Merida's Perspective
If Merida had known, she'd be spending the rest of today hiding in her room she would have at least brought up some books and snacks to pass the time. Now what was she hiding from you ask?
She was hiding from fate because fate had decided to tease her mercilessly. In the past three days Merida had gone through enough embarrassment and teasing to last her a lifetime and the young lass did the only thing she could think of hide.
The first day Wee Dingwall had sought her out and they spent the morning chatting before ending up at the training grounds. It had rained the previous night and there were a few puddles here and there so she carefully walked around them.
She had spied Young Macguffin and Macintosh competing at stone put. Dingwall and her had moved a bit closer to them. They stood off to the side and watched as Macintosh threw the stone with all his might only to have it end up in front of his feet. Merida saw Macguffin chuckle at this and prepare to throw his stone. Macintosh said something to him which made the lad miss his mark completely. The stone had landed in a rather deep puddle next to the princess who much to her dismay had soaked most of her dress. Young Macguffin had apologized profusely but she couldn't help silently seething at Dingwall and Macintosh who were off to the side snickering. She left them to change clothes.
Later she had planned to head to the library in search of a book but instead found one had been left outside her door. She picked it up and examined it. It was a book of short stories and poetry. She raised an eyebrow but brought the book with her outside none the less. She sat under a tree and flipped through the pages. Merida had heard someone call out to her and saw Young Macguffin making his way towards her. She waved at him and moved over. He sat by her and asked what she was reading. She handed the book over to him and he flipped through the pages quickly before stopping to one that had been bookmarked.
She had asked him what it said. To which he began reading from it. It was a poem and it was beautiful up until the part where it began talking about lovers holding closely onto each other in the night. She had blushed bright red and his accent had become more pronounced from embarrassment that she couldn't understand him. It didn't help either one of them that they heard giggling near them.
The second day she had decided to take Angus for a run after lessons. When she got to the stables however she was shocked to see Angus in the state he was in. Her horse's mane had been braided and had pink bows interwoven in them. She figured it must have been her brothers doing at first but remembered they knew better than that. She took out the bows and unbraided his mane. Merida had thought that had been the end of that but was angry to discover that someone had sewn matching pink bows on the sides of Angus's saddle. She ripped off the bows, saddled up, and took off for a good while.
She was gone for hours and had arrived home well after dinner, she snuck past the numerous guests and made her way up the stairs. Upon making it to her room she noticed a note and a flower had been attached to her door. Her father had come out of his room and was headed downstairs when he said the strangest thing.
"Why hello there, wild flower."
"Wild flower?" she asked while giving him a confused look. He pointed to the note and chuckled as he made his way downstairs.
She read the note and her face colored in frustration. The note didn't say much except A wild flower for MY wild flower. She crumpled the note and threw it over her shoulder. She had gone to sleep promptly after that hoping that tomorrow would be a better day.
Unfortunately, no such luck for our red headed princess.
The next day word hadn't gotten out about the note and some of the servants had decided to lovingly call her wild flower. Why even Maudie had stopped her and sighed sadly saying something about the princess growing up to fast. Merida had never been so mortified in all her life. Usually she didn't mind being the center of attention but now it was getting out of hand.
During lessons her mother kept giving her this funny look like she was proud and about to cry at the same time. Merida was never more thankful that the lesson was a short one. She walked out quite quickly and went outside. She spotted the three young lords sitting around chatting. Dingwall noticed her and waved her over.
She made her way over and sat with them. They began chatting and they were having a great time. She had even learned their names and apologized for not learning them sooner. They joked and laughed until Brandan Macintosh and Eman Dingwall departed. Leaving only Galen and herself there, she got up and sat next to him. She leaned against him and he put his arm around her shoulder. They sat there in silence enjoying each other's company that is to say until she heard music.
Merida recognized Brandan's voice the moment he began to sing. She turned round and found him standing there with Eman by his side playing a lute. Eman was surprisingly very talented and Merida would have very much enjoyed his playing if it hadn't been for Brandan. She suspected the lad was tone deaf for he sang very loudly and very off key and to make matters worse he was singing about wildflowers.
It didn't help that they had gathered a small crowd that was currently laughing at them. She resisted the urge to bury her face in her hands and opted for a more dignified approach. She stood tall and proud. Her face shown determination and slight anger she elegantly glided in a way that would make her mother proud. She made her way towards the vocalist. Upon reaching him she had simply told him to shut it in a quiet but deadly voice and had walked off.
Young Macguffin's Perspective
He watched her walk towards Brandan and was reminded of the time the Queen had stopped a fight in the throne room. She said something to him that silenced Brandan before she walked off.
Galen watched her retreating form and let out a heavy sigh.
"Well that went well" said Eman cheerfully. "Wouldn't you agree Brandan? Galen?"
