Hello all! This story is a sister story and spin-off to The Hero of Arendelle City by Catterall and The Vigilantes of Corona by JJAndrews. I do recommend you read those stories as well. Also, I cannot write a Scottish accent, so just imagine the characters speaking in their respective accents.
Disclaimer: I don't own Brave, Pixar, Disney or this particular idea for a narrative. Catterall owns this idea; I am merely executing it. Also, a big shout out and thank you to Catterall for being my beta reader. You're awesome!
Enjoy reading!
Prologue
Elinor MacLoch must have re-read the letter a dozen times. Her eyes, exhausted from a day of lecturing at Dunbroch University, did not deceive her. The military had accepted her daughter, Merida MacLoch's application. Elinor was in disbelief, denial. The words were blatant and direct, enhanced by the bright fluorescent light in the dining room where she currently sat at the table, sifting through papers.
Merida's application had been accepted. Elinor still wished she could refuse to believe it. But she could not. Merida hadn't told her that she had wanted to join the army again. Elinor never understood Merida's obsession to join the army. It made no logical sense but Merida was young, after all. Elinor concluded that Merida could have had much more worrisome obsessions.
But why the military?
The first time Merida was fresh-faced out of high school, aged eighteen. Without a second thought or hesitation, Merida wanted to join the army. She proudly told the entire family at dinner. While Fergus was all for it and the triplets gazed up at Merida with awe and admiration, Elinor explained the importance of a tertiary education. Fergus had been quick to agree with Elinor of course. Needless to say, tension hung around mother and daughter for quite a few days after. Only Fergus cut the thick tension between the two. Eventually, Merida had come to her senses and applied for university, successfully graduating recently.
Elinor knew that Merida idolised Fergus. After all, what child wouldn't look up to their father? Of course, Fergus had to be an Army General, of all occupations. From a child's point of view, it did sound more exciting than a history professor, who was a member of Dunbroch's History Museum committee. Merida was attracted to the romanticism of being an army hero, not the side of constant worrying that Elinor had experienced. Elinor had to worry whether Fergus would physically or mentally fine, the horrors he had to face, the horrors he had survived. It was similar to anticipating death. Thankfully, death hadn't visited the family yet.
Elinor placed the letter on the table, separately from the other papers she had to go through today. The gaping printed words on Merida's letter seemed to mock her. She further straightened her composure, obstinate to not let those printed letters mock her.
"Merida!"
Instantaneously, as if on cue, Merida MacLoch appeared in the dining room from upstairs, holding her laptop. Her wild curly red mane of hair seemed to bounce behind her as she practically pranced over to where Elinor was seated at the end of the table. Her vibrant blue eyes seemed to have brightened when Elinor had called her.
Merida was quite athletic and the tomboy. Elinor often had to critique Merida for her presentation and manners, notably during her teenage years. She wore khaki coloured cargo pants and a plain white t-shirt along with a pair of black Nikes. Similarly to her younger brothers, Merida had inherited a majority of Fergus' physical traits. The family had received many stares, particularly toward Elinor, who in looks was the odd one out.
"I was looking at some houses Mum," Merida smiled, placing her laptop on the table. Merida had been looking at houses ever since she had graduated. She pulled out a chair and sat down, cross legged and laid back, much to Elinor's slight annoyance. Merida paused as she took notice to her mother's serious expression. "We could look at the houses later," she finished off, awkwardly.
Elinor sighed. She knew that Merida wouldn't like what she had to say.
"Merida," Elinor began, pausing for a moment, in thought of what to say, before speaking again. "Why didn't you tell me about joining the army again?"
Elinor held the letter in front of Merida, who became rigid in her chair, uncrossing her legs. She sat up for once and looked at the letter. Her energetic and outgoing demeanour had vanished, replaced by an eerily silent counterpart. Merida read each of the printed letters slowly.
On the one hand, Merida was ecstatic. But on the other hand she knew she would most likely face her mother's wrath for keeping silent about applying again. Merida didn't understand why her Mum couldn't just be happy. It genuinely irritated Merida that her mother couldn't even be happy for her. She had attended university for her Mum.
What else could she possibly do for her mother now?
"Mum," Merida looked away from the letter, boring into her mother's dark brown eyes. "I've always wanted to join the army. It's been my dream; helping people and setting an example to our country's citizens. Dad has done so much for our country. He's the kind of person I strive to be, that I want to be. I don't know why you're so worried; I've finished university and got the degree."
Elinor sighed. Merida's goal was purely innocent and naive. She didn't understand at all, given the number of conversations they'd had about the topic. Elinor was still stuck at square one with Merida, the red head refusing to move any further. Merida's stubbornness had only grown worse as she had gotten older. Two stubborn forces were meant to collide at one point eventually.
"The army is no place for a young lady like you. You have the world at your fingertips, opportunities that my parents could never give me when I was your age. You can't throw it all away to join the army! There are many other and safer ways to be a positive example for the community, Merida. What you're doing is foolish. Merida, it's for the best to give this up-"
A flare blazed in Merida's eyes as she glared at her mother. If looks could kill, Elinor would have fallen to the floor, dead.
"No!" Merida arose from her chair, her voice taking on a new tone. "You're always trying to make my decisions for me, controlling me. Mother, I'm twenty-two years old; I can make my own decisions, without you."
Merida snatched the letter from the table before Elinor could protest. The years of frustration toward her Mum were finally unvented and Merida wasn't hesitant at all to act on it.
"We're in the twenty-first century. Women have joined the army before," Merida snapped. "Why can't you be happy that I want to make a positive influence in the world? I haven't done anything wrong but something's wrong with joining the army? Why don't you tell Dad off? What about Harris, Hubert and Hamish?"
Elinor seemed immune to Merida's outburst. The harsh silence meant the worst was yet to come. Elinor remained tight-lipped. How she was human, Merida would never know. The only real emotion Elinor exhibited was the occasional but not over bearing affection she had toward her family. It was a rare sight for Elinor to be overly affectionate.
