Next Day

The following morning had gone as Merida had expected. Her mother had burst into her room with a cheerful smile and two maids in loyally following her. They forced the sleeping girl out of her bed and pushed her in into a bath full of freezing cold water. They began to bathe her, dolling her up for her future husband. Her mother had once again picked up the most restrictive dress she could find. One that barely allowed her any movement whatsoever, and on her head was once again a ridiculously tight bonnet. In her mind she looked hideous, but in her mother's eyes she was the perfect princess.

This time the color of the dress was ivory, the closest thing they had to white since the white dress was being saved for her wedding day. It was extremely tight around her waist, hips, breasts and buttocks. The bonnet was the same color as the dress.

Elinor clapped joyfully, proud of her daughter. In her eyes she looked like a princess should.

Merida wished she could set the offencive garment on fire.

As per a princesses duty, according to her mother, she had to entertain the guests, specially the three teens that were intending to win her hand.

That was what annoyed Merida the most.

They were all hormonal teens that wouldn't attempt to make conversation with her and spent most of the time staring at her beautiful body. There were even times she had to remind them where her eyes were, perverts. She didn't bother remembering their names. She simply remembered them by their characteristics. One was extremely narcissistic to the point that he was more feminine than she was, he seemed to think that he was God's gift to women and that Merida would ultimately be his no matter the competition.

The next one was the gentle giant. While he was the only one that attempted to make conversation with her for the first five minutes, four minutes longer than the other two, he still behaved like a pathetic, egotistical, hormonal boy. He had tremendous strength and broke just about anything he touched unwillingly. So far he was the only one that she could stand, and lastly was the wooden log. He looked and was as dumb as a simple tree trunk. He made no attempt to make any conversation with her, and stared shamelessly at her body with his index finger on his lips looking lost in his disgusting mind, obviously undressing her with thoughts, so obvious in fact that Merida had to suppress the urge to either cover herself or punch this log out. No easy feat for already angered princess.

They were all horrible, and never in a million years would she pick any of the three to wed. In the back of her mind the only person who had not gawked relentlessly at her body was by far, Hiccup. After all they weren't the first teenage boys she had caught staring at her. The castle had several families living with them. Mainly the guards and maid's families. They usually lived in rooms far away from the hall and away from her family's side of the castle. They lived there simply in case of an emergency. Of course, families also included teenage boys and girls that would take over their parents duties when they could no longer do it themselves. Even with those families living in the castle there was more empty rooms that were barely used. So there were absolutely no problems with having them stay in the castle.

At the time she felted if there was someone watching her whenever she bathed. She half expected it her three brothers doing it in an attempt to prank her. If it was them, there wouldn't be much of a fuss since they were too young to be doing it for lewd purposes. However, she knew that there were no peepholes in her chambers, but the feeling was always there. Of course, she found a solution to her problem. She had nailed several metal stakes on each wall and tied ropes on them to create a square. Then she had placed blankets on each rope to shield her from anyone's view. It was an extra layer of protection she had devised. When she had been questioned about it she had simply pointed at her three brothers and no one had ever bothered her again.

She hadn't had that feeling in years till now. She nearly shudder as each boy tried to give her hug when she tried to excused herself. Luckily her brother had intercepted them when they had tried. Each with a guard's helmet on as if saying 'No, Step away from our sister'. Of course, that tender moment was ruined when they also started a brawl between all the men. They were masters of chaos able to ensue fights with little to no effort.

Merida had retreated to her throne and seated herself next to her father. She watched as the battle ensued, and simply waited for her mother to stop it.

Elinor the stern queen had the ability to shush the whole room with a simple gaze. Being able to stop any brawl without a single word. That is what she did, conveying her power over the congregation of men. She stood up from her throne and walked up to her husband and the three other leaders and pulled them by their ears just like she had done the previous day. All four leaders were always eager to get into a brawl. It was always her that had to put a stop to them. Of course, she always liked to wait a few minutes to stop their brawls.

There were at least two more brawls before the games began.

The first event was the Caver Toss where competitors balanced a long log vertically. The objective of the game was to throw it so the end they were holding pointed to the sky and the other end landed on the ground. They were judged on how vertical the log landed. The straighter it was at its landing moment. The more points the person was rewarded.

Then there was the Weight Throw. This consisted of swinging a heavy metal ball with a chain attached to it, with competitors only using one hand to launch it as far as possible. The most popular technique used was the spinning technique.

