CHAPTER 2 : GARLIC HAS AN ACQUIRED TASTE
Gaius watched as Merlin sat with the pestle in his hand getting no further pulverising the garlic clove. He was going to say something but decided to enjoy the silence for a little longer.
Finally, Merlin sighed and once again concentrated on the work at hand. "You know this absolutely stinks. It is a putrid stench. I'm going to vomit in a little while."
"Well, I'm not asking you to eat it, just crush it."
"But…I have to put my fingers in the mess to remove the skinny part."
"Merlin," Gaius said firmly, "I've seen you put your fingers into wounds and lots of worse things than that."
"Yes, Gaius but the smell doesn't remain on your fingers and anyway, Arthur..." and he stopped dead.
"Yes, you were saying and Arthur, and Arthur what...?"
"He doesn't like me near him when my hands smell of garlic."
"Well then, that should make you happy as it means you have less work." Gaius had the art of baiting down pat. "If he doesn't want you around…so be it!"
"But I want to..."
Gaius smiled to himself. He'd been watching the two of them. He knew Arthur to be smitten but he also knew that Merlin who was three years younger was out of his depth at the moment. He figured in two years, he would have been quite capable of realising the emotions racing through his body but not right now.
He thought, 'Love's first blush is upon him...' and he smiled at the lad he'd come to think of as his.
"You could always rub mint on your fingers after you've been working with garlic then rewash your hands or I might even let you use a drop of my essence of lemon. Anyway, why the desire to spend more time with your master? Only last week, you were moaning that he was working you too hard."
"He was but I...well…I like being in his chambers." The words came out rushed.
"That's good then for I wouldn't like to think of your working somewhere, where you are not happy."
Merlin dropped his head realising that he had probably said too much. Life was hard. There was something about Arthur which he didn't understand, not Arthur really but him when he was in the same room with him.
It must be wrong as all he wanted to do was look at him. Just stare until his eyes burned and he needed to blink. He'd duck his head when caught and gaze at him through his thick fringe.
He didn't feel that way about the other knights, he sometimes helped with their armour or the people who were sick in Gaius's outer chamber. He could deal with them, changing dressings and bedding without any difficulty.
But with Arthur it was different. If ever the opportunity arose that he should be alone changing Arthur's bed he had the greatest urge to jump in it, pull the sheets up over him and dream that...
His head snapped us as a familiar voice said, "Should have known you'd be down here! I'm eating with my father and I need to change. Hurry up, we don't have much time."
Merlin put down the pestle and stood up to walk over to Arthur.
"Whoa! You're not touching my clothes if you've been working with those disgusting onions!"
"Garlic to be exact," added Gaius.
"Whatever! It's offensive. I'll get someone else to help me. I don't want to see you until tomorrow when hopefully your arrival will not be preceded by that smell." He nodded at Merlin and called, "Goodnight, Gaius!" So saying, he strolled out of the room leaving a mortified Merlin and an interested Gaius.
Saying nothing, Gaius removed the mortar and put the crushed garlic in a shallow bowl. He glanced at Merlin and realised that the boy looked not only downtrodden but his face was tear streaked.
"Merlin? What's the matter?"
"He didn't want me near him. I told you Gaius…maybe I should explain to him that I can't work for him any more."
Gaius strode over and put his arm around the lad's shoulders. "Go and wash your hands, rub in the mint salve and sit by the fire. In a little while, you can rewash them and then see if they still smell."
Merlin did as he was told then after a few minutes said, "Does he know it hurts when he speaks to me like that?"
"I don't think he does it purposely. He just doesn't think."
"But it makes me feel, he might one day decide that he doesn't need me at all. Jeb is a very good manservant and he never makes mistakes."
He's also an adult and Arthur isn't in..." Gaius stopped in time.
"Arthur isn't what…Gaius?"
"Isn't…" Gaius thought on his feet and said, "Supposed to use anyone else as a servant but you. That was his father's decision." He paused before continuing, "Merlin, are you happy to be working with Arthur?"
A smile crept across his face and he glanced to the door before saying, "Let's say that I would be very unhappy not to be working for him."
"Well, that's something at least."
"Something at least, what?"
"Nothing, just something. Before you go to bed, you can again give your hands a good wash and I'll give you a drop of the lemon oil so you can massage it into your fingers. Then hopefully, when you go to wake up the prince tomorrow, you will smell very attractive."
He smiled as the lad's face perked up, "Merlin, if you had any questions you'd come to me wouldn't you?"
"Well, I wouldn't go to Arthur as he would tell me that I'm stupid and then he smiles in a certain way and it makes me feel funny."
"Then, I think you had better come to me, don't you?"
Merlin got up to lay the table and he started humming a little song which Gaius recognised as a folk song and he joined in.
Merlin turned and grinned at him and Gaius realised why the prince had fallen head over heels with this young man but he was determined to protect Merlin until the feelings were mutual…if they ever would be.