Somebody to Love
By: BourbonCowboy
Chapter Fourteen
Author's Note: Thank you so much to everyone who has read and reviewed this story so far. When I started writing this, it was mostly for my own amusement. I didn't think anyone else would be interested in my insane off-canon ramblings. Since starting this story more than a year ago, I have received so many great reviews and private messages encouraging me to continue. You will be happy to hear that Hiccup and Merida's meeting is coming up very soon. Of course, it cant be a simple they meet, they fall in love instantly and then the end. Where would the fun be in that? I have the next several chapters already mapped out and am actively working on them – it would move a lot faster if I could remember to bring the notebook where I outlined the next five chapters with me to my office, but c'est la vie. Despite having already outlined this chapter, it has taken me a lot longer than anticipated to write. I have been banging my head against this writer's block pretty hard – frustrating since I know where I want this to go! I am glad to finally be finished with this chapter and am relatively happy with how it turned out. I will not place a timeframe on when to expect updates, because I do not want to disappoint if I miss my self-imposed deadlines. But I do want you to know, my devoted readers, that Somebody to Love is still going strong. Thanks again and please enjoy! ~BourbonCowboy
Dig a Little Deeper
The tall ship rode the last ray of light from sunset across the magical divide and back into Camelot. As if the world had been flipped upside down, the crew aboard the Legacy were suddenly greeted by the pink light of dawn. The pearly light of a new day gilded the towers and steeples of the city of the Once and Future King. Early risers and late revelers greeted each other on the streets. The first group was headed off to work, the second off to find a bed and maybe a companion to keep them warm. Already the docks were bustling with people and the Legacy was in good company at port amongst all the ships as she glided gracefully into her berth. There was an energy in the air; a tangible excitement that had the crew of the Legacy vibrating with eagerness.
Merida stood tall and proud on deck. She had donned a pair of dark colored breeches, soft boots, and a white linen shirt with a wide collar. She wore a crossed pair of black belts over her hips with her short sword tucked on the side. Her face was tanned from being at sea. Her normally pink lips were dry and chapped. Her fiery locks were scarcely tamed into a windblown braid that cascaded over her right shoulder and down the front of her chest. Yet the smile on her face and in her cornflower blue eyes made her breathtakingly beautiful to any who saw her in that moment. Merida had her legs braced wide and was pleased that she was not nearly as shocked by the return as she had been by their unconventional departure from Camelot. Still, she enjoyed the feel of Jim's hands on her waist and his warmth at her back just in case. The princess turned her face up to his, eyes twinkling. Jim smiled down at her and raised a thick eyebrow. "You've turned into a fine sailor, Princess," he chuckled. The captain resisted the urge to squeeze the fiery woman closer to his body and instead gently released his hold on her hips, albeit reluctantly. His fingers burned from the sudden loss of contact. Merida chortled out a laugh. It was a carefree sound that had the Captain joining in. She pushed her thick red braid back over her shoulder and started towards where the other sailors were lowering the gangway. She called back, "I had an excellent tutor!" Rapunzel was waiting by the gangplank and linked arms with her friend and giggling they descended towards the docks.
"Man. You've got it bad." A silky voice piped up from behind the captain. Jim jumped. He felt his neck and then cheeks grow hot at having been caught staring. His embarrassment was made worse by Eugene's knowing smirk. Jim punched the former thief in the shoulder good-naturedly and the two men followed the women off the ship. Despite Jim having given the girls strict instructions to wait for a male escort before heading off to see the vendors along the docks, the girls could be seen happily rushing from stall to stall and chatting with the beady-eyed vendors. One booth, guarded by a large Arabian man, was selling beautiful red apples. Another had a display of pretty pottery. Further down were shops selling glittering jewelry, fine clothing, and assorted flowers. Seasoned sailors often stopped by the flower-sellers upon returning to port. Jim sighed and rubbed his face before he moved to intercept the women as they cooed over a selection of paints at one of the craft stalls. Just as Jim was preparing to open his mouth to scold the women for wandering off, he was unceremoniously bowled over by an over-exuberant young woman.
"Rapunzel!" the new girl shouted.
"Anna!" Rapunzel threw herself into the other girl's arms. They hugged and jumped up and down and squealed at such a high pitch that the nearby stray dogs covered their ears and whined pitifully. Jim stood up and brushed off his previously pristine white uniform. Eugene helpfully huffed a breath on one of Jim's golden buttons and playfully polished it while the captain rolled his eyes. Merida chuckled watching the antics of her friends. The sound brought Rapunzel back to reality. Rapunzel smiled sheepishly as she turned the newcomer to meet the highland princess. "Anna, this is my friend, Merida. Merida, this is my cousin, Anna." The girl in question had a slender build and fair skin. Wide turquoise blue eyes, the same shape as her cousin's green ones, were framed by dark lashes. She had round rosy cheeks and thin lips that were pulled up in a big grin. Long strawberry-blonde hair was tied into braided pigtails over both shoulders. She was wearing what Rapunzel had called a sweater. Hers was fluffy and white, covered with a pattern of dark colored flowers. She wore this over a dark pink skirt that stopped just above her knees and pretty pale pink shoes with ribbons that wrapped around her ankles and tied in the back. Merida was unsure the proper way to greet Rapunzel's cousin. Did they shake hands? Curtsy? To curtsy in pants would be odd, maybe she aught to offer a courtly bow like a man? Before Merida could make up her mind, Anna had pulled the other princess into a hug. "It's so nice to meet you finally!" Anna exclaimed. She hugged Merida hard for a moment before letting go just enough for the princess to step back, holding the girl's hands. "Rapunzel has told me so much about you. I feel that we are already best friends!" Merida quirked a pale eyebrow at her friend who just shrugged and said, "Magic mirror," by way of explanation.
"What brings you to Camelot, Anna?" Rapunzel asked.
"What else? The big anniversary extravaganza!" Anna did a little twirl. "I love parties! There's all the music and dancing and people and chocolate!"
Rapunzel and Merida giggled. Then Rapunzel said, "But the anniversary isn't for another almost six months! What are you going to do in the meantime?"
Anna crossed one arm across her chest and tapped her chin with the pointer finger of her opposite hand. "Hmm…I'm sure I'll think of something! Come on, Raps! Let's go grab breakfast and you can help me come up with a plan."
"Breakfast sounds lovely," Merida replied, feeling her stomach grumble. Then she felt the small enchanted satchel at her waist containing the precious vial of water from the Fire Falls. "But I am afraid that I must take this water to the Inventor's Guild first thing. I will join the both of ye later."
