Maybe it’s just me but i really need to talk about the ‘I guess I was wrong’ line in 5x12 bc I feel like the only person who thought yeah it was a shitty thing to say but Merlin kinda deserved it. Bc Arthur doesn’t say that to Merlin bc Merlin refused to go to war with him, it’s bc Merlin refused and then lied to Arthur about why.

Arthur is calling Merlin a coward bc Merlin is leaving him and then lying about it. Arthur feels like the least he deserves is honesty if Merlin is gonna leave him. That’s why Merlin feels guilty and tries to apologize. Even if Merlin couldn’t tell him the truth, the least Arthur deserved wasn’t a half-baked bullshit lie about collecting supplies for Gaius.

Merlin is too scared to tell him the truth and so Arthur snipes at his bravery.

Ok but pls tell me more about Merthur being Hufflepuff

omg THANK YOU FOR ASKING. please take this 5 page-essay I love you. this is literally just an edited copy-paste of me and @nextstopparis‘s back and forth  

EDIT: I ended up deciding to break this up into a separate hufflepuff arthur and hufflepuff merlin post because it got long jsalkdlsjdkl. So. Hufflepuff Arthur:​

I know Arthur has all that Gryffindor pride and bravery and is literally a symbol of everything that is Gryffindor up to his colours and his sword and how he’s called actual ‘courage’. but also, those qualities stem from the love he has for his people. i think arthur’s ideals don’t grow from his actual inherent beliefs that gryffindors usually carry as part of their “chilvary”, but rather a reaction to the events around him. He argues for knighting commonfolk because Camelot needed better knights and Lancelot had had shown himself to be more than capable, he says that sorcery can be judged based on it’s use in 1x03 to protect gwen from execution, he argues against mordred’s execution in 1x10 because “he’s just a boy” (also tell me he also didn’t feel guilt because of the druid massacre). He tries to kill Uther because Uther ‘betrayed’ him by killing Ygraine and “hunted [Morgause’s] kind like animals“ and “caused so much suffering and pain”.

And then later when arthur reaffirms his negative views against sorcery it’s because it was used to kill his father, and then later in the disir when even his heart is telling him to accept magic and save mordred, he questions magic on the basis that “it has brought suffering” onto Camelot. Not because it’s evil. Arthur judges the right and wrong of something based on the effects of that thing to the people around him.

Hard work? Arthur is a notorious hard worker in what he deems is important. Not to mention all the kingy/prince stuff he did. I think its pretty much canon how hard he worked regarding his duties as prince/king/first knight. Justice? Lancelot literally equates him with justice in the round table, and by s5 he’s described constantly as a just king. Also “It’s not victory I seek, it is peace”. Loyalty? Arthur values loyalty above everything else. betrayal is the one thing that continues to hurt him - all the time everywhere - so i think its safe to say that loyalty is one of the most important traits to him, calling Merlin a loyal friend and saying that Camelot is nothing without the loyalty of it’s friends. Also in 5.01/5.02 when he fights with merlin about going back for his men - he refuses to leave them alone just like he knows "they would not abandon me" which shows not only his trust in their loyalty - but him returning it just as fiercely.

Another thing is how Arthur is at his worst. When hufflepuffs are at their worst they will take the general loyalty they have to world/people and focus it onto a select few, making them seem like a Slytherin. Arthur, when he has been betrayed multiple times in 4x13, lets go off the courage he embodies as the king of camelot and is completely content with wanting to live a normal life with gwen and merlin in ealdor. “Sometimes I dream of leaving camelot”. And it's only when merlin encourages him that he regains his confidence. Arthur didn't believe anything about merlin's prophecy even after he pulled out the stone. He fought and retook his title as king because his people believed in him, and because merlin believed in him. Also yes, I admit that Arthur, especially pre-season 5, also embodies the negative qualities of Gryffindor house, but also - can a hufflepuff not have pride? can they not be arrogant, condescending and rude? Zacharias Smith was a hufflepuff and he was all of these things in harry potter canon.

@arzhur​   said,   “   Value   loyalty   above   all   else.   ”

                    𝐈𝐓   𝐈𝐒   𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐑𝐈𝐅𝐘𝐈𝐍𝐆   𝐇𝐎𝐖   𝐀   𝐏𝐋𝐀𝐂𝐄   𝐎𝐍𝐂𝐄   𝐃𝐈𝐒𝐌𝐈𝐒𝐒𝐄𝐃   𝐀𝐍𝐃   𝐀𝐕𝐎𝐈𝐃𝐄𝐃   𝐂𝐎𝐔𝐋𝐃   𝐁𝐄𝐂𝐎𝐌𝐄   𝐇𝐎𝐌𝐄   𝐒𝐎   𝐐𝐔𝐈𝐂𝐊𝐋𝐘;   the   great   halls   of   Camelot,   its   streets   with   their   eager   inhabitants,   and   the   sight   that   unravels   at   dawn   when   she   rises   –   it   feels   so   DIFFERENT   than   what   it   used   to   be.   The   absence   of   dragons   that   skim   across   the   sky   leaves   a   heart   reluctant   to   trust   the   future   that   might   come,   but   the   forests   with   their   emerald   crowns   remain   the   same,   standing   with   PERSEVERANCE   against   the   change   of   time.   At   times,   she   feels   like   she   KNOWS   Albion.   But   that   cannot   be:   if   she   knows   it   then   she   does   so   only   through   the   eyes   of   the   king   and   by   his   words.   When   he   talks   about   his   people,   she   becomes   HUMBLE,   as   humble   as   she   used   to   feel   when   she   was   younger.   Wide-eyed   and   with   an   unquenchable   thirst   to   discover   what   hid   underneath   the   auburn   skin   of   the   earth,   she   used   to   believe   the   universe   held   many   more   ENTICING   secrets   than   it   did   daunting   ones.   He   rekindles   that   curiosity,   even   if   it   remains   hesitant.   How   he   does   it   or   why,   she   does   not   want   to   question.   Mostly,   out   of   fear   that   knowing   his   reasons   and   methods   could   DISENCHANT   the   sway   he   holds   over   her. 

Arthur   Pendragon   is   a   concept,   an   enigma;   whenever   he   rises   onto   his   feet,   the   earth   SHIFTS   a   little   although   anticipating   the   steps   he   may   take   and   their   consequences.   And   she   is   certain,   since   knowing   him   more   so   than   ever   before,   that   life   follows   a   GUIDELINE   and   that   all   possible   endings   are   predicted   if   not   yet   defined.   This   life   is   a   short   one,   she   sees   it   whenever   she   looks   into   his   eyes.   Skuld   stares   back   with   eyes   not   much   older   than   his   and   no   visible   wrinkles   on   her   fatigued   features   –   Arthur   Pendragon   dies   YOUNG.   Where   he   does,   she   does   not   know   but   that   he   will,   is   certain.   It   changes   her,   changes   every   word   she   speaks   to   him.   The   few   nights   that   he   spends   with   her   when   his   time   allows,   she   quenches   the   premonition   in   whatever   way   she   finds   suitable.   His   chest   rises   and   sinks   in   his   sleep   like   the   ebb   and   flow   of   the   ocean,   a   REASSURING   image   that   comes   back   to   mind   whenever   charcoal   eyes   cast   their   gaze   across   the   lands   of   Camelot.   Somewhere   out   there,   where   lands   kiss   the   water,   his   chest   rises   and   sinks   evermore   and   her   inability   to   talk   about   the   dread   that   fills   her   whenever   she   looks   at   him   becomes   INSIGNIFICANT.   She   knows   the   ocean,   knows   her   tides   and   her   depths   and   in   the   dark,   she   even   knows   her   whispers   like   she   knows   HIS.   

