onceandfutureprat | (no subject)

Character Name: King Arthur Pendragon
Series: Merlin
Age: 30, possibly 31. They don't ever specify.
From When?: post 5x13; The Diamond of the Day

Inmate/Warden: Warden--

Item: His sword.

Abilities/Powers: Arthur has been trained in combat since he was old enough to hold a sword. He's widely regarded as one of the best swordsman in the kingdom and competes in all of the tournaments and is the head of the Knights of Camelot. Only two people have been known to defeat him in official combat. He doesn't have the best throwing arm, since when he throws things at Merlin, he misses half as much as he hits him, though this could be on purpose. Since he is the heir to the throne, he has been trained in the arts of politics and strategy and many people agree that he is talented at both.

Personality: Merlin once said that it's widely known that Arthur would lay down his life for one of his subjects. It's perhaps widely known because it's one of the most defining characteristics of his person. He is always quick to draw steel in defense of someone he's responsible for and will fight to the death for them if necessary. This kind of loyalty has a special courage to it, since he never thinks twice about doing it. Not rising to the challenge of a fight isn't an option for him, especially when someone's life is at stake but if his pride is being attacked, he's just as quick to raise the sword. Arthur acts on instincts and his instincts are usually very good guides. They also lead him to risking his life recklessly from time to time.

Arthur has a deep love for his future kingdom. He won't suffer insults about it and will defend it endlessly against attack. It isn't just pride acting, since he is the heir to the throne. He genuinely loves his subjects and truly believes in the ideas of truth and loyalty that Camelot is built on.

That doesn't always translate to complete agreement with what his father believes will bring these things to Camelot. He has a mistrust of magic, one couldn't really escape that living under Uther's paranoid rule, but it doesn't run as deep as his father's. He's been shown to forgive wrongs done to him by magic more easily than Uther has, often looking beyond to the person and the circumstances that drove them to action behind the magic than simply judging based on whether magic was involved or not. While he doesn't seem to judge people initially because of magic, if someone uses magic against him, especially to harm his friends or kingdom, Arthur has a very difficult time letting go of the resentment for the slight. Some of it stems from the distrust he learned from Uther and some from the fact that magic can give people unfair advantages and fairness is something that Arthur believes in strongly.

Because of that belief, he sometimes struggles with what he believes to be the right thing but feeling as though his hands are tied due to loyalty to Uther. His loyalty is bound to his honor as a knight and he cannot disobey his king without risking a slight to that honor. Arthur lives and breathes by the knight's code of honor and chivalry and aims to uphold them in everything he does and in the people around him. He would never ask his knights to do something he himself wouldn't do, and as such, often leads the battle charge and is at the front of a fight.

That said, he can be something of an arrogant ass, especially with people that he doesn't consider to be on his same level. While his knights and people of noble blood are treated with respect, he can turn around and treat his servants like dirt. No one else is subject to this more than Merlin. Where their relationship started out with Arthur believing Merlin to be a complete idiot, he has gained respect for the serving boy, and sometimes lets that show, asking Merlin for advice or believing Merlin's side of a story or coming to Merlin's defense if he requires it. But with Merlin's odd antics, Arthur doesn't have a problem with calling him an idiot and then throwing something at his head. Or vindictively giving Merlin a ton of chores to do if he thinks Merlin did something especially stupid or insulting. Merlin isn't the only one that he openly taunts. He provokes his enemies into a fight and Morgana when she's being annoying, and will undoubtedly laugh at someone looking stupid.

Arthur has matured in the recent years, as he has had his ideals and comfortable place as Prince of Camelot challenged. He's come to mellow out his arrogance a little and come to understand the plight of the commoner more than he used to. It's things he keeps filed away, perhaps biding his time until he can do something about it as king and not merely make suggestions to his father.