There was also the Scottish Hammer Throw, Maide Leisg, and Stone Put. Each was a way to prove who was the strongest since each was meant to measure one's strength, or in simple terms it was a pissing contest.

Of course, each stemmed from tradition.

A word that Merida had begun to hate since this whole thing had begun.

The time for the archery competition was nearing, and Merida could hardly stow her excitement.

Merida was seated in a smaller version of the castle's throne room watching the games. It had a big chair for her father to his right was her mother Elinor, and to the left was herself. The twins bench was to their mothers right. Of course, they were not sitting there at the moment. They could only sigh and hope that they weren't planning to burn down the whole castle.

Their look alike throne chairs had a roof to protect them from the sun, and had the perfect vantage point to watch the archery contest. The three clan flags were hoisted behind each heir. They were all being coached by their fathers.

"Merida what are you looking for?" Fergus asked looking to his left.

"The triplets you know. Who knows what trouble they are getting themselves in" Merida lied smoothly.

Fergus nodded and looked towards the field bored. This was by far the least exciting game out of all of them. It wasn't a competition where they could show their strength. It was more about skill.

Merida sighed in relief, but couldn't help but look towards the sky hoping to see a black spot within the white clouds.

"Common already! Get on with the games" Fergus shouted.

There was a roar from all the men showing that they agreed with the king.

Between the shouts of all the men. Merida heard the recognizable roar from Toothless. No one seemed to have heard it. But she could tell who it belonged too. Looking around to the sky and the forest. She spotted a lizard on top of the highest tree. Hiccup had made sure to stick to the shade to hide both of them.

Hiccup was wearing a black leather suit made out of Toothless scales. It was something he had created to sneak around places more easily. Of course, it also worked well during the day so long as he stayed in the shadows.

Merida smiled not sure if he could see her doing it. Seeing him here gave her the courage to defy what was years of traditions. Not that she cared.

While everyone was distracted as the first participant prepared to shot their one and only arrow for this competition. Merida snuck away taking her bow and quiver with her. It was quite amazing that no one noticed her grab her clan's banner. After all the thing was humongous.

The first to step up to the plate was the gentle giant as Merida remembered him by. Knowing full well that he had tremendous strength he drew the arrow and with the least amount of strength he pulled it back and shot it towards the target. The arrow landed on the most outer ring.

Lord Dingwall and Macintosh laughed at the boys poorly aim. This was after all a way to measure their offspring skills and by extension theirs.

Next up was the narcissistic heir. He steps up taking the most ridiculous pose imaginable. But even that would not stop his adoring fans from cheering him on. You could tell he thrived on the attention with his constant hair swipes. He drew the arrow with utmost confidence in his skill. It appeared to everyone especially his fans that he was an expert at this. He drew back the arrow and fired it off expecting a perfect shot.

But to his surprised the arrow landed on the second most inner ring. It was much closer than the gentle giants shot. But even so he whined like a child by throwing his bow on the ground and raging like a lunatic.

Merida shudder to think of him as her future husband.

Next up was Lord Dingwall son. Merida could only look on with pity. He was by far the least likely to even know how to use a bow. A fact for which she thanked her lucky stars. Being married to someone like him would be even worse than the narcissistic heir. When she had tried to make a conversation with him this morning all he had done was stared at her cleavage and a 'mmmm' sound that came out of his mouth.

Picking his bow from the ground and trying to take an arrow out of his quiver which caused all of the other arrows to fall to the ground. He looked at the bow like a caveman would a hammer and tried to understand how it worked.

Fed up with the young heir.

"Get on with it already!" Fergus shouted from his seat causing the boy to jumped and shot his arrow. What most would say was the luckiest shot ever. The arrow landed directly in the center of the target. Hitting the red circle in the middle.

Merida could not keep the horror from her face. This was just her luck. If her plan didn't work out she was going to be forced to spend her life with him. He had the attention span of a log!

Everyone cheered as the young heir hit the target right in the middle. No one was as happy as his father.

Merida couldn't help but cringe as Lord Dingwall a Lord purposely showed his bare buttocks to the other Lords.

'Yea, respectable Lords.'

This were the same men her mother wanted her to respect.

If they behaved worse than her five-year brothers. Than there was no hope for the future of their clans.

