IP: 82.19.140.112
Posted on October 3, 2014 at 00:57:05 AM by arthur
““We haven’t heard that one before, have we Arthur?” scoffed Pendragon as he appeared suddenly on the sill of the open window. The merlin fixed Thoth with a hard stare before turning his sharp yellow gaze on Morveren with obvious disdain. The king ignored his familiar pointedly. Truthfully, it wasn’t an excuse Arthur heard with as much regularity as one would imagine for the father of a teenage son. Tristan might get into trouble on an alarmingly regular basis, Arthur reflected, sparing his ruined office another heavy inspection, but at least he usually stepped up to take the blame. In normal circumstances, and with any other boy than Thoth, Arthur would have been a good deal more suspicious of the excuse. It was strangely fortunate for Thoth that his familiar had such a well-known reputation for carpet theft. “Do everyone in this castle a favour,” Arthur said, bending down to scoop the water-fox up off the floor as he entered the room, “and keep a closer eye on her.” Holding onto Morv with his right hand, the king extended his left for the papers Thoth had clutched to his chest. When the boy obliged Arthur put them down on the little table pushed against the wall; it was one of the few items of furniture still standing. The table didn’t stand on the rug and had survived the assault unscathed. Sighing, Arthur passed Thoth his renegade familiar and then moved back across the room to right his chair and to inspect the rest of the scattered papers. He made a half-hearted attempt to sort them into some semblance of order but very quickly surrendered. His scribes were going to be thrilled. Arthur swept them up into one misshapen pile and placed them on the surviving table with the other rescued sheets. “Thank you for trying to clear it up,” the king said to Thoth with the smallest of smiles, “I appreciate it. Others might have decided just to run off instead.” Arthur had experienced Thoth’s temper enough times to know that he needed to employ a different tactic to the one he would have used with Tristan. On the windowsill Pendragon puffed up his feathers in indignant disapproval and muttered something about Arthur missing the point as usual. His perches had been on the upended furniture and were lost in amongst the rubble. Deciding grumpily that he had had enough, Pen turned around and flew off out of the open window without another word. “Ignore him,” Arthur advised Thoth knowingly, “he gets grumpier the older he gets but he doesn’t mean everything he says.” The king ran his fingers through his hair and gave another tired sigh. “How about we try and fix this mess together?” he suggested tipping his head in the direction of the desk, “I have an appointment later today and I’d rather not ask them to sit on the floor.” The king had not forgotten what Thoth had said about his wardrobe. “I thought we agreed when I gave you your laboratory that you were going to stop dismantling your room?” He did not raise his voice and he didn’t sound critical; in fact Arthur’s tone was almost conversational. Almost. There was a slight bite just beneath the surface, enough to encourage Thoth to take him seriously, but hardly enough to offend. “If you need materials for anything you just need to go and ask someone in the stores or in the workshops. I asked them all to help you with whatever you need.”  |
Replies:
- someday you'll walk tall with pride - By thoth October 5, 2014 at 11:04:05 PM
- guide him with your grace - By arthur October 11, 2014 at 08:58:07 PM
- son of man, a man in time you'll be - By thoth October 30, 2014 at 02:40:54 AM
- guide him with your grace - By arthur October 11, 2014 at 08:58:07 PM
Post a reply:
<--
-->