"arthur!" merlin hisses when he and peter king emerge from the alcove. arthur looks a bit disgruntled, but king looks quite pleased with himself. king takes two champagne flutes from a passing waiter, hands one to arthur, pats his shoulder, and disappears into the crowd.

"arthur!" merlin says again. he pushes past a knot of people conversing about the prices of things these days. "arthur--"

"not now, merlin."

"peter king isn't who you think he is," merlin blurts out.

arthur downs the champagne in one pull. "tell me about it."

"well, gwen and i thought he looked familiar, so we googled--"

"i was being sarcastic," arthur cuts in. "merlin. sarcasm, have you heard of it? did they not have that where you grew up?"

"you can't trust him," merlin continues, undeterred. "peter pevensie is wanted in several states, he's been in jail TWICE, and you remember when caspian's uncle's casino got ripped off?"

arthur raises his eyebrow. "that was him?"

"that was him."

he sighs. "of course it was."

"i'll call security," says merlin, and begins to rush off but arthur catches his arm.

"merlin, no." arthur looks him in the eyes, all serious and shit. "don't call security. don't talk to the pevensies. don't--"

"the pevensies?" says merlin. "there's more than one here?"

arthur lowers his voice and discreetly points his glass in susan's direction, eyes averted. "his sister's here. she may look familiar to you."

merlin swivels his head around in a not very subtle manner, and gapes. "arthur, is that--"

"yes. and don't stare."

"weren't you--"

"yes."

"and she's--"

"yes!" arthur cries out, and nearby guests pause their chatter to look at him curiously. he smiles brightly at them as he recedes into a quieter corner, dragging merlin behind him. then he glares at merlin and says, "look, i just need you to stay out of their way. and stay out of mine. it's been a crazy week and it's only going to get crazier, so let's just... you know, go about our business," arthur finishes lamely.

"arthur, what's going on?"

"and don't run off trying to be the hero," warns arthur. "it doesn't suit you."

"arthur--"

"this is not what i had in mind when i went into philanthropy," the young pendragon declares, and turns around and dives back into the party, leaving merlin staring after him with his usual expression of confused alarm.



i have to find gaius, merlin thinks with determination, and speeds off to the service entrance.