Just Outside The Main Gate, Saturday Morning

[bitchprince]

Much like the previous day, Saturday found Arthur venturing back down to the barricade. It was early, the sunlight was yet shallow and leaning towards overcast, and only the first warbles of birds became evident as he slogged at the thing.

At least it had remained intact overnight. He was in full armor yet again, with shamelessly modded Merlin at his side. He'd stayed quiet opposite the boy most of the time, barring talk of strategy. The magic was something that'd have to be discussed again if they managed to survive this whole mess.

He climbed up so he could take a quick survey of the town. Watching the still forms lumber about, he felt a chill settling in his bones. There was only one word he could use to describe it.

"Bugger," he muttered, succinctly, and ran a hand through his hair. Sometimes, he had a knack for brevity.

[[ open post, second verse same as the first ]]

Comments

[weetuskenraider]

Tahiri was about to head out toward the other side of the grounds when she spotted Jaina and headed her way.

"Hey," she said kind of tentatively.

[solo_sword]

'Hey' sounded like the beginning of a conversation, when Jaina had been trying to keep those to a minimum lately. "I don't have long," she said. "I'm on my way back out."

[weetuskenraider]

"So am I, actually." Tahiri shifted uncomfortably. "I just wanted to sort of check up on you."

That probably wouldn't go over so well, but she'd promised.

[solo_sword]

If possible, Jaina shut down even harder. "I don't need to be checked up on. You should get back to your post."

[weetuskenraider]

At least the reaction didn't particularly surprise Tahiri, but she was getting a little annoyed at being kept at arm's length.

She tried, with some hesitation, to project a mild sense of understanding anyway. "Yeah, I'm going. I just wanted to --" She sighed. "Look, I worry, okay? And I sort of understand, and I'm sorry. Push me away or whatever, I don't really care, but if anything happens I'm not leaving things unsaid this time."

[solo_sword]

Knowing Tahiri did understand in any way was probably one of the things that set her more on edge. It just made things seem more real, when at the moment they weren't, and she could do what she needed to do and stave off that realization that she could only hope would come after this was all over.

Still, damn her curiosity. "If anything happens?" she repeated.

[weetuskenraider]

"I'm not assuming anything," Tahiri said, and now she did look tired. "And I have a pretty good idea of how you work, but I can't do things that way. I just wanted you to know. That's all."

[solo_sword]

She got what Tahiri was trying to do. She did. She just didn't have time for it. At least that was the excuse she was going to go with.

"I need to get out there," she said. "Good luck here."

[weetuskenraider]

"Yeah," Tahiri said in a taut voice. "I'm standing guard on the Preserve side. May the Force be with you, Jaina."

She turned, and started to walk away.

[solo_sword]

Suppressing an eyeroll that came with anyone daring to actually care how she was doing, she said, "May the Force be with you, too," at her back, and turned to head back into the town.