commentfic... kinda
I am not writing for this fandom. I'm not.
Merlin. *sighs*
Note: This is related to 'A New Fad'
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"Oi, Griflet, says here that it's your turn to go hunting with Arthur," Sir Caradoc motioned to the roster on the armory wall.
Sir Griflet looked up from his sword. "What? Is that servant of his going too?"
Caradoc glanced back at the roster. "What do you think?"
Griflet abandoned his sword and stood up. "No way. Not my turn." He made his way through the cluttered room to the roster.
"Yes, it is."
"No, it isn't. You changed the roster." He pointed to a line on the page. "You're not sticking this with me."
Erec, being new to court and rather surprised over Knights bickering about having to go hunting, interrupted. "Er, guys, do you not like hunting or something?"
Caradoc and Griflet exchanged a cool glance. "New guy?" Griflet asked.
"New guy," Caradoc confirmed. Caradoc turned to Erec. He was one of the older knights and a little intimidating. "Look, kid, you don't understand about what happens on these hunts."
"What happens?" Erec repeated. He presumed they hunted, stalked prey and killed it, that sort of thing. Perhaps this was an odd bit of Camelot slang? His father had told him to watch out for that sort of thing. Apparently townspeople had all sorts of different words and meanings.
"If you're lucky," Caradoc said, "the fumblefoot just scares away the prey. Hey, Griflet, you remember that hart?"
Griflet made a sour face. "The white one? Yeah. After over an hour of careful tracking, we finally had the beast in sight and then Merlin happened."
"Merlin?"
"The prince's servant decided that stepping upon a branch precisely as we were readying our bows was appropriate for a hunt. We've yet to see that hart again in these woods," Griflet said.
"If you're not lucky--" Erec turned his attention back to Caradoc-- "you might get hurt. The kid swings around swords and arrows like they was pansies."
"Remember when he almost hit the prince?"
Caradoc snorted. "He did hit him another time. Luckily he's as clumsy with a weapon as he is with everything else. You didn't see him trying to get the prince into his armor at the tournament."
"You know, if any of us hit him with our weapons, we'd be banned from hunting."
Caradoc's eyes widened slightly. "Now there's an idea..."
"It would never work," Griflet said. "Besides, do you want to be the one to explain why you were banned to the other Knights?"
"I think they'd understand. In fact, I think the prince would have a plague of stray swords and arrows in his direction after that."
"True enough."
Erec was scandalized. "But you are Knights!" he said.
Caradoc raised an eyebrow. "You haven't heard about the disasters yet."
"Disasters?"
"Like the unicorn," Caradoc said. "Drought and famine."
"The gryphon," Griflet countered. "I still don't know how we actually got rid of that one."
"The peasant-knight apparently. Oh, don't forget the Questing Beast."
Griflet shuddered. "No chance of that. Poor Beneviere."
"But surely you can't blame all of that on a servant," Erec protested. "If he's so terrible, why does the prince keep bringing him along?"
Caradoc and Griflet exchanged another knowing and rather annoying glance. "...well, Morgana's maid has a theory," Griflet said, slowly.
"You still bandying that one around?" Caradoc asked, looking a bit uncomfortable.
"Do you know of any others that make sense?"
Caradoc sighed. "No."
"What's the theory?" Erec asked.
"You won't like it," Caradoc warned.
"Try me."
"Well, Gwen wagers that--"
"What are we doing here, gentlemen?" Prince Arthur's voice echoed through the room. Griflet jumped a little and then took a step back, blocking the roster with his body. "Why aren't you readying for the hunt?"
"We're just preparing the new guy, sire," Caradoc said.
Griflet grinned. "He's right eager to join you."
"What!?" Erec hated how strangled his voice sounded. He turned and saw the prince nodding his agreement.
"All right, then. We ride out in an hour," he said. "Don't be late."
"Of course, sire," Erec squeaked.
The prince raised a brow and then left the armory. Caradoc and Griflet each let out a deep breath.
"That was close."
"Indeed."
"What am I going to do?" Erec asked.
"I'm sure everything will be fine," Caradoc said. "Just a hunt after all."
"Just keep away from Merlin." Griflet clapped him on his shoulder and returned to his sword.
Erec looked down at his armor in dismay and started to prepare for the hunt.