Jack
I have been to banquets, family dinners, and feasts. They were all hushed, quiet, and clean. At the Dunbroach castle, they are the exact, polar opposite. The three twins, Hamish, Harris, and Hubert, launched food across the room, the queen Eleanor scrambled through piles of papers, Merida absentmindedly ate, and the King Fergus told stories.
"I saw something that day, something I'll not forget. Outta nowhere, the biggest bear you have ever seen. It stands twelve feet tall with razor sharp claws. Its hide littered with the weapons of fallen warriors. His face scarred with one dead eye," He pointed to his widened eye. "I drew my sword and-"
"Whoosh!" Merida picked up. "His sword shattered! Then CHOMP! Dad's leg was clean off! Down a monster's throat it went."
"Aww!" Fergus whined. "That's my fav'rite part!"
"Mord'u has never been seen since," Merida said spookily. "And is roaming the wild, waitin' his chance of revenge… Raaaaaawwwwr! Rawr! Rawr! Rawr! Roar!"
"Oh please Merida, I di'n't go like tha'", One again Fergus launched into his tale without Merida interrupting. Rapunzel was laughing quietly. A crumb hit me hard in the temple and rubbed it while casting a smirk to boys.
I leaned over and whispered, "Watch this, boys." I straightened and with a flick my wrist, an icicle shot in a perfect arc to Merida's forehead.
"Ow! You wee devil!" She screeched. She drew her boy from under the table and aimed an arrow in my direction. She loosed it and it went flying to my chest. At the last minute, I flew up to avoid the arrow.
"Merida", the Queen said. "Do not loose another arrow at Ol' Man Winter!" Merida mumbled something about sexually active unicorn turds and dropped the bow and arrows on the table. "Merida, no weapons on th' table."
"Mum! It's just my bow," Eleanor gave her daughter a look and Merida dropped the bows. I smirked at her from the chandelier.
When Merida calmed down, I floated back to my seat and pulled out the arrow before sitting down.
The dinner passed and nothing else exciting happened. Fergus finished his story and started another about an ancient kingdom and a beloved king.
Finally the time for me to hit the skies rolled by. Merida, the boys, and Rapunzel waked with me to see me off. Merida and I shook hands but not before I icicled her and she punched me.
"See you boys," I ruffled their bright red hair and they smiled and laughed. I turned to Rapunzel who was smiling happily and gave me a hug.
"I love you, Jack," She whispered. I held her close, her warmth radiating into me.
"Love you Blondie," She laughed through tears. Sadly, I pulled away and took off, leaving a trail of snow in my path.
Merida
In the morning when I woke, I was surprised not to see Mother drawing the curtains away from the window, yammering about how "princesses rise with the sun" or something like that. I dressed into my favorite dark green dress and charged out the door to Rapunzels room.
When I knocked, I heard a small, "Go away!" A sob echoed through the door.
"Rapunzel, you need to come out! If not, Mor'du'll catch you." I bite my lip and hope she will catch on.
A pause, "Mor'du?"
I sighed, "I can't tell you out here. I need to come inside and tell you the story lass." The door swung open and Rapunzel pulled me into her darkened room. I fell onto the sheet-strewn bed and Rapunzel onto the rug. She hopped up and sat on the bed next to me. In the darkened light, her face was red and puffy and there were still tears escaping.
"Well?" She croaked.
I smiled and told the story I have heard a thousand times, "Long ago there was an ancient kingdom. A wise and dearly loved king ruled it. When the king grew old, he divided the kingdom between his four sons. The eldest, though, wanted the land for himself! He declared war on his brothers and the kingdom fell to war and famine. The eldest wanted maximum power, so he went to a witch and she gave him a potion that would make him as strong as the Earth. Instead of staying himself, he turned into a gigantic bear." Rapunzel's eyes bugged out when I said this.
She whispered, "He turned into Mor'du."
