Meeting at the Crossroads

Chapter 18

Merida watched as Rapunzel wrapped her hair around Jack's leg.

"This is insane," Jack mumbled.

"It's okay," Rapunzel said quietly. She looked at them quickly. "Don't freak out."

They watched silently as Rapunzel began to sing a healing song about glowing flowers. They gasped as her hair began to glow. Starting from her roots and traveling down the length of her hair to the point where it touched Jack's leg. Jack stared with eyes as wide as bowls. Hiccup wasn't any better. He gaped like a stupid fish.

When the song was finished, Rapunzel slowly unwrapped her hair from Jack's leg. It looked completely normal.

"Woah," Jack breathed. He stood up shakily and walked around to test it.

Hiccup stared at Rapunzel with admiration. "You've been keeping that inside the whole time?"

To Merida's annoyance, Rapunzel blushed and shyly nodded. It wasn't fair. Merida had believed Rapunzel from the very beginning. How could she not? She would never forget the days of spells, whisps, and bears. What hurt more was that Rapunzel didn't trust her enough to share it with her. In their room at Burgess, she had told the girl nearly everything. Merida was crushed.

Didn't those boys feel the same? She watched Jack bending his newly healed leg and Hiccup chatting with Rapunzel. They did not.

Merida stood up. "I'm gonnae fur a walk," she said gruffly and stalked into the forest.

She heard Hiccup ask, "What's wrong with her?"

When she was out of earshot she began to rant. "What's wrang? Nothing's wrang. Except fur th' fact 'at ye ur an idiot!" She picked up a rock and hurled it at a tree as hard as she could. She threw five more before she sat on a snow-covered log.

Merida buried her head in her hands. She had felt a surge of anger at the way Hiccup was staring at Rapunzel like she was a miracle or something. Maybe a little jealous, too. A tiny part of her wanted someone to look at her like that. She jumped upright and kicked around with her shoes, spraying snow and dirt everywhere.

"No," she whispered. She did not like Hiccup. She had spent her whole summer fighting her mother about suitors. She had not wanted a relationship and almost got a lot of people killed in the process. Including herself. If so, why was she so mad that he didn't notice her? It couldn't be Rapunzel. Right. Hiccup needed someone more...upfront and strong. Opposites attract.

Merida felt a little more optimistic. Maybe, one day, she would tell him how she felt.

As she started back to the clearing, she heard her friends calling her name. She ran to meet them.

"Reit here, loons!" she called.

"See? She's fine," Jack said to Rapunzel.

Merida reached the edge of the clearing. Her heart warmed at the sight of their relieved faces.

"We were so worried when you didn't come back," Rapunzel said, hugging her.

"You forgot your bow and we thought maybe those shadows could take you unarmed," Hiccup added.

Jack grinned, his dark eyes shining. "Yeah, and if that had happened, I would of cut them down with this staff!" He whirled around with a long wooden staff with a G-shaped crook on one end.

Hiccup raised an eyebrow. "Where the heck did you get that?"

"Found it while looking for Merida. Pretty cool, huh?"

"If you're a shepherd."

"Hey!"

Merida chortled. "It's a very nice staff."

"Thank you."

Her eyes flashed and she snatched it up. "Fur kindlin'!"

"No!" Jack howled. He chased her all around the clearing screaming, "Please! It called to me! It's so young!"

Hiccup chased Jack, telling him to let it go. "It's just a piece of wood!"

Toothless chased Hiccup, eager to play tag.

Rapunzel yelled at them to slow down or they'll kick dirt and snow in her hair, which she was struggling to rebraid in the growing dark. But she gave up and chased Toothless.

Even after Merida threw the staff back to Jack, she chased the others around and around until they collapsed.

" 'at was fun," she gasped. The others gathered around the fire.

Jack glanced around at the dark forest surrounding them. "I guess we're sleeping out here tonight." He hugged his staff for support.

Hiccup cleared his throat. "I need to tell you something I learned about the prophecy." Merida stared at him. She had almost forgotten about it.

"Does anyone remember the lines where they list the four things in order?"

They all nodded slowly.

"Well back in Burgess, when the shadows were attacking, I saw Merida's arrow seem to catch fire."

Merida stared at him. "Ye saw what?" She suddenly felt very self-conscious.

"I did! It reminded me of the line. The fiery arrow. And!" He looked right at Rapunzel. "When you healed Jack's leg, you reminded me of the line that said, the healing Sun."

Rapunzel shook her head. "I'm not the sun. I have a gift-"

"From where?" Hiccup challenged. "It could possibly be from the sun. You heal. The line mentions someone who heals. It could be you."

Merida decided to interrupt. "Alright. Th' arrow is me. "Th' sun in Rapunzel. What abit ye two lads?

Color appeared on Hiccup's cheeks. "I haven't figured that part out yet."

Jack yawned and stretched out on the grass. "Wake me when you do." He rolled to one side and was out in a matter of seconds.

The remaining three looked at each other and burst out laughing. "Well, he's gone," Hiccup snorted. "We can all go to sleep. Dragons are light sleepers. Toothless won't let anything happen. Won't you, bud?"

Toothless snorted and rolled his eyes. To Merida he seemed to scoff, "Of course not."

Merida found a very soft patch of dirt to sleep on. She prayed it wouldn't snow tonight.

As she looked at her friends she smiled at how sweet they looked asleep. Jack with his dark bags falling into his eyes and his arm curled around his new staff. Rapunzel wrapped up in her golden hair for warmth. Hiccup with Toothless protectively circled around him.

She grinned as she looked into the embers of the dying fire. Merida was happy as ever to slip into dreamland. She had no idea what the next day would bring but she hoped it would be an adventure.

It was the best kind.