A Highland Love Story

Chapter 5

The castle of DunBroch was shrouded in an eerie silence as the news of unwelcome suitors returning reached its inhabitants. The prospect of a forced betrothal weighed heavily on the shoulders of the royal family.

Merida stood in her chamber, her fiery hair falling around her like a curtain. She looked out of the window, her eyes clouded with apprehension. She knew the suitors were returning, but her hope had been that they would forget their intentions and leave her be.

Her mother, Queen Elinor, entered the room, her face etched with a mix of concern and resignation. "Merida, we've received word that the lords' sons will be arriving soon."

Merida couldn't hide the frustration in her voice. "I don't want this, Mum. I won't be forced into a marriage I don't want. It's my life."

Elinor sighed, sitting down beside her daughter. "I know, Merida. I share your feelings, but we're facing a difficult choice. War is looming, and this is the only alternative. I would never force you into something you don't want, but you must keep in mind our people's safety must come first."

Merida felt a pang of sadness for her mother. She knew Elinor was making this decision out of love and concern for their kingdom. "I understand, Mum, but I wish there was another way."

Elinor gently brushed a lock of hair away from Merida's face. "So do I, my love."

In the training yard, Y/N sparred with King Fergus, his thoughts heavy with the news of the unwelcome suitors. Fergus, despite his imposing presence, seemed distracted, his movements less fierce than usual.

After one particularly distracted moment, Y/N lowered his sword and asked, "Your Majesty, is everything alright?"

Fergus let out a heavy sigh, his shoulders sagging. "Lad, I cannae help but think about what's happenin'. I dinnae want Merida to be wed to any of these lads, but I dinnae see another choice."

Y/N understood the gravity of the situation and the weight it placed on Fergus. "It's a difficult decision, Your Majesty. But I believe in Merida's strength. She'll find a way to choose her own path."

Fergus looked at Y/N, his eyes filled with an intensity that Y/N hadn't seen before. "Aye, lad, and that's why I have an idea."

Y/N raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "An idea, Your Majesty?"

Fergus nodded, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "Ye have proven yerself to be a strong and capable young man. And if I may be so bold, I think ye could help Merida with a solution."

Y/N was taken aback by the suggestion. "Me, Your Majesty? How could I possibly help?"

Fergus clapped Y/N on the back. "Ye're a master swordsman and a lad of great honor. What if ye were to compete alongside the suitors and win Merida's hand in a fair contest?"

Y/N's eyes widened at the proposal. "You're suggesting a contest of some kind, where I would be a contender?"

Fergus nodded. "Aye, it would be fair. Ye would be competing on the same terms as the other suitors, and Merida would have a choice in the matter. It's a way to ensure her happiness and our kingdom's safety."

"Your Majesty, if you believe this is the right path, I'm willing to do whatever it takes to help Merida."

Fergus clasped Y/N's shoulder with a grateful smile. "Thank ye, lad. We'll work out the details, and we'll discuss this with Merida when the time is right."

As the sun dipped below the horizon, Merida found herself alone in her chamber. The weight of the impending suitors' arrival bore down on her, and her heart was heavy with the thought of being forced into a loveless marriage.

She buried her face in her pillow, her shoulders shaking as she wept in the solitude of her room. Her tears were not just for herself, but for the future of her kingdom and the weight of the choices that had been thrust upon her.

With a trembling voice, she whispered, "I don't want this, Angus. I don't want to be married off to a stranger. I want to choose my own path."