The Causeway, Monday Morning

[bitchprince]

It was the Monday after graduation, and Arthur's nerves were hitting an all-time high.

Not that he'd admit it.

They were packed and ready: Arthur had his dog and his horses, Merlin had his owl. Several bags strapped to each of the horses, enough food for the trip home, if they wound up anywhere near where he and Merlin had gotten thrown off course the first time around.

Arthur didn't give the castle as much as a passing glance. But he had put out a few messages to anyone who might care to see him leave, and advised Morgana and Merlin to do the same.

Today, they would try to go home -- and dammit, they would succeed. He couldn't think anything less if he was going to take this path.

[[ open. not, in fact, the last post of the camelot kids in fandom, but probably a, if not the last chance to make your goodbyes to the lot all in one place. so have at! ]]

Comments

[bigdamndestiny.livejournal.com]

Merlin was nervously stroking the little bit of feathers between the owl's eyes and not getting bitten at all for it. It was almost enough to soothe his nerves now.

Nearly. Maybe. Couldn't they stay?

[bitchprince]

"Ready?" Arthur asked, some undefinable amount of time in depending on who shows up.

[bigdamndestiny.livejournal.com]

"Of course!" Oh, not in the slightest.

[bitchprince]

Arthur gave him a quick nod, and went to ascertain Morgana was the same.

Then he came back, and took his horse. "On we go," he said, and began to step towards the Causeway, picturing Camelot heavily in the back of his mind.

[thatsamilkshake]

So an entire saddlebag filled with bags of marshmallows for Merlin to take along: good idea? Bad idea? Since it was here over Francine's shoulder, the question was purely academic, but wondering about it made for a distraction from trying not to sniffle.

Not a very good distraction.

[bitchprince]

"Francine," Arthur nodded, from where he was inspecting the horse's gear. "Glad you could make it."

[bigdamndestiny.livejournal.com]

"We've got the mobile phones," Merlin reminded her with a sort of half smile.

[nevertobequeen.livejournal.com]

Morgana was nervous as well, but was doing everything in her power not to show it. They had to be confident to make this work, didn't they? "Yes, onward," she said, trying to picture Camelot, and her room, and Gwen, and anything else that reminded her of home.

[bigdamndestiny.livejournal.com]

Gwen in purple especially!

"Did anything odd happen last time?" Merlin asked. "Should something odd happen?"

[bitchprince]

"We just wound up back on the island," Arthur muttered. "Less talking. More moving."

He was... more than a little anxious, and his hands twisted in the reigns as he came closer, and closer, and his feet hit the Causeway itself.

Nothing yet happened. Maybe if they went on further.

[blondecanary.livejournal.com]

Dinah had chocolate for everyone. As well as other presents. And the urge to wibble. A lot. And deny it just as much.

"So."

Yeah, that's all she had for now.

[bitchprince]

'So' wasn't very descriptive.

"Dinah," said Arthur, which was more so. His eyes travelled over said presents. "You look about ready to leave yourself."

[nevertobequeen.livejournal.com]

Moving helped Morgana try to ignore the knot in her stomach, as did glaring at Arthur. "We are moving. Snapping won't help," she pointed out.

[bigdamndestiny.livejournal.com]

"He's nervous," Merlin whispered to Morgana. Not very well, mind.

[bitchprince]

"I am not nervous," Arthur snapped.

Which also wasn't helpful, mind.

[bigdamndestiny.livejournal.com]

"No need for that," Merlin said kindly. "We'll still have the phones!"

[nevertobequeen.livejournal.com]

"You're certainly something," Morgana said. "Stop it, and focus. And breathe."

[bigdamndestiny.livejournal.com]

"Maybe someone on the other side needs to get it working?" Merlin suggested.

[blondecanary.livejournal.com]

"You're sure?" Dinah asked, hating how pathetic that sounded. "Really? I just want to know you guys make it back okay. And don't get busted. Or eaten by a, I dunno, hippogriff or something."

[bigdamndestiny.livejournal.com]

"We'll be careful," Merlin promised.

Then, of course, had to ask: "What's a hippogriff?"

[bitchprince]

"What do you think I am doing," he snarled at Morgana, "The last thing I am lacking in is focus."

Merlin's remark just got him a glance.

And Arthur kept walking. They were nearing now the center of the Causeway, and nothing had yet happened: Baltimore was still clearly far up ahead, and the sea around them was the same it had always been.

[blondecanary.livejournal.com]

"Friday. Multi-dimensional tour. This is just... stuff. That I thought could help." She pointed to one package. "Going away present for you (http://www.thinkgeek.com/tshirts-apparel/jewelry/a96b/). You've probably got better, but...."

Look, everything she could think of would either be put down as magic or he already had better. At least they could be decorative.

[nevertobequeen.livejournal.com]

Morgana scoffed at Arthur, but continued to follow him, trying to clear her thoughts again. She thought about Uther for a moment, before deciding that happy thoughts would work better.

[thismaskiwear.livejournal.com]

Katchoo was not saying goodbye, dammit. She refused to do that. She also refused to try and cling like a clinging thing (however briefly appealing the thought of Arthur's horror at that might be), so instead she was leaning against the causeway railing, a cigarette dangling from her fingers and a mostly neutral-with-a-touch-of-disapproving expression on her face as she looked at the three of them.

Ignore how that touch kept incrementally ramping up.

And how her jaw kept trying to twitch.

[bitchprince]

Arthur took the package, at least. "Thank you, whatever it is," he said, mostly for politeness' sake - who knew he could still manage it - and unwrapped it.

A beat.

"Well, you were right," he said, "I do have better." He didn't sound overtly upset about it, though. "But the material is new."