(Untitled)

[dragonsemrys]

Merlin has lettuce in his hair.

(It's not on purpose.)

One warlock scrubbing up by the fireplace. There's ale and some fruit with honey waiting for him when he's done.

[tinytag: BBC Merlin]

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[a_lioness]

"Food fight?" asks the redheaded woman sitting in a nearby armchair, legs stretched out (not terribly far) before her. She has been watching him with mild curiosity, a small smile on her otherwise impassive face.

She is dressed nicely in black tunic, tight breeches and boots, in a fashion that might seem fairly familiar to Merlin, and has a well-made and lovingly maintained sword across her lap. A shirt of light mail at her feet looks as if it has been recently shed, along with a scarlet and gold shield depicting a lioness rampant.

[a_lioness]

Her eyes flick up to the ceiling for a moment, then fix on his face.

"Ah. My mistake. After all this time and all these places, I don't know why I try."

A quick, open smile, and she hopes he'll take it as another moment of Gaul-Galla confusion.

"How long have you been serving your prince?"

[dragonsemrys]

"Not very long. Almost three weeks. And only put in the stocks once.

"I don't know if I'd last eight years, like you."

[a_lioness]

"It wasn't just Jon, at first. Pages wait on anyone and everyone, on top of their studies and training."

She's still watching him intently.

"Perhaps. Perhaps not. What do you most want in all the world, Merlin?"

[dragonsemrys]

Merlin looks at her oddly. He's gotten some strange reactions from people here, and he's almost used to it, but this is different.

"I want to understand things and take care of people. I want to keep Arthur safe and see him crowned. I want Camelot to welcome magic again.

"There are probably other things too but I change my mind about those every day."

He's still quite young, even for a legend.

[a_lioness]

Her lips curve in a small smile.

"Not so very different, then, from what I wanted." Except for the magic, but she'll circle back around to that. "If serving Arthur for eight years meant you'd see those dreams realized, or could at least continue to pursue them, I think you would manage it quite well."

Granted, there was a good bit of time before she came to realize why she should really want to be a knight, when all she saw was the glory and freedom and fame of it. But she was young once, too.

"Magic is unwelcome?" she asks in a much quieter voice.

[dragonsemrys]

Merlin's face darkens for the first time.

"Uther Pendragon has outlawed it under pain of death."

[a_lioness]

Alanna's eyes narrow. With her hand resting on the hilt of her sword, she looks dangerous.

Firmly, "I would be in no small amount of trouble, then."

[dragonsemrys]

His gaze falls on her hand.

"It still exists, of course. Just hidden. Unacknowledged."

With a gesture, he causes his mug of ale to move into his hand.

"Which is why I like coming here."

[a_lioness]

Her gaze likewise falls on his.

She smiles, just a bit.

"Yes." It's thoughtful. "I can imagine you do."

With the swirl of a fingertip through the air, Alanna creates a thread of purple light that winds around the shield at her feet and turns it from scarlet and gold lioness rampant to a black tower on a red field.

"You've assumed quite a risk, then. At court."

She knows something of that.

[dragonsemrys]

"That's beautiful," Merlin says softly at the lights.

"I suppose, but considering everything I've learned since I arrived, it's worth the risk."

[a_lioness]

"Thank you," she replies with the friendliest smile she's given him yet. "I didn't think so for a long, long time. I didn't want it. I didn't want anything to do with it."

Head tilt.

"What's that?" It's quiet again, and she quickly bites her lip. "If you don't mind me asking."

[dragonsemrys]

Merlin leans a little closer. "Arthur.

"I've been told our destinies are intertwined. He will unite all of Albion and make it safe to practice magic in Camelot again. He will make a golden age."

[a_lioness]

As he does, she sets the sword aside and rests her elbows on her knees.

"A very wise being once told me that people like you and I are the fulcrums on which the future turns. He then told me not to mess it up. Things are never simple when destiny comes into play."

Beat.

"How does he feel about magic now?"

[dragonsemrys]

Merlin almost pouts. "He agrees with his father. I hope it's just because he doesn't know any better."

[a_lioness]

Alanna nods.

"Yet." It's said firmly, as if she can will it so. "I hated it, was afraid of it, until I realized I might have saved a friend's life with my magic, had I not been so eager to turn my back on it."

She considers a moment.

"Is fear the reason it's outlawed?"