Woods Outside Camelot, Wednesday Morning

[bitchprince]

It had gotten increasingly harder to escape the castle now that spring approached. There were preparations to be done, last rations to be distributed carefully so that everyone would have enough, farmers to protect. It was exhausting, was what it was, and Arthur relished the chance to get out for a ride.

Eventually he made it back here, to his usual spot deep in the forest by a small brook. He got off his horse and sat down on the pebbles by the river, breathing in the air.

A little peace and quiet.

It took him about fifteen minutes to get terribly sick of it, which was when he flipped open his phone and started calling numbers. Really, Merlin's magic held up surprisingly well with these things.

[[ open for phone calls, etc. ]]

Comments

[bigdamndestiny.livejournal.com]

"Pink perhaps?"

[bitchprince]

"A pink sun?"

Arthur shot him a look that was half-amusement and half-you-are-an-idiot.

So, his usual look.

[bigdamndestiny.livejournal.com]

Merlin grinned back, tossing a piece of crust at him. "That's better than blue, right?"

[bitchprince]

"I'm none too sure about that," Arthur said, lobbing a piece right back at him. "Oi. Show some respect."

[bigdamndestiny.livejournal.com]

"Who should I be respecting?" Merlin asked slowly.

[bitchprince]

"Myself," Arthur said, "Naturally. As well as the pie, which is certainly worthy of your respect, ingrate." He was grinning, though.

[bigdamndestiny.livejournal.com]

"The pie is rather good," he admitted. "I apologize, pie. For disrespecting you."

[bitchprince]

"And?" Arthur prompted.

[bigdamndestiny.livejournal.com]

"And you're quite delicious."

[bitchprince]

Arthur shot him a squinty look. Really, now.

[bigdamndestiny.livejournal.com]

Merlin shot him a completely confused look right on back. "What?"

[bitchprince]

"And...?" he prompted. Again.

Because 'you're delicious' was not the right answer.

Sometimes he was kind of a woman.

[bigdamndestiny.livejournal.com]

"You're delicious too?" Merlin ventured.

[bitchprince]

"Merlin!" Arthur very deliberately set the pie aside. On his saddlebag, so it wouldn't get caked in dirt. So to speak.

[bigdamndestiny.livejournal.com]

Oh, this couldn't end well. "You are!"

[bitchprince]

"Not what I meant," Arthur said, getting to his feet. "You idiot."

Though sure, now his annoyance was sort of criss-crossing with interesting mental images.

[bigdamndestiny.livejournal.com]

"I'm an all powerful wizard, you know!" Like that would stop Arthur.

[bitchprince]

From tackling him? No way in hell.

[bigdamndestiny.livejournal.com]

"Oi!" Merlin flopped back, losing his poor, poor pie in the process. "That's not--really fair!"

[bitchprince]

"Now," Arthur said, straddling looming over him. "About that respect..."

[bigdamndestiny.livejournal.com]

"Given when it's due," Merlin informed him. "Which rarely involves being tackled."

[bitchprince]

"Is that so," Arthur said, leaning over a bit more.

[bigdamndestiny.livejournal.com]

"It is." Despite the looming!

[bitchprince]

"You do know," Arthur said, after a long moment, "What else involves being tackled...?"