The Stables, Tuesday Afternoon

[bigdamndestiny.livejournal.com]

When it became painfully clear that there were no servants to help him in caring for Arthur's horse, Merlin found himself down in the stables. Mucking out a stall.

Destiny owed him big for this.

"How does one horse produce that much?" He asked--well, he asked the horses there. Not that they could answer him, of course.

[[Open, of course!]]

Comments

[fabulous-secret.livejournal.com]

Adora thought about it and laughed. "You're right! Maybe the unicorn was very small and Dor forgot to mention it?" That would make sense, other than the fact that unicorns are not small and their wingspan is rather large, too.

[bigdamndestiny.livejournal.com]

"Unicorns have wings here?" He really needed to make sure that Arthur didn't have his crossbow should another arrive.

[fabulous-secret.livejournal.com]

"Of course they do! Or at least, they always did back home," Adora replied slowly.

[bigdamndestiny.livejournal.com]

"There was one where I come from that didn't." A beat. "But--" He made a face. "--There are different worlds here."

[fabulous-secret.livejournal.com]

"Yes, I've given up trying to figure out if any of them are like mine," Adora admitted to him. "And look at me talking your ear off without even offering my name! I'm Adora of Etheria."

[bigdamndestiny.livejournal.com]

"I have large enough ones for that," Merlin joked, leaning forward in a sort of bow. "Merlin. Of Camelot."

[fabulous-secret.livejournal.com]

Grinning at his joke, she reddened at the bow. "Well, Merlin of Camelot, I'll just run and get Spirit, shall I?"

[bigdamndestiny.livejournal.com]

"As you will." And then added a playful, "Milady." at the end.

[fabulous-secret.livejournal.com]

Managing not to go completely red before she turned away, Adora hurried out to fetch Spirit from his stall where she could already hear him laughing as she drew near. Great.

[bigdamndestiny.livejournal.com]

Because Merlin was a PIMP.

Merlin peered out of the stall, looking for the source of the laughter. That was... certainly new.

[fabulous-secret.livejournal.com]

"Making friends, Adora?" Spirit asked, voice low and rough as he bumped her shoulder while she worked to set him loose on the world.

"Hush, now don't you go scaring people just because you think it's funny they've never seen a talking horse. You remember Arrow." Adora could only encourage good behavior from her beloved steed, there was no forcing it.

"Yes, yes, now where is this new boy?" Spirit was beyond curious.

[bigdamndestiny.livejournal.com]

Well.

At least he'd had the dragon to break him of gaping like a fish at a talking animal. "Err-- nice to meet you."

[fabulous-secret.livejournal.com]

"Merlin, this is Spirit," Adora said, making introductions as was only polite. Merlin seemed to be dealing much better than Ned had. "Spirit, meet Merlin of Camelot."

Spirit inclined his head at the boy. "It is my pleasure, young sir."

[bigdamndestiny.livejournal.com]

"Likewise." He looked from horse to Adora, not sure what to say next. "Can all horses where you come from talk?"

[fabulous-secret.livejournal.com]

"Oh no, Spirit's rather...special. He didn't really speak at all until fairly recently." Adora's eyes widened as she realized that begged questions.

"There was a, uh, magical incident," Spirit added helpfully.

"Yes, magical," Adora repeated with a smile.

[bigdamndestiny.livejournal.com]

"Magical," Merlin repeated. As it seemed like the thing to do. "And no one thought anything of this?"

[fabulous-secret.livejournal.com]

"Well, a lot of things were changing for us just then," Adora said, petting her hand over Spirit's neck soothingly. "But lots of animals talk on Etheria, so it's not too unusual."

[bigdamndestiny.livejournal.com]

"I'm beginning to understand that it's a common occurrence in other lands."

Which was still less strange than the technology here. That might be a bit wrong.

[fabulous-secret.livejournal.com]

"Does Camelot have talking animals?" Adora wondered.

[bigdamndestiny.livejournal.com]

"Oh! No, no. Magic is banned in Camelot," Merlin said, shaking his head.

[fabulous-secret.livejournal.com]

"Banned? So it once existed? What a shame to have no magic. Do you have technology like here on Earth?" She couldn't help having so many questions. So many new worlds were out of her realm of understanding.

[bigdamndestiny.livejournal.com]

"Not--really. I've never seen anything like this before coming here," Merlin replied. "And magic is still there, it's just something punishable by death."

[fabulous-secret.livejournal.com]

"By death!" Adora gasped. "Why that's just cruel!"

Spirit grumbled, ears twitching, "How Horde-like.

[bigdamndestiny.livejournal.com]

"Horde?" Holding a conversation with the two of them was proving difficult. "It's the order of the king," He said, as if that was just how it was.

Even if he didn't agree with it.

[fabulous-secret.livejournal.com]

"The Horde controls most of our world. Banning things on penalty of death is just their style," Adora offered. "But your king is against the use of magic?" She couldn't imagine.