AN: This chapter was so long, and I could not stay focused while writing it. I swear, every five seconds I got distracted by something. But it's finally done, and I hope you all enjoy it! :)
NOTES: Summer is Passing, Leaves are Falling, Snow is Coming, Spring will be here Soon.
REVIEWERS!:
BrawlerGamer: I love foreshadowing. Trust me, there is so much foreshadowing I just can't even... GAH! I'm glad you're enjoying Hiccup's personality, honestly I am so excited for everything I've got planned! (no matter what I end up deciding to do...). Yeah, Gothel is still really sour about that. And NO! The Prophecy does not say that. I very nearly did not include a Prophecy because it is so typical in most Big Four stories/AUs, so trust me, it is not as typical as you think it is because that is the only reason it made the cut! *laughs manically while rubbing hands together as a Howler lays on the desk in front of me*.
Music: "Remember to Smile" by Patrick Doyle (Brave 2012 soundtrack)
Chapter 3: Remember To Smile
Greenery rushes passed them as the sturdy, bright red train moved swiftly across the long stretches of land along the familiar track. The whistle blows now that they have cleared the station and are on their way to the grand castle that Merida had missed so much over the Summer.
Honestly, it was a miracle that Merida had been allowed to take the Hogwarts Express to school that year because her mother had almost insisted on Merida riding in the Royal carriages with the rest of the family. Luckily, Merida's father had stepped in and convinced Elinor to let her take the train with her friends.
Merida sighs heavily as she flops into her seat, having been standing by the window to wave goodbye to her family. Well, she supposed it was more of a 'see you later' sort of wave this time around, which only made the twisted knot in her stomach tighten. What would everyone at school say once her family showed up? She could practically hear the rumors starting already, and she didn't even want to think about the endless teasing that surly awaited her.
"Merida?" Rapunzel's voice brought Merida out of her thoughts and she looked over to find all three of her friends were looking at her worriedly. "Are you alright?" Rapunzel asked gently, placing a comforting hand on Merida's shoulder.
"...I just don't understand! It's not like I ask for a lot! Why is it so hard for her to understand that I'm not like her? That I don't want to get married and throw my whole life away?" Merida burst, unable to keep it in any longer. For the past two weeks her mother had been relentless in trying to prepare her for the Games, and being on the Hogwarts Express was like being in her own place. Somewhere safe, and private. Like the stables back home. But the more Merida thought about it, the more she realized that school normally felt the same: safe and private, away from her expectant mother. Now that was all going to change.
"This sounds like a classic case of miscommunication." Jack nodded decisively, rubbing his chin thoughtfully as he did so. Then he jumped up into a crouch on the bench seat. "You should practice! Come on, pretend Hiccup's your mom! What would you say to her?"
"Hey, wait a minute, why do I have to be her mom? Why can't Rapunzel be her mom? She's a girl!" Hiccup complained, crossing his arms and glaring up at Jack.
"You wanna help Merida, don't you?" Jack's argument didn't make much sense, but the white-haired boy hardly ever used logic when arguing with people.
Hiccup, apparently, decided it wasn't worth the battle and gave in, turning to Merida who was seated right in front of him. He took a deep breath and then let all out at once, folding his in front of his stomach just like Merida always had to do during her Speaking Lessons. "Oh, Merida, darling, you don't understand! There are laws and traditions and whatnot, and you must be a pretty princess and marry a handsome Lord, or it's all for naught!"
Merida and Rapunzel burst into giggles as Hiccup spoke in a high pitch and raised his chin to look and sound like a proper noblewoman, and Merida had to admit that the impression was pretty spot on.
"Are you kidding? I can't do this!" Merida chuckled, but shook her head at the same time. They didn't honestly think this could help, did they?
"Yes you can, just give it a try! At the very least it'll make you feel better," Jack said, motioning towards Hiccup encouragingly.
The smaller boy still had the silly look on his face, but Merida decided to humor them. It couldn't possibly make this worse, so what harm was it? Merida closed her eyes for a moment, trying to really think about what she would say to her mother if she took the time to listen.
"Just... Just Call Off The Gathering! Would that kill them? You're the Queen. You can just tell the Lords that 'the princess is not ready for this, and, in fact, she might not ever be ready for this, soooo, that's that. Good day to you! We'll expect your Declarations of War in the morning." She said with a rather sarcastic smile, and then deflated for a moment because of how selfish that probably sounded.
"I don't want my life to be over. I want my freedom!" She tried to explain.
"I'm not doing any of this to hurt you!" She added. She never wanted to hurt anybody.
"But it's my life! I'm... I'm just not ready." She slumped back in her seat, her stomach giving a terrible pull again. She couldn't be scared, she wasn't scared, it's just that... She just needed time!
