Spellbound

[ayoungboy]

This week has been fucking exhausting. He'd been consuling all week and dealing with a threat over in Norway. Somebody trying to brew mind control potions, again. Why couldn't everybody just get along and stop fussing? He's finally back home, in England, heading up the wizarding council while they go over worldwide news, and he gets an invite - no, it isn't that. It's more of a demand, from King Pendragon.

He's a bit tired, really, and didn't feel like dealing with it. "Not now, thank you. Politely decline, for me?" He told the runner. "Send him some magical candy."

He just wanted to go home and finish his book, thank you. He didn't ask for these powers, but if he took a holiday the world would flip out. People held him in high regard for some reason - he wasn't that wise, or old. He was just a young man trying to do right. Yet somehow the King was demanding his presence.

Comments

[ayoungboy]

Merlin laughs, nodding. "I suppose we do."

[royalpratness]

"When do you want to do that ... connection spell? Do you need any kind of preparation time?" Again, Arthur has no idea how magic usually works.

[ayoungboy]

"How about after dinner? We'll need to go someplace quiet. It'll take me a few moments of concentration to work it." Merlin eyes Arthur critically, thinking about the logistics. "Where do you want the mark?"

[royalpratness]

"Sure, we can do that." Arthur worries his bottom lip. "I don't know. Let me think about it over dessert."

[ayoungboy]

"You can show it to the press if you like." Merlin offers, nodding and taking a sip from his glass. "Put it somewhere visible. Or not, whatever your preference." It'll be in the same spot on Merlin, but he doesn't really care.

[royalpratness]

"Yes, that what I was thinking about." Two of the servants enter the room, carrying dessert and another bottle of wine. "How about the inside of the wrist?"

[ayoungboy]

"Ah, it might be a little too big for that." Merlin chuckles, glancing up when servers enter the room.

[royalpratness]

"Oh? How big is it?" Arthur thanks the servant and takes a spoon full of his apple crumble.

[ayoungboy]

"About, ah," Merlin pauses, figuring out a width with his hands. One of the servants gave him a peculiar look, and he flushed a little. "...that big."

[royalpratness]

"That big, huh?" Arthur can't help but smirk suggestively before returning his attention to his food. "Okay. How about here?" He pats the area just below his ribcage.

[ayoungboy]

Merlin shakes his head and looks down at his own dessert. "...yeah, that's good." He coughs awkwardly.

"So...what should our cover story be?"

[royalpratness]

Arthur is still grinning, amused by Merlin's awkwardness. "Do we need one? Obviously, we can't tell the press about the possible legalisation of magic right away. Let's just say it's a series of friendly, political meetings to discuss topics of mutual interests." That sounds vague enough.

[ayoungboy]

"No, I meant," Merlin gestured to the dinner. "I don't want any pictures as Emrys, but your servants or someone are bound to notice me eventually. Maybe, liaison to Emrys? Or is that too obvious?"

I'm gonna be afk for an hour or so now!

[royalpratness]

"Ah, I see what you mean." Arthur ponders this for a moment. "Well, your secrecy is going to make this more difficult but I'm sure we'll be able to work around it. Liaison should be fine."

I'll be here when you get back! ;)

[ayoungboy]

"Sorry." Merlin shrugs a little. "Well. Hm, apprentice type of thing maybe...I don't know, something to think on. God, sometimes I lose track of my identities."

[royalpratness]

"How many do you have?" Arthur grins when something occurs to him. "Can you change the way you look. With a spell?"

[ayoungboy]

"Not even sure at this point." Merlin laughs, then tilts his head. "Possibly. I'm not sure, I don't really...need to, usually?"

[royalpratness]

"That could be a way to work around the secrecy issue. If you could change your appearance, your identity would be safe and you could still claim to be Emrys' assistant or something."

[ayoungboy]

"That is an idea...I'll have to look into it." Merlin nods to himself, taking a bite of dessert.

[royalpratness]

"Okay. We should probably keep in touch. Do you have a phone?" Yet another thing Arthur doesn't know - do warlocks use phones?

[ayoungboy]

Merlin laughs a little, shaking his head. "No, I don't. Being a magician doesn't pay much, aye. Um...hm, well sometimes going through the council takes too long."

[royalpratness]

"It doesn't pay much? Aren't you like, the king of magic users?" Arthur drops his spoon, staring at Merlin in surprise. "If you can't afford a phone, where the hell do you live?!"

[ayoungboy]

"I'm not a king, no." Merlin snorts a little, raising an eyebrow as Arthur drops his spoon. "...where I can, mostly. I usually...stay with this friend, and work off my room and board."

[royalpratness]

Arthur runs a hand through his hair, shaking his head in disbelief. "You don't have your own place?! A house? A flat? Anything?"

[ayoungboy]

Merlin blinks at the reaction and shakes his head. "No. I don't pay taxes either." He beams cheekily. "Got nothing to tax on."