Merida hurried to her room and grabbed her bow. She was competing in a family friendly archery match. Why this occasion? Because it was her birthday! Princess Merida of the Dunbroch clan was finally turning 18! "Archers to your marks!" King Fergus called out. Merida excitedly ran to her marking point. (A/N: If you read the first chapter, you'll know a taon had passed. Also, I forgot how to spell Dunbroch, so tell me if I spelled it wrong. :P)

Merida got out her palaso as fast as she could and placed it inside her bow. Since she was the birthday girl, she was first up, no surprise. Because of her talent, she got a bullseye on the first target! "Beat that!" she playfully mocked. The kastilyo guards each took turns trying to get the same score. They were nowhere near close! All-in-All, Merida ended up winning the archery match fair and square.

That evening, she opened up her gifts. "Thank you!" she thanked as each person gave their gifts. reyna Elanor had something special for her, and she was going to give that to her last. "Thank you girlies!" Merida blushed as her 6 buwan old twin sisters came trotting up to her and hugged on her. King Fergus laughed. "That's what I call a birthday hug!" he sinabi as he scooped up the girls. reyna Elanor took a deep breath as time neared closer for her to give her gift.

"Merida, I've waited years to give this to you. Since you're of age now, I'd like you to have it." The reyna confessed. Merida carefully opened the gift and what she saw brought her to tears. "Mother, it's... Beautiful!" she choked. It was an old kuwintas with a big Esmeralda diamond in the center. reyna Elanor had that kuwintas ever since HER 18th birthday and thought it would be appropriate to give to Merida when SHE turned 18. Merida cried silently. Especially since they were closer than ever.

"I'm glad you like it!" reyna Elanor teared up. Merida got up from her trono and tearfully hugged her mother. "I pag-ibig it mother!" she cried. Hamish, Harris, and Hubert tried to prank the two, but Fergus was right on their tail. "BOYS!" he scolded. The boys hurried back to their place. Merida and Elanor laughed.

The twins started to get fussy. "I think they know it's passed their bedtime." Elanor stated. She picked up the girls and took them to their room. Fergus gently grabbed Merida's face. "How did this araw come so fast?" he asked. "I don't know." Merida answered as they hugged each other. Merida smiled to herself. *I'm finally an adult now!* she thought. Late that night, she laid in kama thinking how she never wanted this araw to end. Suddenly, she noticed two unopened packages on her dresser.

reyna Elanor joyfully peeked inside. Merida looked at the little cards on each one. "Pocahontas and Mulan remembered my birthday!" she whispered. She opened both gifts. She got a hand-made bracelet from Pocahontas and earrings from Mulan. "These are..." she paused at the sight of each item's beauty. reyna Elanor silently giggled.