Merida notched another arrow and let it fly into the center of the bulls-eye.
'Some things never change.' She sighed and crumpled in on herself. Those were the last words she spoke to her mother tonight, and she felt awful. When Elinor had come to make amends, apologizing for not telling her about it, telling her that she herself felt like she betrayed her daughter, Merida's pride got the best of her as she ignored her mother, tight lipped sending arrows into targets. Elinor had given up and retreated solemnly back into the castle. The princess sat on the ground, pulling her knees to her chest as she rested her cheek against her legs and closing her eyes.
Merida walked unsurely into the meeting room, which was not a good thing she knew. Usually her parents would come to her rooms to discuss anything that involved her personally, so this was uncommon practice the past three years. She opened the doors, and all her questions vanished as she laid eyes on their company. A young man stood in front of his large father, both of them tight lipped and nervous.
"Merida, A'd like yah ta meet Stoick the Vast and his son Hiccup." Elinor said slowly. Merida pursed her lips, she had a gut feeling she wasn't going to like where this was going.
"Hullo. Et's nice ta meet yew." Merida bowed to the strangers from her waist and then looked up to her father; he wouldn't meet her eyes. Merida's stomach dropped. Elinor coughed and elbowed her husband in the ribs.
"Merida, et's been three years since yah've been pressed ta find a suitor. However et's time fer change. Hiccup es here ta start the courting process-"
"Courting?" Merida yelled, her head was spinning. "Did we just throw a whole step out the winda? A just met him!"
"Now, Merida, like yer father said, things are changin-"
"Yeah, well some things never change." Merida stormed out of the room, slamming the doors behind her.
When she calmed down, she found that her feet had taken her to the archery range, the familiarity of this area, the feeling of her bow in her hands, it comforted her. It reminded her of simpler times, times before suitors, and princess training. Times before monster bears and boys from strange lands fighting for her like she was a glass doll to be won. Times that were so much easier.
"Some things never change." she sighed, tracing the patterns etched into her bow, the careful tallies she had carved into the smooth underside of the handle. She felt someone sit beside her, eyes still not open.
"Look, mum, A'm sorry fer actin out. A'm just scared-"
"You're an archer?" Hiccup asked carefully, startling Merida a bit. She hid that behind arrogance though.
"The best." She scoffed, glad he couldn't see her flushed face, pulling herself tighter into a ball.
"I can see that." Hiccup sighed when she still didn't look at him. "Can I try?" Merida made a 'by all means' gesture to the targets and Hiccup got up. She watched him, this stranger in her home, as if he'd grown another head and sprouted a tail. He stood a good distance away from the target, his shield in front of him.
"Wha' are yah doin?" Merida asked skeptically.
"You'll see." Was all Hiccup gave her in response as he lined up the shot. With the click of a button, an arrow flew out of the front of the shield and sunk into the middle of the target completely shattering Merida's arrow, head and all. Merida jumped to her feet.
"Wha' was that?" She ran to the target and pulled the arrow out. The metal arrow was cool to the touch and she noticed a few rings down the length of it.
"Did ye make this?" Merida's brows were together.
"Yeah, I did. Back home in Berk we've faced some pretty rough times. I had to adapt, though some things never change. The internal mechanism is pretty much just a miniature bow."
Merida nodded slowly, sneaking glances at the man in front of her. His auburn hair fell messily just above his shoulders, a few braids twisted within. He had a lean muscular frame, a wide chest that gave way to a slender waist was covered in a strange leather that his whole suit was made out of. He had a metal leg, the prosthetic looked handmade, as did the shield in his calloused hands. What startled Merida were his eyes. A deep shade of jade met her, and in the glowing torches, small rays of gold shot out from his corneas. They reminded her so much of the forests around her home, the rays of early morning sun filtering through the leaves on her early morning rides with Angus. It was not just the color of his eyes that caught her off guard, but the look of pure concern, interest, and understanding that spoke to her did and it melted her defiant gaze a little.
"Listen, your majesty," Hiccup rubbed the back of his neck, "I don't want to do this, just as much as you. But I'm trying to be open to the idea of at least getting to know you. After all, the final say is yours, your majesty."
"Merida. Just… Merida. An' A think A'd like ta get ta know yew too, Hiccup." He flashed her a brilliant smile, making Merida's heart smiled back at him, maybe some things never change, but she certainly could.