Merlin's Bracelet // IC Contact (New)

[dragonspeak]

Arthur, you can't be serious. Oh, come on--ow!

[Merlin's voice, slightly muffled because of the distance at first, is much clearer when he speaks again
after a few seconds, though he sounds anything but cheerful. If anything, he sounds sullen.]

It's Merlin. Sorry I missed you. I'm probably at the hospital or... [here, he pauses,
then continues like the words are being dragged out of him in the most painful manner possible.] Or being useful for my amazingly skilled, patient, and forgiving master instead of
dallying about and picking flowers like the girl's petticoat I usually am.

[A pained moment of silence.]

Leave a message for me here and I'll get back to you as soon as I can.

[Click]

Comments

I completely missed this I'm so sorry

[dragonspeak]

Merlin looks up when he hears the door open, stopping in the middle of polishing a pile of armour. Some things never change apparently.

The man's face looks familiar to him, and it takes a second for him to recall exactly where he's seen it. "We met at the library before, haven't we?" Merlin asks, a smile already forming. He sets the piece of armour in the "clean" pile and raises a hand in greeting.

"Hello again. What brings you here?"

no problem

[ka_sera_sera]

His hand rises in return, and he walks closer. "Better met this time than the last." Roland hasn't knocked anyone over yet, so in comparison, things are starting out well. "Merlin, isn't it?" The name's a close enough variation on the name of the great figure himself that Roland won't soon forget it.

"This place has weapon training, or so I've heard. I'd come to ask whether you teach the sword." Strange as the idea is, there's really no question it needs to be done. If that means submitting to the word of a teacher again after all these years, then that's what he'll do.

[dragonspeak]

"You're right, on both counts," Merlin says, pushing himself out off the chair and approaching him. "Except, well, I'm not the one teaching the sword. I'd be sort of awful at it, Arth--"

He cuts himself off, a cloud over his cheery expression for a moment. "Anyone could tell you that. We have instructors here who are much better at it than I am."

[ka_sera_sera]

He nods. It'd be impossible to miss that slip, but even if it might not be cruel to pry, that's not really the thing that interests him. "Then perhaps we can help each other," Roland begins, thoughtfully. "I know the forms. It's just a matter of getting used to them again under the eye of someone who can see my posture and tell me when it's off. I'd be able to do the same for you, if you're willing."

[dragonspeak]

"Oh," Merlin says, expression clearing. "I suppose I can do that much. I'm no good when it comes to driving an attack forward, but I can at least defend and recognise the forms by now."

It would be shameful, even for him, if he hadn't picked something up from Arthur after training with him for a few years.

"Are you sure you don't want someone more, er, experienced helping you, though?"

[ka_sera_sera]

"If you'd rather not, I'll find another," he shrugs. It'd seemed like fortune when he'd come inside this place to find someone he'd already formed some friendly relationship with, if a vague and distant one. Roland would rather stay with that if possible, but not enough to insist on it. If Merlin's too unsure about his ability to instruct, he'll be useless for the purpose anyway.

But just in case. "But as I said, I don't need much. Might even be able to help you a little, if you don't mind the practice." And by 'practice', he means bruises. Probably for both of them. Though, if Merlin's familiar with weaponry at all, he'll probably be expecting that much.

[dragonspeak]

Merlin thinks back to the day he met Roland in the library, the frustration on his face as he searches for answers. If Roland's sure about not needing much, only an extra eye to correct his stances, Merlin supposes he could do that much for him. He might be lousy at executing the movements himself, but he's watched Arthur train his men for years, on top of what he's learned in Asgard.

"If you're certain you don't need an expert," he says, a thoughtful look on his face. "Training together could work out. My...friend was recently sent back to our world." Merlin struggles not to let his voice crack on the word 'friend'. "He was the one who trained me. Now that he's gone, I suppose I could use a new training partner."

[ka_sera_sera]

"Then I'm honored," Roland says, honestly. The relationship between trainer and student isn't always a close one, but if they were friends on top of that, well. It can be difficult after a loss, choosing someone to fill those duties once taken up by a loved one. Roland had meant to do a competent job as a training partner before - hadn't considered doing otherwise - but being chosen to fill a part of what might be considered someone else's 'place' means he'll pay extra attention to the task.

He says none of this, of course; if the boy (man, probably, just because most everyone here is so much younger than him doesn't mean they're that young) doesn't speak of any of that, then clearly it doesn't need to be spoken of.

"When would you be able to begin?" Not being able to do a thing whenever you choose is still a little new to Roland. But he'll adapt.