orientation ♔ the machine of a dream

[wynn]

WHO || Wynn, Arthur, open if anyone wants to bang into them
WHAT || Arthur's orientation / CARS
WHERE || Knight's HQ, The Garage
WHEN || Monday, Feb. 20th, morning
HOW || Actionspam

[It's more difficult for Wynn to have large chunks of time to spend with his squire than other pairs, but as promised, he finds time soon enough. And rather than giving Arthur the grand tour, which Wynn has a feeling he's gotten five times over now in the interim, he instead leads the King outside, down the path that leads to the great outbuilding housing the pool and garage. He looks sidelong at Arthur as they walk along.]


How have you been faring?

Comments

[king]

Well enough.

[ It's odd, having spent so much time talking about Wynn, merely glimpsing the man himself, to be back in his presence again. Arthur isn't ill at ease, but rather feels a lot more grounded than the last time they spoke. ]

Certainly a new world.

[ But Arthur doesn't play around with small talk. ]

I met Fred.

[wynn]

[Wynn seems to notice the unspoken question bound up in the statement, but appears to have one of his own. His eyes scan the horizon.]

Oh?

And what was your impression?

[king]

He doesn't really seem the responsible type.

[ To be honest, he reminds Arthur of Gwaine. ]

[wynn]

[He notably doesn't argue, just lets that sit there for a beat]

He's very young. [It's not said as an excuse, just as a point of fact.] He has a great deal to learn.

[king]

[ Arthur rolls his eyes. ]

We're all young to you. So. Is he slated to inherit the keys to the kingdom, then?

[wynn]

I wouldn't put it that way. He's the latest in a rather far-reaching family tree. But governance of this order would pass to my Dragon's Claws in the event of something happening to me.

[A pause] Though several of my descendants have chosen to take charge of some of the various cells of our organization around the world.

[king]

Which Knights are the Dragon's Claws?

[ His mind isn't on the question. A far-reaching family tree. Well, Arthur supposed it wouldn't take more that one direct heir to start the sapling, but Wynn and family are still two concepts he's having trouble tying together. ]

[ Then again, eventually most men are bound to— ]

[ Arthur pauses. Fake nonchalance, but he can't bluff to save his life, his expressive face making him an honest man, and his eyes are wide. ]

Did - did I have any children?

[wynn]

Sir Jack Chessing and Sir Thomas Bancroft. [The attempt at casually slipping that in there does not fool Wynn for a second. He continues his measured steps, and looks over at Arthur silently for a brief moment, before turning his gaze forward again. He keeps his tone as conversational as possible, but it's apparent that he is picking his words with great care.]

King Arthur fathered five sons.

[king]

[ Arthur stores those names away for future consideration — Bancroft was Merlin's knight, wasn't he? — because there are obviously far more important things to think about. ]

[ Five sons. It makes something very much like pride stir in Arthur's stomach. Utter has hardwired Arthur to believe that familial relationship is the single most important thing, so for a moment as they walk Arthur just chokes on his own emotions. But he hasn't, to his knowledge, yet fathered any sons, and if he never returns to Camelot, perhaps he never will. ]

[ But, well. Arthur swallows. ]

Does the line survive today?

[wynn]

[ There is so no good way to approach this 8| A moment of somewhat uncharacteristic hesitation follows on Wynn's part. ]

... No. Four of those five sons died childless.

[king]

[ Well. Then. ]

I see.

[ Arthur wants to know more — what about the fifth? How did they die? Were they all of Guinevere? — but one answer has lanced him and he doesn't trust the next not to do the same. A deep breath, and he falls silent. ]

[wynn]

[The silence that falls between them expresses Wynn's reluctance to say much more on the subject, which doesn't seem to bode very positive news. Finally, he adds:]

You left a different sort of legacy, you might say.

[king]

[ Arthur swallows a snappish comment, because it's all right for Wynn, who has a far-stretching family tree. Arthur's entire family are either dead or have betrayed him or both. ]

Yeah?

[ It's a little breathless with emotion, and he tries not to look too sardonic. Does he mean the Knights? Arthur would rather have grandchildren. ]

[wynn]

Your legend, your legacy, inspired and continues to inspire a nation, a people, and now the world. The stories have changed, details have been lost, but the idea of Camelot remains. Of Arthur's Camelot, and what his Round Table signified.

The world has changed, but men remember. Some part of them continues to respond to the tales, to the lessons of your reign.

Ideas are more powerful than blood. They are more powerful than any force on this planet. They shape mankind's destiny.

Your legacy is a part of that.

[king]

[ That's all well and good, Wynn, but it's not babies. ]

[ Still. All right. So maybe Arthur's heart beats a little faster, and the swell of his pride makes up for the crushing disappointment that hasn't so much vanished as been pushed to the back of his mind. ]

[ He breathes out, glances over at Wynn with an amused twitch of his brows. ]

Sounds like a good legacy.

