AN: LONG~ Anyways, I hope y'all enjoy this chapter! We're coming to the end very quickly, only a couple of chapters left...
NOTES: True Friends are there for the good times, stay during the bad times, and still love you all the time.
REVIEWERS!:
Guest: Thank you so much! I've only ever gotten bits and pieces of Lotr, I've never actually read the books or watched the movies. I honestly don't know much about it at all. But I'm glad to hear that you like the centaurs! ...Also, if you're thinking what I think you're thinking, which is what I'm thinking, then we're thinking the same thing. And if not... Well, either way it doesn't really matter, but you might be catching on to my sinister plan! Thank you again for such a kind review! :)
BrawlerGamer: Two months, actually. One moon, is equal to one month because you see a Full Moon once every month. Hiccup only started helping Mr. Crood this year. Merida knows her friends can fight when they have to, but Rapunzel and Hiccup have both shown that they prefer peace over violence, and when standing against an all-powerful Sorcerer? Well, they all have reason to worry! Even when they're not trapped as bears! :)
Guest: I do. Once a week. Every Tuesday.
C: Thank you! All the positive feedback for the centaurs has me smiling! Hiccup's job is to keep the peace, even in his own franchise! Jell-o is good, I like jell-o. You apologize way too much! You always leave some of the longest, nicest reviews ever! And you, as a reader, are not obligated to continue reviewing. I deeply appreciate your regular reviews and kind words, so there's really no need to feel sorry! Your reviews always brighten my day! whether they're "short" or not :)
Music: "Not Now!" by Patrick Doyle (Brave 2012)
Chapter 17: Not Now!
One after the other, five heads poked up from behind a rock and looked up at the heavily guarded castle. Sentries paced on top of the thick stone walls, torches lit up the entire courtyard, and half a dozen guards stood alert at the main gate.
Merida shared a looked with her mother who stood next to her, but the Queen shook her head, giving a snort of protest as she backed away from their hiding place.
"Mom!" Merida hissed, jumping down from the rock as her mother started to walk away. "Do you have a better idea?" Elinor looked back at her daughter for a moment, and then huffed a sigh as her ears drooped slightly.
A soft gruff caught their attentions, and both of them turned to Jack and Hiccup. Jack gave a grumble at Hiccup, to which the smaller bear responded with a couple of squeaks. Jack groaned happily and then turned to Merida and Elinor, nodding excitedly.
Merida and Elinor shared another glance, wide-eyed confusion this time, and then looked back at the boys.
Within a few minutes the five companions were gathered together far below the main bridge, out of sight from any of the sentries. The path was a bit treacherous with the tide rising and spilling into the ravine, but they managed to find enough stones above the water to make their way across to where a metal grate blocked off a dark tunnel. The opening to the tunnel was about five feet above the ground, meaning climbing up there would not be an easy task, and Merida had no idea how they were going to get the grate off.
"How do we get in there?" Rapunzel voice Merida's thoughts.
Jack lowered his head, and Hiccup hopped onto it. Standing straight up, Jack lifted Hiccup high enough so that the smaller bear could jump and catch the grate, squeezing through the bars with his small form. Merida could see flashes of red fur as Hiccup scrambled up the form of a suit of armor that was placed on the inside of the tunnel. While there were plenty of suits of armor throughout the entire castle, Merida would've questioned the placement of this one, until Hiccup popped up on the shoulder. His back paws pushing on the shoulder, Hiccup used his front paws to push on the upright sword in the armor's right hand until it creaked and then fell forward to guard position.
The grate creaked, and then shook slightly as it started to rise up, opening the tunnel to them as the grate disappeared into the stone wall above.
Hiccup looked up from where he hung on the sword, having fallen forward when the sword dropped, and gave them a toothy smile. Jack grumbled happily and a bit smugly.
"That'll work." Merida grinned as Rapunzel clapped excitedly.
Yelling and shouting could be heard echoing throughout the halls of the castle, but just outside the Great Hall it could rattle one's bones if they were not prepared. The four clans had separated themselves, using the long tables to form blockades as they shot arrows at each other, screaming and shouting with the occasional axe thrown across the Great Hall.
Lord Macintosh and his men had formed their blockade in the grand archway of the doors, which, admittedly, was a fantastic battle strategy, but that meant anyone who stepped foot on the stairway would be seen almost immediately.
Down the stairs, around the corner and on the floor, a piece of the stone wall scraped quietly as it was pushed open just a bit. Jack and Hiccup poked their heads out, looking all about, and then, once they were sure the coast was clear, they finished pushing the wall open for the others.
