Lovely Surprise Me
For Camelot Loves Haiti Fic A Thon (For mag2425)
Another Merlin fic for the Haiti challenge.
It will be posted in parts. This is part 1&2.
Thank you to everyone who has responded to my fics! I appreciate it so much, all your lovely comments! Anyone reading Maybe It's a Curse, look for updates for that soon. Thanks!
Part I: Longing
Lovely surprise me…
Dazzle me, enchant me…
Give me your heart…
Takes these moments that pass by too quickly and fill me up with splendor.
Surprise me Lovely.
Surprise me!
~{}~
It was that time again in Camelot, the month of February, of hushed giggling whispers, names written upon a sleeve, the watch for the mating birds, and the bowl filled with lovers of the future.
It was Valentine time.
And so Arthur was depressed. It was months past the days of the great dragon's demise and the cold harsh winter. The snow still touched on some of the highest peaks, but mostly it was melting away already to beckon in an oddly early spring. It was a lovely time, and yet Guinevere too was not smiling.
What was the hardest thing? Ah, having a love that you had to hide. It was feeling unsure exactly how much the other desired your company.
It led to distraction and uh…
Certain calamity.
"Arthur! Arthur!"
Pause.
"Oh…bother."
"No…that's another!" Arthur swore hard, throwing the useless sword down to the ground. Lately the palace-made-ones by the Royal Blacksmiths were proving to be faulty, including handles with slipping grips, and blades losing their sharpness just a few days after use. Of course the issue at hand could also have to do with the prince's lack of concentration.
Though you'd be very wise not to mention that.
Merlin certainly didn't, as he touched at the prince's back for a fast second before letting go. Arthur rolled his eyes at the gesture before straightening and seeing it.
Sir Vernon was across the way with a giggling lady of the court. She was smiling with red strawberry blushes as he was touching at her hand. Looking around for a fast moment she even snuck in a kiss against his cheek. Then both stayed with eyes fixed on each other like lovesick puppies.
Clenching his jaw with sneering attitude, Arthur called out. "Sir Vernon, you're up next! If you can manage to part yourself from the Lady Sandra, that is!"
Merlin shook his head with frustration. Arthur was a raging bear lately. Of course Merlin was one of the few that knew the strongest reason why.
As the knight of practice before Sir Vernon walked away, actually seemed to run away as fast he could, Merlin witnessed Sir Vernon give a pardoning gesture to his intended damsel.
Arthur's eyes rolled as he saw she intended to be part of the audience of admirers that many of the knights had right now observing, with the time of year it was. All in their finest gowns and waving their tokens of affection, the ladies tittered here and there disgustingly. Written, embroidered, plastered, upon many sleeves was the man's name that fluttered their heart, as the knights too had written upon their own, the lady of their choice. There would be a festival coming up at the end of the week. It was a time of pure lovely feeling of hearts and…
Arthur scorned at it all as across the way she passed.
Merlin turned now to see her too, as his master stopped all movement. She was tending to one of the visiting ladies, bringing her cloak and a drink she had asked for. Of course the lady politely, and yet dismissively, took what she had requested.
Guinevere was smart enough not to expect anything else. Ladies of the court barely had to acknowledge her if that was how they felt.
From across the way she could feel the hard focus of eyes. Looking up, she was met with the pair she knew would be there to see.
Mouth closed fully, Arthur ran his tongue around his teeth with hidden desire. She should have his name on her sleeve, and he of hers. They should be rushing in the early morn to seek out the mating birds, and other such silly nonsense romantic Valentine traditions. She should be in his arms so his kiss could be hot against her pouting lips.
"Sire…I'm ready."
The interruption came, making him look away.
Guinevere too held a rush of covert desires she not dare expose in the light of day falling to late afternoon. Outside here with everyone watching, with the smiling tittering ladies and their admiring knights, she could not run across the tall grasses and clasp at his hand. She could not feel any bit of his desire.
For everything was forbidden. Wanting, aching, yearning, dazzling, all of it was never intended to be revealed.
