Chapter 2 - Consequences of Breaking a Pot
"Rise and shine!"
Arthur woke with a startle. Merlin stood by his window, goofiness in his eyes and a big smile on his lips. Based on the light coming through the window, Arthur could see that the sun was still rising.
"Merlin!" he said.
"What?" Merlin said.
Arthur looked at his servant.
"It is way too early to be smiling." Arthur muttered.
"Come on you Clotpole. Breakfast is ready, I have picked out your clothes and we leave in an hour. Let's go!"
Merlin almost jumped to the door.
"Why are you so happy by the way?" Arthur said. "You usually hate when we go out on a quest."
"I will finally meet a Trickster. I have read all about them, and I think their kind of magic is very amusing."
"It because you have the mind of a child Merlin." Arthur said.
"Well, at least I am not behaving like one." Merlin teased.
"I am not behaving like a child!"
"Right. Because all grown men in this world need someone to wake them up and put out their clothes. And it is completely normal for grown men to throws things at other people if they don't get as they want."
"Merlin!" Arthur yelled and threw a pillow towards his servant.
Merlin just laughed, proving his point.
"See you later" he said happily and ducked away from a flying cup as he exited the door.
They left two hours later, after Merlin had to go back up to Arthur's room again and basically drag him out of bed. They had been riding for hours, following Gaius' written instructions, when they finally reached a small house a mile outside of a small town. The house lay in between two trees, which had started growing alongside the house's walls and roof, almost growing in a half circle around the house. When he saw the house, Merlin immediately knew that they were in the right place. He could feel the magical energy in the air, all though it was small.
"We are here." Merlin said.
"How do you know?" Arthur asked.
"Look at the house." Merlin said quickly. "Only a sorcerer would choose to live in such a house."
Arthur nodded. He would never admit that he thought Merlin was right.
Merlin and the knights climbed down their horses. Arthur knocked on the door before he opened it, letting himself and the others in.
"Hello?" he said carefully.
No one answered, but they all heard how someone tried to hide further into the house, and Arthur and the knight drew their swords. Arthur stopped in front of a curtain, signing to Gwaine to go around and approach it from opposite side. Gwaine did, and Arthur counted soundlessly to three. Then he put out his arm, and grabbed something behind the curtain.
"Aow!" an old voice cried. "That hurts! Stop it!"
Gwaine removed the curtains, and behind it stood an old woman, her arm in Arthur's firm grip. The woman looked so small next to the knights. She was in her late sixties, skinny and so short she only reached to Gwaine's shoulder. Her hair was grey, fastened in a nod on the back of her head.
"What do you want?" she sneered. "And let go of me young man! That is no way to treat an old lady."
Arthur let go of her.
"I, Arthur Pendragon, king of Camelot, demand you to reverse the spell you have put on the knights' of Camelot horses."
"I have done no such thing." The woman said. "And don't you demand me. Don't they teach manners to the royal children anymore? Just barging in to someone's home and demand around. Where is your manners young man?"
Merlin hide a smile. The old woman reminded him of how he used to speak when he was disguised as Dragoon the Great, in his red robe and white beard.
"I know you are lying Trickster!" Arthur said. "Reverse the spell and I will spare your life. Don't do it, and you will face trial of practising sorcery in Camelot."
"I have done none such thing!" the woman yelled. "And I am no Trickster. I am just a physician."
Arthur looked around in the small room. The walls were covered with shelves, all containing jars full of herbs and other things used to make spells.
"This is proof enough." Arthur said. "Reverse the spell now, or we will take you with us back to Camelot."
"I am innocent." The Trickster said.
"Camelot it is then." Arthur said, and made a sign towards Percival, who went towards the woman.
Merlin's brain was working fast. He had known the moment they entered the house that the woman was the Trickster they were looking for. But he knew that if she went with them to Camelot, she would not survive.
"Percival, wait!" Merlin said, and then he turned to Arthur. "Arthur, look. I think she is telling the truth. Look at these leaves. They are used to cure stomach ache. And these roots," Merlin said and pointed at a jar full of roots, "they help to prevent infections. Gaius uses them all the time. This woman is no Trickster."
Merlin seemed very convincing, but that was because he wasn't lying. He just left out the part about how the leaves also could be used to make someone burp for hours, and how the roots could be used to make a truth serum.
"But Gaius said…" Leon began.
"Gaius can be wrong too. I mean, he is starting to get old." Merlin said. "Don't tell him I said that."
"All right." Arthur finally said. "We will leave you be. But behave, or we will come back for you."
"Thank you, your majesty." The Trickster said, and although Arthur couldn't hear it, Merlin definitely heard the mocking tone in her voice.
They all turned around to exit the house, but as they did, Gwaine bumped into a shelf, sending two pots off it. As the pots hit the floor they crashed into a million pieces, shards, roots and leaves spreading all over the floor.
"What have you done your clumsy full-grown baby?!" the woman yelled.
"Sorry." Gwaine said.
But before he had time to offer her to help with the clean-up, Arthur pushed him and the other knights out of the door, completely ignoring the mess they leaved behind. Left was only Merlin and the Trickster woman. The old woman bent down to pick up the biggest shards.
"Why don't you leave?" she sneered to Merlin.
"I know it was you." Merlin said.
The woman turned around.
"What?"
"I know it was you." Merlin said again. "I know you are the Trickster, and I know you put a spell on the horses. I can sense your magic."
"You don't know what you are talking about boy." The woman said.
"Don't I?" Merlin said with a smile, and his eyes flashed in gold.
The woman was taken aback. She watched Merlin in silence for a couple of seconds.
"Who are you?" the Trickster asked.
"Never mind who I am. Give me the spell, and save me and yourself the trouble. I can make you tell me if I have to, but to be honest, I really don't want to. So, give me the spell and leave Camelot be, and I will make sure you're never bothered by king Prat ever again."
The Trickster looked at the young man in front of her. She could feel his power, and it was strong. So strong that she have no doubt in her mind that he could get the spell out of her if he wanted to. She was only alive because he was kind enough not to kill her. The decision was an easy one. She went over to a bookshelf, and took down a big book. She removed a piece of paper from it and handed it to Merlin.
"This is the reversing-spell.
"Merlin!" Arthur's voice sounded from outside the house.
"Thank you." Merlin said with a small smile.
Before he left, he went over to the shards left from the pots Gwaine had broken. He uttered a word, and the Trickster saw to her amazement how the bowls repaired themselves. Merlin looked around. There were still leaves and roots on the floor, and he could see clear mud prints from the knights' boots.
"Merlin!" Arthur's voice sounded impatient.
"I am sorry about the mess." Merlin said.
And then he left. The Trickster heard the young warlock joining the others, and it wasn't till she no longer could hear them that she allowed herself to relax. She picked up a broom and started sweeping, sighing at the mess.
"Idiots." She muttered. "Clumsy idiots. They are like small children…"
At that thought, a smile hit her lips as she got an idea. Gone was the young warlock's warnings, and instead, she was filled with mischief. She let go of the broom, placed a bowl on the table and stated looking through her pantry for ingredients.
A/N: And chapter 2 is up! I hoped you enjoyed it. For those of you who has read the one shot: The fun stuff will start next chapter, I promise. Thank you all for reading, favouring, following and reviewing. Have a great morning/day/night!