Merida, Rapunzel, and Elinor filed into the open corridor. Hearing the commotion, Merida looked at Rapunzel and her mother curiously, before venturing up the stairs to peek around the banister.
What she saw was chaos. The four clans completely divided, her father and his soldiers holding the dais as the other three Lords faced off in the circle, demanding answers. North and Bunnymund stood by, making sure that the battle didn't move beyond the Great Hall, but none of the other teachers were anywhere to be seen.
"No more talk! No more traditions! We settle this now!" Lord MacGuffin roared, waving his sword about angrily.
"You're the King! You decide which one of our sons your daughter will marry!" Lord Macintosh challenged, pointing his mace at King Fergus accusingly. An axe embedding itself in his barricade met his demand.
"None of your sons are fit to marry my daughter!" Fergus shouted, drawing his sword and stopping a spear with his shield.
"Then our alliance is over! This means WAR!" Lord Dingwall bellowed, and then dropped to the floor behind his blockade as fifty arrows struck his small fortress. The Lords and their men howled great battle cries, lifting their weapons as they threatened to come to blows with each other.
Merida yanked herself away and ran down the steps. "They're gonna to murder each other!" She told her mother as her friends looked at her worriedly. "You've got to stop them before it's too late!"
Elinor recoiled at the thought, placing her great paws on her chest questioningly, and then motioning to her large form to remind Merida that she simply couldn't go before the Lords and her husband like this.
"I know, I know!" Merida panicked. "But how do we get you through there and up to the tapestry with the lot of them boiling over like that?"
Her mother and friends exchanged uncertain looks as Merida groaned in frustration, gripping fistfuls of her hair. Then her mother looked thoughtful for a moment before her eyes lit up, and she pointed one of her long claws at Merida and grumbling softly. Merida looked up at her, confused, but her friends were smiling widely at her.
The Lords and the King were screaming louder than ever, raising their weapons and ready to dive into battle against each other, but their cries slowly began to fade as Princess Merida walked passed them silently, her chin lifted high and a calm expression on her face as she walked towards the center of the Great Hall.
They all stared at her, wide-eyed and uncertain of what to do, as Merida stood at the foot of the dais, locking eyes with her father for a short moment.
"What are you doin', lass?" King Fergus asked incredulously, vastly confused as to what his daughter was doing.
"It's alright, dad." Merida assured him, turning to face the Lords. She quietly cleared her throat, and then folded her hands neatly in front of her. "I, uh... I have, well, you see... I have been in conference with the Queen."
"Is that so?" Lord Dingwall questioned doubtfully as he climbed over his blockade and started towards her.
"Aye, it is." Merida bit back, the warrior inside her screaming to take the challenge head on, but she managed to refrain herself.
"Well, where is she then?" Lord MacGuffin inquired, pushing the over-turned table away as if it weighed nothing and stomping out from behind it.
"She, uh..." Merida said oh-so-eloquently as she searched her mind for an excuse.
"How do we know that this isn't some trick?" Lord Macintosh griped, brandishing his mace as he stalked forward.
"I've never -!" Merida was about to spit back at him, but all the Lords started speaking at once, surrounding her in a half circle.
"This is highly irregular!" Lord Macintosh said loudly.
"Where is the Queen?" Lord MacGuffin shouted.
The Lords voices began blending together into one, unintelligible blur as they pressed in on Merida, demanding that their Queen come forth and give them answers. Getting overwhelmed all of them yelling at her at once, Merida did the one thing she could think of in this situation.
"SHUT IT!" She screamed at the top of her lungs, her voice bouncing off of the stone walls and silencing everyone.
Her father's hounds whined, falling away from the front of her father's blockade where they had been barking and snarling, ready for battle, and not one of the soldiers dared to speak, or even move. Merida could hear her father's delighted chuckle behind her.
"Well," Merida said, straightening up and lowering her voice to a normal speaking tone. "I, uh..." Merida looked about, but then her eyes snapped to the door where she could see Jack, Hiccup, Rapunzel, and her mother trying to sneak towards the stairs while everyone was distracted and not looking. Her mother motioned her to keep going as the pair tiptoed towards the stairs, but Merida had no idea what to say.
Seeing that she was distracted, Lord Macintosh followed her gaze, but Elinor froze in a silent roar like the bear statues her father owned, and Rapunzel ducked behind the Queen where she wouldn't be seen while the boys dove behind a tapestry. Macintosh looked back at Merida, his brow narrowed.
"Once... There was an ancient kingdom." Merida began, saying the first thing that came to mind.
"What is this?" Lord MacGuffin demanded.
