Disclaimer: Let me remind you all that I only own my OCs. I'm just making up for lost time here on this one. I know you're desperate for other stories, but this is MY choice. Anyway, enjoy.

The next day, Merida was being taught geography, but was caught drawing a picture in the middle of her session by her mother. Elinor confiscated the picture and, ironically, is depicted Elinor doing exactly what she was doing right now: showing her the drawing she made in an annoyed fashion. There were a variety of other lessons to carefully improve and mold Merida's character, but Merida was just never into it as her mother was. How to play a lyre, how to feed birds, the do's and don'ts of a princess role. She must not stuff her gob as in have better table manners, rise early in the morning, must be compassionate, patient, cautious, clean and above all, a princess must strive for perfection.

Yes, it was never easy for the red-haired girl. That's why she had Magnus by her side. In effort to escape from her posh life at the castle, the two would head out into the woods for some fresh air and enjoy each other's company in general. Armed with their respective bows and arrows, they rode together on Angus through the woods, aiming and striking many targets along the way. Each of them had the best aim, but that didn't stop the two from attempting to outdo the other.

They even had a contest to see who could shoot the most targets. In fairness, Merida had about 40 targets while Magnus had at least 32, which made him the runner-up or so. The two laid together in the grass as they watched the sun setting on the far sky like the world's most magnificent impressionist painting by Van Gogh. As they planned, Merida brought Magnus over to the Firefalls. Before Magnus could ask how they would get up there, Merida was already climbing the mountain walls towards the top. Magnus hurried up after her and before long, they were both at the top together, standing near the beautiful waterfall.

This would put national park waterfalls out of business, he thought. Merida cupped her hands and collected some water from the Firefalls and drank from it. Through Merida's persistent urging, Magnus decided to give it try himself. However, once he slurped up the water, he ended up callously spitting out at Merida on purpose. This escalated into a playful slap fight which almost resulted in Merida slipping and falling, but Magnus grabbed onto her in the nick of time. After laughing it off, they continued their way toward a familiar lake.

"This seems familiar, indeed." Magnus mused.

"What do you mean?" asked Merida, lifting an eyebrow.

Magnus's eyes fell upon a boat that he used not too long ago to cross that lake. Yes, of course. This was the same lake from before where he encounter the Loch Ness Monster from before. Hopefully, if this creature was still out there, then Merida must see it too. Magnus placed the red-haired girl in the boat and rowed the boat out onto the lake water.

"Where ar' we goin'?" Merida asked.

"This is where I discovered him." replied Magnus as he rowed.

"Him? As in who?"

"The Loch Ness Monster." He answered, looking her in the eye seriously.

"The Loch Ness wha'?" Merida spoke in confusion before breaking into a fit of laughter. "Ar' ye daft or somethin'? There's no such thin' as the Loch Ness Monster. It's all just ah myth."

"That's what I thought before I saw it." said Magnus before resting the boat in a suitable spot in the middle of the lake.

"How do you even know it's a 'he'?" asked Merida.

"I just do."

"Ye were probably sein' thin's." Merida speculated in disbelief. "No one's ever seen..."

Merida froze in her words before something brought a look of shock to her face. Her eyes widened like flying saucers and her mouth hung open. This made Magnus turn around to see the actual creature from before, having arisen from the water, staring down at them with its dark eyes. Merida couldn't believe her own eyes. A legendary creature thought to be a fairy tale actually looking at right at her.

"Ah don't believe it." Merida finally spoke. "Nessie is real."

Magnus raised a hand up toward the creature, hoping to show him that he wasn't a threat and that they've met before. However, Merida suddenly jumped on Magnus, afraid that he might provoke the beast into attacking them, which shook the boat in the process.

"What are ye doin'?!" Merida shrieked. "Ye might make it angry!"

"Get off!" Magnus growled, shoving her off of him. "He's not gonna hurt me. He helped me get across the lake a while back."

"Bullshit!" spat Merida. "That thin' will probably eat us alive!"

But then the Loch Ness Monster lowered its head down toward Magnus and nudged its head against him like a domesticated house dog. Although taken aback, Magnus hesitantly rubbed the beast's snout and hugged its head in a loving embrace. This action left Merida flabbergasted. Magnus gestured for her to give him a little pet. Reluctant at first, she finally relents and brings a slow and cautious hand onto the monster's snout and somehow, she no longer felt afraid.

