Burns Too Bright, Lives Too Fast

If the taxes hadn't brought the mood down in Camelot, then the former Crown Prince's overpowering brood certainly did. Not that Uther noticed any of this: he had ordered a banquet for the evening, to celebrate the Lady Catrina's new title, and he was generally in a splendid mood.

Arthur was caught staring moodily through windows rather a lot.

As for Merlin, well... he had someone to visit.

Matters 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' ]]

"We are gathered here today to join in holy matrimony His Highness Uther of the House of Pendragon, and Her Ladyship Catrina of the House of Tragal."

Geoffrey of Monmouth was at his most formal standing before the thrones of Camelot, one of which - Arthur's stomach blithely reminded him - had officially stood empty since the death of Uther's wife Ygraine. In front of Geoffrey stood King Uther and Lady Catrina, gazing soulfully into each other's eyes - or rather Uther was.

Arthur was trying not to think any uncharitable thoughts about the look on the Lady Catrina's face.

He felt absolutely no remorse for engineering matters so that Katchoo and Francine stood as close to him as any servants were allowed to; the gnawing feeling in his guts was bad enough under the current cirumstances, and Merlin's conspicuous absence.

If he were prone to sentimentalities, he would have said that it felt like a limb was missing, nevermind the comfort-- well. He would never ever admit to needing any of that. He simply stood there, at the front of the masses, watching his father marry a woman who wasn't his mother (and who was, by Merlin's accounts, Very Suspicious Indeed).

It was not a good day.

[[ for those who are there, and one who isn't, yet. ]]

Camelot stood peaceful as it sometimes did: no sorcerers had been burned in about a forthnight, there were no bandits getting particularly close to the city proper, and there were no real problems with the food or water.

Inside one room, the Lady Catrina and her servant busied themselves with something particularly noxious-smelling. And a trinket. But that was hardly of any import just yet. After all, that was their business.

In the morning, the knights would head out for training. In the afternoon, Uther would recieve citizens in need of mediation or favours in his audience chamber. The markets would bustle, and the farmers would work.

Yes. It was just another day in Camelot.