The Fearless Winds

Chapter Six

"I can't believe that the Guardians would lie to me!" Jack said, pacing on this floating ice. "I mean, they gave me a different Guardian oath!"

"Don't worry," said Merida. "I was awake for one out of my four days, and they seemed pretty fishy to me."

"I trusted them," said  Rapunzel. "They were so nice."

"A wolf in sheep's clothing," murmured Hiccup. 

They had been floating on chunks of ice for several days now, and it was starting to get a little boring. This was the second time that day that Jack had ranted about how unfair his time a Guardian was. 

Merida tossed Björn a fish, and he gobbled it right up. She then stood up. "I recognize this place," she said. "It was close to where I woke up."

"We're in Scotland already?" asked Jack. 

"Spirits travel faster than mortals do," Rapunzel said. "I found that out my first couple of years."

"Come on, I think we can swim," Merida said, getting ready to dive in. "It should be shallow enough."

"Who died and made you leader, Princess?" Jack asked, twirling his staff. 

"Well, I guess that ye can stay here and ride your ice block until it melts, or come with me, Frosty."

"Can you two please  stop bickering? It's giving me a headache," Rapunzel said, rubbing her forehead. She looked up. "What are those?"

They all followed her gaze, but saw nothing. "Are ye --"

Rapunzel dove into the water, and started swimming.

"Do we follow her, or..." Hiccup said. 

Merida rolled her eyes anew jumped in. The water was colder than she expected, but she would manage. 

The swim was hard. Cold and deep water did not mix, and her wool dress was not helping things at all. But, with a little work, she made it to the small beach, and stared up at the sheer cliff face. Rapunzel was already trying to climb it, but she didn't know anything about mountain climbing. Merida, however, did.

"All right lass, let me help ye --"

A gust of warm, southern wind blew Merida fifty feet into the air, and held her there. She was terrified, and started screaming. 

"You all right there, Princess?" Jack called up. 

"Get me down  from here!"

"Get yourself down."

Grumbling, she tried to maneuver her way around the air currents, but they held her fast. Thinking about the nice, soft sand beneath her, she noticed that she was slowly decending until her feet touched the sand. 

She fell onto all fours, shaking. "That was terrifying," she gasped. "When can I do it again?"

Hiccup helped her to her feet, and the three of them stared at the cliff face. 

"What are you all doing, standing there?" Rapunzel said. "Follow the lights!"

Merida's eyes widened. "Are they small and blue, like little fires?"

"Yeah, why do you ask?"

Merida looked at Hiccup and Jack, then went to go and help Rapunzel climb up the cliff. 

* * * 

Merida pulled herself to the top of the cliff, then fell down, gasping for breath. The the other three Spirits soon followed suit.