The Legend of the Emerald

by Disney Book Group, Ellie O'Ryan

  Copyright © 2014 Disney Enterprises, Inc.

  All rights reserved. Published by Disney Press, an imprint of Disney Book Group. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without written permission from the publisher. For information address Disney Press, 1101 Flower Street, Glendale, California 91201.

  ISBN 978-1-4231-8258-0

  For more Disney Press fun, visit www.disneybooks.com,

  Contents

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  TO BRAVE LADS AND LASSES EVERYWHERE

  Princess Merida raced down the hallway as fast as she could. Her feet clattered across the stone floor of the castle. As she dashed around a corner, Merida nearly crashed right into Maudie, one of the servants.

  Maudie gasped in surprise, steadying the tray of desserts she was carrying. She had jumped out of the way just in time.

  “Sorry!” Merida called as she adjusted the quiver full of arrows slung over her shoulder. She knew that her mother, Queen Elinor, wouldn’t approve of her running in the castle, but Merida just couldn’t slow down. She was too excited!

  Throughout the long, dark winter and the damp spring, Merida had looked forward to the Rites of Summer. The special festival celebrated summertime and the strong friendship between the clans. It had been decided months ago that the Macintosh clan would be the DunBroch clan’s honored guests this year. Upon the arrival of the Macintoshes, the two clans would celebrate together with a day of dancing, games, and feats of strength. The Rites of Summer was one of Merida’s favorite celebrations.

  Merida’s long red curls bounced wildly as she burst into the Great Hall. The biggest room in the castle was more crowded than usual. Queen Elinor was supervising the servants as they finished getting ready for the festival. In the middle of all the commotion, Merida’s father, King Fergus, wrestled with her triplet brothers, Harris, Hubert, and Hamish.

  Queen Elinor looked up from a scroll of parchment paper. “A princess never runs in the castle,” she reminded Merida.

  “But Mum!” Merida exclaimed. “It’s the Rites of Summer!”

  “Even so, a princess must always behave with the proper dignity,” Queen Elinor gently replied.

  “You were just warming up for the races this afternoon, weren’t you, lass?” King Fergus asked Merida with a wink. “I’m sure on an ordinary day, you’d never be running through the castle like a shrieking banshee, would you?”

  Merida and her father started laughing. Even Queen Elinor had to smile. It wasn’t so long ago that Merida and her mum disagreed about almost everything. Queen Elinor believed that a princess should be ladylike at all times. She wanted Merida to be prepared for when she would one day be a queen herself. Elinor had even arranged a competition so that suitors from the nearby clans could compete to marry Merida.

  But Merida didn’t like having her life planned out for her. She wanted to race on her horse, Angus, and practice her archery. More than anything, Merida wanted to choose her own fate. She and Elinor hadn’t started to understand each other until they were forced to work together. Since then, Merida and her mum had tried hard to get along better. It wasn’t always easy, but they were both determined to do their best.

  Today, Queen Elinor’s focus on the proper behavior gave Merida an idea.

  “Please, Mum,” Merida said, “isn’t it time to start the processional? If we leave now, we could reach the dock in time to welcome the Macintosh clan. We might even be able to see the ships arrive!”

  Queen Elinor looked thoughtful. “It seems a wee bit early,” she replied. “Let me check the schedule.”

  While Queen Elinor consulted her scroll, Merida reached for a charm that dangled from her bow. It was made of smooth stone that had been carved into the shape of a thistle. Whenever Merida thought she might need a little luck, she always rubbed one of her charms. The thistle was her favorite.

  “Usually, the processional starts at half past nine,” Queen Elinor continued. “Then everyone returns to the castle by eleven to set up the visitors’ tents. King Fergus and I issue the formal welcome to the Rites by one o’clock, during the afternoon feast. After that, the games and contests last until six, the evening feast begins at seven, and the music and dancing will continue until the first light of morning.”

