IC inbox

[foodshortage]

[ It took him so many tries to get this right. Modern technicalities. ]

Good day. This is the bracelet belonging to Uther Pendragon. Leave a message and I will get back to you as soon as I am able. Thank you.

[ Score. ]

Comments

OMG UUUUTHEEEER

[fated_blade]

I hear from my sister that you, Father, have joined us in Asgard.

[A pause]

...I would speak with you, Uther.

KJHDSG ARTURIA

[foodshortage]

[Arthur had mentioned there's a... female version of him running around. But that doesn't prepare Uther for getting contacted by... her. It really does not.]

Your sister?

[He assumes it's Morgana, but you never know.]

Re: KJHDSG ARTURIA

[fated_blade]

The Lady Morgana. She is disturbed, to say the least, by your presence here. I confess, I knew not my own father, but from what I have heard of you...I do not trust you for a second.

[ video ]

[pratentious]

[ The same day that he returns to the others, after hunting and sparring and drinking, deep into the night, Arthur slips out of his shared room with Merlin and steps outside, sinking onto the porch of their home (home, not house) and breathing deep of the fresh night air. He lets it cool him, spirit away the drink and the adrenaline to leave a sense of calm.

Five days. Near a week, five days and then another that he's had to himself, to his thoughts. Anger and hatred have long since bled into betrayal and disgust, grief and guilt, faded into nothing and he breathes only calm.

He leans his head back against the front door before touching the jewel on his bracelet and finding Uther's name. He hesitates, the familiar display of the device glowing a friendly reminder that it's but a few simple touches to connect the two together from across the city. He swallows hard. He breathes. In and out. He exhales. ]

Father.

[ video ]

[foodshortage]

[Uther isn't sure for whose sake exactly he's decided to stay away from Arthur. Perhaps both of them, because there is no part of him that thinks Arthur wants to see him, still. The whole magic issue aside (because he doesn't quite know how to deal with that just yet), with Arthur knowing of Ygraine and the lies, how could he?

So this surprises him. In a way, it's pleasant, but in another it burns something in his throat and chest and he swallows. He doesn't know, anymore, whether to think of Arthur as a lost child as much as he wants to.

Arthur is hardly a child anymore. He's a man of his own, one that can stand taller and better than his enemies and not think of it as defeat, one who has stopped seeing their father as much of a hero and instead as simply the man he truly is, one who has turned his back on everything and yet not turned it on anything.

And Uther doesn't know what he should do. He can't keep going like he always has, but then what?

Arthur looks old and wise beyond his years and it's almost surreal.

And despite everything, it is good to see him again.]

Arthur.

[ video ]

[pratentious]

[ Perhaps the liquor from earlier is helping to keep a warm weight in his belly, or the good food and better company - or maybe he's simply no longer afraid. But the calm remains, even with the appearance of his father's face, with the sound of his name on an all-too-familiar voice. His entire world, his entire life, carried on two syllables and the deep tone of the King's voice.

His life before Asgard. His life before himself. Perhaps it's Arthur that keeps him strong. ]

I apologise for the late hour. I've only just managed to tame the others to sleep.

[ Teasing, comfortable, friendly. Fond. A single day and he's already lighter than he's been in ages. He's home. ]

I've returned to our house in Thor. Where I intend to remain for the duration of my stay in Asgard.

[ video ]

[pratentious]

Father.

[ video ]

[foodshortage]

[Ah.

This sounds like there's something of importance. Subconsciously, he braces himself.]

What is it?

[ video - oh I should...note that this is Day 133 w/e ]

[pratentious]

[ Arthur just. Keeps his tone calm and his gaze steady as he speaks. ]

Following the recent events and the manner in which he conducted himself, Lancelot has proven himself to be an honourable and steadfast ally to not only the people of our world but those of Asgard as well. He acted valiantly as my first man throughout the attack, and I can say with confidence that the lives of many were spared through his vigilance.

[ Mmhm, speech times are awesome times. Arthur gives a moment for that all to sink in before continuing. ]

As such, I have decided to grant him his knighthood. He is well deserving and the staple of everything I should hope to find in my men. I can think of none more worthy of the title.

[ video || day 143 ] every thread will start like this screech

[pratentious]

[ But it is only proper. You wait for the King to address you first before you can carry out your business. Arthur's tone is still formal, tightly restrained, but there's also something ... well, resigned in it. The Prince is met with many conflicts, and perhaps one day, he might even find the means to face them.

Until then, however - ]

Father.

[ video ] cries

[foodshortage]

[This time, it's at least not all that surprising anymore. Still, it's gotten to a point where hearing from Arthur almost makes him on edge, and he doesn't like it.

