There are those who say fate is something beyond our command. That destiny is not our own, but I know better. Our fate lives within us, you only have to be brave enough to see it.
QE Queen Elinor
[First lines; Queen Elinor and young Merida are playing hide-and-seek]
Where are you? Come out! Come out! Come on out! I'm coming to get you! [Young Merida laughs as she hides under the table] Where are you, you little rascal? I'm coming to get you! [looks under the table but Merida quickly moves to hide somewhere else] Hmm. Where is my little birthday girl, hm? I'm going to gobble her up when I find her! [Merida comes up behind Elinor and goes to run away but Elinor catches her] I'm going to eat you! [as she and Merida play, Fergus places his bow on the table] Ach! Fergus, no weapons on the table!
YM Young Merida
Can I shoot an arrow? [picks up the large bow from the table] Can I, can I, can I, can I? Please, can I? [falls and laughs as the bow is too big for her]
King Fergus
Not with that. Why not use your very own? [presents her with a small bow] Happy birthday, my wee darlin'!
Fergus
[telling a story]
Then out of nowhere, the biggest bear you've ever seen! Its hide littered with the weapons of fallen warriors! Its face scarred with one dead eye. I drew my sword and...
PM Princess Merida
[cuts in]
WHOOSH! 1 swipe, his sword shattered, then CHOMP! Dad's leg was clean off! Down the monster's throat it went!
Fergus
Awwwwww... That's my favorite part!
M Merida
Mor'du has never been seen since. And is roaming the wilds, waiting his chance at revenge. [roars]
Fergus
Let him return. I’ll finish what I gobbled in the first place.
Elinor
Merida, a princess does not place her weapons on the table.
M Merida
[moans]
Mum, it's just my bow!
Elinor
A princess should not have weapons in my opinion.
Fergus
Leave her be! Princess or not, learning to fight is essential.
M Merida
[removes her bow from the table]
Mum, you'll never guess what I did today!
Elinor
[not really listening]
Mmm-hmm?
M Merida
I climbed up the Crone's Tooth and drank from the Fire Falls.
Fergus
[Hamish, Hubert and Harris look at her in awe]
The Fire Falls, eh? They say only the ancient kings were brave enough to drink the fire.
Elinor
[Merida wrinkles her nose at Fergus and giggles] [looks up from the documents she's reading; to Merida]
What did you do, dear?
M Merida
[disappointed]
Nothing, Mum.
Elinor
Hungry aren’t we.
Fergus
Oh, come on, now! Pretend I'm Merida, speak to me. What would you say?
Elinor
I can't do this!
Fergus
Sure, you can! [Elinor gives him a skeptical look] There, there! That's my queen! All right, here we go. [takes a deep breath and speaks in a shrilly voice, impersonating Merida] "I don't want to get married! I want to stay single and let my hair flow in the wind as I ride through the glen, firing arrows into the sunset!" [smiles and nods. Elinor smiles and takes a deep breath.]
Elinor
Merida, all this work, all the time spent preparing you, schooling you, giving you everything we never had. I ask you, what do you expect us to do?
M Merida
[in the royal stables; taking care of Angus and rehearsing her own speech]
Call off the gathering! Would that kill them? You're the queen. You can just tell the lords, "The princess is not ready for this. In fact, she might not ever be ready for this, so that's that. Good day to you. We'll expect your declarations of war in the morning."
Elinor
I understand this must all seem unfair. Even I had reservations when I faced betrothal. [Fergus looks up in surprise] But we can't just run away from who we are.
M Merida
I don't want my life to be over. I want my freedom!
Elinor
But are you willing to pay the price your freedom will cost?
M Merida
I'm not doing any of this to hurt you.
Elinor
If you could just try to see what I do, I do out of love.
M Merida
But it's my life, it's... I'm just not ready.
Elinor
I think you'd see if you could just...
M Merida
I think I could make you understand if you would just...
Elinor
Listen.
M Merida
Listen. [Angus whinnies at her] I swear, Angus, this isn't going to happen. [Angus touches her sympathetically and she pets him] Not if I have any say in it.
M Merida
Mum, wait. We have to...
