Let's Turn Their Heads, TAG: PRINCESS ELINOR DE CRUX

[Merlin]

Merlin and horses just didn’t mix. Especially horses that belonged to the crown prince who were possibly just as obnoxious - if not more - as their owner. Back in Ealdor, the other villagers had made sure to keep the young man away from their horses for the safety of all parties involved. He’d been kicked more times than he could remember and it was only thanks to his magic he’d managed to heal all the bones that had broken. He’d managed to stay away from horses up until now. If he hadn’t saved Arthur’s bloody life, then he wouldn’t be here.

"Do this Merlin; do that Merlin!"


The aforementioned servant violently thrust the sopping mop across the stable floor, knuckles white with the grip he had on the rough wooden handle. He’d never have agreed to this if Arthur hadn’t purred his name in the way he knew made Merlin agree to just about anything. “Muck out my stable Merlin; jump off the castle wall Merlin”, he grumped, water sloshing everywhere as he slammed the mop head into the dirty bucket, “How bloody high, your pratishness”, he slapped the wet mop onto the stone and drew it across roughly, almost tripping himself up with it in his haste. The horse behind him neighed in what could only be agreement and Merlin decided that no, maybe the horse wasn’t so bad.

Propping himself up on his trusty mop, he frowned at his handiwork and grumbled. It would take a good few hours to dry off and by then it would be dark and he really didn’t want to still be doing this after he’d delivered dinner to the prince. Staring at the floor (after making sure the coast was clear first of course) his eyes shone gold for all of a second before the floor was suddenly dry and lacking in water. Behind him, the Prince’s stallion whinnied, evidentially not used to being in the presence of magic and Merlin was sure if it had been able to talk, it would have been running in circles shrieking about magic and sorcerers.

Then Merlin would be spending tomorrow in the gallows instead of hunting with the Prince.

Now he had to lay new hay. Which would be brilliant - if it didn’t bring Merlin up in the most god-awful rashes imaginable. With an overdramatic sigh, he grabbed one of the bales and lugged it to the stable and started to spread it out, red lines coming up where the hay brushed his skin. Frowning, he let his eyes flash gold once more till the whole bale was spread out and flat. That was better and yes, magic was a handy thing when it came to reactions and rashes. Stepping back, he admired his handiwork with a smile and another flash of gold eyes and the food and water was refilled and everything looked perfect.

Then again - Merlin was biased about that kind of thing and knowing Arthur; he’d manage to find something to moan about. Groaning, he turned his head and promptly smacked his head against the wall and fell hard on his butt in the hay. Emerging out the hay, he blew it out his face and could have laughed when the horse picked a bit out his hair and ate it.

[princess elinor de crux]

Elle had been staying in the castle now for just a day, and still she hadn't seen the prince. It didn't matter really. She knew his duties and with the slip of Percy yesterday she knew that he was probably either still in bed or something along those lines. Elinor rose up in her bed as her hand maids pulled the curtains open. "Is it so hard to ask for just a few more minutes of sleep."They just smiled and pulled her sheet off her and hurried her up. After getting up and bathing in a hot bath that had been drawn for her she was dressed. She was wearing a light sort of sheeted white dress that was like a corset around her stomach and chest. Her hair was let down and the curls from being wet stood out more than they usually did.

No one in Camelot, well none of the royal sevents had come to wake her so she must not be wanted. It didn't matter, it gave her a bit of time to explore. It wasn't long till she found herself outside. The gardens didn't spike an interest in her and nither did the courtyard. Though she would get to those later. Right now she wan't to check on the horses, see if the stable boy was taking care of them. Making her way to the door she heard a voice. He seemed to be talking about how someone kept telling him to do things. He was a servent so she expected this to happen. Usually her mother and father dismissed the servents that complained. Maybe Authur didn't know anything about this. It didn't surprise her really.