She startled at the echoed sharp swipe of the blade as his agitations came out hard in the practice fight. The metal complained boisterously at its poor treatment, but she knew he would pay it no heed, his mood fully hostile. Lifting her head up she witnessed as even he pushed the advantage, his focus was half lost, and the blade seemed to be infuriating him again, or maybe it was those handles that were too hastily made. Whatever it was, soon he swore once more, even as he won the fight.
It was not good enough. He was restless. So was she.
Turning her head away she departed to finish her palace cleaning duties.
After her passing, Merlin listened to Arthur's ranting round with simple nods of his head. As much as the knights seemed tiny bits disturbed by their prince's clear angry attitude, they were also a bit too transfixed with the waves of their intended romances.
And therein lay the problem, beyond any faulty swords.
The knights could all have their intended at their side in the light of day with nary a glance…
But their prince could not.
Merlin considered it soberly.
Arthur was lovesick.
No…
Make that love deprived.
~{}~
"You idiot!"
It was just the two of them now heading to the courtyard after the less than satisfying sword-practice. Many of them had taken their tongue lashings with heads bowed down, while others had seemed just a tiny bit belligerent in face, but of course said nothing.
Merlin's task was to carry the cleaning bucket and five of the swords used. He had just dropped two of the swords, leading to Arthur's raging about his clumsiness.
Bending down to pick up the fallen swords, Merlin muttered something under his breath. He was not the kind of servant to hold back when most others would with the Royal Prince of Camelot. Of course in one sense he even considered the prince his friend. "You're just in a sore mood Arthur."
Chainmail whipping in the wind, and armor hitting hard against it, Arthur turned around with a rush. "What was that?"
Merlin knew he was spoiling for another fight, so he simply brought in. "I saw how you looked at her. I know this is about Gwen."
The prince's face seemed to slowly fade from its tightness. The whitening softened it underneath the half clouded sun's fall to night. He soon though pushed back at sweating gold strands of hair with irritation. "I should put you in the stocks Merlin. You rarely listen and you always say what servants should have no business knowing."
Merlin actually smiled with amusement that gentled to understanding. "But I do know. You told me once, more than once actually, remember?" He put up his hands quickly with defense. "Yes I know, I'm not to tell anyone and all that, but…you don't have to deny it to yourself or to me. You're in a royal prat mood because all the other knights are with their ladies, will be going to the festival together and…you and Gwen can't do that."
Merlin dropped another sword. Clumsy bumbling idiot. Still, as the servant sighed, Arthur reached down and picked it up, holding it himself now as his regular, one of those that had infuriated him today, was sheathed at his side. He lowered his head, seeming to get ready to announce something no one else would be privileged to hear. His look displayed distress and weariness.
Merlin prepared thoughtfully some nice little condolences.
But the moment passed.
The prince's look was soon again rigidly hardened. He clenched his jaw, fallen sword in hand, and gritted back at his servant. "Shut up Merlin. And hurry up. Have to meet my father for dinner."
With a resigned sigh, Merlin followed. With the prince's mood turning this volatile already, tomorrow would be an even worse day.
Not good, since they'd all be out on the hunt.
Hope he didn't start predatorily following the human variety.
~{}~
Guinevere returned to her empty house. Usually it did not sadden her too harshly that her return to her dwelling was alone. Today though had not been the easiest. Knights and ladies around were strolling Camelot's streets with stolen kisses here and there. Even most the other servants of appropriate age had a sweetheart.
She went to take out a special book of poems her father had given her when she was just a wee one. Inside it was pressed a beautiful rose, now with frailing petals that were so delicate, if touched they could be forever parted from their stem. Next to them was a note with her name and words that…
Simply didn't mean enough. Not now. Not this week.
With a heavy sigh, even as the day was not fully gone to dark night, she lay down on her bed, eyes finding the lonely ceiling, arms crossed over an unsatisfied heart.
