"And then I nearly burst intae laughter when Merida shouted at the lords!"
"Aye…SHUT IT!" Elinor quoted, chuckling. She poked Fergus in the side. Fergus yelped and mock-glared down at his queen. "She gets tha' from you, dear," Elinor commented.
"Wot?! I'd say ye have a feisty side to ye as well, my love," Fergus countered. He grinned.
Elinor reached the stables and approached her beautiful white horse. She gently petted its nose and it whinnied in response, nudging against her slender hand. Elinor reached into her pocket and produced a small chunk of carrot, which her horse gratefully ate out of her hand.
"There, there, my lovely," Elinor murmured, pressing her cheek to her horse's. "In no time at all, I'll be well enough to go for a ride. Ye'd like that, wouldn't ye?" Her horse neighed softly in response and nuzzled Elinor.
Elinor turned at the sound of Angus neighing rather jealously at her. She laughed and went over to stroke his silky black mane.
"Hello, laddie," Elinor said, giving Angus the other chunk of carrot that she had taken from the kitchens. "Merida will also soon be out and about. She misses ye, I'm sure." Angus whinnied appreciatively and swished his tail.
Elinor turned to her horse, suddenly struck with an idea. She mounted her horse with the natural grace she possessed. As she swung herself up, Fergus hurried over, worry etched over his face.
"Elinor, lass! Wot d'ye think ye're doin'?"
Elinor gave Fergus a pointed glance.
"Let's go for a ride, Fergus!"
"Wha—wait! No—ye can't…"
Elinor huffed in response and was nearly ready to go when she gasped, feeling Fergus' strong arms lifting her bodily off her horse.
"Fergus! Put me down, ye bumbling…!"
"Elinor. I willna allow ye to go riding, just yet. Ye need rest, and light exercise." Fergus reprimanded sternly. Elinor rolled her eyes in the most Merida-like manner and freed herself from Fergus' firm grasp.
"Fine. Shall we, then?" Elinor gave him an exaggerated, imperious glance and Fergus smiled slightly.
"That's mah good lass." Fergus kissed her hand gallantly and tucked her hand into the crook of his elbow. Elinor sighed one last time, giving her horse a wistful look.
/-/-/
"Fergus?" Elinor said quietly as they sat near the river bank.
"Yes, Eli?" Fergus turned to look at Elinor, and tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear.
"Why d'ye look at me like that? Like I'm as fragile as a china doll?"
Fergus gave Elinor a good look, starting by staring deep into her eyes, and roaming over her face. He couldn't help but feel protective toward her; after nearly losing her, he could not bear to see any harm come to her.
"I willna break, Fergus," Elinor added, pointedly.
"I know, lass, but-"
Elinor sighed deeply and stood up. She gingerly moved closer to Fergus and sat lightly on his knees. Fergus automatically wrapped his arms around her waist, careful not to hold her too tightly. Elinor pursed her lips and responded by laying her head against his broad chest.
"I miss bein' with ye, spending time with ye alone, like we used to do, Fergus" Elinor admitted. She closed her eyes, breathing in sync with Fergus, feeling his chest rise and fall rhythmically. Fergus tilted his head obliquely to look Elinor in the eye.
"But we're together now, love, isna that wonderful?"
"Something has changed, Fergus…we…are not like we used to be."
Fergus chuckled and pressed a kiss to Elinor's forehead. "Oh, aye, I've lost a leg, some of mah lovely flowin' red locks, and replaced them with gray hairs…"
Elinor shoved at his chest slightly.
"But Merida and the triplets seem to have inherited yer lovely red hair." Elinor combed her fingers through his wiry hair and smiled with nostalgia.
" Silly man, perhaps I'm just gettin' old and sentimental."
Fergus grew more sober and released Elinor to look her square in the eye.
"Och, nay, Eli, ye could never get old, in my eyes." Fergus winked and suddenly swooped to carry Elinor in his arms. Elinor shrieked with laughter and flailed, trying to get down.
"Fergus, put me down! I can walk, ye know!"
Fergus rumbled with laughter and leaned his forehead against hers. Elinor closed her eyes and a blissful smile lit up her face.
"Kiss me like ye used to, Fergus."
Fergus happily obliged, laid Elinor gently on the soft green grass and pressed his lips to hers, feeling her heartbeat speed up with his.
/-/-/
An hour later, Elinor opened her eyes and turned her head to gaze lovingly into her husband's sleeping profile. Some people might say that Fergus was not the most elegant or eloquent man in Scotland, and Elinor might have grudgingly agreed, but those qualities didn't matter to her. Fergus made up for his clumsiness with words and actions with his loyalty and devotion to everyone he met. He was not only the Bear King, but her beloved Bear King.
Elinor was about to call Fergus' name to wake him up, but changed her mind. She tentatively stroked his cheek with her cool fingers, but that did not successfully rouse him. Elinor bit her lip and decided to try another tactic, ignoring the notion of maintaining propriety. At least they were alone in the forest, with no one to see them.
She ghosted her lips across Fergus' and held back a small giggle when Fergus flailed his large hands in the air. She moved slightly over to kiss his neck, and he groaned quietly.
"Elinorr," he muttered in his sleep. He slung a heavy arm across her slender frame and Elinor suppressed a gasp of surprise at his unexpected weight. Elinor lifted herself up, with slight difficulty, from where he had pinned her to his body, and her long, chestnut hair fell forward in a silky curtain. Fergus smiled drowsily as he began to wake to the scent of her rosewater-scented hair.
"Is't time to go back, dear?" Fergus mumbled. "Canna we stay a wee bit longer?"
Elinor finally harrumphed in annoyance and slapped Fergus lightly across the face.
"Ow!" Fergus cried, blinking open his wide cerulean eyes. Noticing Elinor's rather awkward position, he grinned and said: "Am I in heaven? Fer I seem ta be lookin' at a lovely angel—"
"Och, Fergus, stop that. Come now, tis time to go home. The castle folks will be wonderin' where we are."
Fergus shifted slightly, as if to get up, and Elinor quickly realized how she was sitting. A blush spread across her cheeks and darkened. She clumsily stumbled up and Fergus chortled, also standing and brushing off bits of leaves and grass from his kilt. Elinor had her back to Fergus so that he would not see her tomato-red face. She smoothed her dress and inwardly cursed herself for not just calling his name to wake him up. Why she ever thought that way of waking him was effective…
Fergus noticed his wife's change in mood, and he approached her from behind, gently picking out the grass that laced through her hair. Her poker-stiff posture did not change, until Fergus turned her around and softly kissed her lips.
"Darling, don't be sore. I'm sorry if I teased ye."
Elinor swept her eyelashes up and gave him a tiny, embarrassed smile.
"Come now, Fergus. We really should be gettin' back. It has been a lovely day."
On their nearly silent walk back to the castle, Fergus decided that he definitely liked this new Elinor: the shy, sweet, slightly flirtatious young woman. He made a mental note to take walks with Elinor more often.
A/N: I just can't help myself. I'm just shameless when it comes to Ferlinor fluff/romance. Sorry if either of them seemed OOC. If any of you think the rating should be upped, let me know. More chapters to come! Stay tuned, and review as always... please?