Tongue   could   not   have   verbalised   her   emotions   even   if   she   wanted   to.   Returning   home   from   work   and   falling   into   the   arms   of   the   two   men   that   have   loved   her   despite   the   consequences   of   doing   so,   should   REASSURE   a   mind   that   she   perhaps   merely   overacts.   It   doesn’t.   Neither   Kua   nor   Willem   can   understand   what   it   must   be   like   to   predict   a   fate   outside   one’s   own   reach,   how   it   makes   you   wonder   if   enough   love   could   make   you   blind   and   FORGET.   So   she   dwells   on   it   on   her   own   as   Camelot   continues   its   hustle   and   bustle.   The   emerald   crowns   of   the   trees   beyond   the   walls   of   the   kingdom   will   remain   persistent   then   also,   when   Arthur   has   died   and   she   has   withered.   Perhaps   they   will   MOURN   at   least   in   her   imagination,   taking   back   what   once   was   theirs   and   leaving   behind   something   to   remember.   Fingertips   yearn   to   take   a   little   of   the   soil   with   her,   to   incorporate   it   into   her   veins   and   to   memorise   the   effort   made   to   bring   back   what   Albion   had   lost   under   tyranny.   But   no   king   dies   innocent;   if   she   wants   to   remember   Arthur   Pendragon,   she   wants   to   remember   him   as   he   is   NOW   –   watching   her   from   the   entrance   to   the   room,   curious,   courageous,   a   man   who   makes   no   time   for   her   when   his   people   need   him   more.   That   man,   she   LOVES.   Perhaps   he   dies   before   she   can   grow   to   hate   him,   or   perhaps   he   dies   before   he   can   grow   to   hate   HER.   

A   smile   masks   the   troublesome   pondering   when   she   catches   his   gaze.   She   dissolves   her   figure   from   the   windowsill,   posture   meticulously   calculated.   The   castle   is   no   safe   haven   and   perhaps   never   will   be   –   but   at   times,   she   yearns   to   feel   what   it   must   be   like   to   LIVE   with   him.   He   is   the   king,   a   lover,   but   she   lacks   the   right   proximity   to   call   him   a   friend.   And   that   the   love   is   MUTUAL,   of   course,   cannot   be   shown.   Feet   settle   for   a   comfortable   pace,   the   unspoken   warning   that   he   only   has   a   little   time   for   a   very   short   walk   is   absolutely   clear.   Still,   he   could   have   spent   his   limited   time   in   any   other   way   and   she   appreciates   every   brief   conversation   they   hold.

“   Sir   Gwaine   entertained   me   earlier   this   day   with   a   story   from   when   he   lived   as   a   vagabond,   ”   she   begins,   mouth   already   CURVED   with   the   implication   of   a   smirk.   He   raises   his   brows   in   expectation.   “   It   surprises   me   you   picked   him   to   become   part   of   the   round   table   –   even   now,   he   still   exhibits   certain   characteristics   that   only   a   man   of   rogue   honour   has.   ”   The   joke   falls   flat,   though   she   takes   no   offense;   the   crown   is   a   heavy   burden   and   one   she   is   fortunate   to   have   AVOIDED   throughout   all   her   life.   She   would   not   want   to   marry   Arthur   Pendragon,   either.   It   does   not   matter   how   much   she   loves   him,   does   not   matter   how   meticulously   well   she   knows   his   expressions   –   and   when   his   frown   is   a   mere   HABIT   and   not   a   manifestation   of   his   thoughts.   She   was   not   born   to   be   queen.   Many   other   women   fulfil   the   role   much   better   than   she   ever   could.   It   is   in   ARTHUR’S   responsibility   to   be   just,   it   is   not   in   hers.   She   has   no   qualms   about   refusing   to   aid   whomever   she   dislikes   and   had   Arthur   not   somehow   pulled   her   into   his   grasp,   she   perhaps   would   not   have   followed   him,   not   even   AFTER   he’d   proven   his   loyalty   to   the   people.   

Life   is   fleeting   and   a   lifetime   of   suffering   occasionally   makes   one   SELFISH.   She   aids   the   sick   because   she   finds   a   purpose   in   it,   and   the   same   purpose   she   used   to   find   in   WAR.   Allowing   her   the   power   to   make   decisions   would   not   end   well   for   Camelot.   HIM,   she   could   give   a   life   of   abundance,   a   life   of   adventure   and   carelessness   –   and   perhaps,   had   she   met   him   at   any   other   point   in   life,   perhaps   he   could   have   been   successfully   MOULDED   into   a   man   willing   to   entertain   a   life   like   the   that.   But   the   man   she   fell   in   love   with   looks   at   her   pensively   and   then   he   utters   with   knitted   brows,   “   Value   loyalty   above   all   else.   However   rogue   his   demeanour   might   be,   Sir   Gwaine   saved   my   life   more   than   once.   ”

A   GRIN   follows   the   his   word’s   of   honest   admiration.   She   once   knew   the   way   that   his   mother   looked   at   his   father.   She   never   mentions   it   –   the   wound   of   losing   a   beloved   parent   hardly   ever   heals.   She   knows   it   HERSELF.   In   every   life   she   lives,   she   loses   her   mother   and   her   father   hardly   ever   even   knows   of   her   birth.   But   the   way   Ygraine   de   Bois   looked   at   Uther   Pendragon   even   before   his   appointment   of   Camelot’s   king,   she   REMEMBERS   and   occasionally,   when   the   mirror   reflects   her   weary   expression   in   passing,   she   catches   herself   regarding   Arthur   with   almost   the   same   RAPTURE.   This   time,   is   one   of   those   occasions.   But   in   one   thing,   she   was   wrong;   the   devotion   he   pours   into   the   life   of   his   people,   it   is   not   UTHER’S.   His   father   wanted   a   son   so   desperately   and   was   so   blinded   by   the   loss   of   his   wife   that   he   forgot   he’d   never   truly   LOST   her   in   the   first   place.

The   sun   tickles   upon   pale   olive   skin   when   the   walls   of   the   castle   are   finally   left   behind.   She   halts,   turns   to   her   king.   The   sheer   fabric   that   covers   dark   waves   of   hair   trembles   uneasily   in   a   brief   draught   of   wind   as   brows   furrow   and   a   FROWN   replaces   the   light-hearted   expression.   “   I   used   to   think   true   loyalty   was   a   lie   –   and   any   cheap   imitation   of   it,   bought   and   not   freely   given.   ”   The   smile   that   she   dons   is   dishonest   and   BLAND,   charcoal   eyes   stare   at   him   with   some   kind   of   affliction.   That   she   lowers   her   gaze,   she   only   does   to   avoid   the   EMBARRASSMENT   that   comes   with   having   been   proven   wrong.   “   Should   there   ever   come   a   time   where   I   harbour   the   same   erroneous   presumption,   remind   me   of   your   words.   ”   

                                            —   𝐅𝐈𝐅𝐓𝐄𝐄𝐍   𝐂𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐔𝐑𝐈𝐄𝐒   𝐋𝐀𝐓𝐄𝐑,   𝐇𝐄   𝐃𝐎𝐄𝐒   𝐀𝐍𝐃   𝐃𝐎𝐄𝐒   𝐒𝐎   𝐔𝐍𝐁𝐄𝐊𝐍𝐎𝐖𝐍𝐒𝐓   𝐓𝐎   𝐇𝐈𝐌.   She   lingers   in   the   lecture   hall   after   his   presentation’s   ending,   a   grin   on   her   lips   and   with   the   last   slide   still   projected   onto   the   screen.   “   However   rogue   his   honour   might   have   been,   Sir   Gwaine   saved   his   king’s   life   more   than   once,   hm?   ”   James   Pendragon   looks   up,   features   expressing   a   slight   semblance   of   CONFUSION   as   though   he   attempts   to   unravel   the   familiarity   of   the   sentence.   But   the   moment   she   believes   to   see   recognition   in   far   too   acquainted   eyes,   he   shakes   it   OFF.   Her   grin   remains;   the   emerald   crowns   of   trees   have   persisted   against   history’s   transience   and   the   ocean   still   ebbs   and   flows   as   though   it   REMEMBERS.   Perhaps   if   she   digs   open   his   grave,   he   will   too.

                    It’s   the   first   time   she   ever   invites   him   to   a   coffee.