"That kingdom fell into war, and chaos, and ruin." Merida told them, watching out of the corner of her eye as Elinor and Rapunzel started sneaking towards the stairs again.
"Bah, we've all heard that tale!" Macintosh scoffed, then added in a mutter. "Lost kingdom..."
"Aye, but it's true!" Merida continued. "I know now how one selfish act can turn the fate of a Kingdom."
"Gah, it's just a legend." Lord Dingwall sniffed.
"Legends are Lessons, they ring with truth." Merida stressed, finally feeling as if she had their attention. "Our Kingdom is young. Our stories are not yet legends, but in them, our bond was struck." Merida let her eyes drift to where Rapunzel, Jack, and Hiccup were peeking out of their hiding places, silently thanking them for everything. "Our Clans were once enemies. But when invaders threatened us from the sea, you joined together to defend our lands! You fought for each other. You risked everything for each other." Merida smiled at her friends, and then turned her gaze to the Lords. "Lord MacGuffin, my dad saved your life stopping an arrow as you ran to Dingwall's aid!"
"Aye, and I'll never forget it." MacGuffin agreed softly, looking up at the King who nodded back.
"And Lord Macintosh, you saved my dad when you charged in on heavy horse and held off the advance!" Merida went on, and Macintosh smiled somewhat smugly, obviously flattered. "And we all know how Lord Dingwall broke the enemy line..."
"With a mighty throw of his spear!" Lord Macintosh exclaimed.
"I was aiming at you, you big Topsy!" Dingwall chuckled, rousing laughter from all of the men gathered in the hall.
"The story of this Kingdom is a powerful one." Merida said, gaining their attention again almost instantly. "My dad rallied your forces, and you made him your King." Merida looked up at her father on the dais, but her eyes Saw four first-years with their arms thrown in the air and great big smiles on their faces. "It was an alliance forged in Bravery and Friendship." She turned back to the Lords, and she saw her friends watching her from their hiding places, their smiles wide. "And it lives to this day."
Cheers erupted from all the men, echoing in the hall, and Bunnymund and North visibly relaxed as the tension from before disappeared into thin air. But Merida's smile faded as she slowly realized what she had to do now.
"But I've been selfish." She confessed, folding her hands in front of her humbly. "I tore a great rift in our Kingdom. There's no one to blame but me." She murmured. "And I know now that I need to amend my mistake. And mend our bond." Merida looked over to her mother, hoping that she knew how sorry she was for everything. Elinor's eyes were knowing, but also reflecting as she, too, felt the regret of their battles against each other.
"And so, there is the matter of my betrothal." Merida said, finding that the words felt weird on her tongue when spoken so officially, but she ignored the tight clenching of her heart and stomach. She ignored her fear because this is what she had to do. This is what was best for her Kingdom. Taking a deep breath, Merida sighed, and then looked straight at each of the Lords. "I've decided to do what's right, and -" Merida stopped, seeing her mother waving to her frantically. "And...?" Merida stalled, watching her mother sign to her silently. "And... Break tradition..."
Elinor nodded with a smile, as the Lords and men gasped, muttering to each other in alarm. The Queen began signing again, and Merida quickly tried to pick up what she was trying to say. "My mother... The Queen... Feels, uh, in her heart that I..." Merida tried, but Elinor shook her head and gestured widely. "That we be free to... Write our own stories... Follow our hearts, and find love. In our own time." Merida smiled at her mother, finishing it herself as her eyes swelled, but there was no pain. Only warmth.
"That's... Beautiful." Dingwall sniffled as the other Lords blinked rapidly and sniffed once or twice.
"The Queen and I put the decision to you, my Lords. Might our young people decide for themselves who they will love?" Merida offered, unable to keep the smile from her face.
Macintosh was the first to step forward, recovering quicker than the others. "Well, since you've obviously made up your minds about this, I have one thing to say! This is -"
"A grand idea!" Young Macintosh interrupted excitedly, shocking the Lords. "Give us our own say in choosing our fate!"
"What?" Lord Macintosh squeaked, dumbfounded by his son's sudden rebellious attitude.
"Aye, why shouldn't we choose?" Wee Dingwall agreed.
"But she's the Princess!" Lord Dingwall argued, his eyes wide and shocked.
"I didn't pick her out. It was your idea." Wee Dingwall retorted with an amount of sass that surprised Merida into a grin.
"And you? You feel the same way?" Lord MacGuffin turned to his son questioningly, and Young MacGuffin looked a little uncomfortable as all eyes turned to him, but a babbled away in a way that Merida, for the life of her, could not understand. But, in that moment, she figured she already knew what he was saying, and she giggled happily. "Well, that settles it!" Lord MacGuffin decided easily. "Let these lads try and win her heart before they win her hand! If they can!" He announced, wrapping his arm around his son's shoulders.
