Upon entering the villages on their way to the palace, they were given some very contemptuous looks. They had forgotten Merida was currently an outlaw. Finally they arrived at the palace gates. Both looked at each other and inhaled deeply. The last time each had been in here, things did not go very well.

The gates opened almost too slowly for their comfort. As soon as they opened, Fergus's face loomed in the doorway. "Where's my daughter?! Where's that dragon?!!" he boomed. Merida and Hiccup were too short to be seen by him.

The hunters stepped to the side to reveal Merida and Hiccup, who felt like they had never been stared at by so many eyes at one time. The head hunter spoke up. "Here is your daughter," he said, gesturing to Merida, "and here is-" Hiccup shook his head at him. They were not to tell. "And here is the man that saved her."

Merida smiled brightly at him. People began clapping. Hiccup didn't even begin to comprehend what was going on. Merida giggled. "Your face!"

She stood on her tiptoes and whispered into his ear, "You didn't thank you'd do all that and not get anything, did you?"

Hiccup's mouth was still ajar.