Merlin rushed to Gaius' rooms, just to find Uther, Arthur, Gaius as well as two guards standing round a table on which a body was lying, wearing the simple clothes of a servant, in the colours of King Osric.
Uther and Gaius were looking very serious, the two guards were standing a few steps aside while Arthur gave him an angry look.
Merlin ignored it an hinted a bow in Uthers direction while he stepped to the table, stopped beside Gaius.
His look to him was distressed.
"Bad thing happened, Merlin. One of King Osrics servants has been found dead. If he's introduced a plague, whole Camelot is in danger. He was very young. Do you know him?"
Merlin looked into the peacefully face of the boy, which had changed colour lightly into yellow-blue.
"I don't think so. Maybe I have seen him when they arrived."
"We have to seal Camelot off, no one in or out!" Uther meant, doing a few steps, in his usual commanding tone and more to his son as to anyone else.
Then he looked to the physician.
"How quick do you can find out what caused the boys dead?"
Merlin looked to Gaius to see him swallow.
He sensed that the analysis would take some time, but he knew for sure that patience wasn't Uthers strongest point.
"So Sire, it will took the next hours for sure!"
"Then hurry, Gaius, it depends much on your judgement!" Uther urged him und turned to go, while ordering his son: "Arthur, you'll stay and report to me as soon as there are news!"
Merlin notices Arthur shortly grimacing in disgust.
"Surely, Mylord!" he replied obedient anyhow and made a few steps back from the table while the guards followed his father out of the room.
Merlin caught Gaius look.
"Go and search for the healer of King Osric. As far as I know he brought her along! Be silent and don't let anyone one, what happened! We don't need now that whole Camelot will find out. Not before we've found out what really happened!"
"And hurry and don't loiter again!" Arthur added as arrogant as most of the time and kicked a stool with the tip of his boot.
Merlin understood just too well, that he was in bad mood because of being ordered to stay here instead of go hunting with the knights of King Osric.
Because of that he couldn't take the ticking-off too serious.
"Of course!" he answered for this reason shortly and hurried out of the room.
He crossed the halls, already knowing where to start, in the kitchen, where he would find one of King Osrics people for sure.
As he arrived he saw some of the servants immediately, dressed in the simple clothes with the colours of King Osric.
He turned to the one nearest by, a heavily built man, busy with disembowel a small animal.
Merlin avoided a look to the bloody business on the table.
"Can you tell me where I'll find your healer?"
The man gave him a look.
"Not trusting your own one, are you?"
The people around started laughing.
Merlin concentrated on the question and send the thought over to the man while he looked at him conjuring.
For a little moment he could see how the spell worked on the man.
For seconds the eyes of his counterpart seemed to be lost in reverie while he answered nearly automatically: " Lady Perronells chamber is on the second floor of the guest-wing."
"Thank you." Merlin replied with a smirk und turned to go while the man went on with the butchery on the table like nothing has happened.
Merlin crossed the halls, to the guest-wing, and asked the guard there for Lady Perronell.
"Second door left." was the answer with a quick turn of the head to the named direction.
Merlin made the few steps there and knocked on the rough wood.
"Come in!" said a voice from inside.
Merlin searched for his kindest smile and opened the door wearing it, looked through the room.
A woman stood at the foot end of the bed, with a big book in her hands and now looking asking to him.
She was not very tall, petite, wearing a black velvet dress and a necklace with a pendant which showed a bat.
Her dark hair was pinned up and surrounded by a violet shine.
Her eyes were dark and the look, she gave him now, kindly.
"Yes, please?"
"Sorry for disturbing, Lady Perronell." Merlin said to her polite.
"Gaius, our court physician, asked you to come to his office. I guess, he needs your help or something like that."
In his opinion, he expressed himself vaguely enough.
Lady Perronell closed her book instantly und put it down with a delighted smile.
"Of course I'll come. I already put on to visit him, he's got quite a reputation far beyond Camelot!"
She slipped out of the door near beside him, Merlin noticed her smelling of severe flowers.
It was pleasant.
He closed the door behind her while she stopped in the hall, looking asking to him, with a kind smile, playing round her lips.
While he guided her to Gaius office she asked him for his name.
"Merlin, Mylady."
"You're Gaius' assistant?" she asked and sounded interested.
Merlin wasn't used to it and felt a bit uncomfortable.
Anyhow from her it sounded much better as if he had added ' … and Arthurs servant!'
Besides the door to Gaius office meanwhile two guards where standing, but which let them pass without stopping.
Merlin let Lady Perronell went first und closed the door behind.
At the same time he could see, that a white cloth now has been led over the body on the table.
Gaius immediately hurried up to the woman, but Merlin could see, that her interest went to the hidden body straight.
Arthur, who has been sitting on a stool, raised right away and came near.
Merlin stayed waiting near the door.
Gaius introduced himself while shaking Lady Perronells Hand, then he introduced Arthur.
In the meantime Arthur has rounded the table und now reached for Lady Perronells Hand, hinted a small bow while touching with his lips shortly the back of her hand.
"Nice to meet you, Lady Perronell."
She did a formal curtsey.
"Thank you, Sire."
Then she turned to Gaius asking.
"You send for me? Maybe it has to do anything with that on the table there?"
She made a quick movement with her head to the hidden body.
Gaius smiled tortured and went to the table.
Lady Perronell followed him and Merlin could see, that Arthurs eyes weren't leaving the little healer, who was moving very charming, very calmly.
"I am very sorry that it is someone from your followers, Lady Perronell." Gaius said while reaching to the top end of the cloth.
"It's a very young boy and we are afraid, that he might have been ill and brought maybe a plague to Camelot. You're the Kings healer und my guess was, that perhaps on your journey he asked you for help because of his health problems, and now you could help us."
He looked to her waiting.
"On our journey to Camelot no one came to seek my help for health problems." Lady Perronell replied und did a small encouraging gesture with her head to the cloth.