"I think I could make you understand if you would just... Listen." She practically begged, and her prideful side did feel a b shameful for it, but she was too desperate to care. Her friends looked the way she felt; helpless and upset. Worried to the point of being sick.
For just a second, Merida's eyes dropped down in defeat, but then she steeled herself and looked up, more determined than ever. "I swear, you guys, this isn't going to happen." She told them softly, firmly. "Not if I have any say in it."
The train ride felt so much shorter to Merida than it had the past two years, and dread pooled in her stomach as the wheels screeched to an undeniable stop. From the window she could see her mother standing on the platform, waiting for her. Her father must have gone ahead with the boys.
"Maybe we could sneak passed her?" Jack suggested upon seeing what she was looking at, but Merida sighed and shook her head.
"If she doesn't find me here she'll get the entire castle staff looking for me within the hour." Merida grumbled and resigned herself to sitting through the presentation with her family. But that didn't mean she had to like it.
Getting off of the train with all the other students, Merida wanted to shrink away into nothing as her mother caught sight of her.
"Merida!" She called delicately, hurrying over, and then the Queen took a glance at what she was wearing. "Merida, this is hardly the proper attire for the Gathering! Oh, come with me! The Lord's haven't arrived yet, so we can find you something more appropriate to wear." The Queen said, fussing over Merida like a mother hen.
"Mom! My robes are fine! Everyone else is wearing them." Merida pointed to her friends who had also changed into their robes during the train ride.
"But you are the princess, and tonight you are expected to look and behave like one, Merida." Queen Elinor's voice came a little more sharply this time, but her expression softened as she steered Merida towards the Royal Carriage that was waiting for her near by. "These children will one day look up to you as a Queen of one of the Unite Realms. You want to make a good impression, don't you?"
Merida only groaned weakly, looking apologetically at her friends over her shoulder, but they smiled encouragingly back at her. It was going to be a long night, and Merida knew they were wishing her luck.
The carriage brought them up to the castle where Merida was rushed to the private chambers dedicated to the Scottish Royal Family during their visit. Maids scuttled about, unpacking the Queen's and King's belongings, but they were quickly ushered out of the room with the excuse that the princess needed to get dressed for the Gathering.
For a whole hour Merida was squeezed into a too-tight corset, her curly hair was yanked by a brush until it finally submitted into a shape that the Queen deemed exceptable, she was ordered to put on eighteen different dresses before her mother decided which one was the right one, and then her hair and head were shoved into a head covering that reached from her hairline down her neck and all the way to her shoulders. Quite literally, every inch of her, excluding her face, was covered by some kind of heavy, rich fabric.
Tucking the last lock of Merida's hair into the covering and clipping a silver necklace around her neck, Elinor stepped back to admire her work. "You look absolutely beautiful." Elinor smiled fondly at her.
"I... I can't breathe!" Merida struggled with the words, the dress being too tight and too hot. It was completely uncomfortable and impractical.
"Oh, hush!" Elinor silenced her. "Give us a turn," She said, motioning with her arm.
Merida proceeded to try and do what she was told, but the dress and corset were so tight that she barely move even her legs. "I can't move!" Merida exclaimed when she had only made one-fourth of a turn with much difficulty. "It's too tight!" She came to face front again, but her mother wasn't listening.
"It's perfect!" Elinor said, her voice choked as if she were going to cry. Merida just let out a long, heavy groan and continued trying to move even just her shoulders underneath the layers of fabric, small grunts and groans escaping her with the struggle. The Queen took a breath suddenly, as if to say something, and Merida looked up. Making eye contact, Merida suddenly felt like she was a very small child again and a spark of hope fluttered through her stomach. "...Merida." Elinor murmured.
"Mom?" Merida inquired, equally as quiet as her mother drew closer to her.
"Just..." She paused, as if unsure of what to say, and then drew herself up into a dignified stance with a deep breath. "Remember to smile." She finished and turned to lead the way out of the room.
Merida stared after her, unsure of how she should feel as the small spark she had felt grew so cold. It was like a shard of ice as she tried to make sense of the frustration, the anger, and the sadness that struck her like a bludger to the side in a Quidditch match.
Merida was lead down to the Great Hall just in time for North's announcement of her family staying at the school with the students. Merida near about died as the large, heavy doors opened to reveal her and her family along with their parade of servants and guards. Whispers spread across the Great Hall like wild fire, and Merida's only comfort was that Jack, Hiccup, and Rapunzel had all sat on the inside of the middle aisle at the Ravenclaw table, whispering encouragements and giving her thumbs-up as she passed them.
