A Brave new start (malinxCorporal)

Corporal Izzy

Corporal Izzy

Moon
Joined
Oct 23, 2013
Location
Middle of WI
Merida couldn't hold back her grin as she watched the long boat coming into dock it's sails displaying the MacGuffin colors, she hadn't thought that any of her suitors would actually return to vie for her hand it had already been two years and other than the return for the summer games she'd not seen much of them. Merida sat atop Angus looking down over the cliff, she'd change a bit her bodice fitting tighter and her body taking on the true curves of womanhood. She wonder now how much the Young MacGuffin had changed.

With a soft nudge she steered Angus back down the way she'd come taking the path back to the keep, after quickly dismounting she had the reins to a stable boy and headed into Castle DunBroch, her heart hammering hard with excitement. "The boat has jus' docked." She announced to her family as she brushed on her skirt, then quickly removed her riding cloak.

"Oh good, I was worried that they would ne'er arrive." King Fergus groused as he took his seat on his throne his wife sitting tall beside him, as soon as Merida heard the bag pipes drawing near signally there approach she quickly finger combed her hair and took her seat beside her father, her eyes locked on the main entrance.
 
Two years since the new generation had chosen to forgo traditions, and now the long boat was pulling into shore. The journey hadn't been that long, or difficult, but it had been oddly taxing. Two years ago the fiery Merida had forgone all traditions and made it possible for everyone to go and search and choose a wife for themselves, and since then the young MacGuffin had tried to meet other women, but none of them had the same power that Merida had shown.

Honestly he had been surprised to hear that none of the others had ever returned to seek out Merida, sure none of the boys had really been happy about the arrangements, but two years and not a single suitor? This time things were a little different. This wouldn't be the traditional contest, and he would actually have a chance to talk to Merida. He also didn't have his father Lord MacGuffin with him on this journey, rather he thought it appropriate that he came basically alone, with only a small force for defense encase of an attack on their long boat.

Walking the way with bagpipes to announce their presence they arrived at the doors of castle DunBroch, but it was only Young MacGuffin and a few of his men actually entered the castle. MacGuffin didn't really want to stand on the formalities of last time they had came here for the games. Having all the clans in one hall was enough of a mess, considering this time it was only him, and not even his father, he took even less of an entourage. "Yer Majisty! Good to back in these halls." His voice was still soft as he spoke, but it was far more understandable then his old dialect had been. He bowed showing his respect. Young MacGuffin's eyes scanned the family smiling as he watched them, but quickly became locked happily on merida. "I'm most glad ye agreed to me visit."
 
"It is a pleasure to have you here again and we've been looking forward to yer visit." Queen Elinor spoke rising from her sit in one graceful movement. "Though we were expecting your father as well," She seemed confused for a moment but then seemed to wave it away. "No matter, Merida will show ye to yer room and once ye've gotten settled we have a feast in honor of yer arrival." She said motioning her daughter forward.

Merida had taken the time her mother was talking to admire the man standing before her, he seemed even broader and taller than last she'd seen him; though he still had the same almost shy smile and when his eyes locked with hers she felt her stomach do a little flip. It took her a moment to realize that her mother had motioned for her, she blushed softly raising to her feet her own movements having become more graceful as well.

She made her way to the Young MacGuffin she offered him her hand and with a radiant smile she said, "Come this way young laird I'm sure ye are weary from yer travels." Merida held herself almost the way her mother did and while she had thought the deep emerald dress was a good idea she was beginning to doubt it the bodice seeming a little low-cut and too tight now.
 
The young MacGuffen shy'd away from the topic of his father simply bowing to Queen Elinor. "He sends his regards. To both ye m'queen, and yer Majisty." The young man wasn't used to standing on so much formalities as addressing both the queen and king at once in their own castle non the less, but he did his best to keep his head held high on his shoulders. That was the most important part, keeping himself looking tall and important.

