Author 's Note .. not happy with how last version of this turned out so redoing it so enjoy
Scottish words and meanings used in story
Aye ...Yes
affy..very
aboot ...about
Ain ...own
Aroon..around
afore..before
cannie..can't
boffing...stinking
manky ..dirty
da ..do
Na ..No
No..not
Ach.. Oh
ma ...my
Noo...Now
Wee ...small
Bairn wein ...child baby
haud...hold
wheisht ...quiet
Ken ..know
Bonnie ..Pretty
braw ..good
burn ..stream
doon ..down
fir ..for
gie..give
ony..any
Gonna ... Going
heid ..head
eejit...idiot
bial...boil
yer ..your
oot..out
Hame ...home
ma ..my
danni ..don't
whit ..what
affy... very
scones ...buns
Guid … good
telt ...told
ta ..to
laddie ...boy
lassie...girl
Mair ..more
rid..red
huve .. have
whit..what
mighty ..very
muck..mud
wrang...wrong
cudna...couldn't
minger...you smell bad
huve ...have
ower..over
oot..out
ta ..thank
shouldna..shouldn't
wid ..would
wrang..wrong
telt..told
wis..was
ye..you
yer ..your
hen .. love sweetie
need ta ..need to
Tucked away in the misty highlands of Scotland was the Dunbroch clan that were well known famous warriors and had been since time begun really . The clan was ruled by King Fergus a very large man with flaming red hair and he was very strong even known for tackling bears and earning the nickname the bear king
King Fergus did look scary and had a bit of a temper but really he was a good kind man who loved his family and his wife the beautiful queen Elanor
Elanor was very refined and had manners and she had brown hair that was tied back and was always trying to teach manners to her 4 wild children Merida and the triplets
Princess Merida was the oldest at 17 now and she was very fisty and had a temper and was very independent and hated rules and being restricted she wanted to be wild and free . Like her father Merida has flaming bright red hair the reddest hair you could imagine more orange than red and it was a complete mass of wild curls but very soft and her hair seemed to have a mind of its own no one could tame it so Merida left her hair wild and loose but she suited it with her pale fair skin and blue eyes she wasent really a beautiful elegant princess but she was pretty when she was clean and tidy
Being a tomboy Merida was more often dirty than clean which horrified her snobby mother
The family also had 3 young boys triplets aged 5 and they were identical Infact so identical no one but Merida could tell them apart they were called Hamish Hurbert and Harris and like their sister they had a wild streak in them and always up to mischief and pulling pranks and again like their father they too had the flaming red hair in curls but their hair was cut short so the curls were tamed and none knew who was next in line to the throne among those three but Merida
Merida. was next in line to the throne after her father and would be a warrior Queen and a lot of clans feared her as they knew she would be a dangerous enemy as she went into battles herself along with her fathers army and was very skilled in archery sword fighting and hand to hand combat fighting and could fight as good as any man and was not afraid of anything and also she was known to cuss too which horrified her mother and of course the triplets copied her as they thought it was very cool so often dropped the F bomb
Merida was not interested in what her mother had planned as she wanted her daughter to settle down and marry and have children and be a graceful elegant queen but that was So not Merida
Merida liked to climb trees practise her archery and sword fighting skills and ride her beloved horse Angus very fast through the forest whooping for joy and quite a few times she'd fall off and come home covered in mud soaking wet with rain and with bloody scraped knees and leaves in her hair and also what made her mum even madder she refused to take a husband she just was not interested just now and all her mum wanted was Merida to marry a nice man settle down with children and unite 2 kingdoms but that so was not Merida
Sure they had been a lot of men come to seek Merida's hand in marriage hoping to win her over and court her but all Merida wanted to do was have silly burping contests and have play fights with them instead of find love and romance
King Fergus wasent too botherd though with Merida's choose of life he knew deep down one day she'd find someone special and settle down but that be in Merida's own time not Elanor's and the pair often rowed about it and anyway Fergus said Merida's still young she has plenty of time to marry she's just finding her place in the world but Elanor had other ideas really and Merida hated them and quite often Merida and her mom would have huge arguments and Merida would end up storming off in a foul mood and slamming doors she was well known for her fiery temper
…
One sunny afternoon Merida was stuck on babysitting duties keeping an eye on her 3 brothers Hamish Hurbert and Harris who'd been in trouble yet again as they'd been up to mischief all morning stealing food from the kitchen and upsetting cook and also playing pranks on the staff so now they had been grounded and Merida was told to look after them so the 3 boys sat outside in the sunshine with their big sister and she wasent to happy about that as she really had plans of her own and looking after 3 little pranksters was not among them but she decided to make use of the time and teach her brothers to be warriors and it meant she could practise her archery and sword fighting and get away with it at the same time
In the past Merida had taught the 3 boys to wrestle fight had to hand combat also sword fighting a bit of archery really all the skills they'd need to be fine strong warriors so they could handle themselves in battle so now 3 small wooden swords and a large real one lay abandond on the grass as Merida was now giving the boys a lesson in archery her favourite thing as she was the best in the land at it
' Right noo laddies are ye watching me noo if you want to be big strong warriors like dad is you got ta da as I say alright noo pay attention and eyes on me the first lesson is concintation thats affy important and a lesson I leant when I was a wee lassie so do as I say and when your gonna shoot your arrow you must keep your eyes on the bullseye that's the most important thing ever ' Said Merida pulling out an arrow and putting it into her bow as the triplets sat and watched her getting ready to fire at her target
' Noo mind whit I telt ya concentrate hard eyes on the target and ye draw the arrow all the way back to yer cheek Danna haud the arrow too tightly noo ye want it to flow free and when yer ready ye let go and ...