~{}~
Arthur came back from his dinner with his father early. He hadn't been the best company probably, and honestly he didn't care much about that sorry state at the moment. Passing by the guards, he didn't even gesture. Of course there were no knights in the halls. They were probably all charming a lady here or there. Sure he had plenty of prospects. Many a lady would love to give him their most precious token.
Sorry state that none of them fulfilled his heart. Reaching his quarters, he shut the doors hard. If he was to be alone, then he'd be in such way, in as much a surly mood as he desired, with no one to witness.
~{}~
"Okay…let's see if this shall work."
Merlin lifted his fallen head. Had he changed his mind?
Gaius, the old court physician laughed with amusement. The boy had come back in a sorely depressed mood because of his master's furied temper of late. Merlin had begged him to make something that would temper the prince for at least a day. Gaius had refused, telling him with time the prince would be back to his regular self.
But now…
"You're going to help me?" Merlin asked with strong hope. He could have done something too, but Gaius told him using strong outright magic would be too dangerous. Also, the one spell that seemed best for the current predicament had one possible…regrettable…unsettling…side effect.
It had a 95.12% chance of turning the Crown Prince of Camelot into a…
Slug.
An ugly-banana-colored-bright-yellow…slug. Slimy feel and all.
Many in the kingdom would probably not appreciate that. Gwen especially would most likely wring his neck. The king would execute him in a second.
Anything Gaius had concocted would be better. Had to be.
"No Merlin. I am not doing this just to help you. It is for the prince since he will be leading the hunt tomorrow. We must keep him focused as he is facing any dangerous animals. Now, this will simply calm his mood, make him less…uh…lovesick as you said."
Merlin, sometimes just a bit dramatic, jumped up now from the cot he had slumped down against when Gaius first told him he wouldn't help, with utter relief. "Yes! Thank you, Gaius! Oh thank you! I don't think I could take anymore of Arthur's rants. They've increased tenfold this week. He's like a wild bear ready to strike any moment. I know he still won't be totally happy about the situation with Gwen, but at least he'll be a little easier to be around…that is the limited bit of easy he is to be around in the first place."
Gaius rolled his eyes, getting in another chuckle. Ah, he loved Merlin dearly, but the boy did prattle sometimes. Of course he knew too about what was plaguing the prince. Both he and Merlin knew, and yet held tight to the secret for important reason. He had witnessed it first around that time of the great dragon's terrorizing, and he thought it was something tender to see. It showed a whole other side of the often brusque prince, how he acted with…her. Someday, he did believe they could be together. Unfortunately, right now, it seemed it was not to be.
"Okay, now Merlin. This is very important. I'm giving you two vials. One is for Mr. Frandish. He has been having a problem of late that this treatment shall help him with. The other is for Arthur. Now, keep in mind, the vial for Mr. Frandish is circular shaped and blue. The one for Arthur is red and shaped more like a square. Do not mix them Merlin."
The boy frowned as he took the two peculiar bottles. "Why?"
Gaius's grimace was deep. "Merlin, just make sure the right one goes to the right person."
Merlin shrugged. "Alright. Thank you Gaius!"
~{}~
Halfway to Mr. Frandish's, Merlin heard a sweet voice. Looking across the way he saw a lovely lady who was not one of the court, and yet not entirely a servant either.
"Merlin! Ah…come join us!"
He turned to see her delighted smile peeking through from the open entrance door to the small tavern inn. Now he had a task he needed to tend to, but uh…oh the Lady Lenora was such a pretty one and…oh well would you look at that? A grouping of her friends was inside the inn too, all just as lovely as her. Sure they weren't Freya, but…well love wasn't always easy. And she wouldn't want him wallowing sadly.
He could maybe spend a moment or two. Wouldn't hurt.
Merlin let the lovely lady lead him into the tavern establishment, hearing the giggling laughter of all her friends as they handed him a tall mug of strong cider. He really shouldn't have any. Cider could make him…
Well he didn't always hold his drink that well. Arthur teased him about it mercilessly.
But you know what?
Lately Arthur was being that royal prat he had been when he first met him. And Gaius always sent him on errand after errand, even though part of this one had been to help with the current problem. Anyway, he deserved a few moments of fun. He wouldn't stay longer than maybe to when the night darkened just a bit more.