  Merida held her breath as she waited for her mother to make a decision. The thistle charm grew warm from the heat of Merida’s hand.

  “But I see no reason why we shouldn’t begin the processional a little earlier than usual this year,” Queen Elinor finally decided. “The ships are always a sight to behold!”

  Before Queen Elinor could say another word, Merida was on her way outside.

  “Merida, wait!” the queen called after her.

  Reluctantly, Merida paused just inside the heavy oak door.

  “First your father, then I, then you, and then the triplets,” Queen Elinor said firmly.

  Merida grinned sheepishly as her family took their positions. Then they stepped into the dazzling sunshine as other members of the DunBroch clan fell into place behind them. Bagpipers played merry songs as girls from the village tossed rose petals into the air. The processional wove its way through brilliant green hillsides, past wild thistles and the first roses of summer. Merida could smell the ocean as they approached the dock. Though the sun was shining brightly, a silvery mist hung over the water. Suddenly, the mist cleared. There, in the distance, Merida saw it: the Macintosh clan’s lead ship!

  Merida jumped up and down with excitement.

  The Rites of Summer were about to begin!

  As the Macintosh clan rowed up to the dock, Merida could hear the clansmen singing a rousing song of summer. They were just as excited about the festival as the DunBroch clan was.

  “Oi! DunBroch!” a voice bellowed from the deck of the boat. It was Lord Macintosh.

  “Oi! Macintosh!” King Fergus roared back.

  “To the Rites!” both rulers yelled together. The DunBroch and Macintosh clans burst into cheers.

  “Oi! Merida!” a new voice called out.

  Merida looked up to see Young Macintosh climbing off the boat. Merida hadn’t seen Young Macintosh since the competition for her hand in marriage, but his confident swagger hadn’t changed a bit.

  Merida watched Young Macintosh run up to her. He was tall and athletic, with a swirl of blue paint on his right arm. Merida wondered if he’d ever start painting blue streaks on his face, like his father, Lord Macintosh, did.

  “Oi! Young Macintosh!” Merida replied. “I see you’ve come to impress us with your feats of strength again.”

  “And impressed you’ll be, I’m sure,” he said, puffing out his chest proudly. The sunlight glinted off a ring of silver that was fastened to his kilt sash.

  “What’s that, now?” Merida asked curiously.

  Young Macintosh polished the ring with his hand. “It’s the Macintosh crest,” he told her.

  “Oh, fancy, are we?” Merida teased. But she knew that Young Macintosh had every reason to be pleased with his crest. A family crest was very special.

  “Don’t you have a crest of your own?” Young Macintosh asked with a maddening grin.

  “No—but I have these,” Merida replied, showing him the charms on her bow.

  “What is that, a thistle?” Young Macintosh said as he glanced at one of the charms. “That’s fi
tting for you. You’re both prickly and stubborn.”

  “I’d rather be prickly like a thistle than arrogant like a peacock!” Merida snapped.

  “Who are you calling a peacock?” Young Macintosh demanded.

  Merida opened her eyes wide. “Oh, nobody,” she said, shifting her bow from one arm to the other. “A peacock surely couldn’t shoot an arrow and make a bull’s-eye three times in a row. What do you think—could you?”

  “Of course I could,” Young Macintosh announced, tossing his shiny black hair.

  “Good!” Merida said brightly. “Let’s go see you do it, then. That’s a fitting challenge to start the Rites of Summer.” With that, Merida glanced over her shoulder. Her parents and Lord Macintosh had finished greeting each other and had begun leading the processional back toward the castle. She turned and ran up to her parents to join them.

  “Wait!” Young Macintosh spoke up, approaching Merida. She could tell from the worried look on his face that he had remembered the last archery competition for Merida’s hand in marriage. Not only had Young Macintosh’s arrow missed the mark, he’d been so upset that he’d thrown a huge tantrum! Then Young Macintosh had banged his bow on the ground—and even thrown it into the crowd!

