Touch the Sky ON HOLD

The Witch's Cottage

"Mighty me!" Elinor threw Murdoch in, the prince letting out a startled cry. "I've had just about enough of you, lad! And YOU..." She violently grabbed Y/n's wrist and swung her in, toppling into Murdoch's arms.

"Mum, do not throw her -"

But she cut him off, not bothering to hear. "You've embarrassed them. You've embarrassed me!"

"I followed the rules!" he argued back, holding Y/n to his chest protectively. She whimpered against him, squeezing her eyes shut.

"You don't know what you've done!" Elinor pointed accusingly, then slammed the door shut.

Y/n moved away from Murdoch for a quill and paper and began writing.

"I just don't care -"

"There'll be fire and sword if it's not set right!"

Y/n held up her paper, the same word written on it.

Listen.

Blinded by her earlier furry and now being challenged, Elinor lunged forward on her toes and snapped, "I am the queen! He. Listens. To me!"

"Don't treat her like that!" Murdoch shouted back, stepping in between them when his mother got too close to Y/n. He reached for his sword and pulled it out, ready on instinct to protect her.

"I'll treat her - AND you - how I see fit! But you threaten me with that trying ONCE, lad..."

"AGGGGHH!" Murdoch groaned, beginning to pace, snapping from protective boyfriend to moody teen in an instant. "This is so unfair!"

Y/n backed away, not wanting to be in the middle of the blowout that was about to happen.

Elinor half scoffed, half dryly chuckled. "Unfair?"

"You were never there for me!" he declared, swinging his sword around. "This whole marriage is what you want! Do ya ever bother to ask what I want?" he asked off to the side, then directed his shouting back to Elinor. "No!" At a full-blown pace now, he swung his sword around. "You walk around tellin' me what to do, what not to do...tryin' to make me be like you! Well...I'm not goin' to be like you!"

"Och, you're actin' like a child," the queen dismissed, ready to walk out at that to cool off.

But Murdoch kept testing her, approaching the family tapestry with his sword. "And YOU'RE a BEAST. That's what you are!"

Y/n's eyes widened and she shook her head when she saw him point the sword in between his and his mother's hands.

"Murdoch!"

"I'll never be like you," he declared, beginning to rip the seams.

"No! Stop that!"

Y/n tried to pull his arm away, but he pushed it away, then drew his hand up. "I'd rather DIE THAN BE LIKE YOU!" With one swift motion, he sliced into the tapestry, ripping it so that he and his mother were separated.

Elinor gasped, her son standing upright to show his spirit was still strong. Instead of screaming, however, Elinor used her power-walk, Murdoch shrinking back when he realized what he had done. Not that he was sorry; just sorry about the metaphorical beating he was about to endure.

"Murdoch. You are a prince." Elinor ripped the bow off his back, pushing him into Y/n. She put her arms on his shoulders to reel him back, seeing that he was about to go after Elinor, who still held his precious bow. "I expect you to act like one!"