Arthur ♜001

[princeclotpole]

Who: princeclotpole and somarium
Where: Espoir
Style: Either, starting in third
Status: Open

"Merlin!" A young man, looking somewhat frazzled and annoyed asked as he lead his horse through the village, bellowing at the top of his lungs. "Merlin you are the most useless, empty headed, lazy manservant I have ever known. If you don't turn up soon and explain where I am

Comments

[princeclotpole]

"Well that's handy indeed isn't it?" He smiled then because a tavern was at least something familiar and like home and the other outlying kingdoms of Albion.

"Well it's a pleasure to meet you Ezio." That name was a strange one, foreign but it fitted with the accent and that strange word 'amico'. He'd have to ask what that meant but for now he laughed. "Merlin? I suppose he's a friend of sorts. He's meant to be my manservant but he's utterly hopeless and an idiot. If he's around here he's probably hiding behind a tree and blaming me for this even though he's the one who gets himself involved in situations that don't concern him."

But Merlin would have enough sense to look for a village and Arthur had ridden around as much as he could before giving Tarrento a rest and he hadn't seen him and Merlin would have heard the shouts. He might be thick but he wasn't deaf.

"It's very good of you to offer shelter for now and I would like to take you up on that offer." He had his sword if need be but nothing seemed untoward and it wasn't as if the man had shown any recognition of Camelot or of his name and seeing as he wore no crown currently then it was clear that he didn't have a clue as to who Arthur truly was. So much the better; being a prince in a strange land could be risky.

[punchesbards]

"For the most part. Though I do often hear drunks stumbling from the tavern late at night," he grinned, keeping up the light air about him. He gave the younger man a once over, and from the look of him, he didn't seem to be much of a threat. Most of the time when someone magically showed up here, they needed to be eased into the new situation, just as people had been kind enough to do with him. He was only returning the favor, really.

"I can't say I've met anyone named Merlin, so I would say he isn't here." He released Santo's reins for the moment, reaching with his free hand down into one of the pouches on his hips. "Do you have one of these?" He asked as he produced the dreamberry, "Before you ask how it works, I still don't have much of an idea myself...just the basic functions. It serves as a means of communication between the people that end up here." He waved it around as he spoke, eventually stopping so he could look through the contact list. "It seems your manservant isn't here," He lifted a brow up, shoving the dreamberry away again,

"Bene, my cottage isn't far." He nodded his head in that general direction, grabbing Santo's reins once more, and planning on explaining further once they were settled, "Welcome to Somarium," He said with a clearly sarcastic tone. "You'll learn to tolerate it."

[princeclotpole]

A quick tug on the reins and then Arthur was astride his horse, urging him closer to Ezio's so he could fall into step easily. It was unsettling that Merlin not be around - he'd gotten used to him over the past year and more and he hoped that wherever he was he was alright. The idiot managed to get himself into scrapes but he managed to get himself out of them too although Arthur would never admit that to him.

"Typical," was his only comment to that but when he saw the strange thing Ezio held he shook his head before he started to rummage around in the saddlebags, finding mostly things like his weapons, some coins, another couple of items wrapped up until his fingers came into contact with something he couldn't recognise by touch alone and he drew it out. "What sort of sorcery...what the hell is this supposed to be?" He tapped it cautiously, pressing various buttons until the screen lit up, making him swear as his eyes went wide.

He too managed to check some sort of list of names - well, there was his, this Ezio's, that girl from earlier and Ezio was right, no Merlin. Damn.

"Is it true that this place is some sort of a dream world?" He sounded skeptical because he was. Such things were the stories of nonsense and sorcery but even then, sorcery couldn't create entire realms. "I'd rather not have to tolerate it but if I must then I will rise to meet the challenge in a way that is befitting."

Another chance to prove himself he supposed if he ever needed reasons to remember who he was and how to conduct himself. And he was sure that once the shock had worn off, he'd need to remind himself of that constantly until it finally sunk in that he was here for the duration.

[punchesbards]

"Si," He answered with a nod of his head, leading the way down the road with Santo in tow. "That is what I've been told, and I'm still not entirely sure I believe it." He looked down to his broken arm, "Last I checked you couldn't feel pain in dreams--and yet I've felt plenty." the assassin sighed lightly, turning a corner as they began to near his home.

"So you've been told already that you'll be here a while then?" He lifted a brow up at the younger man as they walked, almost looking sorry for him--up until that last bit, then he laughed, "A good plan to have, amico." He agreed, "It's best to keep your guard up. Somarium is unpredictable. You could be stuck here for months, or years I've been told." and plenty of random things happen, like magically appearing statues and falling castles.

They finally reached the front of his cottage, and Ezio promptly released the horse to send him off into the field, "Any other questions?" he was sure there were plenty more on the way.

[princeclotpole]

Taking that word - he'd ask the language later, really, he would - to mean yes, Arthur nodded along, trying to keep everything straight in his mind and he looked at the man's arm, wondering how he'd hurt it before he looked to his own arm and his elbow. He could feel a bruise forming from how hard he'd pinched himself and that assured him that he had to be awake.