Galen raised an eyebrow and Brandan merely shook his head gravely.
"Something's not right with that lass" muttered Brandan. He got busy to dispersing the crowd and when they had all gone he sat down and was joined by Galen and Eman.
"Ah think we shuid stoap (I think we should stop)."
"Whatever for?" asked Brandan.
Eman laid down and answered "Well she doesn't seem too keen on all the things we've tried so far."
Galen nodded in agreement. Brandan however did not agree "Well maybe we should try a different approach?...I mean I don't understand how she could NOT like everything we did for her."
"I could be wrong but maybe she doesn't like this sentimental mushy stuff" Eman said while scratching his cheek.
"Rubbish! What young lass doesn't like to be showered with attention and tokens of affection."
"She doesn't" Galen said. "'n' whit wis wi' that poem? (and what was with that poem?)" he asked. His face turned red as he remembered the risque line he had unintentionally read aloud. He ran his hand through his hair obviously angry.
"Don't look at me!" said Brandan. "It was Eman's idea!" he said as he pointed to the spacey blonde.
"What? I saw her a couple of times in the library I just thought she might like a book." He said in his defense. "But maybe I should have taken the time to read the entire poem through first."
"Whaur did ye even git sic a book? (Where did you even get such a book?)" asked Galen
"I bought it for someone back home." Eman replied while intently focusing on the clouds overhead. The lads said nothing to the young lord but took note that a faint pink had settled upon his cheeks.
"Let's see trying to impress her didn't work eh Galen?" Brandan said with a teasing smile upon his face.
"If ye hadn't distracted me ah wouldn't hae missed mah shot! (If you hadn't distracted me I wouldn't have missed my shot!)" he yelled defensively.
"Well if you're trying to impress her. Why not stick to cabers?" asked Eman curiously.
"Ah dinnae think ah cuid staun it if it landed oan her foot. (I don't think I could stand it if it landed on her foot.)." Galen sighed for what seemed to be the hundredth time that day and said "Wi' mah luck it likelie wid hae. (With my luck it probably would have.)"
Eman let out a roaring laugh and clutched his stomach. Galen just nudged him with his knee and Eman rolled away a few feet. He rolled back easily enough.
Galen looked up at Brandan and raised an eyebrow. "Wild flower?" he asked.
Brandan in turn smiled "What? After what you told me of meeting her in a field the other day what better way of letting her know." He chuckled slightly "Although I wasn't expecting that to spread around the castle like wild fire…. hmmm maybe wild fire would have been more appropriate?" he said thoughtfully.
"Na mair nuck names! (No more nick names!)" He roared at Branden.
"Alright alright!" Brandan put his hands up in defense. "What do you think she'd like?"
"Well she didn't appreciate the bows I worked so hard to sew on her horse's saddle" Eman said sadly.
"Where did you learn to sew anyway?" asked Brandan turning to look at Eman curiously.
"My mother. She thought it might come in handy someday, it has here and there" Eman replied. He picked up the forgotten lute and began to strum it thoughtfully. His strumming turned into a well know song that was jolly and got the wheels of Brandan's mind turning.
Galen on the other hand was beginning to regret ever agreeing to this whole stupid thing in the first place. It was obvious that everything they had tried was irritating Merida rather than making her feel happy.
"What else could we try?" Brandan muttered to himself.
"I think we should try a different approach" Eman said.
"Let's juist stoap this (Let's just stop this)" Galen said to the lads. But they hadn't heard him and were throwing ideas back and forth to one another. This irritated him further and he was starting to get a headache.
"Dancing?" Brandan asked Eman.
"Yes dancing, remember when we were younger and our mothers forced us to learn how to dance?" Eman asked Brandan. "Well if memory serves me right Galen was a pretty good dancer."
He blinked before turning to Galen remembering he had been an okay dancer in their youth not as good as himself but good enough to avoid injured toes. He rubbed his chin thoughtfully and started planning.
"Och na! (Oh no!)" he said before Brandan got any more ideas in his head.
"Why not! You're a good dancer!" Brandan said to him. "You could sweep her off her feet so to speak and then once you've done that you'd be in the clear to ask her for her hand."
Galen furrowed his brows and crossed his arms. Yes, he was a decent dancer at least that's what his younger sisters had told him. He thought he was okay but he had never danced with someone he held feelings for. What if he stepped on her because he was nervous or accidentally knocked her over in front of everyone?
"Just ask her to dance with you next time the queen suggests some entertainment" Eman told Galen.
Galen shook his head no.
"Why not?" asked Brandan.
"Fur if a'm aff tae ask her. Ah will dae it whin a'm guid 'n' duin (Because if I'm going to ask her. I'll do it when i'm good and ready)" he said before getting up and walking off.