Camelot, Sunday
Sep. 12th, 2010 11:33 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
bitchprinceMatters were not exactly improving any.
After tossing and turning a bit last night trying to figure out how the bloody hell they were getting out of this predicament, Arthur looked a bit the worse for wear. Not that he'd admit to it, or do anything but keep his back straight.
He'd told Katchoo and Francine to use the servants' quarters closer to his chambers this time, as a precaution. Now he was up, though, and getting ready to meet with his father for the morning's briefing.
Oddly enough, he felt less than eager about it.
[[ wait for the ocd; spoilers for Merlin episodes 2x05 and 2x06, 'The Beauty and the Beast' ]]
After tossing and turning a bit last night trying to figure out how the bloody hell they were getting out of this predicament, Arthur looked a bit the worse for wear. Not that he'd admit to it, or do anything but keep his back straight.
He'd told Katchoo and Francine to use the servants' quarters closer to his chambers this time, as a precaution. Now he was up, though, and getting ready to meet with his father for the morning's briefing.
Oddly enough, he felt less than eager about it.
[[ wait for the ocd; spoilers for Merlin episodes 2x05 and 2x06, 'The Beauty and the Beast' ]]
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
Audience Chambers, Sunday Morning
Date: 2010-09-12 09:39 am (UTC)That should have been Arthur's first warning. His second one should have been the way Uther reached over, and took Catrina's hand. (But it's the first time he's been happy in a long while, he kept telling himself. I should not spit on it.)
"For too long, our people have had it easy. They have grown fat off our indulgence of them."
Arthur fought off the uneasy feeling in his stomach. "How so?"
"We provide peace, protection, and they give us little in return," Uther replied, with that eerie smile still in place.
Arthur blinked, then. He had to. "Most of our people are poor," he said, cautiously, "They survive off what little they can grow."
"That is what they would have us believe," Queen Catrina cut him off. Her glare in Arthur's direction could have cut through walls.
Was she really that naive? Arthur tilted his head towards her, and answered, earnestly, "That is what I see every day."
Re: Audience Chambers, Sunday Morning
Date: 2010-09-12 04:18 pm (UTC)"The people must pay for the sanctuary Camelot provides," she added, smoothly.
Re: Audience Chambers, Sunday Morning
Date: 2010-09-12 04:19 pm (UTC)Re: Audience Chambers, Sunday Morning
Date: 2010-09-12 04:21 pm (UTC)Re: Audience Chambers, Sunday Morning
Date: 2010-09-12 04:21 pm (UTC)Lower Town of Camelot, Sunday Noon
Date: 2010-09-12 09:42 am (UTC)Direct orders from the king. He had to remember that--
His eyes settled on one forlorn-looking, hungry woman, and pursed his lips.
Re: Lower Town of Camelot, Sunday Noon
Date: 2010-09-12 04:29 pm (UTC)"What's going on here?" he demanded. The man was elderly, he could see that - there was no way he could withstand such force.
"He refused to pay the tax, sire!"
"You've asked for too much," the man choked out, pulling futilly at the arms gripping him. "I've given all I can!" Arthur's jaw set tighter as he struggled with himself. He glanced up, and met the eyes of the gathered townspeople.
Something broke.
"Let me see that," he said, and reached for the tiny bag of collected tax.
Re: Lower Town of Camelot, Sunday Noon
Date: 2010-09-12 05:06 pm (UTC)"Release him," he said, stepping back. The befuddled man didn't know how quickly to scramble upright.
"But, sire--" one of the guards attempted, "The king's orders--"
Arthur slanted a look at him that offered him no avenue for further protest. "Give them all back their money," he ordered, and did his best to ignore the suddenly hopeful looks the villagers leveled at him.
Audience Chambers, Sunday Afternoon
Date: 2010-09-12 09:44 am (UTC)"The people cannot afford to pay the tax," he said. His back was more ramrod straight than usual, and his arms were behind his back: perfect military posture, ready for a fight.
Re: Audience Chambers, Sunday Afternoon
Date: 2010-09-12 05:08 pm (UTC)"We have their loyalty, their good will," Arthur said, picking his words very, very carefully. "Do not forsake that by making unreasonable demands."
"Is it so unreasonable for a king to expect his subjects to obey him?" she said, all righteous indignation.
Re: Audience Chambers, Sunday Afternoon
Date: 2010-09-12 05:11 pm (UTC)"Nonsense," Uther said, and got upright just to give his words more power. "They've grown too soft. Remember these are your subjects, not your friends."
He thought of Merlin, then, and set his jaw. "Why can't we be both?"
"Because we rule the people, not the other way around."
Arthur shook his head slowly, his eyes slipping to the ground as he gathered up the courage to say something he'd never thought of saying to his father quite like this, before. "I think you're wrong."
Re: Audience Chambers, Sunday Afternoon
Date: 2010-09-12 05:13 pm (UTC)Re: Audience Chambers, Sunday Afternoon
Date: 2010-09-12 05:15 pm (UTC)Re: Audience Chambers, Sunday Afternoon
Date: 2010-09-12 05:22 pm (UTC)"No, of course not," Uther growled, walking towards Arthur. "You are going to take these guards, and go into town, and go to every house, collecting the payments I demand!"
