AN: This was so LONG... and this entire chapter was just kinda one big experiment, so... Yeah... I hope you guys like it! Also, just as a general note, Guest Reviews do take a few days to show up on the site, but I generally get an email right away, so no worries! I see your reviews, and they are very much appreciated :) Also; If you're a Hiccup lover you might want to check out the spin-off I did for this series called February 29th. It's a one short, but it's mostly from Hiccup's POV, so, yeah... Check it out!
NOTES: All of Nature is Singing...
REVIEWERS!:
BrawlerGamer: Yes, it is very troubling relationship, but remember that we've only seen it from Merida's POV. Elinor is trying her best to do what's best for Merida and for the four clans. I hope this chapter might show a little bit of Elinor's side of things, but we won't really be seeing that for another two-four chapters or so. STILL NOT DONE WITH THE CAULDRON CAKES! I have no doubt that Fred and George would be Jack and Hiccup's idols at the school if they were in the same timeline, but I'm afraid this is probably centuries before the Harry Potter stories take place.
Graceful Petals: Thank you so much! I hope you enjoy this extra long update.
ThatGuy222: No worries! I have a history with weird review things happening! I am totally aware that Guest reviews generally take at least a few days to appear on the site, and I don't mind the other reviews at all, it actually means a lot that you want to make sure I get your encouraging message :) Anyways~ There's no point in hiding it: Yes next year is Hiccup centered. I am unsure of how much I'm going to include the Riders at this point in time (mostly because I have two different ideas for this series, and I'm not sure which one I'm going to use...) But the Riders will, at some point, play a much bigger part in the series. (I also love Race to the Edge). And, luckily, Merida gets a little bit of a breather in this chapter!
C: I don't think I will ever get I review from you that doesn't make me feel really, really happy. I'm glad you like how I portray the characters because one of my main motivations for starting this series was the fact that no one really developed the characters all that well, or played with different aspects of the characters. I really like getting deep inside a characters head and emotions, so there's plenty of that. (also Jack and Hiccup's friendship gives me life, so it makes me happy whenever someone says that they like it!). Your reviews make me smile and blush a lot. Thank you for all your kind words! :3
Chapter 9: The Great Moor
When Jack, Hiccup, and Rapunzel brought Merida back to the castle after their trip to Hogsmeade, they brought her straight to Dr. Sweet in the Infirmary. Being the professional he was, he easily recognized her sickness as stress-induced, and possibly too much candy. Merida was confined to bed rest for the rest of the weekend, and had to be cleared by Dr. Sweet before returning to her classes on Monday.
Her mother had been horrified, but not for the reasons Merida thought she would be. Queen Elinor had been so worried, she hadn't even thought to scold her for going against her wishes and going on the Hogsmeade trip. King Fergus had received quite the scolding for allowing her to go without a proper escort, but it seemed the Queen was more worried about Merida's health than anything else in that moment.
Merida knew she should have felt guilty for disobeying her mom because she had only been trying to protect her in her own, annoying way, but she felt happy as her mother fussed over her during that time. She was so worried, and it reminded Merida of when she was younger and her mother had acted this way all the time.
Merida's heart clenched because for the first time in a long time, she and her mother weren't arguing. Her mother was just loving her, and worrying about her.
Those few days of tenderness and care gave way to the following weeks of softer expectations. Her mother still made her attend all of the events for the Games, but released her from her Princess Lessons for the time, and her friends were endlessly grateful to have her among them again.
As the days grew colder and snow fell from the sky, Merida got more and more nervous. Her mother's sudden change in mood was something very fragile, in Merida's mind, and not to be trifled with unnecessarily.
However, she was running out of time, and she refused to miss out on something so exciting because she was to cowardly to ask on time.
Steeling herself, Merida gripped the crisp white envelope in her right hand and walked into her parents rooms. Her father was sitting in a large chair, sharpening his sword, and her mother was sitting on the couch with her papers scattered along the smooth surface of the coffee table.
"Ah, lass, how were your classes today?" Fergus asked warmly upon seeing her.
"They were good." Merida answered simply, rocking on her feet as her hands fidgeted with the letter. "But I came to ask you and mom a question." She decided just to spit it out before she lost her nerve.
This prompted her mother to glance up from her papers for a moment with a questioning look. "Well, what is it, dear?"
"Well, you see, my friend Jack gave Rapunzel, Hiccup, and me some invitations to his Coming of Age Ceremony over the Winter Holiday, and I was wondering if I could go..." Merida trailed off, biting her lip nervously.
