“I’m stronger, so I should go first,” Young Macintosh argued.
“That’s my best oak arrow; I know it can support me. But you weigh more than I do. What if the arrow broke before you reached the top?” replied Merida. “No, I’ll climb up first, and tie the rope to the juniper tree. That will surely be strong enough for you.”
“It’s going to be a treacherous climb, with the slick rocks,” Young Macintosh said. “Do you really think you’re up for it?”
“I know I am,” Merida replied.
Young Macintosh looked like he wanted to keep arguing. But he finally nodded and stepped aside so that Merida could begin her climb.
“Lasses first, then,” Young Macintosh said. “Wait, Merida—”
Merida watched as Young Macintosh opened his pouch and held it out to her. “Want to put your emerald in here?” he asked. “For safekeeping during the climb?”
Merida quickly shook her head. “It’s plenty safe in my own pouch,” she said.
“But your pouch isn’t even closed all the way,” Young Macintosh pointed out.
“That doesn’t matter,” Merida assured him. “The emerald is snug inside.”
Merida made sure that her quiver and bow were secure. Then she wrapped her arms around the rope and began to climb. She soon realized that Young Macintosh was right. The rocks were slippery as she stepped on them.
Inch by inch, Merida pulled herself up the rope. Her curls whipped in the wind from the rushing falls. Beads of sweat dotted her forehead and her arms were starting to ache, but still she climbed. Merida knew that she wouldn’t stop climbing until she reached the top.
The Fire Falls had never seemed so high as they did during that difficult climb. At last, Merida could see the crest.
“Almost there, now,” she yelled to Young Macintosh. Then, with one last tremendous pull, Merida hoisted herself onto the soft green grass that grew beyond the rocks. The palms of her hands stung from the roughness of the rope.
Merida rested for just a moment before she leaned over the edge of the cliff. She yanked her arrow out of mountainside and untied the rope. Then Merida looped the rope around the strongest juniper tree branch. She tied it firmly by using the knot Young Macintosh had shown her.
“Young Macintosh!” Merida called as she climbed over the edge. “You can come up now!”
The rope trembled as Young Macintosh started climbing. Merida held her breath. The ground seemed very far away. At last, Merida was relieved to see that Young Macintosh was getting close to the top.
“Oi!” she said. “You’re almost there. Just a little bit—”
Snap!
The rope suddenly broke under Young Macintosh’s weight. He started to fall!
“Young Macintosh! Grab something!” Merida screamed.
At the last moment, Young Macintosh snagged one of the rocks near the top of the falls. “I’m here,” he gasped. “I’m fine.”
But as soon as he spoke those words, his fingers started to slide off the rock’s slippery surface. “Merida!” Young Macintosh cried. “Please—help—I can’t hold on!”
“I’m coming!” Merida cried. She flung herself flat on the ground and reached out as far as she could. Her fingers were just inches from Young Macintosh’s hand.
“Grab my hand and I’ll pull you up!” Merida called.
Young Macintosh reached for Merida’s hand, but she was still too far away. Merida gritted her teeth as she pushed herself as far over the ledge as she dared.
At that moment, Merida’s pouch tipped forward, plunging the emerald over the side of the Fire Falls!
“No!” Merida cried.
The emerald teetered on one of the rocks. Merida could reach it. But then she couldn’t help Young Macintosh. She had a choice to make: grab the emerald, or save Young Macintosh.
But it was not really a choice at all. Merida reached out as far as she could and gripped Young Macintosh’s wrist. Then she heaved with all her might. Young Macintosh just made it over the edge and safely onto the cliff.
But the emerald tumbled off the ledge. In an instant, it was lost forever in the churning waters of the Fire Falls.
Merida fell back on the grass, breathing heavily. “It’s gone,” she moaned. “The emerald is gone.”
“But you saved my life,” Young Macintosh said. “Thank you, Merida. Thank you.”
“You’re welcome,” Merida replied. “But what are we going to do without the second emerald? How can we fix the Fire Falls now? This is all my fault.”
“No, it’s my fault,” Young Macintosh interrupted her. “If my gammy rope hadn’t snapped—”
“I should’ve let you carry both emeralds in your pouch—” Merida argued.
“But I never should have taken one of the emeralds to begin with,” Young Macintosh said.
“And neither should have I,” Merida said quietly.
Young Macintosh opened the flap of his pouch and pulled out the remaining emerald. “What should we do with this?” he asked.
“I don’t know.” Merida shrugged. She reached for the emerald. “May I hold it?”
“Sure,” Young Macintosh replied.
The emerald was heavy in Merida’s hand. She stared into its green depths and remembered the way it had glowed on the stone.
“This is no ordinary gem,” Merida finally said.
“I know,” Young Macintosh replied in a quiet voice. “I can’t explain it, but there’s something mysterious about it.”
