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Post by Arthur Pendragon on Apr 5, 2014 12:45:18 GMT -5
It felt good to be in the woods again. Camelot, Storybrooke, they weren't all that different in these dark corners. As Arthur Pendragon, last of his line, made his way skilfully through the forest, his blue eyes caught upon each tree for a moment before slinking past them once more, in search of his quarrey. Being Prince in Camelot certainly had its advantages, and had taught him so much about being a hunter; something he was proud of.
Admittedly, he'd never thought he would have to use his skills this way.
The moon glowed from above, a cold breeze shifting through the leaves in a way that made the young Pendragon shiver in a moment of superstition, and he quickly tossed all dark thoughts from his mind. He certainly wasn't going to catch dinner by thinking about the past, was he?
Hearing something move in the distance, Arthur stiffened, picking up a nearby large branch, and holding it firm. He might not have Excalibur, or a whole host of weapons, but he was not, could not be, helpless.
As raindrops began to fall, the blonde closed his eyes briefly to ward off a curse, hoping that whatever creature he had heard would not be scared by the weather, as some in Camelot had once been, and would be easily killed. If not, it would not be the first night he had gone without dinner in this forsaken place. Holding his breath, the Prince waited, heart thumping wildly for his prey to reveal itself...
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Post by Arthur Pendragon on Apr 6, 2014 4:39:12 GMT -5
Arthur stared at the wolf, his eyes blinking in slight surprise and shock - out of all the things... he hadn't expected that. He swallowed hard as the creature stared at him for a moment, before lowering itself to the ground, in an act of... what, exactly? Was it luring him? Or did it truly mean him no harm? Nothing in this place made sense, and it made the future King wish for something, just something, to hold onto, to know for sure.
Hesitantly, Arthur carefully placed the branch onto the ground, raising up again into a standing position, both hands up, empty, to show the creature he was no threat. He wasn't sure whether he'd even be able to kill the creature with a branch - a crossbow, definately, but those seemed to be in very short supply. Still... hunter he may be, but he wasn't totally ruthless. His father might not have approved... but... Arthur was not his father, and never would be, thankfully.
Stepping back a bit, away from the wolf, Arthur kept his hands where the animal could see them, keeping eye contact, until he felt his back connect wiht the rough bark of the tree behind him. Swallowing hard, he froze. Time seemed to slow down, as his heart pounded in his ears, and the blonde awaited the wolf's next move.
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Post by Arthur Pendragon on Apr 6, 2014 11:58:16 GMT -5
Arthur watched, in something akin to amazement and horror, as the beautiful wolf before him keened and writhed on the ground. Hesitantly, he stepped forward, only to step back again. The animal looked like it was in pain, but even if that were the case, what was he to do? He wasn't a medical man! He swallowed hard, his heart pounding in his throat, the world swimming before his eyes as the wolf slowly, slowly, transformed into a girl.
Taking a slow breath, the King forced his breathing to regulate as the girl - who introduced herself as Ruby- spoke to him, trying to make him see that she meant him no harm. The King's head pounded, and he swallowed hard, watching as she stepped towards him, before tentively holding out her hand to him.
Breathe. Not quite unexpectedly, the sound of Merlin's voice sounded in Arthur's head, as it had a few times in this strange land since he had regained his memories, and he obeyed it without thinking, taking a deep breath, in... and out. In... and out. After a second, he stepped forward, and gave her a soft, abet a bit awkward, smile. "My lady, please accept my apologies for behaving thus," he said, taking her hand and gently kissing it, before dropping her hand as quickly as he could without seeming rude, still a bit nervous of the woman.... Ruby. "My name is Arthur Pendragon," he said quietly "And I am the ...." he hesitated. Did he really want her to know who he was? Did he want her to know his future? No. "I am a Knight of Camelot," he said instead. It wasn't exactly a lie. He let one hand cross his stomach, and bowed before her. "It is an honour to meet you."
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Post by Arthur Pendragon on Apr 6, 2014 14:30:54 GMT -5
Arthur smiled at the Lady, kindly. "Please, my lady, call me Arthur," he offered softly, watching her face turn confused for a moment before returning to normal. He swallowed hard at the mention of his Knights, and managed a weak smile. "I'm afraid my sword was lost to me many years ago, my lady. I use what weapons I can in the meantime, but none are quite the same," he gave an elegant shrug. "Perhaps I will find it again."
