It had been five months since Merida returned from the land without magic. It had been five months since her father was avenged. It had also been five months since Merida truly and unreservedly fell into the role of Queen.
Many things surprised her in her role of Queen. Her father had always made it seem so easy but if these months were anything to go by, her reign would not be a walk in the park and only made harder by her gender. The amount of paperwork had been the most unwelcome surprise. Merida, who thrived in the outdoor and longed to be among her people, interacting and getting to know them, was not a fan of being stuck in doors looking over documents and preparing for counsel meetings. However, she knew that it was necessary and so she did her best to accommodate this new aspect of her routine, setting up her office in her bedroom where she could work long into the night without her mother worrying for her.
Lord Macintosh's devotion had been the most shocking revelation. She had been doubtful of his change of heart, or rather of how long it could last. However, at every turn, there he was her most dedicated advocate. At every failure he was the one helping her up. At every chance he could he was there, showing her that he would never waver in his loyalty. It had been a slow battle to earn her trust, but one she has now decided he has undoubtedly won, becoming one of her most trusted advisers and friends.
When she had just started on her next pile of papers, preparing to pull an all nighter for the second time that week, she heard a knock at her door.
"Come in." She shouted, leaning back in her chair, welcoming a break.
Instead of entering, the visitor spoke from the other side of the door.
"My Queen," She heard Lord Macintosh call out hesitantly, "I'm sorry to bother ye at such a late hour. It's just I-"
"Just come in, laddie," she called out as she rose from her desk and walked towards the door, "I don't bite."
She swung the door open to find a sheepish looking Lord Macintosh holding a tray of food, consisting mostly of meats and berry tarts.
"I noticed ye hadn't had a chance to eat, so I thought I'd bring ye up some food."
"That's very kind of ye, Mac. Thank ye."
She took the tray from him. For a split second, her fingers brushed against his, a faint blush creeped on both their faces at the unexpected contact.
"Why don't ye come in, Mac. I need a break, and some help making sense of some of these documents. If yer free that is."
"Aye, I am, but...are you sure you want me in here? This is your bedroom after all, and people might talk if they knew."
"Let them. They talk anyway." She said as she lay the tray down on her desk. It was true that it should have been weird having Mac in her room, but somehow it wasn't, "Grab another chair and I'll get Dads ale out. It's too late not to be drinking."
He laughed, "You're certainly more generous with the liquor with the late King, yer Majesty. I remember, when we visited to win yer hand, he gave us these tiny glasses for his special ale. He was mighty protective of it he was."
"Aye, he was. Said it was like liquid gold to him." They laughed as she poured them a hefty glass, "and no more of this 'ye majesty'. We've known each other since we were wee babies. Just call me by my name, Mac."
"Yer very kind."
"Ye keep saying that but ye never do," She takes a gulp of her fathers ale, "Go on Mac, say my name. No one's even here, were completely alone. Go on, say it. Say my name."
"I'm not worthy, m'lady." He said sadly, looking down at the glass of ale in his hand, tracing the rim with his thumbs, "but I want to be. I want to work hard to become worthy enough to call ye by yer first name again."
"Well I say ye already are," She said, pouring herself another glass, "you've done some awful things lad, but you've redeemed yourself and I deem ye more than worthy."
"That's quite a lot of ale ye drinkin' there." He said cautiously, eying her third glass. Without a doubt Merida was no light weight, she got that from her Da, but still it was never good to overdo it.
"'Tis true. 'Tis true. But I won't stop 'till ye say my name." She drank another glass, this time all in one go.
"Ye drinkin' too fast, lassie!" He panicked, trying to take the bottle from her.
"Say my name!" She demanded, keeping the bottle out of his reach. She had tauntingly put the mouth of the bottle to her lips as she pushed him away.
"Stop Merida!"
Suddenly she stopped and turned to him, handing him the bottle and giggling like a school girl. She gave him a cheeky playful grin and he could help smiling back.
"That's much better. So, shall we have a look over these reports, Mac?"
"Aye, I think we shall, Merida."
Neither one of them was in any mood for work. Despite their best efforts, the reports went unread and they spent the rest of the night laughing and talking like two old friends who have each other for a lifetime, him calling her Merida and she calling him Mac.
They make a nightly tradition of this, him bringing her food and them talking over a glass of her late fathers good ale. They talked about politics, especially about the politicians and every now and then they reminisced about who they were and who they want to be.
"I meant what I said, Mer." He said one night over a glass of ale and a blueberry tart, "I want to make up for the things I've done."
"Then stay by my side," she said, "Help me build the future the people deserve."
"For as long as ye deem me worthy, my Queen."