AN: Hey, y'all! I hope you enjoy this chapter, I personally think it's a very powerful one in the sense of family, and it was a lot of fun to write because of all the Winter Sprite Heritage that went into this chapter. Let me know what you think, though! I'm always happy to hear what you guys think!
NOTES: A Father is a Son's first Hero...
REVIEWERS!:
HanyouExorcistAlchemist48: Thank you, so much! And you're actually on the right track...
BrawlerGamer: Don't worry, one thing I think a lot of writers forget while they're writing from Merida's POV is that Elinor was never, is not, and never will be the Antagonist to Merida's story. She's just a mom who wants what's best for her kid. For Merida, as a princess in their culture, that would probably be marriage. Merida is an oddity. Most girls her age would want to have husbands to take care of them and protect them and what not. That's why Merida's story is so special and important. And YES, Jack's family is, in fact, Mulan and her family. I love her grandma, so when I saw the opportunity to make her related to Jack, I leaped at it. The Selkie story, however, has nothing to do with the Little Mermaid. In fact, they're kind of opposite stories because the girl had no wish to be any different than she was, and than was changed so the Prince wouldn't recognize her. Also, there's no love relationship, the Prince saw her as a little sister or daughter figure. Yeah, the Cauldron Cakes were the only ones I actually planned, but now I'm just like EVERYONE GETS A FAVORITE CANDY!
C: I have to agree with you, Elinor is a pretty tricky character to write especially when you're coming entirely from Merida's POV, but it is one of my goals to reveal much more about Elinor in the near-to-come chapters. There will be plenty more of Emma and Hiccup to come, trust me. But remember that Rapunzel and Jack have no knowledge of vikings whatsoever, and Merida only has negative, war-related knowledge of them. None of them know about Hiccup's culture (except that Vikings fight Dragons, but everyone knows that) and a lot of the things he's said about his village can relate to hundreds of villages. A place near the ocean? Just look along Corona and Scotland's shores, you'll probably find hundreds. Yaks? Those are everywhere! And Hiccup is a very ordinary-looking kid, so what indication would they have at all to even think that he's a viking? Stuff to ponder! Also, thank you so much, that story was probably the hardest thing I've written in a long time and it's really nice to get such a positive response to it! Thank you again for such a lovely review! I. Would. LOVE TO! Okay, never be afraid to ask me about characters! I ADORE character analyzes! SO, Fishlegs: Okay, so just to narrow it down from the start, I see Slytherin and Gryffindor as two very extreme Houses, and I don't think Fishlegs fits in either of those extremes. He's not very ambitious or cunning, and while he is chivalrous he's much more cautious than he is daring. So that narrowed it down to Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw. Now, Fishlegs is incredibly smart and incredibly honest/true/loyal, so it really came down to his placement and how he was in relation to Hiccup. See, while Fishlegs is very smart, he was still much more welcome among the viking community than Hiccup, so I looked into why that was. If you watch the first film, Fishlegs is the big, quiet, kinda scary one, right? Everyone excepts him because he can fight and he can pull his own weight. Great! And then he opens his mouth and starts spewing all of his smarts. The others teens will instantly start making fun of him, or just flat out ignore him. And Fishlegs usually goes back to being the "silent big guy". So, you see, while Hiccup relies entirely upon his wit and intelligence to survive, therefore making him a Ravenclaw, Fishlegs actually has quite a bit of viking in him. Being loyal to the village is more important than anything else. Even books and smarts. Even making friends with the village nerd. He couldn't risk being shunned by the people he was most loyal to. Not to mention that while, yes, Fishlegs is incredibly smart and a fantastic student, throughout the first movie and first few seasons of Dragons, he is a student just as much as Snotlout or Astrid or the Twins. He needs Hiccup to teach him about the dragons, where as Hiccup just ran off and taught himself in, like, a month... I'm pretty sure I covered everything. So that's why I decided to make Fishlegs a Hufflepuff. Now, on to Valka: I