After a moment, he spoke again. "And to answer your question, I was hunting. The woods are perfect for such things, and I was rather hoping to catch a rabbit or something to sup on," he hesitated. "I will still need to do so, when we have parted our ways."
The King of Camelot watched curiously as Ruby did something no woman he had ever met before had done... and sniffed the air. Curious. Apparently, the being inside her was not a seperate entity, but they were somehow interlinked. Merlin had not told him of such creatures, but that did not mean they did not exist. Perhaps she was one such creature. Could it be a curse, or something much deeper? Perhaps ingraned into her very being? "Forgive me, my Lady, but may I ask what you were doing here, in the woods? It is quite strange, if you'll forgive me."
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Post by Arthur Pendragon on Apr 6, 2014 16:15:26 GMT -5
Arthur smiled, nodding, his blue eyes twinkling at her a little. "As you wish, Ruby," he said, agreeably. Her phrasing caught him as slightly strange, but at the same time, sparked a curiosity in the young man. What kind of place was this Storybrooke? He blinked at the mention of 'Granny's', his stomach growling at the invitation of food, though Arthur cleared his throat, swallowing. "I thank you for your invitation, my l-- Ruby, but I am afraid I have no coin in which to buy such fruitations," he said, apologetically.
He nodded, listening to her, she reminded him of one of his Knights, teaching him how to hunt in the forest, after he'd become King. "The silence of nature is a wonderful thing," he agreed softly. "Sometimes, it's quite nice to remember our roots." he watched her for a moment. "It must be a little liberating?" he asked, quietly, unsurely.
Arthur sighed softly at Ruby's question, brow furrowing a little in thought. "No home, as of such, unless you can count the streets as one," he wasn't trying to gain sympathy, and spoke factually rather than bitterly. "I try to hunt often in the woods, especially after..." he trailed off, not wanting to admit to having lost all his memories. Despite not knowing quite how or why it had happened, Arthur was ashamed of himself for forgetting everything, everyone, that he'd once loved, even if he'd had no control over it. "And what of you, my l- Ruby? Do you visit the Woods often?"
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Not. King.
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Post by Arthur Pendragon on Apr 6, 2014 16:46:13 GMT -5
Arthur smiled, if not hesitantly, and bowed his head in respect. "You show me great kindness, Ruby," he said softly, "I insist on finding some way to pay you back, though, if you truly insist on helping me," he gave her a smile, hoping she would see how grateful he truly was.
The blonde gently took Ruby's arm, chuckling softly. "I have seen it a few times," he agreed. "It is a busy place, but then my home was much the same..." he grew quiet for a moment, the sobering question of whether Camelot still existed very much on his mind. Her offer surprised him, and Arthur turned to her, quirking an eyebrow a little in surprise and gratitude, though he laughed slightly at the mention of the rabbits. "Your company would be much appreciated, my l- Ruby," he agreed with a smile. "I would like to know more of your story, if you would honour me by telling it."
Arthur chuckled softly, thinking of something "Though, by what I saw in the woods just now, you will be a far better hunter than I," knowing that she turned into a wolf made the admission easy to say, as it gave her a very defined advantage to being a mere human.
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Post by Arthur Pendragon on Apr 6, 2014 17:18:00 GMT -5
At Ruby's mention of Camelot, Arthur started, and his head jerked up, blue eyes meeting hers, as he stared at her. "You know of Camelot?" he asked, heart beating fast. "Do you know how the people fair? How the country faires?" he asked, urgently. Whether or not she figured out who he was was of no matter to him now, all that mattered was the safety of his Kingdom.
As they walked, Arthur listened, grateful to Ruby for satisfying his curiosity with telling him her tale. "You have been through much," he said, quietly, feeling the sadness radiate from her. "I, too, have lost people thanks to my mistakes. I think... sometimes they make us stronger, wiser," He would not mention Guinevere to her; for all he knew, she might know his former wife... or she might agree with her. "At least you can control the wilder part of yourself these days," he suggested quietly. "Not all are able to. I have watched great sorcerers corrupted because they could not control their magicks. That you can do this shows you have great strength," he complimented.
Her request took him by surprise, and Arthur smiled, nodding, his eyes crinkling a little with mirth. "As you wish, my - Ruby," he agreed, wondering how she would take to a sword. Many years ago, the thought of a woman using a sword would not have been agreeable to him, but Guinevere had taught him many things, amongst them, how useful it could be to teach women to defend for themselves in swordfighting. He hesitated. "I do not suppose this Storybrooke holds a forge?
