Who: Lancelot and Morgan What: Pesky run-in's with the past When: Monday morning Where: Defaulting to some random street in NY/restaurant Warnings: TBD Note: Reposted as a favour
Lancelot hadn't shaved in days. His prickled chin started to itch while he rubbed it with the end of his phone. He was honing in on his bail jumper finally after tailing after her for a week. The girl was slick like a bar of soap, slipping in and out of his hands the moment he hit a lead. This time he'd nail her and earn a couple thousand in return. In a way he was whoring himself to the police for good money and lousy hours. In the last few days he'd gotten a grand total of six hours of sleep. Maybe. That was pushing it.
As soon as his target left the building he was out of his car, sunglasses perched to cover his eyes. He looked like a cop even without the uniform, but even that giveaway wasn't going to trip him. He hopped toward the main entrance, passing her by casually. In a few short seconds he'd whipped around and nailed her into cuffs. She would spend the next few hours and then some at the police station while Lancelot found a place to eat with a much needed cup of coffee and a clean shave from the restroom of a convenience store with his favorite brand of cigarettes.
He was too tired to feel any presence outside of his own once he walked into the restaurant, looking at least a little put together. He'd thought he'd gone into a quick sandwich shop, but when he was held off at the front desk for a reservation he realized he'd stepped inside the wrong place. It didn't much matter as he was weary and needed that pot of coffee. It didn't matter where it was from. The wait was said to be thirty minutes, which felt a little ludicrous that early in the morning.
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[info]fata_morgana 2012-06-12 05:10 am (local) (link) Track This There was never wait for Morgan. She was Important and brought good money to the place so they treated her with the respect she'd earned. She was also arranging her pieces, slowly collecting them from around the continent. She was missing her key players, but soon they'd arrive.
She'd felt the presence when she'd pulled up and had smelled Camelot on it. Not her brother or Merlin, those were beacons, but still strong and potent. With her own quest on pause she decided to poke at them. She wanted to stir the nest her brother so carefully slept in.
When she noted it was Lancelot, her smile grew. As ever she was dressed impeccably so she slid up to him but did not touch him. He looked weary and smelled like smoke. "Hello former white knight, now turned black." Her smile was honey laced with venom, "haven't seen you around. My brother know you're here?" Underneath the question was the other, if the white flower knew he was here. That may just make things fun.
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[info]holy_quest 2012-06-12 02:35 pm (local) (link) Track This There was a bristle of hair on the back of his neck when that presence finally swooped into his radar. It wasn't Guinevere's, he'd have known her without blinking an eye. This was a familiar one, but not even Arthur's.
Lancelot said no word to her observation. All of Camelot blamed him for their ruin, when truthfully there were a lot of things going on behind closed curtains that caused Camelot's fall, but it would never be remembered as anything else.
His voice was soft with a slight rattle of huskiness. "Morgan," he nodded giving a chivalrous bow. The truth was in his eyes that he was uneasy with her presence and only got on his knees for one true ruler. His king. "Arthur is aware."
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[info]fata_morgana 2012-06-12 05:45 pm (local) (link) Track This So Guinevere would know too. It would explain why she hadn't seen hide nor hair from the white flower. Not that it mattered. Arthur had a new Queen now, and she was able to be checked just like her predecessor. "How very Arthur of him."
She was annoyed she had yet to know of him, or his presence. He'd hidden far too well for her taste. "Care to join me?" She motioned to the table set aside for her. "I promise, not even I poison someone at lunch."
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[info]holy_quest 2012-06-12 11:05 pm (local) (link) Track This It had hardly changed a thing with Arthur knowing his friend and enemy was within the same city. Lancelot wanted reconciliation, but there was still one big stumbling block. Guinevere, and even Lancelot had not seen her yet.
Lancelot should have declined her offer, but as a gentleman he would be the better party. He accepted it with his arm extended to walk her to her table. "That's good to know, I like my lunch without a bitter aftertaste."
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[info]fata_morgana 2012-06-12 11:17 pm (local) (link) Track This "Still such the knight." Smiling she led him to her table and sat down. She'd fish what information she could out of him and knew he'd probably tell his side to Arthur.
She set her hands on the table and studied him. Changed, yes, but still the same old Lancelot. She'd be able to use his weakness against him. Maybe not towards Elizabeth, but rumors worked well enough in such regards. "You know I never used poison. Too random, and you can never be sure of it's results, or who will actually take it. My methods were more direct." Even if she'd worked in shadow. Everyone had known where her minions had come from.
