The Witch and the Viking (Mericcup fanfic)

Chapter 1: The Young Witch

Merida was 12 years old when her parents disappeared. For a young witch, like herself, she would have been a few days away from her coming of age ceremony. Her mother would have had packed their belongings the night before and at dawn they would travel to the sacred woods where she was to be greeted by the Empresses of the Seasons. The actual ceremony itself was a mystery to her as she never got the chance to go with her mother.

She remembered waking up late as the sun's light had made a strong presence in her room marking the afternoon. Merida's mother never let her sleep in, for fear it would install a lack of ambition and urgency within the household. In the past, the whole forest could hear Merida and her mother fighting at 8 am sharp. On this morning she stretched her limbs slowly as if they had not moved in years. The taste of her morning breath was more potent than any potion she had ever made. Merida turned to see the sun dial placed on her window sill, it read high noon. Her sleepy confusion was covered by the smell of coffee that flooded the hallway and into her bed chamber.

She got up and followed it into the living room expecting to see her always jolly father, and possibly a scolding mother, drinking coffee. In their places was her teacher. An old, but not frail woman at 100 years old, literally. Witches were known to be able to live up to 200 years old.

The old witch's white curls were slicked behind her slightly big ears. Her smile would take up most of her wrinkled face, but her mouth was stern in this moment. Merida knew something was not right. The old witch's face looked down at her cup of coffee and then up at the young witch. Her teacher smiled sadly at her pupil knowing what she was about to say would change her life forever.

"Where are they?" Merida had asked her teacher.

Her teacher sighed, unsure how to go about telling her what had taken place. Merida felt her heart swell in her chest. As if a hand had burrowed into her chest and was now gripping her heart. As if it were to prepared to wring it out like a sponge full of water.

"Humans...had intervened in our council meeting last night," her teacher stated finding the words she was searching for, "I was told to return here and cloak the house for your safety,"

"So they are coming back then?"

Her teacher shook her head, "I don't know, they should have been back by now, but no one knows where they went during the battle, I'm sorry Merida,"

Merida felt the hot tears cascade down her cheeks, and down her neck. Her eyes went blind with tears and grief. The two most important people in her life were gone. She cried as if she were trying to fill the room..the house with her tears. She could barely feel her teacher's hand on her arm...the pain was too overwhelming. All she could do was cry and scream.

"Merida we must be brave, no one knows what happened to them, they could be..."

Merida's flood finally began to slow in it's intensity, "No," she said coldly "Humans never leave us alive. If they aren't back now...then they aren't coming back,"

It was known that any witch found was always burned at the stake. No witch had ever lived after being captured by humans. Witches were not allowed to use their spells on humans, it was forbidden. If a witch were to use their magic they would have to surrender them one way or another and it was almost impossible to get their powers back. A witch without powers would never be able to return to her coven and would not be able to join her ancestors when the time for death came.

"I am here to take care of you, my child, I won't let anything happen to you, we're safe now," her teacher said, "I'll make sure no human can see this house, they will never be able to find us,"

Merida had realized she was now on her knees, the strength to stand had left with her parents. She felt her teacher's hand caress her hair, something her mother always did to comfort her.

'Human's did this...humans took my parents,' Merida thought, 'You can never trust a human'

Author's note: I am so excited to start this story! Chapter 2 comes out tomorrow! Please comment and vote!!

-Firegirl