A gentle white light filtered through the frost tinged window into the stone built room. Not far from the window was a large wooden framed bed. It's pillars were chipped in every which way from long years of abuse still stood tall as if protecting the sole inhabitant resting upon it's mattress. Beneath a beige wool cover a mess of curls the color of wildfire engulfed a small pillow and framed the sleeping face of a young woman no older than sixteen. Her eyelashes gently twitched as she began to stir. No doubt thanks to the new light that broke the darkness of her room. A noise escaped her lips as she turned over in her sleep her hair now masking her entirely and a groan hinted her annoyance at the day.
"Curse'd light. Jus' let me sleep," the young princess whined as she pulled the covers over her head. She tossed and turned under her covers before flinging them to glare at the window with which the light infiltrated her room by. Merida begrudgingly rose from her bed, swinging her legs over the side and pulling off her nightgown in exchange for her winter spruce green dress and her blue wool cloak. She lifted her bow from her dresser and caressed it softly. It was not too long ago that her mother had thrown it into the fireplace. It had been charred and the twine had to be replaced and her engraving had been filed away with the burnt wood. It didn't feel like her bow anymore but she fixed it to the best of her abilities and continued to use it. Pulling it over her she walked out of her room and into the hall. It was a quiet morning for once not even the servants uttered a word to her as she walked past them and down the staircase steps.
She had to admit things were better now, her mother and her got a long much better and she wasn't being forced to marry anyone anymore but she knew it wouldn't be like this forever. She asked for her own choice her own voice and time so that she could come into love when she was ready but they had all taken it as the sons would win her heart someday. Which meant that her fight was pretty much all for not, she would have to marry one of them eventually and at that idea her shoulders fell.
Finally the silence had been enough for her and she asked once of the servants what was going on as it was busier than usual.
"Ah, young Macintosh is paying a visit milady. Did you not know?" spoke the maid as she carried a bucket filled with water that bubbled.
"Erm, no I didn'. I didn' know a thing," said the princess rather annoyed as she turned away from the maid. She wasn't upset with the woman but, why did no one tell me that he was coming. No doubt it's not fer business, she thought to herself, more than likely it's another suitor type visit. Urgh! This is the fifth'on this month and it's only been three since this whole thing was decided! I'm not goin' ta change my mind anytime soon so whats the big rush? She pulled her bow off from her arm and swung it side to side against the snow on the ground as she walked towards Angus' stable visibly upset but complaining in silence. It's too cold for all o'this anyways! Why even bother ta visit?!
"Hey Angus," she whispered softly to the large clydesdale as she softly pet his neck before walking to the front of him so that they were face to face. "How'd you sleep?" The horse gently shook his mane and counted three times before nuzzling her hand. "I'll take that as it was okay?" She asked as she watched the dew drops float from his mane onto the hay below. She pet him again before walking to the side of his stable getting the brush to wipe away the frost from his fur. Once he was cleaned she carefully draped a horse blanket over him before mucking his area and replacing his hay and after she had finished she sat down off to the side as Angus lay down beside her. There was a clamor outside that let her know that the lords son had arrived. She rolled her eyes before sighing and moving over to sit closer to her friend and leaning against his massive body. "I'd much rather stay here with you Angus," she said as she closed her eyes enjoying the warmth in their own little world. The clydsdale turned his head to nudge his human companion gently and in response she rested her hand on his muzzle "what'dya say?" she asked. The horse whinnied in response and shook his mane playfully. The two friends may not speak the same language but they understood each other very well and she rested her head against him and allowed herself to drift into a light slumber.
Some time after she had fallen asleep there was a knock against the stall and the sound of someone clearing their throat woke her from her rest. "Hey there princess," he said the words dripped with arrogance in Merida's opinion. None of the lords' sons appealed to her in anyway, an I mean how can I even think of marrying one of 'em what with young Macintosh's hubris, Wee Dingwall's vacantness and young Macguffin's...speech impediment? Urgh! I never understand a word of what he's tryin' ta say ta me she thought to herself once more. Silent arguments with herself was something she had grown accustomed to over the past few months so as not to 'offend' any one. Merida sat up and stared at him unamusedly.
"Hello, Young Macintosh" she said curtly through grit teeth. She sat up from her place and stood up patting away the hay from her dress, Angus following her lead and rising himself as well. She walked off with her pet following close behind her.