Just as Queen Elinor rose from her eat to congratulate the winner with a strained smile.

Even the Queen herself did not wished to have him as her son-in-law, but traditions demanded that it be done this way. And she was raised to follow traditions.

The Dunbroch flag was raised.

Everyone turned to the person who had planted the flag.

"As per our laws and traditions! The first born of each clan is allowed to compete and as the first born of the Dunbroch's clan I'll be shooting for my own hand!" Merida stated, standing proudly and her bow in her hands.

Everyone stared at her flabbergasted at her words. This had never happened before.

Queen Elinor only looked on in both anger and shame. She had disobeyed her again and she had done so in front of the other Lords shaming the Dunbroch clan! But she also knew that she had just repeated what she had said when the competition had been announced. The first born was allowed to compete, but never had the maiden competed for her own hand.

This violated tradition!

"Merida!" Elinor gather her long dress in her hand lifting as to not trip and walked towards her daughter.

Merida took her cue and took aim to the target. But her tight dress restricted movement.

"Damn dress!" She curses as she stretched the dress out until it ripped.

As soon as she had enough mobility she began taking aim at the target the MacGuffin heir had taken aim at. The only difference was that her arrow landed precisely on the center. Moving to the next target where the Macintosh heir had fired. Proving her skill, she walked right past the target firing her arrow landing in the red circle. It just proved how skillful she was with the bow shaming the young heir.

Lastly was the hardest shot. The arrow itself was right on the center.

"Merida! Don't you dare loose another arrow!" The Queen shouted angrily as she made her way to her daughter.

Merida ignored her, and took aim at the target. She stayed still for a few seconds. She stilled her breathing and took aim. Just as her mother was about to reach her she fired her arrow. As it flew something that most expected could never happen occurred. Merida's arrow not only landed in the center, but it split the previous arrow in half. It was the best shot anyone had ever seen, and one that no one had ever made.

Merida turned to look at her mother standing next to her rage clearly written on her face. Merida stood her ground and looked her straight in her eyes showing her conviction and her inner strength.

Sitting on Toothless from the highest tree in the forest. Hiccup looked on as his friend walked across the field firing arrows at the targets. He knew that everyone of them were dead center. He didn't need to see the crowds faces to know.

Hiccup was aware of her skills with the bow. He had never seen anyone who could do what she did with it. Firing three arrows in one shot and hitting her target one hundred percent was an amazing feat.

As Merida shot her last arrow.

Hiccup looked as her mother grabbed her bow and dragged her by the arm towards the castle. Merida struggle to escape her grip but he could see that she was unfortunately having no luck.

He let out a long and exhausted sighed.

He knew she would be going to his cave when night fell.

"Let's go Toothless. I have to patch myself up before Merida gets there."

Hiccup looked at his left shoulder where dry blood was smeared over his clothes, and a deep gash on his stomach.

Toothless jumped from the tree and flew towards the cave.

Elinor walked straight to the castle leaving all the Lords behind.

Never had she been this humiliated in her life! By her own daughter, no less. In front of the Lords she dared to defy her wishes, participated in a competition she was never supposed to be in and she had fought against tradition.

Walking up the stairs into Merida room.

Elinor pushed her daughter inside the room throwing the bow on the floor.

"Out of all the asinine things you have ever done. This takes the cake. You have ruined the name of the Dunbroch clan, and have humiliated both your father and I!"

"Well, what was I supposed to do. Just do nothing as I was forced to marry someone I didn't love. Do nothing as my own parents give me away in a stupid contest!" She yelled back furiously letting her temper get the best of her.

"You were ordered to follow tradition! You are a princess and you should learn to act like one!"

"So what! If tradition orders me to simply spread my legs for some random boy I should just do it without questioning it!" Merida yelled.

Elinor Looked at her daughter with rage. Involuntarily she raised her hand without thinking and delivered a swift slap across her cheek.

Both were momentarily stunned.

Never had Merida been struck in her life, and never had Elinor had to raise her hand on her children. It had never gotten to the point of raising hand to strike one of her children.

But in a moment of rage she hadn't given it much thought. It was one of those moments when you either say or do something you never thought you ever would. It was an action that she would deeply regret for the rest of her life.

Elinor still acting on her emotions she grabbed Merida's bow and threw it into the fire. The sound of wood crackling and the string snapping was heard as it touched the fire. She looked at her daughter her face flushed crimson red breathing heavily.

