A TRICK OF THE LIGHT

Chapter Ten

"Do you wake up as I do, having forgotten what it is that hurts or where, until you move? There is a second of consciousness that is clean again. A second that is you, without memory or experience, the animal warm and waking into a brand new world. There is the sun dissolving the dark, and light as clear as music, filling the room where you sleep and the other rooms behind your eyes."
(Jeanette Winterson)

-x0x-

Sir Gwaine had woken up in many ways and many places. He had woken up half-dead, or totally drunk, or so far beyond embarrassment that he could only shrug it off and smile. He had woken in taverns and wheat fields and prison cells. He was, in fact, the self-proclaimed king of rude awakenings. A bucket of pig slop in the face was the least of his favourites. The aroma of freshly-made porridge ranked highly.

In his broad experience of mornings-after – one day, perhaps, he should range them into some kind of proper order - this was a fairly pleasant waking. To begin with, he was in bed, which was always a bonus. He was warm; the sun was golden bright beyond his eyelids; there was someone looming over him…

He opened his eyes, smiling lazily.

"There you are," said Gaius. "Welcome back."

"I went away?" Gwaine mumbled, hoping to hide his confusion. Unpleasant and unwanted details starting creeping back into his memory. He shifted… and the world froze around him as his body registered a cruel kind of pain. "Sore!" he managed to croak.

"I imagine that's an understatement." Gaius shook his head. "I used up all my thread, you know."

A curious remark. Gwaine tried to make it connect with something. "Oh!" he said, at last. "I get it. What a fine bedside manner you have there, Gaius." Easy to lapse back into a learned disguise. Hide the pain, hide the anger. "Thank you, I suppose."

"You suppose?" Gaius heaved a sigh and patted him on the shoulder, narrowly avoiding the nearest bandage. "Such gratitude, Sir Knight. Like pearls from your lips."

"Come on, Gaius. Don't make me grovel. I'm grateful, really." As though to prove the truth of his words, he let the healer in, just a little. "You saved my life. I know that. It was… scary for a while; you understand."

Gaius rose to his feet, feigning nonchalance, and began to walk away. Then he stopped and turned. "It's good to have you back, Gwaine," he said with unexpected feeling. "Merlin would miss you…"

"Merlin. Right. Thank you, Gaius," Gwaine repeated, making sure that this time there could be no doubt about the warmth behind his words.

-x0x-

"I'm sorry; what did you say?" Arthur's face was a picture. Merlin waited, studying every hilarious detail so that he could store it in his head. Since he had drawn the short straw, he was determined to enjoy himself. "Let me run through it again. And do, please, inform me if I miss anything vital to our safety. So. Camelot may well be threatened by… little balls of light. They have no weapons but the power to tease us mercilessly. And our defence is to – what? Walk around the citadel like a raggedy troupe of performers, wearing our clothes inside out?"

"That's about the sum of it," Merlin said pleasantly, waving Arthur's shirt in a meaningful manner. "Want me to…?"

"No!" snapped the half-dressed king. "No, of course not. Robin is a jester, Merlin. This is a jest. You do know what that means?" He paused. "Or are you even more gullible than I supposed you to be?"

Our hero does not listen to the warning he is given…

Merlin shook his head, dislodging the echo of Robin's fateful words. "What happened to the knights… What we saw last night. You don't think that was a jest, do you? Sir Gwaine would surely disagree. Look, I don't like it either but these lights… they could be trouble, Arthur. Sire," he added quickly. Why did he always forget that part? "You have to trust me."

"I have to do no such…" Arthur's indignant remark stumbled to a sudden halt. He pursed his lips and frowned. "The other night."

"In the woods?"

"In the castle. I thought I saw… Could it be? A distant light that led me to…"

"A pig sty?" Merlin offered, full of sympathy and secret hope.

"The armoury, idiot," Arthur corrected him. "It was rather unsettling, actually."