He has a lot of talent in hiding what he's really feeling. It comes from years of being in the public eye, where there are simply things that aren't acceptable for the prince to do and from obeying Uther's commands even when he didn't completely agree with them. It's hard for Arthur to express himself in day to day life. If he's passionate about something, then everyone knows. If you're his good friend and he appreciates you? You might get a pat to the shoulder every once in a while. He can be awkward when having a heart to heart conversation and prefers to drop it as soon as possible.

Arthur has a slow burning temper. It takes a lot to overcome his patience and reason. Most of the time when he's fighting someone, it's out of honor and doesn't carry any rage or vengeance behind it. But if he feels deeply betrayed, he lashes out violently and would probably kill someone in a rage if not stopped.

As a Warden, Arthur will at first try to treat his Inmate like a new kid he's taking in to train as a knight in Camelot. There will be speeches about honor and perhaps a little taunting to bring their ego to the ground. This isn't going to last very long, as that kind of attitude probably only works on people desperate to join the Knights of Camelot, which it's a pretty sure bet that his Inmate won't be. Arthur will be forced to swallow some of his own pride and get to know this person on more equal footing.

Path to Redemption: N/A

History: A link to Arthur's wiki page at the Merlin wiki.

Sample Journal Entry:

Sample RP: The view from his window wasn't right. There was no courtyard to watch idly and somehow Arthur didn't think that there'd ever be natural sunlight coming through it like in Camelot. He supposed that he could get used to that with time, as he could become used to many things here. The fact that he seemed to have to walk himself down to the common mess hall for his meals instead of having them brought here. That there weren't any servants to polish his boots or clean his room.

That everything seemed to be touched by magic unsettled him more than the fact that he had to take care of himself for once. Arthur didn't think he had the same hatred for it as his father, no one was as deep into his distrust as Uther Pendragon, but after everything with Morgana and Morgause and their army of the undead... he was a little tired of magic. Definitely wary of it.

He probably should have considered that before he made the deal. It reeked of magic back then too. Arthur had held out a small hope that this boat the Admiral spoke of was just like any other boat, but that clearly wasn't the case. He'd been desperate. He'd watched as a girl he loved and protected declared herself his half sister and stole his birthright, as an immortal army slayed his people, as the trauma had broken his father. It'd seemed so hopeless in that moment, they couldn't fight that kind of magic, couldn't even hope to. But he gave his word and Camelot was safe now, so it was time to uphold it.

Arthur lingered by his dark window for a moment longer, staring at the stars passing by. Then he pushed himself away from it and headed for the door. He was going to meet the people here, see what they were like. That was one good thing from this, it would broaden his horizons or something.

Special Notes: Nope!

OOC PREFERENCES:
•CONTACT METHOD: AIM @ crimsongrace07, it's always set to mobile if I'm afk. Or there's PM or my email (crimsongrace07@gmail.com)
•THREAD-JACKING: Do it.
•FOURTH WALLING / CANON PUNCTURE: Not as a show from the BBC? But what kind of person would I be if denied you the chance to Arthurian legend troll him.
•BACKTAGGING: Always.
•AVOIDED TOPICS: Uhhhhhh, ask me for heavy stuff first.

IC CHARACTERISTICS:
•PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: Tall, blonde, physically attractive. He's been training as a knight since he could walk, so he's physically fit. Day to day, he wears a tunic and pants, though he can be seen walking the halls in his chainmail ~~if someone helped him put it on~~
•DEMEANOR: He's been the prince and/or king of Camelot his whole life, so there's a natural arrogance that comes with it. That he still hasn't shook. And he generally doesn't like anything to do with future things or magic.
•ABILITIES: He's the best knight in Albion.
•MEDICAL INFORMATION: He's been working on a traumatic brain injury since he was six.
•OFFENSIVE SUBJECTS: Magic. Things that go against the knight's code. But you can talk to him anything.

IC PERMISSIONS:
•MENTAL: Sure but he'll hate it
•MIMICRY: Sure but he'll hate it
•VIOLENCE: Of course
•MAGIC: Sure but he'll hate it
•DEBATE: Of course.