Jim had seen Merida's eyes light up at the idea of breakfast with her friends. He understood that her sense of honor would not allow her to shirk her responsibilities when she was so near to completing her task. She was truly an amazing woman, he thought. She was strong and brave and at times so sure of herself, at others shy. He watched her walk the line balancing being the proper princess with being true to her heart and he admired her very much for the effort. At times she frustrated him to no end with her unwillingness to ever let anyone help her. Why did she always feel that she had to do everything herself? Why couldn't she let him take care of her? She'd probably say no, but Jim decided in that instant to offer his services anyway. He just had to do so in such a way that she would think that she was doing him a favor instead of the other way around.
"Did I not mention, Merida? I actually need to go to the Inventor's Guild myself today. I left my solar surfer with a friend there for repairs and need to pick it up. Why don't I take the water and drop it off for you? Since I'm going anyway." Jim offered, clenching his suddenly sweating hands behind his back and standing up ramrod straight.
Merida eyed the captain thoughtfully. The king had tasked her with becoming a scout. This was her first real mission. She should see it through to completion. She opened her mouth to refuse his kind offer and say that they could maybe go together, but Rapunzel and Anna grabbed hold of both Merida's arms and tugged her a few steps away. "What…?" The cousins crowded in front of Merida, all big eyes and smiles.
"He is so cute!" Anna whispered loudly.
"Jim is obviously trying to do something nice for you," Rapunzel whispered equally loudly, "You should let him! He told Eugene who told me that you never let him help you."
"Aww! It must be true love!" Anna sighed.
"Och!" Merida flailed her arms a few times and then pressed her hands to her suddenly heated round cheeks. "The two of ye! Alright then, Jim!" she pushed passed the cousins and pulled the enchanted satchel from her belt, all but shoving it into Jim's hands. "Aye! Alright. Thank ye. If ye were already going anyway and it isn't any inconvenience I would really appreciate it if ye would hand deliver this for me." She wondered if her face was as red as her hair as she left her hands around the satchel, and by default also around Jim's hands, a moment longer than strictly necessary. She raised her eyes to Jim's face, noticing a slight sunburn across the bridge of his nose and cheekbones that she didn't think was there earlier. She hastily pulled her hands away. "Thank ye. Again. And…well…I'll see ya around? You did say ye would be stayin' in port for a time, right?"
"Yeah…I'll be here," Jim answered huskily. He cleared his throat and made a show of tying the satchel around his own belt. "Why don't we have dinner together in a couple of days? After you've had a chance to settle in." Merida nodded and then Jim watched as she was dragged away by the cousins, her face still red and eyes appearing dazed. Jim stared after her for a few minutes until he became aware of someone watching him intently. Eugene winked one warm brown eye, his characteristic smirk firmly in place. "I told you. It's all about the slooooow smolder," Eugene quipped. Jim just shoved him and the two turned and headed off together in the direction of the Guild District.
It took more than thirty minutes to walk from the docks to the Guild District. Eugene waved goodbye to his friend stating that he was going to check in with his own guild, though he was likely going to steal a bite to eat from somewhere and then curl up and take a nap under a tree. Jim continued on his own into the huge brick building that took up almost the entire eastern side of the district. He climbed pale stone steps, held the door open for a short round man with wild gray hair and an absent-minded air, then walked calmly up to the registration desk located in the front atrium. The only object on the desk was a large magic mirror with gold filigreed edges. Jim stood before the mirror, studying his reflection for a moment before the mirror spoke. "Welcome, Captain James Hawkins, how can I assist you today?"
"Ah…yes." He cleared his throat awkwardly. "I am returning from official Scout business with water from the Fire Falls."
"Thank you, Captain Hawkins," the mirror's surface rippled and a picture of a man with shocking blonde hair filled the glass. "Please bring your item to Cornelius Robinson. His location is marked on the map." The picture of Cornelius Robinson disappeared, replaced with a map of the Inventor's Guild and surrounding buildings. "Would you care for a guide?"
"Uh…no. Thanks." Jim studied the map a moment longer then stepped away from the desk, making his way to one of the many subbasements where the large inventions were held. The mirror wished him a pleasant day and then was quiet once more. Jim meandered down several hallways and winding corridors, steadily making his way deeper and deeper into the depths of the Inventor's Guild. The Inventor's Guild and the Engineer's Guild shared a common building and in fact most people thought that the two guilds were one in the same. Jim himself had a membership to the Engineer's Guild. He considered the engineers to be the "cool kids". They were the tinkerers, the mechanics, the guys who did the dirty work. The inventors were the nerdy scientists who spent more time writing needlessly long equations on blackboards and discussing theories than they spent actually building things. That was part of the reason why the engineers worked hand-in-hand with the inventors. The inventors would still be standing around discussing the possible complications while the engineers had already built three of the things that they were talking about and had blown up two of them just for fun. It was a good working relationship. Of course, the inventors also worked very closely with the alchemists and mages and other big brains. Jim much preferred to just come in, tinker on his solar surfer or something similarly cool, and then take his board out for a ride around the capital. Thinking cheerfully of offering Merida a ride on his surfer and how she would delight at the inherent challenge, Jim finally found the door to the lab where Cornelius Robinson was located.
As expected of an inventor, Cornelius Robinson was standing in front of a large blackboard with a bunch of lengthy equations squiggled upon it. Or was that one long equation? Jim neither knew, nor cared. "Hey Robinson!" he called, "Got something for ya!" He pulled the satchel from his belt and tossed it at the inventor who stumbled and flailed his arms a moment before catching the bag with obvious relief. "Whew! I should've played more baseball with Goob!" Cornelius chuckled as he opened the satchel. "Is this? Yes! The water from the Fire Falls! Thank you, Jim!" He continued to exclaim happily and expostulate loudly about the many wonderful properties of the magical water as he headed off to another corner of the lab. Jim supposed he was going to be putting the water to immediate use. The captain just smiled at his friend's antics and looked again at the blackboard, trying to determine based on the math what it was the inventor was working on now.
"Don't tell me you've decided to come over to the dark side!" a nasally voice exclaimed. Jim turned around and clasped hands with his friend.
"Hiccup! I didn't know you were back in town," Jim gestured to the board, "You can keep all this math and theory. Just give me a wrench and point me in the direction of a bolt that needs tightening."
"Careful, Jim. We really will put you to work. There's still plenty to do to get this beast up and running before the big event." Hiccup joked.
"You know what? That actually sounds like a great plan," Jim shucked off his still pristine white captain's jacket. "I could use the distraction."
