Chapter 7
After the enchantment had left them; a very battered Gwaine, an impressively bruised Lancelot and a seemingly unmarked Percival had walked into the market place just as people were waking. Astonished they had helped some of the older inhabitants to their feet and even aided in the righting of a few stalls when they heard the unmistakable sound of the Court Physicians voice, seemingly demanding answers off a boy who he had cornered against the wall.
"Who are you? Do you know why we were all behaving like that? And most importantly of all what happened to Merlin?" growled Gaius.
Before the boy could respond Gwaine had bounded over to them and had grabbed him by the scruff of the neck "What did you do to my friend you little runt? If you've hurt him..."
Turning to Gaius, but still holding the boy by the throat, Gwaine demanded "What's happened? Is Merlin safe? What does this boy know about it...?
"If you'd just be quiet for a minute Gwaine, I might be able to actually find that out. Now put the boy down before you choke him to death."
Gwaine glared at his captive, but dropped him soon enough once he'd seen the look on Gaius's face. Brave knight though he was, even he did not interfere when it came to Gaius and protecting Merlin.
"What is your name boy?" growled Gwaine.
"Berwin, my Lord" the boy replied.
"And what happened to Merlin?" asked an anxious Gaius.
"It took him." was all the boy said. But it was enough.
"We need to find Arthur" Gaius said and for once all three of the knights agreed.
XXX
The people in the market square had woken up fairly soon after Merlin had disappeared and apart from each having a slight headache, they seemed unharmed by their experience. At least they were fine physically. Mentally they were all very confused and upset by what they had seen. Bad enough that there had been the argument and the fight; but to see the Prince's manservant kidnapped by magic was unbelievable. Most of them knew Merlin or had at least heard tell of his kindness, humour and loyalty. And they were worried about what had happened to him. The majority of them thought he'd been killed, blown up by a sorcerer. The same sorcerer who everyone blamed for the violence that had so recently invaded Camelot.
But the market stops for no man, wares needed to be sold and families fed so whilst they talked and gossiped they also carried on getting life back to normal. By the afternoon the strangeness felt as if it had happened days ago. Afterall, sad though it was, the Prince could get a new manservant and anyway there was work to do and the illness to battle. To them, Merlin was just one among the many they were likely to loose and there was precious little time to mourn.
But that was the people of the Lower Town – in the Citadel it was completely different. Servant, squires, knights and ladies were very well aware of the loss of Merlin. It was impossible to ignore; mainly due to the behaviour of those knights who called him friend and the Prince who called him, well, to be honest, who tended to call him "idiot". Though it had been a few hours, the Citadel was still reeling. The Prince was almost frantic but trying to hide it by behind a bad temper and the knights were loudly declaring their hatred of sorcerers and their determination to get Merlin back. It was, frankly, chaos.
To Berwin, who had found himself perched on the stool in the corner of the Gaius's chambers observing the Crown Prince, it was infuriating. He watched as Arthur paced the room, trying not to seem anxious, but failing pathetically at hiding it. Berwin was starting to get more and more annoyed that no-one would listen to him. "I thought I been brought here to tell them what I saw," He thought "But they are too busy yelling at each other and about sorcerers, that they've not even asked me anything."
Arthur had been brought up to date with the strange happenings in the Lower Town and was inclined to agree with Gaius that it had been the work of a powerful sorcerer – indeed when was it ever anything else Arthur thought? Sometimes he felt a little nostalgic for the days of disgruntled Lords and avaricious Kings attacking; with actual armies. Things just used to seem so much easier and clearer then.
But the thing that was concerning all of those gathered there, Gaius; Arthur; Gwaine, Percival and Lancelot, was how come Merlin seemed to be at the centre of the enchantment? Arthur had asked Gaius if he had any ideas but it seemed the physician was just as flummoxed as the rest of them. The idea that the loyal old man might have been hiding something never even occurred to either the Prince or the perturbed knights.
It had reached a point where everybody was talking at once. They were all coming up with ideas; plans and possible explanations – worry making them unable to really think straight. No-one was listening to anyone and Berwin decided it had to stop; that his shyness and sense of propriety would have to be overcome. He gave a small cough.
No-one shut up.
He tried again, only this time with a slightly louder "Excuse me..."
No-one shut up.
"I'm sorry to interrupt you, but I believe I might be able to help you with some of the details" he managed to stammer; in what actually turned out to be quite a loud voice. Everyone stopped talking/yelling and, as one, they turned and looked at him.
It was the first time Arthur had really paid the boy any attention at all and he was just about to ask him what he knew about the situation when he looked, as Merlin had, into his eyes. And the effect was instant, as it had been with Merlin; he knew who the boy was. One word escaped his lips "Niamh."
Berwin bowed his head in response and quietly said "My name is Berwin, my Lord and you are right; Niamh was my sister. And I need to tell you our story."
XXX
A/N
Berwin - Celtic boys name meaning "blessing".