"So, what keeps you busy these days Lancelot of the Lake?"
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[info]holy_quest 2012-06-12 11:26 pm (local) (link) Track This He dropped her hand, pulling out her chair before taking his own. "Always." It was the code embedded in his head. Those chivalrous actions took over even when he wasn't thinking. "It's a dying art." Men didn't treat women like a lady anymore. They were objects.
Bread was sat down and glasses of water filled until they were ready to order. He might as well use this opportunity to learn what he could and tell Arthur. It might get him back into his good graces. "Interesting."
He pulled off a piece of bread, popping it into his mouth. "I'm a bounty hunter." It was good money, but poor on sleeping habits. It was very much a new quest every case he took. The outcome was never certain, and that was part of the adventure.
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[info]fata_morgana 2012-06-12 11:48 pm (local) (link) Track This Idly she toyed with the bread. She was more curious then hungry and despite Merlin's promise of a challenge she was still getting things from Lancelot as well. She'd be sure to drop a few things he could bring back to his liege lord.
"Chivalry has always been a dying art. Men used the word to pretend they were better then they really are. It applied to neither you nor my brother." She chuckled then, "I'd say so. It's my wits I rely on."
She raised an eyebrow to the answer, wondering how she could turn it into her favor. "Odd choice for a Knight of the Round table. It does not sound like much honor goes with it." They'd always valued their honor so much. They could have, at any time, removed her head but their precious honor had stopped them. She wondered if it still applied.
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[info]holy_quest 2012-06-13 12:08 am (local) (link) Track This Lancelot was careful in what he gave away, but he had no use for lying. He'd never truly lied, it was what he withheld that proved his downfall. The sins of a man needing to repent.
"Maybe not glamorous, but not without honor. I don't play dirty, I find my Judas without any misconduct." There was room for malpractice, yes, but Lancelot played good. He tried at least, though sometimes he felt himself no better than the men he found.
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[info]fata_morgana 2012-06-13 12:20 am (local) (link) Track This When the waiter returned she ordered her usual,waiting for Lancelot to order before continuing. "Still curious. You let others judge for you. Money can buy guilt you know." She would try to plant the seed of doubt in him. Maybe she;d succeed, maybe she wouldn't. Getting between him and Arthur a second time should hardly be hard. This would suit her for now.
"Some cannot always pay their fines, or their crime was no crime at all. A man takes a woman and abuses her. She kills him. She runs, for it is her guilt they search for, not how she took her own justice into her hands. Everyone is guilty. Everyone is innocent. How do you know what you do is truly right? Must be funny, trying to keep the vow you made then."
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[info]holy_quest 2012-06-13 03:44 pm (local) (link) Track This "Money buys a lot of things, but guilt is not something it will get out of me." He had a lot of guilt to atone for. She was needling well. If she was dying to get between he and his king, there was a gap ten feet wide for her to slip right on through. Nothing he could do right now would suffice. He'd apologized, but there was little 'sorry' in taking another man's wife. By law, by God he had sinned.
He ordered a sandwich and that much needed pot of coffee. "You make a point, yes, but consequences always follow one's actions." He knew that too little too late.
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[info]fata_morgana 2012-06-13 05:21 pm (local) (link) Track This So easy really. His guilt still rested so high on him, even though it shouldn't. His King had betrayed his own honor long before Lancelot had decided to seduce his Queen. "You misunderstand me. The ones you hunt, how do you know they deserve their punishment?"
She let him think about it as she sipped from her wine. "My sense of justice must be different then. Granted I never wished death on my brother. That was a consequence I did not foresee."
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[info]holy_quest 2012-06-13 07:43 pm (local) (link) Track This Lancelot was supposed to uphold a code and he'd failed. That never settled well with him. "It doesn't much matter what I think when it comes down to the details. They've escaped the law, and need to show for court. My work is done by then. I can't let myself get emotionally involved." Not again. Not like how he'd allowed his love for Guinevere cloud his quest. She did have a point, but he wasn't sure if she was doing it for her own gain.
He nodded graciously to the waiter as she poured him his first cup of coffee. "I think you see things on a different level. It's not necessarily bad," but it wasn't always necessarily right either.
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[info]fata_morgana 2012-06-13 07:59 pm (local) (link) Track This She shrugged. If everything had gone as she wished, she'd have planted the seed. It may flourish or it may die. She was just entertained at gently poking Lancelot. But she let it go, focusing on her meal for a moment.