*Queenie appears wearing a Hufflepuff robe and scarf* I'm curious...which Hogwarts house would you sort the Merlin characters? And, if you're comfortable sharing, do YOU identify with a particular house, or multiple houses? Have a pleasant day, and a cookie, too! *Hands you a chocolate cookie* P.S. It's from Publix. I can't bake to save my life, but Publix can turn out some damn good cookies lol

OH MAN YOU’RE A HUFFLEPUFF ?????? lucky bastard, you get friendly housemates and your dormitories are right by the kitchens ???? unfair. im calling bullshit. wtf. who allowed this. who allowed Hufflepuffs to be the luckiest honestly. unfair. ALSO all chocolate cookies are good cookies, i appreciate any and all chocolate cookies on offer tbh. actually. i appreciate any and all cookies period. 

also i am a Ravenclaw!!!! not v smart, but i value knowledge more than anything else, so it’s the only House that i fit lol

fghyghgbn all right all right but i’ll have you know, one (1) immortal warlock emrys is too old, too tired, and too sober for all the drama and Discourse™️ ((and believe me, Sorting fictional characters brings a lot of Discourse™️)) so the consequences for this are firmly on YOUR head, my Queen.

Merlin is a Slytherin. and don’t none of y’all @ me about this. don’t none of y’all come at me with “uwu he’s actually a hufflepuff, sometimes he can be a halfway decent human being for two (2) seconds” don’t!!!!!! do that to me!!!!!!!! i’m old!!!!! i’m tired!!!!! and i’m too sober!!!! Hufflepuff Merlin is honestly dead to me !!!! also this would get WAY too long if i stopped to list all the reasons why one Merlin Emrys is, in fact, more Slytherin than Salazar himself, but this is obviously a controversial choice, so i’ll just remind y’all that this is still where i stand: 

tl;dr: Merlin Emrys may be an absolute dreamboat but don’t let those gorgeous clavicles or peg-me eyes fool you, he is still a man who will stop at absolutely nothing to get what he wants, including manipulate his best friends, attempt to murder his best friends, actually murder somebody who presented zero threat to him just to protect his secret,,,,,,, need i go on????

Arthur is a Gryffindor, with strong Hufflepuff tendencies. all right, i admit it, this is one area where i could absolutely change my mind at any point. Arthur definitely has as much Hufflepuff in him as Gryffindor, to be honest - he makes mistakes, sure, but he’s got his heart in the right place, and he genuinely just wants to love and be loved. he’s the heart and soul of the series, and Camelot as a whole, and i do think he would be an excellent fit for Hufflepuff House, but ultimately, he prizes his courage far more than his compassion, so i think he would wind up in Gryffindor either way.

Gwen is a Hufflepuff, with strong Gryffindor tendencies. we got a complete reversal for our beautiful Queen here!!! Guinevere has a lot of Gryffindor in her, there’s no doubt about that, but she’s the polar opposite of Arthur. she holds kindness in far higher regard than bravery, and for all her nerve, the Hat would put her firmly in Hufflepuff.

Morgana is a Slytherin, with strong Gryffindor tendencies. honestly, i could go either way with this bitch. yes, she’s cunning, she’s ambitious, she’s determined, and like Merlin, she’ll stop at nothing to get what she wants (although, terrible as Merlin is, Morgana’s motivations are far less admirable.) but, for all her faults, Morgana is a lady with a strong, unshakable sense of justice. she doesn’t want to kill Arthur and claim Camelot as her own just for kicks. she wants to remake Camelot, reshape it, she wants to tear it all down and rebuild it from the ground up. she wants  to make a haven for sorcerers. she wants to create a sanctuary for magic. she wants to build a safe place for people like her. as twisted as her viewpoint is by the end of the series, she genuinely believes she is fighting for what’s right, and her own sense of her nobility could easily place her in Gryffindor.

Gaius is a Ravenclaw. don’t get me wrong, Gaius definitely has a Slytherin streak of his own, and you’d better believe it’s a mile wide, but he values knowledge and intellect above all.

Kilgharrah is a Slytherin, with strong Ravenclaw tendencies. not to say Kilgharrah isn’t absolutely brilliant, because of course he is, but he’s no scholar, and ultimately, he’s cut from the same cloth as Merlin and Morgana. he will do what it takes to survive. and the pursuit of knowledge will always come second to that.

and for all the rest:

Leon is a Gryffindor, with strong Hufflepuff tendencies.Lancelot is a Gryffindor.Gwaine is a Gryffindor.Elyan is a Gryffindor, with strong Hufflepuff tendencies.Percival is a Hufflepuff, with strong Gryffindor tendencies.  

great to hear from you, as usual, Queenie!! 💖💖💖 have a wonderful day!!

Flower Girl (Part 1)

Peaky Blinders Arthur Shelby x Original Character

part one

Arthur sat in his car on the same curb, on the same street, at the same hour as always. He kept his hat pulled down, a shadow over his eyes, as he slouched in his seat. His eyes were trained across the street, staring at the store front of the little flower shop. The sign read “closed” but the eldest Shelby kept his eyes peeled for any sign of life, only straying once in awhile to the occasionally passerby. He spared a second to look at his pocket watch, frowning.

She had three minutes. Three minutes until 8 o'clock, where she would roll in on her bike, her big smile on her lips, and poor Arthur, the poor man, wouldn’t know what to do with himself. This is what Arthur found himself doing for the past two months or so. He’d wake up from his tired slumber, drive through the streets of Small Heath until he got to the familiar little shop.

Her name was Gwendolyn Ancelet. Arthur only knew this because some his men were able to dig up some information for him, and keep from anyone else in his nosy family. Arthur also knew that the young girl was 12 years younger than him. And yet, Arthur was fascinated in her. Part of him was disgusted by it, but he coped with it, knowing it was because of her age, nor was it because of her appearance, though that could be part of it. It was because Arthur was convinced that Gwendolyn Ancelet was an angel sent from heaven.

Arthur physically jumped when he heard the ringing of a bell. His green eyes immediately flicked to the beginning of the small street, seeing a figure riding a bicycle toward him. It was her. Arthur hated how he felt his heart pick up speed and his face and neck go hot. It bothered him that a girl he knew nothing about effected him so much. It was also frustrating that his men could barely find out anything about Gwen. All he knew was that the young girl came to Birmingham two years prior, worked as a seamstress for a few months before buying a little shop at the corner of Small Heath for flower ironically. Arthur didn’t know how many people were buying flowers in Small Heath, and yet Gwendolyn set up shop here.

Arthur slouched further down in his seat as the girl rode to the storefront, watching as she got off the bike, before fishing for her keys. Arthur also knew that Gwendolyn owned the suite above the shop, and that she would leave early in the morning and go to the market a few blocks down and buy some things. Then she’d come back and open up shop, tending to her many flowers and other types of plantlife. It was a quiet little life of which Arthur envied her for, but valued her for the same time. In this place, this tiny corner of Small Heath, evil hadn’t found a home and it was like a breath of fresh air for Arthur. And it was all because of her.

Her frame was frail but not sickly, her long chocolate brown hair fell down her back, noticeably longer than any of the other girls her age. Freckles scattered all over the skin, tickling her small little nose. Gwendolyn wore a white dress, a navy blue cardigan tied around her to keep her warm.

Maybe today was the day he went in and spoke to her. Maybe he would finally go into the little shop, instead of watching from the street. Maybe he’d finally introduce himself. Gwendolyn finally got the store door open and walked inside, gently nudging the door shut with her foot. Arthur could hear the bell of the door ring as she did. He let out a breath he didn’t know he was holding.

Arthur couldn’t remember the last time he needed a drink so bad. He couldn't find the courage to get out of car. It was so simple, but so unbelievably difficult.

“Come you big fool,” Arthur grumbled at himself, his eyes returning to his hands nervously rubbing over his pants.

Arthur looked out from the window again, staring into the store window. Gwendolyn had that same smile, the smile a mother would give to her children, as she tended to her flowers that bloomed in the window. She was completely in her own world.

He couldn’t do it. With an long sigh, Arthur started the car and sped down the street, not knowing  gentle emerald eyes watched as the car drove away.

