Saving a Princess - Part 4

Merida watched, as the woman called up to the tower.
"Ta tah! I'll be back in a few weeks!" A few weeks, she thought... brilliant. All the more time they got for their adventure. This was gonna be great! She'd hidden herself at the back of the tower, and slept there for the night. Now it was morning, and all they needed now was for Rapunzel to come down and they could get going!

She thought about what she'd learned at that tower. First, there was Rapunzel. She still couldn't get over that she'd never stepped foot outside that tower in her life! She resolved to give her the greatest day possible. She'd show her everything. There was so much to enjoy out here. That was why she loved it so much, herself. The lass seemed like quite a nervous character- well, actually, nervous wasn't the word. She was actually quite brave, facing a random stranger who came into the tower- even without any weapons. Merida could've easily got her in a headlock or choke hold or something- not that she would, of course, but she could've done.

Anyways, she seemed really excitable and bubbly underneath that- she grinned as she recalled her face when she told her she was taking her adventuring. The wee lass looked desperate to go and explore! But she couldn't with that devil mother she had. Made hers look like a right saint, she did. She remembered that vicous shout when she'd simply asked to to go out. Sheesh! Aside from the fact that her mother might possibly say yes- she'd never yell as aggressively as that over something so trivial.

She sighed, today was going to be a good day- she'd make sure of it. She'd give that lass enough fun to make up for the whole of her life she'd spent in that tower. There were all sort of games they could play in the trees of the forest alone- and then there was that nearby stream she knew of. There was a shallower bit for splashing about- and, if you went further downstream, there was a great place for a swim. And a nice place to catch lunch too. What next? Ooh- next she could show her the Fire Falls! And the other mountains, and they could go climbing! Oh, the list was endless.

She'd never had someone accompany her on her wanderings, before. It was going to be brilliant! The wee lamb had a way of making people excited, just by looking at her little grinning face. She chuckled. Yeah, she was a sweet one. And The way she'd asked if She was okay with it- actually considering if it was what she wanted...

She'd spent so long feeling like she was being forced into everything as a princess. And then, when the marriage thing came up, it felt like no one even cared about her. No one had ever cared about her- if they had, they'd have listened to her. They wouldn't have tried to force her into marriage. They wouldn't have broken her bow. That had been the thing that had driven her to run away- the fact that nobody cared. Clearly no one wanted her around, or was bothered about her- certainly not her mother- but now, it seemed... maybe she'd found someone who would care. Someone to be her friend.

She waited a good few minutes, before she got inpatient, and began to wonder. She shoved her mass of curls out of her face, and squinted up at the tower from under her hand. What was taking the wee lass so long?

Okay, okay. Try to calm down.. This was actually happening! Mother has left. Any minute now, she'll be able to go see everything she always dreamed. Flowing rivers! Majestic mountains! Endless stretching forests! Oh, she just couldn't wait! Oh gosh, she couldn't believe this was actually happening! It was going to be incredible!... But what if it wasn't? What if something went wrong, or what if mother found out?!

The outside world sounded like such a terrifying place, but she just had to she had to know what was out there! See the world from beyond the walls of this tower. She turned towards the window. Lets go!.. Or not. I mean, mother might still not have completely gone yet, she thought. A few more minutes waiting won't hurt, right. Oh, forget it, she was going! She was just going to be brave!... Maybe in a little bit. Yeah. She was safer up here. She was better staying right- oh, why couldn't she make her mind up?!

