Sorry it took so long. Well here it is the chapter I've been dying to write. Honestly this was going to be the last chapter but then the last chapter just came to me naturally without any plan. I hope you liked last chapter and I hope you like this one here we go! This chapter is also not for the faint of heart. If you have a very squeamish stomach I suggest take caution while reading. This will be the most graphic chapter…sorry

Chapter 3: New Beginnings

Ilene followed the wisps for about half a day, until they suddenly stopped in front of a large tree near the edge of the forest. A few hundred yards in front of her was a hill that lead out into an open field.

"Why would the wisps lead me here?" she wondered and began looking around, only seeing wilderness. She sighed and slumped down against the tree. "Now what do I do?" she thought.

Her thoughts were interrupted as the sound of large footsteps came close. Not wanting to meet with anybody she scurried up the tree, hid within the branches, watched, and waited.

A large bear came into her vision, lumbering through the forest. Although this wasn't like any other bear Ilene had ever scene. His back was littered with weapons, his fur singed, and anger seemed to be seeping out of the monster with every step.

Ilene's eyes followed the beast as he passed under the tree. His head was leaning forward as if it was being pulled toward a goal. Ilene figured he caught her sent, but he ignored it and kept trudging forward. After the beast was out of sight she jumped from her hiding place, landed on the ground in a crouch, stood up and stared in amazement.

"A bear!?" she exclaimed "You brought me here to see a wounded bear!? What do you want from me!?"

Silence stung the air; birds seemed to laugh at her frustration. She kicked the ground in frustrations, and ran bother her hands through her tangled brunette hair, as if she was trying to pull some brilliant idea out of it.

She sighed and said "Looks like my fate leads me nowhere."

Suddenly, a scream cut through the air followed by yelling, and cries. Ilene knew these cries, they were cries of battle just beginning.

Instinct told her to run away and not be scene. She started to do so, but the cries of war turned into cries of suffering and agony. Ilene stopped dead in her tracks. Her warrior, and healer side took over her body and soul. She turned around and sprinted up the hill tward the cries of pain.

"I better not regret this." She thought

….

Elinor clutched to the reins and her little girl as they galloped the forest. The image of the giant bear Mordu kept running through her head. She knew her duty was to protect her daughter, however she can't help but feel terribly guilty that she left her husband behind. All she can do know is pray her husband survives the monsters attack.

Merida clung to her mother's shoulder and stared at the moving world behind her, as if she was still trying to catch a glimpse of her father.

The ride back to the castle was agonizing, after what seemed like an eternity they made it back. The workers in the courtyard could tell something was afoot as the white steed came to a quick hault.

"I need as many men and healers to go to the edge of the forest! " shouted the queen "The king, and has been attacked by Mordu!" her voice cracked as she was trying to hide her emotion.

The women gasped and talked amongst themselves, while the men hustled to get equipment, supplies, and mount horses.

Elinor dismounted her horse, and handed Merida to Maudie. "Watch over Merida while I go after the king."

A soldier nearby heard her and said" My lady queen, I recommend that you stay here, if the king is lost, the kingdom cannot afford to lose both their rulers."

Elinor wanted to disagree, but she knew he was right. "Very well," she said as calmly as she could "Please, bring the king home."

The warrior nodded and around thirty men took off into the forest.

Elinor just stared out for a few minutes thinking of the worst scenario that could have happened. Her thoughts were interrupted by a tugging on her dress. She looked down to see Merida. Tears were starting to form in her eyes.

"Mummy?"

Elinor was so distraught; she couldn't bear to even look at her child. Elinor stormed off before the tears fell, she couldn't cry in front of Merida, she couldn't show weakness.

"Mum! Mummy wait, don't leave!" cried Merida

The tears began to fall as Elinor ran into the castle, up to her room, and slammed the door. The terror overcame her, she feel against the door, slumped to the ground and began to weep.

"What am I going to do?" she said to herself "Oh Fergus, please be alive!"

Different scenarios of the day ran through her head. What would she do if Fergus was taken away? What if the warriors didn't make it there in time? What if Mordu attacked Merida while she was alone in the forest? No! She couldn't even bare that thought.

…..

Merida's POV

Merida watched as all the warriors were sent off after her father.

"Maudie? Can you put me down?" Merida asked.

Maudie gently put the princess on the ground and she ran to her mother. Merida tugged on her mother's dress. Elinor looked at her; her face was so full of pain that Merida almost began to cry.

"Mummy?" she asked

The queen stormed away leaving Merida confused and heartbroken.

She cried out "Mum! Mummy wait, don't leave!"

Merida ran after her mom until she reached her parents room. The door was already closed.

"Is mummy angry at me?" she thought

Merida being only a five year old did not understand the seriousness of the situation. She thought her dad would come bounding in any second with a huge smile and a grand tale of how he defeated the demon bear.