' Merida Merida where are you ' voice Yelled breaking Merida's concentration and miss her target and the arrow landed on the grass making the triplets snigger a bit
' Ach who's that noo I missed ma target that's no funny if this was the Highland games that would have cost me points ' Said Merida looking around to see where the voice was coming from and soon she seen a dark haired woman appear at the castle window
' Merida dear can you come in I need to speak to you a moment ' Called Elanor
' Ach mum cant it wait I'm busy just noo I'm teaching the triplets to be strong warriors " Called Merida looking up at the window
' No I need to speak to you now come on and I'm sure the boys will be alright for a few moments and this is very important ' Elanor called as Merida sighed and made a face as she glanced at her mum and then to the triplets who just shrugged
' Can't she make up her mind one minute she wants me to babysit you three and next minute she's wanting me to come inside I Danna understand that woman at times do you ' Said Merida sighing
' Danna ken but best ye go inside and find oot whit she's wanting ' Said one of the triplets looking up at his sister
Merida sighed and put down her bow and arrows and headed inside the castle
' Mum whits wrang I wis oot babysitting those three like ye asked me ya so whits the big fuss aboot then is everything alright or are we being attacked or something ..? Asked Merida now looking worried in case she'd have to go into battle
' No no centanly not it's quite the oppiset dear Infact good news I'd say ' Elanor said smiling
' Oh Aye and whits that then ...? Asked Merida a little confused
' Well dear a while back your father wrote to a kingdom called Arendale that is in Norway near what they call the Fjords but anyway the new Queen wishes to see your father and unfortunately the date she wishes to see him on he will be away on business as he is trying to unite our clan with another clan to do trade with
'Aye that's a guid thing isn't it and he can go when he gets back from meeting the clan after the Highland games I'm sure the Queen won't mind waiting and anyway where is Norway is it near Scotland iv never heard of it before ..? Asked Merida
' Yes it is good the Queen wants to trade with us and no dear it's not near Scotland it's quite a distance away but they would make very good allies if we were to be attacked and fine trading partners too they have many things we don't and the new Queen wants to meet her neighbouring royal families including us ' Said Elanor smiling a bit
' Aye that sounds braw so tell me aboot Norway then is it like Scotland..? Asked Merida
" I really don't know I have never been their I heard they get a lot of snow and ice in winter and green and red lights what they call northern lights appear their and they build ice castles and have a beautiful choir well so I heard but as your father sadly can't go on the trip it normally is the duty of the firstborn son to go in his place " Elanor Begun
' Whit send wee Harris he's just a wee bairn " Merida said
' Yes exactly the triplets are almost 6 and far too young for such duties so you will have to go in your father's place ' Said Elanor shocking Merida
' Whit ..Me Ach na I canna da that mum na it needs ta be dad can't the Queen no wait for a few months iv got a lot on ' Merida said stunned
' Merida it has to be you your the firstborn child and as you said the the triplets are far too young and anyway you will be Queen yourself one day so this will be good practice for you as you will have to meet people from overseas so this will be very good training for you ' Elanor Said shocking Merida
' Aye I Ken that mum but I canna go you ken that I'm no good at meeting forgners and onyway the Highland games are soon I canna miss them I'm in the archery and sword fighting and iv to defend ma title I won last year in the tug of war ya and the games are the highlight of the year I never miss them you said iv been going since I wis a tiny wee bairn just 2 months old ' Merida begun but her mother cut her off
' Enough Merida the games are not till late next month you will be back in plenty of time now you will leave for Arendale in days And will stay a week now the new Queen is called Elsa you will call her your highness as she is your superior and her sister is called Princess Anna she prefers Anna so you will meet them when you go their ' Said Elanor as Merrida jaw almost hit the floor
' Merida please close your mouth I do not want to see inside your mouth and anyway you must try and behave when your over their now Elsa and Anna are very refined and lady like they do not fight like a man also they do not break wind and laugh instead of saying pardon also they don't fight with men nor do they climb trees rip their clothes or scrape their knees or fall in burns or come home coverd in mud and smelling bad and also they certainly do not cuss or swear as I have heard you do Merida and I am hoping some of their graceful elegant manners will rub off on you and even though you are a royal princess yourself you still must cursay to Elsa as she is a Queen after all now you do not want them both thinking that your a wild barbarian warrior with no manners ' Elanor said shocking Merida
' Och see mum I'm no guid at these things canna we no send someone else who's better than me I'm hopeless at these things and you ken that I so danna like these big posh events ' Merida said
' I'm sorry but yes you do Merida it's your royal duty and when you gontheir your representing Dunbroch so you have to behave ' Elanor said to a pouting Merida who was not happy about being ordered around one bit but she never said anything but blew a stray curl out her eye
Well that's that chappy done more to come
