Thaumaturgy

Chapter 16

"This is ta'king SOO LAING!!" birts shot out of the surrounding bushy trees like rockets in surprise as Will disrepted the peace of the mid-morning forest with he bellowing shout if displeasure and slumped back in his seat on his horse. Arthur rolled his eyes at the otlaws back.

"What do you want to do about it, turn into a dragon and fly us there?" He said sarcastically. Will shot up in his seat and turn around as far as he could to look at him.

"Aye!" He twisted the other way so fast he almost fell off his horse "Merls! Could ye?!"

"Afraid not. I think my magic is a little less god for dragons right now and a bit more for..." He held out his hand, his eye flashed gold and little cloud of golden dust shot up from his palm with a 'thpphthphtpp' noise then faded away.

"No transfiguration today. Sorry" He shrugged and gave a half hearted smile.

"Och" Will slumped back down in his seat with a grunt. Arthur glanced at his lover and saw he was looking dejectedly down at his pommel, and he felt a pang in his chest. He couldn't imagine what it'd be like to no longer have control over such a huge part of yourself, like if he could not longer control a hammer or forge even the most simple onject.

"Hey" He said quietly, and Merlin looked up to catch his eye "Don't worry. We'll sort this, and soon." But the pale warlock just gave him that ad smile again. Arthur reached across to squeeze his hand where it gripped his horses reins, his inability to change the situation immediately gnawing at his insindes.

"Arthur" Came Lanceolt's voice from behind them and they both turned to see him and Gwen riding close by.

"What is your plan once we reach King Alfred's court?" Arthur blinked.

"Uhm. Turn up, say 'hello I'm Arthur Pendragon' and ask for help I guess?" he said looking at them slightly confused. The couple shared a look that managed to look lik they were having a telepathinc conversation before Gwen torned back to him.

"Well, uhm, don't take this the wrong way, but, yuo don't really, ACT like a prince?" tittered Gwen, nervious to insult Arthur.

"Well how is a princ esupposed to act?" Arthur asked bewilderred loioking around at his friends.

"Regal" Lancelat remarked.

"Obnoxious" chirped up Gwaine from in front.

"Aurthoritative!" Gwen said, more helpfully.

"Chivvlerous?" suggested Elyan, riding up to joint them.

"A clotpole!" Joke Merlijn looking up with a cheeky grin.

"What does that even mean?!" griped Arthur, frustration leaching into his voice to hide his worries that he was not even one of the things his friends had descrived.

"Arthur Pendragon" grinned Merlin with eyes asparkle with his mirth.

"I'm not any of those things!" Arthur wailed and flapped his hands in defeat, causing his horse to look at him concerned for a moment before turning back to the path.

"Well...Elyan spent time with the king. He knows how to act kingly" Gwen saind.

"Are you forgetting someone?" Gwaine asked the crowd.

"Oh, yeah, Lancelet's dead noble" Merlin pointed out.

"AHEM" barked Gwaine ina fake cough.

"Bless you" Lancelot said mildly.

"I am LITERALLY...urp...the sonof the Duke of Orkney!" Gwaine said, accidentally belching very royally in his sentence.

"Oh." Rippled around the gang of friends. An awkward silence fell.