can't say too much about Valka because a lot of her character is going to be discussed later in the series, but I can say that while I can appreciate the idea that "Hiccup and Valka are exactly the same and that explains everything, and that's why Hiccup is so different, blah, blah, blah" I also recognize the fact that Hiccup grew up without ever knowing his mom. The likelihood that he would actually acquire learned traits from her like Sarcasm or kindness is really almost zero. Like, there is no way Hiccup and Valka are exactly the same. I would go so far as to say that Hiccup is more like Stoick. Because Stoick was THERE. He may not have always been the best parent, but he was THERE and he TRIED. Now, don't get me wrong, I absolutely LOVE Valka, but a lot of people assume that if Valka hadn't left, she would've been the one to stop the war and Hiccup would have grown up in a Dragon-friendly world, and I just don't believe that at all. Valka needed to be kidnapped by Cloudjumper before she finally started trying to learn about the dragons, but Hiccup just needed to get close enough to one. Now, it's hard to do a character analysis on someone who was in Half a movie, but for me, personally, Hiccup's relationship with the dragons came a lot more naturally. Valka's seemed a little forced. I might just be bias. I might be crazy. We might never know. I'm sorry I have to be so vague about Valka, but I really don't want to spoil too much. I think Valka's kindness and want for peace was really what made me place her in Hufflepuff, and in another universe Hiccup might have followed in her footsteps, but his journey is a lot different than hers and he has a lot to learn. Hopefully that helped at least a little. Sorry I just kind of exploded into Character Analysis Mode... Thank you so much for your review, and I hope you enjoyed my extensive response and the chapter! :)
Graceful Petals: I'm glad you liked the variation! There's a bit more in this chapter, but then we're gonna dive head-first into the action! :)
Chapter 10: The Temples of the Seasons
The week that followed that night's events was the most fun Merida had had in a long time. Mulan showed them around the farm, starting with the very large house they were staying in, moving out to the barn, and then exploring the fields and the small bit of forest that was included in their land. Another day saw them at the Lighthouse where Mrs. Frost had grown up, and they met her cousin, Conan, and all three of his friendly hounds. They spent two of their days on the beach, swimming in the ocean, which Emma absolutely loved the first time and so she convinced everyone for a second time.
They also got to see the chickens that Jack's family kept, their black, grey, and white Horse, and their medium sized dog whom Mulan affectionately called 'Little Brother'. Merida couldn't help but think of Angus who was back at Hogwarts with her family, and Rapunzel mentioned a particularly friendly horse of her family's Guard named Maximus. Hiccup then told them that the closest thing his village had to horses were yaks, and they shared a pretty good laugh over the offended look that came over the horse's, Khan's, face.
With all of the adventures they had during that first week time flew so fast that before Merida knew it the day of Jack's Coming of Age Ceremony had come. Mrs. Frost made pancakes for breakfast, and Jack's relatives patted him on the back or hugged him as they asked him if he were excited or nervous.
Merida, Rapunzel, and Hiccup noticed that after breakfast Jack's Uncle asked him to go on a walk, and the two went outside for a bit while they stayed and helped to clean up breakfast. Merida wasn't sure what it was about, but Hiccup gave them a weak sort of smile: reassuring, but silently asking them not to pry or eavesdrop.
Rapunzel looked a little worried, but Merida shrugged. If Jack wanted them to know what his uncle had to say then he would tell them in his own time.
Soon the sun started to set, and it was time for them to go to the center of the city where the Temples of the Seasons waited for them. They rode in an open cart pulled by Khan with hay bales as seats. Jack seemed rather nervous and fidgety, but Hiccup nudged him with his elbow, and after about five minutes they were laughing at each others jokes.
The Great Moor was a large island covered with miles and miles of forest. A mountain stood tall and proud just off center of the island, and hundreds of different Wilder-Creatures lived in the city that surrounded the temples.