Hiccup studied his friend a moment. "You just got back? From…Dun Broch, right? How was the trip?" Hiccup could tell his friend was struggling with something by the set of his heavy brow.
"Dun Broch was great. Beautiful country. We made great time with the wind in our sails and a following sea. No, it isn't the sailing that I need a break from, its women." Jim headed over to a set of lockers that he knew were in a small room off the lab. Hiccup followed. "I don't know what's wrong with me. This girl…" Jim tossed his coat into a locker, toed out of his boots and dropped his pants. Hiccup leaned against one of the lockers staring off into space and thinking of his own problems with the fairer sex. Shaking his head to clear a certain blonde woman's image from his brain, Hiccup saw that Jim had pulled on a pair of work coveralls and slipped back into his boots. Well, if the man wanted to sweat the girl out of his system Hiccup sure wasn't going to stop him!
"Come on, bud. I'll show you where we can use your help and you can tell me about this girl. For starters, what's her name?" Hiccup clapped Jim on the shoulder, leading the way to another area of the lab where several other mechanics were banging away at the actual apparatus.
Jim opened his mouth to tell his friend the girl's name and then closed it. Hiccup saw the confusion on Jim's face as the man opened his mouth to speak again and once again no sound came out. Jim frowned and said, "That's odd…I know her name. I've spent the last several weeks with her and now all of a sudden…"
Familiar with this particular brand of amnesia Hiccup offered his friend a reassuring smile. "Ah! That's Camelot for you. Don't worry about her name. Can you remember what she looks like?"
Jim concentrated for a moment then shook his head. "I can remember about how tall she is, because I can remember how it felt when I held her on deck."
Hiccup raised an eyebrow and said dryly; "You two must have been serious. You can spare me the intimate details though, thanks."
Jim rolled his eyes. "Nothing like that happened. Have you ever taken ship from Camelot before? The departure and return tends to be a bit jarring. We ride on magical energy across the barrier. I stood at her back and steadied her so that she didn't fall on the departure and return. Otherwise I kept my hands to myself!"
"Ah! Me and Toothless always just fly in and out," Hiccup tossed his friend a wrench and pointed him in the direction of some bolts that really did need tightening. "I'll have to let you sail us out one of these times. Okay, so you can remember how tall she is. What about her voice?"
"Hmm…I feel like there is something about her voice or maybe how she speaks? I get this feeling that I love listening to her talk, but nope. Can't really remember that either. This is so bizarre! You've had this happen before?" Jim asked sharply.
Hiccup had pulled out his sketchpad and had the beginnings of a doodle started. He glanced up at Jim's sharp voice and offered another reassuring smile. "Yes! Geez! Every time I leave this place it's like someone plucks half my memories out. I've gotten pretty good about figuring out what I will be able to remember and what I won't. The first time it happened though I totally freaked out!"
"Ahh! Lucky for you I was there!" a new voice exclaimed. Jim was lying flat on his back on a wheeled board to work underneath the machine. He slid out somewhat to eye the newcomer quizzically. The young man was abnormally pale with white hair and icy blue eyes. He grinned rakishly, reminding Jim of his friend Eugene for a moment.
"Jim Hawkins, this is Jack Frost," Hiccup said by way of introduction, already back to doodling in his book.
"As in…the Jack Frost?" Jim asked in surprise, noticing the way the flagstones frosted with ice at Jack's bare feet.
"The one and only," Jack winked before flipping up and over to lay on top of the giant machine. "And you are Captain James Pleiades Hawkins, adventurer, engineer, mechanical genius, and reformed bad boy."
With a snort of amusement, Jim slid back underneath the machine. "I suppose it takes one to know one, eh Jack?" he called out, applying the wrench to bolt and beginning the mind-numbing task of tightening. It was cathartic. The motion was easy, repetitive and required no higher thought process. He could focus on the movement of his muscles, the grease coating his fingers, the cold steel tightening under his hands instead of the ghostly image in his mind of a woman he felt sure he loved. Why would Camelot take her memory from him? Jim could hear Hiccup and Frost talking nearby, but he tuned them out. He had heard of the Camelot amnesia. He had experienced it himself, to some degree, on his excursions to other lands. But the spell that took the memory of Camelot from one's mind was meant to protect the timeline of the outside realms. It would not be good for him to sail into a port where they had not yet discovered electricity and give them the "gift" of his knowledge. King Arthur had said, and he was right, that they must allow the outside world to develop as it would – without their interference. Jim understood the rule and did not mind the sometimes strange feeling of déjà vu he would get when away from Camelot as the spell took some memory or other, only to return it later when he was back within the safety of the Golden City. Why then did Camelot take this memory? Why now? He could remember their time together on board his ship. He could remember just this morning when he stood at her back as the ship rolled across that magical divide. His fingers still tingled from where he had held her hips. He remembered being with Eugene and Rapunzel and he could even remember Rapunzel's cousin Anna showing up. But everything about the woman he had fallen for was missing from his memories! It didn't make any sense. What possible reason could there be? How could his memory of her somehow effect the outside timelines while within Camelot? Thinking back, he tried to pinpoint the exact moment he lost her from his memory. Was she still there when he and Eugene walked from the docks? With a slight blush he recalled that yes, he knew he could remember her then because Eugene had made a rather lecherous comment and he had indulged in a mini daydream about the girl at the time – almost getting run over by a rickshaw driver! Okay, so he lost his memory of her at some point after he and Eugene parted company. Did it have to do with his coming to the Guild? Did his memory of her somehow threaten what was going on with his Guild? But how? He reached up to tighten another bolt only to realize he had run out of bolts. With a reluctant sigh, Jim slid back out from underneath the machine. The captain took several steps back and tilting his head to one side studied the piece of the Great Invention that his friend was helping to build.
"Hey Hiccup," Jim asked, eyes following the odd oval-shaped metal contraption around from bottom to the unfinished top. "What is this thing?"
"This? This is going to be the energy conductor. Those big metal tines are going to spin around at great speed to help channel the energy that we are going to collect." Hiccup answered absent-mindedly. Next to him, Jack stiffened.
Unaware of the Guardian's reaction to his questions, Jim began walking around the apparatus. "What sort of energy are you collecting? And what are you going to do with it?"
Hiccup opened his mouth to answer but at that moment a large, black dragon came charging into the room. "Toothless? What are you doing here, bud?" Jim turned to observe the dragon knock Hiccup off his one good leg and proceed to flop his giant head on top of the Viking. Hiccup groaned theatrically, feigning death.