Gaius lifted it.
Merlin did quickly a few steps to the table involuntary, thought, she would faint in view of the dead, and out of the corner of his eye he saw Arthur obviously thinking similar; just making two steps into the direction of the healer, but with his arms raising shortly.
But Lady Perronell stood untouched and even bowed herself lightly over the body, looked at him detailed, very long, in silence.
"You can put the cloth down." she said to Gaius in between and sank in silence again, still looking at the body.
Merlin looked to Arthur, noticing, that he seemed to be a little puzzled.
He couldn't blame on him.
Lady Perronell now bowed more over the table und lifted carefully one lid of the dead boy, then the other, checking thorough his eyes.
Then she pulled down the cleavage of his clothes a little bit and checked his neck.
"He's not been ill." she meant after a long while and straightened up.
"He's been killed!"
Merlin heard Gaius gasp.
The physician even did a step away from the table while Arthurs ears immediately seem to prick up.
He came nearer.
"What did you say?"
He looked at Lady Perronell in disbelieve.
She repeated her accusation with a certain look at him.
Gaius went back to the table.
"How do you come to this conclusion?" he ask quickly.
"This is a very serious accusation."
"And please believe me, Gaius, I am very sorry that I have to make it." Lady Perronell replied and und bowed again over the body on the table, lifted one of its lids.
"Look, here, Gaius, do you see the little red points in the white of the eye? This punctured bleedings are typical for an injury of the upper body. If you look at his neck now … " she let the lid fall down, stroke away the cleavage.
" … here to see is now a very thin mark, like from a very soft cloth. He's been strangled!"
Gaius still looked frightened.
Merlin noticed that Arthur, standing besides Lady Perronell, in this moment, while believing he was save, put his head a little bit more in her direction while bowing a bit over to her.
Her smell seems to be pleasant to him, too, the expression of his face showed it for seconds.
Then the healer seems to notice it and she turned into his direction, looked at him, Merlin had the impression, that she had noticed completely what had went on, despite she had been talking to Gaius.
"Ehm … do you have any references who it was?" Arthur ask her now, quickly, and he sounded a little bit caught out.
"No, I haven't. Not yet, Sire." she answered.
"I'll report to my father. Please excuse me, Lady Perronell." Arthur now said to her, hinted a bow, which Merlin had rarely seen on him.
Normally he was used to get the reverences himself.
Arthur turned to go, but not without suggesting to Merlin, that he had to support Lady Perronell, and Gaius in any way.
"Of course." Merlin answered, long ago used to such suggestions, and just because of this anxious to let his answer not sound bored.
Arthur left the room.
"Do you want to autopsy him, Lady Perronell?" Gaius asked now, with a quick move of his head to the body on the table.
The healer shock her head.
"No. I think, it will be not necessary, we already know what caused his dead. Next thing is, to find out, who's done it!"
"And how do you want to do this?" Gaius asked surprised.
For Merlin this mission nearly sounded impossible.
Besides this was the first murder since he was in Camelot, and for what reasons ever it has happened, how should the killer been found?
A whole lot of people had access to the castle, he even had never known where to start if he could use his magic.
"First thing I need are two very clean clothes." Lady Perronell answered.
"And two strings."
"Merlin!" Gaius meant dunning to him and pulled him out of his thoughts.
"On my way!"
Merlin rushed to the cupboard in which they kept the clothes, and took two of them out, pulled by going by two strings from the ladder und gave it all to the healer.
"Thank you."
She gave him a kind smile, to which Merlin never been used to for such a small help, and what caused a feel of bashfulness on him.
He tracked with burning cheeks how Lady Perronell started wrapping up the hands of the dead boy with the cloths.
"Why are you doing this?" Gaius asked surprised.
Merlin was interested, too, but he never dared to ask.
"I'll check his hands later." the healer answered.
"Maybe there are any hints of his murderer, any fibres on his clothes or something like that. In order that they don't get lost or fibres get to his hands, which have nothing to do there and lead us a wrong way, from here for example, I wrapped up his hands. But first thing I'd like to know is where's he been found?"
Merlin caught Gaius' helpless look und shrugged his shoulders.
His knowledge was less than that of the physician, somebody has only told him to get to Gaius office as quick as possible because he needed his help.
"As far as I know they found him in one of the corridors at the guest wing, where the followers from King Osric stay."
Lady Perronell nodded.
"Do you have a magnifier?" the she asked him.
"Yes, of course I have."
Gaius nodded and gave him an encouraging look, Merlin immediately turned to the next table and searched for the glass on a wooden stick, finally found it beside the book with the local herbs.
"Here you are, Mylady."
He gave it to her and again she nodded kindly in his direction while taking it and the she turned once more to the body on the table.
She checked through the magnifier the mouth of the boy, but looked very quickly up, in his direction.
"Would you please bring one more candle here? I need more light."
"Of course, Mylady."
Merlin lit a candle on another and stepped up to the bed-head.
Lady Perronell smiled at him again and then lead his hand with the candle very near to the area she was examining.
Her skin was very soft and warm and so close to her, Merlin could smell again the scent of severe flowers.
At this moment he did not wish to change his place with anyone else in the whole world
Nearly a bit high because of the fragrance he watched Lady Perronell very thoroughly examining the area around the mouth of the boy.
His lips were blue.
Finally she opened his mouth with a gentle pressure on his cheeks, led his hand with the candle again, what Merlin like a lot, and checked with the light very accurately the oral cavity.
"There's blood on his tongue and at his lips." she meant finally und looked over to Gaius, pointed with her finger to the mentioned districts.
"Bloodmarks must be there where he has been killed. I want to have a look at the point where he has been found, please!"
"I … I don't know." Gaius stuttered and looked for am moment helpless because of the missing information and the huge among of knowledge, the foreign healer put across.
"I'll find out!" Merlin popped out just before he realised what he had said.
He was frightened after it was out, but he didn't sense it as a task he was not up to.
