Tales from the Fairytale Island - Merlin x Reader

Chapter seven - R.

[y/n]

The day flew past and I was just about to close the butique.
It's not getting dark for a couple of hours yet which means that my father won't be here for that time.
Merlin will be back soon and I'm not prepared to deliver the bad news..
especially when I know his friend is coming with him.
I have to come up with something fast or there's no way that Arthur would help me.
Now when my shift has ended, I took the opportunity to sneak inside my father's office..
I know there's one particular book he always uses in his work, including this one.
It's a big risk trying to take something he uses quite often, but I'm becoming desperate.

It amazes me how he can find anything in this messy environment.
All of his books and artifacts are lying everywhere which leaves most of the shelves empty as usual..
The curtains are closed so there's no much light shining through which makes it hard to move around without knocking down everything.

I search among the documents and it didn't take too long before I found it.. "the grimlore of R."
I can't stay in here for too long so I carefully lift the dusty book from the floor and tucked it neatly inside my dress.
After I made sure it was well hidden, I try to put everything back to where it was before.
Hopefully, he won't notice that it's missing for a day or two.
As quickly as I can, I made it out from his office and closed the door tightly.
My heart is pounding so loudly it's almost muting my footsteps as I swiftly walked through the big house til I reached my room inside the basement.

I realised I must have held my breath for a long time because as soon as I closed the door behind me, air just pounded out from my clenched throat..
And it really feels like I took my first breath.

Merlin

My god.. what takes Arthur so much time!?
He should be here by now..
With this phase, I won't even have time to visit Snow White before the dark.
"Arthur!" I called from the front door.
It bursts open and there stood the green little creature dressed in a knight's armour.

Not gonna lie, he looks...

"Ridiculous."
"Why are you dressed like that?" I asked with embarrassment.
"You said a woman needs rescue and I want to make a good impression.
I

f she is beautiful, I might as well get a little peck on my lips"
He winked.
I squeezed my nose bridge, trying not to puke from the image I got in my head.
"Arthur. Please get changed!
We're not going with that plan anymore.
If it didn't work on me, it will definitely not work on you.
That's why we need the flower"
I explained to him for the forth time since I returned home.
He went back inside with a grunt.
Another five minutes past and he came back with his regular tunic.
"Happy now?" He grunted thierdly.
I sighed "No. But let's go'

[y/n]

This have to go smoothly, or I will definitely get caught.
I searched through the book but I couldn't understand it.
Every page is written in a foreign language but I found a drawing in it that resembled the flower perfectly.
My father is a man with many talents and he really have a good eye for details, I admit that..
but that doesn't help much in this situation.
An instant knock caught me by surprise for a moment there.
I thought it was my father until I realized it came from the window.
I grab the book and made my way outside by crawling up through the window seal.
"You're a bit early"
I stated.

I reached my hand to the green unknown figure beside Merlin.
"You must be Arthur, I'm-"
He took me by surprise when he grabbed my hand and kissed it above my palm.
"You're the mysterious Hope, I presume"
Merlin pushed him to the side.
"Focus Arthur! Remember why we're here"
I can tell that Merlin is a bit on edge..
"I didn't take offense, it's alright." I laughed it off.. but now it's time fo break the news I guess.
"Merlin.. I have it but it's only a piece of it.
Enough for one of you to consume"

He raised an eyebrow at me and tilted his head to the side.
"And why is that?" He asked suspiciously.
I let down my head and handed over the bottle to Merlin.
"It's for Arthur. My father figured it out"
Arthur gave him a glare.
"Oh, I know what's happening.
You were going to trade excalibur anyway! Weren't you, Merlin?"
He looked angrily at both of us.
"No! That was never the case!" Merlin growled back at him.
"Calm down! Both of you!" I hissed through my teeth.

I threw the book on the ground between our feet.
"Stop fighting and listen"
Their jaws shut immediately and I finally got Both of their attention.
"This is my father's Grimlore.
I can't say what language is written in but there is a picture of the flower in it.
Maybe there's a way for us to go around the situation if we can translate the script"

Merlin tilted his head at it before picking it up.
"R. Who is R?" We exchanged glances.
I shrugged my shoulders.
"He's a weird man. I think he spells his name backwards so the R would be the last letter in his name."
He flipped the pages back and forth but it seems like he's just as clueless as I was.
Trying to read it is worse than calculus.

"I think if we take this with us, there might be a way I can solve this..
But it will take a few days"
I shook my head anxiously.
"Nonono! What if my father notices!?
He went silent for a minute, biting his lips in concentration.
His hands played on the leathered back of the Grimlore as the silence hung over us.
Then he looked up at me with widened eyes.
"You're right.
Arthur, turn back into human and get Excalibur."

"WHAT!? You said we wouldn't make that deal!"
"No you donkey! We're NOT making the trade.
It's time for Hope to fly out the nest and we're taking the book with us."
He turned to look at me and gave me the book, smiling confidently.

"You.. you really mean it?" I teared up.
At last.. was it time to break the spell that's been holding me here for all my life?

"Yes Hope. It is time for you to live as your own person"