Chapter 1: Whisps

Merida woke up before the sun was up in the sky. This was a very special day and she did not want to waste a single second. She prepared herself as fast as she could and ran to the stables to find Angus, her faithful horse. Almost everyone was asleep, so they were careful not to make a noise on their way out.

Once they left the castle door behind, however, Merida was as loud as she could. She screamed and laughed as Angus took through the forest that surrounded the castle. He knew that his owner needed this final moment of release and freedom before the next day.

Merida's twenty-third birthday. Merida's coronation.

Her parents have been discussing it over months, and they've decided that her daughter has prepared to be queen. At first, Merida didn't like the idea. She was young and with a lot of world to see, she couldn't be stuck in a throne! But then she saw how tired her parents looked, her father specially. She knew that his leg had been hurting him for a long time and that he needed some rest. So, she agreed with one condition: a final day of freedom.

And, oh, how she was loving that day. The woods, the sky, the birds… Everything seemed so perfect that she wanted to tell her parents that no, she was not becoming queen, but the thought disappeared fast. After all, a crown didn't mean that she couldn't have fun once in a while. Maybe it wasn't that bad.

Just when she was considering stopping and start eating the food that she had brought with her, in the corner of her eye, she saw a familiar glow. A blue glow.

"Slow doun, Angus-she said to her horse, pulling the reins to make him stop.-Dae ya see what I see? A whisp?"

She dismounted and approached the whisp carefully. She didn't want it to go away. Slowly, the whisp began to head backwards, towards some dark bushes, and she followed with Angus behind. As they walked the forest was became darker and darker until the only light was the whisp. Merida tripped a few times over some sticks and plants.

Soon, Merida saw light again. She was in a lake, a big one, surrounded by beautiful flowers that she have never seen. But the whisp had vanished along with Angus. She was alone.

"Angus, boy?"she whispered. When she got no response, she called a bit louder."C'mon boy, daen't hide! It's not funny!"

Nothing. No horse sound, no whisp sound. Just nothing.

But then, she heard something.

"I'm sure this is the right way. It has to be this way."

It was a woman speaking, and it came from the lake. Could it be a mermaid or something?. Daen't be silly, Merida. Mermaids daen't live in lakes, thay live in the sea. But then, what was it?

"Oh, there's snow everywhere! How am I supposed to know where to go?"

Merida was sure by now that the sounds came from the lake so, bow in hand and prepared to attack, she approached it. To her surprise she did not see her reflection. Instead, there was snow. Lots of snow.

"But we are in summer? How…?"

Before she could even finish her question out loud she felt something, or someone, pushing her into the lake.

She fell.