"Merlin!" Gaius said dunning, as always, when in his opinion he bit too much from a cake.
But Lady Perronell gave him a smile.
"Very smart assistant you have, Gaius." she said and reached for the candle, took it softly from his hand.
"Give it to me. It would be really helpful if you could get us this information!"
Merlin felt much more quickened by her praise.
"Already on my way, Mylady." he replied and hurried out of the room.
He already knew where to begin.
If there was somebody, who knew in Camelot Who and Where, then it was Gwen.
He found her at Morganas chambers while cleaning up.
"Merlin."
As always she seems to be surprised and happy to see him, but in doing so he never was sure, what was predominantly.
Her smile still warmed his heart, even if it was another kind of smile of Lady Perronell did.
"Gwen."
He was breathless by rushing up the stairs.
"You surely have heard what happened to the servant of King Osric?"
The expression of her face changed immediately to sadness, with this he could be sure that she knew.
She looked at him openly.
"Yes, I've heard. Terrible, isn't it? So young and so ill! I just hope, it won't pin on you or Gaius when you're examine him! I meant … " she fell into stuttering, on her cheeks a slightly light red colour appeared " … I meant … because of Arthur and Camelot!"
"Of course." Merlin reassured her quick und gave her an understanding smile.
"Listen, you haven't heard where they've found him, by any chance? And who found him? Gaius had to know for his examinations!"
Gwen thought it over for am moment.
"It must have been in the second floor at the guest wing." she answered then.
"And so far I've heard it must have been Baldur from the guards who had found him!"
She looked at him, asking, as if to find out how important her information was.
Merlin decides that there was no time for this.
So he quickly touched her arm and reassured her, that she had helped a lot.
Then he went downstairs to the guardhouse and found Baldur there, sitting in front of a mug of wine and telling the others, how he found the servant while doing his patrol, sitting dead on the floor.
To convince him to come along it took much more persuasion than asking Gwen for her help, but finally the guard was ready to follow him to Gaius' office after another big mouth-full of his wine.
It took Gaius much less efforts to ask him to guide them to the place where he had found the servant.
On their way there he told them what has happened.
Lady Perronell listened to him thorough and as they arrived at the place at the second floor she looked at the floor and at the wall very closely in silence.
They weren't here for long as a servant hurried up the stairs, rushed down the hall and stopped breathlessly in front of them.
"King Uther has ordered the people of King Osric to come into the throne room immediately!"
While saying this he looked shyly to Lady Perronell.
Merlin in the meantime took a worried look from Gaius, without being able to tell, what was worrying the physician.
But he felt alarmed, too.
"Thank you." Lady Perronell said to the servant while turning away from the wall and gave him a friendly smile.
The servant turned and rushed away while the healer said: "There's nothing to see here right now! Maybe we'll have to check this place here later. For now I'll go to the throne room to King Uther."
She seems to be so easy-going that Merlin asked himself if she was even sensing, that it was likely that no invitation for dinner was waiting there for her.
Already the atmosphere at the throne room was threatening.
Camelots guards left and right at the walls held the people of King Osric as good as closed in.
Arthur was standing beside the empty throne of his father, his arms folded in front of his body and his head half lowered, he seems to be far away from being happy with this situation.
Merlin had the feeling the healer was walking directly into a trap as she disappeared middle of the room into the group of people she came with.
He had been pleased if he had could hold her back.
Instead he pushed himself onto a column as Uther now entered the room.
He stopped at the right side beside his thrown und threw a quick look over the people in front of him.
"A deadly sin has happened in Camelot!" he then said serious.
"An innocent life has been taken, on this holy ground! But the knights of Camelot won't rest until justice is done, I'll promise!"
"The boy's been entrusted me by his mother with all of her heart! She's my sister!" King Osric now shouted from the first row, where he was standing, while doing two steps forward.
"I'll seek for gratification!"
"This terrible misdoing will be cleared up in any case and the culprit will not escape his comeuppance!" King Uther reassured him, now much more softer.
But the expression on King Osrics face remained unforgiving.
"I seek for gratification!" he replied.
"And as a sign of your good will I demand Arthurs marriage to Marial, tomorrow evening, at sundown. The marital bond of our children will remind you to your promise!"
Suddenly it was all quite in the room.
Much more surprised than King Uther seemed to be Arthur.
Uther took the word, astonishment in his voice.
"Osric, I ask you to over think your words, your choice! Such a connection wouldn't bring happiness to anyone! I gave you my world, honestly, that we will find the villain, even without such a decision of importance. My good will should be assured … "
"Tomorrow evening, at sundown, otherwise our kingdoms will be at war!"
King Osric sounded off fierce and raised his fist.
An uproar raised among his people.
"Put them into the dungeon!" Uther said.
On his word the guards from the walls went forward with their pulled out spears and pushed the people tightly together before leading them out of the room.
Servants closed the wooden door behind them.
"Gaius, what can you tell me?" Uther turned immediately to the physician.
He looked a bit puzzled, so if he didn't like what he have been forced to do just now.
The physician took a light bow into the direction of the king.
"I am sorry, Mylord. My examination's just began and surely they will take some time. As you now, a terrible crime like this has never happened before in Camelot! I have no experience in this!"
"Then you'll better get it und took, whatever you need for it and whoever you need!" Uther snuffled impatient and made him understand with a quick move of his hand to leave.
Merlin followed him in a rush.
They first speak to each other as they reached the physicians office.
"Uther will not go to war with Osric! His king dome has nearly the same strength as Camelot."
He gave him a sad look.
"It'll be better you start preparing for the wedding!"
Right before Merlin could answer the door flew open and Arthur stormed in.
"I will not marry this woman!" he shouted.
"Why are you not working, go on, find the culprit so I don't have to marry this … this creature!"
Gaius looked up to him choked.
"People say, Princess Marial is very pretty in her own way! And it is common that no one is working harder and better when he gets shouted at!"
