Gentle Giant

*italic* is memories, () is Baist's translations

Chapter seven:

The next morning breakfast was like most breakfasts with the royal family. The queen nibbled and went over paper work while the king stuffed his gob an told the others at the table about one of his many hunting trips. Aria and Merida didn't pay much attention, they mostly talked to each other. Gregor ate in peace, Nandag kept trying to get Merida's attention and failing miserably, and Baist was actually listening to the kings story with fascination. The triplets were playing with their food and planing their next plan to get sweets from Maudie. Aria looked up to the triplets nodding her head, they looked to each other grinning before nodding to her.

"If ye'll excuse me, I have something very important tae do before th' day begins. I will see ye later Merida!" Aria said excusing herself from the table, Baist looked at his cousin with confusion and worry but she waved to him she was fine before leaving the room.

Soon the triplets disappeared from the table but not before tying a rope to each of the males feet to the table. Once the king and the other men went to get up everything went flying off the table, the table tipped over. The king bellowed out a loud "Boys!" while the young lads started to untie themselves from the tipped table, Merida was laughing up a storm while queen Elinor looked unamused. After that the heirs headed out into the hall to decide what should be done that day.

"Awright Baist, where did Aria go? dae ye ken what wis so important she had tae leave early?" Merida asked him as they walked down the hall.

He looked down confusion written all over his face, "Na, ah wis wondering that masell. The lenth o' ah ken she shouldn't huv hud tae lea earlie. (No, I was wondering that myself. As far as I know she shouldn't have had to leave early.)"

"A'm sure she's fine, maybe she hud something tae dae fur yer faither. A'm sure she'll show up eventually." Gregor said as they reached the stairs Merida need to go to her room.

Nandag grinned at Merida flipping his hair out of his face trying to show off to her, "Since ye dinnae ken where she is maybe we could go fur a walk?"

Merida looked at Nandag and not wanting to be rude since her mother told her to be nice and try to get to know the young lords said she would go on a walk with him after she got ready. He agreed grinning big, Merida excused herself running up to her room. Once Merida was out of sight Nandag looked at Baist and smirked.

"Ah dinnae plan tae lose th' princesses hand in marriage, nae even tae ye Baist." Nandag said before walking away leaving Gregor and Baist in the hall way.

The two boys headed back to their respective camps, along the way Gregor told Baist not to mind Nandag. He told him how Nandag is overly competitive and doesn't much like to lose. Once back to his camp Baist entered his tent hoping to see Aria but instead saw a note addressed to picked up the note reading it out loud to himself,

"Dear Baist,

I'm sorry I had tae leave breakfast earlie bit I wid lik' tae mak' it up tae ye. Please meet me in th' woods by th' river thare is a wee clearing. I drew a map tae lead ye thare. meet wi` me in an hour, please dinnae be late.

Love always,

Aria"

Baist looked at the map then got ready, he placed his sword on his waist just in case of danger that might be in the woods. Meanwhile Merida was getting ready for a walk she didn't really want to go on, it's not that she doesn't like Nandag it's just he can be cocky and full of himself at times for her. He seems to need all attention on him and Merida didn't like that much. As she reached for her bow she saw a note tied to it. Her note was from Aria asking if she could meet her in the small clearing by the river thy found the other day, and to not be late. Merida completely forgetting her walk she had planed put her bow around her and race out of the castle toward the woods. Her note said not to bring Angus for she didn't bring Nightmare.

In the mean time Nandag was showing up at the castle for his walk with Merida, but instead saw Aria sitting on the steps grinning at him.

"What dae ye want twerp? I'm 'ere tae see Merida, so please move aside." Nandag said going to walk past her.

Aria giggled jumping off the step and turning to face his back as he walked up the stairs, "Merida isnae 'ere, 'n' i'm th' only one who kens where she is pretty boy."

He turn to her and glared slightly before heading in to find Merida not wanting to play her games, she called after him saying she'd wait for his return when he found no one else knew where she was. Nandag searched everywhere asking everyone but no one not even the king and queens knew where she went, he stormed back outside to find Aria grinning at him playfully.

"Aright whaur did she go ye wee sneak." he said growling slightly at the giggling girl before him.

She waved her finger back and forth at him, "Ah ah ah That's nae how this game is going tae work."

Nandag gave her a confused look, "Game? whit game?"

