Young Macguffin's Perspective

He followed her.

He followed her and found her sitting upon a big stone muttering to herself. He couldn't quite make out most of what she was saying. He occasionally caught a word or two, something about pushy suitors and kissing. He wanted to reach out to her, to calm her but the lad was beginning to get cold feet. Whatever bravery he had was beginning to fade away like mists on the hills on an early morning.

He decided to speak before he lost any more of his nerve "Princess?"

He saw her whip her head to look at him wild curls bouncing every which way. She looked shock for a moment before recognition settled in. She glared at him.

"What are you doing here!" she snapped.

That caught him off guard. What was he doing here? He had wanted to…no had needed to see if she was alright. Young Macguffin answered "Ah cam tae see if yer okay. (I came to see if you're okay)"

She gave him a puzzled looked, which slowly changed to realization. She sighed and blew a stray curl from her face. "Sorry, about snapping at you. I was just upset about what happened earlier…" she said.

"Tis a'richt. (it's alright)" He replied. He sat down next to the big stone she was on. They settled into a silence which disheartened him a bit. He had followed her with the intention of making sure she was alright, but as always his shyness prevented him from saying anything. Sometimes he wished he could be more outspoken like his father. Lord Macguffin certainly had no trouble speaking his mind or comforting others. He remembered as a child how his father would comfort his mother and sisters during challenging times.

"Are you…...?" Merida started but stopped. She shook her head as if trying to rid a thought from her mind. Instead she looked down at him and asked "What are your thoughts on this whole winning my heart business?"

Young Macguffin wasn't expecting that. He thanked whatever gods were on his side that it was dark for he could feel his face turning red. It was a heavy question. To her it might have been out of curiosity but to him the answer weighed heavily upon his chest.

"You don't have to answer if you don't want to." She said quietly.

"Na, a'm waantin' tae answer bit (No, I want to answer but)" the words slowly died on the tip of his tongue. He opted for asking her instead "Whit ur yer thoughts? (What are your thoughts?)"

"My thoughts?" she asked. He smiled at her and nodded.

"Well to be honest, I wasn't expecting you three to come back. I was hoping that you would look for love elsewhere." She said. "A few months ago I was angry to be won, like I was some trophy. I wasn't ready to give up my freedom just because everyone expected me to follow tradition."

"Tis unnerstaunable. (It's understandable)." Young Macguffin stated.

Merida looked at him with surprise "It is?" she asked hopefully.

He answered "Aye. Ah wis scared as weel… (Yes. I was scared as well…...)" She was looking at him expectantly. He rubbed the back of his neck nervously and looked back up at her before answering "Bit ah fun something tae treasure whin ah arrived. (But I found something to treasure when I arrived.)"

He took her hand in his.

Merida's Perspective

Her eyes widened a bit and she looked down. Suddenly the grass had become very interesting for our young princess. Curse him she thought, he was supposed to agree with her. She was hoping that she had found an ally when it came to this whole courting business but found an enemy instead.

She turned to look back to him and he was smiling at her. Well if he was her enemy she didn't really mind…. that much. The boy was sweet but he could just be putting on an act. He could just be after the throne like that pompous ass Macintosh. A part of Merida hoped that what he said was an act so that she could put up her walls and not let him in. Another part (a very small tiny part) told her to ask what his words really meant.

"Princess." He said. He was standing now and she realized just how tall the lad was. How could a lad be this tall? They were face to face at the moment and in a moment of boldness Merida pressed her forehead against his. She saw his eyes widen and she could feel heat radiating from his face. Her heart fluttered a bit.

"Macguffin?" she asked.

"Aye(Yes)" He answered rather quietly.

"Why did you save me earlier?" she asked.

He looked down clearly wrestling with himself on whether to answer or not. He stood still for a bit and looked back up at her and said "Ah heard ye scream 'n' something ben tellt me tae move...so ah did. (I heard you scream and something inside told me to move...so I did)."

She felt her insides grow warm. She should have left it at that, but she was curious and wanted to know more. Yes, curiosity could get even the wisest of souls in trouble but she had to know. "When you rescued me earlier….it looked like you….it felt like…...I thought…...you were going to kiss me." she said timidly.

His eyes widened slightly. She giggled at the fact that she had thought of something so silly it wasn't possible.

"Ah was...(I was…..)" He answered very quietly. Merida heard it all the same and she could feel her face heating up. She told herself to stop being silly, that any minute now he would pull away from her and laugh telling her it was all a joke.

He didn't pull away, instead he took her hand and put it on his chest, over his heart. She could feel the rapid pitter patter it was making and her own heart began to mimic his.

In a moment of bravery, she asked "Macguffin…. would you like to kiss me?"

"Aye(Yes)" was all he said before Merida closed the gap between them.