Secluded Part of the Preserve, Early Sunday Morning

[bigdamndestiny]

A ride into the preserve was just what was needed in the early morning. Before the heat of the day would even start to kick in and everything was still and quiet from the night before.

The only things awake with them, it seemed, were the horses and the occasional teal deer that just stared as they passed. It was still a bit unnerving if you asked Merlin.

"It's almost like being home here."

[[For that guy with the hair]]

Comments

[bitchprince]

"We should take the horses a little further up north," Arthur said, casting a look towards them. He fiddled with his own hands for a moment. Needed something to do with them again. "See if we can't find the lake with those furry fish Lady Blysse is so pleased about."

[bigdamndestiny.livejournal.com]

"And then what?" Merlin gave him a skeptical look. "I hope you don't want to eat them."

[bitchprince]

"Yes, Merlin, I was planning to catch some furry fish with all the hunting gear I haven't had you bring," Arthur said, dryly. He still wasn't quite moving; still a little on the tired end of things, but at least no longer as prompted to start babbling.

For now, anyway.

"But it might make for an engaging trip."

[bigdamndestiny.livejournal.com]

"I could catch them if you wanted," Merlin pointed out with a quick grin.

[bitchprince]

"Don't tell me you can catch furry fish with your magic." Why, that might have actually sounded like one of these days he was capable of putting a laugh back in his voice, there.

[bigdamndestiny.livejournal.com]

Merlin smirked and nodded. "I haven't tried before, but it shouldn't be too difficult, right?"

[bitchprince]

"With your luck," Arthur told him, finally struggling up to his feet, "You'll wind up throwing a tree at one of those blue deer."

[bigdamndestiny.livejournal.com]

"I would not!" Merlin sputtered. "I have not since I was a child."

Meaning since he left Ealdor.

[bitchprince]

There was a short halt in Arthur's movements. He placed his hands back against the tree.

"A tree," he said, "Really."

[bigdamndestiny.livejournal.com]

"I--it hasn't happened since?" Merlin replied.

[bitchprince]

"When did it happen?" Arthur asked, eying him. "I need to hear this."

... It sounded like it was going to make him laugh.

[bigdamndestiny.livejournal.com]

Merlin sighed and got up to take care of his horse. "The other boys were being taught to hunt by their fathers for the bad seasons and I wanted to try."

[bitchprince]

"Try what? Killing game by dropping a tree on it?" Arthur asked, as he followed. "You do realise it'd startle hours before it actually fell over, right?"

[bigdamndestiny.livejournal.com]

"...they didn't fall over."

[bitchprince]

Arthur frowned at him. "Then what did they do?"

[bigdamndestiny.livejournal.com]

Merlin made a bit of a face as he untied his horse's lead. "They were rather small trees and I wasn't very good with control then," he said, trying to make it sound better than it was.

[bitchprince]

A pause.

"Don't tell me. You made them explode."

Arthur reached for his own horse's lead.

[bigdamndestiny.livejournal.com]

"I had an arrow in mind, actually..."

[bitchprince]

Arthur shot him a look that read you are clearly completely daft. "You tried to use a tree for an arrow?"

At least by now he sounded like he was having mixed feelings about the strategy rather than the magic.

[bigdamndestiny.livejournal.com]

"I was a child!" A beat. "And it worked. In a way."

It had not bee pretty at all.

[bitchprince]

"In a way," Arthur repeated, as he took a good hold of his horse and pulled himself back up into the saddle. "What way?"

[bigdamndestiny.livejournal.com]

"...it killed the deer?"

[bitchprince]

Arthur digested this.

"You are one of the most peculiar people I have ever met," was his verdict, with a slight laugh that was totally at Merlin's expense. But in a good way. At least he wasn't moing.p

[bigdamndestiny.livejournal.com]

"One day, I'll ask Morgana for all the stories about when you were a child," Merlin pointed out.

[bitchprince]

"She won't tell you a bloody thing," Arthur shot back.

He'd make her.

"Because there's nothing to tell."