Merida despised her mother's treatment toward her, predominantly in being treated like a child. She had only wanted to live her dream. Now, living her dream was a crime. Merida would never understand her mother's double standards. It always frustrated her to no avail.
"Listen Merida," Elinor sat up, one of her hands taking and holding Merida's wrist tenaciously. Her voice remained stern and authoritarian.
Merida violently withdrew her wrist away, breaking the grip Elinor had on her hand. Elinor only faced Merida's glare, reciprocating it with a stronger one.
The house was Elinor's. Whether Merida liked it or not, the reality was that Elinor was her mother. A child always treated their parents with respect.
"You forced me to leave the Army Cadets," Merida's tone became acidic and venomous. She clenched her fists in anger and frustration, pacing back and forth, hair cascading behind her. "Don't you ever stop to think or ask about what I want? No, you're telling me what to do, what not to do; trying to make me like you. I'm not going to be like you."
"You're acting like a child-" Elinor sighed, exasperated. It was ridiculous to believe that the topic of the argument was so minor, insignificant honestly.
Why couldn't Merida understand the reality?
"And you're a beast, that's what you are!" Merida hissed, stepping away, holding the letter closely to her. Elinor was frozen in her steps and expression. It was an unexpected comeback by which Elinor found herself wounded; more than she'd cared to admit. She had only been struck by a mere second, only a mere second.
"Merida!" Elinor had managed to find her voice.
"I'd rather die than be like you!"
It was the final blow. Before any other words could be exchanged, Merida fled the dining area. Elinor could only stand in shock, greeted by silence. She looked down at Merida's laptop to see the housing website she was looking at. Elinor felt guilt course through her veins as she clenched her fists.
Merida would either flee to the outside of the house and practice her archery skills, or she would see Fergus. Fergus was at the military base just outside of Dunbroch City. He always knew what to do with Merida and how to talk to her after a bitter debate like this one. If it wasn't for him, Elinor suspected that her relationship with Merida would have been well and truly destroyed a long time ago. Yes, she would talk to Fergus about what to do.
Merida had raced up the stairs to her room. She flung her door open, not particularly caring whether her brothers would hear her. Knowing the triplets, they were more likely to be up to their own devices. The boys were most likely preparing for some sort of elaborate prank at school. They were certainly quite the mischief-makers, having the right to boast several memorable tricks. The triplets had dabbled in the art of pranking ever since they were eight years old. Their high jinks had become more ingenious as they got older. Merida smiled at the memory of their most grandiose trick.
Her room was true to her free will and spirit. A map of the world hung haphazardly from the wall in the right hand corner of the room. The map was slightly crinkled at the edges. A calendar of different plants hung opposite to the wall-sized map. The walls of her room were painted white, save the the wall where her window was located. It was painted a light forest green. In spite of the white walls, Merida's room wasn't dull. Posters and photos hung everywhere on the walls, most notably of Legolas from Lord of The Rings, Green Arrow, Wonder Woman and several photos of Merida with her archery equipment.
Below the map was a small black cabinet. This cabinet was where all of Merida's archery trophies were located, all exactly in order.
Her desk was located at the left hand corner, adjacent to her bed. Embarrassingly, the desk was heavily cluttered. There were uneven stacks of paper that looked as if they would collapse at any given moment. Different types of pencils were sprawled across the desk, both lead and coloured. Books were randomly assorted in positions that made no sense. To Merida, it was an organised mess in which she uncannily knew the location of her things in the clutter.
Merida's closet was located at the right hand corner of her room. She opened her closet with more care than that of her door. Merida immediately kneeled down on the floor, pulling out a large rectangular compartment. She opened it, taking her time as if to revel in the glory of what the compartment held. She smiled when she saw the old small battered, worn wooden bow. The sight of it removed the anger brewed from her argument with her mother. Merida decided to worry about her mother and the military's acceptance letter later.
The bow was a symbol of happier times with her mother. It had been Merida's sixth birthday present. She remembered the first time she fired an arrow with it, her mother and father being with her.
It was a beautiful spring morning at the MacLoch household. The sun cast its warm rays upon the land, unhindered due to the lack of clouds scattered across the sky. The backyard of the family's led out to the dark and relatively unexplored woods. Merida had heard many stories concerning the bears that inhabited the woods, especially from her mother. They were the reason why she wasn't allowed to go out in the forest.
The yard had been set for a birthday. A red-checkered table cloth was laid on the table. It was evenly and perfectly spread. A chocolate cake, iced with Smarties, had been set on the table; plastic plates were perfectly stacked next to the cake. Cutlery was set aside next to the plates. Other party food, such as pies and salads, were neatly placed on the table, the cake being the focal point of it all.
Further down the backyard, the three MacLochs stood quite a few metres away from a target. Fergus and Elinor had given Merida her birthday present, a beautiful hand-made bow along with a quiver of arrows. Fergus and Elinor watched Merida struggle to attempt to place her arrow and bow correctly to fire. It was a lot harder than her father had made it look. He gave the impression of it being relatively simple as if it were an automatic reflex.
Merida recalled countless times she laid eyes upon her father firing an arrow, observing the graceful trajectory of the arrow and how it would always land on the bullseye. The grace and accuracy of archery attracted the young Merida to the point that she constantly pestered her parents for her own bow and set of arrows.
Now, she had one. It was all hers. But she was having trouble with it. Merida wouldn't give up yet. This bow was hers. The arrows were hers and she was going to hit that bullseye.
Fergus knelt down in front of Merida. She looked at her father, the doubt written over her face. Fergus gently smiled at Merida.
"It's okay," Fergus gently told Merida as he leaned forward to her and spoke quietly: "Now, listen."
Merida's wide eyes were completely focussed on the advice he would give her. Fergus helped Merida position herself, by straightening up. She looked at her father; she wanted to be able to do this on her own. Her mother simply watched, her expression unreadable. Fergus had looked at the target ahead of him. Merida was in the perfect position to fire her arrow.