 +

  Arthur stalked into the betting ring, ignoring the buzzing of the room. Another busy day, but the day seemed like it went on forever when he wasn’t with Gwendolyn. Arthur couldn’t fight the smile coming upon his lips, but he was quick to hide it once he entered the private room. Polly sent him a side gaze, Arthur quickly trying to act as if nothing was bouncing around in that head of his.

“You’re late,” she said pointedly, sitting down next to John who smoking a cigarette idly.

“Aye,” Arthur said, crashing into one of the table chairs.

Polly looked at Arthur for a moment longer before her gaze diverted to Tommy as he stormed in.

“Alright, let’s get this started with,” Tommy said, slamming a rather heavy book on the table.

“Ava isn’t here yet-” Polly said.

“I’m sure she’s off doing better things with her day,” Tommy said, sarcasm laced in his tone.

Arthur kept his eyes on the table, his mind traveling back to the small flower shop on  the corner of Small Heath.

"Hello? Arthur are you even listening?" Polly snapped him out of his thoughts.

Arthur looked up at the woman with a shocked expression.

"Yeah, yeah, I 'ear ya," Arthur sat straighter in his chair.

"Uh huh, and what exactly did I say?" Polly crossed her arms and raised her brow skeptically.

John struggled to contain his laughter as Arthur struggled for an answer.

"Something about the races, yeah?" Arthur said, trying to play it cool.

"Honestly Arthur, you could make it less noticeable," Polly scoffed, shaking her head.

"There's a shop near main street that will would be a perfect place to run another betting ring on that side of town, but so far, the owner hasn't signed over the deeds," Tommy repeated boringly.

"So you want me to smash some windows, aye? Alright, where's this shop," Arthur stood up.

"It's on Calvary St, it's a small flower shop," Polly explained, "from the looks of it, the shop popped up out of nowhere. The owner must not know what territory they're in."

Arthur's face went pale as she stared at Polly in shock, "a flower shop."

"That's what I said," Polly's brow furrowed. "Go with John, and don't come back until you have the deed."

"Alright then," John said, fixing his coat as he stood, "let's crack on."

Arthur gulped and nodded, following his younger brother out of the room. Tommy and Polly watched as Arthur went.

"Something's up with 'im," Polly said.

"Aye, I noticed it too," Tommy said, "he's been acting odd for the last couple weeks."

"It's his conscious, Tommy, it's making him hesitate again," Polly warned, "hesitation only-"

"Hastens the grave, I know, Pol," Tommy said, "I'll beat into 'im."

"You best do that before he becomes a loose canon," Polly frowned, "we can't afford that right now with that copper in town."

Tommy nodded, lighting a cigarette.

Hey. It's me. Could you guys do a Merlin sort. I love you house sorts and just spent my whole work break reading them

 Merlin ~ Hufflepuff

Ignoring that in the HP universe Merlin was a Slytherin, Merlin is actually a bit of a hat stall. He could fit perfectly into any house based on solely his traits. He’s clever and cunning like a Slytherin, brave and chivalrous like a Gryffindor, and quirky and intelligent like a Ravenclaw. But when it comes right down to it, his values align him perfectly with Hufflepuff. He proves over and over again that above all else he values the well-being of his friends and wants to protect them from all harm, like when he cures Gwen’s father despite the risk or makes Lancelot the seal of nobility because he believes the rules are unfair. We’ve also seen his hard work and dedication in everything he does despite how unpleasant it is. He has a constant positive attitude, strong determination and kind nature. All of this makes me believe that he fits squarely in Hufflepuff. 

Arthur ~ Gryffindor

Arthur is the ultimate Gryffindor. He very much emulates the normally negative qualities of Gryffindor, as he is extremely cocky, he knows his own talents and he flaunts them as much as he can. To go along with that he is also extremely brave, and he will do anything for his friends, well sometimes. He has an incredible amount of nerve, and he is able to handle lots of difficult situations. He has to be a Gryffindor!

Gaius ~ Ravenclaw

Wisdom is literally Gaius’ middle name. He watches over everyone around him, and he tries his best to do what is best for everyone. He’s intelligent and wise, and he can tell what is going on with someone before they even know. He’s incredibly observant, and holds lots of information about interesting topics, and is able to use that intelligence when needed to help others. He has to be a Ravenclaw!

Morgana ~ Slytherin

Morgana is confident and passionate. During her early years on the show before her step into villain-hood, she is very kind and passionate despite her struggles. Morgana has a lot to hide, she tries her best to keep her problems under the radar. Though trying to fight her horrible situation, her situation drives her towards villainhood, Morgana is intelligent and cunning, and she thinks of ideas to do the things she wants to no matter the bridge she has to cross, proving her ambition. She has to be a Slytherin!

Guinevere ~ Hufflepuff

Having come from a family of low stature, Guinevere still remains optimistic and kind to those around her. She sticks by her close friends and loved ones and would do anything for them. Gwen has worked for many years as a maid while still keeping her cheerful spirit and doing whatever she could to help Lady Morgana and everyone else around her. She clearly shows the qualities of a true Hufflepuff: loyalty, kindness, a value of hard work, and dedication. She must be a Hufflepuff!

Lancelot ~ Gryffindor

Lancelot is known as “The bravest and most noble of them all.” He is the epitome of courage, never backing away from a situation that needed his help. He has a strong sense of right and wrong and is overall an extremely selfless and honorable man. Lancelot is always willing to sacrifice his anything, including his own life, to save the people he loves. These traits must mean that he is a Gryffindor!

Uther ~ Gryffindor 

Uther Pendragon is proud and brash, declaring his opinions and laws confidently. While he presents himself in this strong and arrogant manner, inside he does have emotions, and is very protective over the few people he loves, even if he might not show it. He tries to be as fair a king as possible, and despite his misguided idea of magic, does deeply care about Camelot and it’s people. These traits show he must be a Gryffindor!

The Celtic Gods part 1

Male

Abarta - Path working with Abarta within the lines of this story can help us to understand the destructive nature of jealousy. Including Fionn in the tale can help us to know the value of teamwork and unity, attributes especially important if you often work within the fragile group dynamics of a coven.

Abelard - Call on Abelard for aid in magic for love, loyalty, or mental prowess. Couples, or other covens of two, will also find these two archetypes useful.

Accasbel - Cultivate Accasbel at Mabon to celebrate the vine harvest or at Beltane for the blessing of the mead.

Adammair - Ask for his aid in sex magic and stamina.

Addanc - Addanc can help you when you wish to erase an event, person or other memory from you mind. Allow his flood waters to wipe away unwanted thoughts providing a fresh start.

Adna - Invoke him to get your own creative juices flowing.

Aedan - This myth can teach us much about the passing of time, though its most potent archetypes are those of the main characters. Use Aedan and Ronan if you belong to a coven which role plays the sacrificial battles of Midsummer and Yule.

Aedh - Men who are uncomfortable working solely with a Triple Goddess might wish to try connecting with Aedh and his brothers, Cimbaeth and Dithorba. Women who feel ready to explore other aspects of their inner-selves might also benefit from this contact.

Aengus MacAedh - Aengus' energy lends itself well to healing and music magic.

Aengus MacLamh Gabuid - If you are low on self-esteem, invoke this God of arrogant verbosity to bolster yourself.

Aengus MacOg - Call on Aengus for music magic, aid in romantic love, protection of lovers, dream work, or creative inspiration.

Ai - Ai is an excellent source of energy for the making of music magic.

Ailill Duh-Dedach - Though he has no strong magical archetypes, his story can provide us with the reaffirmation that no one is invincible or perfect.

Aitherne - Call on Aitherne to help symbolically disarm your enemies.

Alian Barbe-Torte - Alain can teach us lessons about serving our country.

Alisanos - Fertility

Amaethaon - If you are seeking to improve your magical skills, try aligning yourself with Amaethaon. However, keep in mind that his story teaches, above all else, that one must handle magic responsibly.

Ambisagrus - Call on Ambisagrus for making weather magic. Also invoke him if you are seeking to imbue yourself with leadership qualities.

