Merida was dressed in a green gown as she entered the great hall in time to hear the end of the announcement from Rabbie Dingwall. That he was over for an Ostara feast. It was not unheard of but the news did surprise her for Wee Dingwall did not just 'do things'. He was up to something she thought but she was distracted for then suddenly all eyes were on her. Merida had entered the great hall while there was an audience and her mood shifted from suspicious to nervous from all the eyes that were on her.
"Ah, my daughter." The queen nodded at Merida to come forward. Merida telling herself of the warrior she proved herself to be gained her royal composer followed her mothers que. She was on the best terms with her mother since her teenage outbursts, she realised now that her mother was always on her side. Yes they still had their moments but when they were in front of a crowd she tended to do as her mother asked. In return the Queen, Her mother had let go of the reins on her private life completely. Harris gave her a sleek smile as he stood next to the king in his massive chair beside the dogs . Hubert sat next to the Queens chair and Hamish had just entering from the far left of the crowd sitting anxiously next to his oldest brother.
The princesses' gown had indeed took the attention from the gifts from the Dingwall clan to the only daughter of Dunbroch. This was the time of year she did not mind to dress up , for it celebrated the power of the young maiden ;something Merida fully endorsed for she secretly wished there was more woman like her. Ostara was the season of renewal, of the greatness a young woman could show the world she could posses. This was the time that people celebrated and embraced Merida's behavior. Merida loved this time of year so much she even allowed herself to wear a thin circulate of gold upon her red fiery hair. It was rich with green gemstones shaped like leaves to worship the goddess coming back to life.
The gown was vibrant emerald and was thick warm and rich looking. Merida hair had also grown in the past months and it came down in tight ringlets past her knees. She soon joined her mother in more then a few stomping commanding steps of an able bodied warrior.
The queen smiled proudly at the response from the crowd to her daughter; she was so beautiful in formal ware.
"Wee Dingwall has offered to help host the Ostara meal." The Queen of Dunbroch folded her hands neatly into each other after nodding to Rabbie Dingwall. She then shot her daughter a look as to remind her of her manners. Merida nodded at her mother acknowledging her duties as a royal. She was still uncomfortable with the duties she needed to uphold but she wielded her manners better now.
"err..That is a lovely thing t' do . Thank ye' Wee Dingwall." Merida nodded her head in a small bow and Rabbie nodded back. The princesses' mother beamed at her.
Ian sighed like a young lass in love at Merida as she bowed neatly. Ian was swooning at her as his friends talked approvingly of the young queen by his sides.
"Bonny." Puddock blinked slowly , talking about Merida.
"Aye, she's as soft as a Wee Doo ( small dove) I hav' no dout." Cinead whispered over Ian Macintosh's shoulder.
She was beautiful as any queen ever had been when Merida was not running amuck in the stables or while she was shooting arrows off in the glen somewhere. The Merida today looked like a different person all together from the blood spattered warrior she was in battle or when she was amongst her people as their champion. Today she looked like a well put together woman carved out of the finest bone covered in a gem colored dress. Inside she felt so distant from all her accomplishments , that is why she always felt so uneasy when she presented herself this way.
Grant had noticed the secret uneasy feelings in Merida's eyes and he wished to join her by her side to be there for her.
But as he stood in the crowd Grant MacGuffin grew more and more red in the ears by all the new competition. He could hear the compliments from Ian where he was standing and he could hardly stand it. In front of Grant men and women whispered of the obvious matchmaking of Ian and Merida. It was common knowledge that Ian had been Merida's champion many times over , so it was a matter of time since they were to be wed. but that was not the truth as the people of Clan MacGuffin saw these tales of battles differently. For it was rightfully so that their lord has been the true champion of their queen to be. This made the warriors of Clan MacGuffin edgy, they too heard the whispers around them and started to get cranky. Grants own brother Garret had shot a nasty look at the man beside Ian Macintosh that unmistakably looked a lot like a cold amphibian, when he overheard them talking about Merida's appearance a bit too much.
Of course Grant MacGuffin could not tell any of the other Clan's men that the princess herself had shared vows with him. For that would put them both at risk of punishment from the fearsome Bear King. But it was hard not to burst out at any moment about his bond to the future Queen, Garret was beside his brother and shifted his weight from foot to foot. Garret had felt his brothers frustration and most of the higher chieftains in the MacGuffin clan knew of Merida and MacGuffin so they too felt a protectiveness over the young queen. Fraser MacGuffin grabbed at the sleeve of his lord , Grant had balled his fists , the small reminder mad e the Lord unclench them and let out a slow exhale.
Rabbie nodded at his clansmen and the majority had departed to the kitchens save his beautiful sisters. The sisters shone their silvery eyes up at Merida lovingly and that also made her feel uneasy.
" my clansman will take care of everything , as long as I can have the honor to sit beside the beautiful lady Merida." this made the crowd talk excitedly.
"Please say yes." The youngest sister politely pleaded sweetly. The queen could not refuse such a request but it was ultimately up to Merida. Merida bit her lower lip her eyes shot at her mother the Queen. Elanor crossed her eyebrows in a silent pleading ,Merida was too old to roll her eyes back at her mothers puppy dog pleadings. She just squinted her eyes at her mother and nodded at Rabbie.
"I will do so. Thank you for hosting the Feast, it is a ….surprise." Rabbie Dingwall smiled at Merida's without smiling in his eyes. Her response was a warning that she knew he was up to something.
Her eyes drifted to a large man in the audience and her heart was ripped in two.