  “Let’s toss some cabers, instead,” continued Young Macintosh. “Unless you don’t think you can handle one.”

  Merida frowned. If she agreed to Young Macintosh’s challenge, she’d be at a big disadvantage. The heavy cabers were made from tree trunks. Young Macintosh, with his large muscles, would almost certainly be able to throw one farther than Merida. She wanted to find a challenge where they would be evenly matched.

  Soon, everyone had entered the castle and was buzzing with excitement about what the day had in store. Merida and Young Macintosh were lingering outside of King Fergus’s stables. With Queen Elinor supervising all the activity, Merida knew she and Young Macintosh wouldn’t be missed. They just had to make it back to the castle in time for the welcoming ceremony and afternoon feast.

  “How about a race, then?” Merida suggested. “A race…to the top…of the Fire Falls!”

  Young Macintosh looked surprised. “To the top of the Fire Falls!” he exclaimed. “You could never make it!”

  “Aye, I can. I have before,” Merida replied confidently. “But if you’re not certain you could make the climb, we can do something else.”

  “I’m an excellent climber—the best in my clan!” Young Macintosh bragged.

  “Then I’ll be waiting for you at the top of the falls—after I win!” cried Merida. She looped her bow over her shoulder, headed over to her horse, Angus, and raced away from the castle.

  Young Macintosh recognized a challenge when he saw one. With a loud whoop, he ducked into the king’s stables, climbed onto one of the horses, and took off after Merida.

  “You can’t possibly think you’ll make it to the top before I do!” Young Macintosh called.

  “Oh, I don’t think it,” Merida said. “I know it!”

  Angus galloped forward with an extra burst of speed, but Young Macintosh’s horse was already right beside him. They raced through fields where purple-headed thistles poked up from soft green grass. Then Merida thought of a shortcut. She steered Angus into a forest of ancient trees, with Young Macintosh and his steed just steps away. The dim forest was full of shadows, but the horses were sure-footed as they stepped over twisted roots. Merida and Young Macintosh reached the Fire Falls at the same time, tethered the horses, and began to climb the craggy rocks.

  “You might as well stay at the bottom,” Young Macintosh yelled over the rushing of the waterfall. “I’ll reach the top and be back down again before you’ve even gone halfway!”

  “Don’t be a numpty!” Merida retorted. “I’ve done this climb more times than you. I’ve even drunk from the Fire Falls, just like the ancient kings.”

  “I’ll believe that when I see it.” Young Macintosh laughed.

  At that moment, Merida reached the Crone’s Tooth, a rocky platform more than halfway up to the top. After making sure that Young Macintosh was watching, she leaned backward to take a big gulp of the sparkling water rushing over the falls. Despite himself, Young Macintosh looked impressed.

  But in a flash, he took advantage of Merida’s pause and climbed into the lead!

  “See you at the top!” he called.

  Merida gritted her teeth and raced to catch up. Soon, she and Young Macintosh were neck and neck.

  At the very top of the falls, Merida used a last burst of strength to pull herself over the rocky ledge. “I won! I did it,” she gasped.

  “You did no such thing!” argued Young Macintosh. He had also reached the top.

  “Aye, I did,” she shot back. “My hand was over the rock first.”

  “But my hand is bigger than yours,” Young Macintosh snapped. “So it was farther over the rock, which means I won.”

  Merida put her hands on her hips. “I think your head is dizzy from the climb—” she started to say.

  Then Merida stopped herself. She knew that her mum wouldn’t want her to insult one of their guests during the Rites of Summer—even if he did deserve it. Instead, she knelt down by the stream to splash some cool water on her face. Young Macintosh did the same.

  “This is a fine waterfall you’ve got here,” Young Macintosh said in a friendlier tone. “I would climb these rocks all the time, if I lived in DunBroch.”