It would destroy her mother to know she'd left- and with a complete stranger too! But she so desperately wanted to go! She just didn't know what to do.
"Ya still up 'ere?" She yelped, scrambled for the nearest weapon, and held it out at the intruder (yes, okay, it was a frying pan- it would still work). A snort of laughter. "Och, come on, its on'ee me. An' what ya gon'a do wi' a fryin' pan, anyways?" Merida smirked at her. She relaxed. Oh, she'd forgotten about Merida. She was just so nerous and so tense.
"Sorry." She smiled, ruefully. "I'm just.." She sighed. "I'm a little unsure if I should go." She admitted. She really felt split. She really wanted to go... but her mother would be so mad- what should she do?
"What ya worried abou'? Thin' ah can take care a' ya?" Merida teased. That wasn't it at all! She bet Merida was a brilliant protector! And she was really grateful to her for lightening the mood, she just... couldn't protect her from everything. "No! It's just... my mother. She'd be so angry if I left- and I don't want to upset her, but I really wanna go so badly! I wanna see what's out there!" She explained, almost pleading- though for what she didn't know. Comfort? Reassurance? Permission? She wasn't sure, but... it felt so nice to be able to confide in a friend.

The only person she'd ever talked to, other than her mother, was Pascal, and he was off having his "free week". She felt so cruel keeping him stuck in the tower all the time, so she insisted that every now and then he go and spend a week by himself- where he wasn't in the cramped room of her tower. He was brilliant company- and good to talk to... But he couldn't talk back, and it wasn't the same as talking to a human being...

It felt so... liberating, being able to talk to someone who was more like her- and understood her. A girl her age, who wanted an adventure just as much as she did. But what would she thinkof her conundrum?
"Hey, look, if ya motha can' let ya go ouside this stupid towa, then she's jus' an idio'." She blinked at the brutally honest statement. "Ya wan ta ha' ya freedom, don' ya? So you jus' gotta do it. Whether she likes i' or no'." She told her. She hesitated before saying. "I ran away from my motha, an' I ne'er looked ba'." She informed, somewhat proudly- somewhat uncertainly.
"You did?" She marvelled. Merida nodded. "Won't she be really mad with you?" She asked. Merida snorted.
"She can' tell me off, if a don' go ba'." She pointed out. Rapunzel thought... She was right, she supposed. If she went out, and never came back, she'd never have to worry about her mother getting annoyed like that... but she couldn't leave just like that, could she? She'd be heartbroken... and what about her hair. Someone would try to cut it- there were all kinds of brutes beyond the tower that would use her for their own gain. She couldn't stay out forever. It was dangerous- why was she even thinking about leaving in the first place?!

But then she thought about the world she'd always seen described in her picture books... Bubbling brooks and open skies- and cities with beautiful, stone buildings...
"Now, come on, le's ha' an adventure!" Merida grinned. She looked at new friend. So full of life and enthusiasm- not holding back any of her wild attitude. Surely, if she was with Merida, she could have one day outside. Her mother might be mad at her- she might not be sure if she was going to go back or not... but she was definately going.

Merida looked at the young blond, slowly filling to the brim wih excitement, and a grin spread across her face too. She should be excited! She had one incredible day planned, ahead of them. They could catch lunch at the river- and show her all the best forest routes. She could teach her to climb the Fire Falls, and stand atop that cliff together. She'd alway been alone on her travels, and wild adventures. Never having anyone to share the thrill, or excitement, with.

She'd rode through those woods- in tears over her broken bow- in desperate need of a friend... and the wisps had led her here. She was glad she'd met Rapunzel. She'd only known the girl barely a day, and yet... they already fit together as easily as a bow and an arrow.

She couldn't believe it had only been barely a full day since she'd met Merida. It felt like they'd known each other for years! They'd hardly done anything together, but they already had so much planned, it didn't matter.

She couldn't wait to get out there, and show the girl what she was missing. She had her freedom now- she lived out in the woods, just liked she'd always wanted... and now she was going to share that freedom with Rapunzel... And the best part was that she wouldn't be alone.

She was running away from her mother, and she didn't know if she was ever going back. She couldn't wait to get outside, and have the time of her life with her friend... and because he was with her friend, it would make things a whole lot better. She'd always felt so isolated- always wanted a friend. Now she'd found the stranger in the tower- and everything was going to change.

Here was when their life began. As they stood at the edge of the tower, ready to step into the open air.

Together.