Branches of Our Tree

Chapter Thirteen: She is Something

Merida

"Merida DunBroch! Get yerself ova' heer, right now!"

My mother's voice cut through the steady pulse of my music, destroying the pleasant melody of the song, and therefore ruining the moment. My lips turned down in a grimace, my fingers flying across the screen of my iPhone in order to slide the volume down. As I began my odyssey up the stairs from the basement, I glanced at Rapunzel, who was nervous. Of course, she denied it when I questioned her, even going so far as to stretch her lips back in a forced grin. Now, though, without her noticing my careful gaze, I could see the way her fingers wove into her golden hair once more, the way her spring green eyes refused to cease their rapid movement, the way her toes curled against the deep green fabric of the thick carpet. No matter what she said, Punzie's true feelings were always clear.

I sighed, gripping the metal banister of the stairs, my knees bending as my legs propelled by body upward. Before I reached the top, a shadow fell over me. My mother was hovering there, her arms tucked in against her chest, a frown displaying the wrinkles around her eyes that she tried so hard to conceal. "Hey, Mom," I muttered.

"Merida, what is this 'pizza party' ay'm hearin' about?"

"Well, it's somethin' ay thought of out of the blue," I admitted.

One of her ebony-colored eyebrows raised. "And ye did so because..."

"Because Rapunzel is in a dilemma."

Silence. My mother didn't seem to be mad anymore. Instead, her frown had melted, the energy she used to fuel her anger now fueling her laughter. I stared at her, heat bearing into my cheeks as chuckles dashed out from my mother's mouth. "What?" I asked her. "What's so funny, Mom?"

She shook her head, lifting her fingertips to her temples in an attempt to compose herself. "Nothin', mah wee princess. Just make sure ye and yer friends don't stay up too late. Alright?"

Confused, I simply nodded, deciding to leave the matter entirely. My mother smiled, before walking away, her long silky hair rippling against her spine with her every movement.

I turned around, ready to skip several of the carpeted stairs with a leap when a collection of bells rang throughout the house. Groaning, I stomped up the remaining stairs, continuing my giant-like behavior all the way up to the front door. My hand secured around the brass knob, tugging it open.

"Hey!" I couldn't help but laugh. Hiccup's expression had changed from calm to freaked out the moment he had seen me. "Jesus, Merida! Did you sit on needles or something?!"

"Nah, sorry," I apologized, snorting as I tried to stifle my laughter. At this, Hiccup let out a chuckle.

"Nice snort," he acknowledged, smirking.

"Nice hair," I retorted, nodding to the little braids at the nape of his neck. He had told me it was a Viking tradition, but I couldn't help but tease him for it from time to time.

His green eyes sparkled in amusement, even becoming darker, as if his next thoughts were fueling their sudden change in pigment. "I could say the same to you, you know."

"Ah, shut up and get in here," I replied, waving my hand in towards the interior of my home. Hiccup smiled, his brown boot meeting the diamond-patterned tile of the foyer, my eyes widening at the sight of the clumps of chalky dirt that crusted the bottom of his footwear. "Wait, wait, wait!"

His body stopped moving, his green eyes staring me down.

I closed one of my hands into a fist, resting it against the crook of my hip while my other hand gestured to his feet. "Shoes off."