Protecting the Peace
Author: Gilli_ann
Title: Protecting the Peace
Rating: G
Characters: Arthur, Gwen, Merlin
Summary: Arthur needs to solve a tricky time scheduling conflict
Word Count: 530
Prompt: Strip
A/N: Canon divergence.
Protecting the Peace
Arthur entered the room so abruptly that the heavy door hit the wall with a bang. He was fuming.
"That fool! That stupid dragon-wrangling imbecile! I'll strip him of his title as court sorcerer and appoint him second apprentice court jester instead. This time, he's gone too far!"
Guinevere looked up at him with a small frown. "What has Merlin done now?"
Arthur stomped over to his favourite chair and flung himself into it with a loud groan. "He's invited all the Druid tribes to a gathering and festival here at Camelot. And they have accepted!"
"You've wanted to befriend the Druids for a long time, Arthur. This sounds like good news?"
"Merlin's invited them to come during the exact same week that the big Biennial Tournament will take place."
"Oh."
"Yes, oh." Arthur sighed and leaned back, slowly letting go of his agitation. "The Druids are pacifists. I can't have knights jousting, killing, and maiming with Druids in attendance. It'd be seen as the worst of affronts."
"You shall have to change the timing of either the tournament or the festival."
"Merlin is their Emrys. His word is law, apparently, and must be obeyed, so the festival timing is sacrosanct. And the tournament timing has been fixed for a hundred years."
"Did you ask Merlin why he choose that week for the festival?"
"I was too angry. Druids can't be quite right in the head, if you ask me, trusting so blindly in Merlin. He can't lead himself out of a burlap sack most of the time, much less lead a whole people. But I do know he's never liked our tournaments. He thinks people are getting wounded or killed for no reason other than vanity and entertainment."
"He might have a point, dear."
Arthur rolled his eyes, but didn't reply. He loved tournaments. They were excellent when it came to challenging knights and guards to improve their skills, and as Camelot's many-time champion he himself excelled at weaponry.
"Maybe -" Gwen said, getting up and walking over to the window, "-maybe we can manage to merge the two?"
"I don't see how."
"Let's say the tournament challenges knights to stay calm under pressure and avoid drawing their swords despite unwarranted provocation," Gwen mused. "The champion will be the one who most adroitly manages to avoid starting a fight, the one who keeps a level head and finds an alternate solution."
"You might call it level-headedness, but many would call it cowardice."
"Do those many include you?"
"I'm not sure..."
"Knowing how to de-escalate a dangerous situation surely is as important to a knight of the round table as knowing how to fight well."
"Perhaps."
"And then, the Druids surely will be willing to teach the best ways to tend to wounds and to set broken bones, for instance. Very important skills for knights in the field, I'd imagine."
"That is certainly true."
"Let me talk to Merlin, Arthur, and see if we can work out a joint plan along these lines."
"Go ahead. But your proposal had better be beyond amazing."
"I think it will. We'll create something entirely new: The very first Protecting the Peace Tournament."
Title: Protecting the Peace
Rating: G
Characters: Arthur, Gwen, Merlin
Summary: Arthur needs to solve a tricky time scheduling conflict
Word Count: 530
Prompt: Strip
A/N: Canon divergence.
Protecting the Peace
Arthur entered the room so abruptly that the heavy door hit the wall with a bang. He was fuming.
"That fool! That stupid dragon-wrangling imbecile! I'll strip him of his title as court sorcerer and appoint him second apprentice court jester instead. This time, he's gone too far!"
Guinevere looked up at him with a small frown. "What has Merlin done now?"
Arthur stomped over to his favourite chair and flung himself into it with a loud groan. "He's invited all the Druid tribes to a gathering and festival here at Camelot. And they have accepted!"
"You've wanted to befriend the Druids for a long time, Arthur. This sounds like good news?"
"Merlin's invited them to come during the exact same week that the big Biennial Tournament will take place."
"Oh."
"Yes, oh." Arthur sighed and leaned back, slowly letting go of his agitation. "The Druids are pacifists. I can't have knights jousting, killing, and maiming with Druids in attendance. It'd be seen as the worst of affronts."
"You shall have to change the timing of either the tournament or the festival."
"Merlin is their Emrys. His word is law, apparently, and must be obeyed, so the festival timing is sacrosanct. And the tournament timing has been fixed for a hundred years."
"Did you ask Merlin why he choose that week for the festival?"
"I was too angry. Druids can't be quite right in the head, if you ask me, trusting so blindly in Merlin. He can't lead himself out of a burlap sack most of the time, much less lead a whole people. But I do know he's never liked our tournaments. He thinks people are getting wounded or killed for no reason other than vanity and entertainment."
"He might have a point, dear."
Arthur rolled his eyes, but didn't reply. He loved tournaments. They were excellent when it came to challenging knights and guards to improve their skills, and as Camelot's many-time champion he himself excelled at weaponry.
"Maybe -" Gwen said, getting up and walking over to the window, "-maybe we can manage to merge the two?"
"I don't see how."
"Let's say the tournament challenges knights to stay calm under pressure and avoid drawing their swords despite unwarranted provocation," Gwen mused. "The champion will be the one who most adroitly manages to avoid starting a fight, the one who keeps a level head and finds an alternate solution."
"You might call it level-headedness, but many would call it cowardice."
"Do those many include you?"
"I'm not sure..."
"Knowing how to de-escalate a dangerous situation surely is as important to a knight of the round table as knowing how to fight well."
"Perhaps."
"And then, the Druids surely will be willing to teach the best ways to tend to wounds and to set broken bones, for instance. Very important skills for knights in the field, I'd imagine."
"That is certainly true."
"Let me talk to Merlin, Arthur, and see if we can work out a joint plan along these lines."
"Go ahead. But your proposal had better be beyond amazing."
"I think it will. We'll create something entirely new: The very first Protecting the Peace Tournament."