Merida shivered at the touch, the wet scaly skin of the monster dripping ever so subtly on their boat. Looking into the creature's eyes he gave a fierce, protective gaze over her and Magnus. Magnus soon joined Merida in caressing the beast, their hands tracing all around its snout not realizing their hands had touched. The creature swam backwards from their boat, taking a bow before returning to the depths of the loch. Magnus could've sworn though that monster had given him knowing glance and smirk as he sunk down.

The two teens were still staring at the river, hands still interlocked on top of the other's, wide-eyed at the strange but magnificent sight.

"That was..." Merida began, slack jawed.

"Yeah..." Magnus breathed.

Looking down, he gasped, swiping his hand away upon realizes that he's been holding Merida's hand. In turn, Merida took hers away, her fingering balling up as she quietly went to the other end of the boat. The two stayed silent while Magnus rowed them back to shore, neither one looking the other in eye and too awkward and proud to actually say anything. Yet, Magnus felt a smile creep up as he thought about how much warmer he felt when he had touched her hand and just...

It felt weird for him to think this way. He saw her from picture in a book, his sort of dream girl. Albeit a bit more flawed than he would've liked his dream girl to be, but yet she was more than he could ask her. Yet, he knew from the story she'd stay single... or maybe...

"Mags? Maggie? Ye awake there?"

Magnus snaps out of his thoughts upon seeing the fiery haired princess wave him over.

"Uh, yeah?" He says in a somewhat bewildered trance.

"C'mon, it's time to go back." She calls, making her way over to her horse. "Ah can't wait to tell them 'bout what we did. They aren't gonna believe it."

Magnus feels a little nervous upon hearing that, but shakes his head and shrugs in a casual matter.

"Yeah, though I don't think they'll believe us about Nessie."

"Me da' fought Mor'du and lived, I'm sure Nessie in't that unbelievable."

"Yeah, but he might skin him alive." Magnus flatly pointed out.

"Ugh, okay, we won't tell 'em 'bout him." Merida agrees after a moment of thought.

The two Scottish archers hop on Angus riding back to the castle for supper. Making it back to the stables before the sunset was starting to set. Merida jumps off before the horse stops while Magnus, not quite use to riding a horse, waits for him to cease at the stables.

"I'm starving." Merida said petting Angus while Magnus climbs down. "You boys hungry too?"

WHACK

The horse flicks his tail in response, smacking her and Magnus as he lands.

"Well, that answers it." Magnus says sarcastically, spitting out the other hair that hit him, not sure if it was the horse or Merida.

"A'ight, ye get the oats, I'm heading to kitchen." Merida orders before heading inside.

"Of course... princess." Magnus rolled his eyes as he meets up with the stable man. "Aye, Baltair! Gonna need more feed for Angus here."

"Okay, hauld yer horses! Sae hoo waur ye an' th' princess thaur? Affa cozy ye tois ur?" The stable man asks nosily.

Magnus scoffed at his suggestion. "We're doing fine as friends, Walt."

"Ye coold've fooled me." the stable man shrugged. "Nae loch it matters much anyway."

"What's that suppose to mean?" Magnus asked raising an eyebrow, though secretly knowing what he meant.

"Th' heelain games ur comin' up ye ken? Ah heard Maudie jist received letters frae th' clans." Baltair explains to Magnus as he gives him the feed. "I'm jist warnin' ye aheid, boy."

"Oh, so that's all." Magnus said in dull surprise, leaving with the feed for Angus before rushing back in to the castle dining hall with the family.

Standing at the entrance he heard the king's usual story of his infamous fight with the demon bear as he notices the redhead princess coming in with a stack of sweet pastries for the triplets. The princess gives him a look toward her father's story, nodding in approval at what she's planning and making his way to the family as well.

"...and then out of nowhere, the biggest bear you've ever seen! His hide littered with the weapons of fallen warriors..." Fergus narrates dramatically to the bored triplets, one of whom was mimicking the king's gestures.

"His face scarred... with one dead eye." Fergus continues motion his mutton leg like a sword. "I drew ma sword and-"

"WOOSH! One swipe his sword shattered!" Merida surprises, sneaking behind her brothers as she continues the tale in the same dramatic tone. "Then...CHOMP! Your dad's leg was clean off! Down the monster's throat it went..."

"Aww... That's my favorite part." The king whines playfully while Merida sneaks around him.

"Mor'du has never been seen since and is roaming the wilds waiting his chance of revenge." Merida says ominously.

Magnus jumps from behind the king, making roaring sounds as the king flinched somewhat.

"Let him return. I'll finished what I've guddled in the first place." Fergus states proudly while the two teens sat next to each other.

Merida places her bow on the table, catching the eye of her mother.