"Our wee game we are about tae play, th' game is catch me if ye kin. If ye kin catch me then I will tell ye, na I will tak' ye tae where Merida is at. But if ye cannae catch me then ye'll just have tae wait for her return. Deal?"

"Deal." he grumbled.

Nandag smirked as he lunged forward to quickly grab Aria but she just giggled and jumped out of his reach. She giggled taking off in a sprint away from the grumbling young lord. He ran after her not knowing she had three wee devils on her side. She reached where the three princes where and they quickly pulled her into one of their many hide aways that lead to another part of the castle. Nandag growled as she had escaped him, she waved at him from a window above him in the castle. He ran around chasing after what seemed to be a ghost thanks to the three princes. Unbeknownst to them Gregor was watching them, chuckling at how childish Nandag was being chasing her all around the castle and land.

As their game had begun Merida and Baist were reaching the small clearing by the river where they were instructed to meet Aria. They each heard rustling in the bushes and readied their weapons, they both counted to three then jumped out only to be shocked to see each other.

"Baist what are ye doin' 'ere?"

"Merida whit urr ye daein' 'ere? (Merida what are you doing here?)." they said at the same time.

"Aria Sent me a note asking tae meet wi` her out 'ere. And ye?" Merida asked him, Baist laughed slightly at this shaking his head.

"Aria set us up, a'm sae sorry aboot this Merida. If yi'll waant tae boost back tae th' castle ah will ken. (Aria set us up, I'm so sorry about this Merida. If you want to head back to the castle I'll understand)." Baist said shaking his head.

Merida ran what he said over a few times in her head before responding to him, "Na, lets at least see whit she has set up. My note said we'd fin' a basket waiting on a rock near th' water. C'moan Baist."

Baist and Merida walked down closer to the river and in the small clearing like the note said on a rock there was a basket. Merida opened the basket and saw a few snacks in it and some thing to drink, there was also a paper and quill and ink with a note saying incase you can't understand him. They looked at each other then shook their heads. Aria had thought of everything they laughed. Baist and Merida sat on the grass each taking their drink and some of the pastries out of the basket. Merida smiled wide as she tasted the delicious pastry.

"Wow these are amazing! ah wounder who made thaim." Merida exclaimed popping another small pastry in her mouth.

"Aria, thae ur her treats. She mak's thaim fur me. (Aria,these are her treats. She makes them for me.)." he tried to say slowly and carefully so she would understand him.

Merida looked at Baist as he smiled warmly remembering how she learned to cook and bake to make him treats after he'd spend all day training. He looked to her and as slowly and completely as he could told her about how she learned to bake and cook to bring him snacks after training. Merida giggled and in turn told Baist about her little brothers sweet toothes and how she'd sneak them sweets at dinner time. They both laughed, eventually they wound up laying in the grass together looking up at the beautiful sky. The more Merida and Baist talked the easier it seemed to understand most of what he was saying, every so often she would ask him to write it down when she really couldn't understand him. Merida smiled at Baist before getting up and going to the river, Baist watched her in confusion. She lifted her dress a little kicking off her shoes, Merida walked out into the shallow end of the river smiling big closing her bright blue eyes enjoying the cool feel of the water around her feet and ankles. The wind pick up a little blowing her wild red hair around her. Baist watched her completely mesmerized by her beauty, he sat up to watch her better.

'Sae bonny, lik' a firey goddess. (So beautiful, like a firey goddess).' Baist thought watching Merida dancing around in the cool water, her hair dancing around her.

He loved to see that bright warm smile on her face as she played in the water, the sun bathing down on her making her look like an angel to him. He snapped out of his thoughts as cold water hit his face. He shook his head looking at Merida who just smirked at him.

"Are ye just going tae stare at me or come join me? th' water feels great." Merida said to him, a slight pink tint to her cheeks when she caught him staring at her.

Baist blushed before getting up, he turned and took off his arm and shirts, and then placed his sword on top of them. His boots came off next then he shyly turned back to merida ready to join her in the wat. They both had rosy color to their cheeks. Baist walked into the river shivering a little at the cold sensation of the water. he moved out past Merida to were the water got deeper, he grinned at her before diving into the deeper part of the slow-moving river. Merida started to get worried when he didn't come up, she moved toward to deeper end and he popped up in front of her gentle grabbing her arms and pulled her into the deep water. She screamed at the suddenly playful attack. They both came up a minute later, Baist laughing as Merida playfully glared at him.

"I'm sorry, ah had tae get pay back." he said keeping his sentence short and to the point so as not to confuse her.

