Prequel

In a dwarven castle located between the mountains and the Faragon Forest a young, half-blooded princess cursed under her breath in irritation as she groaned while throwing herself onto her bed; it had been nearly a year since her refusal of the dwarven suitors and the whole turning her mum into a bear. Since Merida had shown no signs of being attracted to any of the dwarves in her father's small kingdom, Merida's mother had gotten it into her head that maybe her daughter would prefer a look to the more refined sort of suitor, such as elves from the lands her mother hailed. The Elven queen, Lady Elinor, would know many suitor possibilities due to being of fine heritage since she was sister to his Lord Elrond. Also, since Merida was just as proficient and enjoyed a bow more than any of the Dwarf battle axes or blades, her mum had the idea it would give her more to talk to with Elvish suitors than the rather disjointed group of suitors from the dwarf clans and groups that were allies with them from across the sea.

Merida sighed as she turned to her back; she had nothing against elves per say, her mother was an elf, making Merida and her wee brothers the only known mixed dwarf and elf children birthed in all of Middle Earth. True, her father was so tall and stout it had been contemplated, and still was contemplated, that he was part man and part dwarf even with being the spitting image of his father. The point being that Elves were so damned prim and proper! Not to mention since most disliked dwarves, there would be a good chance many would be rude to her father, her, and their people. Elves judged far too much and were far too dignified and showed little to no emotion, a harsh contrast to the dwarves who had little to no tact. The same mannerisms Merida had developed herself besides her occasional flair of wisdom that, no doubtedly, came from her mother. Many a time visiting her Uncle Elrond when she was but a wee lamb, Merida had to attend court and listen to the gossip of how her mother had scandalously married a dwarf and had "the offspring of dwarven filth" and had no desire to listen to those cruel words again from someone she may have to wed.

Merida turned to her side; she had no desire to marry someone chosen for her. Her mother had set the example she had dreamed of when she was small; as a high lady in the elven court and the sister of his lord King Elrond, Elinor had princes and lords flocking to her, presenting her with priceless gifts and she instead found love in the oversized dwarf known as Fergus whom she thought was naught but a blacksmith, who she later discovered to be the Bear King, ruler of a group of dwarves that had found a seemingly innocuous mountain that boarded a forest and was filled with a never ending chasm of priceless stones. Merida's mother had loved her father so she had given up her immortality for him, and Merida had always yearned to find a love so strong, but it could not happen if her mother forced it upon her.