I nodded, "The bear went back to his army where they mistook him for a regular black bear. They fought against him and they all died. The eldest son's soon fully became the black bear, losing his mindfulness and his drive for the kingdom. Mor'du ran into the forest and was seen only once since then." I held up a finger to Rapunzel's open mouth. "Eleven years ago, on my sixth birthday. I had been learning how to shoot a bow and arrow when Mor'du appeared. Mother and I rode off on Mother's horse and Father stayed to fight Mor'du. That fight cost him a leg."
Rapunzel's mouth was in an "O" and her eyes bugged out.
"You saw Mor'du!" She whispered. I nodded. "B-b-but how… Why would he go after you? Take no offense, but you were just a little girl with her family on you birthday!"
I shrugged, "I don't know why. Mor'du hasn't been seen since." I stood up and pulled Rapunzel with me, "Now come on, after we eat breakfast, we're getting you a horse."
The blonde stopped, "A horse… just for me?" I nodded and she squealed. We walked to breakfast where only the boys were eating and after that went on to the stables.
"Now have you ever ridden 'afore?" She shook her head. "Alrigh' we'll start out slow." I stepped up to Kestrel, the stable hand, "Mornin' Kestrel. I need a beauty for this lass." I leaned towards the man. "Someone that isn't as fast as Angus." He nodded and Rapunzel followed him to a stall door. I walked to Angus's stall and he whickered at me. I brushed the hay strands off him and cleaned his white hocks (Ankles). I mounted onto his back and jogged him over to where Rapunzel was standing.
"Who did Kestrel get for you?" I asked.
Rapunzel smiled, "A beautiful white stallion. He's from Spain." The white horse whickered and walked to Rapunzel. Oddly, it seemed to glare at her. She leaned forward to look into his eyes, "Hey there, pretty boy. Your coat is so perfect. He pushed his face into her chest and she scratched his ears and laughed.
Kestrel seemed surprised at the stallion's behavior. His hand shook as he patted the animal's neck. With a caterwaul, the horse bit at Kestrel's hand and Kestrel went squealing backwards.
"Arrigh' Rapunzel! Get on his back," I shouted.
Kestrel trembled, "The horse's name is Maximus." With a yell, Rapunzel and I lunged forward on our horses. They galloped beside each other for at least a mile before I slowed Angus. Rapunzel laughed and I whooped. A building came into view through the trees and I hopped off Angus.
"Rapunzel, what type of weapon do you use?" I asked.
She slid off Max's back, "A weapon? Why would I need a weapon?"
I gaped at the girl. Never used a weapon? What is up with this girl? I thought. I walked into the building and into the weaponry that welcomed me. I breathed in the smell of cut wood and let it out. I picked up an oaken bow and handed it to Rapunzel.
There you go," She held it up and straight. She set it down after a few seconds.
She pushed it, "It doesn't feel right to me." She said the same thing about the sword and the axe. She could not lift the hammer and she kept dropping the spear. She could not blow hard enough for the blowgun and do not get me started on the daggers.
"I'm hopeless," She whimpered, after she knocked all the shields down with the throwing knife. I rubbed her on the back and handed her an unknown object.
"Try this," I said.
She sniffed, "A-a frying pan?" I nodded. She walked over to a spring necked dummy. She pulled her arm back and BAM! The dummy head and spring went flying. She smiled and laughed. I jumped and clapped in awe.
Later on, we left the store and climbed back onto the grazing horses. Rapunzel's frying pan was tied to a string and strapped around her waist. We galloped through the sunset dyed forest. It was smooth riding until Angus spooked at something. Angus rammed into Max, and Max went rushing into the forest with Rapunzel clinging for dear life to his neck.
A dark shadow rose up behind Angus and a single eye gleamed. Angus screamed and raced after Max. I replayed the scene repeatedly while clinging to Angus bouncing neck. It was Mor'du. He had come out of hiding after eleven years.
Hey guys. Sorry I have not updated. I have been sooooo busy with horse shows and tests and all that crap. Rawr goes the smoothie. In addition, I tried with the accents but it kept confusing me. So just imagine it. If you will. Will Update Soon or WUS. :)