The Cause {A Mericcup Novel}

Chapter 2

"Umm...Mum?" Merida said, playing with one of her curls anxiously.

"Yes dear?" her mother replied, not lifting her eyes off her plate.

Merida answered, "I have big news to tell ya." She smiled, waiting for the queen to notice her. Nothing.

"And what might that be?" Elinor asked, pointing her fork at the triplets and glaring at them for messing around with their sausages.

Merida sighed and said, "I'll tell you later," realizing she couldn't win her mothers attention this morning.

"If you insist," was all her mother answered after Merida closed the conversation. It would be a shock to the queen when Merida told her that she was now willing to pick a husband. Because of Meridas young age, when Queen Elinor did want Merida to pick a spouse, Merida refused, causing a lot of trouble by doing so. And though the clans allowed Merida to pick one of the Lords sons in her own time after realizing she wasn't yet ready, no one expected her to chose the future King only two years after the agreement.

The princess looked down at her empty plate still wishing for more food.

"I'm finished, Mum. May I take Angus for a ride? I'll be back in time for me to tell you my important news," Merida pleaded. Angus was her trusty clydesdale, all black with white lower legs. He was one of the most loyal horses in Dunbroch.

The queen answered, "I don't see why not," while rolling her eyes at the idea of a princess always wanting to be a farm girl. Merida would much rather live in the woods than in a castle.

Merida jumped out of her seat and called for a maid. When a maid came by her request, Merida handed her clan necklace to her, asking for the maid to take it back to her room. She would hate to lose it on her ride.

After that she was off. Merida ran out the back doors and into the open air. The smell of earth and hay filled her nostrils as she skipped over to the nearby stables. There, in one of the wooden stalls of the stables, stood her Angus, excited that his princess had finally come.

Unlike most princesses, Merida did not ride side saddle in a dress nor did she parttake in using a saddle at all. Free and without restraints was her unusual style of horseback. Today, though, Merida had decided to practice using the reigns instead of Angus' mane for a change. She would miss the freedom of having her arms but she really did need the practice. And so did her Angus.

After climbing onto her horses mountain-sized back, the two of them were off to the woods. The scotland woods was the place they normally would ride, which produced well made trails within the forest grounds throughout the years, allowing Angus to know which ways to go with or without Meridas guidance.

As Merida rode her loyal steed through the woodland paths, she could feel the wind blowing through her red locks and the sunbeams peeking through the treetops as they danced on her cheeks. The sky was cloudless and the light from the sun invited her to fly. If only the princess had wings to reach the heavens!

Unexpectantly, Angus jumped over a fallen log, sending his Merida into the air for just a moment before gravity safely brought her back down to his back. This made Meridas heartbeat race with enjoyment. More! She wanted more of that feeling of weightlessness! Of that freedom. She wanted to touch the sky. That was where Merida belonged in her heart, the sky. Sadly she knew, with much disappointment, that Angus' log jumping would be the closest thing to ever getting there.

Or maybe the sky would have to come to her.