Kiss You || Merlin X Fem! Reader Fanfic

Chapter 5

You stood there in front of the fireplace, keeping yourself warm while waiting for your brother to come back. You shouldn't care about your brother, but this unconditional love for your family says otherwise.

[ Flashback ]

You were both teenagers at that time when your mother died of an incurable disease. A disease where blood cells will slowly rot, and from that, the host's brain can't function properly until the whole body self-destruct. And your father became heartbroken, and soon, he died after.

Adam became the crowned prince in the kingdom. Endless praise from the people made him pressured yet prideful, thus making him a selfish, unkind prince.

You noticed his doings seemed excessive whenever you hear him discussing with someone or hear rumors of what he did in the village. You became suspicious about this new trait of your brother. And so, you confronted him about your thoughts in his study room.

"Hey Adam, I've been thinking." You called out to him as he finished his paperwork. "The tax you've been giving to the village is a bit too much, don't you think? I mean, we are fine with the trades from other kingdoms around the island before. Why would you need so much more? It's not like there's something dangerous happening or something."

Adam grew irritated at you. He doesn't want you to mind his business every day. "I know what I'm doing!" He shouted, and you were taken back by his raised voice. "Why are you being secretive? Don't you want pieces and bits of opinions and advice to do better?" You spoke gently.

"Mind your own business. You're not even the king!" You could feel your anger bubbling up, stubborn in getting the answer to your simple question.

"Well, so are you. You're just a crowned prince to keep everyone in the kingdom in the hope of having a leader. But all you do is change everything, and almost everyone is going through poverty!" You had enough, and you burst out what you have in your mind without thinking straight through your words.

Adam slapped you to keep your mouth shut. Your eyes widened in shock. You definitely irked him. You could feel the stinging pain on your cheek and tried hard not to cry. No one has ever hurt you physically before, especially coming from your family.

You breathed out shakily and walked out of the room without another word, hanging your head low. Once you got back to your room, you flopped on the bed and cried hard but silently as you didn't want every staff to know.

[ End of flashback ]

You shook your head, trying not to remember the rest of the horrible memory. All the things that must occupy your mind are that your brother will come back home and be alright.

You heard the castle doors open. You turned around and saw the girl come back struggling in holding your brother. You gasped, seeing him in his beat-up condition, and ordered the castle staff around you to help the girl. The coat rack helped her get limp Adam on his chair while a few dishes prepared a large bowl and a towel.

Mrs. Potts came in with hot water inside of her. The girl carefully picked her up and poured the hot water into the bowl with the towel. The girl took the soaked towel and put it on your brother's deep cuts. You assumed it was from the wolves outside. Once she placed the towel on his arm, he growled loudly in pain.

You and the others moved a distance back. "That hurts!" Adam leads his arm away from her. "It wouldn't hurt much if you stayed still." The girl loses her patience as she stares at your brother with anger in her eyes.

"If you didn't run away, this wouldn't have happened," Adam argued with her. "If you hadn't frightened me, I wouldn't have run away." The girl pointed out. You saw Adam thinking of a comeback, and the girl looked away from him as she crossed her arms.

'He is actually at a loss of words.'

"Well, you shouldn't have gone to the west wing." He smirked, feeling he had won. "Well, you should learn to control your temper." The girl won the argument between them. You were impressed as you saw your brother give up on the fight and pout.

"Now hold still," they both calmed down. "This might sting a little." The girl gently dabbed the now slightly cold towel on his arm. "By the way, thanks for saving me earlier." She confessed to him, and you were shocked by that.

'Is that why he suddenly came running down earlier?'

<><>

You stayed in your room, lying on the window seat bed beside the enormous windows. You can see the girl, you later learned her name Belle, flopped on your bed looking tired from playing with your dog in the snow outside.

You two talked after treating your brother's wounds that night. You enjoyed her company, and later on, you both talked about random things until dawn broke. You became friends with her before you realized it.

"Are we really friends right now?" You asked her absentmindedly. Belle turned to you. "Of course, if that's what you think of it." She smiled at you, but you were insecure. "Even if I'm an instrument used for writing? Don't you find that weird? I mean..." You looked at her with unsure eyes.

"Friendship doesn't come in stats or appearances. Friendship is when two or more people share the same thought and accept who they are, even if they are different from one another." You could feel this warm feeling around you. To be honest, you were alone inside this castle, not having a heart-to-heart interaction with another person.

[ Flashback a couple of months ago ]

Rapunzel is the only one who keeps you from getting lonely. But she seldom chats with you via letter, and you don't know why, or she's too busy with her chores as a wife and real-time princess now. Ever since the curse happened, you never received a single letter from her.

You think it is because of her work as a royal, or maybe you didn't reply to her about not going. You can't write because of your situation at the moment. You feel like you're a terrible friend.

You then begin to have an existential crisis, even if it's just a simple problem. You can't help it. Rapunzel is your only friend because you have never been allowed to go outside the palace gates since birth.

[ End of flashback ]

A knock on the door brought you back to reality. As Adam peeks his head at the door, "What do you want?" You gave your brother a bothered look. "I'm here to borrow your friend." He rolled his eyes at you and opened the door wider to indicate her.

Belle said goodbye to you and followed your brother. She closed the door behind her. You then turned back to the window and stared at the semi-clouded sky. You sighed dreamily and grew jealous of the interaction between your brother and friend's blooming relationship. You want to have a relationship with someone too, but sometimes hope is a dangerous thing.

'I wish I could meet him, whoever he may be.'

edited