Amergin - Make wish-magic with Amergin, or invoke him when you face a writer's block or other creative impediments. Also ask his guidance in helping you choose a magical or craft name. This latter can be especially effective if you are male.

Anind - Anind represents the reborn sun God, and was probably honored at Yule or Imbolc, who would die only to be reborn again. Use him in your own seasonal rites or to uncover the secrets of your own past incarnations.

Anluan - Align with Anluan for his bravery and leadership qualities.

Arawen - Arawen can help you in picking magical names, in making magic for strengthening friendships, or in facilitating spirit contact. He also has attributes of reincarnation deities.

Arca Dubh - Divination. Call upon Aedh to shield you with Dubhghiolla for protection.

Art MacConn - Art means bear, a sacred totem animal of the Celts associated with strength and courage.

Arthur, King - Virtually an magical need can be aided by Arthur.

Avagdu - The moral to his myth is straightforward enough — There is more to everyone than can be told by mere physical appearance. Always look deeply into yourself and into others. Work with him to discover the hidden wisdom inside yourself.

Baile of the Honeyed Speech - Work with Baile when you need to think quickly and clearly, when you have to make a speech, promote an idea, verbally impress someone, or engage in any other mental activity, especially when it involves speaking. His energy is also compatible with love magic, protection for lovers, and for blessing of magical wands.

Balin - Through path working, Balin can teach you the proper use of the elemental weapons.

Balor - Call on Balor to protect you from your enemies — an "evil eye" protection. Also to know when it is time to step aside to allow others to lead.

Bealcu - Lessons of compassion and honor.

Bedwyr - Archetypally, Bedwyr is the catalyst by which the Wheel of the Year turns and the young God supplants the old.

Beli - Beli can help you seek knowledge of the Land of the Dead, help you to contact the spirits of those passed over, or purify your ritual sites. Call on him to help protect you from your enemies. Because of the association of Beli with the all-seeing eye, he can also aid you in astral projection or with past-life memory. Use his presence to enhance the Beltane or Samhain Sabbat festivities.

Black Knight, The - Evoke the Black Knight to help you seek your own shadows.

Bladud - Bladud can be invoked for protection, gaining employment, or other endeavors governed by the sun.

Borvo - Healing

Bov the Red - Evoke him for faery contact, or as an aid in general magic.

Bran - Protection, divination, service to country, perhaps a God of the waning year.

Breasal - Help with naming, spirit contact, guidance and protection for travelers and explorers.

Bres - Without using magic, you can allow him to teach you lessons of compassion, and the ugly result of power hunger.

Brian Boru, King - Call on Brian for developing your warrior skills, for protection overcoming an enemy, for acquiring leadership skills, or for showing you the best way to serve your country.

Britan - Evoke him for the ritual of name giving.

Buic - Prosperity spells.

Bwlch - Aid in the selection and blessing of magical tools.

Cadog the Wise - Call on Cadog to help settle disputes or when you wish to work with animals.

Cadwallon, King - Call upon Cadwallon's power to unite scattered forces.

Cairbre, Son of Etan - Music spells.

Calatin - General magical assistance.

Camulos - Call on Camulos to help you when searching for Pagan lore amongst folk songs and nursery rhymes, or for overcoming enemies and protection.

Cano - Cultivate Cano for love magic, and the strength to keep a guise.

Caradoc - Divination, wisdom.

Caswallawy - Leadership, and aid in serving one's country.

Cathbad - Use his aid for great divinations, but avoid using them to gain power over others as he did.

Cernunnos - Hunt, woodland, fertility, magic, sacrifice, and animals.

Cian - Love magic.

Clust - Invoke Clust if your clairaudience (psychic hearing) needs a boost.

Coll - Call on Cool to make love magic, to inspire yourself and others, as a general aid to magic, and invoke him to help you learn the art of astral projection.

Conaire the Great - Learn from him the importance of the keeping of a guise, and honor vow of great importance in Celtic mythology.

Conall of the Victories - Call on Conall to offer you protection, to overcome enemies, or to discover the masculine power within yourself.

Conchobar MacNessa - Call on Conchobar to shield you with Ochain for protection. While not relating directly to magical practice, we can easily glean the didactic meaning of this myth: that the keeping of one's word is important, and that one cannot force their will upon others without having it eventually backfire.

Condatis - Water magic, a deity to be honored at the in-between times.

Connla Cainbhrethach - Ask Connla to share with you his wisdom; invoke him to help you see past-lives.

Conomor, King - Knowing when to step down, knowing place in ritual, knowing the responsibility of accepting leadership. Call his spirit to function as a sacrificial God at Samhain rites.

Cormac MacArt - Leadership, magic for dogs, and perseverance.

Craftiny - Call on the energy of Craftiny to help you make musical spells and to heal throat ailments whether they are physical or psychological in nature.

Credne - Call on Credne for knowledge of self-defense, inspiration for you artistic endeavors, or for blessing your magical tools.

Cromm Cruaich - Call on Cromm for successful harvest, evoke his presence during the dark festivals. His image as a death God makes his energy compatible with Passing Over rituals and Otherworld contact.

Cuchulain - Cuchulain can be invoked to teach you where your own masculine power lies. He can also help you find stamina, perseverance, strength, and guide you in overcoming enemies. He was the only one of the Red Branch warriors impervious to Macha's curse, and his energy can evoked to aid in spells designed to ward off negative energy from others.

Culhwch - Perseverance, love magic, couple's work.

Cumhal - Leadership skills.

Cunedda - men who wish to work with a triplicate, and are not as yet comfortable invoking the feminine Triple Goddess, might wish to experiment with the energy of Cunedda and his sons.

Cymon - Cymon set out to find an unnecessary battle and was told by the faery that if it was trouble he sought, he should find it with the Black Knight or it did not exiSt. Though he can provide little in the way of ritual energy, we can allow ourselves to learn from Cymon's foolish mistake.

Cythrawl - Call upon this very powerful divine force when you wish to banish something from your life. This "destructive" magic can have just as much of a positive, harmless effect as so-called "positive magic." You can also merge with his energy when you wish to be reincarnated with a loved one.

Dagda, The - You can use Dagda's energies for almost any purpose you might need. Call on him for wisdom, for magic for animals, for warrior skills, to aid children, for fertility or protection, to make music spells, to assist faery contact, for elemental magic, or to increase mental prowess.

Degad - Call on him for his skills in leadership, overcoming enemies, or for strengthening family ties.

Dhonn - Spirit contact, past-life memory.

Diancecht - Call on Diancecht for healing minor illnesses and treating sick animals. He can also remind us of the evils of jealousy rather than cooperation. However, his energy is a good one to draw upon for banishing negative influences.

Diarmuid - Go on an inner-journey as Diarmuid to determine how strong the bonds of your romantic attachments really are. Could you make a promise to leave your love alone forever even at the cost of your life? He can also give us strength for keeping a guise.

Dispater - As a father God he can aid in fertility magic, and in magic in general. If you follow a Gaulish Celtic tradition, include him in your ancestor rites.

Diwrnach the Gael - Prosperity.

Drutwas - Such stories, as these are not uncommon in Celtic Folklore. They point up the high price, which is always paid for the wrong use of magic, and clearly illustrate the Threefold Law in action. Pathwork with Dwutwas to discover healthier and better ways of handling negative emotions.

Dunatis - Evoke Dunatis to protect your own sacred spaces and hiding places during rituals.

Dwyvan - Call on Dwyvach not only for perseverance and stamina, but think of him as one half of creation, needing his consort (Dwyfach) to complete magic. Call upon them when working as a couple in ritual or spellwork or for sex magic.

Dylan - Call on Dylan for water magic or to help contact sea faeries.

Easal - Prosperity.

Efflam - Evoke him to enact this battle at Yule or Midsummer.

Elathan - Evoke his presence to bring peace, and connect with his energy for overcoming prejudice and gossip, a difficult feat since prejudice against other tribes was actually valued by the Celts as with most early societies.