"Merida, a princess does not place her weapons on the table." The queen chastises.

"Mum, it's just my bow." Merida moans in annoyance at the silly rule.

"Besides, it's the arrows that's the weapons, your majesty. The bow's just a launch for it." Magnus clarifies to the queen.

"In either case, Magnus, in my opinion, a princess should not have weapons." Queen Elinor argued somewhat condescendingly.

"Leave her be." The jovial king defends. "Princess or not, learning to fight is essential."

"Exactly!" Magnus agrees. "I mean, not everyone has a guard nearby to protect 'em. No harm in learning to fight for yourself."

Merida rolled her eyes at his redundant addition, but sort of appreciated it still. Just wish he'd lay off and let her speak for herself.

"Mum? You'll never guess what we did today." Merida began, a hint of nervousness in her voice, putting her bow behind her chair. "I climbed the Crone's Tooth, Magnus followed, and we drank from the Fire Falls."

"Fire Falls? Both of ye?" Fergus says impressed by the feat. "They say only the ancient kings were brave enough to drink the fire."

Merida chuckled and Magnus couldn't help but find how cute her smile was, especially when she laughed.

"Maggie here nearly fell cause he could handle the flame." Merida teased.

"That was you who nearly fell, princess. I just didn't like the taste of waterfall." Magnus says in a sort lighthearted indigence.

"What did you do, dear?" The queen asked, having not paid attention.

"Nothing, mum." Merida sighed in disappointment.

"Hungry, aren't we?" The raven-haired queen notices the mountain of sweets on the plate.

"Mum!"

"You'll get dreadful collywobbles. Oh, Fergus, will you look at your daughter's plate." She lectured, trying to get her husband's attention.

"Your daughter's given me collywobbles." Magnus muttered like a smart ass, the queen paying no mind to it, hasn't being paying him much attention for a while now.

"So what?" The king said not having any sort of problem before dogs came rushing in trying to take numerous food from the table, especially from the king's meaty pile of a plate!

"Actually, ma'am, that's for me. I'll just put it down here for later." Magnus says to try and come to Merida's aid, eying the triplets.

The Queen, exasperated by her husband, turned to her three youngest children as she tries get them to eat their haggis only for them to look on in disgust.

"How do you know you don't like it, if you won't try it?" She suggests to them before turning her attention to Magnus. "I'm sure our guest would love to show how much he likes it."

Magnus went wide eyed at what she was suggesting. "Uhh..."

"Come on, now." She subtly orders him as she passes a piece of haggis for him.

"Uh...in my culture, we don't really eat haggis." He lied, feeling just as grossed out as the triplets. "It goes against our beliefs and..."

Before Queen Elinor had a chance of pushing him further, Maudie waddles in with three letters.

"Oh, boy." Magnus mumbles, biting his tongue when Merida gives him a suspicious glance.

"From the Lords Macintosh, MacGuffin, and Dingwall. Their responses no doubt." She said quietly to herself, her focus now on the letters while Merida gestures her brothers to the treats under the table.

Magnus started moving his chair closer to Merida, mentally preparing for what she might need from him.

"Fergus." Queen Elinor called her husband's attention. "They've all accepted."

Merida took note at her parents' expressions and Magnus' sudden silence.

"Who's accepted what, mother?" The princess asked confused.

"Boys, you are excused." The queen says noticing how Magnus was still in his seat. "You as well."

The three hellions, all of whom had there shirts stuffed with tarts darted out of sight. Magnus gives a dirty look to the queen, but does as he's told, still close enough to hear what's going on.

"What... did I do now?" Merida asked in concern, believing that she'll get into trouble for sneaking her brothers some unhealthy treats.

"Your father has something to discuss with you." The queen spoke firmly.

Being put on the spot, Fergus spits out his drink as he awkwardly tries to explain the situation with not coming out. Queen Elinor, not having the patience for this, has to let her daughter know. Of course, she has to be the one to say it.

"The lords are presenting their sons as suitors for your betrothal." The queen informed, excitedly not noticing the fear in her daughter's eyes. "The clans have accepted."

Merida turned to her father to give some sort of object, yet he didn't know what to tell her. Either of them really.

"Honestly, Merida, I don't know why you're reacting this way. This year, each clan will present a suitor to compete in the games for your hand." The queen reiterates enthusiastically, her daughter decking her head on the table.

"How about the fact that she doesn't want to get married, Queen." Magnus hissed, revealing himself from his eavesdropping.

"This does not concern you, boy." Queen Elinor fired back with a slight growl in her voice.

