Chapter Nine
Gwen threw the blanket off herself and got out of bed. Thunder rolled overhead and the rain poured down on the roof in buckets. She pulled a basket out from a corner and set it on top of the table to catch the rain dripping through the leak in the ceiling. Shivering in the cold she hurried back into bed and pulled the cover up over her shoulders just as she heard a knock on her front door.
She frowned and sat up. It had to be past midnight. Who would be coming by at this hour and in this weather?
The knock sounded again. Concern forced Gwen out of bed and towards the door.
Griping a thick stick in one hand, which she always kept propped against the wall just in case, she opened the door.
A man stood on the door step. He was soaking wet and leaning heavily against the wall of the house as if he was having difficulty standing.
She could just barely make out his face from the firelight shining from the hearth behind her. She dimly recognized him and had to search through her memory for a name.
"Arthur?" she asked tentatively.
"I'm sorry to bother you," he said. His voice sounded weak and tired. "I have to come somewhere and you…you always…you don't remember but you were always…you are the person I have trusted the most in my entire life…I didn't know where else to go…"
On impulse Gwen stepped aside. "You have to come in out of the rain."
Slowly Arthur entered. Crouching to avoid hitting the door frame, he seemed to have trouble straightening again and he sunk instantly into a chair next to the table. He looked awful.
"What happened to you?" asked Gwen, concerned. He was shivering violently.
"My horse broke its leg several days ago and I ran out of money a week back so I couldn't buy a new one and…I've been walking and all the food was go-…well and then it started raining yesterday and I…just need to rest for a little while and then I'll…"
Gwen came forward and felt his forehead.
"You're very hot."
"I feel freezing."
"Wait a moment." Gwen hurried over to the bed and started pushing it.
"What are you doing?"
"Pushing the bed closer to the fire. There, get in."
"What?"
"Get in. And take off your shirt."
"My shirt?"
"Yes," said Gwen, coming towards him. "You need to get warm. Your clothes are soaking wet. You're sick. You're freezing. And you're exhausted. Now you're going to listen to me and get into bed."
Whether he was listening to her because she was right or because he was too tired to argue Gwen didn't know but using the table to push himself up, Arthur got to his feet. His hands shaking, he pulled his shirt off and dropped it onto the floor. He took a step away from the table and staggered; Gwen reached out and grabbed his arm.
"I'll help you." Supporting a portion of his weight she was able to get him to the bed and he lay down in it. She pulled up the cover over him. "There. Try and sleep, I'll be right back." She pulled her cloak off the hook by the front door and tied it around herself, pulling up the hood. She was just reaching for the door handle when she heard Arthur ask,
"Where are you going?"
"I'm going to get Gaius."
"You can't go out in that," he protested, but his eyes were already falling closed.
"You need a doctor. Just sleep a little. I won't be gone long."
He was already asleep when she shut the door behind her.
The rain beat down on the trees, making a pleasant noise. Large puddles were rapidly forming and miniature brooks began to form in the washes.
In the small clearing the rain seemed to be falling only to tree level and then running off into the woods as if they were meeting an invisible barrier covering the clearing.
In the center of clearing, sitting cross-legged on the dry grass, Merlin was looking up as he watched the rain run-off the invisible ceiling and he was grinning.
"You have got to teach me that spell."
Morgause, seated on the grass beside him, smiled. "I'd be happy to."
"How long can it last for?"
"Hours if the caster is strong. It will keep out anything. Rain, sleet, hail, animals, men. I can also teach you how to dispel it if you like."
"Really? That'd be brilliant." He smiled at her briefly and then looked back up at the rain.
After letting the silence last for a few minutes Morgause repositioned herself so she was sitting more directly in front of Merlin. "Have you thought about what I said?"
He looked back at her and his smile faulted somewhat. "I…well, I know what you said I just…look, I've loved this. I really have. Having someone to talk to about magic, someone to try out spells with and to learn and to study with, I…it's been brilliant. Just having another wizard to talk to is…I've felt so much less alone since I've met you but…" he shrugged. "The things you're talking about…I know how you feel about wanting things to change. But there's nothing we can do."
"Yes there is Merlin," said Morgause leaning forward eagerly. "We could change things."
"We can't. As long as Uther is king things aren't going to change."
"Exactly."
"What do you mean?"
"We can change everything."
Merlin shook his head and stood up. "Look maybe someday, this great future and era you talk about, maybe someday we can help to bring it about, but not today, not now."
"Merlin," said Morgause exasperation leaking into her voice but he cut her off.
"Look, I've got to go."
"But-"
"I'll see you in a few nights." Merlin hurried off.
Morgause let out a sigh of annoyance and rose to her feet. Emrys was coming along awfully slowly…but she reminded herself, there was time. She looked up at the rain.
Merlin was soaking through and freezing by the time he was back inside Camelot. He hurried through the streets and towards home. He hoped the rain hadn't woken Gaius. Since he had first met Morgause he had suspected there was something about her that Gaius wouldn't like. This feeling had only increased when she had suggested it might be best if he kept their meetings just between the two of them. He had somehow felt she was referring to Gaius in particular but he had been afraid to ask. If he did, she might tell him. And he liked talking to her. Having someone to share magic with had felt freeing after a lifetime of hiding.
He was so wrapped up in his thoughts and the rain was coming down in such thick sheets, that he was just a few feet away from his front door when he realized there was a cloaked figure standing in front of it, wrapping furiously.
The door opened and Gaius looked out, he could hear voices but not make out what they were saying. He was just looking around desperately for a place to hide when Gaius looked up and saw him. He gestured. Grimacing to himself Merlin came closer. He didn't know how he was going to explain to Gaius where he'd been.
As he reached the door he realized the other person was Gwen.
"Gwen, what's wrong?"
"It's that man. The one from a month ago, Arthur. He's at my house and I think he's sick."
"We'll be right there," Gaius said, his voice taking the note of authority it would take when he was discussing medical matters. "Merlin, I need you to help me gather my things. Gwen, get back and we'll meet you there. Starting heating some water, if he's been out in this rain it'll do him no harm to have something warm to drink."
Gwen nodded and was off like a shot.
