A/N: Dedicated to the wonderful Sev Baggins, who makes my day with every new chapter of her Frodomances and her sweet author's notes! :) I hope you enjoy!

Chapter I: A Voice Above The Waves

The sun was just about to set when Merida rode home from her latest adventure, the wind still blowing in her fiery red hair. She passed through the gates of Castle DunBroch and led her trusty horse Angus to the stable.

"I'm starving! You hungry too, Angus?"

The muscular black and white steed whipped his tail in her face as a response.

"Oats it is, then."

The young princess left the task to the stable men as she made her way inside through the kitchen, where the servants were busy preparing various dishes for the family dinner, taking an apple and a plate full of cakes as she passed by. She could hear her father King Fergus retelling the story of how he lost his leg to the demon bear Mor'du as she pushed open the door with her free arm.

"Out of nowhere, the biggest bear you've ever seen, his hide littered with the weapons of fallen warriors, his face scarred with one dead eye,"

Her three little brothers were there. One was lip syncing the story and copying every gesture his father made. Another planted his forehead to the tabletop. The third was almost asleep.

"I drew my sword, and -"

"WHOOSH!"

Merida's sudden take on the story woke up his brothers as they suddenly gasped and began to listen intently. One even fell off his chair and sent a pewter mug tumbling down with him, only to get up and peep over the edge of the table.

"One swipe, and his sword shattered, then CHOMP! Da's leg was clean off- Down the monster's throat it went!"

"Aw, that's my favorite part," Fergus remarked as Merida finished the tale.

"Mor'du has never been seen since," she continued, walking backwards and widening her eyes for dramatic effect. She crept past her father, behind the chair he sat in as she raised her arms to resemble a bear's claws. "... And is roaming the wild waiting his chance of revenge! RAWR! RAWRAWRAWRAWR!"

"Let him return," Fergus remarked. "I'll finish what I gobbled in the first place!"

His wife's soft, ladylike voice suddenly cut the lively and adventurous mood.

"Merida, a princess does not place her weapons on the table."

"Mum, it's just my bow!"

"A princess should not have weapons, in my opinion."

"Leave her be," her father interjected, "princess or not, learning to fight is essential."

"Mum, you'll never guess what I did today."

"Hm?"

"I climbed the Crone's Tooth and drank from the Fire Falls."

The eyes of all three of her little brothers widened with shock.

"Fire Falls?" her father inquired, his impression with her quite apparent despite his feigned air of royal doubt. "They say only the ancient kings were brave enough to drink the fire."

Merida made a funny face and giggled merrily in response. Fergus laughed along with her. Her mother, however, seemed quite aloof as she read various letters from the other end of the grand wooden table.

"What did you do, dear?"

Merida sighed, exasperated.

"Nothing, Mum."

Elinor suddenly glared at the pile of cakes that Merida had grabbed previously.

"Hungry, aren't we?"

"Mum -!"

"You'll get dreadful collywobbles."

The queen disgustedly shifted her gaze to her husband.

"Oh, Fergus! Will you look at your daughter's plate?"

He shifted his eyes to the plate as he was about to take a bite from a large turkey leg from the mountain of meat piled on his own.

"So what?"

Suddenly two lean, black dogs ran up to and pounced excitedly onto him, covering his face with kisses.

The queen certainly wasn't amused.

"Don't let them lick - ugh,"

Her gaze shifted to the little princes as she noticed them playing with their meals.

"Boys, don't just - don't just play with your haggis!" she said as the one seated in the middle dangled his right in the face of the one to his left, which was contorted into an expression of exaggerated disgust as he leaned away from it.

"How do you know you don't like it if you don't try it? It's just a wee sheep's stomach - it's delicious! Mmm!"

A portly serving lady came to the dining hall carrying a small tray, which held nothing save for three sealed letters. She promptly delivered them to the queen, as if she were serving her a fine meal that she had cooked herself.

"Thank you, Moddy," said Elinor, taking the envelopes from the tray. Meanwhile, Merida noticed the boys playing with their food.

"Psst!"

The boys immediately shifted their attention to their older sister as she gestured to the plate full of cakes, of which she hadn't taken a single bite.
She quickly slipped them under the table, and the three little boys smirked as they sunk from their chairs. Meanwhile, Elinor opened the three wax-sealed letters and skimmed over them one by one.

