Alastair stepped off the ship and onto the small dock over looking the Dunbroch clan's castle. The male lifted his right hand and ran a through the mess of scarlet atop his head. His face caught in a stern scowl. His mouth chewed a piece of straw.
The Scotsmen strolled to the where the dock and the land met, his heavy footsteps causing the aged wood to creak underfoot. He inhaled the fresh air.
How long had it been since he last came to this part of the country? Perhaps it was ten or twenty years ago that he'd last been there. Though that wasn't right on his last visit he'd met King Fergus's brat...what was her name Meredith? Meridia? After several moments it came to him.
Merida! That was the name of the fussy lass he'd met all those years ago.
The personification moved over to the loch's edge to check his appearance and quell his dry throat. The l voyage to the Dubroch clan's area had taken more of his day then he thought.
When he gazed at the loch.
He was still the same tall, lean, no more then twenty-five, rugged and fiery haired Scotsmen he'd always been. His hair had grown longer and was shaggy it fell just past his unusual pierced ears, the man's eye's were the shade of emeralds, his skin fair. Alastair was dressed in simple brown pants, a fresh white tunic underneath his cobalt coloured cloak. His hand wore brown leather gloves, he removed them placing them next to his feet as he cupped the lake's crisp water in his palms and raised it to his lips to drink. Alastair's cedar longbow rubbed against his back as he bent, the soft sound of the arrows of his quiver moving caused his lips to curl in a small smile.
Though he'd been absent from the area for years he could feel the body of water was still clean. Who else would be better to know then Scotland himself? When he'd quenched his thirst he rose and placed his gloves on once more and began the long trek to the castle.
Meanwhile.
The princess sat on her bed munching and Apple for breakfast and mapping the best place to hang new archery targets. She had mapped over a perfect route that ended near the loch. Just as she was beginning to try and remember the route from the map, a woman's shouting interrupted her thought process.
"Merida! Merida! Where are the triplets? " Cried Moddy the helpless governess to the royal couple's children.
The teenager plucked the apple from her mouth tossed it behind her. With minor difficulty she crawled off her bed and over to the servant. "Haven't seen 'em" Assured the girl as she rushed the maid out of her room. Moddy stood silent outside the door for a few moments before continuing her search elsewhere.
Merida pushed the heavy wooden door shut and slipped out of her nightwear and into her favorite dress. The gown fit her curvy form like a glove. After pulling the dress over her head it caused her wild mess of ginger curls to jump around a bit wildly. The princess of Dunbroch rushed to her bed grabbed her bow from the side slipped it over her shoulders, quickly fastened her quiver around her hips and slipped out of the room quickly.
Though she'd had no lesson planned for the day, one never knew when her mother, Queen Elinor, would waltz in and demand she practice a completely knew thing entirely. Merida traveled down the steps quickly taking two or three at a time.
Luck seemed to be on her side today, she'd made it out of the castle, saddled up her Clydesdale Angus and was just starting off into the forest.
The beast's hooves pounded against the ground creating a constant heavy thud. Riding Angus made her feel like she could just forget everything else in the world, she felt free and swift as if she was riding the wind itself. That didn't mean she didn't remember and appreciate the horse or that he didn't appreciate her as an owner. They both cared for one another and both benefitted from the other. Merida had a way of being free and Angus had a friend and an owner that cared for him.
Feeling the rush becoming too much the ginger leaned her head back and shouted into the sky, feeling free as she clung to the reigns of the horse.
Alastair was nearly to the castle when the whir or black, blue and orange whizzed past him knocking him off his feet and onto his backside. The sound of arrows jostling increased as if it'd suddenly doubled.
Merida pulled her horse to a stop a yard away from the fallen male and hopped off quickly as she could.
"Ye alright?" She asked the worry in her voice down as best she could.
The man didn't seem to be injured, but it was best to ask.
"Aye, am ur." Spoke the male gruffly as sat up rubbing his lower back. He looked up at the girl, his breath hitched in his throat. She was a stunning mess of curls and strange wild beauty. Her hair was a soft orange, she stood perhaps five foot four, her form was curvy and the gown she sported emphasized that even more. She was nothing extremely astounding look wise but she was pretty enough to grab his attention.
The teenager chuckled. "Glad. Perhaps you should watch where you're going next time." She advised and began making way back to her steed.
Whatever beauty she possessed faded from his eyes as he registered the comment as and insult.
"Oh ye think that I should watch where I am trotting off to lass? Well I am not the one prancing around on her pony knocking men down."
Angus snorted. Almost as if saying, "I am not a pony."
Merida's face churned into an annoyed expression, her brows knit together as her blue-green eyes showed a bit of anger. "Angus is not a pony," She rebutted, causing the horse to whiny in agreement." Besides…" Merida spotted the dark grey earrings that pierced his ears. "If you were paying more attention to what direction you were going and who else is coming then accessorizing your appearance then maybe you wouldn't have fallen over." Argued Merida firmly.
"Sorry. Dear heart" Said the country dryly as he brushed himself off. "Important meeting with the King and Queen and I'll just tell them about the snot noised brat that decided to hold me up. Besides… the "accessories" which you happen to be mentioning are iron earrings to worn off fairies."
Merida's harsh looked softened, but only to be replaced a look of confusion.
"What do you want with Ma and Da?"
The words hit Scotland like a ton of bricks, he felt as if he might fall over once more.
"Ma and Da?" He questioned. His senses reeling from the new piece of information.
"Aye. Though you believe in fairies?" Merida too was stunned by someone else other then her mother who believed in magic.
"Believe in them? I hate those little shits" Alistair's nose wrinkled in disgust as he thought of the fluttering little beings. "Though my apologies Princess"
"I'm guessing you don't like fairies then. But my name Merida" She corrected. "And you?"
"Scotland."
"Oh joy! More jokes?" The princess of Dunbroch rolled her eyes.
"Nae, no jokes but for the moment call me Alistair."
She was confused and it made the country smirk. "I must be off yer wee highness." The red head inclined his head in a slight bow and made his way toward her home.
The archer tried to shake off the strange encounter as she climbed back onto her horse. She figured he was bonking mad and her folks would deal with it on their own. Though he did brandish a bow. With a sigh Merida climbed on Angus and begin to tail the strange male to the castle.