The Rivals, Part I
Children of the Druids
Chapter 1
It's barely dawn when a yawning Merlin trudges behind Gaius along the road to the tanner's home, carrying the medicine bag. The tanner had sent his son to fetch the physician to help his wife with her birthing. The tannery is located far outside the town walls, down river, away from other habitations. Merlin tries as best he can not to breathe through his nose, as the stench is overwhelming. Gaius doesn't seem to be bothered by it.
A small boy exits from the workshop attached to the house, carrying a large empty pot and sets it in a wheelbarrow with other similar pots and a large lidded barrel. The tanner, a burly man with short brown hair, leaves the house, and greets Gaius, "thank you for coming. She's getting close, I think."
He looks at the small boy hovering uncertainly near the wheelbarrow. "Where's your brother?" the man asks him. The boy points to the tannery. The tanner strides off, shouting "Ralf!" When a teenager appears in the doorway, the tanner continues, pointing to the wheelbarrow, "take these back to town and replace them where they belong. And take Willam with you."
"Is ma all right?" Ralf asks.
"Yes, yes, she's fine," the tanner says gruffly. "Off with you then." The two boys head out, walking in the direction of the main gate to Camelot.
The tanner leads Gaius and Merlin into the house and sits on the bed next to his wife who is clearly in labor, panting in pain. He takes her hand. "The physician is here, Greta," he says with tenderness.
Greta looks at him and lets out a yell as a pain overcomes her. He grimaces as she squeezes his hand.
Gaius sends the man off to fetch a bucket of fresh water, and takes the man's seat on the bed, placing a gentle hand on the woman's large belly.
"Where's the midwife?" Merlin. "Shouldn't she be here?"
The woman barely manages to grunt, "she's attending to the Apothecary's wife, whose baby's come early."
Gaius nods at this news. "We'll do what we can to help."
Merlin wets his neckerchief in the bowl of water nearby and dabs at the sweat on the woman's forehead, looking at Gaius in a panic. The woman screams as another pain builds. Her husband comes in at a run with the pail of water in his hands.
"Put some water up to boil," Gaius tells the husband, who obligingly fills the kettle over the cook-fire.
Gaius stands up and grabs a sliver of soap from the table and washes his hands in the bowl of water, gesturing to Merlin to do the same. "Now, Greta, I'm going to have to examine you. Is that all right?"
He moves to sit down at the end of the bed, looking up at her husband. Merlin takes the man's arm and says, "perhaps you'd best wait outside?"
The man looks around and swallows nervously. He leaves the room as Merlin returns to stand beside Gaius at the woman's bed.
"Okay, Merlin, here's what we need to do," Gaius says. Merlin looks as nervous as the father-to-be and nods uncertainly. The woman screams again. Merlin looks over to Gaius with panic in his eyes. "Breathe, Merlin," Gaius says.
xXx
Hours later Merlin is nearly dancing circles around Gaius with glee as they walk back to the citadel. "I delivered a baby!" he chortles joyfully.
"Yes, Merlin. You did. And you did well, my boy." Gaius smiles at Merlin's delight.
"Will she be all right, Gaius? The baby, I mean."
"Yes, I expect so. Their other children look hale enough."
"Yes, but that awful smell and all at the tannery can't be healthy." Merlin wrinkles his nose in recollection. "How do they stand it?"
"I imagine they're used to it by now," Gaius says. "It's the ingredients they use in the tanning process to cure the hides."
Merlin thinks for a moment, recalling the pots in the wheelbarrow that the tanner's sons were taking back to Camelot. He recognized them as pots that he's seen in discreet corners of the town, and which he has used himself when necessity arose. "Oh. . . . Ew. . . . Really?"
"Nothing should go to waste," Gaius says dryly.
As they pass through the main gate into the citadel, they see Aurelius approaching at a run. "Merlin! Gaius!" he pants. "I've been looking for you. The King needs you in the throne room right away."
Merlin's breath hitches. "Is he okay?"
"Yeah, fine," Aurelius says. "We have visitors he wants you to see."
Merlin and Gaius exchange puzzled glances as they step up their speed to follow the squire through the courtyard.
When they enter the throne room, they see Arthur at the far end, pacing on the dais in front of his throne, hands clasped behind his back. The knights of Camelot have been assembled and stand along the sides of the room. All eyes are focused on the two Druids who stand calmly in the center, facing Arthur.
Merlin recognizes the taller of the two, a grey-haired man in a blue robe, as Iseldir, the Druid who had welcomed him in their encampment a year or so ago* when he had lost his way. Merlin had been disoriented and injured when the Druids found him in the Forest of Essetir after he had destroyed the swarm of evil created to destroy Camelot. He had lost all memory of who he was for a while, but the Druids recognized him as Emrys, even if he didn't at the time. He'll always be grateful to the Druids for the kindness they'd shown him before Arthur came and took him away back to Camelot. Iseldir has also sought him out to help, warning him about the trap at the Tomb of Ashkenar when they door was opened by the triskellion.
"Emrys," he hears Iseldir in his head. "You're here."
"Merlin," he hears Arthur say. "I see Aurelius found you."
"Yes, I'm here," Merlin says, stepping forward into the center of the long hall. "What is it you need?"
"Your help, Emrys. Please."
"Come over here," Arthur says with a gesture, indicating a spot near the dais facing the two Druids.
