PSL: or Arthur meets Ash. again.

[gavesugar]

[Continued from here!]

Sheila has been pacing the length of her chamber for an untold amount of time. Arthur is busy, she reasons to herself, and her urgent note - sent down with a giggling maid - wasn't very clear. Still, how will she account for this?

She casts a brief look of fond disgust at Ash. "And thou sits like a stone?"

On her bed.

Oh, Arthur will not be pleased...

Comments

[thisismyboomstick]

"Ow," he mutters, before arranging himself into what could possibly be construed as a respectful pose. Possibly.

"Hey, uh... sir."

Yeah. That's about as much as you're gonna get out of him, Arthur.

[multipasses]

"M'lady, surely there is suitable explanation... for... this." Vague gestures. Because didn't he just - but wasn't he -

This is a bit too much for his royal, primitive mind to handle.

"Please. There's no need for sirs," he says to Ash. Is that the slightest hint of a smile? Possibly. Don't push it, though.

To Sheila once again: "Is this what ye have sought counsel for? Do not tell me there's more danger in this kingdom's midsts. We are still in the process of rebuilding."

Because remember: Ash = trouble. No matter what.

[gavesugar]

Sheila cringes. "'Tis a matter of a different sort. Ye remember how I behaved so strange at Henry's? Tis...of a smiliar reason."

[multipasses]

Really? She's going to bring this mess up again?

"I hardly think this is the time or place, Lady Sheila," he comments. "Surely ye haven't wasted my time..."

[thisismyboomstick]

Hey, Arthur's lightened up.

Slightly.

Maybe.

"Uh yeah... we're in love. And stuff."

This is why we can't have nice things, Ash.

[gavesugar]

This earns him an enormously foul glare from Sheila. "Tis a matter of time and space, but we court."

Or they WERE, Ashley.

[multipasses]

He raises his hand to Ash. Because love doesn't even factor into this. And how dare he speak out of turn like this. He is addressing the Lady Sheila, dammit. Check yourself, Future Boy.

"The arrangements have already been made. The Chosen One was supposedly sent back to his own time - just as he wanted. There's simply no way I can go back on my word. The papers have been signed."

[thisismyboomstick]

He frowns, half because he's annoyed at being shushed and half because he has no idea how to explain a cross-dimensional bar to a guy from medieval times.

"So there's nothing you can do?"

[gavesugar]

You might have known she'd react this way, Arthur.

"Thou didst pledge my troth without my permission?"

She sounds rather hurt.

[thisismyboomstick]

He doesn't say anything - having decided for once in his life that discretion is the better part of not getting hit in the face - but reaches down to squeeze her hand gently.

[multipasses]

"Without permission? My lady - this is a matter we discussed at length. I simply cannot go back on my word now - the bond between kingdoms is at stake. And that's something I cannot allow."

Ash totally doesn't factor into it. Because - hello. He's not even supposed to be here in the first place. So.

[thisismyboomstick]

Well he's here now. So deal with it. (Nyah.)

He edges closer to Sheila, his 'don't talk, you get in trouble when you talk' instinct still intact. He might not be the most enlightened guy in the world when it comes to dealing with women, but using them as political bargaining tools just seems wrong.

[gavesugar]

There is so much lip quivering going on. So much. But she'll never let either of them actually see her cry.

"May'n't there be another woman better suited to the task?"

[multipasses]

Great. She's going to cry again.

Arthur doesn't do well with crying. At all.

He's at a complete loss for words. Have some helpless shoulder shrugging as he starts pacing the chamber.

[thisismyboomstick]

He crosses his arms and scowls, resisting the urge to start in on Arthur. DON'T MAKE SHEILA CRY, dammit.

"So who's she engaged to?"

There's gotta be someone they can reason with. Or beat up. Y'know... whatever works.

[gavesugar]

She won't cry. She'll worry her lip raw before she gives in and lets loose with her tears.

"'Tis Duke Henry."

Yeah, that should please Ash....

[multipasses]

Boom. There. Question answered.

He stops his pacing and gestures broadly, from Ash to Sheila, as if saying, There you go.

u mad bro?

[thisismyboomstick]

"Well... shit."

An accurate, if crude, summary of the situation.

"Could we talk to him? Maybe we could work somethin' out..."

Doubtful, but he'll take any chance he can get.

[gavesugar]

That makes her brighten suddenly. "Mayhaps! Ay!" Certainly there has to be a young lady of proper marriageable age and noble blood in the kingdom who would willingly mate with Henry - who is kind if not a tad bit of a blowhard.

[multipasses]

Arthur gives her the look. You know the one.

He sighs.

Then - just to humor her - he nods his head.

"Alright. I suppose. What is it ye had in mind?"

All the scowling and arm-crossing.

[thisismyboomstick]

"Not sure."

He hadn't actually thought that far ahead. What a shock.

"Maybe there's another way to keep your kingdoms at peace."

[gavesugar]

Sheila, however, has been thinking about this for quite awhile - yes, boys, be shocked over that little tidbit - and she already has a ready answer.

"Henry doth have a marriageable sister of a certain age- and thou hast not had any marital prospects of thine own."

[multipasses]

Way to throw him under the bus, Sheila. Whatever buses are. If they existed at this point in time, she would most definitely be throwing him under one.

Or a cart.

That would suit this situation just as well.

He doesn't even know how to answer this little problem-solver of hers. Because it's absolutely ridiculous. How dare she even consider telling him what to do.

More importantly, he doesn't want to marry Henry's sister.

[thisismyboomstick]

He doesn't want anyone to marry someone they don't want to, but if somebody has to... well, he is the king.

"Whaddya say, big guy?"

He's gonna get slapped for that one of these days. Or worse.

[gavesugar]

Sheila - who has slapped Ash AND thrown a rock at him - would say that Ash is behaving uncouthly but she's looking at Arthur with big shining eyes of Hope now. Come on, Arthur, take one for the team.

"Ye very well should! Eleanor art a lovely lady of great accomplishment." And in Sheila's eyes, she is.

[multipasses]

...Why has everything turned on him all of a sudden? He's the king, dammit, and that's exactly why they shouldn't be having this discussion in the first place. It should've been done and over with already, no excuses.

He's going going to play the strong, silent type while he fakes thinking about the issue at hand. Because that's really the only way he can figure to ignore it for the time being.

"I say... I shall give it some thought?" he finally says, the statement sounding more like a confused question than anything else.

[thisismyboomstick]

"Yeah."

He crosses his arms.

"Don't think too long. I'm sure Henry's not gonna wait forever."

[gavesugar]

"Which means that thou ought to...settle the bahns with speed." Sheila will just continue to shove this train up the hill okay. Her life depends on this.