The Royal Scandal *Book Three*

Poison or Antidote? S3 E3

Holding my cloak close to my chest, I quietly hummed a tune under my breath as I walked into the old, dusty library where apparently Merlin had released our dear little goblin. For an older man, I knew that Geoffrey had incredibly sensitive hearing. If Merlin were to just come in and try to sneak round to the back where the barrel lined with lead was, he would be caught. So that's where I come in.

Due to the uneasy feeling that I have always got from the unloved library, I rarely came here but it seemed that desperate times called for desperate measures.

I had deliberately worn some of my heels so that my approach would be heard by the librarian and as I rounded the corner to where the main desk came into view, I saw Geoffrey already staring at me. On seeing me approach, his eyebrows shot up, clearly confused as to why I was here.

"Your highness," Geoffrey bowed his head briefly, going to rise from his seat.

"There's no need to rise, Geoffrey," I reassured him with a small smile as I came to a stop just in front of him.

The older man seemed almost relieved as he relaxed back into his seat before linking his hands in front of him, resting them on the dark wooden desk.

"Is there something that I can help you with, your highness?" Geoffrey asked.

"There is actually," I confirmed. "I was curious about the inner workings of the castle. I understand the basics of what goes on in here but recently I have been more interested in the specifics of it all."

"Give me an example, your highness," Geoffrey said, just as I saw Merlin creep by.

Geoffrey seemed to also hear Merlin's footsteps as he went to turn around but I quickly moved forward and 'accidentally' knocked his pot of ink over the desk.

"Oh, my gosh. I am so sorry," I frantically apologised, picking it up and trying to save the parchment that was now covered in thick, black ink. "I didn't see that there. I really am very sorry."

"You're alright, princess," Geoffrey replied, though I could hear the undertone of annoyance in his voice as he tried to pick up the destroyed paper.

"I hope that wasn't anything important," I said, moving over to rest the paper on ink-free desk space.

"Not at all," Geoffrey answered before I heard him murmur under his breath. "Only a historical document that has survived eight king' reigns."

"What was that?" I asked innocently.

"Nothing, your highness," Geoffrey lowered his head in a tight nod as he lifted himself from the chair and moved the documents away.

I bit back a smile as I saw Merlin with a large barrel in his hands, coming out from the hidden room that he had found before. But my smile fell when Merlin, who couldn't see where he was going very well, knocked into a lantern that then crashed to the floor before either of us could stop it. My eyes widened as Geoffrey went to turn around where he would inevitably see Merlin so I thought through quickly what I could do. And then it hit me.

Launching myself forward, I wrapped my arms around Geoffrey in a hug, shocking him as he awkwardly patted my back.

"Is everything alright, your highness?" Geoffrey said awkwardly, as I forced myself to feign a wave of tears that I hoped sounded somewhat believable.

"I'm just so sorry about your work that I destroyed," I fake sobbed as I hugged him, turning his back to Merlin. "I'm just such a klutz and I really didn't mean to, I swear but I just always mess things up."

"Th-that's okay," Geoffrey said as he placed his hands on my shoulders and tried to pull me off of him.

But I knew that he would see that I wasn't crying so I did the only thing I could think of ... I played the dramatic card. By dramatic, I mean I started full-on sobbing, my hands covering my tear-free face as I ran out of the library, ignoring Geoffrey's concerned calls.