As long as bathing wasn’t on the agenda, Arthur rather enjoyed Steinar’s company, especially when compared to that of his eldest brother. While Arthur would bicker with the Dane it was different, somehow, than when he bickered with Fearghas; it seemed less hateful to Arthur. So the bickering was tolerated and soon he had taken to following Steinar whenever he came for a visit.
He was extremely apprehensive of that basket. It had soap in it, and soap meant a bath. Arthur wasn’t entirely opposed to the notion, but when it involved shoving him in to bodies of water that is when he became vehemently opposed. Things lurked in water. Things like kelpies. His brother’s kelpie, specifically. He’d tried to explain this to Steinar but clearly it had done no good. One day, he’d see!
The offer of carrying the axe was finally what convinced the boy to accompany him, basket or not. Arthur took his newly appointed job very seriously, doing his best to keep the massive thing hefted up as he waddled after Steinar, suspiciously eyeing the basket now and then; just because he was along for the ride didn’t mean he trusted it.
He wasn’t terribly bothered by the darkened woods, as oftentimes he could find friends in such areas. The water, though - as soon as it came in to sight Arthur stopped, silently refusing to go any further as he hugged the handle of the axe to himself. Part of his paranoia was fear of a bath, certainly, but the main reason was Aneira. Dark waters were even worse than clear water, offering the perfect sort of environment for a kelpie to lie in wait.
Arthur watched, wary, as the Dane knelt by the water. “…Really?” The offer of teaching him how to wield the axe snared his interest, shuffling forward just the slightest bit. He knew how to wield a sword, but an axe? Maybe he’d be able to get an upperhand on Fearghas for once with such a weapon! The boy opened his mouth to inquire further but was met instead with the sound of the water exploding, and there was the demon horse -
Normally he would have immediately bolted to Steinar but he was too close to the water’s edge, which in Arthur’s opinion was the worst possible place to be. The axe was dropped as Arthur stood rooted to the spot, frozen in horror as he stared wide-eyed up at Aneira, only managing to find his voice, shrill and frantic, once she began wailing.
“I told you!
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