There…it would be fine.
"So Merlin, do you have a lovely one to call your own?"
He shook his head with casual quality. The cider was proving to be very relaxing already. "Nope."
One of the ladies of their group of four chimed in. "Neither do we. Merlin Dear, we'd appreciate it so if you'd keep us company."
Merlin took another chug. Mmmmmmmm…this was really stup---pppppp-pendous cider." He downed the whole thing and hit it hard against the counter with a boisterous order. "Another!"
They all laughed and moved in closer against him on the bench that they surrounded him on. What had started out as a lonely night for the ladies seemed would end up being a nice…warm one.
~{}~
Part II: Clotpole
Lovely…
When the calamity arises…
Make good measure of it.
Together…
We will turn it to the advantage…
Or at least try.
~{}~
An astronomical clock hour or so later…
A few sweet kisses and nothing too much more risqué, but the issue maybe being all the drink he had downed, a good portion of the entire JUG of cider, Merlin was smiling just a bit too broadly. His arm was slung around the lovely Lady Lenora as he remembered it. "Oh no…ohhhhhhhh nnnnooo…I…oops…excuse me my Lady…"
He had accidentally brushed his hand against the top of one of his female companion's dresses. "Oh…sorry about that."
"That's okay Merlin!" The lady giggled. He wasn't like most men anyway who would need their hand batted at. Of course Merlin rushed it away with that cute little blush of his.
Merlin thought hard now, after the lady excused him for his unintended touch. He probably should go. Right? Yes. Some dragon to fight somewhere or…Dragonlord over or…uh…man to turn into a toad. OH wait, no, um, turn the toad into man would probably be better. Or maybe he had to go create fire with uh…what were those magical words again? Burrrnnnnarreee… bruflame?
Oh anyway, time to go…somewhere…where uh…he uh…lived. Yeah.
Merlin got up off the bench and…
"Whoa…my head's kind of heavy."
Lady Lenora held at his arm. "Oh, are you alright Merlin?"
He smiled at her charming concern, before scratching his head with indecision. "Oh yeah, I'm fine. I just uh…I…I had something I was…uh…supposed to do."
She touched at his familiar red scarf, lacing her fingers through the frayed material. "And what was that?"
Merlin, goofy-tanked-smile on his face, laughed hard. "I don't know!"
Lady Lenora tittered in kind, kissing his cheek when…
"OH!" Merlin exclaimed. "I remember now. I was on an errand for…Goose…no wait. That's not it." He frowned with strong drunk concentration. "Uh…Gase…no…uh…oh…Gaius. I was doing an errand for Gaius, and I'm sorry lovely ladies, as nice as this has been, I must be on my way. I have to go to Mr. Brandish…no wait…not his name…uh…oh Crandish. OOOPS!"
They all giggled.
Merlin pointed with meaning. "Ah, I got it. FRANDISH. That's it. Yeah. Yessssy. That's where I'm going. And then to Prince Uther…oh boy, wrong again!"
Lady Lenora, a little tipsy herself, giggled before advising. "Oh now don't disturb King Uther, Merlin. He'd have your head."
Merlin feigned shock before filling in. "Oh yeah, and my arm, and my leg and…"
"Hee hee!" They all tittered some more as finally Merlin grabbed the two important vials from the table where he had placed them…an astronomical clock hour or so…earlier. "Okay, I got to go. But with how sore the prince has been lately…" He put his hand over his mouth. "Oh no…don't tell him I said that. PLllllllleasse."
"Oh we won't." They all filled in with cutesy smiles.
"Thanks. Prince Arthur wouldn't like it. Anyway, I bid you goodnight Ladies. Thank you for a reallllllly good BIG drink. Now I'm going to take these two little drinks to the right people."
"Bye Merlin!" They all waved him out with girlish laughter.
As Merlin laughed too…swaying just a bit more than he should be.