Merida smirked before splashing him in the face, this soon caused a water fight. They swam around splashing and laughing at the fun they were having together. Merida had completly forgotten her walk she was supposed to be on. Soon the two soaked teens got out of the river, Baist offered his dry shirt for Merida to change into, at first she protested that he'd need it but he insisted she wear it. Baist turned around and covered his eyes as Merida hide behind some bushes taking her wet dress off and slipping on his beige long-sleeved under shirt. It hung loosely on her smaller body, it came to about her knees and the sleeves hung a little ways over her hands. She walked out and put her shoes back on, when she looked up she saw he still hadn't turned around nor has he removed his hands from his eyes.

"Ye kin turn around now." Merida said, her cheeks rosy from a blush or the cold river neither could really tell.

Baist turned around blushing as he looked at her in his shirt, he quickly looked around as he put his boots back on. They decided since the basket was now empty it would be the best place to put their wet clothes. Baist and Merida replaced their weapons in place, then he grabbed the basket to carry. Merida smiled at how gentlemanly Baist can be, so different from the other day. They began to follow the trail, deciding a walk in the warm weather would be nice. As they walked side by side Merida kept watching Baist from the corner of her eyes.

"Baist how'd ye get tae be so gentle bein' trained tae be a warrior?" Merida couldn't help but ask.

"A dinnae ken, ah ken a'm th' biggest o' mah fowk. A'm even a a tae inches taller then mah da noo. 'n' as ye remeber frae th' bear inncendent wi' th' queen a'm mair than capiable o' bein' a hunter 'n' pure mental warrior bit fur some reason ah aye git timorous aroond fowk 'n' A've aye hated bein' th' center o' attention even though ah huv muckle great strenght as ye saw whin we foremaist catch up wi`. A'm sorry again fur chasing yer mither, ah wouldn't huv hud A'd kent 'twas her. Bit if a'body did teach me tae be a gentleman 'twas mah mither, she aye tellt me tae treat ladies richt.(I don't know, I know i'm the biggest of my family. I'm even a a couple inches taller then my dad now. And as you remeber from the bear inncendent with the queen i'm more than capiable of being a hunter and fierce warrior but for some reason I always get shy around people and i've always hated being the center of attention even though i have massive strenght as you saw when we first meet. I'm sorry again for chasing your mother, I wouldn't have had i'd known it was her. But if anyone did teach me to be a gentleman it was my mother, she always told me to treat ladies right.)" he told her smiling softly at the memory of his beloved mother.

"She sounds lik' a wonderful woman, maybe ah kin meet her someday." Merida said after a couple of minutes, she looked up over at him.

Baist smiled sadly at Merida, then turned his head looking up at the sky. "Ah wish ye cuid, she wid huv liked ye Merida bit she died whin ah wis a wee wean. (I wish you could, she would have liked you Merida but she died when I was a small child)."

Merida looked at Baist with a sadden expression on her face, "I'm so sorry Baist."

"Tis a'richt Merida, she wis an amazing wifie though. She wis pure tough 'n' firce bit bonny 'n' gentle at th' identical time. She loved oor fowk dearly 'n' taught us wee jimmies richt. (It's ok Merida, she was an amazing woman though. She was strong and firce but beautiful and gentle at the same time. She loved our family dearly and taught us boys right.)."

"Kin I ask how she died?" Merida timidly asked, afraid she over stepped her boundary.

"She died in battle, she leid a wee gang tae sneak up oan a wee rebel force that whaur oan oor shores. She wis murdurred saving a bawherr lassie frae th' enemy. Thay murdurred her fowk 'n' wur gaun tae murdurr her bit mah maw saved her. She wirks in oor castle. Mah faither wis devastated whin he fun mah mither. Her death saddened th' kingdom. (She died in battle, she lead a small team to sneak up on a small rebel force that where on our shores. She was killed saving a little girl from the enemy. They killed her family and were going to kill her but my mum saved her. She works in our castle. My father was devastated when he found my mother. Her death saddened the kingdom.)."

"Is that how come ye cried whin I almost lost mah mum?" Merida asked moving closer to him.

"Aye, it's. Ah ken th' feeling o' losing a mither 'n' ah wis sadden ye kin lose yers. Nae gey manly huh? (Yes, it is. I know the feeling of losing a mother and I was sadden you may lose yours. Not very manly huh?)." he said looking at her.