"Where exactly is this going to take place?" Her mother inquired.
"At the Temple of Seasons, but Rapunzel's going! And Jack's mom will be there, too!" Merida added in as quick as she could.
"Oh, Merida, the Temple of Seasons is very far away, and only one parent for all four of you children?" Elinor looked slightly incredulous, but thankfully, the King decided to put his thoughts into words.
"Ah, let the lass go, Elinor!" Fergus waved at her, the Queen returned it with a glare, though, so he continued. "It'll be good experience for her! A completely different culture that she'll get to see first hand. Besides, the lass can take care of herself when she isn't hurling chocolate frogs!" Fergus snorted and laughed, and Merida giggled with him.
"That isn't funny, Fergus!" Elinor muttered, lightly smacking his arm with disapproval written across her face.
Merida held her breath, though, as a thoughtful look appeared on her mother's face. For a long moment, no one dared to even move while the Queen thought over the matter, and when she finally made to speak, Merida felt her stomach clench in apprehension.
"Oh, alright!" She finally relented, and Merida couldn't help but explode with a whoop of excitement before her mother quickly reigned her back in. "But you must stay with the group at all times, and if anything happens, you will come straight home, understand? You will follow Ms. Frost's rules without question, you will be polite, and I expect you to have a deeper knowledge of Winter Sprite culture when you return." Elinor warned her, but Merida nodded along easily, too happy to be bothered by such little things.
Wait until she told her friends!
The train station was extremely crowded as Merida, Jack, Hiccup, and Rapunzel tried to find Jack's mother. They could barely move without being separated from one another, so they stayed relatively still as they reached up to their tip-toes in an attempt to see over the heads of all of the much taller people around them.
"Jack!" They heard someone call. "Mama, look! I found them! Cat!"
Peering through the never-ending crowd, Merida spotted Jack's little sister, Emma, waving to them excitedly and smiling brightly as she held her mother's hand. Mrs. Frost was a bit more reserved, but smiled widely when she saw them.
"Jack," She said warmly as they approached. Emma ran to them and wrapped her arms around Jack in a tight hug, and then she was off like a bullet, grabbing hold of Hiccup's hand and beaming up at him happily.
"Cat!" She cheered, obviously pleased to see him.
Merida couldn't help but giggle at the scene because Emma was just so happy to see Hiccup, and Hiccup didn't seem to mind at all. In fact, he seemed almost as happy to see her as she was to see him, in his own, quiet way.
"I hope you all had a good trip," Matilda said, and Jack responded by hugging her tightly.
"It was great, mom." He reassured her with a smile.
"Excellent, because we have another train to catch in fifteen minutes." Matilda told them, looking down at the papers she was holding. "Your grandmother is ecstatic to have all of you children coming for the Holidays. It's been quite some time since she last had such a full house." Matilda told them as they gathered their trunks and bags and started off towards a different platform.
"I hope we aren't imposing too much." Rapunzel noted.
"But think of The Great Moor! I don't know anyone from school who's ever been there before." Merida pointed out. It was like a brand new adventure, and they would no doubt have the best stories when they came back.
"Most of my dad's side of the family lives there. And my mom's family owns the lighthouse just off the coast." Jack informed them, making Matilda chuckle.
"That was a very long time ago. Not too long after I married Jack and Emma's father, my parents decided they were too old to run the lighthouse. They offered it to Percy and I, so we could be closer, but Percy needed to be close to his work and I was working as a nurse for the local clinic. My young cousin, Conan, takes care of the lighthouse now." Matilda explained, smiling as they all chattered on about the exciting trip that lay before them.
The train they took to get to the Temple of Seasons was not as extravagant as the Hogwarts Express, but it moved just as quickly and even though the seats were open instead of divided by compartments, the longer booths did seat an extra person. Merida sat on the end with Hiccup sitting next to her, and on the other side of him was little Emma beside the window. Across from Merida was Rapunzel, Jack sat in the middle across from Hiccup, and Matilda took the other window-seat across from Emma.
The trip was definitely long. They spent, roughly, eight hours traveling in that one train, not including the time it took the train to make stops for other passengers along the way. Most of their entertainment came from conversation and the changing scenery as the train moved on.
The endless fields of Scotland gave way to miles of thick forest, and plenty of wildlife could be spotted between the tall trunks of the trees. Eventually they left the forest for more fields, and the hours of traveling began to wear on all of them. The silences grew longer as the tired group struggled to keep their eyes open while the sun slowly sank closer and closer to the horizon.
