Three weeks later,

Y/N POV:

Merida and I have been getting along very well these past 3 weeks. She had taught me the pronunciation of some Gaelic words... and never told me the meaning of them, so now I'm afraid to say them in case I accidentally offend anyone... she also taught me how to ride a horse, since I haven't done that since I was 10, and also tried to teach me how to use the bow and arrow... Tried.

I've never felt such strong connection to anyone in my life. My father was right, me and Merida got along more than fine!

Now we're sitting at dinner and our fathers and Merida's mother are having a talk over the table, meanwhile I try to keep the triplets from throwing their food across the hall and Merida distracting me.

I feel another bread crumb hit my cheek and I turn to a grinning Merida with a glare.

-What? I ask, annoyed.

-What about we go for a late night ride with Angus? She whispers over our parents laughter. I sigh.

-No the triplets- don't worry, I got it, Merida cuts me off.

-psst! She wheezes to the triplets that immediately look at her. She hold up a platter of biscuits and slides them onto the floor. The triplets grin excitedly and travels under the table to get them, before running off. I watch after them, before turning to Merida.

-I don't think that's healthy for them, I point out and Merida only wiggles her eyebrows. I giggle and shake my head, as Merida stands up and grabs her bow.

-C'mon, Merida says as she walks around the table to me. Elinor notices and smiles at me. I smile back. Merida walks up to me and hold out a hand as the adults keep on blabbering and being almost completely oblivious. I smile and nod and grab her hand. She pulls me up from my chair and we sneakily run out of the hall and outside, towards the stalls.

Merida helps me fix the horse I got to borrow, with a saddle and all that fun stuff that I've already forgotten the name of. She almost pushes me up in my saddle, before jumping up onto Angus' back. I giggle as I let her lead the way. I was yet to discover the kingdom.

She rides away with such speed and grace, I can't help but to laugh and try to catch up to her. When I do, she looks at me and smiles happily. I ride past her and she almost slows down. I look back to see if she's alright, just to see her getting back in the zone, but also getting hit by a tree branch. I let out a loud giggle and she shakes her head and catches back up to me.

She leads me to a cliff that overlooks the water and our boats, where the sailors were living. It's a dark blue sky and the light from the boat lights up the rocking water below.

We stop and I smile at the beautiful sight.

Merida jumps off of Angus and holds out her arms for me. I swing my leg over the saddle and jump carefully into her arms. She catches me and I catch a glimpse of her blue eyes.

I smile, before awkwardly stepping back. She smiles back and lets the horses eat from the green grass around us.

Merida plops down onto the grass, completely carefree, and looks out over the water. I carefully lift my dress as I sit down.

-It's so beautiful here... if my dad had just told me these things existed before we left, I would've left home in a heartbeat, I giggle.

Merida chuckles softly and we both sigh.

I look at her and smile, and she looks back at me.

-Have you trained on your Gaelic words? She asks. I shake my head.

-No, no, I'm afraid that I'm gonna offend someone! I say. Merida laughs.

-You're not offending anyone! Merida says.

-Then What does the words mean? I ask. Merida turns quiet and looks back at the water.

-M... Merida? I ask, and she looks back at me with a sincere look in her eyes.

-The words.... they... She starts, but suddenly something blue pops up in front of us and she cuts off. It... looks odd.

-A wisp... Merida whispers.

-A what? I ask, before Merida hushes me.

-Whats going on? I ask. There's a very short trail of the blue "wisps" into a bush.

Then suddenly we hear a stick crack. Merida looks at me, before furrowing her eyebrows and getting up in a crouching position. She waddles quietly to her bow, which she dropped behind me and I turn and sit on my knees.

I start to cold sweat in nervousness.

-Whats going on...? I whisper again. Merida throws out an arm in front of me. Suddenly the wisps just disappear and a low growling can be heard from the bushes. Merida slowly stands up and points an arrow towards the bush. She inches closer to it and I stand up behind her. Suddenly a big figure rises from the bushes. It sees us and road at us!

I stand frozen.

-Bear! Merida shouts. Our horses react and looks towards us. My horse gets scared and runs into the woods, but Angus just neighs frightened.

Merida shoots the arrow into the bears paw, making it roar again in anger. In the second, Merida throws her bow across her shoulder and grabs me, running to Angus. It's almost like I'm stunned and I can't move. Merida lifts me bridal style and Angus gets down so she can jump onto the saddle. When Angus rises, the bear dashed for us. In that moment, my flight or fight response turns on and I scream and put my arms around Merida's neck.

Merida immediately makes Angus run back towards the castle. We have to get through this forest before getting to a clearing and getting to the castle. Merida makes sharp turns in attempts to loose the bear, but to no avail.

We get to the clearing, where guards can be seen in the watch towers. I look towards the bear, that's coming out of the woods and towards us.

-Bear! Merida shouts towards the castle and some guards immediately get alert.

-Bear! I shout too, a bit more panicked, as the bear is still chasing us. About 20 guards, all equipped with weapons run out of the courtyard and towards us. Fergus, my dad and Elinor also run outside to see what's going on. Fergus grabs a nearby sword.

-Ye'r not getting me daughter and her girl friend today, ye big ugly beast! He shouts and runs after the guards.

The guards run around us and towards the bear. I start hyperventilating and my chest feels heavy and my vision a bit blurry.

We stop by the castle doors and Merida grabs me in bridal style again and jumps off of Angus. She gently puts me onto my feet and I almost fall. Luckily, she catches me. Tears fall from my eyes as I spot my dad.

-Pappa! (Father!) I say, and run into his arms. I cry onto his chest. He tells me that everything is going to be alright.

-Oh dear! Do you need to lay down sweetie! Elinor asks me and I turn my head to look at her. I nod. I quickly get a quick glimpse of Merida, before dad and Elinor escorts me inside and to my room.

Well changed into my night garments and tucked in by my father, my nerves still can't seem to stop making my heart race.

-Get some sleep honey, my father says and takes the candle from my nightstand and begin walking outside. But suddenly, Merida comes rushing in.

-Can I...? She asks my father. He nods, smiles and hands her the candle. She smiles and sets down the candle again, before sitting down on a chair that's beside my bed. She takes off her bow and hangs it on the chair, before grabbing my hand.

-Are you alright? She asks panicked. Tears brim in my eyes once again.....

Part 4 coming soon :)