"I think somebody is tired of being ignored," Jack chuckled. "Hey Toothless!" The dragon raised his head, eyes wide with curiosity and ears pinned back. "How about a race?" Toothless turned in a circle several time, eliciting several real groans from the Viking he was still on top of. The dragon's pink tongue lolled and he chortled happily before finally moving to the side so that Hiccup could stand. Toothless lowered his wing and cocked his head, gesturing for his rider to hurry up.
"A race, huh?" Jim stroked his chin, unknowingly imitating a certain cyborg he knew. "Now that sounds a mighty fine idea. You still have my surfer somewhere around here, Hiccup?"
Hiccup paused from where he was tightening Toothless' saddle. He glanced all around the room in confusion before giving a loud "Ah-ha!" and limping over to a back storage room. He emerged a few minutes later with Jim's solar surfer and a grin. "Good as new, buddy!" he tossed it to the sailor. Jim caught it and ran expert hands over the board before offering a smile of his own, saying "Let's go boys!" The foursome dashed out of the dungeon-like basements of the Guild and up into the light of day, girl problems and memory spells forgotten for the time being as they relished in the freedom of flight and friendship.
On the other side of Camelot, three girlfriends sat outside of a Parisian-style café enjoying hot chocolate and the remnants of several delicious pastries. Rapunzel leaned back in her chair, stretching her arms over her head and then running her fingers thru her (now short) brunette locks. Merida found the other princess' magic hair fascinating, but respected Rapunzel's wish to not talk about it due to some unpleasant memories. "That was delicious!" Rapunzel moaned, and Merida blushed at the deeply sexual sounds her friend was making. Anna just laughed and popped a last bit of chocolate éclair into her mouth, licking the last of the custard filling from her fingers with a few happy sounds of her own.
These princesses were nothing like what Merida had come to expect princesses to be like. Her mother had droned on and on when she was a child about what a princess was. A princess sets an example for how everyone else should behave. A princess strives at all times for perfection. Of course, after the terrible incident with the witch and the bear, Merida and her mother's relationship had changed for the better. Queen Elinor had relaxed her views (to a degree) on perfection. Still, Merida had spent the last five years of her life trying to make up for her mistakes and the habits were hard to break. Watching her two friends though, Merida felt that maybe she had the wrong end of the sword as far as what a princess was supposed to be. Rapunzel kept telling her over and over again that here in Camelot, a princess is true to her heart. Sipping her hot chocolate, Merida considered her own heart. What did she want? The images of her three Scottish suitors flashed thru her mind's eye momentarily and then she thought of Jim. The handsome ship's captain. She could see his strong brow, his sturdy jaw and full pouty lips. She remembered the feel of his hands on her hips. Merida knew that she was attracted to him physically, to deny it would be ridiculous. In fact, behind the safety of her mug she indulged in a daydream of her own imaging what would happen if the captain instead of relinquishing his hold on her hips had instead pulled her closer – up against that strong chest. She felt tingles start in her belly and shook herself free of that daydream. Sure! He was attractive. But was he really the man that she had literally crossed realms to find? If he was, shouldn't she feel it in her very soul instead of this…this…confusion? It was like there was a barrier inside her, keeping her heart locked away.
"Helloooo?" Anna waved her hand in front of Merida's face. The Scottish princess blinked and flushed at having been caught daydreaming. The other two princesses giggled. "What were you thinking about just now?" Anna asked curiously. Her bright blue eyes were kind and lacking any malice. Just like she had felt with Rapunzel, Merida knew she could trust Anna completely.
"I guess I was wondering about my preconceived notions of what I am supposed to do, supposed to be, while I am here. I thought when I came here I was supposed to find…" she blushed and looked down at her hands around the white mug of hot chocolate, "I thought I came here to find somebody to love."
"What about Jim?" Rapunzel asked gently, curious as to the girl's feelings towards her friend. She thought the two made a great couple and could not understand Merida's hesitation with giving her heart to the handsome captain who clearly cared for her.
"I do care for Jim," Merida admitted, still not looking up, "But och! I don't know. It's like I cannae fall…like something is stoppin' me from fallin' in love with him. I feel as though ma heart is locked away in my chest and somewhere out there is a man who holds the key. I thought it could be Jim. Mayhap I just need to give it more time?" she finally looked at up into a pair of spring green eyes watching her thoughtfully.
"Well there's no harm in waiting until you're sure!" Anna quipped. "Don't do like I did! I was so desperate for company I latched onto the first guy who was nice to me. That did not end well, let me tell you!" Merida chuckled, relaxing back into her seat as Anna launched into a very animated tale about how she had gotten engaged to a guy she had just met and how he was secretly plotting to kill off her eldest sister so that he could become king. "Of course, now I have Kristoff who is a-mazing!" she sighed breathily while Rapunzel rolled her eyes and Merida giggled.
"What about your elder sister? She's the queen. Does she have a consort?" Merida asked, mostly to distract Anna from the full-on daydream she was obviously having about her lover.
"Who? Elsa?" Anna blinked owlishly. "No way. Men are too scared of her powers to approach her, even if she ever showed interest in a guy."
"That's terrible," Merida whispered, thinking of the lonely queen in her fortress of ice. Was that the fate that awaited Merida if she did not find anyone in Camelot? Shaking her head of those gloomy thoughts, the princess changed tracts. "The more I think about it, the more I believe that in order to fall in love with someone else, I have to first know my own heart."
"What do you mean, Merida?" Rapunzel asked, eyes lighting up.
"Ye keep telling me to be true to my heart. But I've spent the last five years ignoring my heart so now I don't feel as if I know myself at all. I think I need to focus on myself for a while and not try so hard to fall in love. Ye said that here men and women go on 'dates' to get to know one another? Well – I think I need to date myself for a while." Merida nodded firmly at her own logic. Rapunzel and Anna shared a dubious look but then smiled. If that's what their friend wanted, then they would support her whole-heartedly.
"No day like today!" Anna chortled, standing up. "Where should we go first?"
"Can we go horseback riding?" Merida asked, thinking fondly of the one thing that she used to do when she didn't have to act like a princess.
"Ooh! Yes!" Anna turned in her seat to study her cousin.
Rapunzel grinned and tapped a finger to her chin. "Actually, I do know somebody who could help us with that."
A mere half hour later, the girls found themselves astride three beautiful palace horses galloping out across the meadow leading towards the Royal Forest. As it happened, Rapunzel had another cousin who worked in the stables and was only too happy to lend the girls horses for the day. He even said he could make arrangements to have Merida's beloved Angus brought to Camelot for her to ride whenever she wanted.