"Draw all the way back to your cheek, keep both eyes open and boost..."
Merida listened to all her father's instructions carefully. The target was just right there, in front of her. It appeared to beg at her, wanting to be shot by her arrow. Merida noticed her father let go of her arms. He shuffled back, allowing Merida to fire the arrow on her own.
Merida steadied her aim toward the bullseye. She was nervous, slightly wobbling on the spot, mostly remaining still. Merida let go of the arrow, shocked by the sudden force it exerted.
Unfortunately, the trajectory of the arrow was directed toward the nearby woods, soaring well above the intended target. Merida watched the arrow vanish into the shadowy cluster of trees. She was frozen in disappointment.
"I missed it," her voice trailed off, small and quiet.
Eventually, Merida was able to keep her archery equipment in her room. Merida put the old bow away, opening a tan coloured compartment beside it. A quiver lay beside another bow in the compartment, pre-packed with arrows. The compartment had more arrows of course. This was the other bow she had received a few years ago.
Merida placed the quiver on her back and took the bow. She closed the compartment carefully, sliding it back to the dark corner of her closet, where it originated from. Merida turned to face her window. She unlatched the knob on the window, opening it. Merida felt a cool breeze flood into the room, breaking the stuffy atmosphere.
After securing the window so it wouldn't suddenly shut on her, Merida climbed up on the ledge. She looked down at the ground below. Merida squatted on the ledge, shifting her glance to an old and thick tree to her right. The old tree was practically seated next to her window.
Merida's eyes fell on a certain point of the tree. It was where two thick wooden branches intersected on the edge of the tree. The intersection was of close proximity to Merida so she was able to jump.
Merida leapt out into the air, gravity pulling her back to the Earth. Merida's hand grabbed onto the intersecting branches and she instantaneously hoisted herself up, briefly relaxing on the branches.
Merida stared out to the woods ahead; listening to the call of the birds in the far distance and observing several birds soar across the sky. Nature was truly beautiful and strangely soothing. Merida leaped down the tree with the agility of a cat, landing silently on the soft earth.
She immediately ran, bow tightly clutched in hand, toward the bullseye targets, located at the back of the house. The series of old well worn targets stood in front of the woods as they had for many years. A steel fence stood tall and erect, protecting the house from the prying curious wildlife of the woods. Merida stood several metres away from the targets.
She extracted an arrow from her quiver, threading her fingers of each hand in the correct position as she placed the arrow on the confines of the bow. Her fingers on her right hand held the fletching of the arrow in place. Merida's left hand gripped the front of the bow. She looked ahead to her desired target. The one on the far left. Merida inhaled at a leisurely pace, and then exhaled. She would bury her argument with her mother, pushing away all feelings of chagrin. Merida squinted one eye to allow herself a better point of view in order to see the trajectory of her arrow. She held the bow and arrow, relaxed. The arrow head pointed to the target.
Merida pulled the fibre string of the bow back, extending the arrow with it. Her fingers on her left hand remained in the same position, only moving back.
The arrow head met on point with her target. Merida let the arrow go, the fletching held firmly in place by the fibre of the bow as the arrow surged forward.
The arrow hit dead on the bullseye, the head firmly embedding itself in the target.
The Dunbroch Military Barracks was situated several miles out of Dunbroch City, nestled in the woods. Elinor had visited the Barracks many times before. At this point, she was welcomed with polite greetings of "Good day Mrs MacLoch" and "Hello Mrs MacLoch. Your husband's supervising the cadets' training exercise", or whatever else it was that Fergus was doing. It certainly made it easier, particularly in times of an emergency or urgent need.
A steel barbed fence established the perimeter and parameters of the Barracks. It was eerily prison-like. A small scout building was perched above the steel fence, supervising who came in and out. Beyond the scout building, was a large grey complex. The main building.
Elinor knew the Barracks inside and out. She drove her car in the grounds of the base readily after the guard on duty saw proof of her identity. She parked her car and walked toward the grey building. Elinor could see the outdoor training grounds. They were a group of older cadets, undergoing a practice obstacle course.
The closer Elinor approached the building, the larger it appeared to be, stretching beyond Elinor's line of sight.
"Ma'am," a voice from behind her spoke. "Who are you and what is your intent here?"
Elinor turned to face the speaker, looking at a young man she hadn't seen before. He stood straight, giving the impression of a disciplined mind and composure. He wore sunglasses over his eyes, wearing the respective military uniform. His expression was sour and unemotional. His youthful appearance gave him away. He was new.
"I'm Elinor MacLoch, General Fergus MacLoch's wife," she answered, the line rehearsed and ingrained in her memory. She promptly presented the young officer with her ID.
He inspected it, still wearing a sour expression on his face. He handed Elinor's ID back to her.
"Apologies Ma'am," the young soldier responded, unemotionally. At least he acknowledged Elinor with a mere nod. "I'm only temporarily working here at Dunbroch. I've heard of your work on the Dunbroch History Committee. General MacLoch is in the complex, follow me please."
Fergus was stuck in his office with a stack of paperwork, rivalling a mini tower. Of course, that was an exaggeration but that was it felt like. It wasn't the most exhilarating task that came with his military career but it had to be completed. He fumbled through the papers, drowning in the sea of words that plagued his vision.
He read the paper. Signed or commented on something when necessary. Added the paper to the stack. Repeat.
Fergus looked around his spacious but disorganised office. Its spaciousness was reduced due to the clutter. It would definitely need to be organised and cleaned up. He could only visualise Elinor having a heart-attack at the sight of the office.
Read. Comment. Sign. Repeat.
Knock! Knock!
Fergus nearly jolted out of his chair, startled and turned to face the metal door. He exhaled in relief. At least someone was relieving him of his paperwork. He scrambled out of his chair, standing up straight and tall. He ruffled his khaki-green uniform, ensuring it was all perfectly in place.
"Yes," he answered, instantly of an authoritative and respective tone.