Elffin - This story is complex; on the surface it seems to be reminding one to stay humble, yet Elffin was not permanently punished for his bragging, a talent valued by some cultures. The deeper meaning seems to be the old adage that good deeds will be rewarded. Evoke Elffin to teach you to love and care for your own children, to see them as your wealth.

Eliduc - Pathwork with Eliduc to study the risks of indecision and of lying to others for our own selfish purposes. Also work with Guildeluec for her qualities of compassion and unconditional love.

Eochaid, King - Archetypally the story of Edain is about death and rebirth, and Eochaid represents the living force of love that compels her to return to the living. Work with him to forge eternal bonds with your own loved ones.

Eoghan - Protection.

Epos Olloatir - Horse deities are linked to the night and to dream magic. Call upon Epos when you wish to work with dreams as a magic tool.

Essus - Call on Essus for fertility and harvest rites. Evoke him with rituals designed to facilitate spirit contact or to bind yourself to passed over loved ones with whom you wish to reincarnate.

Evnissyen - Learn from Evnissyen the value of self-sacrifice and for learning lessons about the acceptance of responsibility.

Fachtna - Cultivate him for sex magic and as a general aid to spellwork.

Feargal - Evoke him and Fiongalla for Yule or Imbolc rituals.

Feinius - Invoke Feinius to learn his wisdom, and call on his magical powers to boost all your spells.

Fer Gruadh - Invoke or evoke Fer Gruadh to aid in any spell, especially binding or staying spells.

As reports continue to report health professionals plunged into the frontline of the battle against the coronavirus pandemic, communities across the country have intensified their efforts to publicly recognize these people for their sacrifice and courage. In Greensboro, North Carolina, the local Fox television station started a series honoring the efforts of community members who put others' needs so selfless above their own self-interest. In one segment, they honored local social workers in schools in the city of Asheboro for their 24-hour work to ensure that the most vulnerable students in their district get the materials, food and support they need. while working remotely. In another, they honored the dispatchers at the Randolph County 911 Center. The Center Daily Times of State College, Pennsylvania, has instituted a similar series to honor local heroes. Among those recognized is Brian Bittner, director of emergency management at Penn State, for his efforts in leading the university's response efforts. As the New York Times noted, in an emergency room at the Bronx Hospital, Utah nurse Lynne Hewett recently joined the fight against the assaults of New Yorkers who contracted the coronavirus. Hewett went to New York a few weeks ago to work on the front line. Earlier, she was an emergency nurse in New York after September 11 and similarly in Haiti after the earthquake. "There are not enough staff to take a break and regroup; it is non-stop. You try to make one person, then you turn around and hear:" You have another code next to it "", she told The Times. Such stress is the new norm at this monumental time. Although much of the current focus is on health professionals, the work of other essential workers - social workers, volunteers, sanitation workers, grocery clerks, truck drivers - needs to be recognized . Because it's heroes' time. Lord knows we need it. As Thomas Paine, a hero of another troubling period in the history of our nation once said, "These are the times that test the souls of men ... Whoever supports him now deserves love and the thanks of the man and the woman. " Elaine Kinsella is a professor of psychology at the University of Limerick in Ireland who has studied in depth the role of heroes in society. "During a crisis, heroes come to the fore because many of our basic human needs are threatened, including our need for certainty, purpose and purpose, self-esteem and a sense of belonging to others", she recently told The Times. "Heroes help meet, at least in part, some of these basic human needs," she added. Describing what constitutes a hero, the great tennis player Arthur Ashe wrote: "True heroism is remarkably sober, very undramatic. It is not the desire to outdo everyone else at all costs, but the desire to serve others at any cost. " I have always been greatly influenced by heroes of American films who speak frankly and without frills, in particular John Wayne and Steve McQueen (who became a friend). They certainly influenced the choices I would make when I decided to become an actor. But the truth lies in the many heroic roles I have played in my career - from law enforcement or military figures to a certain Texas Ranger - I have always called upon acts of courage, young and old , whom I have seen with men and women I have served with during my stay in the Air Force or whom I have had the pleasure of meeting since. Whatever the branch of service, I have always been proud to have the opportunity to wear this uniform with honor and gratitude. I never really stopped to think about what makes a hero. It is worth thinking about. Kendra Cherry holds a master's degree and is a writer, consultant and speaker on the topic of mental health. Writing on the theme of the psychology of heroism for the Verywell Mind site, she notes how deeply heroes are valued in all cultures. According to Cherry, two major factors underlie the great acts of heroism: risk-taking and generosity. "People who risk their lives serving others are naturally more likely to take greater risks and they also have a lot of compassion, kindness, empathy and altruism," she says. "While researchers know a great deal about what drives people to do bad things, our understanding of what makes people heroes is not as clear," she writes. "The definitions of heroism may differ from person to person." According to Scott Allison and George Goethals, authors of "Our Definition of 'Hero", the heroes have eight traits. They are intelligent, strong, resilient, selfless, caring, charismatic, reliable and inspiring. "It is unusual for a hero to have these eight characteristics," they write, "but most heroes have the majority." "These same situational forces that galvanize some individuals into heroic acts may actually prevent others from helping them," writes Cherry. "When a crisis occurs in the presence of many people, we often fall into a trap of inaction by assuming that someone else will offer assistance, a phenomenon known as the spectator effect. Because responsibility personal is spread by the presence of others, we think someone else will assume the role of the hero. " Adds Philip Zimbardo, psychologist and professor emeritus at Stanford University, “Each of us can have the ability to do terrible things. But we also have an inner hero; . " Write to Chuck Norris ([email protected]) with your health and fitness questions. Follow Chuck Norris on his official social media sites, on Twitter @chucknorris and on Facebook's "Chuck Norris Official Page". He blogs at http://chucknorrisnews.blogspot.com. To learn more about Chuck Norris and to read about the functionality of other writers and designers in Creators Syndicate, visit the Creators Syndicate web page at www.creators.com. Photo credit: StockSnap on Pixabay https://oltnews.com/find-the-hero-in-the-face-of-a-pandemic-by-chuck-norris-creators-syndicate?_unique_id=5e9d33461394f

Arthur woke uneasily, sensing something amiss.  Opening his eyes, there was Miss Schofield, standing just inside his tent, holding a tin cup with both hands, watching him. Watching him sleep? “What is it?  What’s wrong?” He groaned out, throwing back his wool blanket to sit up and put his boots on. 

Arthur didn’t like it. Whatever she had to say was certain to trouble him. He’d been doing well enough with the two of them not interfering in the business of the other these past few days. It’d been a struggle, of course— he cared for her, there was no way he could outright ignore her, but he could keep his distance and keep busy and do his damndest to not turn his head every time he heard her voice. She’d seemed content enough with the situation, too, after their brief talk at the campfire both too many and not enough nights ago. Why was she disrupting that unspoken truce between them, now? Noticing his prolonged hesitation, she insisted, “Will you please just walk with me a bit and hear what I have to say? You asked me a question, and I didn’t give you a proper answer. That’s all I want to do.” Sighing heavily, both wondering and dreading which question she’d never answered him straight she’d be addressing so early this morning, and how it might shape the rest of this long day for the worse, Arthur nodded resignedly and gestured toward Pearson’s wagon. “Can I get some coffee first…?” “I brought you some here…” She looked aside uncomfortably and held out the tin cup. “… Is it still hot?” He asked, lurching to his feet with a loud crack that could either have been from his pallet or his joints, in truth. “Cup’s warm enough. I… I made the coffee fresh this morning, so it should be good.” “Hm.” He grunted noncommittally. After taking the, indeed still quite warm, cup from her, he indicated she precede him out of the tent and grabbed his hat before following her out.

