five >> voice & event

[awaitingalbion]

Is it strange for someone to still be kidnapped after a whole month? Arthur's been gone for so long.

[He sighs. There's rustling of paper and Merlin eyes Fina's notes with great trepidation. He cannot understand why he has not had some measure of success with them. They were so charmingly written, so thoughtfully recorded. He sighs for a second time.]

Fina, you know that thing? I'm still having no luck. Perhaps I need a little more assistance.

[ooc; he's taken but after Fina comments feel free to troll him anyway, hear him sing his praises of the beautiful, magical lady of his heart!]

Comments

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[awaitingalbion.livejournal.com]

[Merlin nods. His voice feels like it's catching in his throat--it isn't the most glamorous admission to make to a beautiful young woman. He reaches very carefully out, touching the Fina's wrist. The wrist that belongs to the hand she uses to hold the rose.]

Fina. I-I'm Arthur's servant. [He sounds concerned.] And I've been his servant for two years. Is...that a problem? I know well enough from Arthur that, often, people don't want to be friends with servants.

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[silviteadvocate.livejournal.com]

[ She shakes her head passionately, earrings slapping erratically against the side of her face, trying to ignore the burning sensation in her cheeks as he touches her wrist and asks that question. ] N-No, it's not a problem at all!

[ Her voice becomes softer as she looks down. ] ... I'm sorry that you felt you had to keep something like that from me. But.. it doesn't matter to me if you're.. um, Arthur's servant. Not at all... nothing could change the way I.. um, the way I feel about you, Merlin.

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[awaitingalbion.livejournal.com]

Feel about me? [He echoes, removing his touch from her wrist as if in fear of passing some horrible boundary. He licks his lips. So many nervous habits come out at once.] Fina. You--you're one of the finest individuals I have ever met. I guess I was worried about how someone of your quality would feel...spending time with a manservant. But--[he smiles, quietly]--I should have trusted my gut and should have known you were too good for that kind of thing.

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[silviteadvocate.livejournal.com]

[ She blushes, although she does not give him an explanation for her feelings for him. It's all rather confusing and she seems less flustered now he has released her wrist. ]

Q-Quality? Um.. I don't understand why anyone could think like that... you're so kind. [ She looks sad. ] ... You were worried about what I.. is it always like that in your world?

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[awaitingalbion.livejournal.com]

You see...Fina? [He leans away from her.] There's someone very special to Arthur, back home. Actually...she just showed up, here. Her name is Gwen. She's a servant, too. And Arthur? He could never be with her because of that. It pains him so much.

[He lowers his eyes to the ground. His fingers felt like they were shaking.] I would hate for you to ever be in pain.

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[silviteadvocate.livejournal.com]

[ Judging by the flicker of surprise across her face, Fina wasn't aware that someone new from his world had turned up recently. Another servant named Gwen? One that Arthur... her face falls in understanding. Enrique had spoken about the complexities of being a royal; it seemed to be universal. ]

That's so sad...

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[awaitingalbion.livejournal.com]

You would like Gwen. She's...nice. And we're just friends--me and Gwen. Co-workers, really. [This justification comes along fast and rushed.]

I hope being here will help the two of them.

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[silviteadvocate.livejournal.com]

[ Even thought it was a hasty compliment about his co-worker, she can't help but feel.. jealous about this Gwen. Spending so much time with Merlin and most likely knowing him better than she ever did right now. How strange. She never felt like this when Vyse spent time with Aika. ]

I hope so too. [ But for the wrong reasons she would come to regret later. ]

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[awaitingalbion.livejournal.com]

I shouldn't be such a downer. [He offers, carefully.] It's a beautiful day outside. Maybe--Fina? Would you like to go for a walk in the forest with me?

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[silviteadvocate.livejournal.com]

Oh... yes. I would like that.

[ She peers over his shoulder outside. She offers him a shy smile, before she says: ] Would you mind waiting while I dress in something a bit warmer...?

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[awaitingalbion.livejournal.com]

Go right ahead, Fina. I've got to get these boots back on, anyway.

[He grins, turning back towards the entrance. One facing away from Fina, he sighs and his smile (directed to himself) softens.]

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[silviteadvocate.livejournal.com]

[ She nods, before she rushes up the stairs as Cupil remains hovering in the same place, staring at Merlin blankly as he performs the mundane task of putting his boots back on. It does not take Fina long to dress in something a bit warmer and emerges again from her room upstairs in the process of pulling a hat down over her light blonde hair. ]

I'm sorry if I kept you waiting. [ She apologizes as she reaches for her scarf and wraps it carefully around her neck. Oddly enough, she still has the rose he gave her between her fingers. ]

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[awaitingalbion.livejournal.com]

[He looks up from retrying his second boot.] No, no harm done.

[Merlin stands up, stamping his feet in preparation for the trek.] The forests here are very nice, it seems, at this time of year. And they're not full of bandits.

[He notices the flower with a wide smile.] Come on. I've got something I'd like to show you.

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[silviteadvocate.livejournal.com]

[ Fina was going to agree with Merlin about how nice the forests could be, even if they were dank and depressing in this seamlessly perpetual winter weather at the moment, but instead blinks curiously at what he says and wonders out loud. ]

Bandits? [ It sounded like a jovial term, but the way he mentioned it, perhaps they were something like Black Pirates. How scary. ]

... Oh, you do?

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[awaitingalbion.livejournal.com]

Yeah, bandits. Highway men. Robbers? They hide in the woods and attack travellers.

[He backs out of the door, readjusting his neckerchief as he does so.] And I promise, I have something much better than bandits to show you.

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[silviteadvocate.livejournal.com]

That sounds scary. [ Her fears confirmed by his explanation, they are quelled slightly by that promise he was not going to lead her into a gang of bandits and follows him out the door, giving her hat one last nervous tug. ]

I-I'm looking forward to it.

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[awaitingalbion.livejournal.com]

Oh--[he shrugs it off with a (slightly) cocky smile]--Arthur and I have scared off whole groups of bandits. You're safe with me. [He hesitates...remembering how Minato left Fina on her own today.] Fina? You'll always be safe with me. I can promise that.

[And with the crushing weight of that promise, he turns to walk down the front steps.]

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[silviteadvocate.livejournal.com]

[ Fina smiles as she closes the front door behind her and feels the cool breeze nips at her flushed cheeks. Cupil warbles before disappearing into the hood of her coat and rushes to walk side-by-side with Merlin. ]

... I know I will.

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[awaitingalbion.livejournal.com]

[He hears the warble and looks back over his shoulder.]

Of course, I'll always defer to Cupil when it comes to protecting you, my lady.

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[silviteadvocate.livejournal.com]

[ Fina laughs. It's not the shy little giggle that Merlin has probably heard from her on rare occasions, but unreserved mirth. ]

He'll like that. [ Although Cupil's chirped retort, at this point, could be described as irritated. ]

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[awaitingalbion.livejournal.com]

[What sweet music, that laugh is!]

How long has Cupil been with you, Fina?

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[silviteadvocate.livejournal.com]

Cupil has been with me ever since I was a baby... Elder Prime made him for me to keep me company and protect me.

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[awaitingalbion.livejournal.com]

The two of you are meant to be together then. Tied together.

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[silviteadvocate.livejournal.com]

We are the last two remnants of our civilization. [ Three, if you count Ramirez, but alas he is kidnapped with Arthur and dead back in her time. ] I... never thought about it like that.

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[awaitingalbion.livejournal.com]

It's like Arthur and me. [He slows up, falling back in step beside Fina and looking over at her.] We've got a shared destiny.