~{}~
The cold outside helped. It took away some of Merlin's warm drunk feelings and straightened them out a little. Although, as he made it to Mr. Frandish's, a question remained.
"Mr. Frandish, Gaius sent me to give you this vial…"
Oh oh. One red vial with a circling shape and one blue with a square shape that-----oh no no, now Merlin. Focus those eyes. Come on! Let's see….ah yes. One blue with a circling shape and one red with a square shape. Yes and uh…which goes to which?
Well Gaius… said that…uh…That's it!
"Mr. Frandish, this blue vial is for you. It has a cure to help all your ills."
He handed the vial to the man as…
Wait a second.
Gaius said it was rrrrrrrrreally important that the right one go to the right man and are you totally convincingly sure Merlin that this is the right man for the right vial or…
Oh my head hurts.
Okay. Red to…Arthur…royal. Red to Arthur, right? No….wait…maybe that's just too obvious. Yes. And didn't Arthur…wasn't he the circling one? And also, blue can be royal. Arthur likes blue, has that blue jacket he wears a lot more now, and that blue tunic. That's it! Has to be. Yyyyyyyyyes! And it's the right shape too!
As the man commenced to swallow the contents of the vial, Merlin grabbed it out of his hand.
"Ah…eh!"
Merlin smiled big. "Sorry Mr. Frandish. Good thing I stopped you. I gave you the wrong one. You're supposed to have the red one, yeah, that's right. Here you go."
Poor middle aged Mr. Frandish shook his head and took a drink, frowning at his first sip. "Ah, this tastes awful."
"Wellllll…he said it would help you."
Mr. Frandish nodded his head. "Ah then, I trust Gaius. Bad tasting or not, I'll just have to take it. As long as it will help with my problem, that's what matters." He drank the whole rest of the thing in one gulp. Soon it was empty.
The red vial.
Merlin grinned and wished him a good night.
Then with a bit of a still sloppy walk, he made his way to the prince's. Ha, he wondered how the treatment would make the prince feel.
Well eh, at least he wasn't giving him the wrong one. That could have been a…
Cata…ooooo
Catastrophe! That was the word he wanted! Well at least he avoided one…ha ha.
~{}~
As the door to his quarters came flying open without any kind of announcement, Arthur swore, sword raised high in his hand. Whoever this stupid fool was, would pay dearly with their life.
"AH! Whoa…Sire…whoa there!"
Oh, his head was still beating at a whacky pace.
"MERLIN!" Arthur yelled with strong annoyance, having finally decided he should get some sleep before he had been rudely interrupted. He lowered the blade just a bit to poke at his servant's jacket. "What are you doing here this late?"
"Late?" Merlin stood on sort of wobbly boots. Everything would straighten out and then it would get kind of…waaaaaaavy again.
Arthur smelled at his strong breath and exclaimed. "You've been in the cider!" Finally he fully brought down the sword.
With how hapless the kid was right now, he'd probably impale himself on the blade just by strolling into it.
Grimacing tightly, he got out of clenched teeth, "What do you want Merlin? Actually, where have you been?"
Merlin smiled. "Just met up with some of the ladies of Camelot and…"
Arthur rolled his eyes. He really didn't know what it was. Merlin was…well…meager in looks at best, and scrawny too. Sure, he had his own share of women that noticed him, but sometimes the way they just giggled all around MERLIN of all people…it was sickening.
Oh well, he didn't care for any of those women anyway.
Merlin, seeing his master's sorry facial-expression returning, chipped in now with a jaunty wave of his hand. "I'm here to cheer you up Sire!"
Arthur squinted with disbelief. "You are just plainly an imbecile at times Merlin. A complete idiot! What would cheer me up about you coming here after getting…sloshed with some ladies, huh?"
"This." Merlin cheerily presented it now. He pointed with strong shaking drunken emphasis. "See, it's the blue one. The right one. The one that Gaius told me to bring you to uh..."
Oh, he better make this good and then go lie down. His head was getting sssssssssoooooo heavy.
"He said it would help you get a good night's sleep."
