Clouds and Silverlinings (Chapter 11)
Author: ext_4137531
Title: Clouds and Silverlinings (Chapter 11)
Rating: G (some previous chapters are NC-17/R)
Pairing/s: Merlin/Arthur Pendragon
Character/s: Merlin, Arthur Pendragon, Uther Pendragon, Morgana
Summary: (Continuation of my Victorian AU WIP) Merlin wants Arthur to finally give him his opinion and Uther wants Arthur to prepare him for a ball.
Warnings: None
Word Count: 1,163
Prompt: #489 - Makeover
Author's Notes:
You can find the previous parts of this story on AO3 here.
Chapter 1 | Chapter 2 | Chapter 3 | Chapter 4 | Chapter 5 | Chapter 6 | Chapter 7 | Chapter 8 | Chapter 9 | Chapter 10
After an awkward first week, things began to settle down in the Pendragon household.
Merlin woke early for walks around the gardens, often pausing to sketch something in a notebook that he found particularly pleasing to the eye. He was making good progress on Morgana’s portrait. He hadn’t gone past his initial sketches yet, wanting everything to be perfect for Arthur.
Not that Arthur would give him any modicum of approval.
Merlin showed him his progress regularly at the end of a sitting because Arthur always attended Morgana’s sittings; for propriaties sake, he claimed. Making non-committal noises when Merlin asked for his opinion.
The senior Pendragon was more forthcoming with his praise, and he was present today as Merlin put the finishing touches to his final sketch, ready for Arthur to pick his favourite. He’d have to give his opinion now, Merlin was his patron, whether Arthur liked it or not.
Putting down his charcoal on the easel, Merlin stood up. He wiped his hands on a rag.
“Mr. Pendragon,” he called. Both Pendragon’s raised their heads from their newspapers. “I think I’m finished. Come and let me know which sketch you would like to proceed with.”
“Oh, and I don’t suppose I get a say in this?” said Morgana. “Even though it’s my portrait.”
“Ah, but it’s my gift to you,” said Arthur. “That means I get to choose. Don’t pretend it would be otherwise if it was the other way around.”
Arthur glanced down at the sketches Merlin had lined up for him to examine.
“Do that one, Merlin. It highlights Morgana’s pig nose perfectly.”
Morgana squealed, her hand flying to her nose and Merlin and Arthur had to duck as a shoe came hurtling towards them.
“Arthur! Morgana! Behave yourselves!” Uther barked. “You’re acting like children, the pair of you. And in front of a guest!”
“Sorry, Father,” they both muttered as Merlin retrieved and returned Morgana’s shoe.
Uther came over and looked at the pictures contemplatively.
“These really are remarkably good,” he said warmly. “You have a good technique and a unique style Mr. Emrys.”
Merlin shrugged. He just drew and painted what he saw. No airs or graces or fixing people’s flaws in the way most artists did.
A lot of portraits looked exactly alike, as artists followed the latest trends, regardless of what their client actually looked like. Merlin wasn’t like that. If nothing else, he prided himself on his realism in his art.
“Arthur,” said Uther. “I think it’s rather time Merlin was introduced, don’t you? There’s a ball on Friday at the Wentworth residence. I want you to take him with you.”
“But Father-”
“You’ll have to make him presentable of course…”
“Presentable!” said Merlin, realising he was being discussed.
“Take him upstairs to your room. Find him something of yours that will fit. You’re about the same height.”
“But Father, I-”
“Do not argue with me, Arthur. I’ve made up my mind. And you should paint this one, Mr. Emrys,” he said, pointing to the second sketch, before straightening his shoulders and tucking his book under his arm before he strode from the room.
Arthur sighed.
“Come with me,” he gestured.
“Arthur-” Merlin hissed quietly.
Morgana smirked at them both. “I don’t know what you two are quarrelling about. You’ve just been given a reason to be alone together. Best make the most of it.”
She pulled on her shoe and then blew kisses at them before she, too, sailed out of the room.
Rolling his eyes Arthur said, “As I was saying, follow me please, Mr. Emrys.”
Arthur marched smartly out of the room and Merlin smothered a grin, recognising what was apparently a Pendragon family trait.
He followed Arthur curiously. Whilst obviously, Arthur lived here in the Pendragon Manor. Up until now, the location of his rooms had remained a mystery to Merlin. He followed Arthur towards a new wing of the house, the decor less extravagant here. They went up a flight of stairs and down a corridor before Arthur stopped in front of a door on the right.
He opened the door and then motioned for Merlin to enter.
Cautiously, Merlin stepped inside, taking a few more steps until he was standing in the middle of a luxurious, yet practical sitting room.