Long after the sun had gone down and the moon had taken it's place along with a million stars, they finally reached the last stretch of track before the Great Moor train station.
The Great Moor was situated on a very large island that was connected to the mainland by a famous bridge known as "The Bridge of the Moors". It was the longest bridge in the whole world, reaching across two hundred miles of ocean to connect the home of the Wilder-Creatures to the rest of the world. The bridge was a symbol of unity and peace between all species, and it was quite the sight for little Emma, who had never seen the ocean before that day.
It was Emma's sharp gasp that drew Merida's attention away from their mediocre card game and up to the window of the train. Emma stared out of the window with wide, sparkling eyes as the ocean waves reflected the light of the moon and stars.
"It's so pretty." She whispered, mesmerized by the endless expanse of water. She looked up at Hiccup who was looking out the window with her, a bright smile on her face. "The music is so much louder here."
Hiccup blinked down at her, seemingly confused for a moment, and then realization came over his features. "I guess you haven't spent much time outside of the city, have you?" Hiccup smiled down at her, and she shook her head. "Well, the ocean tends to be pretty loud. In places like this, where nature is more prominent than civilization, you'll find that it's easier to hear everything."
"Wow..." Emma breathed staring out the window again. Merida did have to agree with her. Though they had all seen the ocean plenty of times, this imparticular was quite amazing. Being in the middle of the ocean, surrounded by endless water that reflected an endless sky full of stars could make anyone feel small.
"Look there! That's where mom used to live." Jack told Emma, pointing towards a lighthouse that stood on a small island two or three miles off the coast of the Moor. Emma eagerly followed her brother's directions to the small structure and peered at it from her seat.
Matilda chuckled at her children's excitement. "You know, there's an old legend that goes with that lighthouse. My mother used to tell it to me all the time. Maybe if you behave, I'll tell you the story."
The last of the train ride ended all too quickly for Emma as they reached land again and soon came to a stop at the train station. They collected their things, and at about eleven o'clock at night, they finally stepped off the train at their destination.
"It's so nice to be able to stretch again." Rapunzel sighed, reaching her arms above her head as she yawned widely. Emma bounced on her heels right next to her, looking around excitedly.
"Matilda!" The group looked up at the sound of someone calling for Mrs. Frost, and the adult of their group turned to see who had called out to her, only to smile.
"Li! Mother!" She said, hurrying over to meet them half way as they rushed to hug her tightly.
Two, rather short, women stood before them. The younger of the two looked to be only a bit younger than Matilda, and she had black hair tied up into a high bun with maroon and dark green robes. The other was significantly older, her hair completely white, though Merida wasn't sure if that was entirely from her age alone, and it was also tied back. The older woman wore blue and white robes and a black circlet that was embedded with a glistening blue jewel.
"Oh, and Jack! You must be so excited! It's so good to see you after so long!" The younger woman, Li, welcomed the Winter Sprite, pulling him into a tight hug.
"Thanks, Auntie Li." Jack said, returning the hug with one of his own.
"Grandma!" Emma cheered, rushing to the older woman who beamed at the sight of the child.
"Oh, there's my little firecracker! How are you, dear?" The white-haired woman asked as she hugged Emma in greeting.
Many more family greetings were exchanged, which were then followed by introductions that were inevitably followed by Jack's family giving Merida, Hiccup, and Rapunzel hugs of welcome as well. Turns out that the older woman was Jack's grandmother on his father's side, and Mrs. Fa was his dad's sister, and, therefore, also his aunt.
"Zhou wanted me to be sure that you knew how sorry he was that he wasn't able to be here to welcome you, but with all the preparations for the Winter festival going on the Town Council is in a fit and he had to go deal with a problem to do with the banquet arrangements." Auntie Li was saying to Matilda, but Jack's mother quickly waved it off.
"Oh, there's no need to worry. It's a busy time of year." She sympathized.
"Not all of it's got to do with business." Grandmother Frost muttered to Merida, nudging her arm with her aged elbow. "Those Earth Sprites are always so serious. Must be because they're so grounded, eh?"
"Mother!" Li scolded the older woman, but Grandma Frost just waved her off.
"Oh, don't try to deny it! You always did take after your father. Percy and I were always the cool-headed ones in the family." The old woman chuckled as she hobbled on, but Merida stopped and stared after the woman, aware of her friends stopping next to her.
