Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Disney/Dreamworks/Game of Thrones characters, locations, and/or terms. I am just a humble weaver unraveling cloths of stories to thread together and create a new pattern. If you would like to read the info and details of this fic, you may go to the Preface section. Thank you!
MERIDA
There were many things Merida hated, coming to Thronos. The humid weather, being dressed in the fancy silks and thick skirts that did nothing but worsen the heat, the constant curtsying and fake smiles. But this. This was not one of those things.
Merida stood beside her parents and triplet brothers at a gallery close to the king. Participants from all across the land and even from Animat across the sea converged to Thronos to participate in the tournaments in honor of Prince Hiccup's eighteenth name day, and all of them were required to present themselves to the royal family in a grand parade, from lowly hedge knights and sellswords to highborn lords and, as Merida stared in awe, ladies.
"It's her." Merida whispered.
The next participant was mounted on a black courser, bow slung over one shoulder, hair tied back into a bun, and wearing the warrior's outfit of Jun. It was the Exalted Princess, Lady Mulan.
When Merida was young, she heard of great tales and songs of a rebellion in the south led by a young girl as fierce as any of her comrades, the likes that Animare has never seen. In two years time the girl rose in rank and was knighted by the king, aside from earning recognitions from kingdoms in Animat. Merida heard the knighting was only a reward for pledging fealty to the crown, but Merida's admiration never wavered. Lady Mulan has since become her hero.
Merida cheered loudly with the rest of the crowd, earning a disapproving look from her mother Elinor. "Merida, that is no proper way for a lady to behave."
"Let her," her father said. Fergus Dunbroch was a large man with a full head of red hair that Merida inherited, and he had a big heart, especially for his daughter. "When does one get to meet the person one admires?"
Her mother sniffled in disagreement but said nothing. Merida was practically bouncing up and down. The songs spoke of Lady Mulan's excellent archery skills and wit in combat, but not of her elegance. She, together with her husband Lord Shang who preceded her in the procession, was elevated to the rank of nobility after her knighting, and now the ruling house of a sizable land north of the city of Jun in Animat.
As she passed Merida and her family, Lady Mulan waved. Merida thought her face would tear from her wide grin. She turned to her parents. "Did you see that? She looked this way! She did!"
Her brothers laughed, and she would have smacked all three of them, but her joy could not be diminished.
"Lord Shang Li of Jun," the announcer's voice rose over the din. "And his wife, Lady Mulan."
The lord and lady bowed their heads in reverence, and King Stoick did the same. Prince Hiccup managed a clumsy bob of the head, and Merida snorted. Elinor squeezed her daughter's arm.
"Oh, father," Merida said after finally tearing her eyes from the receding figure of her hero. "Say you will introduce them to me."
"Merida!" her mother chastised. "He will not introduce them to you."
Merida opened her mouth to protest, but her father held up a hand. "Not now, at least. We have to wait until the banquet tonight." And he smiled a smile that extended to his eyes.
The girl thought she was about to cry. "Oh, father, thank you!"
"As long as you wear that fine silk dress given by Lady MacGuffin," said Elinor. "And we'll have to tame that mane of yours. Lady Hofferson was gracious enough to gift us with bejeweled clips. We should wear those to show our gratitude."
Letting her mother prattle on about this necklace or that belt, Merida returned her focus to the parade. She didn't mind, then, what her mother would put her in. All that ever mattered was the banquet.
Prince Hiccup's name day celebration was a weeklong affair. The prince was already a man grown, which was an extra cause to celebrate. The first day consisted of the parade in the morning, followed by the welcome banquet that would begin at dusk. The second day held the jousting tourney, followed by the archery competition on the third and the melee the day after. The fifth day was the official celebration, lasting a whole day of drinking and feasting. The awarding of winners followed, and the seventh ended with a send off feast in gratitude to the guests.
"Ouch!" Merida squirmed, trying to get away as her mother poked her again with a pin. Her whole afternoon was spent getting ready, her mother fussing over every single detail, never once allowing her out of her room. Even in the atrium where the banquet was being held Elinor was not yet satisfied with her daughter's looks.