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Post by Arthur Pendragon on Apr 7, 2014 4:51:44 GMT -5
Arthur's shoulders slumped a little at Ruby's response, and he sighed softly. He supposed it really was too much to hope that she'd know of his home, or at least, know enough of it that she could give a full report. He wasn't too happy with the way she seemed to pronounce the word someday, but for now, he would let it go. There were other things to worry about, after all. That she knew people that had met other Knights had him interested, and he wanted to ask more details, but perhaps to do that might be considered rude.
The blonde nodded at her words, managing a small smile. "It makes me grateful my father cannot see me," he admitted. "He would probably disown me if he knew what I had become," he gave a small, regretful chuckle. "In my world, too, the... what do you call them... 'good guys' stick together." he agreed. "I suspect there are foul things in this world, as there are in Camelot," he sighed. "Good, it seems, cannot survive without evil being there also." The blonde listened with interest as she spoke about Storybrooke, nodding. "I've not seen much of it," he confessed. "Only the neck of the woods we met within, and the less crowded streets of the town, where I often sleep," he perhaps shouldn't have told her his sleeping place, but... well, it wasn't as though Ruby was going to kill him any time soon. Then again, he did have quite a track record for trusting the wrong people.
The King's ears turned red at her chuckle and then her teasing words, and he coughed, trying to get past the uncomfortable lump in his throat. "Ruby... my apologies, my lady," he said, hoping that she wasnt about to hit him for being inappropriate or something.
He sighed, disappointed again at the lack of a forge, but once more the mention of a possible blacksmith eased his thoughts a little. All he could do was pray that it wasn't Guinevere - he wasn't sure he could deal with seeing her again, not after everything, and not here, of all places. The King raised an eyebrow at the door being held for him, about to hold it open for her instead, as chivalry dictated, but once again the young lady surprised him. Arthur glanced about, taking in the cafe, and the delicious smells, his stomach rumbling as Ruby spoke. "I..." he quietened for a moment, shaking his head with a smile. "I honestly don't know, Ruby," he admitted. "I do insist though on finding some way to repay your kindness," The blonde frowned a bit as she put a cup of... something... before him, blue eyes flashing up uncertainly to Ruby's, seeing her nod, before his hands curled around the mug, and he brought it to his lips, taking a small sip.
Arthur choked at the taste, the hot liquid burning his throat a little. He gasped, eyes watering, but after a moment, he took another sip, a longer one, this time able to take in the taste, letting it roll around his mouth for a moment before swallowing, managing a small smile. "This is... good," he admitted quietly "Strange, though," he paused, looking up at Ruby. "It isn't some kind of... mead?"
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Post by Arthur Pendragon on Apr 7, 2014 5:27:28 GMT -5
It was strange. Since everything that had happened with Guinevere, Arthur had kept himself to himself, even when he'd been brought here, to Storybrooke. But this girl, this woman, made him want to be more social, made him want to share things with her. She seemed honest and kind - but then, from his experience - so did most that eventually betrayed him. Still though, Arthur would hold off judgement for now. After all, in Storybrooke, he was no King, just a Knight... what harm could Ruby truly do? Apart from rip me to pieces in her wolf form? He thought, ironically, then cast the idea aside. If she had been planning to do that, surely she would have done so already.
He gave a soft bursting laugh at her words, shaking his head. "No, he would not be. But I appreciate your kindness." he said, giving her a smile to assure her that she hadn't insulted him.
The blonde nodded at her mentioning the rooms upstairs, a doubt briefly entering his mind once again before the King swept it away with a shake of his head, hopefully subtle enough that she wouldn't notice. He frowned a bit at her next offer, sighing softly. "I appreciate your kindness," he said softly. "But I cannot accept such an offer without payment." he frowned, thinking of her previous words... "Unless..." The King stood, insulted. "You expect me to sleep with you for payment?" he asked, incredulously, ignoring her next words completely.
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Not. King.
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Post by Arthur Pendragon on Apr 7, 2014 6:00:20 GMT -5
Arthur took a slow breath as Ruby began to explain, feeling his body rise in heat, out of embarrassment and annoyance. Apparently, he was even starting to lose his understanding of people now, too. Running his right hand through his hair, the blonde managed an awkward smile, not quite sure how to make this right.