Arthur closed the door behind them and whisked past Merlin.
“Come on,” he said, heading for a door on the right hand side of the room.
Merlin hurried after him, stopping in the doorway as he realised this was Arthur’s bedroom.
“I said come on, you idiot,” came Arthur’s voice.
Glancing around, Merlin finally spotted a door at the side of the room and found himself in another room filled with clothing.
Inside Arthur was focused on flicking through some garments. He pulled out what looked like trousers, a shirt, and a dining jacket and threw them towards Merlin who almost fumbled them in surprise.
“Try those on,” Arthur commanded.
Merlin frowned and set the clothing aside as he pulled at his tie and started to undo his collar and shirt buttons.
“Don’t get dressed here!” Arthur hissed. “Go and use the screen in my bedroom, for goodness sake!”
Merlin smiled, amused. “Are you shy all of a sudden, sir? It’s not as though you haven’t-”
“I said go!” snapped Arthur, his face rather flushed as he looked away.
Merlin rolled his eyes and picked up the clothing, retreating to the next room and changing into the suit behind Arthur’s screen as requested.
“Can I come out now?” he asked. “I promise I’m decent.”
Arthur snorted.
“Let’s have a look at you then.”
Merlin stepped out and Arthur who was nearby examined him.
“The fit is all right. But it needs… something else,” he muttered. “Wait here.”
He returned again with a waistcoat, tie and top hat and urged Merlin to put them on. Meeting his eyes, Merlin removed the jacket where he was and pulled on the waistcoat.
“You don’t have to be so confrontational, you know,” he said, as he attempted to do up his tie. “We could just be friends.”
“No, we couldn’t.”
“Why not?”
“Because. That’s not how this works.”
“Arthur-” began Merlin softly, reaching out a hand towards him.
Backing away as though burned, Arthur’s eyes filled with sadness. “Don’t,” he said. “Please, just- don’t.”
He turned away for a long moment before he straightened his shoulders and turned back to face Merlin.
“We’ll have to get you something proper if Father wants you to attend more social events, but this should be sufficient for your first time. You can borrow my second best gloves. Now why don’t you get changed, Mr. Emrys. It will be dinner soon.”
Merlin frowned, but did as Arthur asked, reluctant to make things more difficult after getting a glimpse under Arthur’s steely veneer. The door clicked softly behind him as he headed back to the screen.
Title: Clouds and Silverlinings (Chapter 11)
Rating: G (some previous chapters are NC-17/R)
Pairing/s: Merlin/Arthur Pendragon
Character/s: Merlin, Arthur Pendragon, Uther Pendragon, Morgana
Summary: (Continuation of my Victorian AU WIP) Merlin wants Arthur to finally give him his opinion and Uther wants Arthur to prepare him for a ball.
Warnings: None
Word Count: 1,163
Prompt: #489 - Makeover
Author's Notes:
You can find the previous parts of this story on AO3 here.
Chapter 1 | Chapter 2 | Chapter 3 | Chapter 4 | Chapter 5 | Chapter 6 | Chapter 7 | Chapter 8 | Chapter 9 | Chapter 10
After an awkward first week, things began to settle down in the Pendragon household.
Merlin woke early for walks around the gardens, often pausing to sketch something in a notebook that he found particularly pleasing to the eye. He was making good progress on Morgana’s portrait. He hadn’t gone past his initial sketches yet, wanting everything to be perfect for Arthur.
Not that Arthur would give him any modicum of approval.
Merlin showed him his progress regularly at the end of a sitting because Arthur always attended Morgana’s sittings; for propriaties sake, he claimed. Making non-committal noises when Merlin asked for his opinion.
The senior Pendragon was more forthcoming with his praise, and he was present today as Merlin put the finishing touches to his final sketch, ready for Arthur to pick his favourite. He’d have to give his opinion now, Merlin was his patron, whether Arthur liked it or not.
Putting down his charcoal on the easel, Merlin stood up. He wiped his hands on a rag.
“Mr. Pendragon,” he called. Both Pendragon’s raised their heads from their newspapers. “I think I’m finished. Come and let me know which sketch you would like to proceed with.”
“Oh, and I don’t suppose I get a say in this?” said Morgana. “Even though it’s my portrait.”
“Ah, but it’s my gift to you,” said Arthur. “That means I get to choose. Don’t pretend it would be otherwise if it was the other way around.”
Arthur glanced down at the sketches Merlin had lined up for him to examine.
“Do that one, Merlin. It highlights Morgana’s pig nose perfectly.”
Morgana squealed, her hand flying to her nose and Merlin and Arthur had to duck as a shoe came hurtling towards them.