Arthur breathed out very deeply.
Suddenly he looked like a picture of misery.
"I am sorry!" he meant low, hangdog.
"But you're my only hope, now, Gaius, and I couldn't see the smallest progression! You even told it to my father just a few minutes ago!"
Gaius shrugged his shoulders.
"I've set all my hopes to the foreign healer! She seemed to know a lot and she had spoken about more examinations! But Uther's arrested her!"
Arthur looked at him.
"But my father also said you could take whatever and Whoever you need!" the he suddenly said, turned and went out of the room.
Merlin couldn't forbear the question while he went for closing the door behind Arthur.
"What's wrong with princess Marial?"
Gaius gave him an innocent smile.
"Now, I've never seen her personally, but people say, she's got buck teeth, a rash that would do credit to a toad and protruding ears. Some people talk about two added fingers and toes as well, but I don't' believe that!"
Merlin repressed a laugh, but very quickly he got serious again after he saw Gaius looking to the body on the table.
"What do we know?" he asked after a while, more rhetorical into the room, and then he looked asking to him.
"He's been probably murdered by noon in the guest wing, in which the people von King Osric are accommodated. Lady Perronell said, he's likely been strangled with a soft tissue, because of that my guess is a man. It took great strength to strangle someone. Let's have a look what he's got with him or if he's been robbed!"
He took back the cloth to the legs of the boy and looked at him for a moment before he tampered with the small bag at the belt of the servant.
Merlin made a few steps nearer to the table and watched how Gaius took out a folded yellow piece of paper, an oval, grey very polished pebble and two coins of copper.
He put down the things on the table.
"Now … at least he hasn't been robbed at all. There must be another reason for killing him!"
In this moment door flew open and Arthur returned.
He wasn't alone, his arm laid caring around a small figure in a wide black cloak, which big hood hid the head completely.
Not until he closed the door behind it let her hood slip from its head.
It was Lady Perronell.
She looked a bit distraught and Gaius' frightened "Lady Perronell!" wasn't even right to relax the atmosphere in the room again.
"What have you done?" he turned to Arthur.
"I released her!" Arthur answered ruggedly.
"Obviously she could help me if you can't! Lady Perronell, please allow me!"
He took the cloak she was slipping over her shoulders, threw it in his direction, Merlin caught it quickly, surprised and hung it on the board on the left of the wall.
"I thank you, Sire." the small healer said in the meantime and went into a formal curtsey in front of Arthur.
Arthur took her hand und pulled her softly into standing, took her hand to his lips and gently put a kiss on it.
"It was an honour, Mylady."
In front of her he seems to be like changed.
Merlin could see as he let her hand go with a very gentle move.
Lady Perronell smiled at him and then turned into the direction of the table.
For a short moment she put her fingertips over her nose together, like in order to concentrate.
"We've found this in his bag." Gaius said to her with a low voice und made a small gesture with his hand to the things on the table.
The healer looked at it for a long time.
Merlin couldn't catch was she was saying because Arthur came to him in this moment and ordered: " You're responsible for Lady Perronell! Hide her, if people come here, she hasn't to be seen! I'll return later!"
"Of course." Merlin replied, used to make the impossible possible for Arthur.
Arthur went to the table, to Lady Perronell.
"Please excuse me, Mylady! I have to take care of something! Please allow me to invite you to have the evening meal with me!"
Lady Perronell looked at him.
Merlin could see her smiling surprised.
"This is very kind of you, Sir Arthur. Thank you. And thank you for your trust which you gave me releasing me from the dungeon. I will do my best for not disappointing you!"
"I am sure, Mylady."
Again Arthur reached for her hand, lead it to his lips und put a kiss on it, quit longer as Merlin has ever seen it doing it to any other women.
Lady Perronell hinted a formal curtsey.
Arthur let her hand sank, looked at her.
The healer relied his glance in silence, Merlin nearly believed to feel the emotions between them both right here where he stood, despite the distance.
It was Gaius making him clear, low but audibly.
"Now Lady Perronell is here we should go on!"
"Of course."
Arthur turned away and left the room, Lady Perronell looked after him a second too long before turning again to the body on the table.
The she looked over to Gaius.
"Maybe do you have some water for me please?"
"Sure Mylady! Merlin!"
Gaius did a quick move with his hand into his direction, ripping him out of his thoughts, "Of course, I'm hurrying!" Merlin quickly assured and took a bowl from the shelf, filled it with water and gave it to Lady Perronell.
"Thank you."
She gave him a little smile while taking the bowl out of his hand, took a softly sip and put the bowl then away with a careful movement.
Then she stepped up to the table again and loosened calmly the string around the cloth at the left hand of the servant.
"Gaius, please could I have the magnifier again?" she turned shortly to him.
"Of course, Lady Perronell." Gaius replied, hurried to next table and took it, gave it to her then.
"Thank you."
Lightly she nodded into his direction and started then, examining the left hand of the servant very thorough under the magnifier.
"What are you doing?" Gaius asked, after a while, and nearly sounded awesome.
"I am looking for traces on his fingers." Lady Perronell answered.
"Something he touched, what has left traces on his fingers."
Careful she put the hand down on the white cloth, looked searching around.
"I need to heave something pointy now, please. A knife or a wooden stick or something like that."
Merlin turned around immediately, took the next best knife from the next best table and gave it to her, then he even found a wooden stick next and laid it down on the table in front of her.
"Thank you, Merlin, that's perfect."
Lady Perronell smiled at him while scratching with the tip of the knife under each fingernail of the body away whatever it was there.
It looked like little crumbs fell on the white cloth.
"I need to have more light here, please." she meant to him.
"One or two candles more would do good! And I need liquid wax. And a sheet of paper please with something to write."
Merlin looked over to Gaius irritated.
The expression at the physicians face told, that he had not the faintest idea for what all the things would be needed.
