XIV

[takeyouapart]

[The handwriting isn't as tidy as usual and occasionally just descends into unreadable splodges.  Merlin does not really understand mixed drinks and as such got incredibly wasted without noticing.]

It's called Velan Valentine's Day, isn't it?  Tomorrow.  I should have read more about it before I got off the Barge.  But it sounds nice from what other

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[wandthief]

Are you feeling quite all right, Merlin?

[takeyouapart]

I'm fine, Gellert. Better than I've been in a while, actually. How are you?

[wandthief]

I'm very well, thank you. Enjoying the sights.

spam~

[youdaman]

Max was just out for a walk. The overall air of this place still affecting her. She was happy, really happy, for the first time in the longest time she could remember.

Seeing Merlin by the fountain, she paused and gave him a warm smile. "Hey!"

spam~

[takeyouapart]

Merlin beamed up at her from where he was sitting at the fountain's edge, having been content to stop there and listen to the water and watch the world go by. Standing up took a couple of attempts, but he could hold himself straight once he got there.

"Hello, Max! You look nice today. Not that you don't always look nice. You do. Always look nice, I mean." He flushed and pressed his lips together for a moment. "How are you?"

spam~

[youdaman]

"Aw, thanks Merlin, you're lookin' pretty dashing there yourself." She paused and took a seat down beside him. "I'm pretty good, just enjoying the uh... mass amount of pink in the scenery... and my heart collection." She poked a few of the hearts floating around her head.

spam~

[takeyouapart]

"They're odd, aren't they?" Merlin held out a fingertip, letting a couple of the little hearts settle on it. He knew he should be wondering about it - why the town was like this, why the magic felt so good, who would be profiting from a place that had this effect on its visitors - but all those concerns felt really distant. He had lost Ethan somewhere along the way and that didn't bother him much either.

"Is Valentine's Day anything like this in your time? I don't know why people are complaining about it."

[alzarian_youth]

"Hello," Adric greeted, sitting near the stranger, a couple bags of candy in hand. He'd been able to find plenty of candy stores, but no decent bookstores. The library, of course, but it seemed all anyone in this place cared to write about was love, and Adric didn't really care to read romance novels or dating advice books. Opening a bag of candy and taking one and popping it into his own mouth, Adric offered it to the stranger, a habit that came from the Doctor. "Want one?"

He was tempted to say 'jelly baby', but none of the shops had those. Instead, they mostly had chocolate and little hearts with cute phrases.

[takeyouapart]

"Thank you," Merlin said brightly and without really considering it, taking a little chocolate heart and biting into it. Strawberry. Hmm.

"Sorry - I've seen you on the Barge, but I don't - " He twisted a little and stuck a hand out. "I'm Merlin."

[alzarian_youth]

"I'm Adric," he answered, taking Merlin's hand. The name, of course, meant little to him. "I'm new to the Barge."

[takeyouapart]

"Adric," Merlin echoed. "Nice to meet you. How are you finding it?"

Aleera's going to fetch her warden lots of flowers and offer to do nice things for her...

[fanged_aleera]

Your words... They have value.

I shall remember them.

My characters live to sabotage each other, clearly.

[takeyouapart]

[Yeah he's drunk enough to have forgotten that you scare him.]

Thank you, my lady.

There's always something to be happy about. Sometimes it just needs to be looked for a little harder than usual.

Clearly!

[fanged_aleera]

You are wise, this day...

Your words remind me of one who acted as my guide. She would have adored this realm of strangeness. She could...

She could afford to see light even in those of us coated in shadows.

[takeyouapart]

She sounds very wise, too.

Do you miss her a lot?

[pendragon_prat]

Are you drunk, Merlin? You're rambling more than usual.

[takeyouapart]

I'm not drunk! I can't be drunk, I haven't been drinking.

[Nothing he recognises as alcoholic, anyway. Some random scribbles and ink splotches here.]

I love you, too. Even when you're a complete prat. You should probably know.

[pendragon_prat]

...Are you feeling all right?

[takeyouapart]

I'm fine, Arthur! Better than usual, if anything. I think I needed to get off the Barge for a while.

What about you? How was the casino?