The Salle, Monday Morning

[bitchprince]

Arthur had a bit of a hangover. If pressed, he would blame Merlin. However, he wasn't intending to be pressed.

Or to avoid the salle. Even if he and Merlin were a little on the late side today. Honestly, if his head wasn't ringing, he might have contemplated sparring the guy for once. But no.

And so, with a head that clanged like someone had bashed it in with a gong, he settled into his drills, forcing himself not to get sloppy. A rabbit. Seriously. A rabbit.

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Comments

[blondecanary.livejournal.com]

Dinah, by comparison, was perky. Very perky. Having a great adrenaline-fueled weekend away and sleeping soundly last night would do that to a girl.

"Morning, guys!"

[bitchprince]

Arthur was going to outlaw perky immediately. Even if he'd have to take power from Lady Zoe to do so.

"Dinah," he gritted, "Good morning."

[blondecanary.livejournal.com]

Hmmm, someone was less-than-chipper and focused this morning. "Rough weekend?" Dinah suddenly remembered that Merlin's party was supposed to be last night. "Get into the mead?" She grabbed a practice sword and bounced over to the practice dummy. WHACK!

[bitchprince]

Arthur rolled his eyes. "It was Samhain," he pointed out, "It had to be celebrated according to custom." Not that Arthur had had anything but vague intellectual knowledge of custom. Well, and the image of two half-naked maids when he was eight. "Had any fun?"

[blondecanary.livejournal.com]

Dinah gave him a completely amused look, and said, "Yes." Hey, she wasn't quite as loud now. If just as bouncy. "Tropical paradise, city ruins, flying motorcycle, jumping off really tall things, and punching giant crabs and other monstery wildlife with Jak."

So, you know. THE BEST VACATION EVER! Whack!

[bitchprince]

"Mm," Arthur hummed, non-commitally, "I hope you haven't broken anything, throwing yourself off of tall 'things'."

[blondecanary.livejournal.com]

Awww! That was almost like a statement of concern! Albeit a hungover, grumpy one.

"Nope! We had a blast, no injuries worth mentioning always assuming they don't fall off the zoomer, just some sunburn. I'm glad you had so much fun-- and mead-- last night." Dinah grinned at him, and started her drill against the dummy with extra energy. "Anything else happen? No ghosts showed up on Halloween itself?"

[bitchprince]

There was a slight, pregnant pause as the idea of saying Raven cast a love spell on half the island and Merlin turned Katchoo into a rabbit passed by Arthur's mind.

"Not really," he said. "Watch your footwork."

[blondecanary.livejournal.com]

Yeah, that might have lead to self-injury through Bzuh?!

Dinah picked up the footwork and said, "I fought Emma last week in Fencing Club. I think she won although we didn't resolve the thread on points. She knows a lot more moves, disengages and cuts, than I do. I think I'm faster though."

[bitchprince]

"Fencing with foils," Arthur said, failing to restrain his distaste, "Or actual swordfighting?"

[blondecanary.livejournal.com]

"Foils. We get real swords next week." Dinah stopped bouncing long enough to give him a considering look. "I'll pick one similar to this one. Have to warn them about kicks and so on during the fights, Emma wasn't expecting that. She recovered fast, though. But I guess her telepathy didn't help her expect everything I could do."

[bitchprince]

"The method behind fencing is different," he noted. Distaste. DISTASTE. "The goal in such cases seems to be mainly to poke you in the arm. When it comes to the sword as we use it, the moves are different. Don't bother with flourishes until you have a decent strike down."

[blondecanary.livejournal.com]

"Okay," Dinah said, reassured. "Anyway. It's helping, the Fencing Club, I mean. Different drills, and being able to practice against someone who isn't you, and therefore won't automatically be able to kick my ass."

[bitchprince]

"Mmm, yes," Arthur said, because that was a fact. "Which is good. I've been contemplating pitting you against Morgana..."

[blondecanary.livejournal.com]

"Yes!" Dinah still had leftover bounce and yes! from the weekend, apparently. "That would be awesome. I know she has a lot more experience, but still!"

[bitchprince]

"Don't get too excited," he cautioned, "But I'll speak to her about it. Might as well keep you both in some shape." Before Morgana started bitching about it.

[blondecanary.livejournal.com]

"Cool!" Dinah beamed at him, and did the wrist-twirl with the sword, aiming a cut at the dummy's midsection, then slashing upward. "Thanks, Arthr." And with a little bit of mercy as well as amusement: "Do you need ice for your head?"

[bitchprince]

"I am fine, Dinah," Arthur said, rolling his eyes.

He'd leave any complaints for Merlin, thank you.

[blondecanary.livejournal.com]

Dinah grinned at him, shot poor, collapsed Merlin a pitying look and a giggle, and went back to murdering the practice dummy. With finesse. Also, humming. Suddenly I see / This is what I wanna be...

[bigdamndestiny.livejournal.com]

Merlin was being his usual alert and prepared self as he flopped over, using Arthur's good jacket as a pillow and dozed lightly.

It was a bust evening and then there was the hangover bit and so... he was napping, damn it.

[bitchprince]

Arthur eyeballed him from across the salle.

The words lazy git, however, did not stray beyond his mind for reasons he felt were entirely benevolent.

Although he did mutter a fucking rabbit under his breath once.