Video

[pratservant]

How is that I have a nice room, the softest bed I ever could've hoped for, and yet I can't sleep without having nightmares of being chased by monsters.

[He sighs.]

I can't afford to be tired today. After I finish my chores, I'm off in search of work. Not that my chores aren't work. But I do have other skills

Comments

[ Video | Private ]

[cursedtobe]

...by monsters? [ It was her, wasn't it, ohgod. Ookay perhaps not. ]

... I'm... yes, it's...different, but I'm adjusting. [ She's gonna go snoop in the ruins to help repay you, Merlin! ]

[ Video | Private ]

[pratservant]

I'm sure it was nothing. [Even if he's not sure, Merlin hopes he at least sounds sure.]

I'll come see you as soon as I can! Until then, is there anything you need?

[ Video | Private ]

[cursedtobe]

[ She smiles a bit at that, shaking her head. ]

No, I'm all right. ... are you sure you're okay? You've been having nightmares ...

[ Video | Private ]

[pratservant]

So have several others. But that's not really so strange, is it? We've all been taken from our homes, brought to a place we hardly understand at times.

I'm okay, I promise.

[Text]

[isfinethanks]

No to the leech tanks, but I'd be willing to give you twenty ivories for recounting in detail the dream you had last night, including a description of the monsters that were chasing you.

I also have a few odd jobs you might could assist me with, but first things first.

[Video]

[pratservant]

Twenty?

[That would certainly be a help, but he can't keep from being suspicious.]

Why would you be willing to pay that much just to hear about my dream?

[Txt]

[isfinethanks]

To bypass the trouble of explaining to you why I want to hear about your dream, actually.

[Voice]

[pratservant]

I don't suppose there's any harm in it.

[He takes a breath before going into the description.]

I was being chased by something. It was terrifying. Whatever it was, it must've been massive. And the mist...

I was running towards the city, past the house that I grew up in in Ealdor. At least I think it was. But... [He clicks his tongue against the roof of his mouth.] It was empty, decrepit. But I could hear people building again somewhere else.

[ video ]

[everything_rots]

Did they catch you?

[ video ]

[pratservant]

No. At least I don't think it did.

[ video ]

[everything_rots]

How about now?

[ video ]

[pratservant]

No, I'm pretty sure I'm awake now.

video;

[regionseizer]

Dude, nobody even uses leeches any more.

video;

[pratservant]

Oh, I'm not Dude. I'm Merlin.

Really? Then what do they use for bloodletting?

video;

[regionseizer]

Sure kid, whatever floats your boat, but--

Shit, I haven't seen some bled in at least a century and a half; it fucks you up more'n it fixes things.

video;

[pratservant]

Normally water does the trick.

[He's about to ask more, if there's some better treatment, something that Gaius would like to hear about. But...]

A century and a half? That's...a hundred and fifty years.

[ Video ]

[newly_knighted]

If you are in need of assistance with any of those chores, I would be happy to help sometime.

[ What? It's character building! ]

[Video]

[pratservant]

Oh, I couldn't. You're a knight! I"m sure you have more noble things to do than mucking out stables.

[And for once he's not being sarcastic when he says something like that.]

[Video]

[newly_knighted]

What...what does my being a knight have anything to do with it?

[ Kay doesn't see the difference between mucking through slain bodies on the battlefield, or dung in the stables. In the end one smells as badly as the other, but at least horse feces doesn't have a face! ]

I must insist, particularly if you've not been sleeping well, Merlin.

[ Which sounds like a cause that is plenty noble if you ask him. ]

[Video]

[pratservant]

[Honestly, the question catches him off guard a bit. But he does his best to recover, seeing Kay's point as he does so.]

Nothing. I guess I'm just used to a hierarchy of sorts. I don't normally have company in the stables, but I'd certainly welcome yours.