The young MacGuffin wasn't used to being called lord, that was his fathers position and it would still be many years before he had the right to take that away from him. Even with the prefer of young easing the blow it was a tittle that carried far too much weight for him to actually enjoy it. Though the fact that it came from Merida helped. He had never really seen the lady blush as she had when their eyes had met, and he could feel himself blushing at the tittle. His face burning lightly as he turned to walk with Merida. He wasn't sure if it was proper or not for him to offer a hand to her, so instead he simply walked beside her where he could, and behind her in the halls that were too narrow for two bodies.

Something about the way she walked seemed different, it was odd watching her act elegantly, or at least try to walk, and act as her mother did. As soon as they were out of sight of Queen Elinor, and King Fergus he let out a low sigh of relief. "Please m'lady there be no reason to call me lord. My father be alive and well, and this be yer castle, call on me as Dermot." There was no need for her to stand on ceremonies for his sake, certainly not with what he was here to inquire about. He wanted to get to know Merida, and he didn't think he could do that if there was a wall of formalities between them. Even if he had really enjoyed the way she had called him lord, her voice being very attractive.
 
Merida smiled her body language relaxing more her shoulders slumping slightly and her steps becoming a little longer in stride, Merida rarely felt comfortable around anyone other than her own family but Dermot's words seemed to help her to relax. "My apologies Dermot, I did no mean yer father wouldna be around; but after all of my lessons it seemed appropriate." She said shaking her head, she'd taken her studies and responsibilities more seriously these days and it would seem that they were beginning to bleed into her daily life.

"How was yer trip? and how have ye been it has been quite awhile sense I've las' seen ye." She looked over her shoulder at him as she reached his chambers, she again found herself admiring him; in the dim hall lighting his size and light colored eyes made the butterflies in her belly flutter all the more.

She took a step closer to him her hand lightly touching his arm, "It's really nice to see you again." She whispered unsure of why she'd felt the need to reach out and touch him, but giddy that she had her hand able to feel the slight bulge of muscle.
 
It was a little odd seeing Merida trying to act like a lady, after the spit fire he had seen two years ago. It was a little odd, but he nodded, lightly as she said that it was because of her lessons. Walking with her he admired her long red hair, it was unique and always messy, she was small but he had seen her act as a powerful fighter in the past games. Her power with a bow was well known for everyone in the land after her stunts two years ago. He was startled back from his admiration's of her by her question.

"Oh the trip wen' well. The seas we'e calm and we met no problems, but it was also long, I'd be lying to say I wasn' tired, but it has been a long time and I thought it would be a good idea to meet with yah." He was actually rather exhausted. As he felt her hand touch his arm he blushed lightly. He wanted to admit the real purpose behind his visit, as if it wasn't obvious to most, but he didn't really know how to say it.

"It's nice to see ye as well lady Merida." He said happily as they arrived at his doors, he partly wanted to go inside and sleep for the next few hours at least till the welcoming feast, but he had a question that he wanted to ask. "It's been a long time since I've been ashore, and well, do yeh think ye could give me the pleasure on joining me on a ride tomorrow? after I'm rested from the travels?"
 
Merida broke out in a broad smile at his question, she loved riding and the idea of taking a ride with him made her intensly happy. "I would love ta. Why don't you get some rest and I'll see ye at the feast this evening." She said softly as she slipped her hand off of his arm. She bowed to him trying hard to hide the blush that now stained her cheeks, her heart felt like it was fluttering.

She stayed in the bow longer than planned her mind racing all of the emotions assaulting her were new and nearly foreign to her. She'd never seen herself as a girl to swoon or even get butterflies in her stomach, but they were there and all of the girly emotions were making it difficult to concentrate.
 
Dermot let out a low but happy sigh and bowed to Merida as she bowed to him. He found it kind of amusing, ladies tended to curtsy but of course Merida would choose to bow. He smiled and saw the blush she was so desperately trying to hide, he almost didn't believe it at first glance. He smiled back at her wanting to brush the tangled mess of her hair away from her face, but feeling it would have broken some kind of boundary between them. "Well then I'l be lookin' forward to et." His accent becoming thicker in the moment of happiness, but not so much so that it became to hard to understand. "I'l be seeing you at the feast." He said his smile big as he turned to open the door.

