FicWad

Three red haired boys stood atop a hill, all identical in shape and size and features, but somehow Merida could tell them apart. Neither them nor her spoke a word. She reached a hand out, as if to touch them, but suddenly found herself far away. They turned and ran away from her, screaming. What were they so afraid of? As they ran they all seemed to slip and fall, tumbling down the hill where they once stood.
“No!” Merida screamed, but not a sound exited her mouth, and unable to move, chains held her down to the ground, their bonds to thick to be unstruck “No!” but still nothing, not a sound. The boys continued to fall until they neared the end of a cliff. It came to a point where they were dangling of the edge, screaming and pleading for help from her, but there was nothing she could do, these chains bounds held true. “No!” she cried, struggling “Help-!” the boys began but, it was too late.
All the three had then fallen simultaneously to their demise “No!” she screamed.
“No!” Merida sat up in a cold sweat, her heart race a hundred miles an hour. She panted fiercely. Just a dream, she thought. She paused and thought it over again. Just a nightmare. She had known that as a spirit sleep was unnecessary, but it was nice once in a while. That was, of course before the nightmares. Then again, that was sixty years ago. She hadn’t slept a wink since then.
Not that she had anything to complain about, she’d been dwelling in the mountain she had first woken up in, in fact the very same mountain she’d seen her first sunrise. She thought back to her first day. The colors were still implanted in her mind. She smiled at the thought. Then she thought of Jack. Ugh! What a pain in the ass.
Ever since she’d taken claim to Valentine’s Day he’d been on her about all work and no play and any time she’d try to get something productive accomplished, he’d hit he with a snow storm, or steal her quiver. She couldn’t believe that- He was just so- what did she ever do to deserve- Ugh! Man he got her going. She snickered. It wasn’t like revenge hadn’t been set into action though. Judging by the score they were pretty even.
The mentioning of Valentine’s Day brought her back to a distant memory. About a year after she’d first awakened, she flew over a castle by the western shore lie of Scotland. In the courtyard it seemed as if the entire kingdom was gathered.
She ventured nearer as a regal looking woman stood from a large decretive chair. To her left was a mountain of a man who looked sadly to his left where an empty throne sat, and to her right were the three boys from her… She gasped “from my dream,”
Merida glided down to the stage the thrones sat on and looked at the woman intently as she began to speak “Today is a day of remembrance!” she announced to the people in the court yard “A Day to remember and cherish our loved ones, fore we may not have them for-“ she paused and looked down to the stage. Merida stepped closer to her, feeling oddly attached and sensing a sadness well up inside her. She continued “Fore we may not have them as long as wished or wanted!” she paused and starred over to her husband, he nodded to her, insisting her to continue with her speech. “This day! One year after the death of my daughter, Merida Valentina of Dun ’Broch will hence forth and fore ever be a day of love! That we will share among family, friend, not even death breaking these bonds! And this day will hence forth and for ever be known as Valentine’s Day!”
The people cheered loudly as the woman who made the announcement sat on her throne next to her husband and sons. Merida watched as tears silently fell down her cheeks. Time suddenly slowed. Did- did she say Merida? It couldn’t just be coincidence, could it?
As if to answer her question, a tapestry was lowered for all the kingdom to see. On it was a girl with long fiery red curls, a blue dress, and a bow and arrow in hand. She cupped her hands over her mouth and fell to her knee’s “It can’t be…”he mumbled to herself. But it was, and she knew it.
She began to cry into her hands, her whole body shook. “No, no… I… I want you bak’ Mum,” she continued “I want you back Dad,”
“I… I miss you” All the memories of childhood came rushing back to her. The day she shot her first arrow, the day her brothers were born, and the day she made the deal with the witch.
Merida continued to cry and mutter to herself aimlessly, then “Merida?” she quit crying and whipped her head up, she looked to the left of her and there stood Hubert, reaching out to her. “Do… do you see me?” Merida asked, she was worried he didn’t hear since her voice was in such a low tone. He nodded, a shocked expression on his face.
She breathed in sharply and laughed as she reached for him and pulled him into a tight embrace. She knew perfectly well that there were those who couldn’t see her, or passed right through her, but knowing that her brother was the first to believe, it just seemed to fit.
She squeezed him tightly and he hugged her back, “Merida,” he said softly “you’re dead,” she pulled away from him and wiped away her remaining tears. “Yes, I know Hubert”
“Then how can I see you? Are you a ghost?” She paused and thought of this for a moment, “I, I guess so,” she said.
He looked down disappointed, but as if his spirits were lifted, he whistled, the other two came rushing to his aid but looked rather confused. He turned to Merida again “Why can’t they see you,” he demanded “because they don’t believe,” she was more let down by this answer then she thought she’d be, although she’d known it all along.
Hubert turned to his brothers, reassuring them that he wasn’t crazy, and to try there hardest to believe and within a minute Hamish rubber his eyes and smiled brightly “Merida!” he practically jumped on her, but she welcomed it with open arms. Harris, the triplet she had saved a year ago today, was now the only one not to believe.
