Thaumaturgy

Chapter 21

The midmorning sun beat down on the Northumbrian town the next day as Arthur stood against by Rachel's side. The sultry heat of the sunshine and the pouting look his warlock boyfriend had given him as he left to meat with the princess after breakfat had conspired together to make him feel uncomfortable and out of place in the fine red tunic he was wearing, which was gilded with gold lace, that said warlock boyfriend had magicked from the air in preparatin for their visit, but hadn't got to fit quite right, because "Magic is not for wasting on silly things, Arthur!". Arthur losened the tunic's collar as Rachel smiled at another townsperson proffering her their wares.

Rachel, despite her lizardly obsessions had all the advantages of growing up royal and Arthur found himself hoping to not burn the bridge between them, that led both to her father and also her as the future ruler of this kingdom, when he rejected the woman as his soul mate. It was clear from the morning that she would make a useful and friendly ally once he became ruler of Caelot, and she of Northumbria. Beneath the sheen that she only cared for animals, he could see she was astute, observant and percentpive, and her people loved her.

Arthur sighed in light bordem as Rachel smiled at another stallkeeper and got dragged into a long conversation about a bottle green dress, A-line and corsetted, with a sweetheart neckline and wide flared sleeves that ran the full length of the arn, it was, to Arthur, indestingusable from the one Rachel was already wearing except it was green instead of peacock blue.

"Isn't it beautiful?" Rachel asked a disinterested Prince Arthur, who stood staring blandly at the pots of creams and herbal remadies on the store next to them. He blinked and looked at her with a fake smile"it's the same colour as the bottle-nosed grass snake! It'll suit me so well for the ball father wants to throw!"

Arthur grinned politely with a nod and a 'mmhmm' sound. His eyes roamed the markt place, flittering to a small figure peaking his little face out of the gown stall. Arthur's heart lifted at the realisation it was his furry feline friend from the day before. Bending down hie beckoned the cat close and he came willingingly rubbing his face and head against Arthur's strongly blunt fingers.

The cat chiruped at Arthur, tempting him closer and enjoying the attention until the cat suddenly turned and pounced at Rachel's dress hem.

"Mew" meowed the cat, swiding its little black paw at Athur's face as he picked him up from the floor for a cuddle.

A glitter in the corner of his eye; Arthur saw the stall next to them was covered in jewellry. At first he looked at in out of boredom, not interested in the trickets before him, before his eye was caught by a pair of rings - like twins, the same in style but different designed. They were both made of silver and pewtwer metals and shows two dragons twinign together, cast in the metals and looping around one another to hold the ring together. the ended facing the same way, one behind the other, pointing upwards as if to soar into the sky. The dragons eyes were imbedded with precious stones - rubies on one ring, topaz on the other, with gems of the same colour inlaid like scales along their bodies at random.

The rigns called to Arthur, toxically hypnotic, he was overcomb with the imagined image of the ruby ring glitter on Merlin's delicate finger, the blood red a striking contrast ot the pale skin. He fancied that the blue of the topz would compliment his tanned skin prettily too. The cat purred from his shoulder is what Arhtur decided to interpret as an agreement.

"For you and your...friend" Rachel said and Arthur jumped, he didn't realised she was watching him. He felt a blush flame in his face as he stammered.

"I...I mean, my friend - My friends is, well...he's, uhm-" Arthur faltered over his words, Rachel was looking at him with pericing green eyes like she knew exactly what Merlin was, and why else would he be looking at rings for his friend?