crabby_lioness | Fic: Arthur's Favorite

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fic,
merlin

Fic: Arthur's Favorite

Title: Arthur's Favorite
Author: CrabbyLioness
Summary: Arthur and Merlin's relationship as seen through various eyes. Might be seen as a sequel to A Change on the Wind, but it doesn't have to be.
Disclaimer: The Arthurian Legends belong to the ages. This retelling belongs to the BBC and Shine.
Rating: PG
Word Count: 505
Spoilers: I've only seen through Episode 7.
Warning: there might be a sequel to this story after I finish watching S1. You have been warned.

Any group of five or more people runs on gossip, including castle staff. A favorite topic downstairs at Camelot Castle lately had been the unusual relationship between the young Prince and his new manservant.

The downstairs parlor maid sniffed that he was no better than you could expect for an ignorant clodhopper from Eolder.

The blacksmith and the lady's maid would not hear a word said against him.

The head valet was just glad to have the finicky Prince off his back. Now there was someone else the young royal could harass about doing his kit up to his exacting specifications.

The gaoler spoke for many when he called the manservant "the Prince's whore" and spoke of them as "Her Royal Highness and Her New Queen".

The butler muttered to the librarian that he wouldn't be the first cupbearer to do double duty. No one else got the joke.

The upstairs chamber maid countered that if the Prince had taken the boy for his concubine, why were they sleeping on opposite sides of the castle? No one would bat an eye if the fussy nobleman ordered his manservant to sleep on a pallet in his chambers in case he needed him through the night. And if the pallet went unused, who besides the Prince and his manservant would know?

The herbalist spoke archly of young men's love for overly complicated subterfuge.

The laundress was asked for her professional opinion, took offense, and began describing the state of her interrogator's bedding at the top of her lungs.

The Captain of the Guard noted that if the Prince wanted to take a lover, he could not have picked a more convenient one than a mild-mannered, common, male foreigner with no connections and no family to get above their station, save for old Gaius who wouldn't take a piss without the King's permission. He added that Prince Arthur was a very careful and deliberate young man.

The physician would only say that his nephew had come to Camelot to look for work.

Uther was overheard to speak of "Arthur's puppy" when his son was not around.

The head groom opined that young men and young stallions both felt the need to kick the traces occasionally. Compared to excessive drinking, gambling, or promiscuity, Prince Arthur was engaging in a very mild form of rebellion. He added that the King was wise not to send the servant boy away, and thus prompt his son to seek out more overt foms of rebellion than spending time in the company of a genial young fool.

"It would be nice to have a real Fool again," Cook sighed. "We haven't had one in ages."

"Merlin could do that," the gardener replied. "He's charming enough, and good at making people laugh."

And thus it came to pass that the castle staff reached a consensus that after Uther's death, Arthur would appoint Merlin the new Court Jester.

"Mark my words," said the baker, "that boy will be wearing a pointed hat before it's over with."

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

I really enjoyed this!

I'm not sure if you know who Edward Gorey is, but he was a writer/illustrator who often described situations in a clipped, off-page sort of way, much like you did in this story. I think it's quite charming and effective.

And I was wondering if maybe I could do some illustrations for it? :D

Squeee! Yes indeed, thank you very much!

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astolat - 2009-02-09 00:59 (UTC) - Expand

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An underage ninja who evades age limits

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Thank you. It's pre-distilled from a group of fics that I decided were best reduced to a few words.

Arthur's puppy indeed.

Can't you hear Uther saying it?

Delightful! Clever, witty, in-character for all the characters (I particularly likeThe blacksmith and the lady's maid would not hear a word said against him. and The head groom opined that young men and young stallions both felt the need to kick the traces occasionally. As well as 'Arthur's puppy' and the last line, of course.

Will print it out and giggle over it in moments of gloom.

Thank you!

That was lovely and amusing! I liked the outlook of how it was a wise decision to choose such a person as a concubine. :)

That's straight from Machiavelli. Well, he didn't include the male part, but he would have if he thought he could get away with it.

Brilliant! You could construct an entire fic out of any one of those assumptions, and the mosaic of all of them together paints such a wonderful and interesting picture--mostly of the people who are doing the saying, but with hints of the true nature of the relationship hiding behind the gossip.

Great foreshadowing with the pointy hat, though. [grins]

This actually started out as an overwhelming bunch of fic ideas, but the more I thought about it the more each one could be summed up in a single sentance or two. More words just got in the way.

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Thank you. There's lots of hats in Camelot. :D

This was great! Heee! Those boys just don't know the trouble they cause.... Or they do and are laughing at everyone behind thier back's! :)

Nah, that's not trouble. That's normal coffee break fodder.

The cup pearer one cracked me up.

And this was so awesome. Loved how the staff of the castle thought of their erm friendship *snicker*

And the ending perfect!

annakas

Thank you. I wondered if anyone would get the cupbearer joke. Originally the gaoler said, "The Prince's catamite," which made it stronger, but that sounded too high class for a gaoler.

Wonderful. Witty, light hearted, very creative and intelligent and a different perspective altogether. :)
I love the idea of a huge castle full of servants just looking for some gossip. :P

Thank you. I think the need for gossip must be genetic, given how it shows up so often.

*greatly amused*

*would be more coherent not in the middle of the night*

*understands*

*wasn't entirely coherent when I posted this in the middle of the night*

"Mark my words," said the baker, "that boy will be wearing a pointed hat before it's over with." LOL!
That was just wonderful :)

Thank you!

LOL. Loved the last line. Court fool or court magician. This was really quite wonderful with everyone chiming in on their relationship. Great job.

Thank you. :)

Haha, that was adorable! Great closing.

Thank you!

Arthur's puppy! Aw! I also love the idea of Merlin as a Fool, since the contrast to the usual wise old man shtick Merlin has as a figure in the legends is just delicious.

Thank you. A professional Fool has to be a very wise person.

Excellent last line! Brilliant brilliant ending. Made me smile muchly.

:oD

Thank you!

LOL. And if it's one person they'd need in their camp, it's the person who does Arthur's sheets. XP

People sometimes forget how much work goes on in a castle. :)

Hee! At the pointy hat. Amazing. <3

Thank you!

cute fic love peoples varying opion to what is there relantionship.

Thank you. Love people's varying opinion to the fic.

Brilliant! That last line was absolutely perfect and the whole thing was great, people must be gossiping about!

Thank you!

Great idea! And I bet Merlin and Arthur think they've been so subtle... "Overly complicated subterfuge" - LOL

Thank you! That castle is teaming with people. I thought we ought to hear from some of them.

Lovely style! ^__^

Thank you, I'm fond of it. :)

hehehehe...
fantastic.
"arthur's puppy" indeed- i, too, can see uther saying that.
and i think that upstairs chambermaid is suffering from a case of denial and wishful thinking. ^_^

Thank you.

and i think that upstairs chambermaid is suffering from a case of denial and wishful thinking. ^_^

She's seen quite a few clandestine affairs.

aww, hee! love all the gossip and the outsider POVs, and the rhythm of this piece. <3

Thank you!

I loved this--especially save for old Gaius wouldn't take a piss without the King's permission.

Well, that's what we've seen.

"Mark my words," said the baker, "that boy will be wearing a pointed hat before it's over with."

Oh, he will be, just not quite of the type those silly castle servants seem to think.

Lovely story.

Ever heard of, "hide in plain site"?

Thank you.

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