St. Louis: The Coffee Shop Across The Street From Francine's Dorm, Wednesday Evening

[thatsamilkshake]

Wow, a red-letter day for Francine: the first time since she'd left Fandom that she actually missed the ability to fume her way over to Caritas and order whatever the heck she wanted without getting carded.

Not that she'd ever done that while she was there and not thinking she was someone else -- she just missed the ability now. Peppermint hot

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[bitch_prince]

After hearing-- something from Merlin, Arthur had been struck by this sense that he should probably do something.

However, he'd also been struck by a healthy and long-standing fear of upset girls (who were irrational and impossible to handle), so he'd taken an equally healthy wait before actually trying to call.

Maybe she'd stopped crying. That would be brilliant. (Had she been crying? She must've.)

[bitch_prince]

"I didn't say I blamed him for it," Arthur defended, quickly.

[thatsamilkshake]

"No." Francine ran a hand through the ends of her still-damp hair. He didn't say that; she was just used to Arthur defending his father's choices, or at least Arthur's ability to convince him to make better ones. "Sorry. How is he?" Not so much because she cared about Uther, no.

[bitch_prince]

There was another one of those pauses, but this time for completely different reasons. "He's... father," Arthur offered, at last. "Unless you mean Gaius, who has recovered quite well."

[thatsamilkshake]

"Good. About Gaius, I mean, though I meant your dad. I was hoping maybe he was starting to change his mind about things because of that."

[bitch_prince]

"No," Arthur replied, exhaling. "No, he has not. But I doubt he will be inviting any witchfinders into Camelot again."

[thatsamilkshake]

The inner fortitude it took not to say So he'll be doing all the burning at the stake himself, then was immense. Immense, Arthur.

"That's something, then, I guess."

[bitch_prince]

She could try that one again in a couple of months' time, and he might be more willing to hear it. "It is," Arthur said, audibly uncomfortable. This was proving to be such an excellent telephone conversation. "And we're almost completely ready for winter."

And only if you were Merlin would you know exactly how those two were interconnected.

[thatsamilkshake]

"Just in time for spring here. Almost. You should come here when you get tired of snow."

[bitch_prince]

"I would, but the people will need me in winter time," Arthur said. Somewhat apologetically. "Though you're always free to call on me in a crisis, of course."

[thatsamilkshake]

"I didn't mean the whole winter, silly. I think Camelot wouldn't freeze over if you and Merlin came to see us for a weekend sometime."