"Na, 'twas manly. I was so scared i'd lose her, I dinnae ken what I would have done had I lost her. 'n' it would have bin all mah fault." Merida said looking down, she snapped her head up looking Baist in the eyes when she felt his hand on her shoulder.

"Ye made a mistake Merida in anger bit ye amened yer wrong, 'n' ye did it wi' th' bravery o' a warrior. (You made a mistake Merida in anger but you amened your wrong, and you did it with the bravery of a warrior.)."

Merida smiled up at him and couldn't help wrapping her arms around him as much as she could in a tight hug. Baist blushed but hugged her back as best he could with his free arm. They both were enjoying the moment of peace and understand that passed between them. Both teens have gone through a great ordeal at some point in their lives. They moved apart after a couple of minutes and continued their peaceful walk through the woods. They talked more about their childhoods and families. Merida learned more about Baist younger brothers and in turn he learned more about her three little brothers. They laughed at some of the trouble they would get into when they were younger.

"A've ne'er wanted tae act lik' a proper lassie but mah mother pushed it on me." Merida giggled when Baist laughed shaking his head.

"Ye dinnae say? ah coudnae tell. (You don't say? I couldn't tell.)."

She playfully punched him in the arm. The day continued on with their adventure in the forest, soon the sun began to set and they decided to head back to the castle so they could change and get ready for dinner. Once back to the castle they saw a tired and flustered Nandag looking around. Merida and Baist looked at each other confused. Nandag saw them and raced over to them, once close enough he took in their appearances. Merida in Baist's under shirt and Baist without a shirt on at all. He demanded to know what happen and if Merida was alright. She said she was fine waving him off. They told him how they went swimming and her dress was soaked so Baist let her borrow his dry under shirt. Baist asked why Nandag was so flustered and what he was looking for.

"I'm lookin' for yer cousin. I've bin chasing her a' day tae tell me where Merida was. Ye missed our walk." Nandag said looking at Merida.

Merida rubbed the back of her neck, "I'm sorry about that, we were tricked into th' woods by Aria. 'n' since me 'n' Baist were out there we made it into a day out. So whaur is Aria?"

"I dinnae ken, I lost sight o' her." he said.

"I kin tell ye where she is." came Gregor's voice from behind Nandag.

They all looked at him as he waved for them to follow him. He led them to the stables, near Nightmare's and Angus's stalls there was a large pile of hay with four sleeping figures on it. Aria and the three princes laid curled up fast asleep after their exhausting day running from Nandag.

"How did ye ken where she was 'ere?" Nandag asked.

"I've bin watchin' ye four run around lik' children all day. Aria even hid near me at times 'n' I'd send ye awa' saying ah haven't seen her." Gregor told Nandag as aist went over and picked Aria up bridal style.

Aria held Harris in her arms like a teddy bear, so Baist just carried both of them. Merida picked up her other two brothers, Hubert and Hamish, carrying them gentle and lovingly. Nandag snapped out of his shocked stupper that his best friend was helping the wee devils torture him all day.

"Ye did what Gregor! how could ye help her? she's a wee devil." Nandag seethed earning a glare from Baist.

"'twas funny 'n' ye guys seemed tae be huvin fun plus tis nae mah place tae interfer in yer game. Now keep yer voice down 'n' c'moan tis aboot time fur dinner." Gregor said to his best friend picking up the basket with the wet clothes.

Nandag had a put on his face as they all headed to the castle. They took Aria up to Merida's room tucking her into bed after getting Harris out of her arms. Then they took the boys to their room tucking them into their beds for the night, then they went to go get ready for dinner. Merida smiled at the girl sleeping in her bed, she placed Baist's shirt on the bed after changing into a new dress. Before Merida left she bent down by Aria and whispered her thanks for the great day out.

The boys all had different thoughts as they got ready. Nandag kept thinking of what could have happened between Merida and Baist in the woods. Gregor couldn't help grinning at the events of the day and how funny it was to watch Nandag chase the four younger heirs around. And Baist had a big grin remembering his day with Merida and how she was starting to understand his thick accent. Dinner went by roughly uneventful, same as always the men got out of hand. Before going to bed Merida smiled warmly changing back into Baist's comfortable big under shirt. Merida had a warm smile on her lips as she fell into a dream filled night.

That's all for chapter seven. I'm sorry it took me so long to post this chapter. Thank you every one for your continued support and I hope to update soon. Thank you all again, please review.