sidhe_faerieTitle: The King’s Quest (Chapter 1)
Rating: PG
Pairing/s: Arthur/Gwen, Merlin/Morgana
Character/s:
Summary: The constant state functions are starting to get to Arthur.
Warnings:none
Word Count:
Prompt: 389 Music
Author's Notes: Excalibur Prophecy Book 2
Chapter 1
As Arthur walked out into the hall, the music from the party followed him until the footman shut the door to the ballroom. Arthur leaned his head against the wall and took a deep breath to calm himself. It didn’t work.
Since taking the throne from Elizabeth, Arthur had been subjected to one state event after another. It was beginning to be too much to bear.
Behind him, he heard the music again as the door opened he turned to see Merlin frowning at him.
“I just needed some air.” Arthur straightened his suit coat. “It was getting a little close in there.”
“I know what you mean. If one more person asks me to do magick, I’m going to put a curse on them.” Merlin sighed. “Come on. Gwen can’t handle them all on her own.”
Arthur chuckled. “Gwen can handle them and then some. She’s in her element. The perfect queen.”
“Then you better hurry up and marry her.” Merlin pointed at the door. “Before she gets a better offer. That Saudi prince was eyeing her quite closely.”
“Shame I don’t have my sword or I’d pluck out both his eyes.” Arthur frowned.
The door opened again, and Morgana leaned out. A waltz was playing in the background. “Both of you get back in here. Gwen is about to kill you both for leaving her all alone in there.”
Merlin and Arthur looked at each other and went back inside.
After the party the four of them sat in the empty ballroom. Gwen and Morgana had taken off their heels and Arthur had thrown his suit coat over a chair.
“Well that’s another one of those down. How many more do we have to go through?” Arthur asked.
Gwen sighed. “Three more. I’m starting to get callouses from all this dancing.”
“At least they want to dance with you. I think they’re are afraid of me.” Morgana pouted. “They think of those silly stories and then look at me like I’m going cover them in boils and make them croak like a toad.”
Merlin laughed out loud.
“It’s not funny.” Morgana picked up one of her shoes and threw it at him. “At least they talk to you.”
“Merlin, how’s the search going for the knights?” Arthur asked. He thought it better to change the subject than let Morgana got angry.
“We know where Elyan is but it’s the others, we are having a hard time finding. The genealogy department at Oxford is doing all they can but some of the records are missing and others are unreadable.” Merlin explained.
“I should go there and encourage them to work a little faster.” Arthur looked over at Gwen. “Have you spoken to Elyan?”
“He will be here next week.” Gwen picked up her shoes. “I’m going to bed. Coming Arthur?”
Arthur grabbed his suit jacket and stood up. He reached out and took Gwen’s hand. “Sounds like a wonderful idea.”
“Goodnight.” Merlin said as he watched them leave the ballroom.
When the door closed, Morgana glared at Merlin. “You haven’t told him, have you?”
“No. Not yet.” Merlin picked up the shoe she had thrown at him and stood up. “We should get to bed too. I’ll tell him in the morning.”
“You had better.” Morgana stood up and stretched. “Because he doesn’t want to hear it from me.”