Re: Audience Chambers, Sunday Afternoon
Date: 2010-09-12 05:26 pm (UTC)He could stand here, and bow, and give in, and throw his own morals out the window, or he could stand against his father.
The whirl of feelings in his stomach got worse, and he swayed from one end to the other, torn.
"I will not," Arthur said, at last.
Re: Audience Chambers, Sunday Afternoon
Date: 2010-09-12 05:27 pm (UTC)"Get out of my sight," he hissed, soft, low, but none the less damaging for it.
Re: Audience Chambers, Sunday Afternoon
Date: 2010-09-12 05:30 pm (UTC)"Yes, sire," he said, formally, grasping desperately for protocol to fill up the gap where his entrails used to be. Then he spun on his heel, and stalked formally out of the room.
Oblivious to the words Catrina was whispering to Uther the moment his back was turned.
He nearly slumped back against the doors once they were closed. Instead, he stopped just there, in the middle of the hallway, staring at the wall, studiously blank.
Re: Audience Chambers, Sunday Afternoon
Date: 2010-09-12 05:37 pm (UTC)Francine had seen him coming into the castle, but hadn't caught up in time to speak to him before the audience chamber doors shut with him on the inside. So she'd been loitering not at all suspiciously in the corridor, yes, trying very hard to look as if she'd been sent for and it was her turn.
"What happened?"
Re: Audience Chambers, Sunday Afternoon
Date: 2010-09-12 05:41 pm (UTC)Re: Audience Chambers, Sunday Afternoon
Date: 2010-09-12 05:52 pm (UTC)Re: Audience Chambers, Sunday Afternoon
Date: 2010-09-12 05:55 pm (UTC)Re: Audience Chambers, Sunday Afternoon
Date: 2010-09-12 05:59 pm (UTC)Re: Audience Chambers, Sunday Afternoon
Date: 2010-09-12 06:01 pm (UTC)It was an unnecessarily snappish comment, he knew that, but he couldn't really find it in him to care, at the moment.
Within the audience chambers, there was movement, as Uther came to a decision.
Re: Audience Chambers, Sunday Afternoon
Date: 2010-09-12 06:11 pm (UTC)Re: Audience Chambers, Sunday Afternoon
Date: 2010-09-12 06:13 pm (UTC)And he may have said more, or he may have not; either way, it made no difference, because the doors behind Arthur opened, and a message boy stepped out. "The king asks that all assemble in his audience chambers immediately," he said, "especially Prince Arthur."
Arthur shut his mouth, and turned.
Re: Audience Chambers, Sunday Afternoon
Date: 2010-09-12 06:28 pm (UTC)Re: Audience Chambers, Sunday Afternoon
Date: 2010-09-13 06:02 am (UTC)Finally, when all seemed to stand at rest, Arthur began, "Father--"
Re: Audience Chambers, Sunday Afternoon
Date: 2010-09-13 06:03 am (UTC)Re: Audience Chambers, Sunday Afternoon
Date: 2010-09-13 06:04 am (UTC)"You stood against me for all the people to see," Uther snapped.
"...I'm... sorry," Arthur said, slowly. "Any future grievances I have will be spoken of in private."
Re: Audience Chambers, Sunday Afternoon
Date: 2010-09-13 06:06 am (UTC)Behind him, Arthur started forward. "Father--"
"You are to be disinherited," Uther restated, viciously. "With immediate affect. You are no longer Crown Prince of Camelot."
Re: Audience Chambers, Sunday Afternoon
Date: 2010-09-13 06:08 am (UTC)Disinherited.
Not fit for the throne.
Not good enough.
Too many mistakes.
But he'd--- But.
Re: Audience Chambers, Sunday Afternoon
Date: 2010-09-13 01:27 pm (UTC)"Arthur..." Not that she was close enough for that to do any good. Not that it would have done any good if she was standing right next to him.
Gaius's Chambers, Sunday Afternoon
Date: 2010-09-12 09:46 am (UTC)Re: Gaius's Chambers, Sunday Afternoon
Date: 2010-09-12 03:25 pm (UTC)Which would be why Merlin was able to notice that Lady Catrina took a potion in order to keep from turning back into a troll. And, through some random flash of intelligence not to be seen by anyone in Camelot ever again because it would ruin so many story lines...
Stole one of the potions.
"Can you make something that tastes and looks like this?" Merlin asked, holding out the small vial.
Re: Gaius's Chambers, Sunday Afternoon
Date: 2010-09-12 03:29 pm (UTC)Because apparently these things needed to be spelled out, like Merlin was a particularly slow child.
Re: Gaius's Chambers, Sunday Afternoon
Date: 2010-09-12 03:31 pm (UTC)"Exactly!"
Re: Gaius's Chambers, Sunday Afternoon
Date: 2010-09-12 03:34 pm (UTC)"So... Catrina will keep taking it," Gaius said, his entire face lighting up, "But it will no longer work!"
Re: Gaius's Chambers, Sunday Afternoon
Date: 2010-09-12 03:36 pm (UTC)"And then she'll turn into a troll in front of everyone!" You know. In case the audience was that dumb as well.
Re: Gaius's Chambers, Sunday Afternoon
Date: 2010-09-12 03:38 pm (UTC)Re: Gaius's Chambers, Sunday Afternoon
Date: 2010-09-12 03:43 pm (UTC)God help you all.
OOC
Date: 2010-09-12 09:47 am (UTC)