Oneshots from different Fandoms

BBCMerlin- Glass//Arthur

Third Person
Arthur strolled down the town streets, happily investigating the festival markets. He had managed to ditch a meeting with his father, thanks to Merlin, and he was determined to utilise his free time. The warm change in weather meant it was time for the Harvest Festival. There would be scrumptious street foods, and fresh produce, trinkets, fine fabrics, and all other manner of goodies. Arthur was set on enjoying them all this year.

His father often kept him away from such festivities amoungst the common folk, having only ever experienced the Spring Harvest Festival, twice in his life, both times he'd snuck out and he'd only been 12 and then 14.

Arthur blinked and tilted his head when something bright caught his eye, reflecting off the sun. He squinted and stepped to the side, holding out his hand. A bright blue light shone on his palm. He watched it with fascination, before looking up to follow its source.

A cart, brightly decorated in multi-coloured glass ornaments.

He quickly moved towards it, keeping his hand up as he watched the blue light grow bigger as he moved to its reflective surface.

"Marc, don't touch them. They're very breakable." A mother warned her son as he moved to touch a small glass sphere.

"Just as well I made you something special, Marc."

Arthur halted his movements as a young woman appeared from behind the stand. Long brown hair was twisted down her back in elaborate braids, beads and trinkets, weaved amoungst it. She had the most startling eyes. One brown, and one grey-ish blue, both wide, and doe-like. She was wearing vibrantly coloured clothes, that very much matched the radiance of her ornaments.

"Here. Just for you." The woman crouched down to the boys level, and held out a colourful glass container. Different shapes, of different colours, were melted together, and a hinge at the top, hinted the box might open.

"This is a Wishing box. Inside it, are fireflies." The boy took the small box with cautious hands, eyes wide with wonder and joy.

"Tonight, right before you go to bed, the fires will be glowing. Sit the box on your window, and whisper your wish to their glow. Leave it there all night, and in the morning, let the bugs go." The little blonde boy hung on her every word, and Arthur couldn't help but imagine what it would've been like to receive such a magical gift at his age. What his life might've been like if he wasn't the crowned Prince. Not that he'd ever voice these thoughts, especially those on Magic.

"When they fly away, they'll carry your wish with them, right up to the Heavens." The woman finished as she smiled at the boy, moving to stand. Before she could get very far, the little boy embraced her, burying his head in her skirts, one arm still tightly clutching the Wishing Box.

"Thank you." His voice was muffled by the fabric but she heard it, and chuckled, giving the boy a quick squeeze, before pulling away.

"You're very welcome Marc. Just remember, wishes can only take you half-way, you too must work to make your dreams come true." The woman pat the boys blonde locks and he grinned, nodding, before darting into his mother's arms to show her his new gift. The boys mother smiled gratefully.

"Thank you Dora. You're to good for this world." The older woman gave her a brief smile, before the pair moved away, smiling and waving at the young lady, as she waved back.

Arthur watched the woman 'Dora', bustle back behind her stall. With a deep breath he crossed the last few steps to her stall, and stopped. The brunette rose her head and gave him a radiant smile, her eyes crinkling ever so slightly. The Prince's breath hitched as he met her glance. Never before had he seen such a startling woman.

"Good morning your Highness." She smoothly dropped into a curtsy, bowing her head slightly, the smile staying in place. A smile naturally split across the Prince's face, near mirroring her own.

"Good morning M'lady." He breathed out, unable to tear his eyes from hers. The woman chuckled at him, the action crinkling her nose in a way the Prince found quite cute.

"Please, Ladora. Or Dora. Either is fine." She furrowed her brows in thought as she spoke, waving her hand in the air. Something stirred in the pit of Arthur's stomach.

"Then you may call my Arthur." He mentally kicked himself for acting like an infatuated boy, speaking before thinking. Ladora's eyes lit up and she gave a happy grin.

"Can I intrest you in any of my ornaments. I made them all myself." She offered as she swept her hands above all the little glass figures. Arthur forced his eyes from her mismatched ones, to the figures on the stall bench. They were perfectly formed, each and every one of them. All different colours, all different sizes. Some were designed to be hung by string, others to sit somewhere decorative, and a special few, to be worn as pendants. He spotted a red tear-drop, its top curled over to form a loop, so it might be fitted to a chain or leather strip.

"This one." He pointed to the pendant. Surely Morgana would love it. He looked back up to meet her eyes, but she glanced away as she gently picked up the pendant, pulling a small, brown, fabric bag from under the bench. Arthur watched her nimble hands, gently slip the pendant into the bag. He noted the small burns on the sides of her fingers. She wasn't some noble woman who wasted away her time being waited on, hand and foot. She worked hard to learn a specific skill, to make a living for herself.

"Here. 10 shillings." Arthur quickly retrieved his pouch and opened it. He didn't have enough shillings, so he pulled out a pound and dropped it into her hand. Her eyes widened at the coin.

"I'm sorry, I don't have change for a pound." She stuttered out as she glanced up at him with furrowed brows. Arthur pocketed his pouch and the packaged pendant.

"Keep it." He smiled softly at Dora, and her eyes only widened further.

"I shouldn't."

"You should."

"But I really shouldn't."

"But you will." Her eyes flickered up to meet his, and finally she closed her hand around the coin, pocketing it in one of the many folds of her skirt. She quickly pulled a strip of fabric from bellow the bench before carefully grabbing and wrapping a glass figure, slipping it into a matching bag to the pendants. Dora held the larger bag out to the Prince.

"Here. As a thank you." Arthur stared down at the bag for a moment, when he realised she wasn't going to take no for an answer, he accepted the mystery package with a smile. They stood in silence for a few moments.

"I'll see you 'round, Arthur." Dora said as she gave him another smile. Arthur took that as his warning that he was beginning to act like a creep, and so he nodded his head once, ignoring the churn of his stomach as she said his name, and walked away.

A/N: Possible Part 2 (again lol. These oneshots are turning into 2 shots real quick 😅)