005. [voice/video]

[oncefutureking]

[there is quite a bit of rustling, as though arthur has picked up the device and forgotten he had turned it on. footsteps come across, brisk, and the sound of a door opening and closing

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[destinedsorcery]

[ His voice is breathy on the other end, as if he's been at a run for sometime and has only just stopped to rest. ]

Arthur- you can't find her either?

[oncefutureking]

[this is not the information he wanted to hear]

You mean you haven't?

[destinedsorcery]

[ insert some bewildered sort of stammering on merlin's part. still concerned for her but the outrage at being arthur's punching bag by default is getting old. ]

I've looked everywhere I can.

[oncefutureking]

[while normally he would seem to rip his head off, he seems to deflate a little, voice hard with worry]

As have I.

[destinedsorcery]

[ his voice quiets at length, maybe in part due to his own concern and also for arthur's unexpected silences. ]

She'll turn up. She has to.

[oncefutureking]

[he's quiet for a moment, before putting forth an idea]

I have been told that, on occasion, people disappear. They say it's relatively normal.

[destinedsorcery]

[ the hope he can hear in arthur's voice is almost painful. hope and maybe outright defiance. of the circumstances maybe, of his own fear. merlin knows better than to question it. ]

You think she's gone back then? To Camelot?

[oncefutureking]

That is the theory. [he speaks slowly] But nobody knows for sure.

[destinedsorcery]

[ there's a momentary lapse of silence on his end, not that arthur would believe he's actually thinking over on his end, but he is. considering the idea and when he finally speaks, the words are equally slow. ]

She is very strong though, isn't she.

[oncefutureking]

[its clear this has at least a touch of effect, as some sarcasm slips back into his voice]

As she is so fond of reminding me.

[destinedsorcery]

[ it's something of a relief to his ears, not one he'll be admitting openly anyway because really, probably just be one step forward ten steps back. ]

Didn't she say something about besting you when you were children?

[oncefutureking]

[despite himself, arthur grabs for the distraction. he's not about to stop searching yet, but...]

That never happened.

[destinedsorcery]

[ he plays the part just as well, the smile bleeds into his voice. ]

I don't know, she sounded rather insistent about it.

[oncefutureking]

Oh Morgana is insistent on everything. If you believed everything she said, then no doubt everyone would think she was Queen of Camelot.

[he's exaggerating. but only a little, in his opinion]