Archery

Elinor fixed the crown that sat upon her brown hair, gazing out the window as she saw her daughter riding up quickly on her ever faithful horse Angus. As much as Elinor was having reservations about today, she knew that she couldn’t back out. She’d promise young Merida she’d do this and she couldn’t back out on her daughter. She was trying to rebuild the bond they had both broken. She wanted a better relationship with her daughter, she wasn’t about to mess that up. Not again. Her overly cautious nature had helped destroy the bond between mother and daughter, Elinor would not let that nature get in the way again. She would repair what was broken, and she knew Merida would do the same on her end.

Elinor turned away from the window, going to sit on the bed she shared with her husband, Fergus. She knew it would only be a matter of minutes before her happy daughter burst into the room, announcing it was time for the lessons. As she sat there, Elinor looked back on the past. Being turned into a bear had awoken her to so much. She hadn’t realized Merida had grown to hate her so much that she’d ask a witch for a spell. She hadn’t realized Merida wanted her freedom so badly as to go that far. Going through that entire journey, Elinor thought she’d grown closer to her daughter. She thought she had gotten a much better understand of her wild child daughter. No, Elinor knew she’d gotten a better understanding of the fiery redhead she called her beloved daughter. Merida was her only daughter, she wanted to cherish the time they had together.

As if on cue, the aforementioned redhead burst through the bedroom door, startling Elinor just a wee bit even if she had expected it. A hand flew up to Elinor’s chest as she looked back at the girl. Merida’s hair was a tangled mess, having been blown left and right by the wind as she rode through the forest on Angus. Merida loved her wild mane, she never wanted her mother to tame it and Elinor was beginning to understand why. Elinor was beginning to come to love that wild mane of Merida’s too; it was just another part of her daughter that Elinor was slowly coming to accept.

“Mum! It’s time for those lessons you promised!” Merida announced, bouncing over to her mother who could only give her a smile. Elinor was happy to see Merida so happy, but she couldn’t stop the worry that grew in the pit of her stomach. Archery? How could she promise she’d do this? She’s never handled a weapon at all, nonetheless a bow and arrow! She just hoped Merida knew what she was doing with this.

“Ah yes, I remember that promise. Come on then, darling, you’ve got some things to teach me.” Elinor couldn’t help but smile when Merida squealed, sounding like the adorable child she once was. Merida had a habit of squealing when she was happy, it was one of her many quirks that Elinor had noticed on their journey together. Elinor was still determined to make Merida a good princess, but she was also determined to allow Merida her freedom while doing so. Elinor slowly rose from the bed, following her twirling fifteen year old out the door and down the hallway. Elinor kept her hands rested at her sides as she walked, keeping up her regal appearance the entire way.

“Good day, your highnesses!” Maudie greeted the two females. The joyful princess waved to her, giving a gleeful ‘hello’ as the queen waved as well, giving a less loud ‘hello’ as well. It was true that Merida wasn’t acting very princess-like as she twirled down the hall, nearly knocking into some of the guards and servants, but Elinor found no need to reprimand her for it at the moment. Even princesses needed some time to be free, Elinor knew this now.

The two females finally made their way out of the castle as Merida now led their way out to the courtyard where she had had her father help her set up a few targets some hours earlier.

“Okay, mum, just stay here. I need to fetch the bows!” Merida ran off, leaving her nervous mother standing in the field, nearly glaring at the targets that seem to bear down on her. Merida returned in what seemed to be only a few seconds, carrying two bows and only one arrow quiver filled tightly with multiple arrows. Merida had made sure to come prepared so their lesson wouldn’t be interrupted.

Merida had been ecstatic when her mother agreed to this; she never thought her always cautious mother would ever agree to try archery. After all, a princess should not have weapons in her mother’s opinion. But Merida could see that had changed, even if just a little. A lot had changed about her mother. A lot had changed about the both of them from their journey. Elinor’s opinion on Merida having a weapon had certainly changed, she could see why her daughter needed it. She had also come to see just how much her sassy daughter loved archery; she couldn’t bear to take that away from Merida. Not anymore, not after she’d seen that look on Merida’s face when she lost her bow.

“Okay, mum, take this bow,” Merida said, holding out one of the bows she’d brought out with her. Elinor hesitated for a second, but carefully took out of the bow, taking it out of Merida’s hand. She held the wooden frame in her hands, staring down at it, unsure of what to do exactly. Merida couldn’t help but giggle at her mother’s obliviousness. Merida hadn’t really ever taught someone else how to shoot, so this would be a first for the both of them. And all both of them could do is hope it’d go well.