Merida's horse was a tall, spirited filly with a black coat. Standing tall in the stirrups, Merida let down her curls and whooped loudly as they galloped down the meadow. For the first time in forever, she felt completely free. Nearby, the other girls were also whooping and chortling with laughter, calling back and forth to each other as they frolicked through the meadow. Merida closed her eyes and focused on the kiss of the wind on her face, the smell of the flowers in the sunshine, the warmth of the animal beneath her, and the feeling of absolute acceptance to quiet her troubled heart. For a moment, there was no trying to fall in love, there were no conflicting feelings regarding a handsome sailor, there was no "perfect princess" to compete with. There was just Merida. They rode wild and free for several hours, just enjoying their freedom and each other's company. Rapunzel then led the way around the Capital's three rings. They rode slowly now as Rapunzel talked about her favorite places to go in the city and her favorite things to do. They stopped at an art gallery in the Western Ring where Rapunzel blushed and said that her artwork would soon be on display. She pointed out art supply shops where anything you needed to be creative could be purchased. Merida considered this for a moment before deciding she wasn't much of a maker. Other than darning socks and clothes, she never did get the hang of sewing and she revealed she had no patience for painting. Unwilling to believe that Merida didn't have a creative bone in her body, Rapunzel bought the redhead a sketchpad and pencils. "You will at least need it for all your scouting! Even Eugene has to take drawings with him when he collects flowers or berries or whatever." Merida thanked her friend and promised she would try to draw something if only to please the brunette. Anna bought yarn and swore she was going to make Kristoff a new scarf. Giggling, Rapunzel pointed out that the last several times Anna had tried, it had ended in disaster. Anna just stuck her tongue out at her cousin saying Kristoff loved her gifts even if they didn't come out perfect because she made them for him out of love. Rapunzel and Merida giggled and the three continued on their tour of the city. Their last stop before returning to the palace was a bookshop. Upon entering, a familiar voice greeted them.
"Merida! You're back already!" Mary Margaret smiled. (AN: Remember that Mary Margaret is the name Snow White goes by when not at court functions.) She was sitting at a table with a white cup of strong black coffee before her and a storybook in her lap. Merida crossed over to her friend and mentor and kissed the woman on the cheek.
"We returned this morning," Merida replied, "It was wonderful. If I ever decide to give up being a princess, I think I shall become a sailor!"
"I'm so glad you had a good time. And that you've returned safe," Mary Margaret said. She held out a hand in the universal gesture for 'please, join me' and the three princesses pulled up chairs at the older woman's table. "Rapunzel, it is good to see you again. How is Mr. Fitzherbert doing these days?"
"Eugene is great!" Rapunzel beamed, "He's agreed to show Merida here the ropes of the Scout trade."
"Excellent!" Mary Margaret patted Merida's hand, "You could not ask for a better teacher. Did you know that Eugene learned how to be a scout from the King's best friend – Sir Lancelot?"
"We met him at the dinner with the king, I believe. Or maybe someone just mentioned him?" Merida murmured, wondering at the sudden chill she got at mention of the king's best knight. Shaking it off she offered her green-eyed friend a smile. "No wonder Eugene is so great at his job!"
Rapunzel fairly glowed at the praise of her man. The conversation turned to the custom of everyone in Camelot working in some fashion or another. Anna revealed that she was a chocolatier and promised to bring some of her creations for Merida to try later on. "In fact, I have a delivery to make in a little while, so we really should get going."
"Where are you making your delivery?" Mary Margaret asked.
"Ooh! I'm taking a bunch of desserts to Princess Tiana in New Orleans. She's got a fancy party at her restaurant tonight and asked if I could help with some of the baking. I'm no good at beignets, but I made chocolate mousse, chocolate dipped strawberries, German chocolate cake, fudge, chocolate truffles, brownies, and chocolate pie." Anna was practically drooling as she listed all the delectable desserts.
Mary Margaret laughed. "That sounds amazing! If there's any left over, you'll have to bring me some."
"You should come with us, your majesty!" Anna covered her mouth, looking around the bookstore but no one else was there to catch her slip. "I mean, Mary Margaret."
The older royal waved her hand, dismissing the slip without comment. "I'd love to come, but I already have plans with my daughter. Another time. You should call on Lady Charlotte, though and see if she would like to go with you. She and Princess Tiana are very close."
When Anna and Rapunzel looked confused, Merida explained about the bubbly blonde she had met at dinner with King Arthur. The cousins agreed, and Mary Margaret pulled out a powder compact from her purse by her feet. She tapped the glass three times and said "Call Lady Charlotte LeBouff." The glass of the mirror churned momentarily and then a familiar twang could be heard coming from the small mirror.
"Why hello there Ms. Mary Margaret!" Charlotte drawled. "How are you doin' today, sugar?"
"I'm well, thank you. How are you and Giselle getting on today?" Mary Margaret smiled fondly as she responded.
"We're getting on famously. I have to say I was nervous as a long-tailed cat in a room full of rockin' chairs when his majesty told me I'd be startin' this job. But Giselle has been a peach, she really has. I do declare! That girl could charm the dew right off a honeysuckle!" she giggled. Merida, Rapunzel, and Anna all shared bewildered looks but Mary Margaret seemed to understand what the other young woman was saying and responded with "Well, bless your heart I am so glad to hear that things are going well. You remember my protégé, Merida?" at Charlotte's affirmative, she continued, "Merida and a couple of her girlfriends are making delivery to Tiana's restaurant tonight and wanted to know if you would like to come along?" The Southern Belle squealed in delight. "I'd love to! Ooh! And I'll do ya one better! I'll fix us all up some flappers to wear tonight so as we fit in. Are the girls there with you? I need to get their measurements."
Mary Margaret turned the mirror to face the three girls. It chimed a few times and Charlotte waved excitedly upon seeing the girls. "Alright y'all, I got everything I need. What time should I catch y'all up?" she asked. Anna considered for a moment and then it was agreed that the four girls would meet at Andalasian Fabrics at six o'clock. Charlotte rung off and Mary Margaret put her compact away, pulling from her purse an identical compact with "Merida the Brave" written in cursive across the top. "Here, Merida," the queen smiled warmly as she pressed the compact into the princess' hands. "I should have given this to you before you left for Dun Broch. If you need me for anything, please don't hesitate to call. Did you see how I called Charlotte?" Merida nodded. "You tap three times and then say who you want to speak to. And here," she pulled a book from her bag as well, "A little bit of late night reading for you." The queen smiled and Merida chuckled before tucking the book into her bag without looking at the title.
