Finding Alex | TLOS

Mother Goose landed on something soft. She wasn't sure what it was. It felt like a cloak. Had someone left it there?

Until she heard a groan, and that's when she realized she had landed on Merlin. 

"Oh, sorry, Merlin!" Mother Goose chuckled, and got up from her seated position.

Merlin couldn't help but laugh, and he got up as well with the help of Mother Goose. "Where are we?" He asked.

Mother Goose looked around. "Well, I believe we're in The Fairy Kingdom. It brings back so many memories! I haven't been back in such a long time." 

"Where do we have to go?" Merlin asked, scratching his beard. "I completely forget!"

Mother Goose thought for a while. "I know! The Charming Kingdom, to visit the Charming brothers."

"And why do we have to do that?" Merlin asked. "I completely forget. I should use a youth potion on myself! Then perhaps I could remember!" 

Mother Goose sighed. "We have to learn more about the Charming princess. Princess Charlotte, I think...I'm not sure," 

"No, I believe her name was Claire," 

Before Mother Goose could reply, a flash of white threw both of them to the ground. 

Mother Goose scratched her head and looked up to see a majestic looking unicorn. "Whoa, what's gotten into you, buddy?"

The unicorn rolled his eyes, and scooped Mother Goose up onto his back. He neighed loudly, and sprinted in the direction of The Fairy Palace. 

"AH!!!!!!!!" Mother Goose shrieked on the unicorn's back.

Merlin's jaw dropped. "Mother Goose!" he cried, and tried to run after the unicorn. But unfortunately, the unicorn was much faster than Merlin had predicted! 

"It's alright, Merlin! Go to The Charming Kingdom! I'll be there soon!" Mother Goose called over her shoulder before she disappeared from view.

Merlin sighed thoughtfully. He was in a new world, Mother Goose was kidnapped from him by a insanely fast unicorn, and he was left alone, stranded in the woods. He rolled his eyes and continued walking the direction they were first going, towards The Charming Kingdom.

****

Walking up the steps of the palace, Merlin felt himself get a slight headache. The shiny palace reflected off the sun and blinded his eyes every once in a while.

After accidentally stepping on the plaque that said 'here marks the exact spot where Queen Cinderella lost her shoe' and cracking it, Merlin hurried up the stairs before the guards found out.

He was let into the palace and Merlin wandered the halls until he found someone who looked as if they could help. "Excuse me?" Merlin asked, looking up at the man. There was no reply. 

"I was wondering if you could help me find King..Charming?" There was no reply. Merlin looked more closely at the man and realized he was a knight and shining armor, and it fell on top of him! 

"AH!!!" Merlin shrieked, and tried to rip himself out of the costume.

Thundering feet approached and the helmet was taken off of Merlin's head. Merlin chuckled nervously. "Um.." He looked up to see King Chance and Queen Cinderella.

"Who are you?" King Chance asked, in a demanding voice. "We JUST get back from The Fairy Palace, and someone has already broken into our palace!" 

"Chance, be kind," Queen Cinderella reminded her husband, touching his arm. 

King Chance sighed, but nodded. 

"My name is Merlin. I'm Mother Goose's partner. I'm here on a special mission with Mother Goose. I'm here to speak with one of the Charming brothers. I believe we have lots to talk about," Merlin explained. 

"I'm one of the Charming brothers" Chance said, now happy. "What do you need, old pal?" he said, clapping a hand on Merlin's shoulder. 

"I need to talk about a certain Princess Claire," Merlin hinted, hoping King Chance would understand. 

Chance stiffened. "Princess Claire? Um, well, of course. Follow me," he said, and Merlin did, as Cinderella left to go see her daughters. 

Chance led Merlin to a long hallway and down to the last room. When Chance opened the door with one of the keys, Merlin was surprised to find an old library. 

"You may sit," he said, and Merlin sat in one of the comfy chairs, settling in by the fire. 

Merlin and Chance were silent for quite a while, until Merlin broke the awkwardness. He explained everything that had happened in the past few days, including what they had learned about the Lady of the Lake and how she had Princess Claire captive.

Chance got up and started to pace. "That's good," he muttered to himself, but Merlin had heard. "Now we can finally take action! It's been too long, she must be terrified!" 

"No, not yet," Merlin said. "We need to wait for everyone else to come back, and then we have to make a plan. The Lady of the Lake is very sneaky. She has eyes and ears everywhere."

Chance nodded. "That's understandable," he said.

 Then after a while, "Do you by any chance know why the guards are mad outside on the stairs? They keep saying 'Someone cracked the plaque!'"

Merlin gulped. "Oh, no! I don't."