And he never did.
Merida went to the castle every year since then for the celebration of Valentines. She had discovered that she could somewhat harness and control this love that was shared. It made her smile, knowing that with each bond she struck to create a friend ship or mother’s love only made her grow stronger, and this to her was a freedom. A freedom to spread the love, and it was a freedom that she enjoyed. But one year, the love in her family had died. The queen grew old, and withered from a sickness until the day she passed. That was also the year her brothers stopped believing in her. As time passed, so did her father, and to take his place on the throne was Harris, the oldest of the triplets.
All three of them grew old and lived happily, and that was all she could have hoped for.
Merida wet to rub her eye and realized that bring up these memories had taken their toll. She wiped away the tears. The thought of fresh air dwelled in her mind. She needed to get out of these mountains.
Not that there was anything wrong with them, it was just… she had dwindled in the past for far too long, her family was gone. It was time to cut the ties.
She stepped out into the open air. Another sunrise awaiting her. This made her think of Jack. She frowned what a pain. When was the last time she’d talked to him? Oh right! Two years ago on valentines, he had buried her in a mound of snow as she was taking aim at two girls who had just met with a friendship arrow. She breathed in and just as she was about to release… Fwump!
All the snow from the tree branches she stood under suddenly fell and the only thing that could be heard was Jacks roaring laughter. She dug her way out and screamed “Jack!”
She didn’t see him but his voice trailed off “Revenge is bitter sweet!” she laughed thinking of how she ended winter early last year. You’re not the only one with wind powers, she thought. She had cleared the skies for all of late February and March. No clouds, No snow.
Merida looked back to the ending night, the darkness was strangely more earie than usual. A shiver went running through her spine. Time to go.
*
“Time to go!” Norths voice was booming through the pole. “But North, we don’t even know how to find this girl and my fairies and I are busy enough as is, we can’t go chasing her around” Tooth played with her fingers nervously as she said this. “Tooth’s got a point mate,” bunny said hurriedly. North had noticed that as soon as Cupid was put into the topic Bunny had become jittery.
He thought about this. “I agree!” he said as he grabbed his coat from a yeti “Tooth, we will handle this, Sandy, you start in east, I will check north, and Bunny,” He perked up his ears at hearing his name, becoming conscious from a brief day dream “You will start in western hemisphere,” at this North thundered away.
Sandy looked to the other two guardians and shrugged, then left on a cloud of sand. Tooth zipped away and bunny tapped his foot on the ground, creating a hole, and leaving behind a flower. Let the search begin.
*
The shadows had listened intently to the conversation at the pole. The master would be pleased to hear about this. They raced away after the guardians took they leave, hurrying to spread the news.
Down into the caves they went, becoming invisible with the amount of darkness that already possessed the deep tunnels. They reached until the scent of their master shrouded them. The news would be very pleasing.
“What?” Pitch had been listening intently. “Well it does look like our little bird was more important than we thought,” He turned to the shadows suddenly “I want you to find her and bring her to me before the Guardians get to her, this may just be the advantage that I needed,”
They nodded readily, eager to begin the hunt. The hunt for the little bird.
*
Merida took in a deep breath. She soaked up the sun on her wings as she was soaring on the breeze. She suddenly wondered if she’d ever get sick of flying. Probably not.
It was a midsummer morning and not a cloud in the sky. She let out an agitated grunt. No clouds meant she’d have to go to the ground for a rest. Her feet made a faint tapping noise as they touched the ground. Still in Scotland.
It was harder to let go then one would think. Merida dug into her past memories once again, wanting them to be more than just memories. The ones of her past life had ended and the ones involving this new life began. She remembered her first day, how it felt to fly for the first time, fall for the first time and- oh great. There was Jack. She hated how he still lingered in her mind, but the memory of him refused to leave.
The memory of that day ventured further as she remembered the race they never finished, the snow ball fight, her first sunrise, when they pranked bunny- she laughed at the thought. She had run into bunny before in the past sixty years, in fact she had helped Jack prank him several times after the first incident, but every time she was around Bunny would become shy or overly defensive and take it out specifically on Jack.
Weird, she thought. She ventured back to her memories. Where was she? Oh right, the bit about dying bunnymund’s fur pink. She laughed at the thought a second time and continued. Jack, she remembered, ended up having to carry her out of there since her wing span was too big.
They then flew away together, and from then on she had been called- she gasped. Why hadn’t she thought of this when her memories first came back? She grew angry at herself for being such and idiot. She then grew angrier with Jack. How had he known he name, before her memories came to? Before she even knew her real name?
“It’s taken me sixty years…?!” she began to mutter to herself as she paced back and forth “…and for what…?!” she continued.
Suddenly, a whooshing noise was made and the bushes behind her shook. On instinct, she instantly drew her bow and aimed. “Who goes there!” she demanded. A voice replied, answering her instantly “Settle down Sheela,” Bunny had stepped out of the bushes, making the same dramatic entrance he had when the first met except thus time he wasn’t pink “You’re needed back at the pole,”
“Well hello to you too,” she began “What’s it been, seven, eight years?”