The ladies all stood and hugged Mary Margaret before filing out of the bookshop. Once more they climbed upon their horses and headed towards the castle. A short ride later, they returned their mounts to the stables. Tarzan, Rapunzel and Anna's cousin, helped the girls wipe down their horses, feed and water them and put the tack away. The girls thanked him for his help and after leaving him the information to retrieve Angus, Merida followed her friends outside.
"Okay, it's a quarter till six and we need to get from here all the way by the palace over to the middle of the Eastern Ring in fifteen minutes." Rapunzel quipped, hands on her hips as she looked around. Her eyes alighted on a rickshaw idling across the cobbled street and the scrawny blonde-haired boy who was leaning against it looking bored. "Perfect!" Pulling the other two girls along, Rapunzel hurried across the street. "Hi there! Excuse me! Can you help us? We need to make an appointment at Andalasian Fabrics for six o'clock." Rapunzel gushed. She clasped her hands together under her chin, her eyes impossibly large. The youth flushed and ducked his head.
"O-of course, my ladies. Ho-hop on in," he stuttered, face flaming. He offered the girls a hand up into the cart and then picked up the handles and took off at a quick trot.
"Thank you so much!" Rapunzel said sincerely.
"It's no trouble miss," the youth called back, trotting along. They breezed down the thoroughfare, despite the relatively large amount of foot traffic. Their driver seemed to know the quickest ways with the least amount of traffic, dodging down alleys and around buildings with practiced ease. He whistled softly to himself as he pulled the rickshaw, listening to the ladies talk quietly amongst themselves about the magic and splendor that was Camelot. Merida was surprised by the mix of old-world gas lamps that the flambeaux carriers were out lighting and the modern electric lights glowing from shop windows as the sun went down.
"It's an amazing city," Merida whispered to herself.
"I'm glad you think so, miss," their driver replied, "His majesty has spent a great many lifetimes building up Camelot. I'm sure he'd be glad to know you think so highly of his home."
"I cannae believe that Camelot is preparing to celebrate it's five hundredth anniversary. It's like something out of a fairy story." Merida replied softly.
"True enough," he answered, "And a number of fairies have leant his Majesty their magics to help keep Camelot young and beautiful."
"Camelot? Or King Arthur?" she wondered shrewdly.
The rickshaw driver chuckled. "You're a sharp one, miss. Here we are now, ladies, Andalasian Fabrics."
Merida looked up and sure enough they were outside the dress shop she had come to on her first day in Camelot with Mary Margaret. The three princesses climbed down from the rickshaw and thanked their driver. Merida tried to offer him some sort of tip, but the youth just smiled and shook his head, preparing to leave. "Wait!" Merida stopped him. She wasn't sure what possessed her, but she had a sudden burning desire to know the young lad's name. "You are the same lad that gave me a ride on my first day here in Camelot, aren't ye? Please, what's your name so I can thank ye properly for your hard work?" She inquired. Some inner antennae of hers was quivering, focused on the boy, though she had no clue why. Blue eyes looked up from behind straw-colored bangs in a sallow face. Despite his scrawny look, his baggy hose with the rip at the knee, and his general malnourished appearance, there was something about this boy that Merida could not put her finger on. Something in those intelligent blue eyes maybe? A sparkle of mischief she was sure she saw when he locked eyes with her. "Oh – everyone calls me Wart," he answered. Wart tugged his forelock in goodbye and trotted away up the street. With a frown, Merida turned and hurried into the shop behind her friends who were already inside cooing over the gowns Charlotte and Giselle had fashioned for them for tonight. The highlander put all thoughts of strange street urchins from her mind as the girls hurried to prepare for their night out.
The transition from the cool early evening air to the warmth of the dress shop had Merida feeling drowsy suddenly. Charlotte hurried over and hugged her quickly. "We gotta hurry and get ready ladies! If y'all don't mind I might just speed things along, okay?" Anna and Rapunzel nodded, Merida just looked confused. "Don't worry, dear, it's just a little dress-maker's magic! Nothing fancy." With a wave of a wand that Merida had not previously seen the other girl holding, all four women were magically transformed and ready for a night out on the town. "I am so excited that we are going home! Of course, I been talking to Tia almost every night on my mirror, but it isn't the same as being there! Oh honey, don't pull on that." Charlotte admonished. Merida flushed. She had been pulling at the strange fringe at the hem of her gown. She had never worn something so outlandish in her whole life!
Merida found herself in a straight and loose gown, soft to touch and navy in color, with a drop waist, whose handkerchief hemline stopped just about mid-calf. A glance in the mirror revealed a matching navy headband about her head and her wild red curls were rolled up near the nape of her neck, giving the appearance of a bobbed haircut. A multiple tiered, long white beaded necklace fell over her bust and her feet were encased in what Charlotte called Mary Janes which were a nude color. The other girls were dressed similarly with the same drop-waisted, sleeveless gowns, with beaded embroidery or fringe accents. Charlotte's gown and headband were pink, while Rapunzel's was lilac, and Anna's marigold. Anna asked if they would need coats, but Charlotte shook her head. "It's New Orleans in June, sweetie. You won't be cold." Rapunzel could tell that Merida was alarmed at her level of undress and crossed over to wrap her friend in a hug. "You look amazing, Merida!" she told the girl. "It's just us girls tonight too, so don't worry. We're going to eat some great food, listen to Jazz, dance and have fun. Okay?" Merida hugged her friend back then stepped away to look at herself in the mirror. Who was this woman staring back at her with wide blue eyes in a pale round face? She studied the strange ensemble and a smile began to tug at her lips. She looked wild and carefree. She looked like someone who didn't give a care what someone thought a princess aught to be like. She looked fun! Charlotte stepped up next to her, smiling sweetly at their reflections. "Are you ready, sugar?" Merida nodded. Before she could even ask how they were going to get there, Charlotte stepped up to the mirror. Reaching up, the blonde pressed on the top righthand corner and the image before them shimmered before going black. Anna stepped up, holding a large white bakery box (where did that come from?) she was grinning from ear to ear. Rapunzel took Merida's other arm and together the foursome stepped into the mirror.