"I'm sorry," he said honestly, meeting her eyes and hoping she'd see how sorry he truly was. "I... I tend to be over suspicious, it's part of being King," he added, without realising he'd said it. "I didn't mean to offend you, and I hope you'll accept my deepest apologies, my Lady." If she decided to throw him from the cafe, he really wouldn't blame her, but Arthur couldnt' help but try to make amends, after such a horrid mistake on his part.
"You spoke of us having already talked of repayment, and I... I suppose I assumed...." he shook his head, keeping his head down to avoid meeting her eyes, heart pounding in his throat as he awaited her response.
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Post by Arthur Pendragon on Apr 7, 2014 7:29:13 GMT -5
Arthur swallowed, grateful that Ruby seemed to be taking his idiotic moment so well and was accepting his apology. Having just made a possible friend, he didn't want to loose her due to an idiotic blunder. He started a bit at the glare she gave him, completely mystified as she looked from one side of them to the other, figuring that she was, instead, just embarressed.
The blonde followed Ruby hesitantly, eyes widening as she spoke, swallowing hard. "I didn't realise I said anything offensive, my Lady-- Ruby," he said softly. He'd have to remember she didn't like being called that. "What did I say?"
He took the key hesitantly, and managed a soft smile. "Ale would be good," he agreed willingly, though he hesitated. "Would you... be happy to join me? Of course, if you've work to attend to, then I do understand,"
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Post by Arthur Pendragon on Apr 7, 2014 7:46:20 GMT -5
Arthur's eyes widened a little, as his brain finally clicked and he realised what he'd said. "Thank-you for the warning... I didn't realise I'd said anything," he admitted with a sigh and a slightly worried frown. He was used to being careful, but apparently that went to the Gods when he was around Ruby. He'd have to watch himself.
With a smile and a nod, Arthur moved over to the service counter and sat, offering her his hand to help her sit down, should she need it. "I'm glad," he smiled. "Perhaps you can tell me about yourself, my lad-- Ruby," he invited.
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Post by Arthur Pendragon on Apr 7, 2014 11:15:48 GMT -5
Arthur took Ruby's hand, helping her to her seat despite her perhaps not needing it. "Likewise," he agreed softly. "But then, a street performer does not usually get given the chance for good company," he wasn't trying to get any sympathy, more just making a comment.
Taking a sip of the ale, Arthur appreciated the slight burn of his throat, though it was nowhere near as strong as he'd have liked it to be. He smiled briefly at the old lady who served them, before turning his attention back to Ruby.
The blonde ran a hand through his hair as he listened to Ruby, nodding slowly, but frowning at the mention of the man he had never heard of, shaking his head a bit. "Who?" He asked, with a frown. It was weird, he was used to knowing exactly who was who, but in this weird world he was practically a stranger, the whisper of names sometimes catching his ears before disappearing off into the breeze again.
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Post by Arthur Pendragon on Apr 7, 2014 12:42:50 GMT -5
Arthur listened as Ruby explained who this 'Mr Gold' was, and frowned. He sounded like a crook and a thief, but then, Arthur knew better than to judge anyone. It crossed his mind that this man might have Excalibur, but perhaps it was better to save that question for another time. As Ruby had said, things worked differently here.
The King watched, turning his head slightly to the side as he noticed the old woman's dark glare at Ruby, holding back a comment as he turned his attention back to his new friend, smiling. "I do not know what that is," he confessed, "but it sounds delicious."
He frowned as he noticed what she was eating, and bit his lip, reaching over hesitantly and squeezing her hand. "Perhaps we could hunt together later?"
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Post by Arthur Pendragon on Apr 7, 2014 13:08:00 GMT -5
Arthur laughed softly, nodding. "You'd be surprised, my Lady, how often I've had poisoned food. I wonder sometimes if I'll become immune eventually." Whether or not it was wise to confess such a thing, it was true, and Ruby made the young King feel as though he ought to be honest with her.
At her question, the Knight raised an eyebrow. "Why shouldn't I be?" he pointed out. "Unless they have done me grievous harm, I see no reason to treat women any differently, though there are many who would disagree with me." He thought for a moment of his father, and those of the Table who had... slightly different views, then shook the thought away. "But I find myself at ease with you, and I would be most honoured if you would allow me to call you 'friend'," he said with a smile.
A smile that quickly disappeared at her comment. The blonde flushed red for a moment before releasing her hand, "I apologise, Ruby," he murmured, before turning his attention instead to his food, stabbing a bit of the steak and chips with his fork, before putting it into his mouth, chewing slowly and carefully to taste each item. After swallowing, he hummed thoughtfully. "Very nice," he complimented softly.
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