"Who's going to ask her?" said Hamish and even before he finished he knew there won't be any volunteers. Which was unfortunate since he didn't feel like asking her himself, not knowing how will his sister take a question about her state of mind. It just wasn't the kind of thing people asked her.

No one just asked the queen – the always armed queen – if she was alright. Or what happened in that strange land she disappeared into. Or how much of her mood could be blamed on their father's killer...

"Maybe it's nothing," said Harris shrugging. He didn't quite manage to say it as though he believed it. No one in their right mind would.

She's gone all… brooding. All business whenever there was some problem for her to address, and quiet and withdrawn otherwise.

"Why does it have to be one of us? Can't mother try to talk to her…?" started Hubert hopefully before he realized what he just said. Of course mother tried to get Merida to talk about why she seemed so changed by Storybrooke…

"Well, she's hardly going to tell us, is she? She'll just say it's none of our business and she'll be right. It's not like it's affecting her work. It's just affecting… her," said Harris unhappily.

"We could get someone to ask for us. Even if she won't tell him anything, we might learn something from how she reacts…" said Hubert thoughtfully.

"Him?" asked Hamish.

His brothers gave him a moment to catch up with their thought processes rather than answer him outright. Because there really was only one person around that would be willing to do something that suicidal if they asked him to. If they added that he owed them that much after nearly getting them killed.

"That's a very bad idea," said Hamish decisively.

"Yes. Very bad. Which explains why it came to him…" said Hubert gesturing towards the window.

"Maybe he didn't actually ask her what's wrong… while she's sharpening her sword," said Harris looking at the scene in the courtyard with the expression of someone who was certain he'll get to see some bloodshed any second now.

"Oh but he did…" said Hamish.

That much was clear even from this distance. Everything about the way Merida just jumped to her feet and stared at Mackintosh indicated that he said something upsetting. Her brothers only exchanged quick look and ran for the nearest staircase. Not because they were too worried about the diplomatic incident that was about to happen – more because they really wanted to see it up close…

"Artur is dead," they heard their sister say in a tone that was both angry and mournful as they finally reached the courtyard. "I'll never get to have my revenge."

"You'll never get killed trying to get it," answered Mackintosh who was miraculously still alive. And though she gave him a murderous look for that comment she didn't raise her sword. "And even if you did… it wouldn't bring your father back."

And that would be remembered as his last words, Hamish was certain.

But seconds went by and no one got painfully disemboweled. The brothers exchanged looks and took a few steps back, hiding behind a nearest wall since there was no need for them to interfere. Yet.

"I wanted it so much," she sighed painfully. "To punish Arthur…"

"He was punished. He's not your problem anymore."

"I know that," she said, her tone turning dangerous once more.

"But knowing it doesn't make the anger go away," said Mackintosh and for some insane reason of his own unsheathed his sword. "And you need to get it out of your system…"

And without adding anything else he attacked her. She only barely managed to get out of the way in time.

"Right. Which one of you wants to write the eulogy…?" asked Hubert.

But his brothers were too busy watching the fight to answer him. Not that they had any doubts about who will win. Their sister was skilled and she wasn't exactly holding back at the moment. She fought furiously. It was a good thing she was too busy and out of breath to talk, because it was clear that she was ready to use language not usually associated with royalty.

"Do you think he just gave up on life?" asked Harris as Mackintosh barely escaped a blow aimed at his head. And laughed. Actually laughed.

The princes shook their heads in unison finally realizing what they were witnessing. The last suicidal act of a madman - or so it looked from where they stood.

"That's enough…!" said Merida suddenly, dropping her sword.

He stopped mid-swing and studied her expression. "No."

"What?"

"That's nowhere near enough. Pick up your sword…"

She didn't, though she never looked closer to killing him. She just stood there, breathing heavily, not making a move in the direction of the weapon at her feet.

"Did you forget who gives orders around here…?" she said – and had to jump aside because without the slightest warning he attacked again.

"Pick up your sword," he repeated. She made a move towards the sword then – only to change her mind and attack with her fists instead.

She managed to catch him by surprise and he landed on the ground. "Don't even think about getting up," said Merida in voice that was dangerously close to a growl. "You have no idea how lucky you are no one saw you do that. What the hell were you thinking…?"

"I was thinking you needed to hit something. And I was right…" said Mackintosh, wincing as he touched his jaw.