"General MacLoch, your wife requests to speak to you," the young soldier's words were muffled against the door. Fergus only smiled, wondering what Elinor needed. Maybe the triplets destroyed the house. Or it was Merida again. It was no secret that Merida and Elinor were no longer close like they used to be; Merida's desire to join the army conflicted against Elinor's wishes for Merida to have a job, free of war and trauma, and for an education. Their relationship had become very bitter during Merida's teenage years and there was still contempt now.
"You may come in," Fergus answered, dropping the commanding tone.
The young soldier opened the door for Elinor, waiting for her to enter the door. After she entered, he promptly closed it. Elinor walked closer to Fergus.
"Everything alright dear?" Fergus voiced his concern as they held hands.
Elinor sighed, yet again, before speaking: "It's Merida again."
Elinor only observed her husband's sigh and shaking of his head. It seemed he was at a loss...for once. He rarely was ever lost, seemingly always having a plan and something to say, even if it was completely ridiculous.
"Was it the army again?" It was Fergus' turn to inquire.
Elinor narrowed her eyes at Fergus, suspicious. He couldn't have, not again. Elinor wouldn't be surprised. Fergus was always going on about the army at home. Elinor suspected he was indoctrinating their children. They had thoroughly discussed the importance of tertiary education but it was likely that information hadn't processed through his thick skull. God, she loved her husband, but sometimes he could be so dense.
"How did you know?" Elinor did not bother masking her suspicion.
"Well, um..." Fergus almost went the same shade of red as his hair as he sheepishly grinned at Elinor. Elinor knew how to get through to him since he was a terrible liar. "Okay, yes, I did know. I trust that Merida knows what she's getting into. I believe she's old enough and responsible enough to make her own choices."
"That doesn't change the fact that Merida is still young and naive," Elinor reminded Fergus. "She doesn't know what I went through while you were out at Afghanistan and Iraq all those years ago. She doesn't know the fear I had for you whilst also carrying the responsibility to care for and look after four children."
Fergus looked down ashamed, nervously shuffling his feet. He understood where Elinor was coming from. If anything, Merida had inherited Elinor's stubbornness. It was a trait that the two women wouldn't admit nor would he say it aloud.
"I-"
There was a low rumble as the building slightly shook. Both Elinor and Fergus had almost fallen to the floor due to the unexpected force of the shake. Fergus had grabbed onto his chair to prevent him from falling. Elinor held one hand on the desk. The stack of papers had fallen to the floor, all in a random assortment.
"Bloody hell," Fergus cursed, knowing he would have to go through all those damn papers again to put them in the correct order.
Elinor stared at Fergus puzzled.
"Is this a drill?-"
Elinor's voice was cut off as the building rumbled louder, the shaking becoming more stronger. Suddenly, it sounded as if a cannon went off. Then another. Everything had fallen down. Like a pair of dominos, Fergus and Elinor had fallen to the floor. The area was engulfed in fire. Fire everywhere, hungrily devouring the papers, the desk, the room.
Fergus suddenly registered a sharp pain on one of his legs before it was suddenly silenced. Due to the shock and trauma of falling, Fergus realised he was on the verge of losing consciousness. The dancing red flames tormented his vision before he lost sense of what was occurring.
Unexpectedly, he heard a cry of terror. Someone calling his name. Elinor? Where was she? He began to panic. A hit on the back of his head. The pool of darkness took him away from reality.
It was some time before Fergus could register any of his surroundings. His vision was hazed and his hearing felt somewhat off. He looked around and realised that he couldn't see one of his legs. All he did see was a metal cabinet that had fallen and was lying just below his left knee. Peculiarly, he couldn't feel anything on that particular leg.
He surveyed the office immediately, his vision returning back to normal with each passing second. The flames were still dancing, thankfully not too close to him. However, who knew how long it had been.
He immediately began coughing. Who knew how much oxygen the flames had consumed.
Suddenly, he remembered Elinor's presence.
Elinor!
Alarmed, he surveyed the office again. She wasn't there. She wasn't there. Fergus' heart was racing as the truth sank in.
Elinor was gone.
"Merida! Merida! Merida!"
Merida's concentration was broken. She was surprised that she had lost a track of time, the sun was close to setting and the sky became a mixture of pink, orange and yellow. All those various training exercises Merida practiced had taken a longer amount of time than previously thought.
Merida turned around, bow and arrow still in hand which pointed toward the floor. She was curious to see one of her brothers running towards her. He was taller than her despite only being sixteen years old. All three of the triplets were taller than her. Much like Merida, the boys preferred to wear clothing from sporting companies, such as Adidas or Nike. She could see from his expression he was worried. His blue eyes exhibited worry, fright. He appeared a bit of a mess from his usual cheery self. His hair appeared more unruly than ever. He bit his lip. The boys never worried. Something was wrong. Merida began to admittedly worry.
She ran toward her brother, Hamish, whom she realised when he was closer. The triplets looked completely identical from a distance.
"Are you alright Hamish?"
"I...You need to see this for yourself Merida. Follow me," Hamish led Merida to the house. On their brief jog back to the house, Merida became even more confused. Hamish's sombre tone did not help.
What could have happened?
Hamish opened the back door of the house and entered, leaving the door open for Merida. She darted inside and followed Hamish to the living room. The other two boys, Hubert and Harris, were seated on the couch, watching the television. It was the news.
The backdrop surrounding the reporter was the Dunbroch Military Barracks with flames hungrily devouring the main building of the barracks. Merida recognised the reporter to be Jane Porter, the daughter of one of Elinor's acquaintances, Professor Archimedes Porter, who also taught at Dunbroch University.
Jane wore a creamy yellow dress, which greatly contrasted against the background of the flames soaring to the sky, the building blackened. Her brown hair was elegantly tied in a bun. Merida concluded that she hadn't been at the scene for long.
The ambulances and firefighter trucks had respectively arrived. Several soldiers were visibly and severely wounded. The police blocked off an area. On one side of the television was the caption "LIVE". Below the reporter was the headline: BOMBING AT DUNBROCH MILITARY BARRACKS.