Fergus
Follow me.
M Merida
Stop! STOP! YOU’RE COVERED WITH FUR!! You’re not naked. It’s like anyone gonna see you. Now you done it.
Fergus
[Maudie runs into Fergus and the others]
Maudie! [Maudie stutters] Calm down, lass. What is it? [Maudie still stutters] [impatiently] Spit it out, Maudie!
Fergus
I KNEW IT!! HYAAAAAH!! [he and the other men charge to where Maudie came from]
M Merida
Would you just listen me.
Lord MacGuffin
[Fergus, the lords, their sons, and the rest of the men are being distracted by the triplets, thinking there's a bear in the castle]
I think we should lay a trap.
Fergus
[angrily]
TRY SHUTTING YOURS! [They then hear a growl and see a shadow of a bear] There he is!
LD Lord Dingwall
[They chase it up the castle roof and realize it is gone]
It must've sprouted wings.
Lord MacGuffin
Or was carried away by a giant birdy.
LD Lord Dingwall
A dragon, perhaps.
LM Lord Macintosh
[mockingly]
"Bear in the castle!" [normal] Doesn't make sense. It cannot open doors. He's got big, giant paws!
King Fergus
[groans]
Let's just get inside. [tries to open the door, but can't] It's locked!
Lord MacGuffin
[points to Dingwall]
Dingwall was the last up!
LD Lord Dingwall
I propped it open with a stick!
[The men groan, and from the other side of the door, it is revealed that two of the triplets took the stick and chucked it away]
QE Queen Elinor
[First lines; Elinor and Young Merida are playing hide-and-seek]
Where are you? Come out, come out, come on out! I'm coming to get you! [Young Merida laughs as she hides under the table] Where are you, you little rascal? I'm coming to get you! [looks under the table but Merida quickly moves to hide somewhere else] Hmm, where is my little birthday girl? I'm going to gobble her up when I find her! [Merida comes up behind her and goes to run away, but she catches her] I'm going to eat you! [as she and Merida play, Fergus places his bow on the table] Ach! Fergus, no weapons on the table!
YM Young Merida
Can I shoot an arrow? [picks up the large bow from the table] Can I, can I, can I, can I? Please, can I? [falls and laughs as the bow is too big for her]
King Fergus
Not with that. Why not use your very own? [presents her with a small bow] Happy birthday, my wee darling! Now, there's a good girl. Draw all the way back now to your cheek. That's right. Keep both eyes open. And, loose!
YM Young Merida
I missed...
QE Queen Elinor
Go and fetch it, then. [turns to Fergus after Young Merida leaves] A bow, Fergus? She's a lady! [Fergus grabs her butt] Oh, you!
YM Young Merida
A will-o'-the-wisp. They are real.
QE Queen Elinor
Merida! Come on, sweetheart, we’re leaving now.
YM Young Merida
I saw a wisp! I saw a wisp!
QE Queen Elinor
A wisp? You know, some say that will-o'-the-wisps lead you to your fate.
King Fergus
Oh, aye! Or an arrow! Come on, let’s be off. Before we see a dancing charging bubu or a giant...
QE Queen Elinor
Your father doesn’t believe in magic.
YM Young Merida
Well he should, cause it’s true. [sees Mor'du for the first time]
King Fergus
Mor'du! Elinor, run! [About to attack Mor'du] COME ON, YOU!
M Merida
[After Mor'du is defeated]
The second sunrise! Oh, no. I don't understand, I... Oh, mom! I'm sorry. This is all my fault! I did this to you! To us! You've always been there for me. You've never given up on me. I just want you back! I want you back, mommy! I love you. [looks up and sees Elinor has changed back into a human form] Mom, you're back! You changed!
QE Queen Elinor
[warmly]
Oh, darling. We both have.
King Fergus
Elinor! Elinor.
QE Queen Elinor
Oh, dear!
King Fergus
You're back, you're back here!
QE Queen Elinor
Ehm, dear? I'm naked. Naked as a wee babby. Don't just stare at me, do something!
King Fergus
What the...? Avert your eyes, lads! Show some respect! Now that's what I call a wee naked babby!
