Just Outside the Main Gate, Friday Morning

[bitchprince]

He'd been assessing people resources for most of the previous day. Since there had yet to be word from Lady Zoe, Arthur took the opportunity today to scope out how much space there would be for a barricade - if one could even be feasible.

This brought him to the area just outside the gates, wearing full armor and backed by Merlin-the-idiot-sorcerer, his eyes shooting towards the road in front of them from time to time.

[[ open, especially to merlin, and zombie-ok as well! ]]

Comments

[bitchprince]

Well, that was strategy for you.

"It's hard to tell," Arthur said. "If radio is to be believed, we've been losing warriors in droves." He paced up to the line of one wall.

[bigdamndestiny.livejournal.com]

Merlin nodded, looking down the road as well. His tactics may not be the best, but put him in a corner and you'd have one hell of a fight.

"We'll find a way."

[bitchprince]

"Of course we will," he said, with forced blase arrogance that was so well-practiced it sounded like the regular breed. "We'll need to establish a credible line of defense." Not that he expected Merlin to understand any of that.

[bigdamndestiny.livejournal.com]

He... understood the defense bit. "What do we need first?" Why yes, yes he was offering his powers for this.

[bitchprince]

"We'll need to set up that barricade," he replied, his eyes shooting from one end of the gates to the other. "First, we'll have to gain the Lady Zoe's permission." He wasn't touching on Merlin's powers just yet, and his words implied a keen sense of distance. "This is her castle. We can't presume she hasn't deployed her own measures."

[bigdamndestiny.livejournal.com]

"We could ask today," Merlin offered hopefully. "Perhaps?"

[bitchprince]

"No, Merlin, let's wait a week and see what happens."

[bigdamndestiny.livejournal.com]

Merlin just shot him a foul look. "You're the one with the bright ideas."

[bitchprince]

"And I'm happy you finally choose to recognize that," Arthur said, dryly. "By far better than yours. But yes. I see no reason to postpone it."

[bigdamndestiny.livejournal.com]

"Of course, sire."

[bitchprince]

Arthur turned a little to consider him. Merlin and magic. "You really can't make them dissappear?" He was choosing to avoid the m-word this time.

[bigdamndestiny.livejournal.com]

"I'd have done it already if I could," Merlin said, thinking of Francine.

[bitchprince]

Arthur answered that with a silent nod. Somehow, a witty quip didn't seem quite appropriate. "Did you listen to the radio last night?" he asked.

[bigdamndestiny.livejournal.com]

"I did."

[bitchprince]

So had Arthur. For once. He nodded again. "We're losing too many. It seems to be hard to understand such easy principles as don't wander off."

[bigdamndestiny.livejournal.com]

"That seems to be the largest problem here," Merlin agreed. "Following an order."

Hey, Merlin followed orders from time to time even!

[bitchprince]

"You'd think that after last time, they'd pick a smarter time to be insolent."

[bigdamndestiny.livejournal.com]

"With the harpies?" Merlin shook his head. "I suppose it made them brave?"

[bitchprince]

"Brave but stupid," Arthur said, dryly. "You do belong here."

[bigdamndestiny.livejournal.com]

"As much as you do," Merlin shot back.

[bitchprince]

"Hardly. I'm smarter than you," he pointed out. This felt eerily normal.

[bigdamndestiny.livejournal.com]

"And what do you base this on?"

[bitchprince]

"I'm your prince. I don't need to explain myself to you," Arthur said.

[bigdamndestiny.livejournal.com]

"Of course not." Ass.

[bitchprince]

"I'm glad we agree."