It was early— still pre-dawn, and the light was thin and gray across the desert. Their breath came out in icy clouds in the chill. Winter seemed closer and closer every day, and watching the lady fold her arms tightly to her body, Arthur thought again about how she had no coat. She’d bought for herself a tent and bedroll, but no coat, and had put more than fifty dollars in the box. He thought about that more than he probably ought. He left it to Hosea and the ladies to chide her about getting a coat— with winter coming— but she’d said her next monies would go toward another riding skirt, as hers had been torn and, though mended, was in sore need of replacing. They walked in silence between the wagons and tents, and the sounds of snoring bodies, past where she’d set up her little solitary canvas just beyond the women’s tent and their wagon. It was far from the fires, and as it didn’t look like she’d built one of her own; he wondered if she were cold at night. She’d made clear she wanted to do for herself, but Arthur couldn’t help but think she didn’t rightly know how, and with how things had changed in camp, might be too proud to ask as she’d done before. As it was, she’d put the little tent together by herself, but by Arthur’s estimate, only one good storm rushing through would do in for that. Maybe… he could fix it for her next time she was out of camp… Though it was none of his business. She wanted to do for herself— had told him plainly she didn’t need looking after, hadn’t she? If she’d rather be proud than dry and warm, that was her business. Wasn’t it?

The coffee was hot, and brewed nicely. If she’d intended to try and butter him up for whatever it was she wanted… this wasn’t a bad start— even despite the strange waking and early hour. They’d walked beyond where the horses were tied— well outside earshot if they kept their voices low, and immediate eye-line of the camp, unless someone came looking. Slim nickered at him, and at the war horse’s greeting, the other horses also looked up, expecting breakfast. Their disappointment was obvious as the two people simply walked past, and Catherine muttered a sheepish apology to them under her breath. Stopping beside her in a small, bare space between some scrub and a large boulder, Arthur sipped his coffee and watched the lady’s face, waiting for her to start. When she didn’t immediately speak up, he prompted, in a soft voice. “Alright, let’s hear it.”

She hesitated a moment more, worrying her lip with her teeth and scanning the scattered desert floor, as if for the pieces of her courage to gather up. Which troubled the outlaw considerably, as it seemed she always had it close at hand— at least in his experience. Once she’d composed herself, however, she faced him, chin raised in the way he loved, despite himself, her eyes on his, “You asked me, some time ago, at the campfire, what had happened in Tumbleweed…” Oh. She wanted to talk about that. No wonder she didn’t want anybody else awake or around to hear or see them. Immediately, Arthur’s belly clenched into a painful knot, and he lowered the tin, only barely keeping from choking on the coffee he swallowed. “I didn’t give you a proper answer, then. I hadn’t really thought about it— had decided it was better not to think about it, but—” “No, miss, you were probably right… Probably better not to think about—” “—But now I have, Arthur. I haven’t been able to stop thinking about it since you asked me.” She gave him a wry, somewhat helpless smile, “… You know I can’t stand to not know something…” He couldn’t stop staring at her, and yet he knew if she looked him in the eye longer than a moment that he’d look away. His heart was hammering hard in his chest. She was going to tell him what he already knew: it was a mistake. She didn’t know what she’d been thinking, and regret was eating her up on the inside like it was him. He knew it already, but if she said it out loud… Well, he wasn’t sure what it’d do to him… Nothing good. “Will you hear my answer?” “… I don’ suppose I have much choice now that—” “—Of course you have a choice.” She looked so lovely and delicate in the gray light, and the strength of the sincerity in her eyes and expression only increased her vulnerability. Arthur knew, looking at her, that he really had no other option. He was already a man half conquered. “… I’ll hear you, Miss Schofield.” He said quietly, ignoring the desire to hurry away in self-preservation.

“… I was well-aware of what was happening. I am… far from a naive girl on those matters. I was, in fact, a girl of twelve when I went to the bed of the first man my father instructed me to seduce. I know this part of my… upbringing and education… are not news to you. I told you already, myself, that… I was accustomed to a certain treatment, by men. I am well-acquainted with what men usually think when they look at me. I’ve known since the beginning that you, also, desired me.” He couldn’t look at her. All Arthur could do was clamp his jaw shut and try to hush the sound of blood roaring in his ears. “… You know already that I am not afraid to intercede in matters to ensure that… you are receiving what is necessary. Things that you need. You have been kind to me. Kind, and respectful, and obliging to even my more… unusual and perhaps irritating proclivities. You have humored me and my interests far and above even what the man who claimed affections for me, at the time, had done. To my knowledge, you’ve never uttered an ungenerous thing about me, though I know at times I’ve tasked your time and patience. Therefore, when… when the lightning affected you, and I knew your desires were in earnest… I… I went with you because I thought it was what you wanted. I wanted— it was important to me to give you what you wanted. But… it wasn’t what you wanted. Nor was it something you needed.” “…No.” “I was mistaken, and confused and humiliated by my error, which only caused me to continue to behave wrongly. I wronged you, Mister Morgan, by thinking I understood matters when I… clearly did not.” “It’s alright.” He told her, “I had no business sayin’ anything to you when it was me who took you to that room…” “Arthur, I was fully aware of how such a liaison between us might affect your relationship with Mister van der Linde. I was prepared to suffer his displeasure for my own behavior due to our… enduring disagreements… but I… I am sorry if what has transpired has soured things between you two. I know you value his trust. I do think he knows already the blame lies with me… but I will be certain to speak with him if—” “—You don’t have to do that. Things between Dutch an’ I are fine. I’d rather you… work on fixin’ whatever it is between you two but… I suppose that’s your business, not mine, Miss Schofield.”

He still couldn’t look her in the face, or even look at her for longer than a moment, not with how the weight of her pale gaze weighed on his chest as if to crush his racing, thundering heart. Suddenly, he felt her cool, delicate fingers brush the back of his hand, and he looked down to see her place her hand on his wrist. “… Is that what you want from me?” Arthur quaked inside, his chest clenching like a vice, forcing his words out breathlessly, “You shouldn’t trouble yerself over me or what I might want…” “I told you just now, didn’t I? What you want has… becoming important to me. I don’t know whether it’s… profound gratitude or… a more arrogant and selfish desire to think your kindness fairly repaid— to settle the debt, as it were. I’ve never been in this position, before, Arthur. I’m accustomed to knowing what others want from me, and understanding clearly that they treat me well because they want those things. Unless it pleases you to watch me fumble uselessly, won’t you tell me what it is you want from me?” He frowned, “… Has it ever occurred to you, Miss Catherine, that someone might treat you well because they cared for you?” “…It’s a rare occurrence from the life I’ve left, and hardly ever in earnest,” She answered with a small smile after a brief hesitation, “But yes. It has.”

She stepped nearer then, and when she propped up on her toes and he felt her breath on his face, he knew she meant to kiss him, and he only barely managed to turn his face away. She was not discouraged, and her full, perfect lips pressed against the scruff of his cheek. ...Then the line of his jaw, near his chin. Then she pulled away, again, and the outlaw was once more able to draw breath. “… I won’t presume to speak for you, but know that I am in earnest: I want to please you, though I am not certain I can vouch for the purity of my motivations. It has… troubled me, lately… how much I displease you. I will not compromise my own desires for what I want with my life, Mister Morgan, but if I can work toward my goals in a way that is pleasing to you… I would be glad to try. Please think on this.” She stood there, then, and it became clear even to him— despite the utter and complete absence of any sense in his head at all at the moment— that she was waiting for him to say something. “… I-I will, then…” Catherine left first, and he watched her go, the vice in his chest slow to release him. She wanted to please him. What he wanted had become important to her…

Davey was already mounted, complaining loudly under his breath about how long it was taking the lady to saddle up her horse after she’d asked him to wait so she could go with him into town. He shut up at his approach. Touching her shoulder, Arthur watched her turn and look up at him, confusion sketched across her face. “Let me— You need a coat,” He told her, the words tumbling haphazardly out of his mouth in a rush while his throat and face heated, “… Let me buy you a coat.” Davey was staring at them. Catherine blinked at him, then lowered her pale eyes demurely, the barest hint of rose at her cheeks below where her long dark lashes seemed to brush, “… If you insist.”

