Chapter 1:

Catching up with mom

She always knew that Edinburgh wasn't her place, all that noise and people walking in hurry with no time for thinking or appreciating what they got, No, that wasn't for her at all. But it was her first step out to that vast adventure that she swore one day she was going to live, it was going to be the place where all of the door would be wide open for her, to the places and opportunities that only a big city like Edinburgh could bring her. That's what she always thought it would be, but…

Merida found herself in a train going back to DunBroch, the place that she left so many years ago when she was just nineteen and eager to start the university. It had been six years since then and although she felt like she was receding, she needed her mom more than she would like to admit and she knew that she needed her too, even if she haven't told her so.

"Hi mum" – she said with a big smile when she entered into her old house to see her mother in the hall way, her mouth in a strange mix of a smile and an open mouth for the surprise.

Elinor stared at her daughter first in shook and disbelief, she wasn't expecting to see her until Christmas and for that still a couple of months ahead. Then her eyes narrowed and she walked up to her.

"Oh, no." Was the first that she said to her in a worrisome tone "what happened dear?"

Merida grimace and move her shoulders awkwardly "Pfff, what?" She said looking away from her. "Nothing, I'm fine!"

She could feel the eyes of her mother staring right at her, just like an open book, not believing a word of what she was saying. Sometimes she hated how well her mother knew her, but then again, that was the reason why she was there. Merida turned, glancing back at her mother without holding her tears longer "I'm fine" she assure her again with a cracking voice, hugging her strongly.

"Oh dear, it's alright. You're home now."

She smiled a little to hear her voice so close to her, comforting her. Years had passed since she felt this small, this fragile. Even since the death of her dad she never felt like this, it surprised her. But she knew that it wasn't just because her boyfriend from three years had left her, it was also because ever since she finished college, nothing had go like the plan.

"I'm so sorry that it didn't work with Jack" Elinor said giving her a cup of tea. "He seemed to be such a nice guy, I took my time to like him but I did at the end."

Merida shrugged taking the tea happily, it felt nice to be again back home. The smell of the sea and wet grass coming from outside the window while she was sitting in her dad's old couch by the fireplace making her feel like nine again and with her mother by her side, life couldn't be better.

"It's okay mom, he wasn't for me… now that I look back I realize that, and true to be told, I was never for him too so… there is nothing to regret." Merida glanced down to her tea and sighed, her frown was narrowed in a puzzled expression "but I really truly believed that he loved me mom, It feel so weird, I never really thought about marrying him or anything like that but it did hurt me when he left me." Elinor just pursed her lips and Merida could read in her expression what she was thinking "Really, mom. I'm fine now, I just needed to take everything out. I'm not heartbroken, not really, not anymore."

"Is healthy to feel that way after what you had been through Merida, but isn't it a bit extreme to move here? I know that you think I feel lonely after your father's dead but I'm alright now and I know you better lass, and it seem odd that you want to live here after saying – and I quote – 'I will never ever, ever, live here, ever again'"

Both of them chuckled at this. Oh that day, she remembered well. When she left her parent's house to life in Edinburgh. The memory was still fresh in her memories even after so many years, her mother crying, her dad smiling at her trying to held back the tears of happiness and her three youngers brothers hugging her like if there was no tomorrow. It was a happy day for her… for they, but she doesn't recall crying, on the contrary, she was smiling then.

Her mother continue talking:

"There is someone out there for you lass" she did a pause looking at her daughter "somebody who is sensitive and faithful and kind, but you'll never meet him if you're hiding here!"

Merida rolled her eyes, the last thing she needed now was a man in her life but of course her mother would say that "Good" – she responded taking a sip of her tea – "I don't want to meet him, he sound like a twat."

It was now Elinor's turn to roll her eyes at her daughter "oh! Talking about mans." Merida added a "and twats" but her mother reproached her with her gaze and Merida giggled "young MacGuffin is getting married, tomorrow actually."

Merida almost choked in her tea "Ethan!? Big Ethan MacGuffin is getting married?" Elinor nodded and she couldn't help to let a laugh out.

"Oh god, and who is the lucky lady?"

"Maurice, do you remember her? Maudie's nice."

Merida snorted "of course I remember her, that little bi…" Her mother frowned at her "be… witching young lady." She quickly corrected herself.

How could she forget her? She had been a pain ever since high school, not that you could call high school to that place but still, what could you do with a small town like DunBroch? "So she finally got what she wanted?" She asked taking a sip of her tea. She remember well the hardcore crush Maurice got on Ethan, mostly because it wasn't correspond since she was the one who Ethan was in love with, and that make her lots of problems back in high school.

"Well, I'm not sure you're in the mood for a wedding"

"Mom, I'm going to be fine."

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"Earth eat me now" she mutter to herself as she enter into the chapel while all the people (who were most of the town people) turned to see her and even the groom, who looked more than shocked, glanced at her with his mouth open. Merida said an awkward "hi" from where she was and sat next to her mother, wishing that this could end quickly. All the stares and muttering of the people weren't even subtle, she could perfectly hear them and they weren't saying pleasant things.

Once Maurice enter and everybody got up, she also couldn't hide her astonishment when she saw her beside her mother, frowning almost immediately to then looking away to her groom, holding her head high. Merida couldn't help but snort, what was she thinking? That she cared? This was stupid.

"Too bad you came just now" comment an old woman next to her "now the only single man is wee Dingwall, do you remember him?"

Merida twitched a sort of smile controlling her desire to roll her eyes, "aye, I do" she tried to reply kindly "we played together as kids" she comment back hoping that this was the end of the discussion but the lady keep going about how she was now on age to get marry and all that. The woman only shut up when the wedding was over and they were all going to the back to the little reception there was. Merida found her way to escape from the woman and her inquiries, trying her best to hide on the back of everyone and watching everything from afar.

"What a nice surprise to have you here again, Merida" suddenly someone said beside her, it was uncle Dingwall. "Edinburg wasn't what you expected, I suppose? A horrible place let me tell you, never liked that you went away from here, when you got everything you need"

Merida faked a smile "well, I'm back for the moment" she knew what he was implying there, he always wanted her to marry his son and he couldn't even hide his happiness on seeing her here after the other the 'competition' of his son was now married.

"actually, I was wondering if I could have my old job back, I kinda need one since I don't know for how long I'm going to be staying" she knew that he wasn't going to say no, not when his son worked in the same shop. But there was nothing there that she couldn't handle.

"Of course, of course" he replied quite excitedly, probably thinking that this was a good sign.

Merida sighed; she had forgotten how exhausting living here was.

A.N: Hello! I hope that you'll enjoy this little fic that I'm writting, ever since I've watch the Decoy Bride I wanted to do it and I'm only half way to finish it already. I only want your opinions on the matter. Do I continue? do you like this idea? this has been a very short chapter but I'm working on it, the nexts chapters have much more words, also Hiccup's point of view.

I changed Hiccup's name to Hayden because, let's be honest, a father wouldn't call his only son Hiccup, BUT he will be adressed by Hiccup, you'll see.

I think that's all that I ought to say, I'll be aplounding the next chapter soon if this have a good reception. I'm only going to ask for forgiveness if there is any faults in my grammar, english is not my first lenguage so there maybe some typos. I'm sorry.