The teachers' tables on the dais had been moved to the sides to make room for the four thrones that had been delivered from the Dunbroch castle throne room, and North welcomed them warmly, her father and the Deputy Headmaster clasping arms and patting each others backs heartily.
Elinor motioned for the servants to get into their places as Fergus took his position on the largest throne. Merida went to the one placed just beside him and struggled to sit down because she couldn't bend with the corset on.
Her mother finally swept passed, tapping her shoulder and making her fall back into the chair. The Queen made an upwards motion with her hand, and Merida sat up straight with a huff of annoyance. Defiantly, she reached up and pulled a lock of her wild hair out of the covering.
Not a second later did her mother turn around and put the lock of hair right back into the covering, and then turned to go to her own seat on the other side of Fergus, leaving Merida to glare straight ahead of her with slightly pursed lips.
When Elinor took her seat the triplets ceased their constant wrestling and straightened themselves out as the King chuckled. Elinor reached up to fix a wrinkle in his sleeve, but the King pulled away grumpily.
"Bah, I look fine, woman, leave me be!" He grumbled in his deep, reverberating voice. Merida, encouraged by her father's own defiance, once again yanked the single curl of hair out of her covering, satisfied that her mother couldn't control everything.
It was quite obvious they had missed the Sorting Ceremony, which Merida wasn't too pleased about considering she had missed the first-years that would be joining Gryffindor that year, but she wasn't given much time to dwell on the matter as all four of the tables twisted and turned to see what was going on as the grand doors flew open with a loud bang.
The three Lords lead their people down the center aisle with their chins held high and their knees lifting to a ninety-degree angle with each marching step. Every face was the picture of seriousness as the crowds carried their individual flags proudly. When they came to a halt at the foot of the dais, all of the men planted their spears with an impressively synchronized thump.
After a moment, the shortest of the three Lords looked at the other two and noticed the vast height difference. He called out to one of his men, and immediately a servant moved forward and placed a stool on the floor, which the Lord stepped up onto.
Instantly, all the men cheered as the bagpipes played, creating a cacophony of sound that bounced off the stone walls of the hall. They waved the spears in the air and pounded their fists against their chests, yelling out with pride for their clans.
The King rose to his feet and silence instantly filled the hall. Merida noticed the confused looks shared between Hiccup and Jack while Rapunzel simply smiled back at her and gave her two thumbs-up.
"So," The King began, raising his arms up. "Here we are!... The Four Clans... Uh... Gathering!... Uh... For... for..."
Queen Elinor sighed, rising from her seat and stepping forward to save her husband from himself. "The Presentation of the Suitors!"
"The Presentation of the Suitors!" King Fergus shouted along with her, happy to have the help. "Clan Macintosh!"
"MACINTOSH!" The men from Clan Macintosh roared back, echoing the King. Lord Macintosh, himself, stepped forward for the presentation.
"Your Majesty! I present my Heir and Sire, who defended our land from the Northern Invaders and, with his own sword, vanquished a thousand foes!" Lord Macintosh raised his arms, which elicited more cheering from his men as Young Macintosh came forward swinging his sword about to show off his skills.
Merida only knew him as one of the boys from Slytherin. She supposed, sense she had never heard Jack complain about him, he must have been at least tolerable, but she really knew nothing about him. She peeked at her friends: Jack was making a gagging face, but upon noticing that Merida was looking, Rapunzel elbowed him in the gut and nodded towards her. Jack smiled nervously and waved to her sheepishly. Hiccup just fidgeted uncomfortably.
Looking back at Macintosh, she felt her stomach give a heave as he fixed her with a flirtatious look. Merida sighed heavily, shaking her head as she pulled her covering down to cover her face, sinking into her chair.
"MacGuffin!" The King called next, and once again he was met with a hearty cheering as the Lord stepped forward.
"Your Majesty. I present my eldest son. He snuffled the Viking long ships, and with his bare hands vanquished two thousand foes." Lord MacGuffin placed one large hand on his son's shoulder, and Young MacGuffin raised a small log that her held in his hands, one that would be perfect for firewood, and snapped it in two.
Cheers went up again, and Merida peeked out from under her covering to see a large boy she recognized from Hufflepuff. She looked over to Rapunzel, and the other girl nodded vigorously, but the wrinkle in her eyes as she smiled told Merida that she was just trying to be positive for her sake. Jack looked about ready to start laughing now, and Hiccup just looked really uncomfortable, fidgeting in his seat and avoiding eye-contact. Merida didn't worry about it much because it was probably just the very tall and muscly boys his age making him nervous.
"Dingwall!" The King called out, and the shouts rose once more. Lord Dingwall looked rather smug as he stepped down from his stool.