"Oh no..." Merida was at a loss of words.
Her father... No, he had to be alright. He was General Fergus MacLoch, the leader of the military here at Dunbroch. He was strong, a survivor.
"Where's Mum?" Merida interrogated her brothers.
Elinor was immaculately organised and meticulous. She would have dragged the boys to the room to show them the news, detailing what was happening right now. They would already be by Fergus' side at the hospital or the barracks, depending where he was.
"Merida," it was Hubert's turn to speak. His voice was also as low and morose as Hamish's. "We don't know where Mum is. We tried to ring her mobile number but it went straight to voice mail."
The other two nodded in agreement, to back Hubert's statement. The four knew what had most likely happened. If the phone wasn't answered...
The dread crept in Merida's conscience, refusing to leave, alongside with the guilt. Their last words were spoken to each other in an argument, fuelled by her own rage. There were no good-byes, no ending on a happier term.
"We have received a confirmation about the death toll and who is missing."
Jane paused for a moment, in respect to the deceased, before resuming her report.
"General Fergus MacLoch, the head of the barracks at Dunbroch, who couldn't be found during the initial check-up, is confirmed to be alive," Jane spoke, the microphone steady in her hand.
The camera zoomed to the background where paramedics were wheeling a bed away to the ambulance. Fergus was in no doubt the man lying in the bed. He appeared stable.
Merida strained her ears to hear the reporter's exact words and observed the background. Anything could matter whether it was Jane's body language, how Jane pronounced her words. Nevertheless, Merida was thankful her father was alive.
"Among those who are missing is Professor Elinor MacLoch, the wife of General Fergus MacLoch. Professor MacLoch taught History at Dunbroch University and is a well respected member amongst the community, being a prominent member of Dunbroch's History Museum."
Merida's heart fell. The media always tried to sugarcoat the truth. Missing and dead were usually in the same category. However, Merida knew she would have to wait before jumping to any sort of conclusion. Elinor could still be alive, trapped in debris of the crumbling building. Or Elinor could truly be dead amongst the flames. Merida prayed that her mother would be alive and alright.
Only time would tell.
"Mayor Dunbar…" Jane sounded hesitant, as if she wasn't expecting the mayor of the town to arrive so soon at the scene of the tragedy.
The camera swerved to face Mayor Mortimer Dunbar. Mayor Dunbar was a hulking muscular figure, easily towering above everyone else in the background, the face of authority. His dark chocolate coloured hair was trim as to be expected of his status as mayor. A beard was gradually forming on his face, the same colour as his hair. Dunbar's dark eyes only looked on the scene in trepidation, his face distorted in shock horror.
He was adorned in a dark navy suit and silver tie, hinting that he had been somewhere important.
"Mayor Dunbar," Jane immediately reappeared on screen next to the esteemed mayor. "What are your thoughts on this tragic event, given the importance and popular presence of the military here in Dunbroch City?"
Mayor Dunbar's expression morphed into sadness. He looked at the camera directly, as if to pierce his sorrowful gaze into the audience.
"It is a very sad and unfortunate tragedy that has befallen the military, our country's greatest heroes," Dunbar proclaimed morosely. "I give my condolences to the families who are affected by this tragedy and I give my most sincere regards to those who are injured and to those who are still missing. We will find them."
Dunbar then turned around to head toward the ambulances.
"Do you think it's a terrorist attack?" Jane called out to the mayor.
The mayor froze in his steps, facing Jane and the camera with a dark stare.
"Honestly, I think it is too early to tell. As time eclipses, we will find answers. To the one or the ones responsible, we will find you. You will not win. The military will prevail and will not be stopped due to this attack. You only have strengthened the resolve of the military to stop people, like you; those who represent the chaos and anarchy the army is against."
His countenance lightened.
"To the citizens of Dunbroch, justice will be served. The deaths of loved ones will not be forgotten. They were heroes who were taken from us too early before their time. We will unite and not succumb to fear. The battle has only just begun. I know several members of the military. We were all brothers in arms. I will not forget the deaths of these brothers and sisters today. Their lives will be cherished, celebrated and missed but not forgotten. We will have answers. I can guarantee that to the citizens of Dunbroch."
"Come on," Merida arose from the couch, looking at her brothers. She'd had enough. "Let's see Dad at the hospital."
Without a moment's delay, the triplets got up from the couch, leaving the TV blare in the background to a ghostly audience.
The St. Mary's Hospital of Dunbroch was busier than Merida had recalled in the very few times she had ever been to the hospital. Merida, along with her brothers, barged in through the automatic glass doors to the reception at the front.
Many people sat at chairs in the lobby area. Merida and her brothers noticed their manner of expressions. It was of worry, fear and anticipation of the worst. There were women, men, older adults, children. The children were so young. It made Merida's heart break. It wasn't right for young children to deal with this tragedy, to know that they would never see their loved ones again.
At the desk sat an older, plump lady. Her silvery grey hair was tied up in the perfect bun, more than what Merida could ever do with her hair. Her makeup was expertly applied, her magenta coloured lips and lavender eye shadow complementing her blue eyes. Merida could only wonder how old this woman genuinely was. Even behind the desk, it appeared busy as people rushed to and fro. Merida immediately took note of her badge: Angela. Angela's eyes made contact with Merida's eyes.
"Do you know which room Fergus MacLoch is in?" Merida asked. She could see the older woman's eyes lighting up in recognition at the name of the famous seasoned Army General. "My brothers and I are his children."
"He was taken to one of the emergency rooms further down the hall," Angela gestured to the hall on her right but on Merida's left. Angela then began typing on her computer, leaving Merida and her brothers in brief silence, anticipating in suspension. "He's been taken to the third room on your left. Your father needs emergency surgery; I believe they are amputating one of his legs."
Merida put a hand to her mouth, in astonishment and terror. She faced her brothers, who clearly shared the same reaction as her.
"Thank you," Harris spoke up.
