Tales from the Fairytale Island - Merlin x Reader

Chapter three - Hope

[y/n]

I have memorized the daily list in my head today since the orders were all the same as last week and several weeks before that.
Five tulips for the shoe maker's wife, eight magnolias for Odette and one single red rose for the queen.
Seeing her name on the list every week makes me nervous even though my father seems to be very fond of her.
I've heard people talk about her on the outside from my bedroom window.
Rumours says that she's the one responsible for the missing women all around the kingdom.
I haven't met her personally, but I don't doubt that the rumours might be true.
A long time ago, king White ruled this land with fair and love. The kingdom was full of laughter from every corner of the Golden Goose Avenue until his lovely wife passed away. Shortly after, he remarried to queen Regina.

It was a tragic day when he went missing.
No one thought the situation could become any worse, until his daughter also disappeared from nowhere.
No one knew where she went but one thing is for sure.. if she's alive, there's no chance for her to take the throne back.
I always dreamed of being born a princess since I was a little girl.
I wanted to have the nicest dresses with ruffled sleeves and surround myself with friends my age but most importantly, I wanted a mother who could love me unconditionally and care for me when I was unhappy.
Sadly, childhood dreams were meant to be crushed but it didn't stop me from pretending I had all of it.
I only hope father's plan of me becoming a regent would work.
I'd be happy to make him change his mind about me and finally earn my place by his side, as his only daughter.
That might also be the only way he'll ever set me free.

"excause me, miss"
I hear a customer call from behind me.
I turned around to assist him but there was no one there. Am I imagining things now? I feared for the day I'd become mad from all self loathing.
"Down here!"
I looked down to see a strange little green figure with round cheeks and chestnut coloured hair.
He cleared his throat which made me realise I might have been starring for a while now.
"Oh! I'm so sorry. What can I help you with?" I offered politely.
I've never seen something like him before, which made me curious of what kind of creature he might be. Short, green and a little round, like a giant pea.
"I'm looking for someone called Mr. Melchoir? Do you know him?"
That may explain some things.
If I ever see someone strange, there might be a connection to my father. Otherwise he wouldn't use the new name he came up with.
"He's inside, I could take you to him if you like"
His face lit up like I just told a child there's a unicorn walking the streets.
"Great! Thank you!"
He seems pretty relieved.. what a strange one.
While walking up the old stairs, I couldn't help it but looking back at him.
He doesn't resemble the regular people who visits my father at all.
They often tend to be a lot older with crooked fingers and dark cloaks dragging behind them.
It makes me a bit worried about what the green little man's intentions are or worse, what my father would say. He could be a spy or anything for that matter!
"Can I ask you something.. uh.?" I whispered, but I can't remember if he told me his name earlier.
"Oh, I'm Merlin! I was rude to not introducing myself. Sorry"
He smiled at me genuinely while reaching out his hand. I'm not very fond of shaking hands when I've been handling flowers so I just stand here uncomfortably, making eye contact.
"Merlin, why do you want to speak to Mr. Melchoir? If I may ask. Have you met him before?"
He gave me a questionable look.
"No, but I know he can help me find something"
I raised an eyebrow and came to realise that this guy is clearly out of his mind.
Father wouldn't be so pleased about taking strangers in to his office.
I stopped him from going further by standing in the way.
"You're coming with me. Now"

Merlin

What was with this woman?
Did I say something bad or did someone put salt in her morning brew.
She led me down to something that looked like a basement furnished like a typical bedroom with just one single window.
I'd give it to her. for a basement, the room is extremely tidy.
Just in case I'm being sent to a trap, I slid my hand slightly down to my bag where I kept my spells, ready to shock this woman and flee.
"Look.. I don't want you to talk to him, whatever reason you have. It's not the best idea."
She looks at me with sorrow crippling up from behind her eyes. I let down my guard, realizing that it might be an overreaction from both of our sides.
"But it's really important to me and my friends. Sorry, I don't know much about that man until recently. are you in trouble for a reason? Where's your family?"
She tilted her head and sighed deeply.
"He is my family. I'm his daughter so there's no use for me to get away anytime soon. See this string?"
She let her hair fall to her back and there it was, shining against her skin like a thin line. If it weren't for the bruises, I'd mistake it for an ordinary necklace.
"Yes, what is that exactly?"
I asked with curiosity.
"It's a spell that makes me bound to this place, like a bird in a cage, and I don't want you to make it worse for me."

I dropped my jaw, how could this even be a thing? Who does this to their own flesh and blood?
I need to let go off my mission just for a moment.
This isn't right and I refuse to look the other way again.
I'm supposed to act like a prince but instead I've been so fixated with this curse again like nothing happened when deep down I know, Snow wouldn't want this.
I could as well try my best and make it up for her in some way.
"What's your name?" I ask the girl.
"Hope" she mumbled.
"Okay Hope. Did I tell you that I do a bit magic myself? I hope you don't mind but I'd be happy to know more about this thread of yours and maybe find a way to break it!"
"Sssh! Not so loud Merlin. Why do you even want to help me? Are you a goblin? Because I can't pay you"

Great. Another reminder that I'm still short and green, if my confidence isn't low enough.
"Nooo, I'm not a Goblin. I'm human, like you and I don't accept payments."
She gave me that questionable look again.
"I'm not lying. I was cursed by a green witch, which also made me, uh.. green"
She let out a deep sigh but based from her look, I think she understood.
"And I guess that's the real reason why you're here. To become human again?"
She asked.
"Yes but no! I mean, you wanted to be saved, do you?"
She went back and opened the door back from the basement.
"I do but I still think you should leave."

[y/n]

I didn't want to protect my father at all.
Whatever reason Merlin has with him, I know it's not worth the risk.
Also, I think he's too naive.
Who knows what dangers waiting for him if my father ever found out I talked about the golden thread.
I don't even know why I felt like talking to this stranger in the first place but one thing is for sure: it wasn't worth my while.
"Wait, you're serious right now? Do you even hear yourself? I want to help you."
I grabbed his hand and led him out from the room. I didn't want him to hang around her any longer, in case my father shows up.
"I don't want help from anyone and you need to leave"
He suddenly pulled his hand from my firm grasp.
"I refuse. It used to be my calling to help people. I can fight and my own curse doesn't need to be broken for that. Give me a chance, Hope."
He pleaded.
I was conflicted but at the same time, I kind of knew where he came from.
He didn't want the curse to rule over his decisions and I respect that, but.. putting himself in my mess would not cause other than harm to him but there's something else with him I can't really put my finger on.
He's a fighter and I don't think he'll give up before trying, whatever I say to him.
"I will consider it, but leave. Come back tomorrow and we'll talk about it. Maybe I could help you figure out how to break your curse too but don't make it too obvious"
He gave me a genuine, caring smile.
"Don't worry, no one would suspect a dwarf anyway"
So he's a dwarf. I was way off with guessing that. Giant pea? That would be straight up offensive if I'd have said that instead of calling him a Goblin, which is still kinda rude.

"Daughter. What are you doing with my guest?"
My father called from the top of the stairs leading up to his office, looking at us with a huge grin over his face. I feared he might show up in the wrong timing.
It took me a moment to process what I've heard until it reached my head.
"Your guest?"
I glanced at Merlin nervously but he only shrugged his shoulders and seems just as confused as I am.
After exchanging looks, he decided to go along with it.
I know he didn't have a choice at this point.
He straightened his back and went up to join him for whatever reason he put up.
I fear that the last glance of hope is now beyond my reach, if there even were any of it left in the first place.
It doesn't matter now anymore though. Whatever game my father has created now, we're doomed to lose against him if we don't play along and follow the rules.