Grant MacGuffin had locked eyes with Merida and in his eyes was heartache. The thought that Merida would be sitting next to a man who wanted to wed her was almost too much to bare. But he stood still, Grant would never reveal anything that would put Merida in a bad position in front of her people. So he turned and shouldered his brother hard to get passed him leaving the hall. Merida ripped her eyes back to Rabbie but was soon distracted by a group of black haired Celts that had booed at the announcement about seating arrangements . They had protested , and shouted that their lord had more right then Rabbie Dingwall to sit beside the Princess. It was hard to tell who threw the first fist but soon they started a small scuffle at the back of the hall with fair haired warriors from clan Dingwall. To which the Queen started pleading the men to stop and everyone's attention was turned to the far corner and not a soul noticed the Lord of MacGuffin leave with his brother.
Ian Macintosh was bearing his teeth at Rabbie Dingwall as Ian's friends grabbed hold of him. Ian had tried to swim through the crowd to work his way closer to the Wee Lord. Rabbie looked over at Ian and smirked smugly at him and that only made Ian Macintosh scramble harder to get at the much smaller man. The Bear King laughed and egged the boys on getting a kick out of the men obviously still fighting over his little girl. But Merida would not let any of them touch her. Not without breaking some bone or dealing out some type of injury on the poor man who tried. So watching them squabble was great entertainment. The Kings dogs also barked excitedly and only added to the chaos.
"Wher' Ye goin?!"
"ANY WHER' than HER!" Grant roared at his brother. The younger brother was grabbing at Grant as he tried to shut his heavy wooden bedroom door on him. His brother managed to pry open the door and Grant MacGuffin gave up fighting him he just stomped to his bed and sat down grabbing at one balled up fist with his other hand.
"Yur' actin like a drn fool!" Garret scoffed at his older brother who's appearance was noticeably ragged. His brother had not washed in a few days and his beard usually strait and full had more then a few hairs out of place. Their father had always kept his beard and hair rigorously brushed and his hair was tied into two tight short ponytails. Grant was wearing his fathers cloak of thickly woven black blue tartan with a large ancient pin upon his breast that had the emblem of a giant caldron.
"Wha!? Ye thin'k im ac'tin as bad as th' eejit Ian ! Oh, Shur!" Go on then tell me whoot im supos' t' Do! Do it Grrant!" Grant snarraled at his brother almost jumping off the bed unable to stay still. His brother did not back off.
"Damned be ! Yur' actin WORSE then Ian!"
"Baugh!" Grant huffed.
"You canegh leave everytim' ye' see Merida wit' O' Nuther man! Yur' goin to get yourself's caught!" Garret pushed his brother hard on his chest and managed to wobble the wall of a man. "Yur SUPOSET'E be thinkin about the Princess , Evrry ma'n in thi's clan is here for yu' an' we ar goin t' work somthin oot! Giv' it time!"
Grant opened up his mouth but there was a nock on the door and the two blond brothers whipped around as the door burst open and Fraser appeared visibly shaken.
"I didnegh tell ye' t' com' in" Grant growled like a giant dog.
"I ken, but look." Fraser was accompanied by two other clansmen and a small frail woman in many layers of white thin fabric. It was the druid. Seeing two almost giant men appear at the door way would have made any man shrink back but it was the look on the druids face that made the men nervous.
"She cam' fur' the festivites, bu' she saught us oot'." Fraser lacked colour in his face. " - she need'd t' talk t' ye. Go on ,m'lady." Then he gave her a small bow.
The druid ignored Fraser and walked into the room right up to the Lord. She was a little too close to Grant then he wanted ,her silver eyes gleamed up at him and he took a step back.
" I remember ye…" The old woman started, pointing at Grant with a long frail finger. "-that is why I hav' suaght ye oot.- Aye rememmbur how ye wer wit' the Woman who look't int' thee caldron." She pointed to Grants pin at his chest.
Grant gasped . "Merida." It was so soft only she could hear it then suddenly Grant's courage came back all at once and he leaned closer to the ageless woman snarling. "Woot is happening Woman."
"Fate has changed suddennl'y fu'r the lady. I had a premminishun. When I came to this land I felt a rift. Black magic is here, som'one has used it'."
The two clansmen and Fraser hid behind one another full of fear, Garret stood stead fast with wild eyes darting back from the druid and his brother.
"Is she in truble?" Grant knotted his fists.
The druid nodded. "Aye-her life will nevrrr be her own."
"Will she die?" Garret mewed.
" Would be bettr' if she wos so." The druid said sorrowfully and began to turn back. The clansmen where a light breeze away from falling over from fear and one of them crashed to the floor for he fainted. Fraser grabbed the man who was roughly his own size and tried to put him on his feet again as the druid walked to the door.
"Why tell me?! Whynegh' tell Merida?" Grant was pale now.
"It wuld do no gud- it tis up t-ye Lord MacGuffin." -And like that she disappeared into the hall way.
"Macintosh." Fraser looked over to Garret at the mention of black magic.
"Has t' be…" Garret said softly back letting the other clansman assist Fraser to help the unconscious man to his feet. But then Garret noticed the look on his Grants face as he held the pommel of his long sword and walked towards the door.
"GRANT!" Garret flew in front of his brother and stood in front of him. Fraser now under the arm of the man who was slowly gaining his senses, kicked the second able bodied clansman. Fraser hissed at him to 'shut the door' and the guardsman slammed it shut before Grant could cross the threshold.
"Donegh do it." Garret put himself as a barrier between the door and the engaged warrior in front of him.
"I''ll kill him…"Grant Roared.
"I KEN! -" Garret barked.
"You will start war…" Fraser's voice was cold as the grave.
"Buh Merida will be free." Grant stated factually.
" Aye , but wee all may parish fur it." Fraser was the voice of reason.