Four temples stood in a circle at the very center of the city that was settled at the foot of the mountain. The four temples represented one of the four seasons, welcoming Sprites, Fairies, and other creatures of the different seasons.
While the Summer Temple was home to Fire Sprites, also known as Sun Sprites, and the Autumn Temple was home to the Air Sprites, Jack's family took pride in being members of both the Winter Temple, home of the Winter Sprites, and the Spring Temple, home of the Earth Sprites.
At the center of the circle, however, was the Temple of Light and Harmony. The Winter Temple was made of ice, the Summer Temple was made of earthen clay and mosaic tiles, the Spring Temple of smooth stone with painted murals and climbing vines that bloomed with flowers, and the Autumn Temple of finely carved wood with intricate patterns and designs, but the Temple of Light was different. The House of Peace was made entirely of white marble and sparkling gems that created a rainbow of bright light no matter the time of day or night.
Despite the magnificence of the larger temple, their group drifted to the Northern side of the circle where the Winter Temple stood in all of it's icy beauty. Once they arrived, Jack was lead away by his Grandmother and two men that came to greet them at the entrance to the temple. The rest of them were lead into the main area of the temple where many other people milled about.
There were about ten, maybe twelve, families, and none of them were exclusively of Winter Sprite heritage. All the families had family members of different ethnicities among them. It didn't surprise Merida that none of the families gathered consisted of only Winter Sprites, it was rather common knowledge that Sprites in themselves were rather rare, but what did surprise her was how many were gathered from just the city alone.
Fa Li must have seen her curiosity because she rested her hand on her shoulder and motioned to the very large room before them. "It is our heritage that our young be welcomed to adulthood during one of the seasonal celebrations. Otherwise known as the Equinoxes and the Solstices. Since Jack takes after his father, the Winter Sprites will welcome him during their celebration of the Winter Solstice. Those you see before you are all of the Winter Sprites in existence, with a few exceptions of course. Winter Sprite magic is just as mischievous as the Winter Sprite. Sometimes it will skip several generations and then a child will grow up thinking they're a wizard or witch with a knack for ice magic, so there isn't any way we can be absolutely sure about their numbers."
"So Jack's ceremony is going to be in front of all of the Winter Sprites known to existence?" Rapunzel asked, eyes going wide.
"No wonder he seemed so nervous." Merida muttered, feeling her own stomach clench at just the thought of having to do something like that.
Fa Li nodded. "And Jack is the only one of his generation, which makes this night even more special. There hasn't been a Winter Sprite Coming of Age Ceremony in seven years now, and after tonight we'll have to wait another ten at the least because the other children are still trying to get used to walking on their feet." She chuckled as she pointed towards the group of nervous, most likely first-time parents watching their children toddle about the icy floor.
"Not to mention, Grandmother Frost is very respected among the Winter Sprites because she's the Grand Elder. She represents the Winter Sprites at the Seasons Council meetings, and she'll be directing the celebration tonight." Mulan added.
"But wouldn't that... Wouldn't that make Jack something like a Prince?" Rapunzel inquired, looking a little confused, and Merida felt her own jaw fall open as Rapunzel's words clicked in her mind.
Jack? A Prince?!
Mulan laughed at that and shook her head. "Not... Officially. Seasonal Sprites have no official hierarchy, but the Frost family has been highly respected among the Winter Sprites for many generations. We're one of the oldest families in our history."
Their group drifted farther into the main room, and once the sun had vanished completely, leaving the stars and moon to take it's place, Grandmother Frost entered the room, bringing silence to the once quite loud hall. Conversations and music stopped and everyone turned to face the Elder as she walked straight towards the circular dais in the center of the room.
The two men who had greeted them at the entrance flanked either side of her, and tried to offer her a hand when she went to climb the four stairs to the top of the dais, but she waved their hands away and did it herself. The men fell back and went to join the families in the crowd as Grandmother Frost stood both literally, and figuratively, at the center of attention, holding what looked like a simple wooden jewelry box.