But as the physician noticed his hesitation his expression changed into impatience and he made a encouraging movement with his head.
"Hurry up, Merlin, you've heard what's been needed! Or do you really want to go for a wedding dress this evening for Arthur?"
"No, not really." Merlin stuttered quickly and went for the things.
The he watched as Lady Perronell, after dealing with every fingernail, spilled carefully wax from a candle on a trivet and then pressed the top of the thumb of the servant gently in it, moved it lightly to and fro.
She did so with each fingertip on his left hand and after the last piece of wax was sticking on the little finger of the servant, she pulled the wax away from his thumb carefully.
Thorough she looked at it by the light of a candle and then wrapped it in a piece of paper, writing something on it.
After that the changed to the other side of the table and dealt in the some way with the right hand.
Meanwhile it was dark outside.
Through Merlins mind went the thought, that he hasn't done the evening meal for Arthur yet.
For a moment he thought about going to his chambers and beginning with the preparations.
But then he realised, that Arthur made him responsible for the healer and like that he was unable to leave the place at her side.
He was sure, to convince Arthur later, that he couldn't be in two places the same time.
As if to mark that he was needed here suddenly steps were to here in the hall and then it knocked on the door.
"I am sorry, Mylady."
Merlin didn't hesitate, grabbed Lady Perronell by her shoulders and pushed her behind the long curtain beside the fireplace, where all things of junk were hidden.
She seems to loose her balance over some of it, Merlin heard a lightly rumbling, her chocked "Outch!", "I am very sorry." he hastily murmured into her direction, then the door was opened and Thomas of Monmouth came in.
Merlin wasn't sure if hew had heard his last words; the look of the chronicler in his direction was a bit irritated by all means.
"Thomas, how can I help you?" Gaius tried to deflect him quickly and made a few steps into the room in order to deflect the chroniclers eyes as well from the suspicious region.
It turned out that the chronicler needed something for his headache.
Gaius gave a powder to him and lead him to the door then.
Lady Perronell didn't make a sound behind the curtain.
As a precaution they waited a long moment after Thomas of Monmouth had left before Merlin pushed away the curtain in a hurry.
Lady Perronell looked up to him.
She was sitting on an basket which was filled with chunky pieces of wood, with big fluff balls of dust in her hair and on her dress.
"Please forgive me, Mylady." Merlin begged and nearly don't had the heart to reach out his hand to help her getting up.
But she grabbed it surprisingly tight and willingly, Merlin helped her getting up and she stroke over her dress once while giving him a smile and saying: "Thank you, Merlin. Please don't worry, everything is perfectly fine!"
With that she went to the table and put away the last piece of wax from the servant little finger on the right, wrapped it in, labelled it.
After doing so she pulled up the sleeves of the shirt, the servant was wearing, and carefully examined his forearms.
"There are no signs of defending himself." then she said und pulled down his sleeves.
"That means, the attack completely surprised him. Either the attacker came from behind and overpowered him immediately or he was so familiar to him that he didn't suspect any harm until it was too late."
She put the cloth again over the body.
"Gaius, how much common tormentil do you have here?"
Merlin noticed how Gaius' face turned intro a frightened expression.
"At the moment all my supplies are gone, Mylady." he answered.
"Unfortunately I spent the last plant yesterday for a healing powder."
Lady Perronells face showed a regretting smile.
"Are there supplies nearby?" she went on asking.
"Nearby the castle, yes, Mylady." Gaius replied.
"At the edge to the forest, maybe half an hour away."
"I need as much as we can get." the healer said and immediately crossed the room for her cloak.
"Can we go right now for it?"
Her eyes went asking from Merlin to Gaius.
By instinct Merlin didn't like the though her leaving the castle without telling Arthur.
He looked over to Gaius, asking.
The physician seems to have doubts, too.
Lady Perronell had put on her cloak meanwhile and even had made a few steps to the door.
Now she noticed that the two men weren't following, the turned into their direction and looked to them asking.
"Mylady, I'm not sure if you should leave the safeness of the castle." Gaius now found the words.
"People expecting you in the dungeon as being a follower of King Osric and I don't know what will happen if someone will see you outside. In my opinion it better if I'll go alone and Merlin will stay here for your safety, as Arthur said!"
The healer didn't seem to agree with that, but Gaius arguments obviously convinced her.
"Of course. You're right." she answered after a long moment.
The expression of her face turned loyal and she pulled the cloak from her shoulders, Merlin quickly made the few steps to her and took it from her hands, hung it back on the hook.
She thanked him with a small smile.
In the meantime Gaius had put on his own cloak and grabbed an empty pouch.
"I'll hurry up!" he promised before leaving the room, Merlin nodded to him.
After the physician had left the room, Lady Perronell carried the both white cloaks with the dirt, she had scratched away from the servants fingernails, to Gaius working table, arranged the candles there for her to give the right light, and unfolded the first cloak carefully.
Merlin dared gently to come nearer and stopped standing a few steps beside her at the table.
He was holding Gaius in highest regards but the knowledge of the healer of King Osric impressed him unlikely more.
Besides it made an impact on him, how willingly she shared her knowledge with all who ask and even answered his, a simple servants questions.
Moreover she still smells good, he noticed now as he came near.
She gave him a kind look, which encouraged him to ask: "What are doing, Mylady?"
"I am looking at what was under his fingernails." she answered willingly now.
"Maybe he has touched his attacker and something is stuck, or he scratched him and there is skin or blood under his nails. Then we know that we could convict his murder because of the scratching marks."
Merlin nodded impressed.
"I didn't know that there are people busy with this kind of science, Mylady."
Lady Perronell smiled at him.
"This is not really a science, Merlin." she explained to him softly, her voice so kind, that Merlin didn't feel correct at any time.
"Unfortunately some time ago at Belvoir Castle we had a series of violent deaths, so we were forced to do something to catch the murderer. Luckily Teagan developed some methods and let me knew, so I can act now and what would hopefully help us to avoid a forced marriage for Arthur."