Arthur sat down on the corner of the bed with a heavy sigh, his mouth wide with argument. "I don't need anything to help me sleep."
Merlin sat down on the corner too, putting a friendly hand on his master's shoulder until…
Arthur's look shot one thousand waving daggers. Merlin was still feeling kind of dizzy, so that one dagger that usually would be there was timed by 1…uh…thousand and they were…uh…really moving around crazily.
Merlin removed his hand. "Uh, anyway, it will help you relax. I'm sure it tastes good."
Arthur turned away. "I don't want any."
Merlin, still somewhat strongly inebriated and so using very little sense, removed the top from the vial and brought it straight to Arthur's face, plunging it under his nose.
The prince reacted rapidly. "MERLIN! Get that thing away from me!" He slapped at Merlin's wrist, splashing away some of the vial's contents.
Merlin gasped. "Oh no! Look what you did! Oh…you're going to get me into so much trouble."
That sort of tipped the prince's interest. "Huh?"
Merlin came in now with a long run-on intoxicated sentence, lacking comma-pauses even, but filled with 'and'.
"Well Gaius wanted me to give it to you to help you relax and I went and had fun with the ladies and I'm not really all that sobered up right now and you're mad and Gaius is going to be mad and oooooohhhh…my head is aching and…oh I blew it so awfully-
"OH SHUT UP." Arthur took the vial from his servant now, seeing that the kid looked really drunkenly upset.
Great. Now he had to turn into a nursemaid.
Merlin was possibly the most hapless servant he ever had. And yet the craziest thing about it all was…the kid got away with it. For some reason…Arthur sort of liked Merlin. It was like he told him that one time, if he wasn't a prince, he'd probably get on alright with him. Merlin was bumbling, but also dependable and uh, had this weird knack of escaping situations that would burn others alive probably.
Strange.
Great, he had his head down. He looked utterly upset.
Oh he should just drink the bloody thing so that Merlin would stop being so morose. Drove him crazy when the kid got this way. "Alright…here…I'll drink it, okay? Just stop slobbering and…all that." He gestured with disgust.
Merlin lifted his head with a wide toothed smile.
Arthur smelled his breath, uttering with contempt. "Close your mouth Merlin, you fool!" Then he took a sip of the blue vial.
Hmmmm…didn't taste all that bad. He took another sip, smiled a bit. "Eh, this is kind of good."
Merlin grinned. "Yeah, make sure you drink all of it."
Wow, his mood was feeling a little lighter. Arthur smiled in return. "Okay…it's not that bad anyway. Kind of…has an odd taste. I like it though."
That made Merlin pleased. He was even happier as now Arthur tipped the vial and showed him that not a drop remained.
Finally the prince was not frowning…and getting…
"Ah, I feel a little sleepy now. It's so warm whatever that is Gaius made, kind of…makes me want to take a nap. It's night anyway…time to…Aaaaahhh…"
Arthur yawned fully and climbed up his bed, falling down on top of the covers.
Merlin peered down as…
Eyes closed.
Breathing slowing.
Not a single movement.
The first snore!
Perfect!
With a skip, a bit awkward by his boozed state, Merlin left the room.
Mission accomplished!
~{}~
Gaius stared now as the boy walked through the door, make that staggered through it. "Merlin, what in all of Camelot happened to you?"
The boy gave a satisfied grin, using his hand to gesture wildly. "I did what you asked Gaius! I gave Arthur his vial and the other to Mr. FrrrrFrandish."
The old man raised one eyebrow with strong inquiry. "Merlin, have you been in the cider again?"
Sloppy grin fixed on his face, Merlin raised a finger to make his point. "Oh…just a teensy weensy bit…just a little itty bitty drink. That's all." He leaned against the table, nearly falling completely to the floor with his movement, before he straightened back all the way up to his feet with a jaunty wave. "I'm fine…I'm fine!"
The elderly court physician pressed his palm against his forehead with exasperation. The boy was horrible at holding his drink, but could be charmed by the ladies from time to time to engage in such foolishness. That seemed to be what had happened this time. Especially after the Dragonlord incident, they had flocked to his side. After all, no matter what little they might think he had done, since they didn't know about the magic, Merlin had returned with the prince.
