New Year's Eve with Morgana
Dec. 31st, 2010 11:45 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
bit_of_a_clotpoleAt a quarter to midnight, the great bell of Camelot tolls once. The townspeople crowd into the streets and a lucky hundred or so get into the palace courtyard.
The Main Hall is full with the nobles of the kingdom.
And Prince Arthur (allowed to stay up for the first time!) is sneaking the corridors to Morgana's chambers to bring her down for the New Year's countdown.
The Main Hall is full with the nobles of the kingdom.
And Prince Arthur (allowed to stay up for the first time!) is sneaking the corridors to Morgana's chambers to bring her down for the New Year's countdown.
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
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Date: 2011-01-01 02:23 pm (UTC)So she's been rushing to get ready. For an event like this, she's pulled out her very best dress. It's royal blue, with white ribbons, as it will be many years before she starts getting the ones embroidered with small gemstones. After brushing her hair out, she's tied half of it back with a white ribbon.
She likes it better this way, as she still doesn't like the maid the King's assigned her. At home, her nurse expected her to be able to dress herself.
When she thinks it's about time (really it's 5 minutes early) she keeps peeking out the door, looking for Arthur.
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Date: 2011-01-01 11:36 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-01-02 12:03 am (UTC)She's carrying a small fur stole the King gave her for Yule, in case she gets cold.
"I am. Is there some place we can be in the main hall where the king will not see us?"
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Date: 2011-01-02 12:15 am (UTC)"I do!" He grabs her hand. "Come on."
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Date: 2011-01-02 12:37 am (UTC)Still, she takes his hand to follow him downstairs.
"What has been going on so far?"
She wants all the details of what she's been forced to miss.
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Date: 2011-01-02 12:44 am (UTC)"Lots of stuff! We got to have this dish from the east! It was so spicy Father's face went bright red!" He giggles. "And then some acrobats came and one of them swung on the chandlier!"
The breathless descriptions might make her feel worse, but then Arthur remembers something and reaches into his pocket. "There was honeycakes too, I saved you one." He hands her one wrapped in a napkin.
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Date: 2011-01-02 12:56 am (UTC)The details he says now, the ways such celebrations are deemed a success make, she will make use of over and over again, as an adult when much of the planning becomes her responsibility.
The honeycake goes over well enough so that she does not pass comment. It is sticky, and delicious.
"Thank you," she says, for once, absolutely willing to follow him.
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Date: 2011-01-02 01:10 am (UTC)As they near the Main Hall, the sounds of people cheering and the strains of music will become louder.
"We have to go through the anteroom," he tells her. "That way no-one will see us."
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Date: 2011-01-02 01:45 am (UTC)Though she's not looking at Arthur, she's straining to see the lit candles and the decorations as illuminated by them.
"Will we still be able to see things?"
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Date: 2011-01-02 04:36 am (UTC)But he doesn't go through that door, instead he goes to a tapestry beside it, pulling it back to reveal a secret door.
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Date: 2011-01-02 04:50 am (UTC)"This is amazing." She peeks inside, and the noise of the party increases tenfold.
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Date: 2011-01-02 04:55 am (UTC)At the head of the Grand Table Father is enjoying the show and is rather into his cups, he hasn't even noticed his son has slipped away.
"I used to wonder what the New Year's Feast was like! But I never imagined anything as great and this!"
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Date: 2011-01-02 03:04 pm (UTC)"Do you ever think it's like this other times after we are sent to bed?"
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Date: 2011-01-03 12:16 am (UTC)"I don't think so...but maybe..."
The castle walls are quite thick, so it's possible!
"They better not!"
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Date: 2011-01-03 12:34 am (UTC)"That one got far too close to the King -- and stole his goblet," she narrates as if he can't see the same thing.
"I can't imagine anyone getting away with that!"
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Date: 2011-01-03 12:57 am (UTC)Plus the antics of the acrobats has him giggling. Father doesn't seem to notice and then when he can't find his goblet he looks so thoroughly confused!
"They must be as brave as knights!"
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Date: 2011-01-03 02:50 am (UTC)"Braver even, as what if the King thinks they're using magic?"
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Date: 2011-01-03 02:58 am (UTC)But it looks as if they're not, or if they are Father doesn't suspect, because when one of the acrobats starts juggling with the king's goblet and two apples. Father spots it and laughs, applauding heartily with the others in the hall.
"Wow...I wonder how you learn that!"
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Date: 2011-01-03 03:10 am (UTC)"You don't have to stay with," stupid burst of coughing, after she was doing so well, "with me all night."
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Date: 2011-01-03 03:36 am (UTC)"No, it's OK. Father says they're staying for the New Year Market, I can go ask them then!"
Not that Father's known to let him go into the lower town, but that won't stop Arthur.
"It's almost time!"