"This doesn't concern either of you!" Merida screamed over both them. "This is my life!"

"A princess does not raise her voice." The queen chastises once more, her attention at her daughter, but still keeping a steely glare at the commoner boy who found himself unmoved. "Merida, this is what you've been preparing for your whole life."

"No! It's what you've been preparing me for my whole life!" Merida fought, shoving her chair aside as she ran away to her room in a rage. "I won't go through with it! You can't make me!"

Fergus tries to call out to his daughter, whether to comfort or aid his wife, he wasn't sure, but those sneaky little boys had tied their father's wooden leg to the table, tipping in his effort follow Merida. The king howls in anger at the triplets' prank. But despite the chaos, Magnus and Elinor were unmoved. The two stared each other down, waiting for the other to make the first move or say something.

"You are banned from seeing my daughter during and after the games." The queen sentenced him.

Magnus remained silent and unperturbed by her order.

"This is not a request, Magnus." The queen states.

The two stay like that for a long while before Magnus broke the silence.

"She's my friend, your majesty." He says venomously. "I am going to be there for her."

"That not what the servants believe." clarified Elinor, stopping Magnus in his tracks. "There have been whisperings among the guard and servants regarding my daughter and your's interactions. This gathering is of the utmost importance, you can not be around to distract her."

"I've seen the way you look at her, boy." The queen tells him sympathetically. "This could put you in danger as well. This isn't a request, you shall only be present as a guard. You will act with absolute professionalism. Do you understand?"

Magnus only sighed and wandered off without another word, leaving the Queen to exhale, trying to stay calm and in control before she headed up towards her daughter's quarters to at least try to talk some sense into the stubborn girl. Magnus could only hope that Merida could not try to make the situation worse for her than it already was. However, tracking it back to the story allowed him to remember that Merida's story was meant to involve her tempting fate and that's never a good sign.

About a moment later, Magnus headed outside towards the stables to find the princess herself hastily tending to her horse and pricking at hay with a pitchfork, trying and failing to vent some frustration in her system. Merida saw Magnus approaching her, but paid more attention to the poor hay she was abusing.

"Uh, let me guess. Not good, right?" asked Magnus rhetorically.

"How'd ye guess that?" Merida asked sarcastically.

"Isn't it obvious, Dumb-rock?" He shrugged.

Merida groaned in aggravation, throwing her head back as she did and finally slowed down what she was doing, but didn't stop there.

"Me mum told me aboot this dumb story about an old king whose eldest son made some poor choice that caused his kingdom to fall." Merida grumbled.

"Is there a fucking point to this as all?" retorted Magnus, already familiar with the moral standards of the tale as it blended in with Merida's own, but choose not to say anything about it.

Merida rolled her eyes and said, "She's obviously trying to guilt trip me into marryin' some stranger!"

"Look, I'm no expert, but maybe it'll calm your nerves if we settled it this way. Pretend I'm your mother and try to act how you speak with her about this issue of yours." Magnus suggested.

The red-haired girl looked at him with an almost amused sneer as if he were joking with her, but he was serious and decided to give it a try. Merida sighed and began her little rant.

"Mother, Ah just can't go through with this." She replied, acting as if she were speaking to Elinor while Magnus stood their, quietly allowing her to let her emotions out. "Ah may be the princess, but even the princess should have to speak for her own rights. Call off the gatherin'! Would that kill them? Yer the queen, ye can just tell the lords the princess is not ready for this. In fact, she might not be ever ready for this! So that's that! Good day to ye! So ye expect yer declarations of war in the mornin'."

Magnus's eyes rolled upwards in annoyance at her whiny behaviors. Justifiable, yes. But now's she starting to sound like she doesn't care if all four of the clans go to war against each other and her kingdom falling to ruin.

"Ah don't want me life to be over. Ah want my freedom!" Merida continued, sounding more desperate now. "Ah'm not doin' any of this to hurt ye! But it's my life! Ah'm just not ready! Ah think Ah could make ye understand if ye just…..listen!"

Angus gave a short neigh in response, almost as if giving Merida a slight standing ovation to her little speech. Merida turned her attention toward Magnus now who was giving her a knowing nod.

"Ah swear, Magnus. This isn't going to happen." She told him, determined. "Not if I can help it."

"Are you sure this is the path you wish to follow?" asked Magnus, not bothering to hide the concern in his voice, knowing full well of the results.

"Aye. Me mother may be the queen, but Ah am my own person." Merida inquired with utter surety.

There you go. The next chapter shall go right into the Highland Games and you probably know what else after that.