Arthur's Chambers, Camelot Citadel, Tuesday Evening

[bitchprince]

Council meetings. Endless, endless council meetings.

It wasn't that Arthur could credibly say he resented them - this was the life he'd been raised for, and the life he'd chosen, even in the presence of a choice (because there was no choice) - but he could very credibly state that they were a pain in his royal arse and if he had to hear Lord bloody Deagan throw out another ludicrous speech about taxing the populace in order to make up for the recent repairs, he was going to go out and get a horse to kick him.

By the time he shut the door to his chambers behind him, it had gone from evening into the first onset of the hours better described as night. "God," he said, the first genuine release he'd had all day. "Well, that was fun."

[[ for the ears ]]

Comments

[bigdamndestiny.livejournal.com]

"Oh, you missed them," Merlin chided, already having picked at Arthur's dinner. Because, well, it was there.

[bitchprince]

"I most certainly did not," Arthur countered, and paced over towards Merlin - mostly for the express purpose of seeing how much was left of his dinner.

[bigdamndestiny.livejournal.com]

There was more than a bit left!

...because Merlin asked for extra.

"Did too!"

[bitchprince]

Arthur sat down by his food, taking his fork for the business of tasting some of that veal. "I did not," he countered, "Miss them. But dealing with them is an essential part of my duties, especially if I wish to aide the people." Bite.

[bigdamndestiny.livejournal.com]

"Then what did you miss?"

[bitchprince]

Arthur made a slight shrugging motion as he picked up the knife. "It's not really about what I miss, is it?" he said, then added, "The castle, I suppose. The land, the people..." If he was more sentimentally inclined, he might have waxed poetic about the forests or something, but no.

[bigdamndestiny.livejournal.com]

"What is it about then?" Merlin asked, being greedy as he snagged a bit of fruit.

[bitchprince]

"This is where I am supposed to be," he said, eying Merlin's arm. "Honestly, I don't know where you put it."

[bigdamndestiny.livejournal.com]

"Put what?"

Look, he was a growing lad. Really.

[bitchprince]

"The food," Arthur said, pointedly. "You must've eaten at least a quarter of this, at least; if you eat like this, how on God's green Earth are you still such a beanpole?"

[bigdamndestiny.livejournal.com]

"How should I know!" Maybe it was to make up for being so peasanty before.

[bitchprince]

Arthur rolled his eyes and practically shoved another slice of meat his way. "This is only in the name of an experiment," he decided. "Has Gaius been keeping you busy while I was gone?"

[bigdamndestiny.livejournal.com]

"Deliveries are usually in the morning after you're gone," Merlin admitted. "So, there's a bit less to do these days."

What with not being afraid to use magic to clean Arthur's room now.

[bitchprince]

"Mmm. Guess I'll have to find you more work to do," Arthur decided, grandly.

Yeah, that's really what Merlin was angling for, Arthur. He took a few more bites from his meal.

[bigdamndestiny.livejournal.com]

"So I can't attend to you in the evening?" Merlin asked, shaking his head.

[bitchprince]

Arthur snorted once. "Surely running one or two chores in the afternoon won't keep you from bringing up my meals in the evening."

Oh dear god, Merlin, you may want to innuendo a bit more obviously.

[bigdamndestiny.livejournal.com]

Really, he may have to. "...what?"

[bitchprince]

There was a slight pause on Arthur's part. "You know. Attend to m--"

Beat.

"Oh."

[bigdamndestiny.livejournal.com]

"Glad you've caught on," Merlin replied slowly. Because, really Arthur. How was Merlin the one to get it first?

[bitchprince]

Arthur was distracted! With food! And--

Well, he hadn't watched nearly as much porn.

"Oh, I'm very much caught on," Arthur said. Partly to save face.

[bigdamndestiny.livejournal.com]

Merlin wasn't laughing. At all. Don't mind him!

"I'm sure you are."

[bitchprince]

"Stop snickering, Merlin."

Now Arthur was much aggrieved.

[bigdamndestiny.livejournal.com]

"I would never snicker at you, my lord."

[bitchprince]

"Oh, I'm sure," he said, biting down on a bit of chicken. "Yes, you do, and don't deny it."

[bigdamndestiny.livejournal.com]

"Shouldn't you be preparing for bed?" Merlin asked, still not snickering in the slightest.