Dermot watched her go from the safety of his room. Watching her walk off back into the halls before turning and collapsing against the door. Looking into the room he found a bed that was more then wide enough for him, and he walked to it collapsing against the soft sheets and pillows. He wanted to sink into the bed and simply never get up. His eyes closed, and for a moment all he could see with them closed was the blush on Merida's face. She was honestly more gorgeous then he remembered and for the life of him he couldn't imagine why non of the other two boys had ever even tried to return to ask for Merida's hand.
 
Merida walked down the hall her cheeks still burning, "Oh there ye are dear, did you get the young Lord settled?" Her mother asked lacing her arm through her daughter's. "Yes I did." Merida murmured feeling a bit silly for all that had transpired with Dermot, her emotions getting the better of her. "Well at least you finally allowed one of those boys come back, I have always wondered what you were waitin' fer and I think it was him wasn't it?" Queen Elinor asked her eyes twinkling as she watched her daughter flush brightly again.

"I doona want to talk about it," Merida said pulling her mother up short, "Will you help me pick out my dress for the feast?" She asked hoping her mother's eye for what looked well on her would catch Dermot attention as well. "Of course Merida come lets go have a look in your closet. After much primping and letting her mother brush her hair until it shone Merida was ready.

Merdia straightened the sky blue dress again a little worried about the low-cut of the top it was also tight pushing her breast up, she took a deep breath and knocked on Dermot's door.
 
Dermot slept soundly for an hour or two before he awoke, there was still time before the feast and hes stretched out in the bed still noticing how it oddly had enough room for two people. An odd thought that crossed his mind as he got up from it. He decided that he desired to bathe before the actual diner. The last thing he really wanted to do was bring the many odors of his travels to a kings table. To do so would have been disrespectful.

Taking spare clothing with him he walked through the halls of the castle, trying to figure out where the grounds bath house was. However not knowing the full layout of castle DunBroch he ended up getting more and more lost with each turn. That was until he was slapped hard on the back, "Good ta see ya up and run'n already." He turned to see the massive figure of King Fergus behind him.

"Ah yer majesty." Dermot gave a small bow to which Fergus seemed to wave it off. "I did'n think any o'h yah had it in yah to show up here after what happened last time. I be glad to see yeh back now, Now me boy ye seem kinda lost. what can I do fer you?"

After a short explanation of what he was looking for he was directed to the wash house. And in only a short time after that he was much cleaner and vastly more presentable when he finally arrived for the feast he was clean, and in fresh clothing, his hair seemed less of a mess, and he smelled of soap rather then flesh and sweat as he had when he first entered the castle. Looking at the tables as they were arranged normally he would have sat at the head of his clans table while his father being the real guest sat at their table now however the position was reversed and he felt more then a little odd about asking where to sit. Resulting in him looking from seat to seat even as guests were arriving.
 
Merida felt horrible embarrassed once she realized that Dermot was not in his room, she walked into the great hall with her head down her hair hiding the blush that still stained her cheeks. She wasn't watching where she was going when she ran into what felt like a living wall, she looked up to realize that is was the back of the man she'd just been looking for. Her cheeks flushed red even more her face nearly as red as her wild hair, "I'm so sorry Dermot." She apologized with a bow feeling as though her day was going from good to bad.

Here she was in a dress showing far to much cleavage for her comfort, her face red, and bumping into the man she'd been waiting two years to spend time with. "I was not paying attention." She tried to explain only making herself more flustered and nerves as she spoke.
 
Dermot bowed apologetically as he realized who had bumped into him. Turning his attention to her. "Sorry I left the room, I just wanted to be a litta more presentable for the feast." He said happy to see Merida again, as well as more then happy to see her. Her face was red again and this time his hand moved lightly towards the mess of hair that covered it shifting it so he could see her bright blue eyes more clearly, before quickly removing his hand for fear of having invaded her personal space.

"Sorry ef I worried ye." He said lightly, his eyes taking in her dress now with it's lower cut, and just how it looked on her. She was elegant attractive and yet part of him knew that if she wanted she could probably lay him flat on the ground. She had proven herself to be as much of a warrior in the past. "Ye look beautiful if ye don't mind me saying." A light blush came over his face as he spoke and sadly he didn't have any real way of hiding as his face went slightly red.
 