That counted for something.
"So you gave the prince the vial and Mr. Frandish his, yes Merlin?"
"Yep!" Merlin nodded his head with way too much excitement, before it started bothering his head.
Ooooohhhhh…he really needed to lie down.
Making his way to the back of the quarters he shared with the old man, Merlin went in the direction of his room. "I gave Arthur his and…Mr. Frandish his. Oh, and Gauis, Arthur loved the taste of his. I'm not so sure about Mr. Frandish though. He thought it was kind of…uh…bitter or…whatnot…oh I'm tired…." Merlin flopped down on his bed face first.
Gaius's expression was shocked before it fell into a flat line.
"ohhhhh…aaaaaahhhhh…Good Night Gaius."
It was as his eyes closed, he felt it.
Something hard landed against his back, making it scream in alarm at the horrible treatment.
Merlin yelled out with anguished unhappy drunkenness and jumped straight upward.
"AHHH! What was that for?"
Gaius stood above him with one of his punishing thousand page books, his frown rigid against his face. "Merlin, what color was the one you gave Arthur?"
Merlin pointed now with a half smile. "Ah…see I almost made a mistake Gaius. But I used common sense." He pointed to his head, inferring his brain. "Used my…uh…noggin thing. Anyway, I almost gave Mr. Frandish the blue one, but then I remembered that you said he was to get the square one and that was the…uh…"
Oh dear, where was he going with this?
"Anyway…I realized you wanted me to give Arthur the blue one because….it is one of his favorite colors lately, even though red is the royal color, but that would be too obvious and the other was the wrong shape anyways and so---well I didn't make a mistake. Aren't you happy Gaius?"
"MERLIN! YOU CLOTPOLE!"
"Huh?"
Gaius raised the book again, causing Merlin to cover his head with pure fear and way too much dizziness still.
Fixing his eyes on the wavering boy pointedly, Gaius put the book down.
Wouldn't help the matter since the damage was already done.
"Merlin, you gave each the wrong one. Arthur's should have had the bitter taste. Mr. Frandish's the pleasant taste. They vary for crucial reasons Merlin. This could be awful what you have done!"
Merlin sat up on his bed, waving his hand with dismissal. "Oh now Gaius, maybe you're making too much of it. Arthur fell asleep right away. Mr. Frandish was still awake. Arthur can finally relax. And Mr. Frandish…probably can too."
Gaius's expression was one of furied frustration. Now he would have to make two batches of remedy all night, to fix the mix-up. "Merlin, they have opposite effects."
The boy nodded shortly, already starting to lower his head back down to the pillow. "That's nice."
Gaius had half the mind to smack Merlin across the arse with the book, but he held back as he informed soberly now. "Mr. Frandish will not be able to communicate with his wife and repair their relationship, and Arthur…oh you must keep her away."
Merlin lifted his head a bit. "Who?"
Gaius held at the boy's face to get him to listen. "She must not go anywhere near him."
"Who? Why?"
"It could be catastrophic. Merlin, you must keep them ap-
As he started to say this, the boy's snore drifted out.
Gaius lifted his hands with disgust and made his way back to his laboratory. He needed to start working fast. It would take precious time, especially for the one to deal with Arthur, and time was something they had little of.
~{}~
Next time:
His hand fastened to her cheek. Even with his royal bearing she could feel the battle hardened roughness. Lips greedily drank hers in.
Thank you for reading. Feedback is adored!
About the story: Valentine's Day was actually celebrated in the Middle Ages, though maybe more to the middle/latter part so I'm probably taking some liberties. The traditions I listed for it at the beginning were common, cards not really being exchanged yet.
Our clocks of today were not yet invented, yet the astronomical clock (one of the early clocks before the invention of the modern) was in use.
Also, this story is mostly written, with one last bit I'm currently working on. I'm posting it in parts because of its length and with all the changing emotions in this story, I think it's for the best.
Thanks.