When Merida awoke her king sat beside her.

"Mornn' lamb."

"Da'"

"They say y' fell in a vatn (freshwater lake)-"

The princess grabbed her dads hand.

"listen', Da' last night I followed the wisps, into the forrrst, they lead me-"

"Merida,donea tell me-" The king looked with tired eyes onto his only daughter.

"The led me to a -a place , where I sa a vision." The Bear king sat down in all serious. His large eyebrows lifted in worry, and his face softened. His daughter showed true fear in her eyes.

" Long long ago there wa's a grreat evil. Did you know of this?" Merida searched his green eyes, looking for comfort but she was greeted with worry and sorrow.

Her father stood up. Looking around the room the guards were far enough away to not hear their whispers , and the king drew closer.

"Merida- what did'ya see?" Visions were important and the king kneeled at the bed his one good knee resting on the floor. Merida held his hand tighter wishing she did not have to tell her dad what she had seen.

"There was a monster, its very old. He has many eyes and rows of teeth. He eats our peeple Da'…"

"Crom…"Her fathers voice was like distant thunder. Generations ago, people worshiped him, the great worm Crom Cruach. They gave out of fear one third of all the children to Crom so they would have a good harvest and not starve. But this was an ancient god. People had fled his worship and he was believed dead. Most of the lords knew Crom through the studies of clan history. Though it was ancient history.

"He is comin Da'" Fergus did not grow pail, he was calculating searching her face and pat her hand.

"I need t' go with you t' castle Macinto-"

"Merida" Her father growled.

"I'm the on'hly one who knows where Crom is." She gripped her fathers hand with all her might and stared at him. "There was one mor' thing Da. Men among us ,they ar' feedin him." She did not weep , But her eyes rimed with tears. She fought them back. The King watched her and shook his head, he knew she would not lie about this.

" I forbit yu' t' tell anyone." Fergus Dunbroch got up. Using the bed to help him. " You can come with us Daughter." He released her hand and she started to get out of bed, her bags had been packed but she needed to get dressed. With that King Fergus turned to leave. "I lov ya' Daughter."

"Da',I lov' you tooo.'" Merida said choking back emotion and looked up with slight bags under her eyes. She had barely avoided a cold or fever from the hypothermia.

After the king left she was alone and slowly Merida got dressed.

Lord Grant MacGuffin was at the docs that morning. He loved going out to sea. Though he would be going North His younger brother Garret would be staying behind. If something were to happen Garret would be the new Lord of castle MacGuffin. Grant wore his long braid in a new fashion , it looked like a thick cord of rope. He wore his fathers armor ,and broad sword at his back. The men were excited for the trip, they were planning a large war to be fought in the north. Many of the men wanted a death that would be made into song, and it seemed this would be the only chance of a great battle, the greatest they would ever live to hear about., and therefor their own immortality.

Grant would be sailing his own ship today but more then anything he wanted to impress today. He had not been acting like a Lord should to the Princess. Last night changed everything. He was a new man with a clear purpose. He stood at the rudder of the ship. The great wooden steering staff the Tiller was made from an oaks heart. It was stronger then metal some said. Lord MacGuffin ran his hand along it , he enjoyed steering the ship, and he was looking forward to the trip.

A beautiful woman walked up the docks her black hair streaming behind her. She wore a tartan from her own clan, it bustled forward. Her angry steps approached MacGuffin from behind and the sailors and warriors eyed their lord and the future lady of MacGuffin.

"Whot is this ,m' love." Bridget looked up at MacGuffin who walked to the side of the boat to look down at her.

"Im goin nurth."

"I thot- we-" She put her hand at her waist and raised a eyebrow at him . This is how she started all of her fights. But today he was unfazed.

""WE'" ar'nea the Lurd Here. Aye'am." Grant's tone was 'matter of fact' and he was stone cold towards her. Bridget began to get nervous. "yu ar' m' Brid-in ( a live in bride for a year and a day). Now' I hav' not ben honest whit yah. I Have kisst another." Bridget was bright red with anger and vsibly gritting her teeth. She went to board the ship. "Wr'ng shp Lass." Grant pointed to the one behind her stopping Bridgit dead in her tracks. Grant walked towards her joining Bridget on a plank between the ship and the dock , barring her from getting on the ship. "Y'r go'in t' be on thah one today an go'in back hoom."

"You dishonest-" She raised her hand to slap him but he caught her wrist holding on firmly. In his other hand he held out a ribbon Bridget recognised as the one she lost.

"Shu'd I pen yu'r family a lettr?"

"What is- tha." Bridget went from bright red to pale and cold with fear.

"I Goht it Frum Th' prrrrincesses b'd" MacGuffin kept his overwhelming anger at bay. " Bridgit y' mak m' Seeck ( sick) t' th' stumac, he'rin what you did wit' Ian Macintosh."

Bridget looked like a wild animal caught in a cage.' There was no way he could have known'.

"Y' Hav' Nea proof!" She bit back at him.

" STOP IT !" Grant yelled , many eyes watched them. Lord MacGuffin was known to be fair and kind this was unseen behavior. He lowered his voice to a harsh whisper. " Our Princess seen eve'ry thin."

"HAW! Y'r goin to beliv' that- that -" Grant bore his teeth at her and shook his head at what she was about to say as a warning. But his Bridget was not known to be greatly blessed with brains. " That Doaty Schunner of an old maid!"

"Last night y' wer at the doc's talking to Rabbie Dingwall. I heard e'vry thin'. Geet-un-th'e- boat." He raised a large arm and his finger pointed at smaller ship a dock over. " Say an'uther word. An I'll mack su'r e'eryone will ken(know) whoot you did."

She was beat ,Bridgit sneered at him and started to walk away but stalled. She drew closer again to Grant.

