If you'd told sixteen-year-old Merida that she'd be happily sharing her bed with another in five years' time, she'd have rolled her eyes and called you a daft bam pot. Not that she would have fully ruled out the possibility, mind you, just, you know, pointed out how very unlikely it was when the most likely candidates were the sons of the lords and, well, how very unappealing the thought of any one of them had been at the time. Oh, she'd liked them fine as pals, just, you guessed it, not as a ball and chain, thank you very much.
Shows just how little sixteen-year-old Merida knew, really.
She would never have considered that she could become enamoured with a woman. To be fair, the whole concept of becoming enamoured with anyone had been more a background expectation than an idea she'd espoused. Really, meeting Queen Elsa of Arendelle had been an awakening.
Merida smiled as she stirred from her slumber. Blinking in the darkened room, she sighed, stretched, and sat up for a bit on her elbow. Her gaze settled on the still form sleeping next to her. She could just about make out the curve of her nose, the sprawl of her white-gold hair, the hand resting on her pillow. With a yawn, Merida turned over and rested her head on her crossed arms, admiring the beauty resting next to her.
It was certainly better than ruminating on the remnants of her dream. Her brothers turning into wolves and stealing cake, really... What a headache. At least she had a sliver of moonlight coming through the curtains, showing her an Elsa at peace: the perfect balm for her dream born irritations.
Merida remembered when she'd first realised just how deeply she'd been falling for Elsa. She'd been on a diplomatic mission for her parents, a trip to Arendelle to discuss trade and diplomatic agreements. These trips had, in fact, become a regular thing after Merida had found the first one to be so... liberating? Was that the word? She grinned. How oblivious she'd been. It was on the third such trip. She remembered because it was the one she'd first met Princess Rapunzel on. The bare-footed princess of Corona had been delightfully entertaining, with tales of adventures, brigands and magic. Princess Anna dragged her up to her chambers along with her royal sister and Merida for, as she put it, a girl's night slumber party full of tales and fun. It was fun. From the put-upon looks of Kristoff and Eugene as their significant others ditched them, to the delightful displays of magic Elsa treated them to, answering various requests, all over warm cups of chocolate and cake, Merida loved it. They all talked late into the night, until Anna fell asleep pretty much mid-sentence and Rapunzel had to leave upon catching her husband red-handed, hanging out the window.
That had left Merida and Elsa alone, watching over Anna as she slept, twisting her bedcovers impressively within minutes. Elsa shook her head and smiled when Merida wondered out loud if Kristoff knew what he was getting into. There'd been a shy glance and blush then, one that had butterflies fluttering in Merida's stomach. They left Anna's room, Merida's hand somehow finding its way into Elsa's. That was when she realised. The hopes and fears that had fluttered then... Merida was glad she weathered them, turned the shy glances into tender looks, invited the cold hands to touch her warm heart. She loved seeing Elsa smile. Anna took her aside not long after that, confessing how her sister always seemed to smile wider when she was mentioned, a tacit approval and encouragement. It made Merida feel all kinds of brave.
It didn't mean that she never saw Elsa worried though. Merida recalls how tough today was. After months of hard work, she finally managed to break the last of any opposition to Kristoff and Anna being wed. There'd been much sighing and glancing up to the heavens as she prepared to put each pompous clown in their place. Merida's hands had itched to give them a piece of her mind herself, but she knew that Elsa would not thank her for getting physical, not with her court.
Elsa was, in fact, happy enough to get physical with her after the official announcement of Kristoff and Anna's engagement had been made. Merida wasn't sure she'd ever find the words to describe what Elsa's touch could do to her.
It was nothing compared to the arrangement they'd made. Merida loved being at her side, enjoying the dry wit, the entrancing contrast of decorum with that scandalous ability Elsa had to just let go of the past and carve her own identity. She loved being allowed to be at her side without it needing to be made official, with all that pomp and obligation her own mother once tried to force upon her. That, if anything, had helped to crystalize Merida's loyalty to the young queen.
The Princess of Dunbroch was just away to fall back to sleep when she noticed it. It was just a whimper, a small twitch of the bedding... Nevertheless, it was enough to snap Merida's eyes wide open. Fear gripped her heart as she realised what had caused the change.
The peacefulness on Elsa's features was gone. She was still asleep, but her face was marred with a frown, a downwards twist of her lips. The hand that had been resting limp was now a fist. Hints of Elsa's ice magic were starting to manifest, but even without the falling snowflakes, Merida would have shivered. The whimper came again, chilling her to the core.
"Elsa..." She whispered, her voice rough with sleep and panic. "Elsa!"
The blonde beside her didn't answer. The whimpering continued, now accompanied by a shaking of the head and both arms wrestling with the covers.
It took her a moment to realise that the young queen was having nightmares. Merida wasn't sure if she could fight another person's nightmares. She was used to twisting her own dreams to her whims, and it had always been her mother or Maudie who would soothe her brothers if their sleep was restless.
Merida reached out with her hand, grabbing at a pale shoulder.
"Is okay... Elsa!" She said, slightly louder this time. She pulled herself closer to the other woman's ear. "Is okay, ah'm here."
The blonde's fist stilled its magic but was still tense. Elsa gasped. Merida's pulse was hammering. There was so much fear in Elsa's small cry. Merida didn't know what to do.
She recalled the thunder storms of her youth. How she used to squeal and hide in her mother's quilt, and then... It might not work the same, but it wouldn't hurt to try.
Elsa was still showing small signals of distress. It hurt to see her face so drawn in the moonlight. Gently, Merida adjusted her position. She gently slid one hand beneath Elsa's neck, along her shoulders. With her other, Merida clasped at her waist, gently pulling her close.
"Ah got ye," she said, her voice strong and calm. She poured all her affection into every syllable, willing Elsa's night terror to flee. "Ah luv ye."
It seemed to do the trick. The lines on Elsa's face smoothed out. She appeared once more to be peacefully asleep. She shifted a little in Merida's embrace, her once fisted hand now resting peacefully on Merida's shoulder.
Merida's heartbeat slowed back down to normal. She could feel a warm tenderness in her breast. She did this. She who was called brash and reckless, she'd helped soothe Elsa in her sleep... with just a touch and some loving words.
Delighted, Merida placed a kiss on Elsa's forehead, ready to settle back into sleep. She was fine with waking up to a dead arm if need be. She felt a flutter against her chin. She glanced down.
"Mer..." It always amazed Merida. It wasn't every time, but sometimes, in the dark half-light in the dead of night, there would be a glow to Elsa's eyes. It was enchanting, but not as much as her small smile of relief, or the way she pulled Merida closer.
"Bad dream, eh?" Merida couldn't help the slightly teasing tone of her voice. She figured she deserved the following rebuke and sudden coldness of Elsa's fingers at her back.
"Hush."
Elsa kissed her neck and went back to sleep. Merida felt more than heard the whispering of an I love you too.
The cold fingers at her back, warm breath at her collar and lingering rush of adrenaline made it hard for her to return to her slumber. Still, she felt, it was worth every sleepless second.
Merida smiled.
Fin.
(Merida finds it less funny when the next time Elsa punches her in the eye. Elsa makes her some ice cream in an effort to make up for it.)
(Trying to break the writer's block with some fluff. Hope you enjoyed!)