“Yes,” Merida said. “But I have a feeling that it belongs in the cave, where we found it. And maybe—maybe this special emerald will be enough to fix the Fire Falls, even without the other one.”
Young Macintosh nodded. He put the emerald in his pouch and made sure the flap was closed. Then he held out a hand to help Merida to her feet.
As they walked toward the hidden loch, a new worry began to trouble Merida. If one emerald didn’t fix the water, how would she and Young Macintosh get home? The rocks were too slippery to climb without his rope. And no one from their clans knew where they were.
Soon Merida and Young Macintosh reached the loch. The water was getting worse. It was as dark as a moonless night. Merida started running toward the boulders at the far edge of the loch.
“Come on,” she urged Young Macintosh. “Hurry!”
Merida flung aside the tangle of vines that covered the entrance to the cavern. It was darker and colder inside than she remembered. As soon as Merida’s eyes adjusted to the dim light, she crept toward the ledge. The golden glow was gone. Merida glanced around the cavern, wondering if there were any wisps about. She would feel much better if a wisp flickered near the platform. It would be a sign that she and Young Macintosh had made the right decision.
But no wisp appeared.
“I have the emerald,” Young Macintosh said as he walked up to Merida. “So, should I—”
“Place it on the stone, just as we found it,” Merida advised him.
They knelt down at the same time. Then Young Macintosh leaned forward and put the emerald in the exact center of the ledge. Merida crossed her fingers as she waited for the emerald to start glowing. The gem stood there for a moment before it started to wobble back and forth. Then the emerald toppled onto its side and rolled toward the edge of the stone!
Merida lunged for the emerald. She caught it just before it fell off the ledge.
“Och! Clumsy of me,” Young Macintosh exclaimed. “You want to put the emerald back?”
“I’ll do my best,” Merida replied. She ran her hand over the platform, trying to find a small dip that might hold the emerald in place. But it was completely flat and smooth.
Merida frowned in the dim light of the cavern. “The stone is flat, but the emeralds are round,” she said. “How on earth did they rest here by themselves?”
“Maybe it really does take two emeralds,” Young Macintosh said. He seemed worried. “Maybe the two emeralds supported each other.”
“Well, we only
have one now,” Merida said. “So it will have to stand on its own.”
Merida bit her lip as she carefully balanced the emerald in the center of the platform. She held it there for a long moment. Then, when Merida was certain the emerald would stay in place, she slowly moved her hands away.
Once more, the emerald did not glow. When it started to wobble, Merida grabbed it and held it steady. But as soon as she moved her hands, the emerald started to fall again.
“Stay!” she cried. “Just stay—stay in place!”
But the emerald did not stay, and it did not glow.
Merida tried everything she could think of to balance the emerald. But it continued to roll toward the edge of the stone.
“It’s not working,” Young Macintosh finally said in a flat voice. “We need the other emerald. One is useless without the other.”
“No!” Merida exclaimed. “There has to be another way—”
Merida held the emerald safely in her lap. She racked her brain, trying to think of a solution. Out of habit, she reached for her bow. Merida found the thistle charm and started rubbing it. She had never needed luck more than she did right now.
Suddenly, Merida’s whole face lit up.
“The legend!” she gasped. “We need to follow the legend!”
Young Macintosh looked confused. “What do you mean?” he asked.
“The two kings,” Merida said in a rush. “Each one put an emerald on the stone. I’ve got to put something there, too!”
Merida’s fingers trembled as she carefully removed the thistle charm from her bow. She gently placed it on the stone ledge. Then, holding her breath, she leaned the emerald against it.
A sparkling flash crackled along the charm like a bolt of lightning. Then, for one brief instant, the emerald started to glow!
“What was that?” asked Young Macintosh, his eyes wide. But the emerald had already turned dark again.
Merida frantically tried to remember everything about the legend. Two leaders…a symbol of loyalty…a worthy sacrifice….
At that moment, everything made sense.
“Quick!” Merida exclaimed. “You’ve got to put something on the stone ledge, too!”
“Like the two kings in the legend,” Young Macintosh realized. In one fast motion, he placed a small knife onto the platform.
Nothing happened.
“No,” Merida said. “Not just anything will do. It has to be something that is very special to you—something that really, truly matters to you.”
Slowly, Young Macintosh nodded his head. “Just like the two kings,” he repeated. He sat back on his heels, deep in thought.
Black water continued to bubble under the stone ledge. Merida tried to be patient while Young Macintosh made his decision. She pictured the Macintosh clan loading their ships, instead of staying to celebrate the Rites of Summer. She thought about how the ancient kings had proved their loyalty and sealed their friendship: by placing something of great value in the source of the Fire Falls.
And Merida thought about how much she wanted to climb beside the clear, clean waters of the Fire Falls again.