"Stop fidgeting!" Elinor hissed, tugging at a loosened lock. "Your father shouldn't have told you yes so you wouldn't go bolting out the door at the earliest possible moment without even having to be properly dressed."
"Where is she?" Merida said, standing on tiptoe to see over the crowd. "Will she be here?"
"Of course," her mother answered. "She is obliged to attend. It would be an insult to the royal family if she were not at the banquet."
"Is that Chanda of House Mu?" Merida gasped. "No, it's not just her! It's the entire Furious Five!"
"I heard the eldest is joining the melee. The youngest two are in the joust, with the two in the middle up against Lady Mulan in the archery competition." Fergus explained in a hushed voice.
"Why were they not at the parade?" Elinor wondered aloud as she secured the clasp of the necklace around Merida's neck.
"I heard Chanda and Harisha were at the funeral of Lady Snow, and met up with their siblings on the way here."
"We should have been there too, at the funeral…"
"Desmond and White may have been Linna, but they are Lusine now. I would rather have my other leg torn off than be at the presence of those-"
"Fergus." Elinor warned. "We are at peace now with Lusine. It would be best to merge the two factions."
Fergus grumbled. Merida picked up the words steak and bear and wondered what could possibly be going through her father's mind at the moment. Her thoughts ceased when she spotted a familiar face in the crowd. Merida's hand found her father's arm and she clawed at him. Fergus yelped, startling Elinor as well.
"Father!" Merida exclaimed. "There she is!"
"Stars, child, will you compose yourself?" Elinor scolded, putting her hands on Merida's shoulders to keep the girl still. "Dear, please, before your daughter hurts herself."
Fuming and rubbing at the spot where Merida's fingernails had caused red scratches, Fergus waded carefully through the crowd. Merida took regulated breaths as Fergus returned, Lady Mulan and Lord Shang following him.
"Uh, Lord Shang and fair lady…" Fergus paused. "Might I present my family… uh, and my sons are somewhere around here…"
Merida heard Elinor sigh before stepping forward. "Forgive him, my husband is not that accustomed to speaking in public, as you may know." She laughed airily. "We have not yet had the chance to introduce you to our wonderful children. They were not with us the last time we met." Elinor coaxed Merida forward. "Our eldest, Merida Dunbroch."
"A-an honor, my lord and lady." Merida tried her best to curtsy without toppling over. "A great honor to finally meet you."
"And our sons, Harris, Hubert and Hamish," Elinor pressed her lips together when the triplets ran to her, sweet buns stuffed into their surcoats, powdered sugar surrounded their mouths. They beamed and bowed at the same time, several buns falling out and tumbling onto the floor. "Please excuse them."
"They are indeed wonderful," Lady Mulan said, smiling at each of them. Merida tried to lessen her grin, knowing her face would hurt afterwards.
A loud bell rang out, announcing the arrival of the king and the prince. Everyone in the room lowered their heads in respect. "The greetings to the prince shall commence in a moment," the announcer declared.
"Forgive us, Lord and Lady Li," Elinor said, glancing at the dais where King Stoick and Prince Hiccup were seated. "We wish to prolong the conversation, but we would like to offer our compliments to the prince."
"Of course," Lord Shang answered.
Merida's heart sank, seeing the lord and lady retreat back into the crowd. "Mother! Couldn't we have stayed a little longer?"
"No!" Elinor ushered Merida to the dais. "We have to go to the prince right now."
"We have all night-"
"Your mother knows what is right," Fergus solemnly said as he followed them, the triplets waddling after him. "I'm sorry."
"I am too," Merida muttered under her breath when Prince Hiccup and his freckled face came into view.
A/N: To the guests (or guest, assuming you are the same person) who reviewed: I'll try? This feels like I'm writing a GoT fanfic as well even if there are no characters involved. I guess that comes with setting this fic in that universe *eyetwitch*. And to the second review, thank you :)
As always, reviews would be lovely :) Thanks!