[ If he can be that man, if he can lead the world the way the world is promising him he will (the way that Merlin always told him he could) then maybe he doesn't need all that other stuff. He can be his crown, and his ideals, and it won't matter who he loved or what he had for breakfast or if he was a good father or how young his children died. ]

[wynn]

[Oh my god, Arthur, put your biological clock away before you start ovulating over there.

Wynn meets Arthur's gaze with a raised brow of his own]

As I said.

[AND OH LOOK IT'S THE GARAGE FINALLY. Wynn slows and moves to open the door on the side. It's dark inside, but the lights are motion detected and as they move inside, they flick on, one after another in sequence, slowly illuminating the wide expanse of parked vehicles.

♬ I'm In Love With My Car - Queen

And by wide expanse, we're talking rows and rows. And not just old timey looking vehicles like the one Wynn took him for a ride in, but also more practical modern sedans, vans, SUVs, etc. and then some entirely impractical but remarkably svelte looking sports cars.

Yep. Wynn is just gonna let him enjoy the view for now.]

[king]

[ And there's definitely enjoyment. Arthur's eyes go wide as more and more cars were revealed, a platoon, a veritable fleet of motor vehicles. ]

[ Since his exciting first ride, Arthur has asked around a little, done a touch of research where he could, but there's a lot to learn and cars are still as foreign to him as dragons. He takes in the builds and colours, the sheer variety in the number of cars that stretch before him. ]

[ His eyes linger on something red and sleek, that even to an amateur seems to say, seductively, I go very, very fast. ]

[ Arthur looks over at Wynn, grinning. ]

I want to learn to drive.

banging into them ;)

[socialgraces]

[The noise from the automatic garage door opening probably catches their attention first, followed by a silver car that expertly (Drive check of 24) weaves in and around to an park in an available spot. They can hear the door open and shut a few moments later, then the beep of the automatic door lock.

Her small frame is hard to make out over the top of the cars, but she soon makes her way into the main aisle and is moving towards them. She's obviously a drow, her white hair long, but pulled back, and she's wearing darkly tinted sunglasses. She doesn't seem to notice them until she gets much closer, apparently distracted by her own thoughts. When she does see them, however, she is obviously quite surprised. She quickens her pace a little, easily crossing the space between them.]

Good morning, Sir. [She offers to Wynn with a polite smile. She still looks surprised by all this. She turns to examine Arthur, giving him a smile as well, and inclining her head towards him in acknowledgement.]

[wynn]

[Wynn's content to enjoy Arthur's sudden resolve for the moment, watching as Francesca makes her way over. He nods his head regally to her upon her salutation and then tips it to indicate Arthur]

Francesca. I'd like you to meet Arthur Pendragon.

Arthur, Francesca. [He gives her a faint smile, and there's the tiniest hint of pride there, the same hint that he gets when usually talking about his Knights.] She's been a Knight of this order for over a century and served our ideals faithfully and wholeheartedly.

[king]

[ Over a century. Did everyone here have absurd longevity? But then, he supposes it's to be expected of something other than human. Dark elves, hadn't Wynn called them? Those warriors in the paintings. The ones which opposed the Order. ]

[ But Wynn trusts her, and Arthur trusts him with his life — has had to. Bollocks to all this nodding; he extends a hand to Francesca. ]

Nice car.

[socialgraces]

[Her smile turns more genuine at Wynn's introduction and she takes Arthur's outstretched hand.] Sir Pendragon. It's nice to actually meet you.

[She seems surprised by his casual mention of a car and gently corrects him, sounding amused.] It's a company car, not mine, but it is very nice.

[wynn]

Arthur was just remarking how much he'd like to learn to operate one of these vehicles. [He gives Francesca a pointed look] Perhaps you might have some advice for him.

[king]

[ Damn right he knows about cars. He is so native. And wholly smooth. ]

I'd certainly appreciate it.

[ Because he still thinks it's like riding a horse: that you sit there and let it do all the work. ]

[socialgraces]

[She looks between the two men for a couple seconds, obviously taken aback by Wynn's suggestion. Now she's trying to rack her brain for some valuable lesson she learned from driving that Wynn would want her to share. Or was this really just a casual conversation about cars?

She focuses on Arthur as she speaks, so it feels less like she's been called on in class.] Well, um, have you ever ridden in a car? Or watched someone else drive a car? Because that'd probably be a good place to start.

[She's still hesitant and her tone is slightly disbelieving. She assumes Wynn wouldn't just let him jump behind the wheel, but stranger things have happened.]

[wynn]

[You underestimate what Wynn will do for his FAVORITE PERSON IN THE WORLD.

Ahem.

I mean.]

He's taken one ride previously. Perhaps you could show him how it's done. [Not that you have anything important to do, apparently.]