"Sort of?There was a little pond we used to play in, and I could touch the bottom, but I never had any formal lessons."
Lancelot grinned, grabbed him, and threw him into the water before following after.In the water, Kay glared at him—and then seemed to realize he wasn't struggling to breathe, and then realized that was because he wasn't breathing the way he normally did.He slapped a hand to his neck, eyes going comically wide again.He tried to speak, but the words came out garbled gibberish.
"You should be able to understand me," Lancelot said."Try to mimic my sounds.You'll sort out how to speak."
"You should, you should…This is really weird.I didn't know I'd get the scales and gills and stuff.Neat!But how do I know how to talk?"
"The magic, though with time you'll learn it entirely separate from that," Lancelot said."Come on, we'll swim deep, get you used to moving about."
So they did, remaining down in the deepest parts of the lake for at least two hours, to judge by the shifting light.
Eventually, he felt Merlin's presence on the shore."I suppose I've neglected my duties long enough.Come on, I'm sure you'd like to see your room and get comfortable and everything."
"You don't sleep down here, Prince Fish Boy?"Kay asked.
"Oh, good, you've already made friends with Dred."
Kay was still laughing as they breached the surface and swam to shore.Merlin smiled in greeting."Artie called it."
"He did?"Lancelot asked.
"Yeah, said almost from the moment you two met there was something there, and it was too bad we wouldn't get a chance to see what the Hobbit could really do.Let's go, Fish boy, Ballsack.You've been summoned to see His Majesty."
Groaning at the nickname, clearly late figuring out that would haunt him forever, Kay followed them back to the keep and into the great hall, where Arthur and Guinevere sat at one of the tables with platters of food and piles of paper.
"How is there already paperwork?"Lancelot asked."Why are you bothering to write things down when the best part of this pocket universe is we get to keep the game tech somehow."
"Sometimes it's just easier," Guinevere said."It all automatically logs, which isreallynice."
Lancelot stole Arthur's cup of ale."So what did you require of me, my king?"
"Smoke on the horizon.Lookouts say there's movement.Send out scouts, tell everyone to make ready for that fight we came here for."His somber demeanor softened as he looked at Kay."Tristan, Percival, and Galahad are going to pout mightily you got water magic just like their beloved captain."
"I'm not anyone's beloved except Galehaut's," Lancelot said."Stop saying that."
Arthur rolled his eyes."Away with thee, Captain, and attend thine work."
"As you wish, Your Majesty," Lancelot replied with an officious bow."Squire, to me."
Outside, he called up his UI and sent messages to Percival and Tristan to attend him.They arrived just a couple of minutes later.
"Youdidsquire with the captain!"Tristan all but threw himself up the stairs, grasping Kay's upper arms and shaking him excitedly."His Majety said you would!Did you get the fish boy powers?You did!You absolute bastard!I don't need a squireall these years, and then you show up smarting off and calling him stupid and making sad eyes, and now you're fish boy junior!
"Tristan," Lancelot said in warning.
"Don't pick on Daddy's favorite, got it," Tristan said, letting go of him.
Poor Kay looked more lost than ever.
Narrowing his eyes, Lancelot said, "You are not going to enjoy life when we get back to having the time for training."
"I've never enjoyed your training regimens, so that's an empty threat," Tristan replied easily.
"Okay, but you don't have to make it worse for all of us," Percival groused."What did you need us for, Captain?"
"Scouting.Smoke has been spotted on the horizon.Go figure it out.Take Kay with you, get his scout training started.Behave."
"We will, promise.Honor of Camelot," Percival replied promptly, lying through his damned teeth.