"Your Majesty. I present my only son." He rose his hand, and next to him stood the largest, mot intimidating, scary, battle-scarred, and rather handsome warrior out of all the men gathered before them.
Merida gaped at him and noted that her friends were doing the same. Her father looked positively disbelieving as her mother simply placed a hand on her chest as if she'd been startled by the giant.
"Who was besieged by ten thousand Romans, and he took out a whole armada single handedly! With one arm, he -..." He looked up and noticed the large man. With a slight growl, the smaller man reach behind the warrior and pulled out a boy from Gryffindor that was borderline pathetic. The only boy in the whole school smaller or skinnier than him was Hiccup and some of the younger classmates! "-With one arm," Lord Dingwall continued. "He was steering the ship, and with the other, he held his mighty sword, and struck down a whole attacking fleet!"
"LIES!" A voice shouted from somewhere in the room, causing an uproar of mutters and shouts.
"What?" Dingwall demanded, glaring into the Macintosh group for whoever had spoken. "I heard that! Rah! Say it to my face!... Or are you scared, simpering Jack-a-leaps afraid to muss your pretty hair?"
"At least we have hair!" Lord Macintosh retaliated, making the hall of people chuckle.
"And all our teeth!" Lord MacGuffin added in.
"And we don't hide under bridges, you grumpy, old troll!" Macintosh agreed, making everyone laugh hysterically. Even the King gave Elinor's shoulder a shove as he laughed loudly.
"You wanna laugh, huh? WEE DINGWALL!" Lord Dingwall shouted, and in the next moment Wee Dingwall had launch himself onto the back of Lord Macintosh, biting his shoulder like a rapid dog.
The bagpipe players started a tune and the hall exploded into a brawl between the three Clans. Merida was glad that the four tables had been pushed farther to the sides to widen the space of the Hall because otherwise her friends would have been crushed or caught up in the fighting.
Punches flew as roars and shouts of battle echoed off the stone walls. Merida rolled her eyes, and slumped deeper into her chair as her father excitedly shouted at the mess, egging them on. However, after sparing a look at the Queen's unamused face, Fergus straightened and stepped up from his throne.
"CUT IT!" The King shouted as loud as he possibly could. The noise and the fighting stopped, and everyone turned to look at the King. "Now. That's all done! You've had your go at each other. Show a little decorum! And no more fighting!"
What no one noticed though, except for Jack and Hiccup, were the three little red-haired boys that peeked up from a loose stone in the floor, and dropped a mace on Lord Dingwall's foot.
Chaos broke out once again and the Clans went right back to fighting as the students of Hogwarts looked about, unsure of what to do in such a situation. Toothiana and Sandman were both moving about the tables, trying to keep the students calm as King Fergus jumped into the fight. Bunnymund looked about ready to pull his wand and put an end to the madness, but North was laughing and talking about how somethings never change, eh, Bunny?
Finally, Queen Elinor rose from her seat and calmly descended from the dais, her chin lifted and a hardened expression on her features. The squabbling men fell silent one by one as she passed, removing their helmets and bowing lowly as they cleared a path for her that lead straight to King Fergus and the Lords who were tangled in a wrestling match. They froze upon seeing her and, for just a moment, no one moved.
Queen Elinor dragged them back to the foot of the dais by their ears, the Lords and Fergus whimpering like misbehaved children the whole way. She released them at the foot of the steps and continued to the top as the Lords bowed deeply and made their apologies.
"I'm sorry, love, I- I- I didn't..." King Fergus tried, but then saw the look on Elinor's face. "Yes, Dear." He mumbled, lumbering back to his throne as Elinor cleared her throat delicately and addressed the crowds.
"Now, where were we? Ah, yes. In accordance with our laws, by the rights of our heritage, only the first born of each of our leaders may be presented as Champions, and, thus, compete for the hand of the Princess of Dunbroch." The Queen projected formally, gaining the attention of not only the Clans, but all of the students as well. "To win the Fair Maiden they must prove their worth! By feats of strength or arms in the Games. It is customary that the challenge be determined by the Princess herself on the first day of Spring. Until that day we celebrate as United Clans with festivities and competitions of skill allowing the bonds between our peoples to grow stronger still!"
The Queen's words were met with cheers and excitement from the people. Queen Elinor did have quite the talent for leadership and diplomacy, which was what made her such an excellent Queen, but all Merida wanted was a mother who would listen to her. Her mother was too worried about the politics and traditions to even consider how Merida felt about the whole thing.
"Let the Games begin!" The Queen announced happily, and roars of approval met her words, but Merida was simply hoping she could find a way out of this before the first day of Spring.