"I see grey where as your world, and my brothers, is black and white." She smiled at him, "funny though isn't it? Arthur and his hypocrisy I mean. So much anger towards you, when he was the one to jump into another woman's bed first. Can you honestly tell me you never considered his crime worse then your own? After all, he did sleep with his sister."
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[info]holy_quest 2012-06-13 09:00 pm (local) (link) Track This His sandwich was brought out and another cup of coffee which he downed heavily. It was the only thing that could keep his eyes open.
He tried not to admit where Morgan was right, but it was there. Arthur had been unfaithful to his wife. He'd lied and cheated. He'd committed a mortal sin himself with his own blood. But...
"I hadn't ever thought of it that way. But, it was not commendable of me to do the same. Countering an act of sin with another does not make it better or right."
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[info]fata_morgana 2012-06-13 09:23 pm (local) (link) Track This "I never said it did Lancelot. Besides, you did not know. No one did but five people." She finished her meal and set her hands on the table. "All I ever wanted was to show people the lie my brother was. He is not the perfect King, nor is he this image of chivalry and justice. He is Uther's son to the last." She sipped from her wine. "he blames you for something he did himself, and blames all but himself for the fall of his kingdom."
"Besides," she smiled, "you did it for love. But it's all in the past now. Arthur's got himself a new Queen now."
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[info]holy_quest 2012-06-13 09:40 pm (local) (link) Track This "The kingdom may have fallen long before my deception, but the world will never remember it that way."
He paused in his meal confused. Guinevere had told him nothing of this. Did she know of it? "A new Queen? When his..." he stopped clearing his throat shaking his head. Why hadn't Guinevere showed her face to him yet. All he could think of was her still.
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[info]fata_morgana 2012-06-13 09:57 pm (local) (link) Track This She wondered if Arthur would ignore it if Lancelot would go after Guinevere now he had himself a new paramour. Part of her hoped not. It would prove amusing, if nothing else.
"There is nothing official, but he has a new paramour. It seems my dear brother is no longer interested in Guinevere." Almost demurely she set her hands folded on her lap. It was like giving a starving cat a mouse. "The Virgin Queen, no less. I've no doubt that you've heard of fair Elizabeth. My brother's always aimed so high. Seems to me that now of all times, nothing would stand between love." and if it got Lancelot out of the board, more the better for her.
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[info]holy_quest 2012-06-14 05:10 pm (local) (link) Track This That was even more shocking, but Arthur did have a knack for raising the bar when it came to his women. Knowing that irked Lancelot. Almost as if he thought Arthur should respect Guinevere's memory, regardless that he didn't know of her whereabouts. He even wondered if Arther considered himself still married to Guinevere.
"Obviously not if he's getting serious with another. Does he even know of Guinevere's presence?" He stopped himself as that could be construed as him knowing she was there, and he'd made a promise.
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[info]fata_morgana 2012-06-14 07:28 pm (local) (link) Track This She set her elbows on the table, folding her hands under her chin with a smile. "So she is here then?" She hadn't been sure, not completely. She'd made an art out of sensing Camelot but in a city filled to the top with magic and power, it was harder then it ought to be.
"Unless she's made her presence known to him, I very much doubt so. Even if he did know, he is moving away from her. You should be happy Lancelot. You may just get to keep the girl."
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[info]holy_quest 2012-06-15 03:30 pm (local) (link) Track This Lancelot finished off his coffee and waved the waitress down, keeping his mouth occupied before he actually answered Morgan. He'd already said too much and yet so little. "She might be," he countered, avoiding that with a definitive yes.
"Would she have reason to? I am--" he quickly reworded that statement, "I would be."
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[info]fata_morgana 2012-06-15 04:30 pm (local) (link) Track This When the waitress came she paid for her own meal, and Lancelot's. Best to show a bit of honey underneath all the venom she possessed. "You are her Knight in Shining Armor. Literally. If Arthur's moved on, both of you can do the same."
Smiling she rose, "lunch was on me dearest. Think about what I've said. I have nothing against you Lancelot. I never did."
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[info]holy_quest 2012-06-15 05:49 pm (local) (link) Track This Lancelot looked around, finding his water to swallow. His throat felt tight. Morgan had too many things to say that had crowded his mind already. He'd have to speak to Guinevere soon. Now the desire to see her was going to be unbearable if she didn't face him soon.
She was up before he could clamor out of his chair, respectfully standing as a lady was about to leave the table. "Thank you," he said in response, not sure what it was going on in his head right now. "Perhaps I'll be able to repay your generosity in the future." It was polite.