Lord Dingwall punched Wee Dingwall's shoulder a few times as he danced happily. "I say that Wee Dingwall has a fighting chance!" He gave a sly look to Macintosh.
"Aye, then! Seems for once we agree! It was my idea in the first place." Lord Macintosh bragged, and then Dingwall punched his shoulder, bringing laughs from everyone.
Merida smiled and glanced at her mother who was nodding proudly, but she accidentally let a fond coo slip, and she and the others just barely managed to get back into their hiding spots before a soldier turned around to look at them.
Merida's attention was brought back to the Lords as they bowed deeply to her, and Merida gave a short, somewhat awkward curtsy. Turning around, she found her dad behind her, and Fergus placed a large hand on her shoulder.
"Just like your mom." He smiled, his eyes bright with love and pride and Merida blushed slightly. "Ye devil." Fergus added with a chuckle, making them both smile.
Turning to check on her mom, she gasped slightly, seeing that a soldier was inspecting her mother as she posed as one of the bear statues. Thinking fast, Merida turned to the crowd.
"Everyone to the cellar!" Merida called out, getting their attention quickly. "Let's crack open the King's private reserve to celebrate!" This was met by mighty cheers from all, and everyone immediately started to drift towards the stairs that would lead them down to the cellar.
"Whoa, whoa!" King Fergus called, grimacing at the idea, and then turned to a near by maid. "Psst, bring the tiny classes." He told her before walking off after everyone else.
Merida quickly shut the doors behind the crowd, and then skipped over to her mother and friends excitedly, singing happily as she tried to contain her joy. She stopped in front of her mother, and Elinor's eyes were fond as she used one large paw to cup Merida's cheek. Merida leaned into it, holding her mother's arm as a way of returning the loving gesture.
A grumble from Jack, though, brought Merida back to reality with a sharp gasp.
"The Tapestry!" She remembered, and after that it didn't take much. The five were able to make to her family's rooms without another incident, and they all gathered around the tapestry. Merida let her hand drift over the tear as she thought. "Mend the Bond. Stitch it up! This'll change you back! We just need a needle and thread!"
Elinor clapped her paws, turning to where she, seemingly, kept her needle and thread. Meanwhile, Merida and Rapunzel worked on figuring out how to get the tapestry off the wall with Hiccup standing at their feet with the same thoughtful expression.
A grumble made the three turn. "Mom?" Merida asked, wondering if something was wrong, and the three saw Elinor sniffing at a bowl of fruit before knocking it over completely, and Jack was sniffing at everything that Elinor knocked over. "Mom? Jack?! Not now!" Merida pleaded as she ran over to her mom. "No! Please, not now!"
"What do we do? What's happening to them?" Rapunzel asked, trying to get Jack to stop knocking a small table around.
"They're changing into bears on the inside! It happened to mom one in the forest, but who knows how long it'll take them to snap out of it!" Merida explained, holding her mother's head so she wouldn't move around too much.
"They're not all changing, look." Rapunzel smiled at Hiccup who was as aware and watchful as ever. He squeaked, trying to get in front of Jack to communicate with him, but when the larger bear saw him, Jack simply sniffed at his fur, nudging his shoulder with his nose. Hiccup did not look amused, but Merida was just glad to distract at least one of them.
A voice came from out in the hall, and Elinor growled, but Merida shushed her quickly, closing her snout with her hands. She had no idea why, but at least this time her mother wasn't so aggressive. Leaving her mother for a moment, Merida peeked out the small window to see her father passing by. He was heading for the room he shared with Elinor.
Merida didn't wait to see anything else, she ran to the tapestry and started yanking on it as hard as she could, trying to pull it off the wall while Rapunzel and Hiccup kept Jack and Elinor from destroying the entire room.
They all froze when they heard her father's anguished cry.
"ELINOR!"
Merida's heart hammered as she once again started yanking at the tapestry, trying to fix this mess before something even worse happened.
"It can't be true!" Merida could hear her father shouting down the hall. "ELINOR! Answer me, lass! ELINOR!"
And then the door was thrown open, and there stood her father with the most heartbroken expression she'd ever seen. "Merida!" He said, seeing her first as she tried to pull the tapestry down from the wall. Then his eyes went to Elinor as she growled at him viciously.
"Wait! Dad, no!" Merida said, standing between them. "It's not what you think!" She tried, walking towards her father, but he pushed her behind him.
