Cupid's Arrow

Chapter 1: Crushing

In the Castle of DunBroch, down feasting in the dining hall, was the royal Scottish family. King Fergus, his loving queen and wife Queen Elinor, their youngest triplet sons Harris, Hubert, and Hamish, and their firstborn daughter Merida. Though unlike the rest of the family who were listening to Fergus tell the legendary story of his battle with Mor'du, again, Merida sat and daydreamed. Normally she would've been completing every end of her father's sentences, but now, she's not even noticing that her little brothers were stealing the deserts Maudie gave her.

The princess's little gaze session started early this morning. She and her horse Angus were riding into the forest to Merida's special clearing for archery. Gripping on an arrow and her hand on her bow, the redhead was ready to fire at any open target. But suddenly, she noticed something. Making Angus come to a complete halt, she watched as a young man fired arrows onto her targets. Every time not one missed. At first Merida was angry. Stepping off her horse and strapping her bow around her then walking over to the young man. Merida made this clearing for her purposes only. She needed something to get away from her castle life and now someone intrudes in on it.

"Hey you!" She called out. Without any words the boy fired another shot, again owning the target. It was like he didn't even hear her.

"Hello!" She called again, still getting no reply. Now she was annoyed. Taking and arrow from her back pouch, and unstrapping her bow, Merida stood in her ready stance. Eyeing the red target. And with a single breath, her arrow was shot and aimed from her distance.

Finally earning the boy's attention, the redhead huffed. "Hey, did you not hear me calling you?" she asked him, with out giving him time to speak, she continued. "Who are you and why are you in my clearing?" Her vibrant blue eyes demanded an answer from this stranger.

"I'm sorry whoever you are.." the boy spoke, in the same Scottish accent. "But this is my clearing." he said. Merida arched her brow and watched him come closer. "I come here everyday with my horse, Anya."

Just then, a beautiful white Scottish Clydesdale appeared from the trees of the forest. It's long golden hairs made Merida look back at Angus, shockingly. But she did know why the boy thought it was his clearing. Elinor kept her daughter locked up inside almost every day, but this boy gets to come here whenever. "But I guess it's cool to find another person who likes archery as much as I do. But I'd never think it'd be a girl with...such wild red hair.." said the boy.

Merida crossed her arms, offended. Noticing how tamed the boy's black hair was. He had the nerve to talk about her knotted locks. "For your information, I love my wild mop of hair. And I think your's is rather..plain and simple." She narrowed her eyes. The boy chuckled.

"Don't you think you should ask someone their name before you criticize their appearance?" he asked her. She blushed because he was right, but hoped he wouldn't notice much.

Clearing her throat, Merida kept her eyes on him. "I am Merida. Firstborn descendant of Clan DunBroch, and daughter of King Fergus and Queen Elinor." She smirked. Knowing his introduction couldn't top her own. The boy blinked his dark green eyes.

"So you're a princess, huh?" he asked her, not sounded impressed which made Merida less satisfied even though she nodded with agreement. "Now I'm not so sure If I should tell you my name.." the boy said with a mischievous look on his face that made Merida huff. " What?" she asked, sounding shocked.

"I told you mine and who my parents were! You have to tell me your name." She demanded lightly.

The boy chuckled. "Fine, but I'll only tell you this. I live in the kingdom of Strathclyde with my only father, Radius, and my seven brothers and little sister. Though I'm not a firstborn which makes you kinda lucky.." the boy smiled, rubbing the back of his neck.

The redhead got more irritated with the boy. That wasn't the answer she wanted. "Wait..you live in Strathclyde? On the southern side of this forest?" she asked him.

The boy nodded. "Correct princess." he said as he stood in his ready stance with his bow and fired. His perfect aim landed him another perfect shot. "But if I remember correctly, I think our fathers are enemies." this sentence shocked Merida. Her father never spoke of having an enemy or anything other than Mor'du for that matter.

"What are you talking about?" Merida asked him, wanting to know more. "How do you know my father?"

"I-I'm not so great on telling stories." hestammered. "Maybe you should ask your own father about it.."

Merida thought and decided that's exactly what she'll do. But first she continued to watch as the stranger walked over and snatched all his arrows from their red targets. But as he turned around, she shot an arrow past him and owned her desired spot. Nearly cutting his arm in the process. The boy put on a small smile. "Lucky shot. But you do know you almost cut my arm off?"

"Well if you weren't in the way you still wouldn't have gotten hit. And what do you mean 'lucky shot'?" she asked him, her hand on her hip.

He chuckled again. "Y'know, you're a little feisty." he smiled.

She wanted to giggle but her facial expression was still serious. She held up her arrow for another shot, and just before she let go, he touched her hand. "You might want to keep your fingers down. You know, to avoid losing them." he told her with his nicest smile. Though Merida was blushing, and it was obvious, she still sent him a glare.

"I know what I'm doing. I've been shooting arrows since I was a wee girl." She told him and shot one with her eyes kept on the boy. Luckily she made it, earning a smirk from the boy in a challenging way.

The rest of the girl's morning was spent playing archery with her new "friend". Though they did sit down and talk a bit. Telling silly stories of their families and legends of their kingdoms, but soon, the boy had to leave. It was getting close to dinner for Merida as well.

"So.. shall I see you again tomorrow?" he asked her.

"Tomorrow? Here in the clearing?"

"I guess there is no other place we'd meet."

Merida thought as she jumped on Angus's back. Tomorrow it was back to her mother's teaching. Maybe she could find a way to sneak out. "Sure." she smiled. "Tomorrow I will see you back here. And I'll bring more arrows." she giggled.

He smiled. "Until then, Princess Merida." he said as he and his horse Anya rode off in the opposite direction of the forest.

"Merida!.. Merida!" The sound of Queen Elinor's voice snapped the redhead out of her gaze. "Are you alright?"

Merida stared at her brunette mother and gazed over to her triplet siblings and father at the end of the dining table. "Y-Yes mum, I'm fine." she stammered, looking down at her now cold plate of haggis. It was fine with her though she didn't want it anyway.

Fergus laughed his ruggid laugh. "For a minute there you looked a little frozen! I thought it was because of how I beat you in a round of sword play a while ago." he said with a laugh at the end of it.

Merida giggled. "Yeah right dad."

"So Merida, what wee you daydreaming about?" Elinor asked her.

Merida smiled awkwardly at the thought of not knowing what to say next. She stood and a fake yawn burst through her lips. "I'm sorry mum, dad, but I'm really really tired. I think I'll just go off to bed now.." she said as she stepped farther away from the table.

"Now? But this is an early time for you, Merida. Are you sure you're alright?" asked her mother.

"Fine mum! I'm just going to get some quick rest.." Merida said again, sending out another fake yawn.

"Okay then, goodnight."

...

As Merida burst through her bedroom door, she closed it shut and flopped on her bed. She looked at her bow and arrow that she propped up on a chair in the corner of the room and smiled. Tomorrow she would meet that boy again, and the countless hours made Merida eager to go back out in the clearing again. Though she still had to get past her mother, which would be tough...

Hi there! I hope you guys liked this chapter, I've been working on it all week, and I'd really appreciate it if you review with your honest opinion. It's my first story ever and I absolutely love this movie. Apparently, enough to see Brave twice. Please review!