At last, Young Macintosh made up his mind. He carefully unpinned his family’s crest from his kilt sash. Without saying a word, he leaned forward and placed it on the other side of the emerald.
The flash that burst from the emerald was so blinding that Merida and Young Macintosh had to shield their eyes. A halo of green light surrounded the emerald as it lit up with dazzling sparkles. Even Merida’s thistle charm and Young Macintosh’s crest started to shine!
Then a golden glow flickered under the platform. It spread out until it filled every corner of the cavern with beautiful light.
Crystal-clear water began to pool around the emerald, the charm, and the crest! The light made the water glitter like shooting stars. It flowed over the side of the ledge. When it touched the black water, a spark as green as the emerald shone forth. The black water began to sparkle, too.
“It’s working!” Merida cried.
Merida and Young Macintosh ran out of the cavern as more water gushed over the platform. They watched the clear water flow into the murky loch. At first, nothing seemed to happen. Then emerald-green sparks spread across the dark water, transforming it into crystal blue. Merida beamed proudly as she watched the loch shimmer in the sunlight. Soon, she knew, the water would reach the top of the Fire Falls. And Merida wanted to be there when it happened.
“Come on!” she yelled, grabbing Young Macintosh’s arm. Together, they ran toward the Fire Falls.
They reached the edge of the cliff just in time to see the clear water cascade over the Fire Falls. It sparkled like fire as the setting sun reflected off it. The waterfall’s spray splashed onto the rocks, washing away all the darkness. Merida knew that she and Young Macintosh would have no trouble climbing down the Fire Falls now. But would they make it back to Castle DunBroch in time to save their clans’ friendship?
Young Macintosh and Merida rode through the meadows toward DunBroch. Merida could hardly wait to share the good news with both clans. But no matter how quickly the horses galloped, the sun seemed to set even faster. Merida remembered Lord Macintosh’s announcement that the Macintosh clan would leave by sunset. She hoped that he had changed his mind.
But when Merida and Young Macintosh reached the castle, it was deserted. All the tents had been taken down, and there wasn’t a single person to be seen.
“Hurry—to the docks!” Young Macintosh exclaimed. “I hope we’re not too late!”
“He wouldn’t leave without you,” Merida promised him.
Thankfully, the Macintosh ships were bobbing in the water when Merida and Young Macintosh arrived at the dock, Angus rearing to a stop and whinnying. King Fergus and Lord Macintosh stood nearby, still shouting at each other as the Macintosh clansmen finished loading the boats. Then Lord Macintosh noticed his son.
“Young Macintosh!” he yelled. “Get over here, lad! We set sail at once!”
“Wait!” Merida and Young Macintosh cried together as they dismounted their horses.
Everyone spun around to look at them.
“The Fire Falls are sparkling again!” Merida exclaimed. “The water flows as beautifully as it always has!”
The crowd gasped in surprise. King Fergus, Queen Elinor, and Lord Macintosh quickly pulled Merida and Young Macintosh aside.
“Merida, where have you been?” Queen Elinor asked at once. “And what’s this about the Fire Falls? Does the water really run clear again?”
“When everyone left the falls, we stayed behind,” Merida explained.
“Merida!” Queen Elinor exclaimed.
“I’m sorry, Mum. It’s just—we didn’t believe that the water was truly spoiled,” Merida replied. “After all, our clans have been friends for a very long time.”
“And we always will be,” Young Macintosh said firmly.
“Do you mean to say—” Lord Macintosh began. “So you also saw the Fire Falls, lad? With your own eyes?”
“Aye,” Young Macintosh said. “The water is back to normal. So we don’t have to leave now, do we?”
“After all, there’s no reason our clans can’t still be friends,” Merida added.
King Fergus and Lord Macintosh exchanged a long glance. “Of course our clans are the dearest of friends,” King Fergus finally said. “It would be a dark day for DunBroch to lose the friendship of the Macintosh clan.”
“Aye, but it would be a darker day for us!” replied Lord Macintosh.
“Tonight, we will celebrate,” King Fergus announced. “And tomorrow—let the Rites of Summer begin!” Then he glanced at his wife. “It’s not too late, is it?” he whispered in her ear.
Queen Elinor consulted the schedule on her scroll. “Scratch the afternoon feast,” she mused, “move the welcoming ceremony to the evening feast instead; hold the games in the morning, with dancing and music in the afternoon. No—it’s not too late at all!”
Everyone on the dock
began to cheer. Then the DunBroch and Macintosh clansmen began unloading the ships once more.
Merida caught Young Macintosh’s eye and smiled. Together, they had saved the Fire Falls…and their clans’ friendship. And they had even become friends. This year, there was more to celebrate at the Rites of Summer than ever before.
The Legend of the Emerald Page 3