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Jul. 10th, 2003 10:00 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
tammaiyaHave written the first three consecutive scenes of the Arthur thing. May post it on Fictionpress. Might create a branch of my 'site' for it, too. Wheeeeeeeeeeee.
Arthur wouldn’t be such a bad name, Arthur reflected sourly, if only I didn’t possess a brother called MERLIN. And really, that was the whole problem- his mother’s apparent fixation on Arthurian legends. Heaven knows why she didn’t call MERLIN Arthur, him being first born, but maybe Merlin was her favourite character and she thought it might make for nice dramatic irony to saddle her second son with ‘Arthur’ on top of it all. Whichever way, the fact remained that no teenage boy should be subjected to anything so very emotionally scarring. Or physically, for that matter. Children really were very cruel.
Merlin inspected Arthur’s face carefully, turning it from side to side and frowning thoughtfully. Releasing his younger brother’s chin, he sighed and ruffled Arthur’s hair affectionately. “Well, kid, you’ll live. You’re going to have one hell of a black eye, though, not to mention a few other bruises.”
Arthur flopped back onto the bed irritably. “What else is new? This happens EVERY TIME we move to a new town, and then it keeps happening until they get bored. I thought teenage boys were supposed to have SHORT attention spans?”
Merlin pushed himself up off his knees and sat down on the bed next to Arthur, leaning back against the wall. “Yeah, tell me about it. You think you got it bad, you should try MY name for a week or two. Do you know how many morons I get goading me about doing magic spells? They seem to think they’re funny.” He rolled his eyes.
“Oh, granted I get it easy until they find out I have a brother named Merlin. After that, though, they start asking me when I plan to take over England. And when they’re beating me up, they make stupid cracks about getting my knights of the Round to save me.” Arthur shook his head in disgust. “Are they delusional, or what?”
“Same here. Except I think they expect me to throw fireballs to defend myself. Rather reminiscent of Jesus, but more violent.” Merlin managed an amused smile. “This just proves something I’ve always held to be true- teenage males are complete idiots.”
“Really. Well, next time you have any grandiose visions of your own genius, I’ll remind you of that.”
Merlin wrinkled his nose. “Oh, shut up. What I don’t understand is why did Mother have to name us after fictional characters? Or if she really had to, why couldn’t she have gone for one of her more OBSCURE literary tastes?”
Arthur rolled his eyes. “Great. Then you’d be Milamber, and I’d be Arutha. What a vast improvement.”
“Raymond Feist is hardly obscure, Arthur,” Merlin pointed out reasonably. “Besides, no one ever said anything about sticking to the same letters. She might have called me Pug.”
“And that’s just SUCH a good name.” Arthur’s voice dripped with sarcasm. “God damn it. I hate my life.”
About ten minutes later, Arthur and Merlin came down the stairs only to find their mother, who apparently had something very important to say and didn’t even tell them to sit down before saying it. Arthur stared at his mother in something akin to shock. “No. No way. You are SO not serious. You aren’t, are you? Please, please tell me you’re not.”
Cassie sighed. “For goodness sake, Arthur, it’s really not that bad. I don’t know what you’re complaining about.”
Merlin rolled his eyes. “How about the fact that we’re going to be ridiculed in yet another town? It’s taken this long to get the kids at school to stop laughing at us, and we can tell that the teachers are sniggering behind our backs too, you know. What on earth possessed you to saddle your poor defenceless sons with such ridiculous names, I will never know.”
Their mother smiled slightly as she always did when Merlin made that comment. “If you are so very accepted now, then why has Arthur been in a fight? Anyhow, I thought they were very apt names, as I’m sure you will one day understand, Merlin. For now, however, it would be nice if you would start packing. We’re leaving in less than a week.”
Arthur stamped his foot. “Ok, maybe we haven’t been totally accepted, but it’s better than starting all over! Besides, you didn’t answer me- why are we moving again? I’m SICK of moving! We never stay anywhere for more than 6 months. How do you ever expect us to adjust?”
Cassie merely shrugged, eyes shuttered. “Anything you don’t pack will be left behind. We’re leaving tomorrow.” She turned around and went back to washing the dishes, a clear sign that the conversation was now over. Arthur opened his mouth to start arguing again, but Merlin grabbed his arm and dragged him out of the kitchen before he could make things worse.
Once they had reached the hall, Arthur yanked his arm back and turned to glare at his older brother furiously. “What the FUCK,” he hissed, “did you do THAT for?”
Merlin crossed his arms. “Arthur, you know that it wouldn’t do any good.”
Arthur clenched his fists and stood trembling with suppressed rage for a few seconds before spinning on his heel and stalking up the stairs to their bedroom. Merlin winced and followed the angered teen, leaning against the doorframe with a rueful expression.
