The Causeway, Early Thursday Morning

[bitchprince]

They were going to try again. The graduates were all leaving - if there was any justice in the world, the island would let them pass again, back to where they belonged. Home, where he hoped Morgana was safe, that no threat had come up on the people while he was away, and that his father hadn't called another war upon them.

(It was that, or Arthur was going to have to figure out how to strike some truce with Leto, and the thought was already giving him a headache)

He held his horse by the lead as he came up on the causeway. He steeled himself. "We're leaving," he told it. And by extension, Merlin.

[[ thread with arthur locked to one, but open if anyone else needs to use the causeway at this hour ]]

Comments

[bigdamndestiny.livejournal.com]

Merlin nodded once silently. "We are." He hoped.

[bitchprince]

He glanced at Merlin aside once as well. Then came the curt nod, and he resumed walking forward with the horse following close behind him. "...And if there's any magic you know of that will help us, now's the time to use it."

[bigdamndestiny.livejournal.com]

"...nothing that springs to mind," Merlin said slowly.

[bitchprince]

"Of course not," Arthur said. He'd come up with something cleverer when he wasn't busy hoping his damnedest that this would take him home.

He took a deep breath - a subconscious move - and made another step. And another.

[bigdamndestiny.livejournal.com]

Merlin shot him a reassuring grin and kept in step with him. "Next thing you know, you'll be trouncing your knights like always."

[bitchprince]

"No doubt," he said, "I don't want to think about what's become of Gawain's footwork without my help."

They were getting closer, now, to the place where the changeover would happen - as Arthur had learned on many, many tries.

He realised he was babbling mostly for the sake of it, so he slammed his mouth firmly shut after that one.

[bigdamndestiny.livejournal.com]

Merlin, on the other hand was only there to encourage it. If only to keep Arthur from being worried. "Gaius will be furious I haven't kept up in my studies, I'm sure."

[bitchprince]

Arthur ignored him. Or rather, he ignored any impulse to speak, locking his worry up deep as he always did. A few more steps. A few more...

...and he was facing the island again. "Bugger," he said, eloquently. "Merlin, you'll need to keep looking into these portals--"

[bigdamndestiny.livejournal.com]

"--I suppose I could always look into asking the clinic, but... Arthur?"

Merlin looked around and saw nothing of the island. No buildings, no noise, no Arthur.

Just green and forest and--oh god he knew this place.

[bitchprince]

When there was no response, Arthur turned half-around. And found... nothing. "Merlin?" he called.

Nothing.

"Merlin!"

Still nothing.

He turned completely around, rather abruptly, and practically threw himself at the end of the causeway. Nothing happened.

And again. And again. "What kind of sorcery is this?!" he yelled, finally. "You will return him, or return me to Camelot!" Because demanding things of empty air was going to get you something, Arthur.

Obviously, there was no response.