I'm not always quick but I get there in the end :-)
*
"You are the worst Time Lord I've ever met!" exclaimed Merlin.
"And you were just tripping over lost Time Lords in Ealdor, were you?" Morgana spat back.
Between the five of them, over several weeks, they still hadn't discovered where the TARDIS actually ended. This afforded enough space for Morgana and Merlin to stay out of each other's way, at least most of the time it did.
Gwen bit her lip, looking worried as she always did when Merlin and Morgana quarreled, Morgause was leaning against a wall looking amused by the whole exchange, and Arthur grabbed Merlin by the shoulders, said, "Come on, there's more of this place to explore and I'm determined to find you a room of things to polish, I know how much you miss it," and wheeled Merlin from the console room.
Gwen gave Morgana a half-hearted little wave and followed the boys.
Morgause crossed to Morgana and hitched her hip up on the console, Morgana smiled at her sister - okay, so they weren't exactly the same species, but Morgana's entire home planet had been blown up by daleks, she was hanging onto her sister, thank you very much - and took a quick peek to make sure that Morgause wasn't about to sit on any important controls.
"Far be it for me to agree with Merlin," said Morgause, "but you do know how to land this thing, don't you?"
"Of course I can land it! Merlin is putting me off a bit, that's all."
"Well, I would have thought the solution to that was obvious."
*
It wasn't that Morgana hadn't considered leaving the TARDIS door on the latch and giving Merlin a surreptitious shove into the vortex - see how far his famed dragonlord powers would get him with the Reapers, but if Merlin wasn't around then Arthur would want to go home and he'd take Gwen with him, and Morgana actually surprised herself with how much she didn't want that to happen.
Also, Gwen, who was disturbingly good at knowing what Morgana was thinking, had specifically asked her not to.
"What if," Morgana had said, "I parked somewhere before kicking him out?"
After all, she'd accidentally landed the TARDIS in suspiciously inhospitable looking quarries more than once; surely she could find one again if she put her mind to it.
Gwen just gave her a look.
"I'll take that as a no, shall I?"
*
"Shouldn't you be a Time Lady?" said Arthur, with what Morgana could only describe as typical Arthur-ish obtuseness.
"No. Because Time Lord is what we are - were - all called, and because Time Lady makes it sounds like I spend all my time lying on couches eating Malteasers."
"That was all you did yesterday."
"Yes. Well. Chocolate is a relatively recent discovery in my life. Anyway, do you mind? I'm trying to drive."
"Looks like swishing about in a dress pressing buttons at random to me."
"Go away, Arthur."
*
"This is childish, Morgana," said Gwen.
Morgana realised that Gwen could be referring to any number of things and decided that a mixture of ignorance and outraged innocence was the approach to take. "What?"
"I know why you're refusing to land the TARDIS, it's because Merlin can't use his magic inside and you know it upsets him."
"It's not magic. It's an enhanced psychic ability that doesn't work in here because the vortex energies that power it are siphoned straight into the TARDIS engines."
"Morgause doesn't like not being able to use her powers either."
"That's cheating," said Morgana.
"I got this list of planets that would be nice for a holiday from the TARDIS, she's really very helpful once you know how to ask her."
"Faithless ship," Morgana grumbled under her breath, then, "I'll come get you when we land."
Gwen beamed. "We'll all be in the kitchen when you're ready. There will be tea."
no subject
*
"You are the worst Time Lord I've ever met!" exclaimed Merlin.
"And you were just tripping over lost Time Lords in Ealdor, were you?" Morgana spat back.
Between the five of them, over several weeks, they still hadn't discovered where the TARDIS actually ended. This afforded enough space for Morgana and Merlin to stay out of each other's way, at least most of the time it did.
Gwen bit her lip, looking worried as she always did when Merlin and Morgana quarreled, Morgause was leaning against a wall looking amused by the whole exchange, and Arthur grabbed Merlin by the shoulders, said, "Come on, there's more of this place to explore and I'm determined to find you a room of things to polish, I know how much you miss it," and wheeled Merlin from the console room.
Gwen gave Morgana a half-hearted little wave and followed the boys.
Morgause crossed to Morgana and hitched her hip up on the console, Morgana smiled at her sister - okay, so they weren't exactly the same species, but Morgana's entire home planet had been blown up by daleks, she was hanging onto her sister, thank you very much - and took a quick peek to make sure that Morgause wasn't about to sit on any important controls.
"Far be it for me to agree with Merlin," said Morgause, "but you do know how to land this thing, don't you?"
"Of course I can land it! Merlin is putting me off a bit, that's all."
"Well, I would have thought the solution to that was obvious."
*
It wasn't that Morgana hadn't considered leaving the TARDIS door on the latch and giving Merlin a surreptitious shove into the vortex - see how far his famed dragonlord powers would get him with the Reapers, but if Merlin wasn't around then Arthur would want to go home and he'd take Gwen with him, and Morgana actually surprised herself with how much she didn't want that to happen.
Also, Gwen, who was disturbingly good at knowing what Morgana was thinking, had specifically asked her not to.
"What if," Morgana had said, "I parked somewhere before kicking him out?"
After all, she'd accidentally landed the TARDIS in suspiciously inhospitable looking quarries more than once; surely she could find one again if she put her mind to it.
Gwen just gave her a look.
"I'll take that as a no, shall I?"
*
"Shouldn't you be a Time Lady?" said Arthur, with what Morgana could only describe as typical Arthur-ish obtuseness.
"No. Because Time Lord is what we are - were - all called, and because Time Lady makes it sounds like I spend all my time lying on couches eating Malteasers."
"That was all you did yesterday."
"Yes. Well. Chocolate is a relatively recent discovery in my life. Anyway, do you mind? I'm trying to drive."
"Looks like swishing about in a dress pressing buttons at random to me."
"Go away, Arthur."
*
"This is childish, Morgana," said Gwen.
Morgana realised that Gwen could be referring to any number of things and decided that a mixture of ignorance and outraged innocence was the approach to take. "What?"
"I know why you're refusing to land the TARDIS, it's because Merlin can't use his magic inside and you know it upsets him."
"It's not magic. It's an enhanced psychic ability that doesn't work in here because the vortex energies that power it are siphoned straight into the TARDIS engines."
"Morgause doesn't like not being able to use her powers either."
"That's cheating," said Morgana.
"I got this list of planets that would be nice for a holiday from the TARDIS, she's really very helpful once you know how to ask her."
"Faithless ship," Morgana grumbled under her breath, then, "I'll come get you when we land."
Gwen beamed. "We'll all be in the kitchen when you're ready. There will be tea."