“Just watch me, okay?” Merida stepped to the side, positioning herself in front of the target before she pulled an arrow out of the quiver. Merida positioned the arrow in the bow, raising the duo to the proper height as she pulled the string of the bow back. Merida squinted her eyes, trying to accurately measure where to shoot and how to do it. Satisfied with her decisions, she exhaled a long breath of air and released the string. Merida and Elinor watched as the arrow flew towards the target, hitting the bullseye spot on. Merida really was quite a talented archer. Elinor had no idea where Merida had gotten her talent from. Fergus was much more skilled in sword fighting, which Merida was also skilled in thanks to his teachings, and she’d certainly not gotten it from Elinor. Regardless of who she inherited her skill from, no one could deny the talent the young redhead had.

“See? It’s easy!” Merida cheered, grinning at her mother who only looked at her bewildered. Easy? For her! Elinor didn’t think that was easy at all. “Come on, mum. Stand over here, I’ll guide you.”

“Are you sure about this?” Elinor asked, cautiously approaching her daughter who could only giggle. Merida could admit to herself that she’d grown hateful of her mother over the years with how controlling Elinor had gotten after her father’s run-in with Mor’du but ever since that journey they had taken to restore Elinor to her human form, she’d come to love her mother again. They’d both come to understand one another from that experience. As her mother came over, Merida helped the older woman step into the right position before laying a hand on her mother’s.

“Don’t worry, you’ll be safe with me here,” Merida assured the almost shaky woman. Elinor nodded, giving a reassuring smile to Merida. She knew her daughter wouldn’t let anything bad happen to her, she trusted her. Merida hopped back from her mother, grabbing the bow she’d sat on the ground. “Just like this,” Merida said, pulling her bow back to show her mother the stance.

“Like this?” her mother asked, attempting to copy Merida’s stance.

“Yes! Exactly!” Merida cheered. She hadn’t expected her mother to be such a quick learner. Sure there lesson had already started but Elinor was already doing better than Merida had expected her to be doing. “Now it’s time to get arrows actually involved.”

“Oh no.” Elinor couldn’t help the groan that escaped her due to her daughter’s words and Merida couldn’t help the laugh that escaped her due to her mother’s groan. It meant the word to Merida that Elinor was out here with her. It meant so much to Merida that her mother was really and truly trying to understand her finally, Elinor had no idea just how happy this made her just how Merida had no idea how happy it made Elinor just to be spending time with her daughter.

“Don’t worry, mum. It’ll be fine; you’ve got me here after all! Now take this arrow,” Merida said, grabbing an arrow from the quiver and handing it to her mother who grasped it nervously. She hadn’t even realized just how nervous this whole thing would make her until it was actually happening.

“Just like last time, pulling the bow back just how I showed you but this time, you’ll need to place your arrow like such. Hold it tightly with your fingers,” Merida instructed her mother. Her mother did her best to copy the redhead’s moves, trying not to pierce herself with the sharp arrow she held in her hands. Merida audibly cheered and clapped in happiness when she saw her mother had gotten it spot on again. But Merida’s burst of happiness had caused her mother to drop the weapons.

“Merida!” her mother groaned.

“Sorry, mum!” Merida apologized, a slight laugh coming from both mother and daughter. It had been a long time since Merida felt this happy around her mother. “You’re just doing so well at this.” Elinor smiled at her words. Was she really doing that good?

“Thank you, dear.” Merida instructed her mother back into the same position, walking over to inspect the stance once she was. It was a bit strange for Merida to be seeing her mother holding a bow and arrow given how many times she’d criticized Merida for even having them, nonetheless using them.

“Release it now.” The command that came from Merida was smooth. With a soft sigh, Elinor closed her eyes and released her finger that held back the bow. She didn’t even want to see how bad the shot was. Merida watched the arrow closely, giggling a bit as it went over the target, crashing into the trees behind.

“I missed.” The statement was a small one and Elinor sounded so dejected, it only made Merida laugh even more. This was such a strange way to see Elinor; she was always so regal and proper. Elinor really was loosening up a bit thanks to her daughter.

“Stay here, I’ll go fetch it!” Merida called as she ran off. The redhead hopped into the bush, searching high and low for the missing arrow until she found it. As she stepped out of the thicket, Merida had noticed her mother had taken it upon herself to reposition her bow, loading it with an arrow Merida had apparently dropped when she had run off.

“Mum, don’t aim that thing at me!” Merida screeched, ducking out of the way of her mother’s aim. Elinor lowered the bow; unable to control the laugh at took over her. She really hadn’t meant to point it at her daughter but Merida’s reaction to it was priceless.

“I’m sorry, dear,” Elinor managed to get out in between her laughs. Merida playfully stuck her tongue out at her mother, joining her in a round of laughs. Sitting just a bit away from the two females was King Fergus. Fergus grabbed the glass that Maudie had handed him, smiling as he watched the mother and daughter laugh together. It had been so long since the fighting and arguments started happening between them, the king was happy to finally see the main ladies in his life finally getting along again. He’d longed for the day he saw his beloved queen and adored daughter become friends once more.

Merida and Elinor’s bond had been broken so long ago, but the two females were determined to repair what had been broken. They were determined to do it a step at a time no matter how long it took. Merida and Elinor knew that these lessons were the first step towards the repaired bond.