Chapter ten
November 25, 2016
8:13 AM
Merida only had one thing on her mind. Her bow. It was risky to ride a horse with her arm bound , reluctantly she kept riding to a minimum. So with riding a small happiness in her life , she felt the need to get back to keeping up with her marksmanship. The room she was given was one befitting a princess. It had a large bed many rugs and tapestries that kept the room warm. There was even a bit of a bookshelf , and The Princess of Dunbroch had already flipped through many stories. Merida got dressed in a blue dress the lady MacGuffin had made for her. Being the lady of the house and skilled with needle work had made a beautiful dress out of the thick tartan of the Dunbroch clan. The other dress was irreparable being stained with blood, and there for she was unable to wear it. The tartan made the dress very durable , and it came with a green thick cotton bodice and a long sleeve undershirt. Merida found it easy to lace up the back of the bodice of her new dress, more so then the one she had before. With her arm still in a cast she was finding it hard to do things by herself sometimes. The healer told her that it should be coming off in two weeks. The bone was cracked but not in two pieces, lucky enough. ' Who knows how long it will be un till I can draw m' bow." The clash between the Clansman and the Norsemen came to Merida all at once. ' That was just a small band of the men from the north.' Merida reflected upon this as she tied a bow in her bodice in the front of her dress. ' I need to stay sharp.' She needed to practice. So taking her bow , stringing it around her shoulder and her fletch of arrows in hand, Merida strode out of her room a few hours past daybreak. As she turned to go right; down the hallway , ultimately leading her to the village inside the castle wall her stomach gurgled. She was forced to go Left , towards the kitchens in the castle and to a warm breakfast. Her excitement over her new bow attachment would have to wait.
Merida made a corner , usually she was a very early riser but today she was accompanied by a man with very fair hair.
"Mornin." Rabbie was all of a sudden beside her.
'How long had he been standing there for?' "Morning,"
"Nice to be out of the sick beds and back in you'r own rum?"
"Aye." Merida was highly suspicious of Rabbie. Harris had warned her he was too smart for his own good, but maybe that was jealousy?
" Well, would you mind if I joined you fur breakfast."
"No, I don't think I would mind the company." She was on orders from her mother to never be rude and always be the first to offer friendship. But even her mother knew there was no three strike system with the Princess.
"So where ar' ye' headed too this early in the morn? Back to the stables for a ride?" Rabbie was being on the verge of charming.
"Just to the smithie to pick up a few things, but the kitchens mostly. Probably visit me' Da'." Merida had seen him a few times now and then since her cast, but she wanted to know the details of there voyage north.
"Och, Aye belive he is doin jus' fine. My Da' was sayin this is." Rabbie's father Lord Dingwall was a hard man to get along with but if he ever did have a friend it was probably in her father; King Fergus.
Merida managed to get through small talk all the way down to the kitchens .She was regretting allowing Rabbie to join her for breakfast. Not that he was being rude , they just did not have much in common. It seemed as if Rabbie was not too excited about much of anything, and he knew a lot about almost everything. He was like a large chest of secrets and possessed knowledge that Merida had a hard time figuring out where he came by it. It made her uneasy.
After a hurried breakfast Merida excused herself and started off towards the kitchen doors.
"Merida ." She winced , Rabbie Dingwall was behind her.
"Yes Rabbie?" She spun around on her heels. She almost escaped , almost.
" I - I just want to warn ya."He drew closer to her looking around them. This peaked Meridas interest and she leaned in arms crossed lending him her ear.
"I know this sounds suspicious coming from a man you know wants your hand."
Merida tightened her lips and grew red in the face. It was very bold of him to say such a thing though it was the truth. She had known since Rabbie Dingwall left Dunbroch that he carried romantic feelings towards her.
"- keep an Eye on Ian, he's quite the ladies man. " With that Rabbie sighed ,and shrugging his shoulders he left the kitchens towards the court room. He did not say anything untruthful, Merida had seen the women follow him wherever Ian went. But Young Dingwall had planted successfully his seeds of doubt. Even if it didn't grow , Rabbie was certain by the end of the week , at the most , Ian would never be allowed near Merida again.
Merida was contemplating her encounter with the intelligent young lord. She believed she had seen a change in the narcissistic Young Macintosh. Maybe she was wrong, but she was not going to let someone else change her mind for her.
Merida had made it to the smithie, she was not alone as there was a line of people.' maybe breakfast first was not the best idea '. The line included three red haired young men and she smiled walking up to her brothers.
"Why ar' ya looking long in the face?"
"wha- Its nothing- " Merida should have known better not to say that. Harris alone could read her like a book. But she remarked to herself that Hamish looked reserved today.
