Painting the pig part 2
Author: 
archaeologist_d
Title: Painting the Pig - part 2
Rating: PG
Pairing/s: none
Character/s: Merlin, Will, Hunith, Old Man Simmons
Summary:. Merlin was in trouble again with that stupid pig of old Man Simmons.
Warnings: none
Word Count:1117
Camelot_drabble prompt 551: Paint
Author’s notes: none. I can't seem to stop writing longer pieces. Sigh. A companion piece to Sewing Skills. https://archiveofourown.org/works/46585450
Disclaimer: I do not own the BBC version of Merlin; They and Shine do. I am very respectfully borrowing them with no intent to profit. No money has changed hands. No copyright infringement is intended.
o/o/o/o/o/o/o/o/o/o/o/o/o/o/o/
Will wasn’t in much better shape, covered in mud and muck. At least, he’d had the brains enough to find some rope and hook it around Isabelle’s neck but he was still pulling on her, trying to get her to go back into her pen.
Isabelle the pig wasn’t having any of it but at least she was colourful, all those dyes painting her in bright tones. She would likely be the talk of the village for months to come.
Simmons was screeching about his pig but just standing there, letting Will do all the work. Molly was next to him, wringing her hands, her clothes now a mess of colours and mud. Near her hut, Hunith could see the reds and yellows in little puddles and the fabric Molly had been dyeing ruined as well.
In the distance, Gethin and Cardoc were laughing behind their hands, looking thoroughly smug.
Nodding toward the pig, Hunith said, “Merlin, please help Will get Isabelle back into her pen. I want to have a word with Mr Simmons and Molly about this.”
Simmons turned on her, pointing one bony finger at Merlin as he scampered away to help Will. “It’s his fault she got out. Again. That boy is a menace and should be locked up. The stocks at least. For a week. A month. Put some sense into him.”
Staring him down, using her sternest voice, she replied, “Did you see him let the pig out or was she already out? I have it on good authority that those two.” She nodded toward the bullies, who backed up a little while she glared at them and then disappeared behind the hut. “Let Isabelle out and then Gethin scared her enough to run into Molly’s tubs. So I ask you again. Did you see either Merlin or William let Isabelle out?”
“Of course, they did. They are both troublemakers,” Simmons snarled.
Hunith raised her voice to the rest of the village, now gathered around. “Did anyone see Merlin or William let the pig out? Or did you see them both try to get her back into her pen?”
The headman, Matthew, harrumphed a little, then said, “Those two are always causing trouble but I thought I saw them the other side of the village when the pig first got loose.”
“And Molly, did Merlin scare the pig into your yard or was he just trying to catch her?” Hunith stared at Molly, daring her to tell the truth.
“Well…no. Catch her maybe. But it doesn’t matter. My cloth is ruined and I can’t… I don’t have the… they’re ruined.” Molly wrung her hands, looking as if she were trying not to cry. She gave a little sniff, then said, “But it was Gethin who scared the pig, shrieking like that. About scared the living daylights out of me.”
By this time, Merlin was at Hunith’s side, looking miserable and Will standing next to him was not much better. Muddy or not, Hunith put her arm around Merlin and gave him a little hug before letting go.
Turning to Matthew, she said, “Then I suggest that you talk to both Gethin and Cardoc and get their stories. They’ve been pestering Merlin for a while now and while I thought they had come to their senses, apparently not. I will certainly be discussing this with Owen and Alen about their boys.” She sent those two parents a glare that would have roasted most people.
“And now, Tomos, your pig has been returned and I’ll hear no more about Merlin letting her out.”
Simmons sputtered but didn’t argue, just muttered to himself as he stomped back to his house.
The rest of the village melted away. The excitement was over but Molly was still there, wringing her hands. Hunith linked arms with her, gently guiding her back to her hut.
Thankfully, the vats were not completely empty so Molly could salvage some of the dyes but the cloth she’d so painstakingly woven was soaked in mud. There wasn’t much to be done to salvage it all. As she sat Molly down on the bench outside her hut, Hunith said, “I think I may have some lye around for getting the mud stains out. I would be glad to share.”
