"Open Eyes" (Merlin X Snow White )/Art Gallery

Chapter 17: On a Whim

Narrators POV

It took a while for the nosebleed to stop, Snow White eventually handing over the rest of her nightgown. Merlin kept refusing and put his free hand to stop her from pressing the material to his face but it was no use. The princess was persistent to help and just smothered his face with the material. Merlin felt so ashamed for her now ruined nightgown.

Snow White was horrified that she caused Merlin to spew out so much blood that she started to babble from the nerves. She explained how it was hard to contain the joy of seeing an old friend, even if it was from a distance. Snow White got caught up in her memories and went into the details of how the couple met.

After Cinderella got married to Prince Charming they had hardly seen each other. Snow kept chatting on and on how spectacular the wedding was, including her favorite part where blue sparrows dropped rose petals, as white as snow, onto the happy couple.

The conversation went on with Merlin growing disturbingly silent. Hearing the story of how Cinderella was born in the same position as he, poor and unroyal made him think of how Snow White would react to his past. Merlin wanted to mention it but he was afraid to, unready to share something so important. It was one thing for a common woman to wed a prince but for a common man to wed a princess? It was Unheard of.

A prince would one day grow to be passed down the crown of a king to become a king himself. But for Snow White, she was a princess needing to seek a knowledgeable prince to rule a kingdom beside her. Call it sexist if you will, but It was a tradition for a man to run the majority of the kingdom. A prince was bred to one day rule and carry on his duty, such as: to tend to important conflicts like politics, to take on heavy projects both mentally and physically, while a Queen did less taxing jobs, but non the less creating an impact. Merlin knew this, from observing Arthur's training to become a king.

Merlin had been so lost in thought that he didn't realize Snow White had caught on to his troubles and stopped talking. Snow Whites' hand reached out to place it on top of his, concerned that he looked so crestfallen. The young wizard's nose had stopped bleeding and one hand was covered in blood not letting go of the tattered nightgown. Merlin soon stirred out of his haze and lifted his eyes off the floor to look at Snow White, who now held his free clean hand.

He gave a smile trying to play it off, "Sorry, I just started to wander off on some other things", Merlin turned his hand to hold Snow Whites, still looking gray.

Seeing how sad the wizard looked, Snow White felt sorrowfulfull for his defeated expression. Merlin's eyes kept flickering back and forth at something only his eyes could see as if invisible words kept zooming past him. Merlin looked haunted by his thoughts as he kept opening his mouth wanting to speak but closed them back into a thin line.

The young woman was about to speak when she heard it.

"I'm not a prince" words trembled out as he looked at her, really looking at her, body now facing the princess.

Snow White blinked rapidly, feeling discombobulated at what she just heard. What did she just hear? Surely she heard something wrong.

"What?"

The man's occupied hand was gripping the bloodied cloth so hard that blood started to resurface, making the liquid restrain his skin. Merlin let go of Snow White's hand, not wanting her to feel his anger. Feeling disgusted with himself, Merlin dug his nails into his pants to force his words to continue.

"I'm not really a prince, I'm just a plain wizard, Arthur's wizard," he said barely above a whisper, yet slow so she would catch them.

"..."