"Ah. From the lords MacIntosh, MacGuffin, and Dingwall- their responses no doubt."

Fergus was busy laughing and trying to keep the hounds out of his pile of meat as the boys gorged themselves on Merida's cakes. One of them looked over at their father's feet under the table and looked over at his two brothers, who nodded excitedly in agreement over the idea that just popped into his head.

"Aye - stay out of my food, you greedy mongrels!"

The dogs were gnawing on his tough wooden leg as his wife diligently read the letters before her, seemingly ignoring everything else going on around her.

"Fergus-"

Merida immediately turned in her direction, wide-eyed. Soon after, King Fergus froze in his seat and did the same.

"They've all accepted." the queen continued, almost in a whisper.

Merida darted a look at her father. When she realized that he was thinking the same thing she was, she turned again to her mother at the other end of the table.

"Who's accepted what, mother?"

Elinor turned to the triplets, who were now as round as apples from the cakes that they'd stuffed into their shirts.

"Boys - you are excused."

The boys dashed out of their seats immediately and ran out of the dining hall. One of them tripped over, causing all of the cakes in his shirt to spill over and onto the floor. He immediately got up and followed his brothers out.

Both hounds followed the boys.

Merida uncertainly scanned the table.

"What... Did I do now?"

"Your father has something to discuss with you,"
Elinor responded as she glanced over to her husband, who spit out his drink at her remark.
He sat wide eyed as she tried to cue him into bringing the news to his daughter.

"Fergus," she said, quickly glancing at Merida.

Fergus awkwardly cleared his throat and looked at his daughter.

"Um, Merida..."

The words escaped him as his wife rolled her eyes at his incompetence. She then took it upon herself to bring Merida the news.

"The lords are presenting their sons as suitors for your betrothal."

"What?!"

"The clans have accepted!"

"Da-?!"

"What- I - you - she - Elinor?!"

"Honestly Merida," the queen remarked. "I don't know why you're reacting this way."

"UGH!"

Merida laid her head on the table, hopeless and beyond exasperation. Her mother continued with the news regardless.

"This year, each clan will present a suitor to compete in the games for your hand."

"I suppose a princess just does what she's told!"

"A princess does not raise her voice! Merida, this is what you've been preparing for your whole life."

"No, it's what you've been preparing me for my whole life! I won't go through with it - you can't make me!"

She immediately rose from her chair and stormed out of the room.

"Merida!"

Elinor turned to Fergus, who got up to go after her only to discover that his wooden leg had been tied to that of the table.

"Merida- BOYS!"

...

Merida stormed into her room and slammed the door behind her. She immediately went for her sword and began hacking at the strong wooden bedposts to unleash her frustrations.

"Ack! Agh! Ugh!"

Hack.

Suitors?

Hack.

Marriage?!

Hack!

Does a princess have any say on what goes on in her life?!

HACK.

Why is it that everything is decided for me?!

HACK. HACK.

It's my life! MINE! MY OWN!

HACK! HACK! HACK!

CRACK!

Merida jumped at the sudden sound as she noticed a huge fault creeping up the bedpost to her right at the foot of her bed.

She stared at it as her heart thumped in her chest. The crack slithered higher. She still held her sword in a clammy, trembling grip.

It was then that she heard the last sound she could ever expect through the glass window to her left - a voice singing a wordless song.

It floated from outside and through the glass, filling her room and surrounding her like a rolling mist. It was gentle, ethereal, even reminiscent of a siren's call - and yet was distinctly male. The eeriness of it all in such an intimate space should have made her skin crawl and her hair stand on end - but it didn't do that at all. If anything, it soothed her and ebbed her wrath.

It enveloped her like a soft, close embrace. The bedpost ceased its cracking. The marks from her sword slashes miraculously began to fade. Merida's face softened as she stared in wonder at the bedposts, and then off into space as she got lost in the beautiful voice. She could feel it vibrate against her body, as though it was quietly singing in her ear as it washed away the tension in her muscles. Her breathing became slower, deeper. The grip on her sword loosened by degrees. She lost herself even further and collapsed onto her bed, lying on her back as the voice filled her ears and continued to soothe her body. Eventually she closed her eyes and sighed deeply. The sword fell completely out of her hand and clattered to the ground.