“Arthur-”
Arthur had his face buried in his pillow, arms curled around his head. Merlin bit his lip. "Arthur, it's not THAT bad-"
"Not that bad? We're moving to WALES!" Arthur wailed.
Glancing in the rear-view mirror, Cassandra sighed. Arthur had been sulking in the back seat with an air of resigned suffering for the entire day, and it had just got worse on the car trip. It was a rather long drive, too, and they were confined to a relatively small area. “For goodness sake, Arthur, take a break. You’ve been looking like a thunder cloud all day, and I’m sure it can’t be healthy.”
Arthur narrowed his eyes and sank further back into the seat. “I agreed to go under protest. That doesn’t mean I have to like it, or even pretend I like it.”
Grinning wryly, Merlin reached over to ruffle Arthur’s hair. “Seriously, cheer up, squirt. I know it sucks, but Mum’s right- you really do look like a little storm.”
Arthur batted his hand away with a poisonous glare. Cassie cringed- if Arthur was being uncivil even to Merlin, then he was determined to stay in his bad mood for a long time yet. “Merlin, I’m glad that you at least are being a little more optimistic about this.”
Merlin shrugged. “Not really. I fully agree with Arthur. I’m just more mature about it.” He duly ignored the sour look his younger brother aimed at him.
Cassie rolled her eyes. “Honestly, boys, there’s no need to be so negative. You might be pleasantly surprised. After all, Wales is a different place to England.”
Merlin looked out the window, taking in the lack of new scenery with a bored glance. “I doubt it. Wales is just as rainy and miserable as England. Aside from that, it has a lot of mud and a lot of sheep. Whoohoo.”
“You never know, you might find that people are a little better about your names,” his mother insisted.
Merlin snorted, voice derisive. “Oh, definitely. Now that we’re living in the land where the Arthurian legends originated, there’s no chance that any one will find our names at ALL funny. In fact, there’ll probably be HEAPS of Merlins running around, because I’m sure it’s such a COMMON name in Wales!”
Cassandra raised her eyebrow. “Dear, your sarcasm is completely lost on me. And we’ll see- I still think you’re making a judgement before you know the facts.”
“Good for me,” Merlin replied sarcastically.
The rest of the journey passed in complete silence.
*stares blankly at the screeen*
My dog has dandruff. Ho hum.
Arthur wouldn’t be such a bad name, Arthur reflected sourly, if only I didn’t possess a brother called MERLIN. And really, that was the whole problem- his mother’s apparent fixation on Arthurian legends. Heaven knows why she didn’t call MERLIN Arthur, him being first born, but maybe Merlin was her favourite character and she thought it might make for nice dramatic irony to saddle her second son with ‘Arthur’ on top of it all. Whichever way, the fact remained that no teenage boy should be subjected to anything so very emotionally scarring. Or physically, for that matter. Children really were very cruel.
Merlin inspected Arthur’s face carefully, turning it from side to side and frowning thoughtfully. Releasing his younger brother’s chin, he sighed and ruffled Arthur’s hair affectionately. “Well, kid, you’ll live. You’re going to have one hell of a black eye, though, not to mention a few other bruises.”
Arthur flopped back onto the bed irritably. “What else is new? This happens EVERY TIME we move to a new town, and then it keeps happening until they get bored. I thought teenage boys were supposed to have SHORT attention spans?”
Merlin pushed himself up off his knees and sat down on the bed next to Arthur, leaning back against the wall. “Yeah, tell me about it. You think you got it bad, you should try MY name for a week or two. Do you know how many morons I get goading me about doing magic spells? They seem to think they’re funny.” He rolled his eyes.
“Oh, granted I get it easy until they find out I have a brother named Merlin. After that, though, they start asking me when I plan to take over England. And when they’re beating me up, they make stupid cracks about getting my knights of the Round to save me.” Arthur shook his head in disgust. “Are they delusional, or what?”
“Same here. Except I think they expect me to throw fireballs to defend myself. Rather reminiscent of Jesus, but more violent.” Merlin managed an amused smile. “This just proves something I’ve always held to be true- teenage males are complete idiots.”
“Really. Well, next time you have any grandiose visions of your own genius, I’ll remind you of that.”
Merlin wrinkled his nose. “Oh, shut up. What I don’t understand is why did Mother have to name us after fictional characters? Or if she really had to, why couldn’t she have gone for one of her more OBSCURE literary tastes?”
Arthur rolled his eyes. “Great. Then you’d be Milamber, and I’d be Arutha. What a vast improvement.”
“Raymond Feist is hardly obscure, Arthur,” Merlin pointed out reasonably. “Besides, no one ever said anything about sticking to the same letters. She might have called me Pug.”
“And that’s just SUCH a good name.” Arthur’s voice dripped with sarcasm. “God damn it. I hate my life.”