"Did your Grandmother just...?" Merida questioned slowly, pointing after the old woman.
"I think she did." Rapunzel nodded, not taking her eyes off the woman.
"Twice." Hiccup agreed.
"My Grandma makes the best puns!" Jack grinned, puffing his chest out proudly.
Jack's family was very welcoming to the group of new comers. Upon arriving at the Fa household, which was a rather large farm estate, they met Zhou, Jack's uncle by marriage, and Jack's cousin Mulan who was also an Earth Sprite.
Mulan was quite a few years older than them, being twenty she had already graduated from Hogwarts just before they started their first year, but she was very kind and was more than willing to show them to their rooms and offer to show them around the estates in the morning.
Finally, there was nothing left to do but get ready for bed, but once that was finished they were all feeling a bit restless from the long day of traveling. Jack and Hiccup ended up slipping into their room, unable to sleep, and Emma slipped out of her bed to go out onto the balcony where she could see the ocean, the beach, and the lighthouse in the distance. Hiccup joined Emma out on the balcony while Jack flopped onto Emma's bed with a groan.
"I'll never be able to sleep after sitting around for so long." He huffed, frowning at the small clock that told them it was close to one o'clock in the morning.
Jack's mother chuckled, shaking her head as she ushered Emma and Hiccup back inside before closing the glass doors to the balcony. "How about a story? Would that help you to settle down?"
All five of them visibly perked up at the mention of a story, and they quickly gathered on Emma's bed as Matilda sat on the foot of it. They all shifted until they were comfortable, and then the children looked up at Matilda expectantly as she smiled at them.
"Now, how about the old legend of the lighthouse, hm?" Matilda asked, and they nodded eagerly. "Alright. Once Upon a Time, long ago, there lived a little girl. This little girl lived on a very small island with her mother and father who cared for her very much. The little girl loved the ocean, and every day she would go swimming, hearing the sea call to her with it's endless song."
"One day, the little girl watched as her parents gather together the best of their catch and wrap it in a cloth, sending it off to the Moor to be placed at the foot of the mountain as a gift for the Great Prince."
"The Great Prince was a kind protector who brought peace and light to all the realms. He ruled the skies with his powerful wings to carry him, and watched over the land and sea. Every day he would fly from dawn until dusk, protecting and helping all those who needed him, and so the village that lived beneath his mountain home would honor him with gifts of food and gold at the foot of the mountain."
"It was that day that the little girl realized she had nothing to give to her Prince. 'You shouldn't worry' her mother told her, 'the Prince does not expect gifts from children'. But the little girl was deeply troubled that she had no gift to give. And so, she decided that every day as the sun began to set, she would sing for her Prince, hoping that somehow, he would hear her."
"And every day, she would sing. As the sun touched the horizon, she would return to shore from her swimming and sing her thanks out to the sea and sky. Many moons passed, and she did not cease her singing even once. She continued to sing for her Prince until one day, as the sun stained the ocean and sky with it's fiery glow, a figure appeared in the sky. Unknowingly, the little girl kept singing, and slowly the figure came down from the clouds to rest it's aching feet on the warm rocks. The little girl, having heard the figure land, turned around, frightened."
"Before her stood the Great Prince. The protector that brought peace to all the realms. The little girl quickly dropped to her knees, bowing to the Great Prince who looked upon her with great kindness. 'Please, do not stop' he said, startling the little girl. She did not think that the Great Prince's voice would be so soft or sound so tired. 'I have flown very far and very long. Every day, when I return, I have heard you sing. Might I rest in the warmth of the sand and listen to your song?' the Great Prince asked. Delighted to serve her Prince, the little girl agreed and sang for the Prince until the moon rose high into the sky."
"Many days passed, and each sunset, when the Prince returned from his rounds, he would stop on the little island to rest and to listen to the little girl's song. Days turned to weeks, and weeks turned to months, and the Prince watched over the little girl as if she were his own kin. They began to speak to each other, they would sing together, swim together, and tease even each other. Their friendship grew stronger with each day. 'Like the ocean reflects the sky, your soul reflects my own.' the Prince told her as he flew above her while she swam."