"Sure, why are ya here? We will start with the easy questions first. " Hubert pulled at the shoulder fabric of her shirt " Och , ye' almost look like a lady in that." That was his way of saying the dress suited her.
"Almost " Harris chuckled poking an elbow at Merida, she shoved him playfully in retaliation.
"talkin so much about me' dress , maybe I should ask the lady Macguffin if she will have time to sew three more for the lot of you to wear!"
"Oh Well I don't think you have to-" Hamish looked over Merida, arms still crossed. " -you canjust ask that lad ov'r there."
Merida turned around , behind her was lord MacGuffin walking about 100 yards in the crowds. Her spirit dampened.
"Verr'y funny, he wouldnea talk t' me if he was payed to."
"Oh?" Hubert looked over at Grant MacGuffin , he had his long sandy blond hair in a long braid to the middle of his back. He walked with a cane as his stitches needed to be treated gently while he healed. Many warriors walked around bandaged up but the clan as a whole did not have many casualties.
" How about just payin me?" Joked Harris and gave a long whistle ,shout, and wave to the Lord MacGuffin. Merida stomped hard on Harris' foot and he hopped around holding his leg amidst the howls of laughter from his brothers.
"just this once try not t' get me in an uncomfortable situation." Merida was almost visibly upset." You three can do whoot you like just leave me out of it." luckily MacGuffin was not paying attention and he continued talking to a Warrior in his clan.
With that Merida stormed off to join the line of people waiting to talk to the black smith.
Harris noticed this change in behaviour and it told him his sister was hurt over something.
'something must have happened between the two.' Harris was dead right as usual.
"What?" Hubert squinted at his sister not quite getting it. But he got a light smack on the arm by his brother Hamish. Hubert looked at Hamish who nodded in the direction of the Lord. There beside MacGuffin was Bridgett.
"Och, is tha' the black cat we have heard so much about?" Hubert whispered to his serious brother. Hamish nodded.
"they say there is mor' then one way t' skin a cat. want to count the ways-" Hamish smiled sharing a devious smile with Hubert, but the two were held back by the eldest Harris.
"Watch." The three boys looked on to the couple. Then they noticed Bridget was not looking where she aught to. She was looking over her shoulder at Ian Macintosh who had appeared with a small crowd of women and handsome clansmen around him.
"o no-" Hamish said a bit sick. She was staring obviously at Ian, with a soft red glow on her cheeks. " -that woman has a lot of back boon to be thinkin whot shes thinkin." Any Woman could get divorced and remarried, free to do what she liked. But a woman who was betrothed openly watching another man in the company of her future husband was something the boys had never seen before. At that moment It did not make any sense to the men; Then it came to them all at once.
The boys drew all together and whispered in cold seriousness. Ian was far more wealthy then castle MacGuffin.
"A greedy gutsie ee ne'er gat a fou wame. (Greedy persons are never satisfied.)" Hamish growled.
"Beauty's muck whan honour's tint. (Beauty is of no value when honour is lost.) " Hubert shook his head.
Merida kept her eyes off the streets , she remembered too well what the Lord of Castle had told her.
It was finally her time to be seen by the smithies. He smiled as she approached, jumping up and reaching on the other side of the forge.
He welcomed her and quickly put a beautiful metal and wood staff in her hand.
"An' this will help me shoot?"
The smith motioned to a lamb skin with a target drawn upon it. It was hanging up on the other side of the smith's workshop and he put an arrow in her hand.
Merida , with a small amount of help, attached the middle of her bow to the small side of the staff. The other side of the staff cradled her shoulder on the casted arm side . The staff was taking the burden of the bow as her casted arm could be free to hold the bow lightly.
She drew back the arrow , not being able to contain her smiles. ' But why shoot at a wee lamb skin?'
Merida turned and walked out of the smiths workshop , and he followed her with quick steps.
She looked around, there a large wooden bar sign hung over the crowds. It was a carved bulls head.
Merida looked over at her brothers and whistled in their direction. She was a different woman with her bow in her hand ! And her brothers seeing her smile as she use to ,shouted in encouragement. For they knew their sister well and in a quick movement she drove an arrow into the middle of the carved bulls head in the pub sign. The sign swung almost off its chain and now not only her brothers were cheering, but her own clans men and a few of the others were now Jubail. They had their archer back not even a cast could stop her. The boys rushed their sister and drew her up above the crowds on their shoulders.
"Welcome back !" Ian Macintosh was pushing through the crowds towards Merida.
"Aye , back to takin heads an' she is not a day out of the sick beds!" Hubert howled.
"To the north!" cried Harris to the crowd. This would mean they would leave soon to travel to castle Macintosh.
