Wednesday, June 20, 2012

Lucid Dreaming

Removing from Fanfiction.net.  Archiving here...

Merlin dreamed that it was morning and Arthur entered his room. The prince strode to the window and threw open the shutters.
"Are you going to sleep all day? Get up!"
In his dream Merlin sat up and rubbed his eyes.
"Hurry up, lazybones. It's time for your breakfast." Arthur used his boot to push Merlin off of his cot onto the stone floor.
"Ow.." said Merlin. He picked himself up and turned to find Arthur holding out Merlin's old blue shirt, and his pants slung over his arm. Merlin took the shirt and put it on, then continued donning the pants, socks and boots Arthur profrerred to him. Arthur tapped his foot impatiently until he was done.
"Turn around, idiot." Merlin obeyed and Arthur proceeded to tie his neckerchief round his neck in the usual fashion, then pointed toward the table in Gaius' common room. "Now go sit down."
Merlin sat down at the table in front of Gaius, who was already there. Moments later, Arthur produced two bowls of lumpy porridge with spoons for the physician and the servant.
"Well, eat!" said Arthur.
Merlin ate.
"Aren't you going to say anything?" asked Arthur,
"Like what?"
Arthur was incredulous. "Instructions, perhaps?"
"My instructions?"
"Yes."
This was the point where Merlin realized he was dreaming. I can tell him to do anything and he'll do it, he thought.
"Very well then, my instructions..."
Merlin tried to think about it. The trouble with dreaming is that the part of your brain that usually does the thinking is dormant. It was surprisingly difficult. Arthur's impatience was growing obvious, so Merlin said the first thing that popped into his head.
"Girls," he said. "There should be more girls at Camelot. Pretty ones." Then he remembered Lady Vivian, and decided to be more specific. "Pretty but nice. Can you arrange that?"
"How am I supposed to bring girls to Camelot? We've got plenty of girls here."
"You're only saying that because you've got Gwen."
"No I'm not,"
"Yes you are. Because you're almost always thinking of yourself. But really, this is actually in your best interest. Have you noticed how all of the knights in Camelot look at Gwen? The only one not in love with her in Elyan, and that's only because he's her brother. To be honest, I find myself thinking about Gwen too. I'm male. I can't help it."
Suddenly Arthur's sword was in his hand. "What did you say?"
Merlin was suddenly nervous. "You asked for my instructions and I gave them," he said. "More girls." Arthur was moving in a troubling way. "No need to get Angry Arthur. Why are you pulling your sword? Isn't it me in control of this dream?"
"Tell me more about these thoughts you have about Guinevere."
The sword was leveled right in front of Merlin's nose, making him feel a bit cross-eyed.
"She's a nice girl. That's all. Nothing more. Put that away, Arthur."
"That's not all, is it? How dare you think about her like that?"
"Like what?"
"Like you just admitted. I going to teach you to show some respect,"
Arthur reached out and helped Merlin to his feet by seizing him by the scruff of the neckerchief.
"Ow, Arthur, let me go. She's just very pretty. Everyone knows that. No need to get angry. Arthur!"
Arthur was pushing Merlin against a stone wall and swinging his sword.
Merlin, terrified, reacted without thinking. Then he woke up with a start.
He rubbed his eyes. All was dark and quiet. It wasn't even time to get up yet. Merlin sighed gratefully and went back to sleep.
Five minutes later, Arthur Pendragon woke on the castle roof, under the pre-dawn sky, in nothing but his underwear.

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