"Half the kingdom thinks you should have been executed for treason long ago. If anyone saw what you just did…"

He sat up and studied her for a long moment before answering.

"They're right," he said. "You should had me executed. What I did went beyond treason."

"Get out of my sight," said Merida in frustrated tone and bent to pick up her sword.

"No."

"You need to stop using that word when you talk to me."

"Why? You didn't punish me for treason and you're certainly not going to punish me for talking back. The worst you're going to do is hit me again – and that might do you some good."

"If you don't want to spend the night in the dungeon you're going to stop talking…"

"No," he repeated. And from where they stood Merida's brothers could tell he was trying to get her to attack him again.

"I'm your queen," she said, not moving.

"You are. And that has consequences I didn't understand until now," Mackintosh said calmly as he got up to his feet. "No one can tell you to snap out of it, your majesty."

"Snap out of it?" she repeated as her fury was replaces by disbelief. "He killed my father."

"And the moment when you could do something about it is long gone. You missed," said Mackintosh. His voice didn't convey any malice, though it was clearly another provocation. And this one worked better than he probably expected, because in the next moment they were both on the ground and Merida didn't stop there. For a moment it seemed as though she might never stop…

"Shouldn't we…?" said Hamish hesitantly.

"No way. He deserves it…" replied Hubert.

"And he's right you know. No one else could tell her…" added Harris staring at them with thoughtful expression. From where he stood it was pretty clear one of them was holding back – and the other one definitely wasn't.

"I really think we should interfere before she kills him," said Hamish ready to walk out of hiding.

But even as he made his first step Merida's expression lost something of its fury. She took a deep breath and unclenched her fists, though it was clear it took all her self-control.

"Better?" asked Mackintosh a little too casually for someone who was still pinned to the ground and had the making of a pretty impressive black eye.

She didn't look better. She looked exhausted and angry, though probably at herself now and seeing the damage she did she had to avert her eyes. She blinked a few times, as though trying to chase away tears before she spoke. "That shouldn't have happened…"

"Are you better?" he asked again. That finally made her look at him again.

"I should have killed you the day I saved my brothers," she said in a level, calm voice that was somehow worse than all the rage that preceded it.

Her brothers, still eavesdropping on the conversation exchanged worried looks.

"I agree. I wouldn't have to do stupid things like this trying to repay you for sparing my life," said Mackintosh. "Not that I ever will."

The silence that followed was deafening. For the first time since the beginning of this confrontation the brothers felt as though they were intruding on a moment they had no business witnessing.

"I'm not better," said Merida suddenly. "I'll never be better. I… miss him… so much," she said, just barely managing to keep her last few words from becoming sobs.

"You should. No one expects you to stop missing him," said Mackintosh. He sat up slowly, wincing in pain. "But there is a difference between missing him and wanting revenge. Be glad Arthur is dead. Be glad you never got to find out if you could have killed him. It's better this way."

Merida had no answer to that. She only stared at her bloody knuckles.

"Thank you," she said after a few endless seconds of silence never taking her eyes from her hands. "Never do this again."

"It was necessary."

Merida looked ready to disagree, but changed her mind before she said a word. "I still want revenge," she said in the end in a barely audible whisper.

"I know," said Mackintosh just as quietly.

If they said anything more the three princes never knew because at that moment they came to unspoken agreement that it was time to go. They tiptoed back towards the castle not discussing what they just witnessed, because it was all too fresh in their minds to talk about.

"Interesting development," said Hubert once they reached their room again.

"I knew she wanted to get Arthur for what he did, but…" started Hamish. There was no need to finish that sentence. No one had any idea just how much rage she felt towards the dead king. Even she didn't know, not until she was shown.

The brothers only stood there in silence full of strange sadness, none of them daring to go near the window for the longest time.

"How do you think he'll explain his face?" said Hubert trying to distract them from how much they all wanted to see what was going on outside.

"Ran into a door...?" grinned Harris.

"I don't think anyone will want an explanation. This kingdom is full of people who want to punch him in the face," reminded Hamish finally daring to glance out of the window.

"They're gone," he said with some relief.

He wasn't the only one feeling that way. They left when they did exactly because they didn't know where was that strange moment going - and they preferred not to find out. As long as could expect the sister they knew to return and replace that solemn stranger she's been the past few weeks, they didn't care what it took to get her back. If that meant Mackintosh had to get seriously hurt, well... it was a price they were willing to pay.