  Merida wondered if he was trying to be on his best behavior, too. “I’m sure you would,” she replied as she gazed out over the falls. She could see the horses pacing in the grass far below and Castle DunBroch in the distance. Some of the Macintosh clan’s bright-colored tents had already been set up around the castle. Merida knew that she and Young Macintosh had time before they were expected back at the castle—but not much.

  Then Merida turned around. The flowing stream that fed the waterfall twisted through the landscape like a shimmering snake. Merida had watched the rushing Fire Falls since she was a young girl. But she had never given much thought as to where the water started.

  “Where do you think the water comes from?” she asked Young Macintosh as she stared at the stream.

  “You mean to say you don’t know?” he said in surprise.

  “No, I don’t,” Merida replied. “But today’s the day I find out!”

  “Oi, Merida, wait!” Young Macintosh called as he scrambled up to follow her. “Where are you going?”

  “I just told you,” Merida replied, pushing some tall reeds out of her way. “I’m going to find the source of the Fire Falls.”

  “But…today? Now?” Young Macintosh said doubtfully. He glanced back toward the castle. “Shouldn’t we go back for the Rites? Your mum—”

  “If you’re ’feert, go back to DunBroch,” Merida teased. “I’m sure you can manage to find your way.”

  “I’ve never been ’feert in my life,” Young Macintosh bragged, puffing out his chest. “Even as a wee baby!”

  “Oh, really?” Merida teased him. “Because I noticed that you didn’t drink from the Fire Falls during our climb, and I couldn’t figure out why. Of course, most people would be ’feert to lean backward from such a height—”

  “I wasn’t ’feert,” Young Macintosh scoffed.

  Merida and Young Macintosh kept bickering as they walked along the twisting stream. The shrubs grew thicker, full of brambles and wild berries. Merida stepped carefully to avoid the thorns. Soon, the bushes were so dense that it was difficult to see anything but dark green leaves all around her. Her heart started pounding in her chest as she pushed the branches aside. She knew that they were near the source of the Fire Falls.

  Then Merida stopped short. She found herself standing at the edge of an ordinary-looking loch. Not a bird chirped; not a beetle buzzed. There was a strange stillness around the loch, as if it hadn’t been disturbed for ages.

  Young Macintosh’s voice shattered the silence. “Not much to see here,” he announced. “Just a regular loch
, isn’t it?” Young Macintosh picked up a pebble and threw it from the shore. The stone skimmed across the water, leaving rippling circles behind it. The ripples vanished almost as quickly as they had appeared.

  Merida stared at the water in silence.

  “Is something wrong?” Young Macintosh finally asked her.

  “I thought it would be something more,” Merida replied. “I fancied we would have an adventure, but the source of the Fire Falls is nothing more than…a common loch, isn’t it?”

  Merida leaned down to skim her fingers through the loch. The water was surprisingly cool, even though the day had grown quite warm.

  When she stood up again, Merida leaned against a boulder that was covered with flowering vines. She turned away so that Young Macintosh wouldn’t see how disappointed she was. As she turned, her shoe caught on a root, causing her to lose her footing for a moment.

  She had put her hand on some vines to regain her balance, but the vines broke away. Merida stumbled backward and disappeared, swallowed up by a dark hole.

  “Merida!” Young Macintosh yelled with concern. He charged toward the spot where Merida had been standing just moments ago. “Oi! Where are you?” he called into the darkness.

  “I’m here,” Merida’s voice called out, with a strange echo following it. “There’s a cave behind the vines. And you’ll never believe what I’ve found!”

  “What’s back there?” Young Macintosh asked.

  “The real source of the Fire Falls,” Merida replied. “That loch wasn’t the source at all. Come see for yourself!”

  Young Macintosh had no choice but to follow her. He stepped carefully into the cavern, holding on to the rocky wall with one hand for support. At first, it was very dark inside. If he strained his ears, he could hear a faint trickle of water.

  Young Macintosh found Merida kneeling in the very center of the cave near a pool of water. Her hands were cupped around something that glowed. The golden light flickered over her face.