"I've had extensive training on how to keep an eye out for any signs of danger." Wrapping the reins around his hands he pulled tight, a muscle in his jaw clenching at that news. Well, he'd have to start looking for some sort of a way out because he couldn't even afford to spend days or weeks here. His father needed him. Camelot needed him. "Is there no way out at all? No monster that needs slaying, no ruler or warlord to be bargained with?" He didn't have much at his disposal but that didn't always matter. Surely someone would know who exactly he was and he could use that as possible leverage.

At the cottage Arthur quickly removed the saddle first as he had too many possessions to keep safe and he didn't want to lose anything that could prove useful before, slightly warily, he let his horse join Ezio's. It was stupid to worry about the horse in somewhere that looked so safe but it was the closest living reminder of home he had currently.

"Can I ask how long you've been here and if you just...found yourself here, no recollection as to how you managed to get here?" He slung the saddle across his shoulders as he spoke, waiting to follow after the other man.

[punchesbards]

"Have you? Well that will come in handy," But not really considering half the things that happened here surprised even him. The way the other man held himself and spoke said quite a bit for Ezio already, there was no doubt he wasn't a threat, and even less of a doubt he couldn't hold himself in a fight.

Again Ezio laughed, light hearted considering the news he had to tell the other. It wasn't really anything to laugh about, being stuck here against your will, but Ezio was learning to accept it rather unwillingly. Arthur wasn't the only one that had things to do back home, "No one knows of a ruler here, or any 'monsters' that need slaying. Believe me, I've already looked, this place simply 'is'." He furrowed his brows, motioning for the younger man to follow him inside the cottage, holding the door open for him and then closing it once they were both inside.

"Two months?" He wasn't entirely sure. He'd have to check his journal for dates, but he assumed it had been about two months now, "Some others I've spoken to have been here for years, and others have claimed to have left and come right back. None of us are entirely suer how we got here either." he didn't really like to tell people this, and he could obviously imagine what it must sound like. He heard the same thing when he first arrived, "There's no telling when you might leave, or if you'll just end up coming right back. I'm not really a big fan of the system Somarium is running."

He nodded his head for the guest room down the hall, "You can keep your things in there, and stay as long as you need until you find your own cottage." here he offered a small smile, "I'm sure whoever and whatever is waiting for you back home will be fine until you arrive." wild guess says the man had stuff to do back home, just like everyone else more or less.

[princeclotpole]

Quite matter-of-factly Arthur raised one eyebrow and nodded to himself and the stifling chainmail he wore. "I've been trained to kill since birth." Some of the earliest memories he had involved learning how to hold his sword and aim at targets, a very precious few with his father being on the other side, encouraging Arthur on.

"I'll bear that in mind," Arthur murmured, looking around the cottage. It was different to Hunith's and to Guinevere's but it was homely and he felt safe enough already here that he allowed his shoulders to drop a little, some of the tension leaving his body. "I've never heard of anything like that but then again I've never seen a Dreamberry before or been in a dream world before so for now I shall endure and learn what I can." The smile on his face was ever so slightly forced but his eyes showed the determination and sincerity behind his words.

With a quick thank you and a hand clapping down on Ezio's shoulder, he set off for the guest room, glad to set down the heavy saddle and rifle through his things. Bow and arrows, some daggers, sharpening stones, coin purse and oddly enough, his crown. Sitting on the bed he ran his fingers across it before he replaced all the items and began to strip off his armor down to just his shirt, breeches and boots and after a brief hesitation, his sword ended up on the bed too.

That done - it was a bloody relief to get out of all that chainmail - he left the guest bedroom, strolling around to find somewhere to sit for a moment and to let everything sink in for just a second and when he found a room that looked something like a living room, he grinned and headed for a chair until he caught sight of the painting and walked over to it. Whoever had painted it had great skill and he wondered who the people were in it and where it was set as nothing looked familiar to him.

Although nothing about today had been familiar thus far and that was already starting to feel like a trend that would continue for some time.

[punchesbards]

Ezio looked curious when the other man mentioned that so proudly. Even with the title of 'assassin' Ezio wasn't very fond of taking another's life, and he could only imagine what it was like to be trained to kill from birth. Altair and Malik had been, and yet they didn't seem anything like the young man standing before him now. Maybe some training methods were different, and maybe Arthur's wasn't as intense as Altair and Malik's. Obviously not if he actually had his father by his side for it. Not that Ezio had the slightest idea about any of it.

"I hadn't heard of any of this before I arrived either, so I understand where you're coming from," He offered a sincere little smile, watching the other man wander off to put his things away and then flopping down on the couch a moment. He looked up with a sigh, idly undoing the belts and what not until he had stripped himself of his won armor. He didn't think he was going to get sneak attacked when Arthur came back in.

