CHAPTER 4 : MISTAKEN QUARRY
The ride was uneventful. The trails were wide and level, the horses cantered for long stretches. They then reached hilly terrain which slowed them down measurably.
Arthur and Leon rode together and it was decided to send two knights ahead to see if there was any room at the inn where they hoped to spend the night and to reserve what they could and also maybe check for accommodation in the village. They knew the inn and had stayed there previously but after Gawaine and a few of his cronies insulting the landlord, Arthur hoped that with an offer of silver for the poor man's inconvenience, he might reconsider putting them up.
"Leon, I think you should go. He might remember you as one of the more level headed people that night. Take a purse of silver and make sure that he realises that this is on top of whatever he wants to charge us. Try to run it by him while his wife is present as she might see it as an opportunity not to be sneered at.
"Choose someone to accompany you and please, not Gawaine! He will have to be put up with one of the villagers or if nothing else, he can sleep rough. I will not jeopardise the chance of a warm room if the innkeeper realises that Gawaine is around."
Leon laughed as he said, "I'll take Gavin if that is all right. I'll let Rook know that I need some money and if there are rooms available, I'll also pay from them up front. If only the innkeeper had had a sense of humour, we wouldn't have to do this."
"I think it was beyond having a sense of humour. Gawaine's comments about his daughter were pretty crude."
"But, he didn't realise it was the daughter of 'mein host'. I'm sure he learnt his lesson," Leon said as he burst out laughing. Arthur laughed too as he knew that once Gawaine was in his cups anything could happen and usually by the time he was sober, he had no recollection of what he had done wrong.
Arthur always had the feeling that maybe Gawaine was more in control than he let on, as in the case of an emergency, he became sober quickly. He'd have to run that by Merlin as he was really a good friend of his. Arthur smiled, regardless of Gawaine's faults, he was the person he wanted to be with Merlin should he ever run into any trouble if he wasn't there himself. Gawaine was one of the good guys and Arthur enjoyed his company.
Leon went back to find Rook and to tell Gavin that they were going to ride ahead to make arrangements for accommodation and also to notify them that there would be an opportunity to feed a dozen odd knights should they be able. If not, they would turn to the villagers for help.
Arthur usually travelled as a senior knight, thus avoiding people who wanted to discuss their grievances, throwing the journey off schedule. He was a good king and had village headsmen who reported to his representatives all the troubles within their villages. He was fair and just and his councillors worked hard to keep things running smoothly even in outlying areas.
It was one of the latter situations which had them where they were today, returning from an isolated village which had persistently been at the mercy of hoards of bandits who regularly swept into the town, demanding the food, taking livestock and in some cases stealing women and young girls.
Arthur would not condone such behaviour. He had sent soldiers and guards to deal with them but still the invaders had returned in the following spring. Taking it into his own hands, he had arrived with a dozen knights and forty guards The battle per se had never taken place as it was easier to pick them off in small groups. No mercy was shown. The leaders were killed and some followers slunk away in defeat. Any foolish enough to leave tracks were chased down and killed. Ten guards had remained in the area to support the villagers. If things remained quiet, his men would be home at the end of the year.
Arthur came back to the present as Merlin arrived beside him. Iago was fussing, throwing his head up and down but Merlin could see nothing that would have caused this behaviour. Arthur said, "He'll set Favoury off, what is wrong with him?"
"I don't know! Just happy to see you maybe."
Suddenly Iago screamed, leaping forward and into Favoury, sending Merlin tumbling onto the ground. He was unhurt and had the presence of mind to roll out of the way of the riders following them. Everyone pulled up in confusion as Merlin got to his feet and ran to his horse.
If anyone had been watching, Ged's horse who was carried the remaining venison, flicked its ears to a sound behind it and then turned its head as something had obviously caught its attention.
Iago stood covered in sweat, head down, and he flinched away from Merlin when he approached him. Merlin said, "Easy, Boy, I won't hurt you!" but the horse would have none of it and pulled away.
Arthur had dismounted and walked onto Iago's other side to stop the horse from careening off the track into the undergrowth. Suddenly, Iago's legs folded, he grunted and went down. Merlin obviously upset dropped beside him. The chestnut's breathing was laboured and Arthur feared for the worse.
