Merlin Fairytale Series

Chapter 3: Once Upon a December

Why hello there, my babies! Chapter 3 is up!
Above picture is Nyx's dragon form.
Summary: Rose and Merlin are both failing in their plans. They meet for the first time.

     As Rose arrived to the station where a large number of wagons awaited, she grew excited. She made her way to the station, where she promptly asked for passage in her usual bossy manner. However, due to the fact she had no money, she was denied, rudely being pushed away. Well so much for her plan.
     In fact, the more Rose thought about it, she had not really planned anything- she had no money for food or travel, she hadn't prepared for how to get from Paradise to Haven, honestly she had no clue what to do.        So she sat down on a bench to think about what her next plan should be.
She didn't notice the flapping of wings or that someone had sat down next to her until she heard a voice, "Are you ok?" She looked up to see a dark haired woman with the brightest blue eyes she'd ever seen:

     "You seem lost." The strange woman stated.
     "No." Rose shook her head. "I'm...I... don't know."
     "Would you like to talk about it?"
     "..."
     "Sometimes talking helps."
      So that's how Rose ended up telling this strange woman everything: how she was found wandering around Paradise when she was just eight years old, how she grew up in an orphanage, and how she wanted to go to Haven to find the family she never knew.
     "I know of someone who may be able to help. His name is Merlin."
      "Where can I find him?"
      "At the old palace. Tell him-" She was cut off by a loud string of words and growls.
      "What was that?" Rose asked, curiosity getting the best of her.
      "Oh...I've been gone too long! I have to go! Just....find Merlin. He'll help you."
     And with that, the mysterious woman shapeshifted into a dragon and vanished, leaving Rose to ponder. Finally, she turned to Lyall. "Well finding this Merlin seems to be our best option."
      Then enchantress and wolf alike walked off to find the old palace of Paradise. Rose had no idea that her life was about to change....forever.
                       * * * * *
     Meanwhile, Merlin couldn't have had a worse day. For all his planning and scheming and plotting and bribing and basically doing everything right, it came down to nothing. Not a single person in Paradise had the ability to play Princess Rosalia; several looked like her but none had her personality or elegance. It was sad really; all this work and nothing to show for it.
      Eventually, Merlin decided he needed to rest it off and he returned to the ruined palace of Paradise. Nyx had disappeared and when he called her back via his dragonlord abilities, she was acting strange.
He had no idea that his life was about to change... forever.
                       * * * * *
     The old palace of Paradise lay in ruins. The windows and doors were boarded up tight, mostly due to the fact that most of the windows were busted, the doors rotted off their hinges. To think that this place had once been home to royalty seemed impossible.
     Rose snuck into this very place via an open window (one of few left unboarded), and found herself in a memory of a dream.
     She was younger, the age of back when they'd found her in the snow. She was laughing, dancing with tall, beautiful ladies that looked so familiar to her.
     There were a number of people in the room, each dressed extravagantly​. Men, women, children, all dancing, all laughing, each happy.
      And most vivid of all....A little girl- was it her? -dancing with a tall, dark haired man....
     As Rose explored, she was surprised to find that she knew exactly what she was doing and where she was going. More visions invaded her mind, memories or dreams, she didn't know but it was so strange. She felt as if she knew this place, like she'd lived here before.
     Finally, after finding herself in what looked like an old ball room, Rose was overcome with the urge to sing:

Dancing bears, painted wings
Things I almost remember
And a song someone sings
Once upon a December
Someone holds me, safe and warm
Horses prance thru a silver storm
Figures dancing gracefully
Across my memory

     Rose had a vision of men, women, and children dancing across the room, now looking like the ballroom it once was.

Someone holds me safe and warm
Horses prance thru a silver storm
Figures dancing gracefully
Across my memory

     Suddenly, Rose had a vision of herself in a beautiful dress:

Far away, long ago
Glowing dim as ember
Things my heart used to know
Things it yearns to remember

     And she was suddenly dancing with a familiar man.

And a song someone sings
Once upon a Dece-em-berrr

     She knelt on the floor, imagining why she must be having these visions, when, out of the blue, a loud voice called out, "Hey! What are you doing in here?!" He sounded angry. And Rose took that as her cue to run.

To be continued......