Not that it's going to stop him from answering.]

Arthur.

[There's the hint of a questioning tone in it. Carry on.]

[Video] Day 173, downtime

[dragonspeak]

[...just for the record, this is highly uncomfortable. He hadn't intended on leaving you of all people, a goodbye message, but it feels wrong to not say anything when you've made some effort to change.

Okay? Okay.]

Erm-- [He freezes with a deer-in-the-headlights look. He still doesn't know what to say! Oh gods, here goes nothing.] Your majesty.

[A pause.] We might not gotten along very well [understatement] or...well. Really gotten along at all, I guess. [Really, this is a very bad time for his rambling habit to kick in again.]

But. I just wanted to say...thank you. For listening to Arthur and Morgana. For trying. I don't know if we'll ever see eye to eye on certain things, but I think we can agree that we both just want what's best for them. You didn't used to consider their opinions as you do now, and it's done them a lot of good. Probably more than you know. So...thank you.

[There isn't much more he can say than that, so he ends the call after heaving a relieved sigh, like he's just undergone some great, dangerous task and come out in one piece. Yeah, Uther probably wasn't meant to see that. Oops.]

[Video]

[foodshortage]

[ Uther doesn't know how to deal with this.

It's not a message he expected, at all, and he leaves it lying there for hours, occasionally going back to it and listening and then just staring. A part of him feels like leaving it alone and pretending it didn't happen, and another thinks that he has things to say to Merlin too, as he did to Arthur and Morgana.

But where do you even start?

He had a fairly good relationship with Merlin before they got into the magic thing. He's very sure it was mostly from his side and Merlin must have held a lot of dislike, if not outright hate in some ways, for him that he just didn't notice. But when thinking about it, Merlin hasn't really been anything but good for Arthur, has protected him several times, and while that's so difficult to comprehend because he's a sorcerer that Uther couldn't for the life of him see it as real and not a trick, it's... Well, he has to face the fact that it's... fact. That Merlin has protected Arthur over and over and really doesn't seem to wish him any harm.

Morgana too.

And isn't it for Arthur and Morgana that they're both trying, or have been trying? He can't really speak for Merlin, who knows what goes through a sorcerer's mind, but... Something like that.

So, finally, in the evening, he returns the call. ]

Merlin.

Note - Day 195

[dragonspeak]

[On Uther's desk, there's a wineskin filled with mulled wine. Next to the wine, there's an engraved, pewter goblet. Not exactly made of precious metal and studded with jewels, but it's pretty decent-looking, by Merlin's guess. The note reads: ]

A warm drink for the Yule season, your majesty. May it ward off the coming cold.

Merlin

[foodshortage]

[ Uther cannot for the life of him understand why Merlin is giving him a gift. It's definitely a very nice one, but... Why?

This boy is a mystery. ]

d199 - Audio

[samantha_grey]

[It had taken, admittedly, a little longer than planned. However, she had taken some time to get a bit of a map of the surrounding region. It wasn't far out, and she didn't really want to sojourn beyond the walls too much on her own, at least not without a destination. However, all the same, it was a good excuse to give drop Uther a line.]

I've got the documents you were waiting on, Uther.

Audio

[foodshortage]

Ah, excellent. It's good to hear from you.

[ Honestly. ]

Day 308 :: Voice

[kuramaless]

Hey, Oi Sasuke--

Are y'there?

Man, this thing has been like stupid right? I think I accidentally touched that ice too much, my fingers still feel frozen.

We should go out for ramen, yeah? I'm gonna get Gaara to come too.

I'm coming over there now. I can see your house.

Er, yeah I'm here. You comin' down?

Voice

[foodshortage]

[ Looooong pause. ]

I beg your pardon?

[ He basically didn't understand a thing about that. ]

[text] day 309 - meant for sophie

[dragonspeak]

I think Derek's trying to turn me to stone with the power of his glare. He's actually worse than Uther. Has anyone tried to tell him his eyes will fall out if he looks like that all the time?

[text]

[foodshortage]

[ ...wat. ]

I believe you meant this for someone else.

[Video]

[modernmarvel]

[Unlike the rest of Asgard, Tony doesn't seem to know or care that Uther is royalty and addresses him with a wry smirk and a tip of his head.]

Hey, so I bet you think I forgot all about those beers. How very obtuse of you.

[Video]

[foodshortage]

[ Dear lord. ]

I bet nothing.

[stakes]

do not answer the door

not for anyone

especially after dark.

no time to explain.

stay safe.

[foodshortage]

[ Well that's not.

Ominous at all. ]

I do hope there will EVENTUALLY be an explanation.