"Yes, thank you," Merida, Hubert and Hamish repeated as the group of four made their way to the hallway, where the emergency rooms were located. The hallway was abuzz with people. Doctors and nurses were scrambling around in a clear frenzy. They were all prepared to do surgeries.
People, obviously loved ones of the sufferers, were standing outside rooms. Their pale faces clearly expressed worry.
Instantly, Merida and her brothers found the room their father was in, where he was being operated on. Hubert decided to enter first.
"Excuse me," the four turned around to face a well-built dark skinned man. He was dressed in the white, clinical attire of one, that was preparing to do surgery. He appeared quite serious and solemn. Merida guessed he was of at least African descent. "All loved ones must wait outside. I assume you are Merida, Hamish, Harris and Hubert MacLoch."
"That's us," Merida answered as her brothers nodded for confirmation.
"I'm Doctor Sweet," the man nodded curtly. "You may wait out here but we cannot have any disruptions from you. Your father sustained serious damage to his left leg. We will need to amputate it as quickly as possible."
Doctor Sweet then entered the room, closing the door behind him. A sick feeling arose in Merida. It all seemed unreal, just a nightmare. Why, it was only a couple of hours ago that Merida was having a normal afternoon, checking out houses on the Internet.
Where did it all go wrong?
The triplets sat on the floor beside the door, their faces pale. Merida began to pace the hall outside the door, up and down. Her brothers knew it was how she dealt with stress, when she was angry or annoyed. Depending what mood it was out of the three, Merida's stride and pace as well as her facial expression changed.
"I'll ring Mum again," Hamish declared, withdrawing his phone. The other two brothers watched Hamish carefully as he placed his phone to his ear. They sat there, waiting for just about anything good to occur.
Hamish's face fell in disappointment and his brow creased even further with worry. "She's not answering; it's going straight to voice mail again."
Merida's stride only increased, up and down.
Time only appeared to pass on slowly. There was a whirlwind of doctors rushing frantically, to and fro. The eerie ringing of a monitor, signallingl that someone's heart had stopped, came from the room next door. The beep almost gave Merida a heart attack. For a moment, she thought it came from Fergus' room.
Merida witnessed the doctors assemble out of the room in front of the family. They, in unison, delivered the heartbreaking news. The violent tears erupted from their eyes, followed by the uncontrolled sobbing. The rest of the hallway seemed to be frozen in disbelief and sorrow.
For what seemed to be eternity, Dr Sweet stepped out of the room. Merida was sitting on the floor, beside her brothers, who were asleep. Merida's eyes were bloodshot with fatigue. She faced Dr Sweet, stumbling up and shaking her head to keep awake.
"You can see your father," the doctor spoke, a small smile eclipsing his face, much to Merida's relief. He stood outside the door.
"Hamish, Harris, Hubert," Merida whispered down at the sleeping form of her brothers, gently nudging them. They awoke with confusion written over their faces. "Dad's alright!"
The four of them entered the room. The walls were a ghostly white. Merida immediately set eyes on the window, the darkness looking the same as if it were night or early morning. They could hear the eerie beep of the heart monitor when saw their father. He had a small crooked smile, partially awake. The doctors had cleaned him as well. There was no speck of blood on his face. He appeared fresh faced and in good spirits. The only thing that differed was that he was in a hospital gown instead of his military uniform.
The triplets were there before Merida.
"Dad!" their voices simultaneously rang out.
"It's good to see all of you," Fergus smiled, giving the boys a hug. Merida then stepped forward, giving her father a hug.
"Likewise Dad."
There were no words spoken for several moments. The five of them embraced each other in a group hug. However, Merida could no longer hide her worry. She needed to ask her father. He had to know something.
"We heard what happened and we arrived as quickly as we could. We've been trying to call Mum but she isn't answering and they're saying she's missing."
Fergus' face paled noticeably. Any joviality from seeing his children was drained and completely gone as if it were never there. The triplets stared at their father inquisitively.
"Your mother did come to see me," Fergus clarified, before pausing for a moment. "We were talking when...the explosion happened. I honestly don't know what happened next."
He frowned, placing a finger at his chin. Merida remained tense on the spot.
"I lost consciousness, then awoke. I wasn't waiting for long until the paramedics and police came through. Thank Heaven they were there. Let's not worry right now; I'm sure everything will be fine. Shall we turn on the TV?"
Merida internally groaned. It was typical of her father to try change the topic in a serious time like this.
Fergus' voice droned on, becoming nothing more than a noise in the background for Merida, who was deep in thought. What had happened was obviously an explosion. But why? Why at the Dunbroch Military Barracks specifically? It was obvious that foul play had occurred. The only questions were who and why? First, she would have to find the who, and then the why. Whoever it was, they had killed and injured many people today. Her father would be missing a leg for the rest of his life, all because of a bombing whilst he was at home, not in action. Her mother was currently missing and would be considered as dead if not found alive soon.
It was a cruel irony and Merida despised it. Out of all the times Elinor fretted for her husband's safety, he was seriously injured at home of all places.
The faces of those affected by losses and injuries were forever imprinted in Merida's memory. The cries for those fighting for their lives at the hospital was hard to shrug away. Uncannily, it felt like the war zones her father described. Except she was one of the luckier ones. Unfortunately, there was nothing Merida could do about the casualties. The dead were dead and nothing could change that fact. She prayed her mother wasn't one of them. The appropriate path of action to help those who suffered losses was to discover the culprit responsible.
Unfortunately, Merida wasn't a police officer or a member of the military. She wouldn't be able to partake in the investigation at all, which was fair enough.
Merida could do nothing but wait.
It had been an agonising several weeks. Elinor MacLoch's body was never found, leading to many speculations and rumours in the media. Such stories included kidnapping, being taken away before being murdered, running away and to even the most unlikely of theories: Elinor MacLoch was the one responsible for the bombing on the Dunbroch Military Barracks. It made Merida's conscience reek of regret, her mind constantly flashing to the last words she spoke to her mother.
"I'd rather die than be like you!"