Dossier: Sir Arthur Tennerly

Full name: Arthur Tennerly Nickname: Arth Titles: Cadet, Knight of the Silver Hand Race: Human (Stromic and Lordaeronian) Gender: Male Age: Twenty-six (26) 'At first glimpse...' Tall and lean, but with broad shoulders and thick wrists. Shoulder-length red hair, gray eyes, short red beard. Disfiguring facial scars. -- Background -- History: Arthur Tennerly was born in 11 AD to Sir Lucais Tennerly, Knight of the Silver Hand, and Lady Myrtle Kelsey, their firstborn child. House Tennerly of Bencaster and the unlanded House Kelsey of Lordaeron were both minor in the extreme; after the Third War destroyed their fortunes, the family was never able to recover. Sir Lucais himself died on Mount Hyjal. Arthur himself, age 10, was sent to Northshire Abbey to finish his time as a page and begin his squireship. In 25 AD at the tender age 14, having become a squire a year or so earlier than average, he set off as a "squire-errant" rather than sticking around to apprentice under a knight. He learned the finer points of his art in the school of hard knocks, only now and then staying for a week or three at a church or somesuch for brief tutoring from an experienced Paladin. He is know to have been active during the Defias rebellion, and in most conflicts since, in various capacities - as a squire- and later knight-errant, these tended toward auxiliary military service at most, but most often acting as an adventurer. He has somehow managed to survive more than a decade of such misadventures. In addition to field service, he has spent a good deal of time in Stormwind itself, particularly its poorer neighborhoods. He has been known to, in his words, "help [criminals] find a better way." This tendency is what ultimately led him into the thick of the string of murders related to the Georgiano case, and from there to joining the Guard to ensure that these people can no longer prey on the innocent, and to avenge a friend who had become a victim. Legacy: While his father's death technically makes him the head of House Tennerly, that house is scattered and no longer has any land or liquid assets to speak of, making the title is more or less meaningless. Thus far, he seems content with merely bearing the name and the sigil and the ancestral sword, Firebrand. He is also more than happy to continue the family's long, proud martial tradition - since the founding of the house, it has never not had a knight bearing its name. -- Appearance -- Aesthetics: He wears his thick, wavy coppery-red hair loose to his shoulders, and maintains a closely-cropped beard of the same color. The twelve years he's spent as a knight-errant have not been easy on him, all the less for having started early - he has numerous facial scars, albeit mostly faded to thin wide shadows, and his nose appears to have been broken too often to fully heal, and is somewhat crooked. High, sharp cheekbones and iron-gray eyes are set on an angular face that might once have been handsome, before his warrior's trade put paid to that. His accent drifts between bog-standard aristocratic Lordaeronian and Highland Stromic. When he's not in uniform as a Stormwind Guardsman, he dresses as a cavalier would – a long, hooded green cloak bordered with thread-of-gold of sturdy wool, oiled against rain; a belt and baldric of good leather, tooled in aesthetically pleasing but mostly meaningless patterns and with a buckled shaped like the House seal. A suit of mail armor in forest green and brown protected him in his knight-errancy, being better suited to constant travel than full plate. These days, he prefers it as a compromise between flexibility and protection when not on duty. Build: Sir Arthur is not a large man - slim the way a knife is slim, all sinew and whipcord muscle and not a spare scrap of flesh beyond what fitness demands. He is fairly tall, however, with a few inches on most, and long-limbed with the broad shoulders and thick wrists of a swordsman. Strength not being his advantage, he relies on the long reach of his arms and the skill earned from endless practice both on and off the field of battle to make up the difference. Trinkets and jewelry: The heavy gold signet ring of House Tennerly – with the rampant bear of the House magically protected from wear – hangs from a leather thong around his neck, tucked safely under shirt and mail. His cloak is fastened by a lair of forged-brass pins bearing the Bear Rampant of his house, reversed on the left so that they snarl at each other across his chest. In his bag: He carries several gold coins in a pouch on the side of his satchel, to ensure he has the necessary coin to finance his often long-term adventures. A smaller pouch at his belt holds a few more, along with loose silver pennies and other pocket change. Other details: It is rare indeed to catch him without his sword hanging from his left hip, or his misericordia dagger from his right. The sword itself has a blade that is clearly very old, inscribed with Old Arathi runes, and has been re-hilted many times. The present hilt is nothing fancy; plain steel and leather-cord wrapping, with a polished cut agate decorating the pommel. -- Talents and Psychology -- Personality: Close comrades speak with varying degrees of irritation, weary resignation, or wry amusement of Sir Arthur's impetuous nature and burning need for action, often flinging himself head-first into battle with little more than a brief tactical assessment. Generous to a fault, that "man of action" mindset often also leads him to use up much of his meager income – typically in the form of giving to beggars, though he is usually able to tell which are genuine and which are trying to scam him. He is also highly protective – close friends and comrades quickly find themselves regarded as surrogate family, and thus liable to see Sir Arthur take a very close interest in their trials. He is very friendly and good-natured, quick to laugh and thick-skinned. Whether by nature or from experience, he empathizes easily with the poor and down-trodden, and is slow to judge those who do what they must to survive, and quick to anger against those who take advantage of the unfortunate. He loves a good fight, but always prefers to settle disputes with words before swords unless dealing with someone he considers to be an irreconcilable enemy. Oddly, despite an independent streak, he thrives under the discipline of an established hierarchy, and believes whole-heartedly in the vital importance of the rule of law. He considers his honor and integrity to be dearer than his own life, and is absolutely dedicated to his duty. Strengths and weaknesses: Nearly all of Arthamir’s talents and strengths are martial in nature - he is a very skilled swordsman and rider, and has a good head for strategy, tactics, and organization. His courage borders on the suicidal, and his loyalty is unshakable once earned - both of which have led him into hot water on more than one occasion, especially in situations where someone he is loyal to is in trouble, as he is prone to mount a head-on rescue attempt. Aside his friendly demeanor, easy confidence, and casual charisma are boons in personal interaction. He has been noted to be too trusting - he wants to believe in people's better nature, and while he isn't easily deceived, necessarily, this can and has combined with his better nature to lead to his being manipulated. His recklessness has been mentioned before - he rarely thinks of his own safety and, in absence of orders and if there is no one else to take care of, is prone to taking a given problem head-on. This lack of concern for his own well-being also leads into his tendency to place honor and duty so far above his own needs that he is willing to grin and bear great hardship to uphold his values on points so small that many would call it irrational. His protective nature sometimes goes so far as for him to become wrapped up in a bitter disagreement, purely due to his instinct to act on behalf of those he feels responsible for. Relatedly, he is extraordinarily stubborn – once he digs his heels in, he often sits there come hell or high water. This is particularly troublesome when he is intent on holding a field of battle, nearly always volunteering to serve in the rear guard. On the bright side, he has enough self-discipline to be on his best behavior when on-duty. Factions and loyalties: With a Stromic father, a Lordaeronian mother, and having spent very little of his life in either country, it is perhaps unsurprising that he considers Stormwind, where he spent his adolescence, to be his home. He is proud that he swore a knightly oath to the House of Wrynn when he earned his spurs, even if he has yet to become a Knight of Stormwind in truth. He IS, however, a Knight of the Silver Hand, and enthusiastically so. He often disagrees with the clergy on orthopraxy, however, and is seen as something of a maverick by many. Nevertheless, his devotion to the ideals of the Order cannot be called into question, and wherever he fights he raises the cry: "Tyr and the Silver Hand!" That being said, while he believes in the value of peace, he will always be ready to defend the Grand Alliance against the depredations of the Orcish Horde and its Banshee Queen. He also considers close friends and allies to be a surrogate family, and will defend them with his life. Prejudice and judgment: In addition to the ancient enmity against the Amani inherited from his father, he nurses a burning hatred for the undead that destroyed the homelands of both his parents and drove his family into exile, and the Legion that killed his father on Mount Hyjal - the former of which causes him rather more difficulty than the latter, in times of peace. On a far lesser level, he isn't fond of goblins, Dark Irons, Alteraci, feral worgen, Highborne, the Horde in general (excepting Tauren), or a handful of miscellaneous nuisances (such as Hozen), for various reasons and to varying degrees. Motivations: Sir Arthur is a man driven by his obligations. Ultimately, everything comes down to duty - to his people, to the Order, to the Alliance, and, now, to the 42nd.