“Arthur! Morgana! Behave yourselves!” Uther barked. “You’re acting like children, the pair of you. And in front of a guest!”
“Sorry, Father,” they both muttered as Merlin retrieved and returned Morgana’s shoe.
Uther came over and looked at the pictures contemplatively.
“These really are remarkably good,” he said warmly. “You have a good technique and a unique style Mr. Emrys.”
Merlin shrugged. He just drew and painted what he saw. No airs or graces or fixing people’s flaws in the way most artists did.
A lot of portraits looked exactly alike, as artists followed the latest trends, regardless of what their client actually looked like. Merlin wasn’t like that. If nothing else, he prided himself on his realism in his art.
“Arthur,” said Uther. “I think it’s rather time Merlin was introduced, don’t you? There’s a ball on Friday at the Wentworth residence. I want you to take him with you.”
“But Father-”
“You’ll have to make him presentable of course…”
“Presentable!” said Merlin, realising he was being discussed.
“Take him upstairs to your room. Find him something of yours that will fit. You’re about the same height.”
“But Father, I-”
“Do not argue with me, Arthur. I’ve made up my mind. And you should paint this one, Mr. Emrys,” he said, pointing to the second sketch, before straightening his shoulders and tucking his book under his arm before he strode from the room.
Arthur sighed.
“Come with me,” he gestured.
“Arthur-” Merlin hissed quietly.
Morgana smirked at them both. “I don’t know what you two are quarrelling about. You’ve just been given a reason to be alone together. Best make the most of it.”
She pulled on her shoe and then blew kisses at them before she, too, sailed out of the room.
Rolling his eyes Arthur said, “As I was saying, follow me please, Mr. Emrys.”
Arthur marched smartly out of the room and Merlin smothered a grin, recognising what was apparently a Pendragon family trait.
He followed Arthur curiously. Whilst obviously, Arthur lived here in the Pendragon Manor. Up until now, the location of his rooms had remained a mystery to Merlin. He followed Arthur towards a new wing of the house, the decor less extravagant here. They went up a flight of stairs and down a corridor before Arthur stopped in front of a door on the right.
He opened the door and then motioned for Merlin to enter.
Cautiously, Merlin stepped inside, taking a few more steps until he was standing in the middle of a luxurious, yet practical sitting room.
Arthur closed the door behind them and whisked past Merlin.
“Come on,” he said, heading for a door on the right hand side of the room.
Merlin hurried after him, stopping in the doorway as he realised this was Arthur’s bedroom.
“I said come on, you idiot,” came Arthur’s voice.
Glancing around, Merlin finally spotted a door at the side of the room and found himself in another room filled with clothing.
Inside Arthur was focused on flicking through some garments. He pulled out what looked like trousers, a shirt, and a dining jacket and threw them towards Merlin who almost fumbled them in surprise.
“Try those on,” Arthur commanded.
Merlin frowned and set the clothing aside as he pulled at his tie and started to undo his collar and shirt buttons.
“Don’t get dressed here!” Arthur hissed. “Go and use the screen in my bedroom, for goodness sake!”
Merlin smiled, amused. “Are you shy all of a sudden, sir? It’s not as though you haven’t-”
“I said go!” snapped Arthur, his face rather flushed as he looked away.
Merlin rolled his eyes and picked up the clothing, retreating to the next room and changing into the suit behind Arthur’s screen as requested.
“Can I come out now?” he asked. “I promise I’m decent.”
Arthur snorted.
“Let’s have a look at you then.”
Merlin stepped out and Arthur who was nearby examined him.
“The fit is all right. But it needs… something else,” he muttered. “Wait here.”
He returned again with a waistcoat, tie and top hat and urged Merlin to put them on. Meeting his eyes, Merlin removed the jacket where he was and pulled on the waistcoat.
“You don’t have to be so confrontational, you know,” he said, as he attempted to do up his tie. “We could just be friends.”
“No, we couldn’t.”
“Why not?”
“Because. That’s not how this works.”
“Arthur-” began Merlin softly, reaching out a hand towards him.
Backing away as though burned, Arthur’s eyes filled with sadness. “Don’t,” he said. “Please, just- don’t.”
He turned away for a long moment before he straightened his shoulders and turned back to face Merlin.
“We’ll have to get you something proper if Father wants you to attend more social events, but this should be sufficient for your first time. You can borrow my second best gloves. Now why don’t you get changed, Mr. Emrys. It will be dinner soon.”
Merlin frowned, but did as Arthur asked, reluctant to make things more difficult after getting a glimpse under Arthur’s steely veneer. The door clicked softly behind him as he headed back to the screen.