Merlin looks apprehensively back at Gaius, and walks the rest of the way down the room, with Gaius following, to where Arthur is now standing. "Yes, Sire?"
"All right, then." Arthur addresses the Druids. "He's here. Please speak freely."
Merlin turns to look at Iseldir, who smiles gently at him, and then at the other Druid, who starts to speak. "Thank you, Your Majesty. My name is Brieg, and this is Iseldir, one of our elders, whom I think you've met before." At Arthur's nod, Brieg continues. "Your servant Merlin spent some time among our people and knows something of our ways."
Merlin shifts uncomfortably. "I'm sorry, Emrys. There was no other way to reach you," Iseldir conveys.
"And we have learned that he has become a skilled physician," Brieg is saying. "We have need of his skills."
"Merlin?" Arthur looks incredulous. Gaius lifts an eyebrow and Merlin glares at Arthur.
"Yes, Your Majesty," Brieg says. "Our need is urgent – a child who has broken his leg. Our healer is ill himself and cannot help."
"Please, Emrys. Come with us. Only you can help." Merlin senses the desperation in Iseldir's plea.
Merlin looks at Iseldir, and then at Arthur, back to Gaius, uncertain. He finally speaks up. "I will go."
"Thank you, Emrys. We need you." Merlin looks again at Iseldir and nods.
Arthur looks at Gaius, raising his eyebrows. Gaius says, "he's proven himself capable, Sire. Let him see if he can help. I can make do without his assistance for a day or so."
Arthur says, "well, I certainly won't miss his lazy insolent ways." He turns to the Druid who was speaking, "Merlin will go with Iseldir. You will stay here as our guest as surety for his safe return."
"Thank you, Your Majesty. That is acceptable," Brieg says.
Arthur nods. "Sir Lionel," he calls over his chamberlain. "Arrange a room for the night for our guests, and a meal. Iseldir will leave with Merlin at first light." The Druids bow in acknowledgement. Lionel gestures to the two Druids to follow him, and they leave the room.
"If there is nothing else?" Arthur looks around the room. "You may go."
The knights start to exit in an orderly fashion, Merlin and Gaius following.
"Merlin, come with me," Arthur commands as he steps from the dais and strides toward the side door. Merlin trails close behind.
Arthur heads down the corridor to the stairway leading to his chambers at a rapid pace. Merlin's long legs easily catch up to keep pace, and he's just a step behind. Arthur doesn't say a word, and Merlin's a bit reluctant to break the silence between them. Seeing the two Druids standing openly and evidently invited in the throne room in Camelot was a bit of a shock after all of the years that the Druids had been hunted and killed by King Uther. Arthur appears to be making good on his promise to the spirit of the Druid child that had possessed Elyan briefly a short while ago: his promise to treat the Druid people with the respect they deserved. But Arthur still doesn't look all that comfortable with welcoming them into the heart of Camelot.
"Arthur," Merlin starts to speak to Arthur's back, not exactly sure what he intends to say.
Arthur swings around to face him, stopping abruptly in his tracks, interrupting him. "Merlin, are you sure this is something you want to do?" Merlin stops just short of walking into Arthur.
"Yes, I think I need to." Merlin looks down at his boots, inspecting the scuffed toes. He cannot really explain this to Arthur, but Iseldir's silent plea sounded desperate. Arthur could hear only one of the conversations with the Druids taking place in the throne room. He has to go.
Arthur looks at Merlin's bent head. "What is it?" he asks.
Merlin picks his head up and tries to give a bright smile. "Nothing, Sire. They need help and Gaius will be busy, you know, with possible injuries at the tournament in the next few days. And you'll be so occupied with all your guests and the tournament that you won't even notice I'm gone."
"Not that you do much anyway."
"See? You'll be better off with George attending you – he's really good at polishing." Merlin grins. "Your armor will be sooo shiny!"
Arthur snorts, and starts walking again. "I want you to take someone with you."
Merlin doesn't think that it would be a good idea. "Erm . . why?" he stammers.
"You know, for protection."
"Arthur, the Druids are a peaceful people. I will be perfectly safe."
"A show of strength is important. Take one of the Orkney twins – Gareth or Gaheris: you pick, I never can tell them apart."
"No!" Merlin barks out. "Not them. Please."
Arthur looks at him oddly. "Why not?"
"Erm . . . I don't think they like me much." Merlin mumbles. He has a history with those two. He never told Arthur about the incident with the twins' false accusation of theft and his subsequent punishment for the crime. Although Arthur has his own reservations about the character of the two squires, he is still unaware of their deception.
Arthur sighs in exasperation. "This isn't a popularity contest, Merlin." At the stubborn set of Merlin's jaw, he relents, and says, "okay, Aurelius will go with you."
"Arthur, I don't need anyone. Sir Leon will need his squire for the tournament."
"Don't be an idiot, Merlin." They reach the door to Arthur's chambers. "Get my lunch, then go finish your chores, Merlin. You have lots to do before you can leave." Merlin bobs his head and starts to walk away down the hall. "And don't forget about the banquet tonight," Arthur says to his retreating back. "I need to give a speech." He gets a grin over a shoulder and a hand wave in response from Merlin.
* A/N: See "Emrys Lost" by Nantasyland for the story of Merlin's stay with the Druids.