eachdraidh | {3rd Hope; voice} {Seelie; Open to Hermione's Compass network, backdated}

[There's a pause as she catches her breath after the initial whirlwind of emotion at Emma being affected by the silver sickness, the worry and guilt as they kept searching for answers. That the True Love's Kiss actually worked against this as well as it had any other curse back home. Snow is still a little breathless at that, but she feels it is important to try tell others. This particular method might not work for everyone, but if there's a chance it could help even one other.....it would be worth this.]

I know some are newer around here. Not the best of circumstances to meet but I'm Snow. And I figured at least one method against this silver spreading. But it might not work for everyone. Back home, in Storybrooke, in the Enchanted Forest, there was one way to cure any curse. True Love's Kiss. It works against this too. Of course not everyone would be able to use this option, like I said. But I thought....if it could help even one other person besides Emma, my daughter, I should tell you. I hope everyone is managing all right through this. If I can help more, just let me know.

[Yes, she said her daughter. Snow White has a daughter. And still believes in the likes of True Love in spite of everything. In spite of being separated from her own, Charming, for over a year here.]

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True Love's Kiss is an actual thing?

[Sorry if she sounds a little skeptical, Snow, but she's only heard it in passing.]

It is. Back home, at least. And here too, apparently, given that is how I helped Emma with this silver sickness.

[She knows it probably sounds rather. Hopeful, so she can't blame Merida or anyone else that might be less certain on this particular method. But that she herself is still here and alive at all is thanks to Charming and his Kiss saving her from the Sleeping Curse so many years ago now.]

From what I understood, it was between two lovers not...family. You said she was your daughter?

[It makes her think of how apologising and swallowing her pride had been the reverse of her mother's own curse, the one that she had set upon her in the first place. This whole plague has been a stinging reminder of that, and she wonders if her mother were here... Merida shakes her head, getting it out of that.]

Love isn't just between lovers. It's between family as well. Between mother and daughter. Mother and son. Father and his child. But yes, Emma is my daughter.

[So grown up now, but still that baby girl they placed every confidence and hope in all those years ago. A daughter they gave up everything for in giving Emma her best chance. It just took time for Emma herself to accept and understand that, seeing the nursery they had for her. All that could have been.]

I heard rumors about it while I was out looking for information. I thought it was just that though, rumors.

[Which is the only reason why she asks. She pauses, thinking for a moment before responding.]

I know curses can be broken though. My experience is just...a bit different than True Love's Kiss.

Sometimes in rumors or stories there is some grain of truth. A reason for them to start or have some basis at all. Though I hope your experience wasn't too....

[Too....what? Dangerous? Heartbreaking? Difficult?]

Difficult. I've had my share of curses myself.

Aye. Legends are lessons, mum's fond of sayin', an' I'd believe it.

[She gives a wry smile, then laughs a little sheepishly.]

I, ah, turned my mum into a bear a couple of years ago.

I could agree in that. After all, my world is a fairytale to a lot of people. People can learn from any story, any legend or myth if they take something away from it.

[And there's the pause. Wait. What. Merida what even.]

...Do I want to know why?

[The how likely being obvious enough in some sort of magic.]

We have tales back home ourselves. It's...funny to think about sometimes, because I've met two heroes I know through stories here, an' now I'm close to both of them.

[She generally didn't think of Diarmuid or Cu Chulainn as such anymore, they were just people. People she loved and cared about.

...Well Snow you won't be disappointed to hear that your theory of there being magic involved is correct. She sighs a little.]

I only wanted to change her mind about th' marriage. She wouldn't listen an' we fought after I showed up my suitors at th' games for my hand.

It's not just me then. Good to know.

[But there's a smile there all the same. In the reassurance that Merida is making friends, able to see past that hero persona.

And then she just gives Merida a Look. Oh, marriage.]

Ah. Marriage. I know it can be....terrifying. Frustrating if you don't get to choose who or when. I can only imagine the chance of my own being different if my mother hadn't passed when I was so young. I suppose turning her into a bear is....one way to get out of the marriage ordeal.

Same here.

[The Look reminds Merida a fair bit of one her mother used to give her...no surprise, since Snow herself is apparently one.]

I didn't mean to, I only wanted to change her mind. [She sighs.] I just wasn't specific enough when I asked th' witch for th' spell.

Of course. It's not that you should have tried talking to each other about it rather than turning to a witch.

[It may be a little chiding, really it seems by now that Merida has learned her lesson there. Magic can't and shouldn't be used for every little thing. Still, she assumes that things work out since Merida doesn't seem as upset over it, talks about breaking the curse so that's something to be grateful for at least.]

And how did you fix that, exactly?

I tried but she wouldn't listen! Mum wouldn't even let me have a say in anythin', so I took actions into my own hands an' bested my suitors. After that, we had a fight an' I ran away from th' castle.

[There are times like now that she kicks herself, but Merida had made her mistakes and learned from them. She's grown since then, obviously, if the tone of her voice - exasperation at her teenage self - was anything to go by.]

I thought it was th' tapestry that I needed to fix from when I ripped through it with my sword durin' our fight, but it was th' bond torn by our pride that I had to mend. I almost didn't make it...th' curse had a time limit. Once th' second sunrise came, that would be it an' she'd be stuck as a bear forever. To make things worse, dad had found out an', well, dad's not th' Bear King for nothin'. He led th' clans on a hunt for her.

[She sighs.]

I fought dad from killin' her, but Mor'du interrupted before I could explain anythin'. Mum protected me from him, fought him off an' he ended up gettin' killed when one of th' monoliths fell on him after she rammed him into it enough. I...I broke th' curse by suckin' my pride in an' apologising. Sayin' it was my fault an' admittin' it was what broke th' curse, we figured.

Edited 2015-06-23 11:59 (UTC)

I take it your father didn't know it was her as the bear. I'm glad it worked out though. I assume Mor'du was one of the clansmen was it? Pride, mending the bond between you was what it took. If only this silver sickness were as easy to cure. Bit this isn't quite the same, quite as simple.

[Family misunderstandings though. Every family has them. Even the Charmings. Theirs just hasn't involved trying to marry Emma off and being turned into a bear.]

{3rd Hope; voice} {Seelie; Open to Hermione's Compass network, backdated}

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