Merlin noticed that her cheeks turned lightly red by saying the last sentence.
"Who's Teagan?" he asked.
He never heard this name before.
"He's our physician." Lady Perronell answered.
"Why he didn't come with you?" Merlin went on asking.
At this point the door flew open and Arthur came in.
"Merlin, it's evening time!" he moaned instantly.
"Why didn't you do the meal? You know, I'll have a guest!"
"I'm sorry, Arthur!" Merlin replied one more time mandatory, but then he added: "Sire, you gave me the order to look after Lady Perronell!"
"Yes, but that's no reason for not doing the evening meal!" Arthur went on with his complaints.
Now Lady Perronell stood up und went to them, did a formal curtsey, slight and soft, like she did most of the things.
"Mylord, please forgive him! You've ordered Merlin to look after me and he did perfectly. Besides that I allowed myself to ask him for some help, which obviously kept him from preparing your food. I am very sorry for this!"
Merlin noticed how Arthurs eyes wandered to and fro between him and Lady Perronell.
Of course he wasn't used to someone taking his side, Merlin hardly knew himself.
It prejudiced the healer only more on him.
"No need for you to feel sorry, it is nothing, Mylady." Arthur hurried to reply, but his voice sounded as astonished as he still looked.
Merlin noticed surprised how Lady Perronell raised her hand and laid it very gently on Arthurs arm.
"Besides that, there is still a lot to do. Gaius is outside to get common tormentil and when he's back we've got to cook it, unfortunately its liquid is only in the dark of use for us. And still there is a lot to examine."
Surprisingly Arthur tolerated her hand on his arm.
Merlin could see how his chest moved quickly up and down.
"Did you make any progression, Lady Perronell?" he asked and again he seemed completely changed, calmly and polite.
The healer gave him a little smile.
"Unfortunately not, Mylord, I am sorry. But I promise myself a lot to the checkout with the common tormetil."
"Can you tell me more?" Arthur asked, took her hand from his arm and pulled it to his lips, placed a kiss on it.
Then he led the little healer gallant to the next stool.
"The liquid of cooked common tormentil uncovers traces of blurred blood in the dark by candlelight." she let him know.
"If we've got a suspicion where he's been murdered we've only need to examine the room with the liquid and probably find traces of blood."
"I am deeply impressed by you knowledge, Mylady." Arthur replied.
"But the guest wing consisted more than one hundred twenty rooms. How do we know, which to examine?"
"Unfortunately I don't know yet." the healer answered, but her voice was far from being pessimistic.
"I'm still hoping to find a hint at the body which will help us to narrow down our search."
"I would appreciate that, Mylady." Arthur gave back and suddenly there was a touch of fury in his voice.
"I don't want to be married to Princess Marial tomorrow evening this time!"
"You don't?" Lady Perronell asked, looking up to Arthur.
Merlin sensed it as a bit to long, a bit to interested.
A very little quiver was in her voice.
Arthur looked down to her.
Again he reached for her hand, kissed it.
"Please, excuse me, Mylady." he meant then, turned away and left the room.
Shortly after that, Gaius returned, the pouched filed up to the top with countless plants of common tormentil.
Merlin could see how Lady Perronell smiled happily.
He and Gaius helped her, to separate the blossoms from the stem, then he dragged a cauldron to the fireplace, fetched water from the well and they gave the blossoms to the water into the cauldron.
Lady Perronell herself stirred now and then through it with a long wooden stick.
"Do you think you can manage an evening meal for us?" Gaius turned to him.
"Of course." Merlin replied and searched together what he could find on food.
It turned out to be a light meal, just bread, cheese and milk, but Lady Perronell doesn't moan but eat the Little with a healthy appetite.
They've just finished eating when the door opened and Gwen came in.
She carried heavily on a tray which was nearly overflowing, covered with a cloth.
Barely she had walked in as the smell of fried flesh filled the room.
Gwen made a short formal curtsey beside the table, in front of Lady Perronell, put then the tray down in front of her while saying: "Mylady, Sir Arther sends you this evening meal."
The healer gave her a little smile.
"This is very kind of him. And I thank you. Please tell me your name!"
"Gwen, Mylady."
Lady Perronell nodded in her direction.
"And please give my thanks to Arthur when you see him!"
"Of course, Mylady."
Gwen again did a formal curtsey und then turned away, Merlin caught a little smile from her und relied it happily before she left the room.
Lady Perronell stood up from her stool while putting away the cloth from the tray.
A real feast had been hidden underneath, fried flesh, white bread and vegetables, with it the good wine.
Merlin felt, besides he had just finished eating, the sight of the goods watering his mouth.
"Please be my guest." Lady Perronell said by pushing the tray into the direction of the two men.
Gaius looked over to her surprised.
"But it is your evening meal, Mylady!"
"I just have finished my evening meal and it was delicious while I had very pleasant company." Lady Perronell replied with a smile.
"Now I have to look after our common tormentil and you two please enjoy your meal. I need your help later, so you have to be at good strength."
"Thank you, Mylady." Gaius said and Merlin, looking happily forward for
a second dinner, gave her a smile as she went away for stirring through the big cauldron, and she replied it.
It was midnight when the cooking was finished and they strained the liquid through a cleaner into a second cauldron.
Then they filled the boiled out fluid into a few little hollow-ware for a quicker chilling, the littler healer went from hollow-ware to hollow-ware, fanning it with a sheet of paper, to push it.
Arthur went in maybe half an hour ago, his face red, obviously upset, and told them, that his father has agreed to a marriage with princess Marial to avoid a war with the kingdom from Osric.
Since then he sat on the stairs, in silence, and looking to no one.
"I think, we can take it no to a test." Lady Perronell said finally, one hour after midnight.
Arthur raised his head hopefully and looked over.
Before one of them could make a move, the healer had taken a knife from the next table and made a cut with it across the fingertip of her left forefinger.