Elinor's absence hit the family hard. It seemed unreal. Merida had sent a letter back to the army, explaining that she had changed her mind. She no longer wanted to join. It was the respectable decision, regarding her mother and the bombing incident. Merida had spoken to her father about it and he seeminlgy understood.
That was it. No more words were spoken about the issue.
Merida had applied for a job at the veterinarian hospital. Other than wanting to join the army, Merida loved animals. She had a close bond with her black and white Border Collie, Angus. Her new work was good. Helping the animals was a wonderful distraction for Merida. Annoyingly, Merida was quite the celebrity when she had arrived at work for the first day since her mother had been frequently mentioned on the news.
Merida woke early on what would be the second day of work. Having a new set routine permanently would be interesting. Peculiarly, it was difficult to be focussed.
Her thoughts always drifted to what had possibly become of her mother. The picture of Merida with her parents on her sixth birthday didn't help too much. It only made the pain of loss worse and the regret only intensified. On the other hand, Merida thought of her father and what he was currently going through. She had seen him break down, alone. Merida wanted to offer consolation, but how could she? She had sent Elinor there to the military base to talk to Fergus about her. Lying wouldn't help either. Merida was sure that the guilt would bombard her conscience as soon as she would start speaking.
Even her brothers weren't quite the same. Their cheeriness wasn't quite what it used to be but they did try to be the comedic relief the family so desperately needed.
Her eyes suddenly fell on her Green Arrow posters. Wait a minute...
Why hadn't it clicked in earlier?
Sure, Green Arrow was a superhero. She didn't need to be a superhero exactly, but if Merida couldn't aid with the investigation, which by the sound of it was virtually nil in any sort of progress, why not dress up as a vigilante? It would definitely conceal her identity and no one close to her would get hurt. It was probably the only reason to wear spandex and a mask. Nor, could she be stopped as easily because no one would know who she was. It was the perfect idea. No one had claimed responsibility for the bombing. Actually, there was nothing at all. It was as if the incident had just happened. Those investigating couldn't offer any concrete progress. Merida could tell.
Any progress regarding her mother was also nil. Merida was desperate to see her mother again. She yearned to say sorry. Merida wanted it all to be a bad dream but it was not. The whole argument was damn ridiculous; Merida didn't want her mother to think she hated her at all. It would be justice if Merida could find her mother, additionally the one responsible as well.
If the authorities couldn't do anything, it was time for Merida to do something, to take action. Waiting around like a sitting duck did not suit her at all. Undeniably, there were legal boundaries to consider. Merida didn't see too much harm since she wasn't planning to become a public figure or seriously break the law. Merida realised she would be entering a one-woman war against crime. Alas, in war the rules were broken or bent. She knew strategies to remain hidden. After finding her mother and possibly the perpetrator, she would lay her "vigilantism" to rest. It would be forgotten, irrelevant and everything would be fixed.
That was the ideal scenario and solution but nothing happened as perfectly as one would hope. It wasn't going to be a permanent superhero gig though. More of a one-time gig.
Merida smiled, satisfied with her plan. Now, it was time to put it to action.
Merida was glad her mother had taught her how to sew and pressured her into doing it. She sat in her own study room, in front of a sewing machine. The very first step was to make a costume. A navy blue seemed like a good choice of colour. Everyone always wore black; Merida didn't just want to be like everyone else, the crowd. No, she wanted the scum and villainy to remember her persona and fear it.
She loved the leathery make and feel of the blue garment. Merida ensured it would have resistance against water to protect it against the rain, plus water in general. It would be hard to find a place to dry the costume without arousing suspicion. Speaking of, it would be wise to set a base of operations. That would come later though.
On the other hand, the domino mask would be made out of the same leather as well.
The required additional elements were next, such as shoes and gloves. Merida decided to go through her things in her closet. She chucked items out of the dark corner of the closet until she stumbled on what seemed to be an old dusty pair of brown boots.
It was her pair of boots from her time at the Army Cadets before going to university. Merida couldn't believe she had forgotten about those boots. No one had seen her at the cadets for some time now. They would do.
Establishing a base proved to be an arduous task, more so than the movies perceived it to be. Unfortunately, Merida wasn't a billionaire with a dozen houses at her disposal in order for her to use at least one as a base. Merida was just a regular citizen.
It would be clever to establish base in the outskirts of the city in order to make it difficult for the police to track her down in case they ever encountered. If she was in the centre of it all, it wouldn't be hard, even for them, to discover her base.
The Highlands was a relatively quiet suburb, average really. It wasn't a crime hotspot; however an incident would occur every now and again. The Highlands wasn't greatly desired due to its outdated appearance; it wasn't favorable for buyers and during the night, it did appear to be dodgy and unsafe.
There were a few neglected and aged buildings in the area. Those buildings would be suitable but the homeless were known to take refuge in the buildings. Vandals were known to break the windows for fun and whatever other chaos they got up to. Merida crossed out the possibility of setting base there.
Where would people not go?
Merida's mind trailed for a moment until the perfect place came to mind.
The sewers!
No one in their sane frame of mind would want to normally venture down there. Merida preferably didn't want a pungent base of operations but it would suffice for now, until she could find something better.
The confined cafe was teeming with activity. There was a small queue of people waiting for their takeaway drinks, leaning against the colourfully painted walls, dotted with paintings of flowers and picture frames of odd quotes about missing coffee for the day or something of a similar topic. The cafe was quaint, the atmosphere resembling a small tea room, like the ones back in Scotland. The tables and seats were closely cramped together in the very little space available. There was the occasional huff of hot air from the summer outside into the cool air-conditioned cafe.
Merida heard voices, saw people scurrying around but her focus wasn't on the world around her. Whilst she was waiting for her iced chocolate, Merida was flicking through the local newspaper, The Highlands Gazette. No headlines caught Merida's eye as she skim read the headlines. A random murder. A pickpocket. Nothing new.
