(Brave Spoilers) Mother and Son 1/2
anonymous
July 27 2012, 04:13:38 UTC
Note: Never written for Brave before, never written about a trans character before, and never written a parent dealing with such a big revelation about his/her child before, so apologies in advance if I’ve failed to do the fandom, prompt, or issue justice. Also, I’m never sure what to do about accents, so sorry if the dialogue doesn’t sound quite Scottish enough. All that said, I liked writing this, and I hope OP likes it as well!
oOo
The wind blew her long, tangling hair back, rushing and roaring in her ears, and the infinite shades of green that made up the forest passed her by in a beautiful blur. As her horse’s muscles bunched beneath her to send them soaring over a fallen tree, she felt weightless, like right now she could let go and fly off to the horizon and never touch the ground again.
Queen Elinor hadn’t felt this exhilarated in years.
It’d taken awhile for Merida to talk her into this afternoon ride, but now she couldn’t be happier about her daughter’s trademark stubbornness. At the moment she was racing the redhead toward a clearing near the river several yards away, and though it looked like she was going to lose, she couldn’t stop laughing. Nothing was funny, really; there was just a well of sheer joy bubbling up inside her and she felt about fit to burst.
It wasn’t just the ride that had her feeling this way: It’d been about a week since the whole arranged-marriage-bear-transformation-clan-war kerfuffle and lately she was feeling closer to Merida than she ever had before. It was like an awful weight that had been sitting on her shoulders for ten years was finally gone and at last she could really breathe.
Finally she reached the clearing and slowed enough to dismount, toning her laughter down to giggling as she did so. Merida was already leading Angus to the river for a drink.
“What’s got you so giddy all of a sudden?”
“Aw nothin’,” said Elinor, leading her own horse to the water, “I’m jus’ verra glad ya talked me inta this.”
“I told ya it was fun.” Merida gave Angus’s neck a pat and strode into the middle of the clearing to flop down in the grass.
“That you did,” said Elinor with a nod. After securing the horses to a nearby tree, she sat down next to her daughter and let out a contented sigh. They remained like that for a while, just listening to the river and tasting the cool, fresh, air.
“A shame it’s not warmer,” said Merida after a while, “Be nice ta get outta this dress and go for a swim.”
“Merida!” Elinor exclaimed with a giggle, “You know a princess should never-” She cut herself off with a gasp when she saw the look on Merida’s face.
“Merida-I’m so sorry-Merida, listen, I didn’t mean-”
“I know, Mum,” said Merida, her tone nonetheless rather glum.
“Merida…” said Elinor. She hadn’t meant-really meant-anything by it. It’d just slipped out; it’d been like a reflex.
“I’m sorry,” she said again, “It jus’ slipped out. You know I didn’t mean it, I mean we’re not even at the castle…”
“It’s not that, Mum,” Merida said with a sigh.
“I know, I know, a princess doesn’t hafta act-”
“I’m not a princess, Mum!”
They both went silent. Elinor frowned. She’d thought they’d gotten past all this, that the freedom to break tradition was all Merida needed and that she’d be happier with her royal role now.
“But Merida,” she said, trying to keep her voice as gentle as possible, trying to keep this from turning into another one of those horrible fights she’d thought they’d left behind them, “You are, honey.”
“Well then I don’t wanna be.” Merida rolled over to face away from Elinor and curled up into a ball.
“Merida…” she reached out to touch her daughter’s shoulder but Merida flinched away.
“Merida,” she said, a little of her sternness returning, “I’m verra sorry ya feel tha’ way, but your father and I cannae run this kingdom forever, and your brothers-”
“It’s not that!” Merida snapped.
“Then what?!” Elinor cried in return. In response Merida merely curled up all the more and scooted a few inches further away from Elinor.
(Brave Spoilers) Mother and Son 2/2
anonymous
July 27 2012, 04:15:15 UTC
A quiet moment passed and Elinor felt tears stinging her eyes. She’d thought things had been so different, that they’d come so far… She dabbed at her eyes with her sleeve and set her jaw. No. She wasn’t going to let this happen, to let the rift re-open like this.
“Merida,” she said. Her voice came out far too harsh. She cleared her throat and tried again:
“Merida, talk to me, please.” She reached out and touched the tangled mass of red hair gently. “Please.”
It took a moment, but at last Merida murmured, “It’s not that I can’t be a princess, Mum, it’s that I can’t be a princess.”
Elinor didn’t understand yet, so she waited, stroking the not-princess’s hair.
“I…” said Merida, struggling to hold back tears, “I jus’ don’t see why, why I can’t be a prince.”
“A prince…” Elinor whispered. She certainly hadn’t been expecting that, but, at the same time, she wasn’t very surprised. In fact, suddenly things were starting to make sense. The past several years rushed through her mind: Merida wanting to learn to fight, Merida throwing tantrums over being forced to wear dresses all the time, Merida teasing her-his brothers about how lucky they were that Mum didn’t try to turn them into perfect little princesses too, and wanting to be just like his father and (How could she not understand before?) pitching a mad and terrified fit at the idea of being forced to marry some lord’s son…
She grabbed her child’s shoulder and rolled him back over so she could look him in the eye.