For a moment young Macintosh stood there in bewilderment before chasing after her. The young lord's son was always overly confident in himself and in his own land had no problem catching the eye of any bonnie lassie that he had desired but Merida cared not for him and his ego so he was just as confused at what to do as she would have been were she to find her affections set on someone. This had not been his first visit since the day Merida and her mother broke tradition but he knew he wasn't any closer to capturing her heart. When she had reached the castle gates a servant arrived handing the reigns to a horse to the young lord so that he could accompany the princess. To this Merida rolled her eyes before mounting her own horse and speeding off into the glen with Macintosh some distance behind.
After some time she slowed her pace to a brisk trot while Macintosh caught up with her. They rode in silence for a long time with Merida never looking in his direction before he finally broke that silence, "so I hear you ride like this often..." He spoke carefully and cautiously.
Merida never looked at him as she answered "it's better than being locked up in a stuffy palace with neverending rules and responsibilities. Out here, I can be free and...an' anythin' can happen."
"So's that why you were against the whole arranged marriage thing?" he asked. For once there was no arrogance in his words only curiosity.
Her shoulders slumped at his question, should I answer that? Does it really even matter if I do or don't? After a brief moment of contemplation she finally spoke "Marriage, is the end of any freedom. A wife doesn't have any real freedom and a queen definitely doesn't. Everyone knows once I'm married and bare my first child my mum and dad will step down from the throne. I don't want ta be queen, I don't want a husband I don't know or can't understand. All I want is ta be able ta ride Angus like this. Just the two of us without having ta worry about anyone or anything else but the wind beneath our feet and the accuracy of my bow."
He pondered for a bit about her words before responding. "I get it now, out here is where you can be yourself right? You don't have anyone out here you have to hide from. No one to appease and no expectations of how you should behave."
For the first time she stared at him in astonishment he didn't seem pretentious in the least. Maybe there's something ta him that's redeemable after all...she thought to herself before clearing her throat and wiping away the look she no doubt had plastered on her face. "Exactly. Out here I'm just Merida. Not a princess, jus' me" she said with an awkward smile. They rode again in silence but this time it was slightly different than before. She felt he understood her a little more but whether that was enough to change anything she didn't know yet. They rode to the riverbed and dismounted, allowing the horses to drink water. As she pat Angus lightly the lad broke the silence again.
"So the last time I was here we didn't really talk much..." again he tested the waters to see if she'd be open to talk. "I was wondering, you're an amazing archer. Not to bad a swordsman either. Did your father train you?" he said genuinely.
"Yeah sorry 'bough that," she said a little warmer than before "an' yeah. Since I was a wee lass. I got my bow when I turned six, an' my dad taught me since then. At first I wasn't too good myself but after awhile my accuracy got better. I haven't missed since." She looked over at him with a proud smile that was both mischievous as well as a warning not to cross her.
For a while they sat by the river talking, not very much but just enough. She showed him her archery skills once more and he admired her warrior spirit and after awhile of talking Merida felt that he wasn't a suitor anymore but a friend. After enough time had passed the sun begun to set in the distance so they decided to head back. Merida mounted her horse once more and looked to her new friend with a devilish grin. "Care ta race?" She asked "unless you're scared...the horses know where they're goin' so it's up ta how well you can ride..."
"Awh, prepare to lose princess." He replied as he slung himself over his own horse and sped off towards the castle. She followed close behind him before riding past him. She reached the castle before him naturally but to her surprise he didn't care that he had lost. They climbed up the castle steps and walked into the dining room where food was already set and sat down to eat.
"So what happened? I thought I was going ta lose." she teased with a slightly mocking tone while the young lord fumbled for words.
"Well I...I mean the horse...Was er well he...I didn't know the way." he finally settled on that excuse though Merida only laughed lightly since they both knew it he just wasn't the better rider. They both piled their plates and and began to eat both Elinor and Fergus surprised at how Merida was being around him now. After they finished they said their goodnights and went their separate ways. Before going straight to her room however she instead headed for a nice hot bath when she heard a voice down the hall. That sounds like young Macintosh she thought to herself as she peeked around the corner only to be disgusted by the person she saw. He was talking to himself the pride that he carried with him rearing it's ugly head as he congratulated himself for being closer to capturing her heart than the other sons of the lords. It was all a trick he's just trying ta get me to fall for him like the other lasses that probably fawn over him for his status. She glared at him before walking back to her room a new sense of self-loathing washing over her from her even believing that she could have believed a moment of that facade.
