthewisps]

Merida smiles softly at him. It's admirable how he cares for his friends in such a way that he makes them the best for their safety.

"The island must be full of your master works, then."

[talking_fishbone]

"Only for people who ask it of me. I wouldn't force a sword on someone who didn't want it." He paused and added, "Or for someone whose father forbade me to give the four-year-old a sword for everyone's peace of mind."

[followsthewisps]

She laughs, not needing much to guess who's child Hiccup is speaking of. "Normally I'd point out that I was four when I was gifted my first weapon, but I think our wee neighbor can wait a bit still."

[talking_fishbone]

"Yeah, but at four years old, none of us were Reynald," Hiccup reminded her. Not that he really thought Reynald was any kind of threat, but he would abide by Robb's request.