For only the second time in her life, Merida felt that strange sensation of trying to push through very thick, cold water. It was almost like suffocating. The feeling was gone almost as soon as it began. Merida blinked, looking around. They were inside the mirror! It was a cold world of jagged glass and ice. She could see other people moving in a straight line from one window to another. Rapunzel and Charlotte had hold of her elbows and were propelling her thru the strange cold world towards the warm sunshine of a mirror several feet in front of them, like a window back to reality. What would happen, Merida wondered, if she did not go thru that window before her? Could she turn and go back the way she had come? Would she step back out of the mirror in the dress shop or was that way closed now? She tried to strain her neck to see behind her, but the other girls were pulling her and calling out encouragingly. The other girls' gazes were fixed straight ahead. They did not turn their heads left or right to try and see what was around them as Merida did. Instead, the others were steadfast and determined – moving surely towards the window to the other side. Could they not see what Merida saw? What did this strange world look like to them? What if she let go of their helping hands and wandered off into this mirror world? As she thought it, she wanted to do so. She wanted to let go of her friends' hands and meander these strange, dark hallways. Were all the mirrors connected? What would she see? She remembered that Snow White and Vladimir had both warned her that mirror travel was dangerous. The window world was getting bigger and brighter. Merida tried to resist the pulling on her arms that was dragging her unwilling feet towards that light. Why was she going that way? What were those strange voices calling her name? The window was right in front of her face now. She fought against the restraints that were dragging her towards it with all of her might.
Suddenly she was through, gasping for air and coughing. Rapunzel, Anna, and Charlotte were all there looking down on her with worried expressions. "Wh-what was that?" Merida whispered, eyes wide as she stared at the innocent looking mirror hung on the wall behind them. "That is what happens when stubborn people try to mirror walk," a new voice answered. The girls turned and were met by a beautiful dark-skinned woman. She had her arms crossed over her chest and one dark eyebrow raised skeptically.
"Tia!" Charlotte dashed over and hugged the newcomer. "Oh Tiana! I'm so happy to see you!"
"It's good to see you too, Lottie," Tiana answered, breaking off her scrutiny of the flushed red-haired princess. "Anna, I'm glad you came. Can you take those desserts to the kitchen for me?"
Merida was surprised to see that Anna was now pushing a large silver cart that was overflowing with delicious desserts. What had happened to that one tiny bakery box? Answering her own mental question, Merida shrugged – magic. Charlotte pulled her friend over to where Merida was still standing with Rapunzel next to the mirror. "Merida, Rapunzel, this is my friend Princess Tiana. Her husband, Naveen, is the crowned prince of Maldonia. Tia, these are my friends, Princess Rapunzel of Corona and Princess Merida of Dun Broch. Golly, I sure do know a lot of royalty!"
Tiana chuckled. "Don't you worry now, Lottie. Your prince is sure to find you soon." Charlotte blushed and Merida, watching the exchange, wondered if perhaps part of Charlotte's wish for true love included a royal title. She supposed she couldn't really blame the girl, though for herself she just wanted a man who would stand beside her. Tiana reached out a hand and welcomed Rapunzel and Merida to New Orleans. "Welcome to my restaurant. Come on, I have a table prepared for y'all." She led the way out into a hallway and down a huge curved staircase towards a dining hall with white linen tablecloths and waiters dressed in black suits. Music from a single instrument, a wonderfully full and dark timbre, floated above the noise of the crowd. "What is that?" Merida asked. Tiana smiled and pointed to a corner where a fat green dragon was blowing soulfully on an oblong, tube-like instrument. "That's Louis on the trumpet." No more was said on the matter as Tiana threaded her way through the crowd of patrons. She stopped to smile and shake hands with some of her regulars but otherwise kept steadily moving towards the back of the restaurant and out onto a moonlit patio. The air was thick with moisture and Charlotte had been right – the night was anything but cold! Sweet smelling jasmine grew on iron trellises around the patio and the soulful sounds of the trumpet floated out to them from the open doors. Anna reappeared and took her seat with them. Tiana waved over a dark-liveried waiter and the meal began. Merida was pretty sure she had never eaten so well in her entire life – and that included her dinner with the king! They were served seafood and sausage gumbo over white rice, small loaves of brown bread with garlic butter, plates of jambalaya, crawfish etouffee, boudin with crisp green apples and sharp cheese, chargrilled oysters, and fried green tomatoes with remoulade sauce. For dessert they had a sampling of several of Anna's chocolate confections as well as Tiana's own famous beignets.
The five women sat and ate and laughed and talked well into the night. In between courses, one of another would insist that they head in to the dance floor to dance to the full brass band that had come to accompany Louis – who Charlotte explained was an alligator and not a dragon. "Can you imagine a dragon playing the trumpet?" she laughed. "Actually, there is that two headed dragon at court who is quite talented!" Rapunzel had pointed out. Merida was not sure if they were joking or not and decided it didn't matter. All that mattered was that she was footloose and fancy free. She was dancing with her girlfriends. Rapunzel had kicked off her shoes under the table and was dancing in stockinged feet, twirling in circles with her hands over her head. Anna and Charlotte were huddled together and talking about some handsome young man that Charlotte was wishing would ask her to dance. Merida took her turn on the dance floor as well. Her scandalously short skirt riding up and showing a great deal of leg as she learned a dance called the Charleston. She danced with the girls. She danced with some men. She danced by herself, body swaying to the music, her hair tumbling down from its constraints to float around her as she twirled, limbs all akimbo as she felt the vibrations of the music from the tips of her toes to the crown of her head. She decided that she loved Jazz. It was wild, unpredictable, and she shimmied her hips and kicked her feet as she let the music move her. Finally, after what seemed like hours of dancing Merida sat in a chair to the side of the dance floor to rest her sore feet and watch her friends.
Listening to the energetic music swell around her, she thought to herself that even if she never found a man, she would be happy. Who needs a man anyway?! Any man she married would have to be willing to take on the mantle of king, to help her to rule her kingdom with all the grace and dignity (here she gave an unladylike snort thinking of her father) or maybe more dignity than her parents before her. Maybe she really was trying too hard. After all, her mother had said that when she had first been betrothed to her father, Elinor had not wanted to marry him. Maybe the idea of True Love was making her miss the opportunity to be with a great guy because she was placing unrealistic expectations upon him. She started to think about Jim and how kind he had been. He had patiently taught her all about sailing and navigating by the stars. He had cared for her and treated her like, well like a princess. With a slight frown she wondered if that was what her problem was with him. Being a princess was only half of who she was, and she wanted a lover who could acknowledge that. She thought of how he had stood in front of her on their hike up the Fire Falls – shielding her from imagined harm. Didn't Jim know that she could take care of herself? She didn't need someone to stand in front of her. She needed a partner for the adventures she still wanted to have. But maybe she was being silly. Jim was wonderful, and he cared for her very deeply. She could love him. Of course, she probably could have loved any one of the highland lords too if it weren't for that niggling doubt in the back of her mind that something was missing. Her heart remained locked up tight. Who held the key?
