#lordmacintosh

Pre-Brave Storyline

Unlike those of Clan DunBroch who’s lands were in relative peace, the lands Clan Macintosh ruled over were once home to several smaller clans, and as such wars were frequent over small amounts of land, or perceived wrongdoings. As such, clan Macintosh were a battle-hardened people, and Ryan’s father Lord Macintosh made it his mission to ensure that his sons were ready for whatever lay ahead. They trained often, and as such all of the Mackintosh sons are strong, capable fighters. While their father attempted to teach them the ways of war, their mother was often far too quick to praise, and would refuse to agree with her husband when it came to scolding her sons, or pointing out things they needed to work on.

Ryan was the eldest of four brothers in his family, and was rather coddled by his mother, and constantly praised by his father in an attempt to make him in to a strong, confident man who would be capable of leading the clan in the wars to come. As such, he has a rather inflated ego and is prone to tantrums when things don’t go his way. This unfortunate trait stayed with him into his teens, when he travelled with his father to take part in the Games for Merida’s hand in marriage.

Brave Storyline

Much like the other sons of the clan leaders, Ryan had no particular desire to be married off to some stubborn ginger lassie who wouldn’t even obey her own father and their king. He had been raised with the traditional idea of a princess’s proper behaviour, and to see a lass flout tradition and show them all up in an attempt to keep herself out of marriage wounded his pride.

It was probably for the best, however, as it gave Ryan a new perspective on his archery skills. While he thought he was an adept fighter, he actually was just a show off, and was no more use with a bow than any untrained maid would be. That would have to change. The young Mackintosh worked hard at his training, improving rapidly to the point where he now felt confident he could hold his own.

Unfortunately, his own father had been ailing as he had grown, and passed away, leaving Ryan as clan leader, just as invaders came in from the North, and King Fergus rallied the clans to fight them off.

The Invasion

War has broken out between DunBroch and invaders, resulting in King Fergus rallying men of his clans for battle. Ryan believes it is foolish for an untrained woman to be on the battlefield, no matter who she is or how stubborn she is to prove herself. The new leader of clan Macintosh doesn’t believe she’s fit to rule over the clans, after all they’re full of battle hardened individuals who have far more experience, and tradition dictates that the men lead, and the women stay home and tend to the running of the castle or homestead. That’s what they have always known, so to break from tradition seems to make no sense to him.

None of the lords believe Merida to be fit for the crown, and they all mock her during her battle practice with Mulan when she’s taken down by the trained warrior. Macintosh later takes part in the ultimate battle, fighting for the Clans, but it comes with a great loss when Fergus is murdered by King Arthur of Camelot. Macintosh and the other lords request that Merida marry one of them if she wishes to rule as queen, but when refusing, they exile Queen Elinor and kidnap Merida’s brothers, holding them hostage until she comes to her senses and surrenders. At this point he genuinely believes he is doing what is necessary to protect the clans, and to stop their kingdom fracturing into war again.

The Kidnapping

Quickly, the lords began to lose patience with Merida, when it seemed that she was not about to surrender, and as such they steeled themselves to take the necessary action. Lord Macintosh speaks out to the clans, stating that as penance for Merida refusing to give her hand in marriage, she will be forced to suffer from the loss of her dear brothers. They had not made threats on the safety of her brothers just to go back on them now, Ryan genuinely believed that she was too weak, and a show of strength would prove to her that if she couldn’t even protect her own family, she had no place on the throne. The clan leaders each readied their bows, and Lord Macintosh, Lord MacGuffin, and Lord Dingwall take their chance to each fire at one of the brothers. Merida makes one last attempt to save Hamish, Hubert and Harris, firing her own arrows, which successfully pierce through the three fired at her brothers, snapping them.. Macintosh, MacGuffin, and Dingwall begrudgingly surrender their allegiance to Merida, thus proving her to be the rightful ruler of DunBroch. In truth, Macintosh is the most ready to accept Merida, which is surprising even to him, but he realises that perhaps tradition can be broken on occasion, and Merida had certainly proven herself capable now, even if she had not been quite so capable on the battlefield when it came to rescuing her father.

The Coronation

Lord Macintosh attends Merida’s coronation, and being the one most ready to accept her he is chosen to swear allegiance on behalf of all of the clans. Things don’t go to plan when the Witch arrives to interrupt that if Merida is unable to return the enchanted helm she allowed King Fergus to use years before, then she will turn everyone in the entire kingdom into bears. Lord Macintosh and the other clans agree to wait for Merida to find the helm herself, for she believes that she can, but when losing faith in her father having discovered the helm’s use, she agrees to turn the kingdom over to Macintosh if he is able to find it himself. Contrary to what most would have expected, Ryan rounds up an army to assist Merida and her friends rather than hinder her, proof that he’s finally moving on from his old self-obsessed, egoistical ways. He assists with King Arthur and Zelena, threatening to shoot them if they don’t return the helm to Merida. The two vanish away before he can stop them, but he does not ask for Merida to step down as Queen. In his eyes, she has proven herself more than worthy, and he is happy to be her subject.