Merida couldn't help but smile when Dermot moved her hair out of her face, her bright blue eyes meeting his; she found herself taking a step closer to him. "Doona worry about it and thank you, you look very handsome as well." She siad softly her face still a very deep shade of red. "You seem a lil lost here I'll show you where you sit." She said taking hold of his hand and leading him to the table.

"My mother thought it best sense you're our honored guest that you sit with the family, that and so we could talk if you'd like." She said with a wary smile, worried that perhaps she was being a nuisance. She sat next to the chair she'd shown him to, her dress feeling even tighter as she waited nervously for Dermot to sit beside her.
 
Dermot was glad that he wasn't reprimanded for his actions, in fact she seemed happy. Sitting down at the table he felt a little awkward, but at the same time overjoyed that he had the seat next to Merida. Dermot took his seat but fell into an odd silence looking out over the room, there was a lot he wanted to talk about with Merida, and yet he seemed to have lost his voice for a moment.

Finding it after taking up some water to drink he turned to Merida. "Thank ye. I much appreciate all that ya have done for me. This is very nice." He said finally. He felt a little odd, in a way he couldn't take his eyes off of Merida even for a moment as he sat. For the most part his eyes were happy to gaze at her face, but every now and then he wandered from that and took up the sight of Merida's dress, smiling pleasantly for a moment. "Sorry I'm afraid I don' know what to speak of... In fact I don' think we have ever really spoken before today. I... Dun know where to start."
 
Merida sat close to Dermot probably closer than was proper, but she like being near him; he made her feel safe and comfortable though she wasn't 100% sure why. "You're welcome, I'm just glad that your trip wasna to tiring." She said turning to face him more, her leg brushing his as she did, making her cheeks flush pink. "Why don't you tell me a bit about yourself, or your home, or anything I guess." She leaned forward a bit unintentionally giving Dermot a view of her healthy cleavage.

"Or maybe you'd like to know somethin' you can ask me whatever ye'd like and I'll answer to the best of my ability." She smiled looking up at him her bright blue eyes shining hopefully, she really did want to get to know him better maybe it would help her figure out her own feelings for him in return.
 
Dermot was shocked for a moment as Merida's leg brushed against his. It was something he hadn't expected from Merida, and even though the action had been done on accident it certainly hadn't felt that way to Dermot who's blush and shock turned into a happy smile. Seeing her cleavage and the way she leaned forward it was all very new to Dermot. No 'lady' had ever really acted like that, and frankly it was one of the things that set Merida apart from the others. Smiling he nodded trying to think up a good story about himself.

"Well really ef ye wanna know about me I can start with me home. The Macguffins land is well." He paused for a moment thinking of how to best describe his clans homeland. "Well really it's not much like what you have here at DunBroch, we have less forests and it's generally more open, DunBroch has vast cliff faces, while we have lot's of high hills, and riding trails. I suppose that you could say we are on the moors." He smiled knowing that wasn't exactly the question she wanted to answer. "As for me well... I dun' have much in the way oh family. Me father be all I really got, me mother died.... when I be a young... complications. I grew up having most of the land to me-self, and while the macintosh's do cause some problems every now and then we all know the fighting hasn't been that bad in... well since yer father started his reign."

Dermot had been a large child even as a baby, and there had been little doubt that it had been his birth that caused his mothers complications in birth, it wasn't a subject he had wanted to talk about, but at the same time it had been the first subject aside from his home that popped into his head. He smiled brightly having said a lot about himself, but then he wanted to know a bit more about Merida. "Well, since I can ask ye anything." He sat back into his chair mulling over any possible questions he had for a moment. "What it be like having such a large family? And how come I ain' seen the triplets around?"
 
Merida listened her attention solely focused on him a smile adorning her face, she hadn't realized that Dermot lived in the moors of course had she been a better daughter should would have been but being studious was never her strong suit, Merida's eye went wide with shock at hearing that Dermot had no mother. "I'm sorry I didn't know that you'd lost your mother." She said reaching out and placing her hand on his arm without much though, just hoping to relay her empathy.