"how Dafty can ye' be? I hav' heard about her Grant. She will ne'r love ye' , Merida would have you disgraced and alone like she did before. " Bridget laughed in his face. With that she left giggling to herself, and boarded the ship heading to the west.

Grant thought about that for a long time. Bridget was possibly right, but now he would have a chance to be near Merida again. Grant thought back about the feel of her red curls , even if that was all he ever had it was strangely enough. Something had happened to Merida in the woods last night, maybe if he kept her closer to him. Grant felt he did not do enough to protect Merida. He had not seen or heard of anything so far from The Dunbroch family. The warriors were getting ready to leave and the docks were bursting with activity. Lord MacGuffin rubbed the back of his neck with worry thinking about what could have made Merida shriek the way she did.

That afternoon the bear ships sailed north. With them sailed the ships of two other clans, they had become a fleet. The battle against the Norsemen was going to be fought at castle Macintosh.

Merida had to get a new cast due to the fall she had last night, in the water. She had been distant since she had seen the vison of Crom Cruach; it had followed her like a dark cloud. It was not so much the carnage it was the idea that men would serve him. She stood where she always stood. At the helm of the ship looking onwards. Merida looked forward, that is to say north towards Castle Macintosh. It was the first time she would be there, and Ian looked like he was going to burst from excitement.

In Ian Macintosh's mind they where going to be on his territory, where he was the young lord and adored by many. The thought of showing Merida all the women that swooned over him and all the men that looked up to him was too much to handle. ' Finally-' He thought . "She is going to see me as who I really am!" She had seen too much of Ian already. Merida also already knew who Ian really was. He was selfish, full of himself, and of short temper. But he had also been caring in his own way, she did not like to admit it but she was in need of someone to talk to that was not family.

Merida blinked at the sea spray as it misted her face. Her nights were sleepless with nightmares, she did not get much rest. Ian had joined them on the kings ship for this leg of the journey. He approached her. Ian had boarded her ship the last time the stopped, to beach themselves on shore at night.

"How is the veiw? Excited to see the highlands , everyone is."

"Ian I have not been in the best of spirits-" She could not get the courage to look him in the eye just yet ether. Ian's body was nice enough , there was a reason why the girls feel over themselves for him. That being said Merida was caught off guard by the sight of him . His very pail skin unclothed at the foot of her bed was going to take a while to forget. Not because she had a want for him , but for the most part of her life she had no interest in men, therefore did not see many naked bodies. "-I'll try not to be coarse with you." She said with a half smile.

"Aye, weel your spirits would be heightened as soon as we get closer rest asuurrred." Ian was hopping around like a spring frog. Merida was more quiet then usual. Even Ian Macintosh had seen it , and that was saying something.

Ian went on to tell Merida all that could be seen and about the fun that could be had at Clan Macintosh's castle.

His bubbly attitude made her forget a bit of how she was feeling and she cracked a smile now and then at his exited movements and storytelling. She needed a good chuckle.

"-An- that is a bonnie color on yu." with that last compliment and a over exaggerated wink Ian left. His dad Innis chuckled. Lord Dingwall rolled his eyes and walked away, being a known poor looser.

The dress Ian Macintosh was referring too was a new one she was just gifted. It was much different from the tartan dress. Much more like the blue dress her own mother had sewn for her. The thought of her mother made her a bit homesick, Merida touched the green turquoise fabric of the garment. Early that morning , before they left castle MacGuffin a breathtaking woman in a cloak had given a parcel to Merida. It was The Lady MacGuffin. Merida remembered their conversation well.

'So this is Merida princess of Dunbroch. ' Lightly The lady lifted Meridas chin so they locked eyes. 'You are as beautiful as the stories say.' coming from a woman of great grace Merida blushed.

"Thankyou lady MacGuffin"

"you can call me Gillian, will you promise me to take care of my boys?" The lady withdrew her hand from Merida's chin and took her hand in her own firmly and softly. She was talking about her clansmen; nephews and cousins .

"Aye , I will, the will have my bow." with that Gillian smiled.

"thank you my princess-" She kissed Merida on her cheek. The princess was in fact missing her own mother dearly and she hugged Lady MacGuffin rather unexpectedly. And the woman wrapped her arms around the tired redhead.

The Lady MacGuffin pulled away and with light green eyes she looked down into Merida's blue ones.

"they say you had quite the night last night, someone said they heard a banshee, but it was not a banshee was it?" the lady looked into her eyes with a reassuring calm. " what ever you saw out-there in th' woods. Keep it from my Son." It was almost scary how perceptive this woman was.

"Aye, I'll do thah"

Merida had waved goodbye to the thin lady at the docs as the boats pulled away. She knew there was much more waiting for them then the Norsemen. She would never betray her King's word , or her fathers. So the secret would stay with her.

She went back to focusing on the sea, and for much of there journey she was quite.

" I think w' shu'd tell her or' call it all of." Hamish watched his sister sharpening a sword. He did that when something was bothering him, but for the most part he was not very good at sharpening anything.

"Not now-"Harris shook his head.

"Why not?" Hubert looked at his sister with worry in his eyes. She was not herself after they had carried her from the forest. She had talked to their father but after that no-one knew much else what happened, or of who she had met in the shadows under the leaves.

"Because we' need t' be fi'gtin togethe'r. T' bet is the only thing keeping the Clans froom tearin eachother apart again."

"And woot happens when she dos'nea pick anywon?" Hamish hissed at his brother looking as if he was going to throw the wetting stone at his brothers head.

"Hopefuly we will still b' still li'vn by then, and that's wheen we can deel wit it." Harris looked at his brother with serious eyes. Hubert looked pail, and Hamish looked up still defiant. "We cannea win divided."