A hand on her shoulder distracted the princess from her musings. Turning, blue eyes clashed with dark brown. Tiana smiled gently and inclined her head, silently inviting Merida to follow her upstairs. Merida followed the other princess back up to the same room with the mirror that had brought them from Camelot. A pair of French doors opened up onto a wide balcony. Floor-length curtains fluttered in the evening breeze. Tiana led Merida to a soft white loveseat and invited her to sit.
"I'm glad you were able to bring Charlotte to visit tonight," Tiana spoke softly. Her voice was rich and smooth and warm. "She's very dear to me."
"I'm rather fond of her myself," Merida admitted, and she meant it. Her relationship with the young women of Camelot were the most meaningful she had ever had in her life. Somehow with them it didn't matter that she was a princess preparing to become queen of a bunch of wild highlanders. She was just Merida. They encouraged her to do what made her happy, not what she thought was expected of a woman of her station. Charlotte was not a princess in the traditional sense that she was destined to rule over a land and its peoples, but she was regal in her own right. She had a strong sense of what she wanted, and for that Merida envied her. Charlotte was in Camelot looking for her prince and she had said she would know him when she saw him. Merida, on the other hand, had come to the conclusion that she was actually in Camelot to find herself. Realizing that she had been lost in thought, Merida blushed and raised her eyes again to her hostess. "Sorry – I was thinking of how I wish that I could be more like Charlotte. She knows exactly what she wants."
Tiana chuckled. "She's not shy about it, is she? No, but I do worry that her single-minded desire to find a prince may mean that she misses out on the opportunity to find happiness."
"You told her earlier her prince was sure to come soon…didn't you mean that?" Merida asked.
"I did. I do." Tiana looked away, worrying her bottom lip between her teeth. She seemed to struggle with something for a moment. Finally, the dark-skinned girl blew out a breath and lifted those wide chocolate eyes to meet Merida's gaze. "My father always wanted to have his own restaurant. This restaurant." She gestured around at the building surrounding them, "He was in love with this old sugar mill. When I was a little girl, he used to tell me he was gonna get the money he needed to buy this place and then people were gonna come from miles around just for a taste of our cookin'. He died before he saw that dream come true and for a long time that really bothered me. I thought that if I just worked really hard, I would be able to make up for what my father had missed out on in life. It took a voodoo curse for me to realize that even though my daddy didn't get what he wanted, he had what he needed. He had love."
"I don't understand," Merida admitted.
"Dig a little deeper," Tiana murmured, "You'll find what you really need. It might not be what you thought you wanted, now," she winked a big brown eye, "But it's gonna be good. I didn't think I had time for love either. I locked up my heart and wouldn't let nobody else in. I thought what I needed was to work hard and get my restaurant and make my daddy's dream come true. My Naveen, now that man was the exact opposite. All play and no work!" she chuckled a little at a memory only she could see. "Fate had other plans for us, I guess. Somehow, together, we found the perfect balance."
They could hear the other girls coming up the stairs. Tiana stood, pulling Merida to her feet. "I wanted to tell you this because you remind me a lot of myself before I met Naveen. You want so badly to walk the path that you think you must. You've locked up your heart tight. Ain't nobody gonna be able to get to it unless you learn to let them walls down, girl."
Before Merida could respond, the other three girls came staggering into the room. Tiana winked and walked over to the mirror, activating a switch on the side. Looking into the mirror, Merida saw her own hallway in her apartment right there in front of her. Rapunzel was gripping her elbow again in a death grip, preparing to drag the red head thru to the other side. Merida wanted to tell her not to worry, that all she wanted right now was to be back in her apartment in her bed and to stop thinking so much about boys and love and hearts and magic. Tiana waved them goodbye and promised to see them all again soon. Then Merida and Rapunzel were stepping out of the hot New Orleans night, thru the cold land beyond the mirror, and finally landing in a small heap in Merida's apartment back in Camelot. They were home.
Author's Note: Holy crow! Longest chapter for S2L so far. A whopping 33 pages. I kept thinking I need to stop, but I hadn't hit the benchmarks I needed to for the chapter yet. When I planned out this chapter, I knew I wanted to have the Hiccup/Jim/Jack moment. (The guy that Jim holds the door open for when he gets to the Inventor's Guild is Maurice from Beauty and the Beast.) How funny to have Jim asking Hiccup for love advice with Merida! That's not a spoiler. It says in the very beginning that this is Merricup. I promise the Jim/Merida relationship has a point and is not just filler. I also knew that I wanted the girls to end up in New Orleans at Tiana's Place in this chapter. IDK what all happened in the middle…honestly it's all a blur. Oh yeah! Plot stuff happened. Points for you if you know who Wart is. What do you suppose he is doing driving people around in his little rickshaw? Hmm…?
Character stuff happened too! What I am hoping to portray is this evolution for Merida. In her movie Brave she is fighting so hard against the role that her mother has prescribed for her, and at the end of the movie we have compromise between mother and daughter. At the beginning of this story Merida has compromised away her inner self. She has become this perfect princess and no longer really knows who she is and what she wants. Her friends are showing her every day that in Camelot all you have to be is yourself and she is slowly getting back to that. We have the literal return to the place where she started from in the last chapter – where they sail to the Fire Falls. Now we have sort of an emotional return to the beginning as well. There is the scene in this chapter where she is riding the horse, hair down and free. Then we have the deliberate choice to send her to 1920s New Orleans. The age of the flapper! Flapper fashion was all about women flaunting their disdain for what was considered acceptable behavior and while Merida is at first surprised by the strange fashion, she embraces it, embraces all that it represents as she shrugs off the perfect princess to focus on being herself. Anyway, that was what I was going for. I have no clue if I managed to actually achieve it.
Expect a bit of a time jump coming soon, maybe next chapter or the one after that (I don't have my notebook with the outlines in front of me at present), bringing us closer to the big 500th anniversary and also moving Merida forward away from this "I don't know my own heart" and back to the Brave chick we all know and love. Anyways, this was hours of typing! I apologize for any and all grammatical or spelling errors. I am too tired/lazy to go back at this point in time and proofread this monster. Whew! This was long. Long chapter. Long author's note. Stick a fork in me, I'm done! As always, thanks for your continued support! Yours truly! ~BourbonCowboy