Tell that to Leon, his servant refrained from suggesting. "So you'll do it?" He gestured to his own thin jacket. "I am. Gaius too. And Sir Leon; he leapt at the solution – though he looked a little puzzled as to how he was meant to wear armour that way." A practical conundrum, and one that had occupied the four men for quite some time as they discussed the various alternatives. Personally, Merlin couldn't wait to see how Percival would manage. Did the man even own a shirt? Could you turn chain mail inside out?

"I'll do it," Arthur replied slowly, in a tone that implied he could not quite believe what he was saying.

-x0x-

"Gaius?" called Gwaine, as he reclined on the cot, munching through his second – no wait, his third apple. Near-death experiences always left him feeling hungry. Good of the boys to remember that. "Did you get dressed in the dark this morning?"

"How so?" The physician's tone was careless but Gwaine could spot the twinkle in his eye.

Oh, so that's how you want to play it. "No reason. When can I get out of here?"

"Well, let's see now. Can you stand?"

Gwaine snorted. "What kind of question is that? Of course I can."

"Show me." Folding his arms, Gaius waited – and watched, with a half-smile twisting his face.

Let me guess, Gwaine thought grimly. Pride comes before a fall? He felt a serious sense of misgiving, but something – very well, his pride, no doubt – would not let him surrender. Besides, he could not bear to stay here all day; not with his thoughts running wild and so little else to occupy him.

He swung his legs around and pushed upwards…

…only to find himself on the floor in a painful heap. "Ohhh…" he groaned. His head was spinning and his limbs felt horribly weak. The ache in his arm was to be expected. His failure was not. "Let me try that again."

"You can try that all day long," the physician advised him. "Until I see you walking in a straight line it's quite certain you will not be going anywhere."

So you say, the knight decided stubbornly, preparing his body for a second attempt and wondering, as he did so, whether or not that was the cunning old man's intention all along.

-x0x-

"I humbly beg your pardon, my lord," said Agravaine. "I am not accustomed to acting upon the advice of a fairy tale. No offence," he added pleasantly, turning to Robin. The jester stood beside Merlin and Sir Leon. All three were observing the scene with some interest.

"None taken," Robin replied with equal sweetness in his tone. Merlin stifled a chuckle, composing his features into an attitude of respect that Lord Agravaine did not deserve. The respect was for Arthur; a hero who had chosen to take that fairy tale's advice in spite of his own misgivings.

"If you want the opinion of an old war horse like me," Agravaine continued with sickening modesty, "I say we ride to the wood and take care of these creatures before they cause any more trouble."

Arthur placed his hands upon the table that divided them, and leaned forward. "Take care of them how, uncle?"

"Oh, you know: a couple of well-placed arrows ought to do the trick. Or a bucket of water. I'm sure you can leave the details to your knights… this time." Agravaine's air was dismissive. Sir Leon bristled at the inference. Merlin laid a cautionary hand upon his arm.

"A bucket of water? I'm not sure that all the wells of Camelot could quench the fire of so many creatures. Lord Agravaine, forgive me: I think you misjudge the size of the problem we are dealing with."

"To be sure." Agravaine held up his hands in a sign of peace. "But perhaps… you misjudge the truth of a story well-told by a skilful performer. Again, no offence."

Robin bowed his head silently.

"We could…" Merlin faltered, waiting for permission. When Arthur gave it willingly, he continued. "We could put that story to the test."

"What are you talking about?" Leon whispered. Arthur, on the other hand, was delighted.

"Yes!" he cried. "This very night. Robin, since you are the expert, perhaps you would be willing to accompany us?"

"And I," said Lord Agravaine. "I am keen to see this deadly peril, and the bold revenge you plan to take upon it."

Someone, Merlin thought, please throw a goblet at his head.

But no one did – though, for a moment, he could almost swear that Robin's supple fingers twitched.

-x0x-

A/N: This has been a lovely weekend! Two chapters written and posted! Hope you enjoyed the updates. This one made me giggle all day long as I was writing it.

Thanks for reading and reviewing – more soon!