Onward: Don't Hold Back

The Wisps

In the 11th centuries CE, there was the castle of Dunbroch in Scotland.

Inside of the Dunbroch castle, there are the king and queen. They have a daughter and three sons.

The princess of Dunbroch was not happy with her mother.

The queen's name was Elinor. She was cheerful. "Merida, this is what ye wanted for your life." Queen Elinor said.

The princess and the queen are in Merida's bedroom.

The princess shook her head. Merida was frowning. "No, mum. This is what YE have wanted for YOUR life." The princess added. "I cannot go thru any suitor for my hand in marriage." Merida protested.

Queen Elinor sighs. She was not taking her daughter seriously. The queen was annoyed. "Merida, this is for the good of the kingdom." Queen Elinor believed.

Merida groans. "The good of the kingdom..." the princess repeated in her mutter.

Queen Elinor gestures her daughter out. "Merida, I prepared ye to take full responsibility someday as the next queen of Dunbroch." Queen Elinor explains.

Merida has her eyes widened with horror. "Suitors?! Marriage?! Responsibility?! QUEEN?!" The princess inquired in exclamation.

Queen Elinor was solemn. "You're the heir to your next line to be queen here. Someday after your wedding with the prince." She explained more.

Merida was angry. "Mum, ye can't do this to me!" She exclaimed.

The queen was stern. "The princess does not shout to your-" Queen Elinor almost instructed her daughter.

Merida has enough with her mother. "Mum, what are ye trying to do to me?!" The princess added, shouting in her vent. The queen was surprised. Merida faced her with frustration. "Telling me what to do and NOT what to do! And even be like ye! Well, I am not gonna be like YE, mum! Listen, I am not going to do what ye-" the princess tries to finish her ranting.

Queen Elinor cut her off. The queen doesn't approve her daughter's attitude. Queen Elinor was not being the understanding type of the mother. "NO! YE listen to ME! I am the QUEEN! Merida, your fate is here in THIS castle, not out in the woods or anywhere! Ye ARE the princess, NOT a free-spirited archer!" Queen Elinor rants back.

Merida was dreaded.

The queen takes the princess's only birthday gift since Merida was a child. She got it from her father.

The princess was alarmed. "No! No, not my bow and arrows!" Merida screams. The princess efforts to get her weapon back from her mother.

Yet Queen Elinor pushed her daughter away. The queen was firm. Queen Elinor furrows her eyebrows. "Merida! You're going to be queen of Dunbroch! Whether ye like it or not!" Queen Elinor yells.

The princess cupped her mouth with her both hands. Merida was melancholy. The princess gasped.

The queen left her daughter's bedroom with her daughter's bow and arrows. Queen Elinor hoped that Merida would finally understand her way. The queen regretted being hard at the princess. Queen Elinor still believed arranged marriage for Merida will keep her safe from harm.

The princess was distraught. Merida sobbed on her pillow. The princess was not committed to marriage with any prince. Or any suitor.

Later on in the evening, when nobody was around the castle, Merida rides her horse.

She can't take being a princess anymore.

Merida fled the kingdom to be on her own. She was sad over her last argument with her mother.

The white and black horse stops galloping.

Merida was astonished. She was being thrown out from her horse. Merida lands on the grassy ground.

They are in The Ring of Stones.

She faced her white and black horse in her confused look. "Angus!" Merida complained.

Her horse would not budge.

She sits up herself steady. Merida brushes some grass off of her dress. She surveyed the area.

Then, the blue little things appears.

It gestured the princess to follow.

Merida was smiling yet sad. "The wisps..." she whispered.

The princess steps closer to it.

The wisp was telling her to come in an eerie voice.

Angus neighs in his frightening expression.

Merida did not take her horse's warning.

The princess was interested about the wisps. Every time Merida goes near one, it disappears.

Each wisp to another, they are leading the princess a trail in the forest.

Merida goes after the wisps. She believes her fate was about to change.

And Merida's fate has been altered.

She was being sent to the different kind of world.