He didn't say anything when the attention was focused on the painting, waiting until Arthur was done staring at it before he said,

"Since no one was kind enough to offer this when I first arrived--and I'm sure I needed it--" He started, leaning forward a bit with a grin, "We could walk over to the tavern for a drink if you'd like. I'm sure it might help," IE: We can go and talk about all this nonsense and drink ourselves stupid. Because who doesn't like doing that?

[princeclotpole]

All part and parcel of being a prince, a far more enjoyable existence than being an assassin. Not that he knew anything about that either. And he'd had the other knights too or the boys who had become knights and visitors from other kingdoms who were friendly challengers.

All in all, a very comfortable and privileged existence.

Oh and it would be some time before Arthur said anything about that painting seeing as he wasn't a girl or anything like that.

"A drink at the tavern sounds great. They do serve food of some description too, yes?" Because he couldn't remember when he'd last eaten and anyway, nothing wrong with a few pickled eggs to go with a drink. He clapped Ezio's good arm and grinned. "Lead on my good man, to the tavern."

[punchesbards]

"Si, of course. I often get my meals there. It's far better than nothing," and Tifa usually just brought him stuff over, being that he lived two seconds away and sometimes he forgot to eat. Someone had to feed the poor bastard.

Ezio grinned with the hand on his arm, sending a glance over to the man beside him before moving to head out the door, hidden blade on hand and nothing else. They were there in less than a minute, and he waited until Arthur was inside the tavern before waltzing on in himself and making his way for the bar.

[princeclotpole]

So things inside the tavern were a little more modern than Arthur was used to but it still had that air to it that every single tavern he had ever visited seemed to possess and he could feel himself smiling, looking this way and that at the surroundings. It only served to highlight the fact that he was hungry and he followed Ezio to the bar still looking this way and that.

"Nice looking place, locals don't look as unwashed and unsavoury as some I've come across." Which was good because a bar fight was not on the cards for the evening. "They serve mead or cider here right?" He'd drink something else but either or those would be preferred. Once he had a drink in his hand, he'd start with a few more questions. Some about the Dreamberry and a couple about Ezio - he wanted to know where the man was from and a little about his life.

[punchesbards]

Ezio didn't say much of anything to Arthur until they reached the bar and sat down, seeing as he was busy greeting the regulars that knew him well enough by now. Once they were settled he nodded, "More than certain they do. They serve things here I've never even heard of before, so you should be set." he assured the man, finally returning that pat on the shoulder now that his arm was free.

"The locals are easy to get along with. They just don't like answering questions about this place, unfortunately." before Arthur even thought to ask. Don't bother bro, they'll just be weird and smile like creeps. Asking the others that had been stuck here for a while was at least a bit easier.

[princeclotpole]

Well that scratched out a line of questioning but he still might try once or twice to see if he could get anything more out of them. Taking a long pull on his drink, he sighed because yes, the mead was just as good as back home. Thank heaven for small blessings. And Ezio for bringing him here which was the best thing to do after arriving in a strange place. Yes, a bed for a while until he found a place of his own (or a way home), good company and a good drink.

Sometimes it was the little things.

"Can I ask where you come from then to start? I can't place your accent at all." That was a reasonable enough question wasn't it?

[punchesbards]

Ezio knew well of how important those little things could be, and honestly, he wished someone had offered him a drink when he first arrived. That wasn't to say people weren't offering him places to stay though, because they had been kind enough for that.

Either way, Ezio took a few swigs of his own drink, having been eyeing around the place for familiar--and possibly unfamiliar--faces just for the sake of looking at something other than the cabinets behind the bar. When questioned, he glanced back to Arthur,

"Italy," he offered with a slight quirk of his brow, "I'm not surprised, some people here have never even heard of it. And you?" because he honestly couldn't guess.

[princeclotpole]

Italy? He'd never heard of it before and it probably showed on his face as he directed the look into his drink, nodding. At least it explained the strange accent and the odd words Ezio had used. And the name. There weren't many called Ezio romping around Camelot or the outlying kingdoms.

"I'm from Camelot, one of the kingdoms of Albion." And, because Ezio gave off some very serious trustworthy vibes he leaned in a little closer so he could talk in a lower voice without being overheard by everyone else in the tavern. "I'm actually Prince Arthur, son of Uther. But don't spread it around. If word gets out, I'll know it's you." He tried for a stern look at the end but it came out as more of a smirk. If people hadn't heard of Camelot, there was very little for him to worry about outside of the getting back to Camelot business.

[punchesbards]

He couldn't say he heard of that either. So the confusion was mutual, but not entirely unexpected. He knew there were people from different countries, worlds, time periods, so acting surprised was kind of stupid at this point.

When Arthur leaned in to whisper, Ezio ducked his head down a bit. That surprised him. He had only met one other prince here; that being his adopted brother Dastan, and he acted nothing like he would expect from a prince. Arthur on the other hand had a different air about him, likely because he was born into the title.

"Your secret is safe with me, amico." he teased lightly, "How honored I am to be sharing my home with a prince."