Merlin had a flashback to the death of his beloved Gidun. He thought, 'Not again!'
The horse seemed to be panting and Merlin ran his hand over his neck pulling it away quickly as he felt a sharp protrusion. His first thought was a fractured bone but then he realised that there would be no bones there to fracture just muscles and nerves. He looked again and Arthur who was beside him said, "Merlin, did you cut yourself?"
Merlin looked down and saw a scratch on his hand, beading with fresh blood. "I felt something, thought it was the end of a fractured bone but now I think otherwise." Iago was lying down as a horse might in a field, not flat out, but ready to scramble to its feet should there be a need for the flight response. Merlin knelt in front of him and raised his head slightly and noticed that his eyes were glazed. He passed his hand before them but they were unfocused. His breathing had returned to normal and he resembled a sleeping horse.
Arthur said, "Be careful!" but Merlin was studying his neck again and found the point where there was a slight trickle of blood.
Merlin could see a protrusion. It looked like metal. He thought, 'How in heaven's name did he get a piece of metal in his neck when he had been riding him for the last two hours?' All sorts of things crossed his mind but nothing made any sense.
Simon said, "He looks as if he is trying to take forty winks." Arthur nodded that was exactly what it looked like.
Merlin said, "Arthur, pass me your knife, I'm going to remove this barb or whatever it is."
Realising that it didn't make much sense having the whole group of them standing around, Arthur told Aislin to take charge and get everyone on the way to the inn. They would meet up there later.
Slowly, the knights rode in single file past Merlin's horse, most nodding sympathetically as they knew that losing a horse was something which to a knight was tantamount to losing a friend, someone who had looked out for them and kept them safe. For many, the loss of a particular horse would never be forgotten.
Finally, it was only Simon, Gawaine and Rhylin who remained with Arthur and Merlin. Iago's condition had not changed. Gawaine said, " I know it's not funny but it looks as if he were sleeping off a night at the pub."
Merlin's head shot up and Gawaine expected to be, in no uncertain terms called a bloody idiot but Merlin said quietly, "That's it! He's been drugged… Hopefully he will feel no pain as I intend to remove the thing from his neck, right now."
Arthur said, "Don't touch it! It might have poison on it." Rhylin grabbed a mug from his saddle bag and knelt beside Merlin.
Merlin took a deep breath and made a slight incision over the site of entry. Iago's skin twitched but apart from that there was no movement due to pain which made Merlin feel better. He inserted the knife into the wound and twisted it. There seemed to be something solid in there. He made the incision slightly larger and could see what looked like a metal object. Arthur handed him his gloves and putting them on, he inserted his finger to hook it out. The incision bled freely and he let it bleed, carrying away any impurities that he might have introduced with the knife and the gloves. Gaius often said that bleeding from a wound prevented it getting infected. He dropped the object into the mug with a clinging sound.
The others gathered around to check what it was. It looked like a miniature arrow head.
Arthur said, "What the hell is that?"
Merlin picked up a twig and rolled the object around. It resembled an iron arrowhead but it was smaller and had a hollow centre. It reminded Merlin of a pipe that Gaius often used to drip medication into an open wound.
Iago suddenly snored and Merlin smiled, his horse was asleep. Some bastard had shot this thing into him and it must have had a sleeping drug or something on the tip. Why would anyone want to drug his horse? …and then reality hit him. They hadn't wanted to hit Iago but Arthur.
A dose strong enough to bring down a horse would have killed a person. Iago in throwing his head around had received the arrow in his neck instead of Arthur. Merlin glanced at Arthur unsure that he wanted to worry him by telling him what he felt had happened.
He looked down at his hand, he should really clean the scratch as he had touched the area where the drug must have been. He looked up at Arthur and he knew that he had realised that as no one had anything against the chestnut, that either Merlin or he must have been the intended target.
Arthur said, "Rhylin, get my water-skin and Merlin's too, he will have to wash his hands. All we need is for him to fall asleep too."
Knowing that Arthur was trying to lighten the situation, Merlin smiled but Gawaine and Simon were not easily hoodwinked. They both stood beside their king with their swords drawn.
