Total Eclipse of the Heart (Royal AU Wally x reader)

Chapter Seventeen

The next day, the three royals had tea together in the Eastern gardens.
"Wow Wally, you sure are jolly today!" Julie smiled, looking at her best friend from across the table.
"Is he?" Frank asked, worried. "He seems exhausted to the point of death to me."
"You look like a jolly grand-grand-grandpa!"
"Thank you Julie." Wally said, very slowly blinking.
Who would've thought that one could get this exhausted just by reading. Wally came to their little tea party with piles of paper and hasn't looked away from them.
"How far are you into these papers?" Frank asked.
"Um... Maybe halfway through?"
"Oh my." he blinked twice. "That's actually quite impressive."
"I was given these papers and I have not stopped reading ever since."

"Wally!" Julie frowned. "Did you not sleep at all?!"
"Why is that surprising?" Frank raised an eyebrow. "Wally never sleeps." he turned to his other friend. "Well, I do hope that you can now see how much effort has been put into this project, and that you will give it the respect it deserves."
"I do. I will."
"Good." he leaned back in his seat. "You can stop now, (Y/n) told me she will give you an overall summary during your meeting."
"It will just be a summary though. I must finish this."
Frank sighed while Julie covered her mouth with the tips of her fingers.
"Wally." Frank spoke. "You don't have to make yourself suffer for the sake of this little revenge."
"Let him be, Frank." Julie tapped his arm. "Wally must really respect (Y/n)'s hard work."

"He's going to dry his eyes out if he keeps reading any longer! They're already unsettling enough!"
"I'm fine." Wally said, not looking up.
"How many fingers am I holding up?"
He looked up.
"Two."
"I'm not even raising my hand."
He leaned closer, his eyes narrowed.
"...Ah. Indeed. I was counting the two wonderful friends I have." he smiled.
"He is a grandpa!" Julie giggled. "Old Papa Darling!"
Frank sighed again.

"That's enough reading for today." he took the document Wally was holding. "It won't be any good if you can't even tell who's talking during the meeting. I'm certain (Y/n) won't mind it if you put your health first for a change."
"...Alright Poppy." he smiled.
"Poppy's not even here!" he looked around.
Wally's head dropped onto the table, knocking over some plates and snacks.
"Oh gosh! The lil cakes!" Julie exclaimed.
"Wally, are you alright?! Have you collapsed from exhaustion?"
"I'm not sleeping." Wally said, his face hidden from them. "I am simply resting my eyes. I can still see words, even when I close them. How eerie."
Frank leaned back, relieved. He asked a servant to get Wally a fresh drink while Julie did her best to salvage what was left of the cakes.

While this was happening, Lady (Y/n) paid a visit to Howdy. She took this opportunity to try his vienna coffee and she was delighted by it!
"You are as talented a barista as you are a blacksmith, Mr. Pillar!" she beamed.
"Oh, you are too kind, my Lady!" he waved one of his hands. "Of all the things I'm good at, a businessman I am at heart!"
She chuckled.
"So!" he stood on the other side of the table, facing her. "What can I do for ya today?"
"I actually wanted your professional opinion."
"Did you now? Well, I'm all ears, antennas and every other sensory receptors that intercept sound!"
"You see, I was wondering... A magic-user can input their magic into their weapons, correct?"
"Why yes."
"And the weapon itself can be magical, correct?"

He raised an eyebrow, wondering where she was going with this.
"I... I was wondering, because we are working on making magical items for non magic-users."
"You want to make magical weapons? Gotta tell ya, I didn't expect that from you."
"No! No no no!" she quickly shook her head. "I'm using weapons as an example! If weapons can be magical, then surely other objects can be."
"I see." he nodded, relieved. "Scared me there for a second!"
"There are magical weapons, aren't there? The one from legends."
"Legendary Weapons, yes." he nodded. "Though half of these so-called legends are simply just stories. But they're made from ancient magic, they're nothing like the weapons we wield today. Queen Ambrosia had one of those, you know. Gave it to her son when she died. Bless her soul."
"Bless her soul... Would it be possible- If I bring you a legendary sword made of steel, would it be possible to melt it down and rebuilt it as a... I don't know, a key that can't unlock a door if its owner isn't holding it."
"Wowserz!" his face lit up. "What an idea! That would sell like hot cakes!"
"It would also help with all the key-theft." she smiled with her eyebrows furrowed.