"Friends and relatives, I welcome you home to the Great Moor where our ancestors thrived. This year has brought to us many great things; health, prosperity, family. But this year we have even more cause to celebrate. This year, my own Grandson has returned to be welcomed as a man." Grandmother Frost paused as everyone in the room cheered heartily. Once the cheering faded, Grandmother Frost extended her arm towards the open double doors she had come from, her palm up in a welcoming gesture. "Come join me so that we may welcome you."
Jack stepped into view then. The simple brown cloak and vest he wore whenever he was away from school was gone. He had changed into a puffy, white undershirt and a brilliant blue tunic. Black leather arm guards were laced tight around his wrists, reaching half-way to his elbows. A black leather belt wrapped around his waist, and his legs were covered by white pants that reached down to the middle of his calf where strips of fabric were tied to keep them tight around his lower legs so they wouldn't get in the way or get caught on anything. He carried his staff with him as always, though, and Merida smiled when she saw that he was shoe-less as he usually was when no one was around to bother him about following dress codes.
He climbed the steps slowly, and then, once he stood before his Grandmother, he knelt down with both of his knees touching the floor. He looked up at his Grandmother, and she smiled back at him kindly.
"Tonight, as we celebrate the Solstice, we welcome you among us, not as the child you once were, but as the man you have become. Tonight we hope and pray that your life will be filled with love, friendship, and prosperity." Grandmother Frost began as she opened the little box she held. "Tonight we give you the Gifts of our People, so that all creatures may know that you are one of us."
Kneeling down, Grandmother Frost set the box on the floor between them and continued to pull a pale blue ribbon from the box. The end of the ribbon was neatly wrapped and tied around two red-colored feathers.
"These feathers come from a Red-Tailed Hawk. A bird of pray that symbolizes our roots. Our very core. The core is where our insecurities of being abandoned, outcast, or left alone are held. It is our sense of belonging to the tribe. May the Red-Tailed Hawk grant you healing in times of pain, let these feathers bring blessings of Healing and Freedom from Despair." Grandmother Frost announced, holding the ribbon with the feathers out in front of her so that everyone could see.
She reached down to the box and took out a small, emerald green bead. "A bead of emerald green, to bring blessings of Growth and Prosperity!" She continued, threading the bead onto the ribbon until it was stopped by the bulk of the feathers.
The next thing to appear from the little box was a red and off-white striped stone. "A red Agate Stone, to impart Strength and Courage in times of great chaos." Grandmother Frost told the silent crowd as she expertly twisted and knotted the ribbon until the stone was held tightly in place by the rope thong.
Once again she bent down and pulled another thing from the box. This one was a glittering gem that was a deep blue color like the ocean. "A Blue Sapphire to bring good tidings and peace to relationships. May it bless you with only the purist of Friendships."
She tied the ribbon around the gem, and then raised the finished string of feathers, bead, stone, and gem into the air. After a moment she bent down and, with the rest of the excess ribbon, knotted the string tightly into Jack's white hair, just behind his left ear.
"With these Gifts we welcome you among us as a young man. Rise, Jack Frost, and be greeted by your people!" Grandmother Frost beamed proudly as she stepped back, allowing Jack the room to stand up.
Everyone cheered so loudly, and Merida shouted along with them. Though it was new to her, the whole ordeal was so fascinating and incredible. The years of history and tradition behind it were incredible.
Jack was swarmed by the families of all the other Winter Sprites, and Merida, Rapunzel, and Hiccup stayed back a little to allow him some space, but he constantly looked at them, grinning so widely and his eyes so bright with happiness.
As the many people who were gathered for the celebration finished congratulating Jack, the music began once again, and Jack found his way back to them, which prompted Merida to tackle him with a giant bear hug alongside Rapunzel and Hiccup. Jack laughed and returned the hug.