When Molly nodded at that, Hunith winked up at her boy. “As for cleaning it, once Matthew is done with those two bullies, I will be having a long discussion with their parents. But if they don’t see reason, Merlin and I will help you. It’s the least we could do. After all, we are in this together, are we not?”
Beside her, Merlin just grumbled under his breath.
Molly gave a little sniff. “That’s kind of you, Hunith. I know that you have your own work to do. I’ll be glad of the help although I might not be getting the bright colours I’d hoped for.”
Hunith just patted her hand. “Well, we’ll see how that goes. In the meantime, let’s get your cloth down to the river and wash most of the mud out of it before it sets. Those bullies can do the rest tomorrow if I have anything to say about it.”
When Molly nodded and began to gather her fabric, Merlin muttered, “Why do I have to help? It’s not fair.”
Shaking her head, Hunith said, softly so Molly wouldn’t hear, “The village can live or die on helping each other. We are all in this together, everyone doing their part for the greater good. And I know it seems unfair and it is, but Molly needs our help and I’m not sure those two miscreants are going to get punished for anything.”
“I could give them boils?” Merlin said, trying to look innocent.
“Much as they deserve it, there would be questions,” Hunith warned, although she’d love to see those pillocks get boils and maybe losing their hair, too. In patches.
“But Mum, it’s not fair,” Merlin whined again.
“No, my love, it’s not.” Hunith reached over, and brushed through his hair, getting some of the dried mud out of it, then looked at his face. There were yellow streaks there on his cheek and some red soaking into his neckerchief. But instead of telling him to go change, she gave him a soft smile and said, “Maybe Will could come along and you can swim in the river after we finish?”
His eyes lit up at that. “And honey cakes after?”
She just laughed. “And honey cakes after.”
----------------------
Molly’s fabric was mostly saved although some of it had unique orange tones. But more importantly, Cardoc and Gethin had boils for a month.
And they deserved it.
archaeologist_d
Title: Painting the Pig - part 2
Rating: PG
Pairing/s: none
Character/s: Merlin, Will, Hunith, Old Man Simmons
Summary:. Merlin was in trouble again with that stupid pig of old Man Simmons.
Warnings: none
Word Count:1117
Camelot_drabble prompt 551: Paint
Author’s notes: none. I can't seem to stop writing longer pieces. Sigh. A companion piece to Sewing Skills. https://archiveofourown.org/works/46585450
Disclaimer: I do not own the BBC version of Merlin; They and Shine do. I am very respectfully borrowing them with no intent to profit. No money has changed hands. No copyright infringement is intended.
o/o/o/o/o/o/o/o/o/o/o/o/o/o/o/
Will wasn’t in much better shape, covered in mud and muck. At least, he’d had the brains enough to find some rope and hook it around Isabelle’s neck but he was still pulling on her, trying to get her to go back into her pen.
Isabelle the pig wasn’t having any of it but at least she was colourful, all those dyes painting her in bright tones. She would likely be the talk of the village for months to come.
Simmons was screeching about his pig but just standing there, letting Will do all the work. Molly was next to him, wringing her hands, her clothes now a mess of colours and mud. Near her hut, Hunith could see the reds and yellows in little puddles and the fabric Molly had been dyeing ruined as well.
In the distance, Gethin and Cardoc were laughing behind their hands, looking thoroughly smug.
Nodding toward the pig, Hunith said, “Merlin, please help Will get Isabelle back into her pen. I want to have a word with Mr Simmons and Molly about this.”
Simmons turned on her, pointing one bony finger at Merlin as he scampered away to help Will. “It’s his fault she got out. Again. That boy is a menace and should be locked up. The stocks at least. For a week. A month. Put some sense into him.”
Staring him down, using her sternest voice, she replied, “Did you see him let the pig out or was she already out? I have it on good authority that those two.” She nodded toward the bullies, who backed up a little while she glared at them and then disappeared behind the hut. “Let Isabelle out and then Gethin scared her enough to run into Molly’s tubs. So I ask you again. Did you see either Merlin or William let Isabelle out?”