Arthur said, "I don't think that is necessary, I'm sure that whomever it was is far away by now." He was interrupted by Iago sighing and stretching out his head.
"He's coming round…" Merlin said.
"Well, move back as when he tries to stand he won't be that steady and might knock you over."
They waited a few minutes and Iago began to make an effort to stand but it was beyond him. He managed to shift his weight to get his front legs straightened out and reminded Gawaine of a seated dog. He was certainly more alert but not yet right. "Should we give him a hand standing?" he asked Merlin.
"No, I think it would be safer for him to get up under his own steam," Merlin turned to them adding, "Look, I can stay with him until he is ready to walk. You get on your way to the inn, we'll join you later."
Simon said, with a glance at Arthur, "Are you serious? We're not leaving you out here alone to face some maniac with poisoned arrows. Right, Arthur?"
Arthur said, "I think it would be better if we stayed together. I don't think there is any further danger but I feel that we ought to stay as a group." The others nodded. "It might have been a one-off, some nut out hunting and he shot before realising that it was horses and riders not a herd of deer."
Merlin glanced at him and Arthur smiled and turned his hands up as if accepting defeat with such a ludicrous explanation.
Suddenly, Iago heaved himself to his feet. He stood there resembling a table with four out spread legs and looked around slowly. Rhylin had handed Merlin his first aid kit and he dusted the wound with one of Gaius's favourite medications and wiped some of the dried blood off his neck.
Each man was trying to explain to himself the recent events and was relieved that nothing had happened to Arthur. Gawaine said happily, "All's well that ends well and just think we've something interesting to tell the others back home."
Merlin said, "Rhylin, get me some large leaves and a bandage, I want to wrap that metal up carefully so that Gaius can check it out. He might be able to identify what was used."
Iago shook himself and stood looking more like a horse than a piece of furniture. Merlin loosened his girth and told him that he had been a very brave boy.
Arthur raised his eyes to heaven and then became serious saying, "You'll ride double with me…"
He was interrupted by Gawaine who said, "Hazlit is stronger that Favoury, he'd be better with me."
Arthur gave him a look which brooked no discussion and repeated, "Merlin, you'll ride with me!"
Merlin nodded now was not the time to fight but he knew that Gawaine was right, it would be easier for his stronger horse to carry the two of them but he also knew that deep down, Arthur wanted him with his arms around him and his breath on the back of his neck.
Years ago they used to often ride Arthur's other horse Mulgan together. So often in fact that Gidun Merlin's old horse used to quite happily tag along behind, eating the scenery as he went much to Arthur's annoyance. He used to say, "Merlin, you have absolutely spoiled him."
To which Merlin would say softly, "As you do me, Arthur…!" and he would lean forward and kiss the back of Arthur's head before turning back to Gidun saying with a laugh, "Come along, Slow Poke, catch up. You're making Arthur cross!"
He came back to the present saying, "Arthur, I think to begin with I had better lead Iago but once he seems steady enough, I'll be happy to hitch a ride with you."
Rhylin packed up the medical supplies and the metal arrowhead which he repacked into his mug to keep it safe, returning everything to Merlin's saddlebags. He thought of the times when his brother Romney would tell him of the wild things that used to happen when he rode out with Arthur and now, he had something to tell him.
Slowly the group of five horses made their way along the track. Arthur figured they were maybe an hour and a half behind the others.
One of the three men who had been lying motionless in the forest for the last hour and a half, slowly stretched and stood up. "Idiot horse!" he said, "All that planning and it came to naught."
-0-0-
After first having walked along with his nose almost touching the ground and his hooves barely clearing it, Iago seemed to gain more life and was travelling along well, not holding the other horses back.
The plan to ride double with Arthur had been shelved. Favoury as much as she was used to Merlin would not consider his riding behind Arthur. She kept bunny hopping behind, much to Gawaine's amusement who called to Merlin, "She'll have you off!"
No sooner said, than Favoury's bunny hopping turned in halfhearted bucks, one throwing Merlin forward into Arthur's back. "Get closer to me," he said, "Sit further forward!"
"Arthur, if I were any closer, we'd be occupying the same saddle."
