"Accursed tooth!" Tristran muttered to himself. "I can't even eat apples now?!"
Tristran had been suffering with a painfully sensitive tooth in the back of his lower left jaw. Sensitive not only to the cooled ale he drank, but even to the air he drew into his mouth. Not to mention the pain he felt when he chewed on that side.
Oh, he'd been to the healer for herbs that were supposed to ease the pain. And herbs that were supposed to heal the infection. And herbs that were supposed to numb the tooth so it could be pulled out by the surgeon. But there was no herbal remedy for his sensitivity and pain. And no one messed around inside his mouth with wicked-looking tools and lived to tell about it.
He chewed and swallowed on the right side of his mouth, forgetting now and then to keep the food there but was quickly and painfully reminded. He tried to keep his tongue from playing with the tooth and was only successful after he caused himself pain.
Mainly he grumbled to himself and growled at other people and was just plain nasty much of the time. Not that many of the folks who lived in and around the Wall fort could tell much difference from his usual manner. But the knights and Arthur sure could tell.
"Arthur, send Tristran out scouting, preferably somewhere far away so he'll be gone for weeks," suggested Gawain.
"Arthur, just command Tristran to let the surgeon yank out his tooth," offered Galahad. He secretly hoped Arthur would do this as the idea of Tristran having that done to him and the thought of the ensuing pain put a smile on Galahad's face.
"Arthur, let us send for the healers at the harbor fort at the eastern-most end of the Wall," said Dagonet. "Perhaps they have remedies more advanced than our healer has. After all they are in contact with people from many of the Roman territories and they may have learned of a cure practiced in another land." Dagonet, being the knights' healer when they were off on a mission, would think of a medical form of treatment, unlike those suggested by the others.
"Arthur, just let me punch 'im in the face and knock the tooth out." This from Bors who not only liked punching out people but was getting tired of listening to Vanora complain about Tristran driving customers away from the tavern with his incessant grumbling and growling.
"Thank you all for your truly compassionate suggestions," replied Arthur. "Except for Dagonet's which is at least a possibility, the others are out of the question. I will speak with Tristran about sending him to the healers at the harbor fort for treatment."
Lancelot laughed and asked, "Any bets on what Tristran's answer will be?"
Arthur sought out Tris to make his suggestion. He found Tristran with a pile, not a few but a pile, of knives. He was throwing them at the wooden pole target; however, while the usual result was knife blades embedded into knife handles, this time the knives were scattered all over the pole and on the ground as well.
"Tristran," Arthur called. "I wish to speak with you."
Tristran went over to Arthur. In a low growl Tris responded, "It better not be about my tooth, Arthur." Actually it sounded more like a warning than a statement.
But Arthur, being Tristran's commander, was not put off by Tris's words or tone.
"This cannot continue, Tristran. We need you at full capacity. There is no telling when the need will arise for us to leave here and we cannot go on a mission without you. You must do something about your painful tooth now. It is no longer a matter of personal choice. I require you to be at your most alert and ready state. So what are you going to do?"
"Arthur, you know the herbs did not help. In fact, if you recall, one had my head spinning so badly I thought the dead leaves being blown around by the wind were arrows coming right at me. And don't think I will forget the laughter I heard from the others when I unsheathed my sword to fend them off. I will have my retribution for that!"
"Tristran, stay on the topic, please. What about giving the surgeon another try?"
"There is no way I am letting that butcher near my mouth!"
Arthur sighed. "Then I will send for the harbor fort healers for, as Dagonet suggested, they may have a more advanced remedy than our healer has. I cannot send you to them as you may be needed here, even in your diminished capacity. So you will have to continue to be in pain until I can get a message to them and they arrive here. It could take weeks."
And so Tristran continued in pain and continued to be an old misery-guts. Finally, Bors could take it no longer. As the knights were headed to the Great Hall for a meeting, he yelled over to Tristran.
"Come closer and I'll knock the tooth outa yer head. I've had enough of this!"
Since Tristran ignored Bors, Bors strode over and took a swing at Tristran who ducked out of the way. Gawain and Lancelot grabbed Bors as he kept trying to connect his right fist with the left side of Tristran's jaw.
The situation was on the verge of mayhem when Bors, Gawain, and Lancelot heard the smack of a fist hitting a face. They turned to see Tristran lying on the ground, knocked out, with Dagonet standing over him. It was quite a shock for them to see their own healer committing the violence on his fellow knight that he reserved for combat.
"Bors, carry Tristran to the surgeon, quickly. He will be cooperative now, I think," said Dagonet.
Bors did as Dagonet said while Dag fetched some healing herbs. And the deed was done.
When Tristran came to, he found himself lying in his bed. He had a wad of something like dried leaves in his mouth and could see blood on the front of his tunic.
Arthur was sitting in the chair near Tris's bed, waiting for him to wake up.
"Waa haapn?"
"I will tell you what happened," Arthur replied, a big grin on his face. "While you were concentrating on the attack from Bors, Dagonet knocked you out. The surgeon removed the bad tooth, and you now have healing herbs stuffed in the empty space where the tooth was. How do you feel?"
As Tristran's head began to clear, the expression on his face looked as though he would explode with angry curses. But then he paused, and for the first time in weeks, a look of, well, of not-anger, came over him. He finally took in the fact that the pain he had been experiencing was gone. There was a different pain, but one he was familiar with. The pain of a wound that was beginning to heal.
Tris fell back onto the pillow, closed his eyes, and a flicker of a smile crossed his lips.
"I am glad you are feeling better, Tristran. And you owe it to Dagonet, Bors, Gawain, and Lancelot. I will be curious to see how you repay the debt." Arthur had a devilish grin now.
Tristran replied, "I will not kill them. That will discharge the debt."
Over the next few days, Tristran changed from being an old misery-guts back to his usual self. Few people could tell the difference.