asgardmeridiem | [Closed]

Entry tags:

merlin,
mithian

[Closed]

Who: Merlin (

dragonspeak) & Mithian (

burping)
What: Two friends spend some time together
When: Day 187
Where: The Citadel (then all around the city)
Rating: PG

Thwak! Thwak! The sharp sound of arrows hitting their target filled the open air. Merlin lowered his bow and studied the target with a frown of concentration. One of his arrows had lodged itself surprisingly close to the center, but the rest of them were scattered across the outer rings. Another couple had missed the target completely.

Merlin sighed, plucking at the bowstring absently. He'd improved--he would hope so, after all that practicing--but he knew he could do much better. He set his equipment down on the nearby rack. As he reached for the water bottle to take a drink, he paused.

Had that been someone in the doorway he'd seen?

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Mithian knew better than to surprise someone who was shooting their bow, it could end up with someone with an arrow in their leg. So as soon as he shot the last arrow, she slipped outside, having been watching him for a few moments, to greet him.

"Merlin," she said with a warm smile, glancing at his target. "How do feel practice is coming along?"

"Mithian," Merlin greeted back just as warmly. He wasn't all that surprised to see her in the building; she'd been lurking in the Citadel a few times before, if he remembered correctly.

"Eh, it's going all right. Could be doing better." Merlin glanced at the target again while he took a sip of water. "What brings you here?"

A princess doesn't lurk, Merlin, she observes. As it is, yes, she did come to the building a few times here and there. Of course, when he said his practice could be going being, she offered an encouraging smile. "They always say that practice makes perfect but I believe that practice can teach you to learn from your mistakes instead."

She glanced around, "I came to observe." Lurk.

"Wise words." Merlin chuckled, fiddling with the water bottle. "It's been a few months since I started learning the bow, and I've made more mistakes than I could count. At least I can actually hit the things I shoot at in battle now."

He waved a hand toward the door. "Did you want to see Arthur? I think he's probably in there somewhere, if you wanted to watch him train the new student. His next class doesn't start until some time later."

"No, I imagine Arthur is busy and his student may not want an audience." She knew she wouldn't. She glanced at the bow in Merlin's hands before her expression turned more thoughtful. "I could help you to learn, if you'd like Merlin."

"Probably not--at least not the student. When's Arthur ever given up the chance to show off a little?"

Merlin glanced at her in surprise. "You know how to use the bow?"

That wasn't entirely expected, at least not from a princess. Morgana had been skilled with the sword, as she'd demonstrated in Ealdor, but Merlin had always thought her situation was the unusual one.

"I know how to use a crossbow with more proficiency but yes." And she'd been taught with a regular bow first, of course.

"That surprising." He realised how that might sound and fumbles a little. "I mean...in a good way. I just thought princesses weren't supposed to be taught things like that."

Which was ridiculous. Morgana and Gwen had both fought as valiantly as any knight when they were in Ealdor. Same with the women in the village, too. It made sense that women be allowed to protect themselves in some way.

She'd forgotten that he'd hadn't known her, that he hadn't been there on their hunt... yet. She smiled a bit wider, tolerant of his ignorance just because she was a woman, a princess. "I am quite good at it, actually. I've been hunting with my father many times. In fact, when I came to Camelot, I hunted with Arthur."

Oh, right. Merlin had almost forgotten that she and Arthur were to be wedded at one point.

"I hope you showed him up," Merlin laughs, remembering how indignant Arthur had been when Elena beat him at racing. "It's good for him, I promise."

"I believe I killed a dear, if memory serves. But we could never find it." Poor Gwen. Her smile faltered a little. "Although perhaps that is the real reason he broke off our betrothal. He seemed disturbed after it happened."

"Because of a hunt? Doesn't sound like him."

Merlin took a seat on the bench, patting the space beside him in invitation. If they were going to talk, he'd feel awful making her stand the whole time.

"More like he thought he wouldn't be able to do your marriage justice. Arthur wouldn't go back on his word because of something so trivial. Besides, you're much nicer than most of the courtiers around Camelot. Smart, too, if I'm not wrong. Why else would he refuse?

Unless...he said something to you?"

Mithian shook her head at his first question, moving to sit beside him and smooth out her skirts. And she smiled softly as he went on, flattered. "It was because his heart belonged to another and he needed to be true to it."

"Ah...that would be it."

Merlin fell silent for a second, staring out at the targets in thought.

"You know, you're actually not the first princess he was supposed to be married to. Princess Elena, from Gawant--you might know of her--she was the one Uther chose as his bride," Merlin hedged. "It was probably some time ago by the time you got to Camelot. Arthur refused to go through with that one, too."

"Yes, I had heard," she murmured softly, glancing down at her hands. It didn't make the sting to her pride hurt any less, considering the princess was considered a bit of a disaster. But she was long over being spurned now. "It is in the past. The heart mends faster than you'd think and I was fortunate not to have mine broken," she said candidly.

Merlin glanced at her. For all she said about having mended, it seemed there was still something about the rejection that bothered her.

"I'm glad...that you were spared it." He'd had his broken several times in the past, and it isn't something he would wish on others.