"Sounds good to me!" was the only response that statement received.
Merlin decided that maybe the extra weight was annoying her so he said, "Arthur, I think we should have tried this bareback first. She's not Mulgan and neither is she happy…maybe she's ticklish."
"My cloak always covers her rump and she used to the saddle bags, she's just being silly. She's carried deer before now."
Looking down at the sixteen hand dapple grey, Merlin grinned, "Maybe I'm not that dear to her!"
"Merlin, you're not at all funny, you know?" However, the chuckles of the others behind them disproved that point. "All right, get off her and ride one of the others."
Dismounting, Merlin checked the size of the other riders, Rhylin was the lightest and his mare Kystan capable of carrying two riders. So he said, "All right, if I hop up behind you?" Rhylin nodded and Arthur gave Merlin a look as if to say you should have stuck with me.
Merlin told Rhylin to ride next to Arthur and he did so, enabling Merlin to say to him, "Arthur, we couldn't very well have bunny hopped all the way to the inn. By the time you and I would have arrived, everyone else would have been leaving on tomorrow's journey…"
Leon then rode up to be beside Arthur and Iago was quite happy beside Rhylin's black mare.
They had no mishaps along the way and moved quite quickly. Soon they began to see scattered dwellings and ahead of them, made out the lights of a village. Gawaine led them to the inn like a good scent hound and Arthur led the way inside.
Not seeing Merlin, one or two of the men wondered if the chestnut hadn't made it but Leon said that Merlin would be in shortly but he was settling Iago first.
-0-0-
Merlin joined them later looking relieved. "How is he?" Arthur asked.
"Seems fine. He had a good drink and then ate his oats quite happily. I'll check him later but he seems none the worse for wear." Arthur pushed an ale over to him and he smiled, raising it to Arthur before taking the first sip and keeping Arthur's gaze as he licked his lips.
Arthur smiled, nodding at him. Aislin had told him that they had managed to get two family rooms, one for Arthur and the other for the more senior knights Leon and himself but everyone was guaranteed a cot even if someone would be sleeping on the trundle bed in Leon's room.
The knights had been drinking since they had arrived and Aislin had arranged that the meal be served upon Arthur's arrival. Arthur had warned Gawaine to keep a low profile but attention seemed to seek him out and already the serving girls were making eyes at him.
Arthur shook his head and said to Gavin, "How did it go with the innkeeper?"
"Once he saw the colour of the coin, he seemed to have spontaneously forgotten the previous fiasco. I vouched for any breakages and Leon said he will keep Gawaine within arm's length."
Arthur smiled, "Rather him than me!" Thinking to himself that his arms would be busy holding Merlin and they certainly did not need to babysit Gawaine at the same time.
Soon the meal was served; it smelled delicious, roast pork and chicken in a rich gravy, topped with a wedge of pastry and a slice of cheese. This was going to cost them but Arthur didn't care, the men had been through enough on this trip and deserved to be treated well.
Before they ate, Arthur thanked them for their commitment and mentioned Sir Gedwynn and raised his tankard, the others followed suit. The meal was satisfying and once finished, Arthur rose from the table, saying that tomorrow would come quickly, he left the others to finish drinking.
Merlin followed him; the room they had was more than the usual family room. He was certain that it was the innkeeper's own room. It had two windows with curtains. It was warm and smelled of lavender and spices. The linens were clean and there was water in a ewer on the table in the corner.
Arthur loosened his belt and shrugged off his jacket, but his look changed to displeasure as when he went to help Merlin with his jacket he said, "Arthur, I really should go and check on Iago. I'll be back as soon as possible."
Throwing himself on the bed after Merlin left, he said, "Damn horse!" and then guiltily remembered that if it hadn't been for that damn horse, he might have been unceremoniously tied over Favoury's saddle and be making his way home as the second fatality on the journey.
He lay there thinking, he wouldn't have let them tie Merlin's body to his horse, he would have insisted that he carried him in his arms and he was pretty certain that Merlin or Gawaine would have done the same thing for him. Then he smiled he wondered if Iago would have bunny hopped as well with the added weight. Probably not, as one word from Merlin and he would have behaved himself.