What if... Merida found Rapunzel instead of Flynn?

"You were never there for me! This whole marriage is what YOU want! D'you ever bother to ask why I want? No! You walk around telling me what to do, what not to do! Try to make me be like you! Well, I'm not going to be like you!"

"You're acting like a child."

"And you're a beast! That's what you are!"

Things weren't really the same since that day. Things were said. Things were done. There was a part of Merida that wanted to take it all back. To come home. But she didn't feel like she would be welcomed, even if she wanted to come back.

She split the family tapestry, Elinor threw her bow into the fireplace, and that was that.

Merida got on her horse, headed south and that was that.

She found a traders ship that accepted what little coin she had on her, took her to Europe and that was that.

Merida knew how to rough-it. Her dad taught her everything she needed to know. How to pitch a tent, how to start a fire, how to forage, how to hunt, even how to make herself a new bow. The only real thing she missed were companionship. Angus was fine and all, but horses didn't exactly make for good conversation.

She missed her dad. She missed her wee devil brothers. She even missed her mom, for all the confusing emotions it gave her.

She found a town with a merchant that accepted furs as barter and she managed to get herself a fresh change of clothes. They made her look like a true huntress. Now all she needed was real money.

"Read 'em and weep, boys!"

Merida slapped her cards onto the table, brandishing a royal flush. Hook-Hand, Big Nose and Gunther gave a groan at their rotten luck.

"Three times in a row," grumbled Hook Hand, his one good hand palming his face. "You know, I'm starting to think you rigged it or something."

"Spoken like a wee jackanape with only one good hand and money to lose."

"I don't like your tone," said Hook Hand, his sneer rising.

"Yah, well, I like your money. And I'm gonna spend that money. Next round's on me boys!"

With the exception of her card-pals, everyone at The Snuggly Duckling raised their own glasses, already looking forward to their next free beer. Speaking of, Merida dropped her suddenly heavy coin purse at the bar and snagged a new frothing pint.

Her head halfway through her glass, she heard a slam right next to her.

A man had just slammed a piece of paper on the bar, staring right at her.

"I--"

She interrupted him with a finger, holding it up until she finishes her pint. She slams the glass on the counter, the bartender giving her a look for it, before waving at the man as a "go ahead." The man was clearly in no mood.

"I'm here for you."

"Oh yeah? For me for what?" She asked, slouching against the bar, already feeling her buzz coming in.

"I'm from Scotland," said the man.

"Oh really? Couldn't tell," said Merida sarcastically.

"I had just came from there looking for a certain young woman. About 'you' big with fiery hair and a bad attitude."

"Oh yeah? Don't see a lot of those in Corona," said Merida, tapping a fingernail on her glass as a silent request for more. The bartender took the glass and filled her a new one.

"Aye. You don't. Until now, Princess."

"I'm guessin' me mum sent you?"

"More or less. Says here on this wee scrap that Clan DunBroch is willing to pay a lot to get back their little girl. So why don't you act like a proper lady and come quietly."

Merida was suddenly not thirsty. She noticed that there were two other guys, wearing tartarns of similar design to the man. No doubt insurance in case she tried escaping.

"I'm not a 'proper lady.'"

"Probably not, but either way I have a job to d--"

Suddenly the bounty hunter had beer in his eyes and superficial lacerations on his face from when Merida threw her beer in his face.

The sudden **** had reduced the tavern to an all out brawl. The man called out over the noise to his goons to get her while he tried to clear his eyes of beer and blood. Merida threw herself over the bar while the bartender was looking for his emergency knives ("for duck huntin'" he said). Merida had found the escape hatch hidden underneath, finding her way into the tunnels before finding the exit.

Merida snuck out in a secret entrance several yards away from the tavern itself. She gave a birdcall and up came Angus.

"Looks like we're movin'. Again."

She and her horse rode off, avoiding anyone out of fear that they might have been another scum-sucker wanting a piece of meat. Eventually the two of them found a quiet section of the forest. She gave Angus his oats as he's owed and she took out her map. As she leaned up against a wall covered in vines, she instead fell flat on her back, realizing that the vines were not a wall, but a curtain hiding the entrance to a cave, the other end of the cave leading to a grotto.

"What the...?"

Standing in a secluded section of a hidden canyon, was one of the strangest things Merida had seen in a while.

A single tower.