The sun sat low and heavy in the sky, it's brilliant yellow fading to dull oranges and golds. The sky was awash with vermillion and scarlet, with long pink and purple clouds stretched across the horizon like some great beast. Merida stared out her window, her gaze was far away, just as her thoughts were. She watched the sun sink lower and lower and shadows stretched inky black fingers across her homeland. Despite the calm serenity her mind raced over a million different thoughts at once. One that shrilled at her was the fact that she'd kissed Logan of all people. She groaned, flopped against the cushions behind her and pulled a pillow over her face.

The thought that quickly followed that one, however, was of Bradach pressing his lips to the backs of her knuckles in the sweetest caress she'd ever felt. She groaned again. Smashing the pillow against her face a bit harder she flailed about for a moment before she settled herself once more.

"Stupid lads and their stupid affections." She grumbled.

"Oh?" Came a soft inquiry and Merida shot off her little bench and staggered a bit, flushing hotly. Her mother stood before her, hands folded neatly in front of her while a smile played at her lips.

"I jus' mean, ahh, that...uhm, well," She stumbled again, looking for words and finding none.

"Affections?" Her mother asked, plopping gracefully, as only a queen could, in Merida's vacated seat. The red-head sighed and slumped against her bedpost.

"Aye. Stupid things. It's all Logan's fault!" She began her rant, eagerly pacing the floor as words poured into her mouth and threatened to tumble out in no specific order. "Begged that I give him a favor, a token of my affections!" She crowed, throwing her hands high into the air. "And then all the other lads start in, saying things about tokens and winning and I got so flustered I gave Logan a favor." She finished and slumped against her bedpost. Elinor simply watched her daughter rant, her eyes crinkled at the corners in silent mirth.

"What was the favor?" She asked gently and Merida moaned.

"I...uh...ah kissed 'im." She muttered, allowing her words to slur into a thick brogue. Elinor gasped.

"Merida! A princess-"

"Dosnae go about kissing young lairds willy nilly!" She cried and hit her forehead against her bedpost. "I know! But I was so angry and so flustered and I dinnae know what to do. So I kissed him, and maybe threw him over a fence afterward." Her blush was so hot it burned her cheeks as she tried to hide in her long hair. Elinor's face adopted a gentle look as she watched her child and she sighed softly. Standing easily she walked over to her daughter and laid her hands across slender shoulders.

"Merida, a princess is only human. We strive for perfection that we may always be a shining example to our people, an inspiration for them." She brushed a lock of flame red hair from her round face and smiled at the blue eyes revealed beneath. "You're still young, and still learning. You've done beautifully so far, and I'm so proud. Now, instead of fretting needlessly, how do we fix this? Aside from pushing him over a fence." She queried and Merida smiled slightly, pushing back more of the heavy fall of her hair.

"I donae know. I don't want to play favorites, as they're all my friends." She said and she resumed pacing, though far less frenzied than before. "I felt nothing from Logan, he's like that annoying big brother. The one ye want to kick." She groused and Elinor hid a smile behind her hand. "But, when Bradach kissed my hand," She trailed off and the queen very quickly schooled her features into placid neutrality. "I don't know. It raced up my arm and settled into a warm spot in my chest." She suddenly froze and looked to her mother from the corner of her eye. The queen had a carefully neutral face, but her eyes twinkled with something Merida didn't want to rightly identify.

"Merida, dear, there does come a time in a young woman's life where she may find herself experiencing...yearnings." Elinor began and Merida threw herself from her mother as violently as she was capable, mortification plastered across her features.

"Mum!" She squealed as she buried herself under her coverlet. "No!" She wailed, hiding from that particular talk. Elinor merely chuckled and shook her head. She sat next to Merida and placed her hand gently on her child's back.

"I won't push. I've learned my lesson. But dear, I felt the same thing when your father kissed my hand." Her hint was not subtle in the least, but Merida grinned anyways. She loved her parent's love, how much her father doted and how much her mother gave in return. It was perfect, and she cried a little in her heart for such things.

"But I'm still afraid." Merida said suddenly, a slight whimper escaping with her words that had Elinor pulling her close and hugging her.

"Ye'll do what you think is right, you always have." Elinor rested her forehead against Merida's and grinned at her. "To spite the world, I might add." Merida gave a watery laugh. "You're free to do as you will, the lairds declared that years ago. Don't you fret about it now. But if you do feel something, pursue it. Love is beautiful and wonderful, and comes from some of the least expected places. I certainly wasn't expecting to love your father." She admitted and Merida laughed.

"I'm sure da was awkward." She muttered and Elinor smiled fondly at the memories.

"Oh, terribly. He gave me flowers, and wrote horrible poetry, and sang terribly off key, and somehow all of that endeared him to me. I didn't even know I felt anything until that night." Her mother flushed a bit and Merida couldn't help but feel she shouldn't be privy to this particular memory.

Merida cleared her throat and Elinor blinked a couple of times and fanned herself with a shy smile.

"I'm sorry dear. But yes, you should at least give him a chance. He's a good lad." She patted Merida's shoulder and smiled. Merida sighed softly and played with the end of one red curl.

"Well built too." She muttered absently then smacked her forehead. "I didnae mean that."

"Out loud." Her mother supplied and Merida groaned.

"Maybe I'll just go bury myself in a hole." She groused and Elinor simply chuckled.