"I think," he started again, turning his body toward her. "I mean, I know I'm just a servant back in Camelot, but I think a princess like you shouldn't have trouble finding someone to love her. The thing with Arthur didn't work out, but maybe it's because you haven't found the right person yet."

It would bother her, of course, the shame of returning to her kingdom without a husband, as promised. The lands were valuable but she wondered what her people would think of her (even if she was beloved).

Merlin's words are kind and she rewards them with a smile. "Thank you for such kind words, Merlin. I can only hope that every can be as fortunate in being true to their hearts as Arthur is."

Edited 2013-01-09 01:42 (UTC)

"I don't see why not."

He looked down, remembering how torn Arthur had looked about Elena and Gwen. It was a difficult choice between love and duty to the kingdom.

"It doesn't work that way with all the courts, but why not marry someone out of love instead of duty? As long as they can help you rule the kingdom fairly, then...shouldn't it be all right?"

"I have a duty to my kingdom," she murmured softly, even if she said she'd give it up if she could be so loved, it was a conditioned response.

"Then," Merlin said, with a light touch to her arm. "I hope the man you eventually marry is one you can come to love."

Before Camelot, Merlin never would have guessed there were so many complications to being royalty. What caught your eye at first sight was the finery, not the duties that came with all of the riches. It was sad that Mithian believed she could not marry for love.

"Come on." Merlin stood up abruptly. "Enough of all this depressing talk, why don't you show off your archery skills a bit?"

"Thank you," she murmured with a tiny smile before nodding at his suggestion. She stood up with him, walking towards where he'd been shooting. "I would be glad to."

Merlin restrung the bow with deceptive ease--just because he could get that part right didn't mean he was that great of a shot--and handed it off to the princess.

"How long have you known how to use the bow?"

"Since I was young. My father does not have any sons so he taught me instead." She moved to pick a stance, pulling on the bow to get a feel for it before she aims and shoots. She hits the target and almost the center, just the outer ring.

"Well, I guess that makes sense. He'd want someone to share the experience with."

Uther had Arthur, though he also seemed to give Morgana a lot of leeway when it came to those things as well.

Merlin watched Mithian prep, then applauded enthusiastically when the arrow buried itself in the target. "Wow. You weren't joking. I can hit the inner area sometimes now, but it took me a while even do that."

"I'm a little out of practice considering I used a crossbow during the battle," she murmured with a smile as she offered him the bow. "I can teach you to shoot if you'd like."

Edited 2013-01-15 17:00 (UTC)

Arthur would probably never let him hear the end of it, but...

"I think I could use some pointers," he said sheepishly, taking the bow back and unstringing it. That was enough practice for one day.

"You should come by the Citadel more often and practice with me. Arthur might make some noise about it at first, but I think he even he can see that everyone needs to fight in some way."

Edited (typos...) 2013-01-15 17:07 (UTC)

"If it's a matter of pride, you can always say you're teaching me," she laughed a little with a shrug. "I was trained by the best, afforded the opportunity, there's nothing wrong with learning from a woman."

"If you'd seen how terrible I was in the beginning, you'd know I have no pride left already." Not that he had much to begin with.

He set about collecting the arrows, smiling. "I don't mind learning from a woman. Gwen was the one who explained all the armour parts to me when I first got to Camelot, and Morgana probably could have taught me a thing or two about swordsmanship then, too."

"Then you are truly a rare specimen," she teased, moving to help collect arrows herself. "And I applaud you for it."

Merlin laughed, holding the quiver out so she could slip the arrows in.

"Not really. Us commoners just have it much more simple, you know. The womenfolk in my village helped as much as the men did, and we didn't have the time to worry about all the proper court stuff."

And slip them in she does with a smile. "That is a trait I hold dear, to be sure."

"It gets tiring, dealing with all of that expectation, doesn't it? I know you're raised with all of it, but..."

Once Merlin had gathered everything, he slung the bow and quiver over his shoulder. He nodded his head toward the door.

"I'll put these away, it'll only take a second," he said, slipping into the storage room and then back out minutes later. "Was there anywhere you wanted to go?"

"It may grow tiring but I do not let it show when it does, it's my obligation, as you have yours, I have mine." Basically, it's just the way things are even if she might long for simpler things from time to time.

She waits for him patiently, fingers tracing the target before she straightens and turns towards him. "I am not sure."

"Well, you're here, and I'm not doing anything. It's been some time since I showed you around any part of the city."

Merlin smiled at her winningly. "There must be something you've been thinking of."

"What is your favorite part of the city, Merlin?"

"Me?" He asked with some surprise.

"I guess...the park in Baldr. There's a lot of us in the house, and it's nice to get a bit of quiet."

"I can only imagine it's been chaotic, with so many coming and going."

"A good kind of chaotic," he assured her. "In the beginning, it was just me an' Morgana around. All of us living together, it feels like we're...closer."

He bit his lip. "We haven't seen much of you in the house. You know you're welcome to drop in or stay with us any time, don't you?"

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freaking posting the comment always helps /sob

/pets

<333

<33!

<333

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