"One day a grand festival was to be held at the Moor in honor of the Great Prince, and so the girl and her parents sailed to the larger island. The party was certainly grand, and the Prince was seated in the place of honor as many villagers approached to offer him different gifts and entertainment. However, when the Prince saw the little girl, he smiled and rose. Silence fell over the crowd, and the Prince called the little girl to his side. 'This girl has won favor with me.' He told the crowd. 'So let all people see this coat upon her shoulders and honor her as they would me.' And he gave the little girl a pure white coat that glowed with the light of his magic. The crowds were amazed, and the little girl twirled in her coat, overwhelmed with joy."
"But there were some who didn't want to honor her. Many girls became jealous, wondering why she should have the Prince's favor, and when the Prince was distracted, the village girls lured the little girl away from the party and off to the shore. There they mocked her. They took her coat and tore it into pieces. They pushed her into the sand where waves washed over her hands and legs. Oh, did they enjoy her pain. And once they were finished, they gave the little girl over to the evil Sea Witch."
"Now, you see, the Sea Witch was jealous of the little girl as well. She hated the little girl because the Prince favored her. The sea sang to her. Her voice was beautiful. But the Sea Witch had never been able to hear the Songs of Nature. For all the years she spent in the sea, she had never been able to hear the ocean's song."
"'You are my slave now, girl, and no slave should be more beautiful than their master!' the Sea Witch claimed, and cursed the child. The little girl's skin turned a dark, dark grey, her nose elongated and grew long, white whiskers. Her fingers shortened, and her legs melted together. Soon the pretty girl had been transformed into a creature of the sea. The little girl tried to call for help, but even her voice had been changed."
"The Sea Witch laughed at her misfortune, and reached out to take the little girl to her underwater lair, but the creature-girl escaped the witch's grasp and used her new form to swim away from the danger of the Sea Witch. The little girl escaped into the sea, and eventually came to rest on the ocean floor."
"The little girl was sad that she was no longer human, but as she looked around, her curiosity overcame her sadness, and the little girl began to explore the new world around her. She loved being able to breathe underwater and see all of the wonderful things that had been out of her reach before. She was finally one with the sea that had always called to her."
"After some time, the girl decided that she could accept her new life, but first she had to say goodbye to her mother and father who had loved her so well. So, the little sea creature returned to her family's island. She climbed onto the rocks, but had no way to speak with her parents. Overwhelmed by her grief, the little sea creature sang out to the sea, and the waves and the wind carried the song to the ears of the Prince. Hearing the little girl's song, the Prince flew to her without hesitation, but when he came to the island, the little sea creature hid behind a stack of rocks before her Prince could see her, too ashamed by her appearance to allow her magnificent Prince to look at her. But the Prince could sense her presence, and she knew he would not leave without answers."
"'Why do you hide from me, little one?' The Prince called to her. 'I have been searching for you everywhere. Your mother and father are sad, and I have been very worried. Where have you been?' he asked her. Unable to hide from her Prince any longer, the little sea creature slowly came out from behind the rocks, revealing what the Sea Witch had done."
"'My Prince.' She sobbed. 'I am no longer human, and I cannot live with my family any more. The Sea Witch had cursed me, and I have become one with the sea.' She told him, and the Prince listened to her tale without a sound. When she finished, the Prince reached out smoothed her hair."
"The little girl gasped as, suddenly, she was no longer a sea creature, but a normal girl once again, and looked up at the Prince with both joy and sadness. 'Do not be sad. You have not lost the ocean.' He said to her. 'The Sea Witch cannot make you something you are not, she can only trap you within yourself. I have freed you from her trap, and I have given you the power to live in the sea as you live on the land. With your Song, you may return to the sea whenever you wish.' the Prince promised her."
"The little girl, so happy, hugged the Prince, and he returned her embrace with just as much joy. 'Thank you, my Prince' the little girl whispered as the sun began to set. 'I swear for this day and forever more, I shall serve no other but you and my song shall be for none other but you.'"
"And that is how the first Selkie came to be. It's said that from that day on, whenever the girl sang her song, the Prince would always return to her. The End." Matilda whispered her last words as she realized that they were all slowly falling to sleep. "And now, I think it best if you all return to your own beds."
A few mumbled agreements reached the air, but Merida was too tired to actually pay attention as she dragged her feet across the floor. She climbed into her bed and laid down, pulling the blankets around her tightly. Across from her, Matilda was just finishing tucking Emma into bed.
"Do you think..." Emma yawned in the middle of her sentence, but managed to pick it back up. "Do you think Selkies are real, mama?"
"I'm sure it's possible, darling. Goodnight." Mrs. Frost whispered, gently kissing Emma's forehead and then blowing out the candle on the nightstand.