"Sit with him at dinner, dear. Enjoy yourself." She advised as she stood from the bed and began towards the door. "And do change, you look like you've been dragged through mud-puddles." And with that the door snapped shut behind her mother, leaving Merida alone to her thoughts once more. If she were honest, and she liked to think she was, sometimes her mother's conversations were incredibly helpful, others just left her reeling. This was somewhere in between the two. Merida sighed softly and rounded on her wardrobe. She ruffled through dress after dress and banished each one to a discard pile on her bed.

"Too frilly, too lacy, to square cut, too long, no, no, no, no..." She grumbled as she dug through more dressers. After what felt like hours she finally came across a dark blue dress, cut in her favortie style. Loose around her legs for easier movement, but accentuated her particular assets without being vulgar. She pulled a pale cream chemise on first, letting the yards and yards of soft fabric fold down her body before she reached for her dress. The material was a thick and soft cotton, worn in but still in good care, the rich blue having never faded. She ran her fingers across the knotwork embroidered at the hem of the dress and smiled at the golden work.

The dress had been a gift from her mother, some few years ago after everything had happened. She'd found it on her bed with a beautiful bow sitting atop the fabric and a tiny note. It still brought a tear to Merida's eye when she thought about how long her mother had spent on the dress alone. She pulled the dress over her head gently, careful despite it's sturdiness. She neatly arranged each fold and puffed out her chemise through the holes at her elbows and her shoulders. She picked at the dress a moment more before she braided her hair quickly down her back and nodded to herself.

As she moved towards the door for dinner she subconsciously reached for her bow and quiver before she stopped herself. She stared at the weapon lying there and shook her head before vanishing out the door. She paused when she saw a smallish red head duck behind a corner and smirked to herself. She followed after quickly and grabbed her youngest brother, Hamish, about the shoulders as he tried to sneak away. He let out a rather undignified squeak as he flailed in his sister's arms while she tickled him and cackled.

"Merida!" He wailed as he struggled to break free. "Sto-op!" He thrashed again but she only held him tighter as she giggled into his shoulder.

"What's in it for me?" She queried as she set into his sides once more and a laugh bubbled up from his chest.

"Dessert!" He cried but she only continued tickling.

"I've enough o' that." She chuckled.

"Chores! I'll do ye chores!" His laughing grew louder.

"I enjoy taking care of Angus."

"Anything!" He finally cried desperately and Merida abruptly dropped him with a triumphant grin.

"Anything?" She asked, leaning over his smaller, prone form. He drew a deep sigh and blew it out gustily.

"Only 'cause ye don't play fair." He grumbled and she smiled as she helped lift him to his feet.

"Jus' keep yerself out of trouble. I know you three, ye have something planned. Just be careful." She said gently as she hugged her brother gently and patted the top of his head. He playfully shoved her away and grinned.

"We're always careful!" He said happily and she quirked a brow.

"Oh aye? Is that why she fell off the battlements? Or why Harris had that unexplained knife wound. Or even why Hubert couldn't sit right for nearly a week straight?" She glared at him, and he fidgeted slightly, goofy smile still in place.

"Accidents?" He asked and she huffed.

"Git! And remember ye still owe me!" She said, shooing him off before she turned down the hall and began towards dinner and their guests.

She heard the grand hall before she ever saw it. Raucous laughter, loud cheers, yelling, shouting, bellowing, it was already making Merida feel a little light-headed. She grinned to herself and pushed open the heavy doors just as a cheer erupted and her father took a rather awkward bow. She moved towards the main table before she heard her name called. She turned a bright grin at the young lairds and flounced over to them.

She flopped herself down next to Bradach and smiled softly at the young man, who flushed at her nearness. They spoke low and quietly, words only meant for one another as the clans roared happily around them. The world narrowed until it was only the two of them.

"Come riding with me tomorrow." Merida begged suddenly, blue eyes glittering with her plea. Bradach shifted uncomfortably and frowned slightly.

"Ehh, Ah'm no' so good with riding." He admitted softly ducking his head to hide his face. Merida leaned to follow him, her eyes never leaving his.

"I'll teach ye!" She said happily, resting her small hand atop his much larger one. He marveled. Her fingers were so long and thin, frail looking, but he felt the thick callouses from sword and arrow. Hers was a subtle strength and he smiled.

"Alright." He murmured and she inched closer, tilting her head to the side.

"Whot was that?" She grinned and he huffed, blushing at how close she was now. His eyes flicked to her lips and he cursed himself a bit for not taking her favor. He gulped and looked to her eyes once more.

"Alright, ye wee devil." He chuckled and her face bloomed with happiness. Suddenly her arms were around his neck and her happy cry in his ear.

He forgot how to breathe.

"Ah'll see ye in the mornin'!" She giggled as she gathered up her skirts and dashed off to bed. He sat there, stunned and dumbfounded while his heart tried to reestablish some sort of healthy rhythm. It floundered a bit longer.

"G'night." He muttered softly.

AN:/ Hello my dear lovelies! I'm so sorry for this taking so long! My muse decided it needed a break and just left me high and dry. Little bugger. But I think it's back, so here's hoping I can post another chapter next week. Thank you for all of the kind words and reviews, they really have made this easier and I appreciate each one. If I haven't answered you personally, please know your words mean just as much to me! Thank you again. ^.^

Also, these are not beta'd...if you'd like to please feel free to message me. I need all the help I can get. XD