Merida went to her room, climbed out on the window sill and waited, waited for any sign her father. She waited for hours.

Near sunset she heard a knock on her door. Her mother stepped in.

"Merida?" she said.

Merida didn't respond, she just kept staring out the window. Elinor walked over and set opposite to her daughter. Merida still didn't respond, she just stared out the window.

"Merida?" Elinor said again as she touched her daughters tiny hand.

Merida finally turned to look at her mother. Her eyes were red and puffy. Her cheeks were stained with tears.

"Merida?" she said again.

"Is daddy coming back?" she replied

Elinor quickly pulled Merida into an embrace, she had no answer to her daughters question. Merida began to cry into her mother's dress. Elinor stroked her tangled hair and began to weep as well.

All she could do was cradle her little girl, and pray that her husband would return.

…

Ilene sprinted toward the battle cries. As soon as she came into the clearing she saw the same bear attacking a group of men. She saw the men brutally be attacked by the bear. Ilene ran tward the battle when the bear suddenly shattered a sword. Ilene froze stunned.

"Weapons have no effect on this monster?" she thought

The men all around her were lying on the ground. Only one, large man with fire in his eyes as bright as his hair was shouting at the bear.

"Come on you!" he exclaimed

The bear then lunged, the man fell backwards to avoid the attack. Then with one bite the bear took the man's leg clean off.

Ilene knew she had to do something, but she knew weapons were not the answer. She saw a fire nearby and instinct took over. She quickly grabbed a sword of a fallen warrior, ran to the fire and threw it in. She then reached into the fire and grabbed the edge of a log. Avoiding the pain she then ran toward the bear.

The monster was on his four paws about to finish off the man when she quickly threw the flaming log onto the bears back. The fur burst into flames, and the bear roaring with pain. He rolled on the ground to put out the flames but it didn't work. Thank God for the wet season.

The bear then ran into the forest. Ilene ran to the injured man. His leg had been completely severed off at the knee, and was losing blood fast. She knew she had to act fast to save his life.

She quickly got up and ran back to the fire. Pulled out the sword now glowing orange with heat, she ran back to the man. She needed to stop the bleeding and stop in now! As she ran back over the man was mumbling he was saying "Elinor…Merida.."

"Forgive me sir!" she whispered and placed the blunt side of the searing hot blade onto the wound.

The man screamed in pain as the flesh sizzled.

Most of the bleeding had stopped now she needed to tend to the wound. She then grabbed a rock and propped the man's leg up. Then she ran to the table, grabbed the table cloth, and a skin of wine. She quickly poured wine over the wound to fight infection, then she tore the table cloth, and wrapped it tightly around his leg applying pressure as she did.

The man then slowly opened his eyes. "What's your name?" he said while gritting his teeth

"Ilene" she answered while she kept tending to his leg. Then she grabbed another rock, placed it under his head and offered him wine, "Here," she said "It will help with the pain."

"Did my wife get away?"

"Whut?"

"What about my daughter, are they all right?!"

"Sir, you need to relax, you have a serious injury that could take your life."

He started to strain more and the wound began to bleed again. She knew he wasn't going to relax until he got some answers.

"I saw no woman or child here, they must have gotten away" he started to relax

Ilene attended to the man for the next hour. She stopped the bleeding and had gotten the man to eat to renew his strength. He ordered that she check on all the men. Unfortunately they all of them had passed due to the demon bear.

Near sunset the Ilene heard horses coming from the distance. Her first instinct was to hide, she done everything she could at the moment for this man. She ran to grab her stuff when horses and men burst through the forest.

Most of the men pointed spears at her. She held her hands up in surrender, looked down to discover she was covered in dry blood. "Oh no," she thought "I look like a murderer."

"Your majesty!" someone yelled and ran to the man she was tending to.

"You're majesty?" she thought "That man is a king?"

A man who looked to be there leader knelt beside him "He's still alive! Quick we must get him back to the castle!"

"What about her?" a horseman said pointing to Ilene.

The leader stood up and said "Thank you peasant girl for yer assistance, but we can take it from here." With prejudice in his voice.

"It's the clothes" she thought "I look foreign."

"No, "the king said faintly and pointed to Ilene. "She comes with us."

"But," she began to protest, but it was too late, a man from behind her grabbed her by the waist and set her on a horse behind another warrior.

The man began to gently lift the king onto a horse.

"His leg!" Ilene shouted

The men turned quickly and stared at her.

"His leg needs to be lifted up the entire time, or we risk starting the bleeding again!"

"We have to get him back to the castle as soon as possible!" the leader shouted.

"It's either quickly and risk him bleeding to death, or risk some time to keep him alive." She calmly said back.

"Listen to her." The king said softly.

They obeyed and started their slow trudge back to the castle.

Ilene didn't know what was going to happen next. She saved the life of a king. Life as she knew it was about to change for good.