“You’re a prince, then,” she said, “And ya won’t be hearin’ me tellin’ you any different.”
Merida sniffled and sat up.
“You mean it, Mum?”
“I mean it. Jus’ because you’re my son instead of my daughter doesn’t mean,” Elinor choked up a little and her eyes welled up again, “Doesn’t mean you’re not my baby.”
“Aw, Mum…” Merida hugged his mother tightly and patted her back, shaking a little himself with his own sobs. After a few more seconds of fierce hugging they pulled apart and both started drying their eyes.
“Ya hafta realize, though,” said Elinor, “Tha’ the rest of the world, well, might not understan’…”
“I know,” said Merida, wiping the last of the moisture from his eyes and setting his jaw.
“But you’ll be ready,” said Elinor with a smile. Merida nodded, determined, and after a few seconds, smiled as well.
“If I can get you to understan’,” he said, “The rest of the world can’t be so tough.”
“Aw, be nice, you,” said Elinor, pushing Merida’s shoulder playfully. They both giggled, and Elinor felt like all was right with the world again. Merida was still her little girl-boy, after all, with the same laugh, same strength and same spirit she’d always loved so much; the only difference that really mattered to her was that now he could be happy.
“So will you be wantin’ ta marry a girl, then?” she asked.
“Mum!” Merida laughed, but also looked a little hurt.
“I’m jus’ sayin’,” said Elinor, trying to keep the tone light and playful, “If ya thought shootin’ for your own hand had folks startled…” Part of her mind was thinking of Wee Dingwall, because, well, if there was a boy-or rather a girl-in the kingdom with a problem like Merida’s, he seemed the likely candidate. Perhaps… Then again, perhaps not. If there was one thing she should’ve learned from her son by now, it was that things didn’t always fit together so neatly.
“I’ll worry abou’ tha’ later, Mum,” said Merida, raking a hand through his curls, “I’m still not ready to marry anyone right now.”
“Alrigh’,” said Elinor, “Jus’ know we’ll have ta think abou’ these things.” She stood and offered a hand to pull Merida up.
“I know,” said Merida, accepting the hand and standing, “And we will. But for now…” He got a familiar glint in his eye. “Last one ta the castle’s a pickled egg!”
They unhitched their horses and raced back to the castle, mother and son, ready to take on a world of bears and brothers and suitors and silliness and magic and majesty, together.
Re: (Brave Spoilers) Mother and Son 2/2
anonymous
July 28 2012, 21:45:49 UTC
OMG, OMG. OMG.
“I mean it. Jus’ because you’re my son instead of my daughter doesn’t mean,” Elinor choked up a little and her eyes welled up again, “Doesn’t mean you’re not my baby.”
I AM LEGIT CRYING RIGHT NOW, THIS WAS SO BEAUTIFUL AND TOUCHING. I HAVE SO MANY FEEEEEEEEEEEEEELINGS AND I AM JUST SOBBING BECAUSE THIS.
oOo
The wind blew her long, tangling hair back, rushing and roaring in her ears, and the infinite shades of green that made up the forest passed her by in a beautiful blur. As her horse’s muscles bunched beneath her to send them soaring over a fallen tree, she felt weightless, like right now she could let go and fly off to the horizon and never touch the ground again.
Queen Elinor hadn’t felt this exhilarated in years.
It’d taken awhile for Merida to talk her into this afternoon ride, but now she couldn’t be happier about her daughter’s trademark stubbornness. At the moment she was racing the redhead toward a clearing near the river several yards away, and though it looked like she was going to lose, she couldn’t stop laughing. Nothing was funny, really; there was just a well of sheer joy bubbling up inside her and she felt about fit to burst.
It wasn’t just the ride that had her feeling this way: It’d been about a week since the whole arranged-marriage-bear-transformation-clan-war kerfuffle and lately she was feeling closer to Merida than she ever had before. It was like an awful weight that had been sitting on her shoulders for ten years was finally gone and at last she could really breathe.
Finally she reached the clearing and slowed enough to dismount, toning her laughter down to giggling as she did so. Merida was already leading Angus to the river for a drink.
“What’s got you so giddy all of a sudden?”
“Aw nothin’,” said Elinor, leading her own horse to the water, “I’m jus’ verra glad ya talked me inta this.”
“I told ya it was fun.” Merida gave Angus’s neck a pat and strode into the middle of the clearing to flop down in the grass.
“That you did,” said Elinor with a nod. After securing the horses to a nearby tree, she sat down next to her daughter and let out a contented sigh. They remained like that for a while, just listening to the river and tasting the cool, fresh, air.
“A shame it’s not warmer,” said Merida after a while, “Be nice ta get outta this dress and go for a swim.”
“Merida!” Elinor exclaimed with a giggle, “You know a princess should never-” She cut herself off with a gasp when she saw the look on Merida’s face.
“Merida-I’m so sorry-Merida, listen, I didn’t mean-”
“I know, Mum,” said Merida, her tone nonetheless rather glum.