She didn't even bother to bathe or change from her clothing as she laid down on her large oak bed and slipped under the covers hiding her face from the rest of the world. Her dreams were a blackness that was all consuming there was nothing within her sight nor reach as she called out with a voice that had no sound. There was nothing but emptiness before the darkness broke away into a scene more terrifying than the silence. It was of herself yet she had aged in time, she sat on the throne with a look of complete distance and utter despair as if it pained her greatly to be seated there under the weight of the crown. Wee children ran across the stony floor with hair as black as the night as a man sat in the throne beside her faceless yet he wore a disturbing smile, one of pure happiness both of the family that played before him as well as pleasure from his position of power. The elder Merida looked down on the offspring with a bleakness that revealed the sadness in her heart. As quickly as it came the scene faded and gave way to another scene one where her older self stood with her back turned away in a large empty room. This Merida wasn't her, there was no fire and no pride, it was as if someone had snuffed out the light that defined what it was to be of the Dunbroch clan. Her fiery hair was pulled back restricted from it's freedom reflecting the life that she now led it seemingly had long since lost it's warm glow had been replaced by a dull ember. She thought she was just going to watch before her dream faded to the next but this Merida turned to face her with tears that streamed down her freckled face. Her eyes had also appeared to have lost brightness and she felt nothing but confusion as she looked at the shell of a woman who looked very much like a mustang that had been broken. She didn't speak a word but she didn't have to for that fear to be engraved forever in the young princess' mind.
She woke earlier than normal, the sun hadn't even rose but there was no way for her to sleep after the dreams that haunted her through the night. She rose from her bed changed her attire, and collected her cloak, bow and quiver before leaving the room with one goal in mind. This place was suffocating her and the dreams filled her with nothing but dread as she could visibly see the face of her older self and it sent shivers down her spine. She needed to feel the wind through her hair and the weightlessness of a ride she needed to feel the freedom she so desperately craved. With quick feet and a quiet stealth she exited the castle and roused her resting companion from his makeshift bed before escaping the castle walls. Under the shadow of the stone dwelling Merida climbed atop her steed and traveled swiftly away. They rode away quickly and much farther than they had ever traveled. In an attempt to try and erase what she had dreamt of the princess readied her bow sending arrow after arrow while she shot at any target her eye could create. Just before entering a clearing that hadn't yet been completely enshrouded by the frozen moisture she took aim at a tree that marked the end of the forest, but just as she prepared to lose her arrow the bow snapped under the sheer pressure of her force and intent to clear her mind and in the silence of the glade the only sound that echoed was that of pounding hooves and the cracking of wood. The moment she realized what had happened tears escaped her eyes while she tried to stop the gallop that they had been in only catching the horse off guard and sending them both tumbling. The horse rose with ease after the crash but the princess rolled over onto her knees and cried into her palms, her beloved bow now split in to resting on either side of her.
She sobbed in the snow for a time before collecting her bow and placing the broken remains of it in her quiver and standing up to wipe her tears away with her clothing that had become wet from the fall. She walked to the edge of land and dropped her belongings beside a rock deciding that the only thing she could do for the moment was to create a fire to help dry her clothing before she froze to death. Patches of green grass sprouted from the broken blanket of snow that, after seeing that his comrade wasn't harmed, the clydesdale took advantage of while the princess scavenged for whatever dry wood she could find. Finally managing to collect enough she dug a hole in the snow creating the perfect pit to create a fire. Once it had been lit she sat beside it and stared into the flames the horrors of all that had happened since she went to bed the night before mocking her in the flames. For a moment she thought to douse it but she knew it wouldn't have helped. Her horse had lay beside her after grazing sharing his warmth with her as well beside the campfire.
She became numb at some point while staring into the blaze not completely sure if it was of the body or of the mind she rested against her friend as she had the day before. At that same moment a light snow began to fall beginning to cover the remaining greenery and she watched as snowflake after snowflake landed on her before disappearing from the heat of the fire. "If I could Angus, I'd never go back." she whispered as if sharing a secret to the beast behind her. "Tha's not the fate I chose for myself. It can't be my destiny. It won' be." a new determination set in her she would never allow herself to be fooled by a suitor and if she could she would never take the throne.
So this is what I've gotten so far and I know it's kind of slow and it's not very clear how this will turn into a Jarida fanfic but it'll come sooner than you think.
Opinions and suggestions are greatly appreciated.
^_^