Merlin startled with her absolute determination while seeing her blood pouring out of her finger at once.
Arthur jumped up from the stairs and came nearer with fast steps.
"Mylady, what have you done?"
His voice sounded distraught while the healer dumped some drops of her blood to the floor unimpressed.
"May a have a cloth please?"
Merlin handed her one.
She wiped the floor with it, over the blood, until there was no trace of it any more.
Then she dipped her right hand into one bowl with the liquid, dispensed it over the floor on the spot, she had wiped earlier.
After doing so she took a candle and brought its light to the floor.
Blurred traces in purple were to see.
"Mylady!" Gaius meant with an impressed deep breathing in.
Merlin couldn't find any words, just looked to the healer.
She seemed to be very pleased and smiled.
Her could see a bit of a surprise even on Arthurs face and nearly a little bit hope, at least for a few seconds.
"And? What does it mean?" he asked harsh, anyhow.
Merlin couldn't blame him, after all his marriage with an unloved princess approached.
Lady Perronell did gently two steps into his direction, Merlin just thought for a moment, she reached for the knife again in order to show Arthur once more.
"It means we probably could prove on which location he was murdered. In whose room it happened!"
"But that's not enough!" Arthur replied angry.
"It's no help for me knowing where he has been murdered when the question is, who has done it!"
"But perhaps the location can lead us to the murderer." the healer replied to him softly.
"A 'perhaps' cannot help me!" Arthur answered upset and made a few steps aside.
Lady Perronell stepped up to him and laid her hand on his back, Merlin couldn't understood what she said to him in a very low voice.
She made a few steps with him aside, softly, gently, Arthur seemed a bit more relaxed as they joint them a few minutes later again, he even accompanied them to the guest wing they went for now, for testing the liquid.
They took on the rooms of the men because the servant could only be killed by someone who was strong.
However it was a very time-taking task.
As the sun went up just fifteen rooms they had examined.
For nothing.
Arthur was nervous.
Merlin was tired.
Lady Perronell looked exhausted, with shadows under her eyes and her skilful braided hair showed first signs of a break-up.
However they worked out two more rooms, then it was to bright with the sun shining in, so that any traces wouldn't be seen.
As they returned to the physicians office they noticed that the castle was preparing for the wedding.
Similar to that Uther obviously had released King Osric and his people from the dungeon, people with the colours of the foreign kingdom were to see in the halls again.
Arthur was on patrol with the guards.
"Merlin, do you think you find us anything for breakfast?" Gaius ask, back in his rooms.
Merlin nodded and search for what had left on food.
While doing so again and again he looked over to the healer, standing in front of the table with the covered body and wasn't moving.
She even didn't touch the breakfast, just drinking a bit of the milk.
"We have to check his clothes." she meant finally.
To make things worse, Arthur demanded his presence in his rooms for the wedding preparation.
Obviously as heir to the throne he'd already got used to his destiny, he doesn't appeared to be very happy but he seemed to be very himself again by trying on the clothes the dressmaker brought and shouting and giving orders to Merlin who was cleaning up.
The bells were ringing shortly before sundown as Merlin finally had the chance to return to the physicians office again.
But he didn't find Gaius nor the healer here, the clothes from the dead servant were laying on the floor.
The body was beginning to smell.
Merlin hurried up to the second floor, to the guest wing, but he found no trace of the healer or Gaius.
Wearily he sneaked to the throne room.
The royal suite was centred here in large number, all dressed festive.
Arthur stood in front of them on the left, beside a small figure in a very pretty wedding dress, whose head completely was covered with a white veil of lace.
In front of them stood the court priest and read from the bible, Uther was standing a few steps away on the left, with Morgana at his side.
The ceremony seemed to be nearly completed because from the side now one of the servants appeared, with a small tray, on which two golden rings were laying.
Merlin suddenly had the feeling to do whatever it costs to stop it.
Without thinking at all he made the servant stumble.
The tray with the rings flew high and wide, it landed with a loud clanking on the stones of the floor.
Merlin noticed Arthur giving the servant a grim look, but couldn't enjoy that this time it hit another, he was to nervous.
Uther hissed angrily into the direction of the servant.
The court priest looked to Uther, nearly dunning.
A servant of Osric brought back the tray and the rings, after a short sign of Uther with his hand he had to took the place of the first servant then.
The other one sneaked away gloomy und the court priest started blessing the rings.
Merlin looked nervously to the door.
Nothing happened and bit by bit he began to fear, that there would be no Happy End for Arthur.
The court priest nodded to Arthur.
With his right hand Uthers son grabbed to one of the rings and with his left hand to the hand of the figure beside him, 'Maybe it is a problem to find with two fingers added the right one immediately?' Merlin thought completely unmeant and before concentrating on it, the golden ring jumped out of Arthurs fingers and rolled away with a very low tone of metal on stones.
The people muttered.
Arthur made an angry noise.
Then the door of the room flew open.
"Stop it! Please wait!"
Nearly all the people in the room turned to see who was interrupting.
Gaius came in, with big important steps, followed by Lady Perronell, who seemed to be a bit embarrassed.
"Why are you interrupting the ceremony, Gaius?" Uther shouted into the direction of the physician and sounded angry.
"This is a very important moment for Camelot!"
"I am very sorry, Sire!" Gaius answered while he went down the aisle to him.
"But I wouldn't dare to interrupt if there wasn't a good reason for!"
Uther suddenly appeared concerned.
"What is it, Gaius?"
"May I speak to you privately, Mylord?" Gaius asked.
Uther nodded immediately and waved him aside.
Nearly aware of the interruption Arthur had taken a few steps away from the figure in the wedding dress.
Now he went to the healer, who stopped standing about in the back half of the room, took her hand and put a kiss on it.
Merlin saw from the corner of his eye some court ladys rushing to the deserted bride.
The murmur in the room was growing louder.
Arthur was talking to the healer.