Until her mind caught up with what she had done. It dawned on her the moment she saw her daughter's cheek red with an imprint of her hand and the tears that ran freely down her face.

Elinor stared at her hand in horror before the sound of wood burning reached her ears.

Merida grabbed the nearest object which so happens to be her sword and threw at her mother most precious object. It hit the family tapestry which had her mother, father and her. It was something her mother had made as per tradition. It didn't have her brothers in it because they hadn't been born at that time.

She threw the sword at the tapestry ripping it in half.

"I hate you!"

With those words she ran out of the room. Heading to a place where she knew she would be accepted.

A thick lump formed in Elinor's throat as her daughter uttered those awful words. But it wasn't her words that had hurt her. It was her very own actions.

Rushing to the fireplace she grabbed the fire iron and pulled the bow out. It came out charred and almost broken. The wood which was a soft ivory was now charcoal black. The string had snapped completely and what little of it that was left had already burned away.

The bow held so many memories. It was something Merida and her father shared. Something she was jealous of at times. When Merida had been born she had this fantasy of a little girl who was always attached to her. She had this fantasy about the perfect princess, grooming her into the perfect lady. But instead she had turned out to be more like her father. Unrefined with a love for adventure and a stubborn streak. While she loved Fergus she did not like the influence he had on their daughter.

It might have been due to her expectation of having that relationship with her.

Looking at the bow Elinor tried to hold back the tears that were building up. This might have been the worst mistake of her life.

Running through the castle halls as fast as her two legs could take her. Merida wiped the tears that ran down her face.

She could still feel the stinging on her cheek. Never had her mother struck her before. It just wasn't the way they were brought up. However tension had been running high since Merida had been informed of bleak future.

The young redhead refused to have her future taken away. It was like she had been brought up to be given away as a peace offering to the other clans. To be the perfect wife that followed her husband's every command. She was not going to simply accept the plan her mother had laid out. She was going to fight it until the bitter end.

Running through the less frequent halls Merida ran to the stables where angus was. She mounted the horse and rode to where Hiccup was. She did not want to be in the castle tonight. Her mother seemed to care very little of her happiness and simply expected her to be okay with what she deemed a perfect life.

Dashing out of the castle through the gated bridge. Merida headed to the forest where she knew she would find comfort.

Sadly the moon wasn't shining as brightly as it used to. The path was difficult to see for her and even worse for her steed. As much as she wanted to dash through the forest as fast as possible Merida recognized the danger to herself and Angus with such low visibility.

Trotting through the dark forest Merida spotted a light…

No, it was a wisp.

They were a legend. They were supposed to lead one to their destiny.

Stopping to look at the wisp. Merida pondered whether to follow the magical light or to ignore it.

The temptation was too great. If the legends were true, then her fate could be changed to wherever the wisp lead her.

If dragons were real, then why shouldn't magic be real too.

Getting off Angus. Merida began following the wisp much to her mount displeasure.

"Common Angus don't be a scaredy cat" Merida said, but Angus still did not follow. Merida rolled her eyes and followed the wisp hoping it took her to place where she could change her destiny.

Following the trail of wisps a sudden breeze pushed her hair into her face. Moving her hair from her face she noticed a small house embedded into the side of a small hill with a tree on top of it. The roots all over the small house making it look like there was a door on the side of the small hill.

"That wasn't there before" Merida mused out loud, and against common sense she followed the wisp that were leading her to the wooden door on the side of the small hill.

Reaching the door Merida stood there for a few second not knowing what to do.

Did she knock? Or open the door.

The decision was made for her when the door opened. Standing on the other side was a small old woman with grey hair tied in a small bun, the craziest eyes she had ever seen, a wart the size of a golf ball clearly visible on her long and pointed nose. Her skin was as pale as the moon, her odor was so revolting it could have frighten away even the mighty Mordo and she wore the most tattered and baggy clothes clothes her shirt more of a gown. Never before had Merida been this much on edge never before had she truly sensed an evil so encompassing that she could barely refuse to enter, to see what this monstrosity had to offer. To understand why the wisps had lead her here instead of anywhere else, and the only thought she could manage was "why didn't I go to Hiccup."

Read and Review.

This chapter was supposed to have been posted yesterday, but I forgot to post it. _

Pairing Hiccup/Elsa/Merida/Camicazi.