"To the north! To the North ! To the north!" The crowd needed the celebration, even MacGuffin could see it and cracked a smile. Her smile was infectious and it was hard to resist.
Merida was laughing above the crowds being carried over the heads of men like a torch. Her hair was just like a waterfall of fire and she was more then fitting to be held like a hero. She was a fine warrior and now she would be back where she belonged.
The loud noise even drew the Lords and the King to the windows. Innis smiled a crooked smile over at Ross Dingwall spying his son with Merida out side of the pub. The bet was leaning in his favor , and Ross was stewing silently.
King Fergus was smiling too, his daughter was starting to have a gift of bringing people together. Merida knew her dad was proud of her, and raised her bow saluting her king as he came into her view.
"- she would be going north soon." MacGuffin was numbed by her eventual departure. He told her to leave, he had Bridget , his fathers choice of bride for himself. He needed to protect that and his feelings were going to betray him.
He looked over at Bridget , and she was cross.
But that's not what Harris saw when he looked at Bridget through the people. She was looking at Merida in jealousy but not from her betroths emotions of the red haired lass. But from the want of Ian Macintoshes attention, that Bridget would never posses.
Lord MacGuffin leaned on his cane feeling the stitches in his leg tighten. Grant looked back at Merida the smile leaving his face and he turned from the group filing into the pub to continue the celebrations. The question that went unanswered was if MacGuffin would also go north, or be left behind. Honestly , MacGuffin did not rightfully know himself.
Merida shared a pint with the boys but slipped away after a short time, She needed to find the king.
MacGuffin Needed council. Grant and his betrothed walked along the village shops for another hour or so , all in silence. The Lord had a lot on his mind. Finally he told Bridget he was going to the castle for a bit of a rest as the walking had been a bit hard on his leg. She looked as if she did not remember his le was almost cut off, but gave his hand a firm grip that made him feel a bit better. It was a half truth, he was going back to rest, but mostly to be in the company of his mother. With a small crooked gate he walked into the court room garden. The lady MacGuffin was a quiet person who became even quieter once his dad- Once they lost their Lord, but she lost a bit more. She lost the love of her life , her husband. Gillian MacGuffin was Fair and gentle as a fawn. Grant's father had won her hand in a chamberlain throwing competition. Still she was as slender as a willow, as white as a birch as soft as the down of a dove. He remembered those words. That's how his dad had described his mum and it was true today ; she was all of those things.
She was reading a small book, fall had started to sweep in. Her name suited her perfectly , she was always out in the forest or in the woods, just like Ghillie dhu. Ghillie dhu was a spirit what wore a shirt of green moss and was a protector of the trees, and of children.
"Mum." MacGuffin smiled to her , she looked up at him, her long blond hair was flowing over her shoulder. Lady MacGuffin stretched out her hand and smiled back beckoning him to come closer.
"m' wee lamb." She often would say that in secret , it was always what she had called him. "What is it?"
"noth'en mum, wanted t' tell yugh I may be goi'n away north to fight with th' Picts."
"oh Aye" She downturned her eyes to her book and Grant sat beside her looking on to the small page over her shoulder. He loved books and got the gift of fast learning from his mother.
"so yu' think , Aye shuld go then." Grant was testing to see what her real emotions were.
"I think yu' should do what you feel is right, what you think is best for all of us."
"well we cannea fight the norsemen on ur own." Grant looked at his hands his shoulders slumped. They had lost too many people , too many warriors. Yes he had lead his clan to victory a few days ago. But that was not enough, if they attacked again they would stand no chance. The had to fight together.
" Aye, m' wee lord." She was so pleasant. " I know my son, and my son will always do what he wants, what has made you weak of heart ?" Her eyes looked up at her Son who was now a head or two above her own.
She was right his doubts did not come from inside of him. It came from his betrothed.
"Wel' Bridget-"
"Och, I see." that's all he needed to say. Gillian continued. "I thin'k y' need t' ha'v a-bit-o'-a talk with the dove of yours."
Grant moaned "Haw! n' whoot sud I say?! Yu' ken hoow sh'e is!"
"Aye, I ken well enough, bu't she is not MY partner, she is yurs, and y' need to support eachother. You can' negh have a tree with just the branches and no ruuts." What she was trying to say was you can not have give without take, equally.
Grant slumped forward his cane rolling in his hands nervously.
" Woot wold da' do?" Grant almost whispered those words. And Gillian put her book down taking her son in her arms. It was like a child hugging a large oak.
"If you hav' to ask that question you ar' not listenin to him." She was right. Grants father Greggor would be forward and commanding. Grant did not like the idea of being that way with Bridget. It was a cause of another fight he was not looking forward to.