"The boys are on what they've deemed a training trip, which really means their hindering the hunt my fathers men are on; though from time to time their brilliance helps bring down some of the biggest beasts. It's been interesting to say the least being from such a big family, the boys have really kept me on my toes sense the day they were born." She said with a small chuckle, she sat back as the food was served her blue eyes straying to Dermot more often than not.
 
Dermot smiled as he felt her hand against his arm, it was comforting, and he gave her a small smile and returned the affection shown by placicng his hand back over hers. He had never really known his mother, so her passing had been easy, but he know of her from stories his dad would tell every now and then. Either way though Merida showing she cared was touching, and he enjoyed her empathy. "Thank ye, but et was a long time ago." He was calm about it, and at peace, he payed his respects when he could, but it wasn't an open wound.

He snickered lightly as he heard about what the boys were actually up too. As the food arrived he sat up in his chair happily taking a look at the meal taking, and asking for the food he felt was most desirable making sure to use as much of his manors as he could while a guest at the kings table. His eyes often strayed towards Merida, some times even catching her looking at him as he ate. It was never however in a bad way, and he enjoyed the meal he had with her. There were still a lot of questions he wanted to ask, and eventually one just slipped out. "So none o' the other boy's ever asked to return?" His question just being voiced absentmindedly not realizing it could have sounded offensive, because if they honestly had never thought of returning the only reason would have been because they found Merida in some way unattractive or undesirable.
 
Merida enjoyed the meal her eyes always straying to her guest and happy to find that his seemed to stray towards her as well, she nearly spit out her ale when he asked about the other suitors; young Dingwall and young MacIntosh had not crossed her mind sense her mother had mentioned them earlier in the day it she definitely didn't expect the question to come from Dermot. "Umm...well." She stammered her cheeks turning a bright red. "They have asked." She admitted wanting to be honest she continued, "I had just been waiting for the right one to ask." Her last admission little more than a whisper.
 
Dermot's face flushed as Merida became embarrassed. It was actually kind of adorable the way she had chocked. Not even realizing that the embarassement could have been hiding other meanings. He blinked hearing that they had asked for an audiance much like he had, but she had turned them down. Honestly it was the last thing Dermot had expected to hear, as it meant that he was the one she had chosen to meet with. Her whispered confession that she had been waiting for him to ask her, made him choke on the ham he was eating for a second hitting his chest to help himself breath easier.

"I... see. Well I thank ye then. It' be a large honor ye have given me." He said after he had recovered from the startled realization. He turned to Merida rather happily, and gave her a broad smile, her confession made him feel a little more empowered then he probably should have. "I hope I can live up to ye'r expectations of meh." He said his voice low, but still very happy. There was a reason why she had chosen him, and he was thankful to know that she hadn't merely accepted him out of a sense of duty, but rather because she had wanted to meet with him.
 
Merida smiled at the bit of insecurity she heard in Dermot's voice, "I'm sure just being you will live up to my expectations." She place her hand on his reassuringly, she didn't want him to be anyone but himself, she wanted to get to know him. "Though I believe my mother is concerned about the other lairds sons, she doesn't think that they will take well to me denying them and accepting you here." She admitted, feeling a bit silly telling Dermot her fears.
 
Dermot blinked thinking for a moment. Honestly if she hadn't accepted any of the letters then there probably wouldn't be much of a problem, but there had always been unease and tensions between the clans. He wasn't entirely sure if they would make an action or not based on something like this. His thoughts however ceased when Merida put a hand on his, and he turned towards Merida with a soft smile. "I doubt they be liking et, but I don' think they will make any kind of actions." Dermot said finally taking the hand that was offered and holding it gently.

He was very much finished with his meal, and felt a slight satisfaction. These feasts after such long travels were always good for the spirits, and as he leaned back into his chair he felt a new wave of fatigue over him, it was late evening now, but he didn't want to get up just yet, rather he was more enjoying Merida's company and sipping on his wine. "The food was wonderful."
 
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