"Merida, get back!" He ordered, but the force of his push made Merida lose her footing and fall hard on her side. Elinor took this as an attack and she snarled angrily at him.
"No!" Merida cried as Elinor roared, rising to her back feet as Fergus drew his sword. The two started swinging at each other, Elinor growling and roaring as Fergus shouted at her. "No, dad! Don't hurt her!" Merida shouted, shooting to her feet and grabbing onto Fergus's arm, trying to make him stop, and he shouted at her to get out of the way.
Almost immediately after the words left her father's mouth, Elinor's claws swiped down at them and caught Merida's arm, tearing her dress sleeve and leaving four deep scratches on her bicep.
Fergus yelled worriedly, and once again pushed Merida out of the way before turning back to the fight where the two circled each other. Fergus lunged forwards, but Elinor used one great paw to swat him to the side. The King hit the wall where the tapestry hung and then fell to the ground, Elinor roared, lifting her claws again for another strike, but a big white blur rammed into her side.
Jack used all of his power and momentum to knock the larger bear away, and Elinor landed hard on her side as Jack stared at her, panting, his eye wide and back to normal. Hiccup was clinging to Jack's head, his fur fluffed up from the surprise of the sudden charge.
Elinor panted as she sat up, shaking her head as her eyes cleared. She pushed herself up to standing, looking around her in confused horror. She looked at her paws, then Fergus as he struggled to get himself off the ground, and then Merida.
"Mom!" Merida sighed, relieved that she was back to normal, but Elinor whined as her eyes focused on her arm. Merida looked at it, revealing the scratches, and Elinor gasped, grumbling unintelligibly. "It's all right! I'm all right!" Merida quickly tried to reassure her, but Fergus was starting to get up. "It's nothing! It's just a little scratch!" But Elinor wasn't listening, she ran for the door. "MOM!"
Jack and Hiccup looked at Merida, and then at the Bear King who was almost back on his feet, they looked unwilling to leave, but Rapunzel gave them a shove.
"Go!" She told them. "You need to get out of here, now!"
Jack roared helplessly, but did as Rapunzel ordered, running out of the room as well and turning the same way Elinor had gone. The pair hoped to find Queen Elinor before she was spotted by someone else, but soon they were forced to shrink back behind the corner as they heard the Lords shouting just on the other side as Elinor roared in terror.
Merida turned to her father as he groaned, finally back on his feet. "Dad!" She ran to him.
"Oh, count your stars, lass, it almost had you! Are you hurt?" Fergus wanted to know, but Merida completely ignored him.
"It's your wife, Elinor!" She exclaimed. Not knowing that the main gate was slamming shut as her mother ran out into the forest, or that Jack and Hiccup watched helplessly from the shadows on the edge of the courtyard, looking at each other desperately for an idea.
"You're talking nonsense!" King Fergus snapped.
"It's the truth!" Merida tried anyways. "There was a witch, and she gave me a spell! It's not Mor'du!"
"Mor'du or not, I'll avenge your mother!" Fergus vowed, sheathing his sword and storming out of the room. "I'll not risk losing you, too." He said, closing the door behind him and locking the door.
"No, dad!" Merida shouted. "Just listen to me!"
"Please, sir, it's the truth!" Rapunzel joined her shouting, and they tried to convince the King to open the door.
"Listen!" Merida yelled, sticking her head through the small window as her father walked away with the key. "You can't! It's your wife, Elinor!"
Giving up, Merida backed away from the door, her hands going to her hair as she tried to think of how to get out. She suddenly turned, grabbing a small table and lifting it up to her head. She ran at the door with a scream, and threw the table, but it did nothing to the heavy wood of the door. Abandoning that idea, Merida grabbed one of the tools next to the fire place and started hitting the door with it over and over again. She jammed it into the door hinge and started pushing in the hopes of moving the door, Rapunzel even ran over to help her push, but they only succeeded in bending the metal fire instrument.
Merida held up the piece of metal, gripping it tightly as she did her best to keep in a scream of rage, but a noise outside the castle caught her attention. The two girls shared a terrified look, and then ran to the windows. Merida used the fire stoker to break a window, letting in the cold and the rain, and then looked out to see her father had gathered a hunting party. Torch lights and the sound of barking hounds began to fade into the forest as they crossed the bridge to give chase.
"Mom!" Merida cried into the cold night air, reaching her hand out towards the forest as the rain poured down. "No! No, Mom! Please! No...no... mom." She whispered turning as she fell onto her hip, curling up just beneath the window as tears began the spill from her eyes.
This was all her fault. What had she done?