“Merida…” said Elinor. She hadn’t meant-really meant-anything by it. It’d just slipped out; it’d been like a reflex.
“I’m sorry,” she said again, “It jus’ slipped out. You know I didn’t mean it, I mean we’re not even at the castle…”
“It’s not that, Mum,” Merida said with a sigh.
“I know, I know, a princess doesn’t hafta act-”
“I’m not a princess, Mum!”
They both went silent. Elinor frowned. She’d thought they’d gotten past all this, that the freedom to break tradition was all Merida needed and that she’d be happier with her royal role now.
“But Merida,” she said, trying to keep her voice as gentle as possible, trying to keep this from turning into another one of those horrible fights she’d thought they’d left behind them, “You are, honey.”
“Well then I don’t wanna be.” Merida rolled over to face away from Elinor and curled up into a ball.
“Merida…” she reached out to touch her daughter’s shoulder but Merida flinched away.
“Merida,” she said, a little of her sternness returning, “I’m verra sorry ya feel tha’ way, but your father and I cannae run this kingdom forever, and your brothers-”
“It’s not that!” Merida snapped.
“Then what?!” Elinor cried in return. In response Merida merely curled up all the more and scooted a few inches further away from Elinor.
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“Merida,” she said. Her voice came out far too harsh. She cleared her throat and tried again:
“Merida, talk to me, please.” She reached out and touched the tangled mass of red hair gently. “Please.”
It took a moment, but at last Merida murmured, “It’s not that I can’t be a princess, Mum, it’s that I can’t be a princess.”
Elinor didn’t understand yet, so she waited, stroking the not-princess’s hair.
“I…” said Merida, struggling to hold back tears, “I jus’ don’t see why, why I can’t be a prince.”
“A prince…” Elinor whispered. She certainly hadn’t been expecting that, but, at the same time, she wasn’t very surprised. In fact, suddenly things were starting to make sense. The past several years rushed through her mind: Merida wanting to learn to fight, Merida throwing tantrums over being forced to wear dresses all the time, Merida teasing her-his brothers about how lucky they were that Mum didn’t try to turn them into perfect little princesses too, and wanting to be just like his father and (How could she not understand before?) pitching a mad and terrified fit at the idea of being forced to marry some lord’s son…
She grabbed her child’s shoulder and rolled him back over so she could look him in the eye.
“You’re a prince, then,” she said, “And ya won’t be hearin’ me tellin’ you any different.”
Merida sniffled and sat up.
“You mean it, Mum?”
“I mean it. Jus’ because you’re my son instead of my daughter doesn’t mean,” Elinor choked up a little and her eyes welled up again, “Doesn’t mean you’re not my baby.”
“Aw, Mum…” Merida hugged his mother tightly and patted her back, shaking a little himself with his own sobs. After a few more seconds of fierce hugging they pulled apart and both started drying their eyes.
“Ya hafta realize, though,” said Elinor, “Tha’ the rest of the world, well, might not understan’…”
“I know,” said Merida, wiping the last of the moisture from his eyes and setting his jaw.
“But you’ll be ready,” said Elinor with a smile. Merida nodded, determined, and after a few seconds, smiled as well.
“If I can get you to understan’,” he said, “The rest of the world can’t be so tough.”
“Aw, be nice, you,” said Elinor, pushing Merida’s shoulder playfully. They both giggled, and Elinor felt like all was right with the world again. Merida was still her little girl-boy, after all, with the same laugh, same strength and same spirit she’d always loved so much; the only difference that really mattered to her was that now he could be happy.
“So will you be wantin’ ta marry a girl, then?” she asked.
“Mum!” Merida laughed, but also looked a little hurt.
“I’m jus’ sayin’,” said Elinor, trying to keep the tone light and playful, “If ya thought shootin’ for your own hand had folks startled…” Part of her mind was thinking of Wee Dingwall, because, well, if there was a boy-or rather a girl-in the kingdom with a problem like Merida’s, he seemed the likely candidate. Perhaps… Then again, perhaps not. If there was one thing she should’ve learned from her son by now, it was that things didn’t always fit together so neatly.
“I’ll worry abou’ tha’ later, Mum,” said Merida, raking a hand through his curls, “I’m still not ready to marry anyone right now.”
“Alrigh’,” said Elinor, “Jus’ know we’ll have ta think abou’ these things.” She stood and offered a hand to pull Merida up.
“I know,” said Merida, accepting the hand and standing, “And we will. But for now…” He got a familiar glint in his eye. “Last one ta the castle’s a pickled egg!”
They unhitched their horses and raced back to the castle, mother and son, ready to take on a world of bears and brothers and suitors and silliness and magic and majesty, together.
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“I mean it. Jus’ because you’re my son instead of my daughter doesn’t mean,” Elinor choked up a little and her eyes welled up again, “Doesn’t mean you’re not my baby.”
I AM LEGIT CRYING RIGHT NOW, THIS WAS SO BEAUTIFUL AND TOUCHING. I HAVE SO MANY FEEEEEEEEEEEEEELINGS AND I AM JUST SOBBING BECAUSE THIS.
Thank you, anon, thank you!!!!
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