The Salle, Monday Morning

[bitchprince]

Not that Arthur would admit it, but yesterday had helped to calm him down from the state of introverted confusion he'd been in since Thursday. He was no longer showing signs of such, or at least nothing that was as easily, visibly sedate.

He was, however, very focused on his own swordwork that morning. He'd asked Merlin to stand guard come with him into the salle, but now that what bothered him worst had gotten out, he was free to focus on his movements to ward off the rest of it. Slowly, carefully, and with full concentration, he lapsed into familiar patterns that were as easy as breathing by now.

[[ open salle, but I'll be SP in bursts until the evening ]]

Comments

[bigdamndestiny.livejournal.com]

He was awfully close for this. That thought managed to flit through Merlin's brain before it was shooed away by other things. Like how Arthur smelled.

...he needed a bloody shower.

It was not attractive in the slightest. Got it?

"Are you insulting the virtue of my mother?"

[bitchprince]

"Not at all," he said, loftily, "Merely that of the father you've never met."

[bigdamndestiny.livejournal.com]

"I think she would do better than a fishmonger," Merlin informed him with mock sternness.

[bitchprince]

"You would think so," Arthur agreed, nodding thoughtfully, "But that doesn't explain the taste of your potions."

[bigdamndestiny.livejournal.com]

"It may be better than being the person who willingly drinks them."

[bitchprince]

"Yes, I see your point," Arthur said, sarcastically, "Next time I have a head-splitting ache or lose a limb I'll go without."

[bigdamndestiny.livejournal.com]

"Oh! Did I tell you what Karla taught me?" Merlin asked, suddenly sitting upright and eager.

[bitchprince]

"No," Arthur said, slowly, "You didn't. Go ahead."

[bigdamndestiny.livejournal.com]

"We worked on bringing dried herbs back to life so they can be more potent."

Oh, it was like showing off his macaroni art from camp.

[bitchprince]

The jock who was at camp because he played football so damn good blinked at him.

"Fascinating," he said.

[bigdamndestiny.livejournal.com]

Merlin rolled his eyes. "I'm working on causing seeds to grow for me without needing the time of a season."

[bitchprince]

Arthur would ignore the eye-roll. "That might be knowledge to take to Reno," he observed.

[bigdamndestiny.livejournal.com]

"I haven't managed it yet," Merlin added quickly. "It's very-- tiring. You can't simply give life to something without pulling it from somewhere else."

[bitchprince]

Arthur's brow knitted together; then again, he was learning more about magic by the day, here.

[bigdamndestiny.livejournal.com]

Merlin tried again. "If I tried it on crops, I worry about the effect it might have elsewhere."

[bitchprince]

"I got that, Merlin," Arthur assured him, thoughtfully. "That's really a rule, though?"

Learning, man. Learning.

[bigdamndestiny.livejournal.com]

"With that sort of thing, yes."

[bitchprince]

"Hm."

Another moment of looking thoughtful. Then:

"Find whatever herbs you can that might grow over there, at least?"