About ten minutes later, Arthur and Merlin came down the stairs only to find their mother, who apparently had something very important to say and didn’t even tell them to sit down before saying it. Arthur stared at his mother in something akin to shock. “No. No way. You are SO not serious. You aren’t, are you? Please, please tell me you’re not.”
Cassie sighed. “For goodness sake, Arthur, it’s really not that bad. I don’t know what you’re complaining about.”
Merlin rolled his eyes. “How about the fact that we’re going to be ridiculed in yet another town? It’s taken this long to get the kids at school to stop laughing at us, and we can tell that the teachers are sniggering behind our backs too, you know. What on earth possessed you to saddle your poor defenceless sons with such ridiculous names, I will never know.”
Their mother smiled slightly as she always did when Merlin made that comment. “If you are so very accepted now, then why has Arthur been in a fight? Anyhow, I thought they were very apt names, as I’m sure you will one day understand, Merlin. For now, however, it would be nice if you would start packing. We’re leaving in less than a week.”
Arthur stamped his foot. “Ok, maybe we haven’t been totally accepted, but it’s better than starting all over! Besides, you didn’t answer me- why are we moving again? I’m SICK of moving! We never stay anywhere for more than 6 months. How do you ever expect us to adjust?”
Cassie merely shrugged, eyes shuttered. “Anything you don’t pack will be left behind. We’re leaving tomorrow.” She turned around and went back to washing the dishes, a clear sign that the conversation was now over. Arthur opened his mouth to start arguing again, but Merlin grabbed his arm and dragged him out of the kitchen before he could make things worse.
Once they had reached the hall, Arthur yanked his arm back and turned to glare at his older brother furiously. “What the FUCK,” he hissed, “did you do THAT for?”
Merlin crossed his arms. “Arthur, you know that it wouldn’t do any good.”
Arthur clenched his fists and stood trembling with suppressed rage for a few seconds before spinning on his heel and stalking up the stairs to their bedroom. Merlin winced and followed the angered teen, leaning against the doorframe with a rueful expression.
“Arthur-”
Arthur had his face buried in his pillow, arms curled around his head. Merlin bit his lip. "Arthur, it's not THAT bad-"
"Not that bad? We're moving to WALES!" Arthur wailed.
Glancing in the rear-view mirror, Cassandra sighed. Arthur had been sulking in the back seat with an air of resigned suffering for the entire day, and it had just got worse on the car trip. It was a rather long drive, too, and they were confined to a relatively small area. “For goodness sake, Arthur, take a break. You’ve been looking like a thunder cloud all day, and I’m sure it can’t be healthy.”
Arthur narrowed his eyes and sank further back into the seat. “I agreed to go under protest. That doesn’t mean I have to like it, or even pretend I like it.”
Grinning wryly, Merlin reached over to ruffle Arthur’s hair. “Seriously, cheer up, squirt. I know it sucks, but Mum’s right- you really do look like a little storm.”
Arthur batted his hand away with a poisonous glare. Cassie cringed- if Arthur was being uncivil even to Merlin, then he was determined to stay in his bad mood for a long time yet. “Merlin, I’m glad that you at least are being a little more optimistic about this.”
Merlin shrugged. “Not really. I fully agree with Arthur. I’m just more mature about it.” He duly ignored the sour look his younger brother aimed at him.
Cassie rolled her eyes. “Honestly, boys, there’s no need to be so negative. You might be pleasantly surprised. After all, Wales is a different place to England.”
Merlin looked out the window, taking in the lack of new scenery with a bored glance. “I doubt it. Wales is just as rainy and miserable as England. Aside from that, it has a lot of mud and a lot of sheep. Whoohoo.”
“You never know, you might find that people are a little better about your names,” his mother insisted.
Merlin snorted, voice derisive. “Oh, definitely. Now that we’re living in the land where the Arthurian legends originated, there’s no chance that any one will find our names at ALL funny. In fact, there’ll probably be HEAPS of Merlins running around, because I’m sure it’s such a COMMON name in Wales!”
Cassandra raised her eyebrow. “Dear, your sarcasm is completely lost on me. And we’ll see- I still think you’re making a judgement before you know the facts.”
“Good for me,” Merlin replied sarcastically.
The rest of the journey passed in complete silence.
*stares blankly at the screeen*
My dog has dandruff. Ho hum.
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Date: 2003-07-10 06:15 am (UTC)...isn't Arutha cool, though? He and Laurie... difficult to choose which one I love the most.
Re:
Date: 2003-07-10 06:21 am (UTC)Hey Frar- do you have time to beta a few unposted chapters of MI? I'm just not sure I want to post them as they are. ^ ^; I'm still reading Quindlemire, by the way- I like the child emperor. He rocks. *grin*
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Date: 2003-07-10 08:58 am (UTC)(Nitpick, though - you don't need to mention that they're leaving "in less than a week." The tomorrow in the next bit of dialogue covers it.)
Re:
Date: 2003-07-10 04:55 pm (UTC)