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Date: 2011-01-03 04:32 am (UTC)Everyone in the hall stands, silent, waiting for the next ring, indicating the arrival of the new year.
Morgana, in excitement, and a desire to have someone to share this with, holds onto Arthur's hand.
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Date: 2011-01-03 04:55 am (UTC)In the space between the two bells and the one signally midnight all the candles in the Great Hall are extinguished.
And then the bell tolls once and a single flame appears in the room, swirling around...
Then another and another.
It's the acrobats! Relighting all the candles as they juggle!
The cry echoes around the hall. "Happy New Year! Happy New Year!"
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Date: 2011-01-03 05:06 am (UTC)It is a moment before she quietly whispers, "Happy New Year, Arthur."
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Date: 2011-01-03 05:36 am (UTC)"Happy New Year."
And have an awkward hug.
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Date: 2011-01-03 12:34 pm (UTC)She thinks of the previous New Year's, one where her father was home, and does to Arthur, the same thing she did to her father. She gives him a very proper, very sweet little kiss on the cheek. Her father always said starting off the New Year like that was good luck.
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Date: 2011-01-04 06:18 am (UTC)"Thanks!" He squeaks.
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Date: 2011-01-04 12:34 pm (UTC)Okay, now she is getting embarrassed.
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Date: 2011-01-05 08:13 am (UTC)Arthur endeavours to play it cool...because... Princes don't blush!
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Date: 2011-01-05 12:15 pm (UTC)"And you will need luck, because you'll be training soon," she tries to add, helpfully, as she should soon be well enough for the trip to Sir Ector's as long as the King doesn't become overprotective.
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Date: 2011-01-05 01:11 pm (UTC)The acrobats are doing another routine now with swords! It's enough to distract anyone from awkwardness - especially two children who love sword fighting.
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Date: 2011-01-05 01:31 pm (UTC)For two children who love swords, she feels it's more than appropriate to pass comment, on the pretend duel happening in the middle of the floor. "If the one in the blue doesn't win, the contest is rigged. He is much better."
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Date: 2011-01-06 12:23 pm (UTC)As it turns out neither blue nor red wins, as quite suddenly the acrobat dress in purple cartwheels in and somehow manages to disarm the other two with his feet!
The applause seems to make the Main Hall rock on its foundations!
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Date: 2011-01-06 06:41 pm (UTC)Celebrations of this type at home were always simpler, usually a gathering of the families from the local villages on her father's estate. Thinking about that makes her homesick and she wonders how they all are doing.
"Are all celebrations at Camelot like this?"
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Date: 2011-01-07 06:52 am (UTC)He shakes his head. "No, usually we have feasts and they're sort of boring. I don't think this is usual. Father said something about it being ten years since he got Camelot back so..."
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Date: 2011-01-07 12:29 pm (UTC)There are a few gaps in her knowledge of Camelot's history. The full details of the purge, the war on magic, is one of them.
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Date: 2011-01-07 12:36 pm (UTC)That was sort of true, as the stories he's been told often are.
"The sorcerers called in the Dragons." Arthur's eyes go wide. "Father managed to beat them, that's pretty amazing don't you think?"
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Date: 2011-01-07 12:39 pm (UTC)"Why would sorcerers want to take over Camelot?"
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Date: 2011-01-07 12:47 pm (UTC)He pauses and thinks. "I don't know...Camelot has lots of land and treasures and things like that. I guess they wanted those."
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Date: 2011-01-08 01:50 am (UTC)Morgana reaches up and fixes his circlet, which is now a little askew. It's not the last time she'll do that either.
"Wouldn't everyone want the lands and treasures not just magical people?"
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Date: 2011-01-08 02:12 am (UTC)He blushes at her straightening of his circlet.
"And they do, but they don't have powers to make fire and...explode rocks and things..."
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Date: 2011-01-08 03:46 am (UTC)Arthur's tales do not differ from her father's -- who was nothing but complimentary about the King, though he desired to keep Morgana out of court, so, at this stage, they impress.
"I'd be afraid of someone who can just make fire."
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Date: 2011-01-08 03:52 am (UTC)Shakes head. But brightens right up again.
"Father managed it though! I should go wish him happy new year!" He's just about to go out there, but stops. "I can take you back to your room if you want."
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Date: 2011-01-08 06:42 am (UTC)It's completely impulsive but she gives him another kiss, on the opposite cheek to the first. "There. Now you have twice the luck."
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Date: 2011-01-08 07:35 am (UTC)But the kiss on his other cheek makes him blush once again!
"Um...thank you."
And quite awkwardly he leans in and kisses her cheek.
"And um...luck for you too."
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Date: 2011-01-08 07:51 am (UTC)"I'll be fine. I promise."
She starts to leave but has to add. "So we'll both be lucky this year."