paradisa | second; dictated/action

[ Merlin hadn't really expected to ever be running inane errands for Arthur again (for more reason than one), but he took to it with thrilled enthusiasm at the start. It was familiar, and it was simple, and-

Well, it got old after a few days, actually. And it's particularly old right now. He's attempting to carry a tenuously high stack of books back from the castle's library to Arthur's house (which, Arthur living in a house when there's a castle nearby, how's that for backwards) when he trips in the snow and sends the books and himself sprawling.

He only looks mildly chagrined as he goes to collect the books, some of which have more or less vanished into a snowbank. His journal happens to be one of them, and no, he's not aware it's open. ]

- perfect, now he'll call me an idiot for ruining the pages. Probably doesn't even read them. Don't know if anybody's told you, Arthur, but you aren't exactly busy being a king here. If you really wanted to read, you could go to the library like a normal person instead of just keeping books round the house to make you look intelligent.

[ Then, a bit more distracted and muttered under his breath as he focuses on one of the books: ]

King of Cabbage Heads, maybe.

[ Okay, so he might be more than mildly chagrined. He's also crouched down and testing out drying one of the books with magic, but if anyone sees him, he just looks like he's focusing very hard on a ruined book. ]

( ooc: open to action or over the journal! )

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Do not be so rude as to forget it ever again. [Your last warning Merlin. She takes no shit about her family.]

Actually I think he would of told you very little, as we both well know from your tone -- so save that for someone else. [Arthur may be the most noble man she knows and everyone loves him for it. But... she got where she was by being tricky and cutting through others... ~~bullshit~~ nonsense.] If you serve Arthur and serve him loyally and well -- then you should have the truth of the matter. We are not married, he is doing me a great favour so I may, for a time, please my mother. At least until other matters are settled pertaining to the truth.

I would ask you to do the same. [It might sound like a request, but it certainly isn't.] I would hate for you to shame your Lord and Master by acting in a unfitting way and causing a good woman more suffering.

[ Well that takes the wind out of his sails quickly. He's quiet as he takes that in, and if he didn't feel like a heel before, he certainly does now. Because there's people lecturing him about his life, and his future, and he hasn't really got the patience for that - not after what he's done. But this is different.

This is someone lecturing him about her own private business and his cavalier attitude towards it, and there's nothing about what she's saying that isn't right. This is him belittling her life, her choices, and that's exactly what he's been going off on everyone else for. And besides all that, he's meant to be doing this for Arthur.

So, yes. He feels like an ass. Well done. But he sounds composed when he speaks, even if he'd like very much to just shut the book and lay his head on top of it and pretend this is all a very terrible and very bizarre dream. ]

You're right. I'm sorry for making light of it - and I swear to you I'll keep your secret.

[... and just like that, Elizabeth's tone softens. She has what she wants, which is to keep her mother from any more unpleasantness. She's not as unforgiving as her mother after all. She's ruled too long. Not as kind as Arthur but and her temper is awful.

But if he's corrected his mistake for the time being, that's all she wants. When she speaks it is far kinder.]

Then I am contented. It is a pleasure to meet another who knows Arthur.

[ He really has been spoiled by Arthur, hasn't he? At least he can respect Elizabeth's temper as a practical one for a queen to have. Not quite so much with Anne, but he's certainly not going to say as much.

He's not quite sure it's appropriate to enter small-talk with said queen after such a huge miss-step, particularly when he seems to me making a bigger ass of himself than usual. So if this sounds a bit guarded and hesitant, it is. ]

Do you know him well?

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