“Of course, they did. They are both troublemakers,” Simmons snarled.
Hunith raised her voice to the rest of the village, now gathered around. “Did anyone see Merlin or William let the pig out? Or did you see them both try to get her back into her pen?”
The headman, Matthew, harrumphed a little, then said, “Those two are always causing trouble but I thought I saw them the other side of the village when the pig first got loose.”
“And Molly, did Merlin scare the pig into your yard or was he just trying to catch her?” Hunith stared at Molly, daring her to tell the truth.
“Well…no. Catch her maybe. But it doesn’t matter. My cloth is ruined and I can’t… I don’t have the… they’re ruined.” Molly wrung her hands, looking as if she were trying not to cry. She gave a little sniff, then said, “But it was Gethin who scared the pig, shrieking like that. About scared the living daylights out of me.”
By this time, Merlin was at Hunith’s side, looking miserable and Will standing next to him was not much better. Muddy or not, Hunith put her arm around Merlin and gave him a little hug before letting go.
Turning to Matthew, she said, “Then I suggest that you talk to both Gethin and Cardoc and get their stories. They’ve been pestering Merlin for a while now and while I thought they had come to their senses, apparently not. I will certainly be discussing this with Owen and Alen about their boys.” She sent those two parents a glare that would have roasted most people.
“And now, Tomos, your pig has been returned and I’ll hear no more about Merlin letting her out.”
Simmons sputtered but didn’t argue, just muttered to himself as he stomped back to his house.
The rest of the village melted away. The excitement was over but Molly was still there, wringing her hands. Hunith linked arms with her, gently guiding her back to her hut.
Thankfully, the vats were not completely empty so Molly could salvage some of the dyes but the cloth she’d so painstakingly woven was soaked in mud. There wasn’t much to be done to salvage it all. As she sat Molly down on the bench outside her hut, Hunith said, “I think I may have some lye around for getting the mud stains out. I would be glad to share.”
When Molly nodded at that, Hunith winked up at her boy. “As for cleaning it, once Matthew is done with those two bullies, I will be having a long discussion with their parents. But if they don’t see reason, Merlin and I will help you. It’s the least we could do. After all, we are in this together, are we not?”
Beside her, Merlin just grumbled under his breath.
Molly gave a little sniff. “That’s kind of you, Hunith. I know that you have your own work to do. I’ll be glad of the help although I might not be getting the bright colours I’d hoped for.”
Hunith just patted her hand. “Well, we’ll see how that goes. In the meantime, let’s get your cloth down to the river and wash most of the mud out of it before it sets. Those bullies can do the rest tomorrow if I have anything to say about it.”
When Molly nodded and began to gather her fabric, Merlin muttered, “Why do I have to help? It’s not fair.”
Shaking her head, Hunith said, softly so Molly wouldn’t hear, “The village can live or die on helping each other. We are all in this together, everyone doing their part for the greater good. And I know it seems unfair and it is, but Molly needs our help and I’m not sure those two miscreants are going to get punished for anything.”
“I could give them boils?” Merlin said, trying to look innocent.
“Much as they deserve it, there would be questions,” Hunith warned, although she’d love to see those pillocks get boils and maybe losing their hair, too. In patches.
“But Mum, it’s not fair,” Merlin whined again.
“No, my love, it’s not.” Hunith reached over, and brushed through his hair, getting some of the dried mud out of it, then looked at his face. There were yellow streaks there on his cheek and some red soaking into his neckerchief. But instead of telling him to go change, she gave him a soft smile and said, “Maybe Will could come along and you can swim in the river after we finish?”
His eyes lit up at that. “And honey cakes after?”
She just laughed. “And honey cakes after.”
----------------------
Molly’s fabric was mostly saved although some of it had unique orange tones. But more importantly, Cardoc and Gethin had boils for a month.
And they deserved it.