“Nine, but that not-“
Merida continued on caring little for his reasoning “Nine? Somebody’s been keeping count, did ya miss me,” she laughed playfully as she watched him clench up.
“Cupid-” He began. She paused putting her bow away and looked at him sternly “My. Name. Is. Merida. Now if ya don’t mind I’ll be on my way…” she turned and was ready to spread her wings.
“Merida wait-” Bunny hopped behind her and placed his paw on her shoulder, stopping her dead in her tracks. She stiffened up, but managed to turn. She slapped his arm away from her shoulder, glared, and held the arrow head she was taking aim with to bunny’s chin “This better be worth ma’ time cotton tail,” she placed the arrow away “I’ve got places to be ya know,”
Actually she had nowhere to go, she just didn’t want to at all seem like she was biding her time with the rabbit “you’re needed at the pole,” He continued.
She looked at him confused, “What makes ya think I’ll be going to the pole any time soon?” At hearing this bunny ears perked up and he took a huge step closer her, close enough that Merida felt some of his chest fur against her nose. Ugh, why’d he have to be so tall?
“What do ya think you’re doin’!” but before she could take a huge step back bunny grabbed her arm and looked her in the eye fiercely, “Are we gunna do this the hard way Sheela,” she tried to pull away, amazed at how firm his grip was and how intimidating he could really be “If that means that I won’t be goin’ with you intentionally then yes, and I do hope yer up for a challenge,”
He just smiled at that, and before Merida could lift a finger, the rabbit had tapped his foot on the ground that created a gaping hole beneath their feet that they feel down instantly.
“You beast! That’s not fair!” she cried as she slid helplessly down the slide of a tunnel. She watched him look back and smile as he thumped swiftly and steadily while she spun in circles aimlessly. After a moment or two of sliding a sudden arch that went straight up appeared.
Merida screamed, bracing herself as she flew up from the arch and into the open air. With a large thud she fell back to the ground and rubbed her sores. “Don’t be thinkin’ I’ll let you off easy fer’ that,” she grumbled the threat on instinct. “Not plannin’ on it” Bunny smirked a reply. He then grew serious and faced the yetis. Merida had toned out what they were saying, she was just too captivated by what she saw around her.
She knew she was at the pole of course, due to the yetis and the whaling snow storm outside, but it was so much more than she had imagined. A huge globe with thousands, no, millions of lights rotated slowly in the center of the room, mapping out the entire world. Levels of railing could be seen, each level bustling with life whether it was yetis crafting toys or elves wandering astray. Toys and bright lights wandered the room, life in each and every single one of them. A toy dove came fluttering before he eyes, as if to observe her for a moment. Merida looked at the bird curiously and reached a finger out to touch it. It flew away instantly.
Merida lowered her hand. Taking in the colors and light that belonged to this enormous room was over whelming and she just stood fascinated, speechless, and mouth agape. Bunny finished his conversation and tapped his foot on the floor creating another hole. “Make sure she doesn’t leave,” He looked at her and smiled smugly “Not that it would be too much of a struggle ta’ bring er’ back,” He hopped into the whole and disappeared before she had the chance to make a witty remark.
She watched the hole close up behind him, and a flower to appear, taking its place. She then looked up to the yetis. “Well boys, this has been fun but,” she turned away from the two Bunny just so recently had a conversation with. Before she could turn her head to face away, she bumped into what could have been a furry brick wall. A little shocked, she jumped back and slowly looked up this new yeti’s body to his face that was towering above her. Her voice began to trail off “I really… should be… goin’…”
The yeti that stood before her muttered something to the other two in a language she didn’t understand. They muttered something back and the yeti in front suddenly grabbed her by her hair, its massive fist being able to grip all of it.
“What are you doin’!” she screamed “Ow! Let me go ya’ oaf!” she kicked and thrashed at his fist, but had to somewhat hold on tight and travel the way he was leading her as to ensure that at least most of her hair wouldn’t be ripped from her skull. They went down a hallway to a room with a huge wooden door that was secured with iron.
With his free hand the yeti reached for the handle and opened it wide enough to shove her in. She rolled on the floor scraping both knees and elbows in the process. Before she even allowed herself to feel the pain, she bolted up right and ran to the door, a warrior call leaving her mouth. The yeti slammed the door loudly, and unable to stop herself, Merida ran straight into it. She began to pound and kick the door, and as she reached for the handle, she heard the lock click loudly, sealing her in the rom

TO BE CONTINUED…….

Just going to remind you that this is not how Valentine’s Day was created and this is not Merida’s official full name, I just had to mold it into the story. Hope you liked this one because it took me longer than hoped and it’s also a lot longer than I first planned. Please like, comment, give me your full and honest opinion because I know you read it, you just let me know if you like it or not.