When they pulled apart, Jack's mother gave him a meaningful hug, full of pride and a few tears. She turned his head so she could look at the string of Gifts his Grandmother had given him, and she covered her mouth as more tears fell from her eyes.
"Your father would be so proud of you." She told him, pulling him into another hug. Jack's grip got a little tighter on this one as he nodded into his mother's shoulder. "Oh, look at me! Crying all over you when you should be celebrating with your friends! Go on, now, I'm sure they're plenty confused by everything, and they've been waiting so patiently to spend time with you." Matilda said, wiping her eyes. She cupped Jack's cheeks in her hands one last time and kissed his forehead that was almost level with her own. After that she moved off to the side to join Fa Li and the other adults her age.
"So? Do you feel any different, Mr. Man?" Merida questioned, crossing her arms and raising an eyebrow at him. Jack chuckled and then shrugged.
"I feel the same, but... different." He explained vaguely.
"Well, that makes sense." Hiccup teased him lightly, and Jack scratched the back of his head sheepishly.
"The Ceremony was incredible! Your Gifts are really pretty. Especially the Sapphire. It's really glittery." Rapunzel told him with a sweet smile, and Jack blushed, looking at the floor as he played with his staff with both hands.
"Yeah... Grandma chose a Sapphire for me because it was my dad's gem." Jack explained quietly, his blush still present, but Merida could see in his eyes and barely contained beaming that Jack was indescribably proud and happy to have the gem.
"Your dad had his own gem?" Merida inquired, curious as to how one would get a gem dedicated to him.
"Well, the Sapphire represents friendship, and my dad was the Guardian of Friendship." Jack confided in them, and Merida felt something tug inside her chest.
She somehow understood what Jack had said before. Jack was exactly the same as he had been the day before, but somehow he was different. They all were in a way. It wasn't that long ago that they had all been first years, uncertain about everything and chasing after what they thought was a bad dream only to find the Nightmare King himself. Now they were all third years, taking electives courses and talking to teachers about what they might like to do once they graduate. They had been through so much together with Pitch Black and Gothel, and yet they still had quite a ways to go.
And Merida couldn't help but remember that winter break couldn't last forever. Each passing day brought them closer to the first day of Spring, and Merida wasn't prepared for the utter doom she would face when she returned to Hogwarts.
For the sake of her friend, though, she pushed those feelings aside. This was a special day for Jack. A great honor in his heritage that he had asked them to take part in because he wanted them there. No matter what was going on between her and her mother, Merida felt honored that Jack invited them to such an important moment in his life, and she'd die before she let anyone disrespect it, even herself.
She smiled and clapped as Rapunzel danced to the music, she grinned at Hiccup as he played his flute while Emma sang songs to all his tunes, and she even let herself be pulled into one of the dancing circles when Rapunzel convinced all three of them to join her.
The Four danced together in the giant circle until the very end of the celebration. The Closing Ceremonies were grand and exciting, but by the end all of them were exhausted. The Fa family and Matilda lead them back to the cart and helped them up into it. Emma had already fallen asleep, and Jack gently placed his sister's head on his lap so she wouldn't get a neck cramp from sleeping awkwardly.
As the cart moved along, they talked sleepily, and Merida honestly wouldn't be able to remember most of it in the morning, but at some point her head fell forward and she jerked awake, suddenly too awake to sleep. She didn't remember what they had been talking about, but her suddenly very awake mind registered that Jack was talking to her.
"You know, Merida..." He paused as he gave a huge yawn, his eyes blinking tiredly as his head nodded towards the side, ready to plop on top of Hiccup's. "...It's too bad... too bad your brothers weren't born first..." He yawned again. "Then they could compete for your hand like the other lords, and... And then you wouldn't have to marry anyone..." He trailed off and his head drifted down to rest on top of Hiccup's. Normally, Merida would find the two boys amusing, but her cogs in her mind were turning and very quickly she was forming, what she thought, was a fantastic idea.
"First Born..." She murmured, a bright smile slowly stretching across her face.