French Translations are at the bottom!
Chapter One: First day at the Café d'Albion
Arthur Pendragon sometimes cursed the fact he was the Restaurant Manager of one of the most popular restaurants in Paris. Hundreds of people would pour into the restaurant in a few days giving the chefs hardly any rest, but that's why all of his chefs were extremely passionate about their work. For him on the other hand, he had to do more planning than he ever had to do before.
The first day of December was no different, Morgana calling him to wake up, knowing he would have jet lag from his trip to America. He walked over to his flat's window that looked over Paris, mentally cataloging his next stressful day, getting ready for all the curve balls that were sure to be thrown at him. Fifteen minutes later, pulling up to the restaurant on his motorcycle, pulling up next to a just arrived Morgana, also stepping off of her own motorcycle.
"Really Arthur, If the costumers start seeing both of us pull up on motorcycles their going to think we're both gang members."She smirked, her lips as red as the tarte aux fraises she would make. He rolled his eyes at her as he took the steps into the back of the restaurant two at a time. He stepped inside spotting Gwen, a sweet dark skinned French girl; she was the one of the two female waiters for the restaurant, who along with Freya, the other waitress, was very good.
"Bonjour Arthur." She smiled, obviously remembering his request for her to speak French to him; his needed a lot of work.
"Bonjour Guinevere, Comment êtes-vous?" He asked how she was in his bad French accent, being rewarded when she smiled encouragingly.
"Your French is getting much better Arthur." She smiled her voice only lightly accented when she spoke English, as she buttoned up her red vest. The uniform for the waiters and waitress of the restaurant was black pants, or skirt for Gwen and Freya, with white button ups and dark red vests, along with a dark golden tie.
"Where is Lance and Leon? Are they already here?" Morgana asked looking around for the other two waiters as she buttoned up her chefs' coat, and tying on her black apron around her waist, her hair already put up in a bun.
"Oh Lance is here, I'm not sure if Leon is here yet, but Lance is out at the bar talking to Gwaine." Gwen supplied a small smile on her face at the thought of her Fiancé, Lance DuLac. Once when Arthur first arrived to be the manager he and Gwen had a relationship that ended when they both realized Gwen was in love with Lance, Arthur harboring no bad feelings .As if sensing he was being talked about Leon walked in from the front of the room, already wearing his waiter's uniform, immediately drawing Morgana's gaze to him.
"Arthur," Leon smiled looking at his friend. "How was America, Mate?" A smile still playing on his bearded face.
"Oh it's the same, I wish Uther was still in England, I miss the place, but the old house is still being renovated." Arthur shrugged shimming out of his leather jacket, and gloves, cashmere scarf.
"Ugh, Arthur, I thought we had an agreement not to discuss Uther before starting time." Morgana groaned at the mention of her step-father. Arthur's mother Ygraine, died when Arthur was quite young. When Arthur was eleven, Uther Married Elaine, Morgana's mother, giving him a step-sister.
"Yes, well at least you didn't have to deal with him for a week; it was constant talk of the restaurant, our plans, and new menu suggestions'." Arthur replied with a humorless smile. "Now tell me how things were here while I was gone."
"Not much happened," Leon mused sipping a to-go cup of coffee. "Oh! I almost forgot the new Chef we hired, Um Emrys I think it was, arrived a few days ago. Real nice Bloke, His lived in the same town as Will when they were kids."
"Il est un garçon adorable." Gwen smiled hopping into the conversation.
"He is a lovely boy." Morgana translated, seeing Arthur's confused face looking at her for answers.
"We don't need a Beau garçon" Arthur said sarcastically, rolling his eyes. "Is he a good cook?"
"Don't you scare him Arthur! Il est un garçon adorable! Il ne mérite pas d'être effrayé par vous pour son premier jour!"
"Oh, yes he is, Gaius swears by his Blanquette de veau, and you know Gaius isn't impressed easily." Morgana smiled, ignoring Gwen's French outburst.
"Well, if he can impress you Morgana, and Gaius, I guess I'll let him say, I still can't believe Uther hired him without telling me." Arthur relented, stealing the rest of Leon's coffee.
"Relax Arthur, you can't always be told everything, now come on people! We got a restaurant to prepare!" Morgana cried waving them all out of the large kitchen, Arthur going into his office connected to the Kitchen, Gwen and Leon going through the doors to the dining rooms of the restaurant.
§O§
It was two hours later that Arthur finally meet Emrys, He was hunched over a cutting board his long pale fingers curled around a knife, cutting celery, onions, and carrots for a mirepoix. Arthur let his eyes look over the new chef. He was tall, with black hair that seemed like a cross between the English Beatles and Vulcan from Star Trek, his skin was a creamy milky white, he had a skinny build with prominent cheek bones and collarbones.
"Ahmm." Arthur cleared his throat trying to get his attention, the boys eyes shot up to his face, blue eyes staring into blue eyes. "Are you Emrys?"
"Merlin Emrys." The boy said, barley any French accent in his voice, it was more English with a Northern Irish twang.
"I thought they said you were French?" Arthur said before thinking surprised at another English chef working for him.
"I moved to France when I was thirteen," Merlin said a large smile on his face crinkling his eyes. "I know how to speak French though if that is what you want to know."
"Oh? Oh um no, I just want to make sure your as good as everybody says." Arthur said blushing at his moment of curiosity over this new chef.
Merlin blushed setting down his knife. "Well I don't know if I'm that good-"
"Tais-toi Merlin!" Came a yell from another part of the kitchen, it came from Will, as he pointed a knife at Merlin. "Don't listen to this imbecile, He's brilliant, and horribly modest. I wouldn't be surprised if he's better than Morgana, actually I'm sure He is!"
"Well thank you Will," Arthur said to him nodding to the French man. "Well I've kept you long enough from your mirepoix."
"Goodbye Arthur!" Merlin grinned in what Arthur was starting to think was the only way he could smile.
"I'm just in my office Merlin, not on the other side of France, Idiot." Arthur scoffed, before quickly shutting his mouth as he never outwardly insulting employees.
"Prat." Merlin laughing going back to his chopping, leaving Arthur to walk back into his office to puzzle on his new chef.
§Authors' Notes§
So I edited this story because of the revisions I made to it and also because people requested some French translations so here they are!
Bonjour - Hello
Comment êtes-vous?- How are you?
Il est un garçon adorable.- He is a lovely boy.
Beau garçon- Lovely/pretty boy.
Il est un garçon adorable! Il ne mérite pas d'être effrayé par vous pour son premier jour!"- He is an adorable boy! He does not deserve to be scared of you for his first day!
Blanquette de veau- is a French veal ragout in which neither the veal nor the butter is browned in the cooking process. To refrain from browning meat and fat in this way, is to cook them en blanquette. To prepare blanquette de veau, one stews pieces of veal (such as shoulder or breast) and mirepoix, and bolsters the broth with flour, butter, cream, and/or egg yolk. Mushrooms, rice, pasta and potatoes commonly accompany this dish, which is served hot.
Mirepoix- A mixture of finely cute onions, celery, and carrots
Tais-toi – Shut up!
Imbecile- Idiot