Elinor moved forward and took a peek through the crack in the door. He seemed to be mopping the floor. Just what he should be doing. Because she saw the bucket of water and the mop. But the mop was in the bucket so he must be done. It was only then that she saw the food and water refilled in all of the stalls. Even the ones with Cara's horses in it. It was real. Magic was real. When she was about to turn and run back to her room she tripped and fell into the stables. Bringing her rather close to Merlin as he sat in the hay. She smiled softly then quickly got to her feet and dusted herself off. "Sorry I wasn't snooping.....I was....exploring..." Close enough to snooping right. She pulled a piece of hay out of her hair then looked up at him with with her soft brown eyes. "You...I'm....Princess Elinor de Crux..."She gave him another smile then moved over to one of her royal horses and rubbed tha mane on the side of its head. "You...did a good job on the stables it seems.."

[Merlin]

"Sorry I wasn't snooping.....I was....exploring..."

Panic flooded through him - God, had she seen his magic? If she had, then he was a dead man. She'd go to the King or worse, Arthur. Then Merlin would be put to death and then who would clean out the stables? Gaius would be so disappointed and his disappointed face made anyone wish they were rather dead. Biting down on his lip, he rested his mop against the wall and offered her a small smile, "It's alright really. It's always fun to explore the castle", he said with a slight shrug of his boney shoulders. Looking about at the stall, he nodded in pride to himself before moving his attention back to her.

"You...I'm....Princess Elinor de Crux..."

Moving into a vague resemblence of a bow, he smiled, "I'm Merlin, I'm Arthur's manservant..." he paused, biting his lip before correcting himself, "...the Prince's even; don't tell him I call him by his name behind his back. He might have me in the stocks", he queried as he straightened up, looking about again as she complimented his work, "Thanks...and uh...if you, you know, saw anything...can you not mention that either?" he asked, knowing he was asking alot but he didn't really want to die - it would be somewhat inconvinient.

[[ooc: im disgusted at how short it is but all my muse died =[ sorry]]

[princess elinor de crux]

"I would say so..."She seemed almost to excited. Because she was. After all that serching knowing that there was something out there like this, she had finally found it. Closing her eyes for a moment she quickly pulled herself away from the horses and turned to him, though not to startle him. She just put on another smile and pulled her hair over her shoulders with her fingertips and looked down. "Its nice to meet you Sir Merlin..."When he bowed she quickly walked up to him and lifted him up. "Stop it....lets just be non-formal today...while with me"She did enjoy the whole treatment like they gave her back at home but right now she just wanted him to treat her like any other common person.

"I won't tell him, I'm not that much of a snitch. Though I understand why you would..."Making her way over to the hay where he had just been sitting she fell back in it and started to play with a sprig of it."You have nothing to worry about. I'm not going to tell..."She got up from the hay bell and spun around. "After all this time of knowing something was out there....I've found it....and only two months before I have to return home. Great"She sighed and stopped spinning then looked up at him.

(Mine sucks to...don't worry)

[Merlin]

Merlin smiled at her, a soft blush lingering high on his cheeks. He wasn't used to being called 'Sire Merlin', usually it was just Merlin...or Idiot. He absently reached out, his fingers tangling in the mane of the nearest horse - which happened to be Morgana's and her horse seemed to think the sun shone out Merlin's arse - before stroking it softly, the animal nuzzling at his cheek with a soft neigh, "Oh please my lady, just Merlin", he said, giving a slightly embarrassed smile as he all but hid behind the horse, "Oh and you don't have to bow to me, I mean, I'm just a servant", he pointed out, finally untangling his hand from the mane and recieving a disgruntled whinny to which he gave an apologetic look and replaced his hand in the mane.

He watched the strangely happy girl fall back on the hay and really, he didn't know how to react. He'd never seen someone of noble blood sitting in the hay before - Morgana didn't count and usually that was only because she was keeping him company while he cleaned out Arthur's horse - so, he just shifted slightly to face her, "Home? Where are you from, if it's not too bold of me to ask?". He belately wondered why he was never this polite to either Arthur or Uther. Granted he was bloody petrified of Uther and what he'd do if he caught Merlin - a sorceror in the Royal household? It was a scandal waiting to happen - and Arthur, well, Arthur was another story completely.