Then he turned searching and as his look fell upon him, he waved him by.
Merlin made the few steps to them.
A light red colour laid at her cheeks, she seemed to be exited.
"Merlin … " Arthur started to say as at this moment his father returned to the hall and stepped up the few steps to his throne, stopped beside it.
With a move of his hand he suggested the people to fall silent.
"Osric!" he said then, loud but very calm, which was a dangerous sign.
"You're moaning the death of a servant! He has been killed at Camelot! Can you assure me that he hasn't died by the hand of one of your own people?"
In the hall a sharp gasp was to hear.
Disgusted murmur raised.
King Osric rushed forward until he was standing at the lowest step in front of Uther.
"How could you dare?" he panted furious.
"How could you even think of it, in my grieve, in my pain, to suggest something like that? If you're not a man, clinging to his word, so speak straightforward!"
Uther stayed very calm.
"We can proof it!" he replied, loud, clearly.
"The servant has been killed in a room in which one of your men is staying!"
Merlin saw Arthur looking to Lady Perronell.
"One of your men could have done it as well!" Osric replied harsh.
Uther looked at him cold like ice.
"Just one of your knights is wearing your arms embroidered in gold, isn't it? It is your first knight, Lord Aidan! A thread of gold has been found at the clothes of the servant!"
"This meant nothing!" King Orsic answered angry.
"This thread of gold could be from anywhere! From one of your people! From somewhere else! Your castle isn't the cleanest, anyway!"
With a hint of his hand Uther suggest him to fall silent.
"Maybe you're right!" he agreed with him, very calmly.
"It could be from anywhere! But in this case it was reported to me that Lord Aidan went down to the sewing room this afternoon for getting the embroidery of your arms fixed!"
The murmur in the hall raised.
King Osric changed, for all clearly to see, a nervous look with Lord Aidan, a tall strong man in the armour of the first knight, with the arms of King Osric in blue and yellow also for all clearly to see stitched at his tunic.
"Show your boots to us!" Uther demanded.
The hall fell silent.
Neither Aidan nor Osric moved.
Uther made a quick move with his head to the guards.
Two of them then stepped forward and flanked Aidan, pulled him from the first row.
Hereupon he did a pacifying move with his hand and slipped out of his boots, in front of all the people here in the chapel.
Uther looked to Gaius, asking.
Gaius turned to Lady Perronell, also asking.
Shy she went down the aisle, reaching for a little bottle and a cloth she had brought along in her small black velvet bag.
Merlin also stepped forward.
He could see how Lady Perronell first poured a little liquid from the bottle to the cloth and then rubbed over the boots with it.
After that she brought the boots to a dark corner behind the altar.
Weakly, but for all clearly to see, were purple blurred traces more on the right boot than on the left one.
Uther looked to Gaius asking.
He nodded.
It was very silent in the hall.
"Speak up, Lord Aidan!" Uther shouted.
"What do you have to say for your defence?"
King Osrics first knight stayed silent.
All eyes were on him.
Also the eyes of his King, but in Merlins opinion he appeared knowing, like this were no news for him.
"Speak up, Osric!" Uther demanded promptly.
King Osric did a devoted move with his hand and seemed to chance from one second to another to a picture of misery.
"Please forgive me, Uther! I admit, it was our plan, our thought, coming to us when your invitation to us was passed. A connection between our kingdoms, a bond to tight with the marriage of our children. Marial was pleased at once but it was clear to see for us, that only a trick would get Arthur to marry her. If you would be in our debt. It was close to happen!"
He looked from Uther to his healer, who had left her place at the windows and stepped forward again, put the boots down on one step of the altar and then joint her people again, in the first row, near Arthur.
Seeing her standing there seemed suddenly to made him see daylight.
His look to her immediately was full of hate.
"You helped them, didn't you? With all, Teagan has tought you, isn't it? My own healer! Witch!"
Merlin could see how Arthur a little bit stepped in front of Lady Perronell, for her safety.
The look of her face was empty.
Very suddenly he recorded in the crowd behind the healer a hand, loosening a dagger from the belt and - while doing so - directly pushing it straight into the direction of Lady Perronell.
Merlin rushed forward while casting the spell which all motion remained for seconds, and pushed the healer out of the danger zone.
She landed on the floor, ungentle as he did, "What was this?" Uther shouted sharply.
Of course his attention hadn't slipped the break in the time.
Arthur seemed to have noticed the pulling of the weapon from the corner of his eye.
Now he stood in front of the man, the sword in his hand, pointing it at the throat of the attacker.
The dagger has fallen to the floor.
Uthers eyes were on King Osrics healer, estimating.
"You're a sorceress?"
He seemed to blame her for what had happen with the time just right now also.
"Yes, she's a witch!" Osric shouted immediately und even if all bystanders knew, that it was only his revenge on his healer, Uther nevertheless shook his head.
"Arrest them! All! We will later sit judgement on them!"
Arthur managed a second time to free Lady Perronell from the dungeon.
He brought her directly to the bailey, where Merlin was waiting with two impatient horses, which wanted nothing more than getting out of the cold and the rain.
The two figures sneaked along the walls to the main gate, where he was waiting, then hurried up to him.
"Please hurry up, Mylady!" Arthur jostled, but Lady Perronell shook hands with Merlin.
"Thank you for your help! It was nice to meet you!"
"There's no time for pleasantries now, Mylady!" Arthur went on jostling, Merlin gave a smile to the healer.
"It was a pleasure, Mylady."
He gave her the reins and Arthur helped her getting into the saddle, took the reins and got on his horse.
"If someone's asking I am controlling the guards!"
"Yes, Sire." Merlin answered.
"Good-bye, Merlin." Lady Perronell said softly.
Merlin looked to her.
"Good-bye, Lady Perronell."
He looked after her, as she followed Arthur riding through the castel gate, looked after them, still, after her long black cloak had already disappeared in the darkness.