Would-Be Thief stopped at the Museum of Corona
The crime rate in Corona was one of the lowest, if not the lowest, in the country due to the leadership of Chief Inspector Maximus of the Coronan police force. His record was impressive from what Merida knew of Corona. Merida was only left wondering how something like this could occur in Corona under Maximus' watch.
A would-be thief was denied his loot and was subsequently killed at the Museum of Corona last night. At nine o'clock, it was reported by witnesses that the alarms at the museum were going off. Two masked men were fighting each other as soon as witnesses arrived at the scene in the museum. A man in a balaclava mask, believed to be the thief, was killed by the other man, who named himself in front of witnesses as Flynn Rider. Rider is described as wearing tan trousers, a collarless shirt, a navy waistcoat (dated around the eighteenth century) and a black domino mask.
Rider is wanted by police for questioning and is believed to be an accomplice of the deceased despite stating otherwise. Chief Inspector Maximus is urging anyone with information regarding Flynn Rider and the events that occurred last night, to come forward.
In spite of being wanted by the police, the topic of Rider's allegiance as a "hero" or "villain" is currently being debated, with mixed responses from the citizens of Corona. Many denizens have said they will reserve their judgement if Rider appears again.
Interesting was Merida's only opinion. The name Flynn Rider did not sound intimidating at all but he had a degree of skill by being able to beat a man in unarmed combat and then kill him. At least a robbery was halted, even at the expense of the masked burglar, assuming Rider was telling the truth. Sometimes, excessive force was necessary but it was difficult to tell whether it was the 'right' way or solution. He definitely had a flair for fashion though, which put a small smile on Merida's face, principally of amusement. On the optimistic side of things, Merida wasn't going crazy. She wasn't going to go full on public like this Flynn Rider.
If anything, this Flynn Rider could learn the art of subtlety.
During her childhood, Merida had received several different bows, due to growing during her childhood. She would have to use a different bow since she didn't want anyone to figure out what she was doing. Merida had a few spare bows, thankfully. She tended to practice with all her bows. When Merida was younger, she had participated in a few archery tournaments but hadn't competed in some time.
She scourged through her closet for the suitable bow. She withdrew a recurve longbow. It was the same colour as wood. Merida inspected the bow closely.
I could put some designs; make it look different. It would be the definite bow my alter ego would use.
It felt odd to think of her soon-to-be vigilante persona as a completely different entity to herself. It would certainly take time to get used to the concept of living a dual life.
Merida decided to make her own gloves from the same leather material her suit was made of, finding herself at the sewing machine again. She couldn't afford to leave any source of DNA at all. Today's modern technology made the art of stealth significantly difficult, but not impossible.
The darkness of the night had engulfed Dunbroch City. The lights of the former colonial port city blazed on, giving guidance to her citizens and visitors in the night. The looming skyscrapers were beacons in the darkness. Two of the taller buildings, belonging to Noble Corporation and Westerguard Industries seemed to lead the other buildings in the city whilst rivals, MacGuffin Realty Estate Corporation, MacIntosh Superannuation and Dingwall Motors Association, appeared to be close behind, gaining on the two taller buildings.
The taller buildings hogged the central space of the city, where the prominent business district was located. In spite of the modern hub, Dunbroch was well known for its colonial era architecture from the United Kingdom due to the strong preservation of history. It was like visiting London that it may as well have been called "Little London". The so-called "Little London" was pocketed near the docks that lay in front of the Atlantic Ocean.
Although there was a strong population with ancestry of the United Kingdom, there was a prominent French influence as well, in particular, the Notre Dame-esque cathedral, which was located within the artistic centre of the city as well as the plethora of small French cafes. The artistic centre was only located several streets from the main business hub.
In the outskirts of the city in the Highlands suburb, there was a large green reserve, reaching to the city limits. There were little playgrounds for the children to play on and a path for people to walk on. The reserve was known for being the location of Dunbroch's Annual Archery Tournament; the sport of archery was largely popular in the city. The Archery Tournament attracted both locals and foreigners. There were replicas of the bullseye targets, standing as tall bronze statues, within the centre of the reserve, as a testament to the great event.
A sea breeze cooled the city of the warm day, given courteously by the Sun. It proved to still be a busy sprawling hub, even in the night.
This only made it easier for Merida.
Merida stood atop the cathedral, perched on one of the gargoyles, surveying the city streets. She was concealed by the looming shadows, invisible to all. She took in the sounds, the visuals, noting the location of each memorable structure. Merida heard the hooting of cars, the sounds of police sirens. People walked by on the streets, enjoying their summer evening.
Yet, the young woman standing on one of the cathedral's gargoyles was not Merida MacLoch.
A leather navy blue hood enclosed around her head, partially obscuring her face. She wore an identical navy blue colour domino mask, which covered a majority of her face including her eyebrows and cheeks. Her wild curly red locks had been tamed in a tight bun, which was covered with a firmly secured navy blue cowl to prevent it from falling out when she fought. One would not know she was a redhead. The navy blue sleeves covered her arms, covering her wrists and reaching to curl around the base of her thumb.
Identically coloured gloves covered Merida's hands. They were durable, allowing efficient movement. Merida wore her old Army Cadet boots. The boots had been cleaned, appearing to be new. They were a leathery brown colour, hugging up to her shins, easy to move in without feeling like weights against her feet. The boots were useful for a quick escape.
A caramel coloured quiver hung by her right hip, full of sharp pointed tip arrows. Merida held her newly designed bow on her dominant hand. The art on the bow was exceptionally intricate and full of detail. The insignia established was that of a sword, pictured in green, surrounded by enclosing interlocking circles of the same colour, located on the centre the bow. An eagle's head appeared in the top and bottom sections of the recurve bow.
Satisfied by her memory of the location, Merida left the gargoyle, retreating to the shadows.
I'll find you Mum. I'll make things right again.
The hunt had begun.
There'll definitely be Archer action soon. The prologue establishes how and why Merida became the Archer and then, we'll get to the present day when all the arcs are set. I hope you've enjoyed.