Battle Scars (Mericcup Story)

Chapter 5: Mother Knows Best

The sun rose gently across the sky, creating arching shadows as the beams of light swept through gaping holes in the Berk's eclipsing mountains, reaching across the feilds to the west. Standing just outside of the barrel shaped structor where her family currently resided, Merida took in a breath of the new day. Her raving curls flew loosely, now free of the braid that had previously held her fiery locks captive.  

"Mum!" She called, turning on her heels to face the Queen who sat at a table just inside, going over numerous papers of varying importance. Merida questioned for a moment if any were suitors. Although the problem had been resolved years ago, some kingdoms were very, very persistent. Waving away the fear of writing another apology letter, Merida crossed the small distance between them. "Mum?" She repeated, this time with a layer of concern.

"Yes dear, I'm sorry." The queen apologized, looking up she rubbed her eyes, attracting Merida's attention to their tired gleam before she had time to close them. The queen had appeared this way for a while now, since before they has set out on their voyage. Merida was concerned for her mother, she could not recall a time that her mother's had ever appeared so pallid. 

"Are you sure you're alright Mum?" Merida brought a hand to her mother's forehead, but felt to fever. 

"Yes dear. I'm fine, I suspect it's only nerves from that blastid ship." The queen sighed, talking her daughter's hand into her own.  

Merida wanted to protest, she had never known her mother to be nervous over anything. Let alone nervous enough to make herself sick. "If you're sure that's all it is." the younger women held her mother's hand for another moment, tracing and invisible circle that emulated her concern. 

"I'm sure Merida, but thank you." Her mother removed herself from the table, giving her daughter the best smile she could muster as she quickly fashioning her dark hair behind her. The queen crossed the space and grabbed a comb from a small table. Merida made no protest when her mother returned and mathotically tried to dull her daughter's wild mane.

Merida still did not enjoy having her hair hair brushed, she was always suprised when the comb didn't break in two as it tryed to tear it's way through her many knotts and curls. Still, it had become almost a silent treaty between the two. Merida would allow her mother to brush her hair and in exchange the time was used to talk to one another about more than one another's duties.

After a short pause, and mumbled complains from Merida, the queen spoke. "Besides," She began. "I would think you of all people would have other things to think about than you're daft old mum." Merida laughed, turning to face her  mother. 

"You're far from daft Mum. Still, what other things do you mean exactly?"  

"Are'nt you interested in Berk? It's people, it's culture?" Merida raised a brow. Her mother sounded so enthused.

"I could ask you the same question." She retorted. "You're the one lock herself away, it's like your allergic to Berk or somethin'. Nothing's gonna happen." 

The queen stopped running the brush through her daughters hair, and she seemed to take a step back. Her eyes turned to the floor. "Mum?" Merida stood from the chair and placed at hand on her mother's arm.

"It's nothing dear. It's just... No it's nothing."

"No, mum." Merida's voice was stern, she pulled out as much strength as she could muster. "It's got to be something."

The queen looked up. Her brown eyes were a dark mix of churning emotions, sparks like lightning seem to flash somewhere deep within them. The two stood there for what felt like a lifetime. It had been so long since they're depocales had escaleted like this. Sure they fought, but it brought women to memories of years before when the two were not nearly as close.

The definaning silence of the room was suddenly interrupted by a small knock at the door, then another one that seemed just a bit louder. When a third knock rattled at the wooden slab the queen broke away from her daughter. She sped to the door, her dress trailing behind like a shadow.

It took queen Elinor another moment to compose herself before she opened the door. "Hiccup," Her smile suddenly became sincear at the sight of the young lad. "Look how you've grown." she remembered the fishbone of a boy from their last visit to Burk, and in the many letters that came after. "Oh, won't you come in." Elinor asked, moving to the side to allow Hiccup inside.

"Thanks," He replied, quickly stepping around her and into the small abode. "I was actually hoping that I could see Merida." His voice showed his nervoussness in the situation. "My dad suggested I show her around the island."

"Really? Well that does sound exciting." The queen claspped her hands together as she strode across to her daughter in the other room, Hiccup followed closley behind. "Merida, this is Hiccup. He's cheif Stoick's son."

Merida held her head in her hands as she sat at the table, her mother's voice must've spooked her as she almost jumped from her seat. "Yeah, we've met." she stood from the table, grabbing an apple from the center of the table. "I ran into last night in the woods."

"The woods?" Her mother's voice rang out with an unfamiliar alarm. Merida looked at her, the princess's brow folded as she guaded her mother's reaction.

"Yeah, the woods? So, I found my way here." Merida's eyes shifted to Hiccup, who returned an expression of confusion.

"Well thank goodness for that." Her mother replied quickly. "Now then, I need you to get cleaned up young lady. The cheif has requested Hiccup show you around Berk." Queen Elinor smiled, and placed a hand on her daughter's shoulder. "I want you to go have some fun dear."

Merida took in a breath, then seemed to relax. "OK mum, I'll see what I can do." She allowed herself one last glimpse at her mother and Hiccup before dissappear up the small staircase that lead to her room.

After she had fully dissppeared from sight the queen turned to face Hiccup. "Young man, I need to explain something to you before you set out."

"It's OK," Hiccup consoled quickly. "My dad explained about the dragons, the last time you're family came to Berk."

Hiccup could see the relief light up Elinor's face. "I just need her to be safe. I can't endanger my little girl, not again." She moved to the window nearest to them, glancing out to the island. "I'm not worried about my boys. They're a bit younger than her, but they take after their father; ready to take on the world with all they've got. Merida however, she has enough battles, enough scars on her life."

"I think it's best if I and the other dragon trainers try to teach her about dragons your highness. If she still has that fear, maybe there's something we can do about it."

"Oh, Hiccup. I wish you the best of luck, but you must keep in mind; some scars heal, other's fade, but some can only be hidden." The queen smiled, a knowingness in her eyes.

"I'm not sure I no what you mean," Hiccup stammered. "But I still think it's best to try."

"It never hurts to try."

There was a long pause after this, until a fiery haired princess made her way down the stairs. The room seemed to spark with a livelyness then, as there was a short 'goodbye.' exchanged with a 'be careful.' and then the sound of a slamming door as the two dissappeared.

Elinor laughed to herself before glancing outside once more to see Hiccup being pulled down the twisting trail that led to town, it was at this time she'd noticed how high the sun had actually risen. Flusstered she ran to the staircase. "Fergus!" She called out to her husband. "We're going to be late if you don't hurry!" The faint sound of her husband clammering about upstairs assured her that he'd heared. She smiled to herself, He could be such a fool.