CHAPTER 21 : KNIGHTS INCOGNITO
Handing their horses to a scruffy youth who must have been the brother, Rook and Aislin walked to the alehouse. Arthur and the others were outside on benches enjoying tankards of ale in the late afternoon sun. Their horses tied to a fence, languidly swinging their tails against flies. Arthur looked up at the men saying, "So, anything available?"
"Yes…everything is arranged. I was promised a meal at dusk, the guards and horses will be fed as well. We've got two four bedded rooms and a family room."
"I'll take that!" Gawaine called, grinning at Arthur. "But, I'll only be there once I have drunken this place dry," he said to Aislin.
Rook said, "Suit yourself but at least join us for supper to meet the available ladies." Gawaine's ears pricked up as he waited for more information.
Arthur laughed at him, "It's a trick, they're probably lonely old spinsters."
"Could be, if the spinsters are in their twenties, voluptuous and very friendly," said Aislin. The others just laughed, they spent their time teasing Gawaine who took it very good naturedly.
As the sun began to set, Arthur pushed himself up and the others did likewise. Leon settled their bill as Gawaine promised the serving wench that he'd be back later in the evening.
Rook glanced at Aislin saying, "We'll see!"
Arthur and Merlin walked to the inn, leading their two horses, "Can you guess what I'm hoping for?" Merlin didn't answer, he just grinned. "No, don't say anything, I can read your mind..."
"You can't…"
"I certainly can! Your mind is an open book..."
"Arthur, if my mind were an open book, you wouldn't be beside me right now."
"Of course, I would! I know you so well, there is nothing that would keep me away from you. If you ran away, I'd search for you to the ends of the earth."
"Arthur, you're a monarch, your life revolves around more than just me."
Grabbing him and holding his shoulders, Arthur faced him and said, "You're wrong. As your friend, lover and king, I need you in my life. I know you, Merlin, better than anyone...even Gaius."
Merlin looked him in the eye and smiled, "I guess you're right, My Liege!" He thought, 'Maybe, one day...Arthur, you will.'
Arthur laughed, "Come on! Let's check our chamber and get something to eat. I'm starved."
-0-0-
Supper was a hot meal, plenty of meat, cheese and bread. The knights ate well and then sat around drinking and talking. Merlin noticed a man slide up to Leon and pass him a note. He read it and passed it to Arthur.
Leon then said, "Tomorrow night, we will be roughing it and we need to talk about the plans for our arrival in Cheddar. Arthur has some ideas he'd like to put forward."
The men all straightened up to listen to their monarch. Arthur looked around at each one, "We have reports that the unrest has grown, being stirred up by a family of well known trouble making brothers. Three are known bandits and the two younger ones have just been drawn into it for the excitement. The attacks have escalated and the villagers do not have the wherewithal to defend themselves. They seem to be picking off the fathers of families leaving the women and children to fend for themselves.
"Leon and I have agreed that we split into two groups, one of four knights and the guards, the other with three knights and Merlin. Group one will enter Cheddar as knights and guards representing the king. The second group will be back up in disguise, they will scout to find the troublemakers' headquarters."
"Bet I know which group Arthur will be in..." Gawaine said under his breath to Aislin.
"You said something, Gawaine? Maybe you would like to share your expertise; if not, kindly refrain from interrupting." The others could hear the annoyance in their king's voice.
Gawaine bowed his head in submission as Arthur continued. "Leon will lead the first group of Rook, Aislin and Simon. I will take Spenser, Gawaine and Merlin. We will enter the village first and get a general idea of the situation. Leon's group will hold back and then make a formal arrival contacting village leaders. I believe we should have the whole mess cleared up in a few days. We'll reach the gorge by late afternoon tomorrow and take advantage of the many caves as accommodation. The following morning we will begin the mission. Some of you will have to change horses to make the disguise more plausible. Merlin will find us suitable clothes, then hopefully we will blend in with the regular market day visitors.
"Spenser, figure out the horses. Keep the less distinguishable for our group Leon can have Mulgan but count Iago out as he can be a real nuisance, Merlin can keep him." Arthur looked around the group, "Any questions?"
Simon asked, "Arthur, who is your contact in town?"
"A man called Phillip. He's the blacksmith and reliable. He knows we are coming and Merlin will make first contact when he goes to town to get clothes which Phillip and his son Peter, have already collected. Do not look around but the person who gave Leon the note and who is now sitting near the fireplace drinking ale is Philip."
Leon added, "We'll not acknowledge him but it gives you a chance to see him."
Arthur then asked for more ale and the discussion turned to more mundane things.
Rook said, "Not happy, Gawaine?"
The other laughed as Gawaine said, "I worked so hard for the right to wear my red cloak and I lost it…and now, to add insult to injury, I have to wear a disguise."
Merlin said, "Don't worry, I'm sure the ladies will still find you attractive, even if I make sure you look like a enfeebled dirty beggar."
"Merlin, you wouldn't!"
"I might…" Merlin grinned at Arthur who nodded approvingly.
Gawaine said, "I always knew there was a little evil hidden in that heart of yours. Please, make me look almost respectable."
A few of the suggestions offered by the others had everyone laughing. They finally took a vote and Gawaine being starkers easily edged out his being disguised as a washer woman. For which he gave Merlin the evil eye, saying, "Merlin, don't you dare!"
Arthur shook his head, they were all nuts, absolutely nuts, but he knew that he could count on each and every one of them. He stood, "Well, I'm turning in. We leave mid-morning so those of you who drink too much, get up early and drink plenty of water. We wait for no man!" Leon grinned at him, as a minimal drinker he could see the rationality of that.
Merlin stood, saying goodnight to those who were staying at the table. He looked at Gawaine and opening his fore and middle fingers into a 'v' whilst clasping the others to his palm, pointed them at his own eyes before pointing them to Gawaine's. Gawaine grinning picked up a piece of cheese and lobbed it at him.
Simon said, "Hey! Easy, Gawaine, only Arthur is allowed to throw things at Merlin." They all laughed and making his escape, Merlin followed Arthur.
-0-0-
The family chamber was just that, a room with a family sized bed and a trundle bed beneath it, a table with ewer and pitcher and a fireplace. Merlin smiled imagining a mother, father and three kids asleep on the bed, with a servant and older children on the pullout. Thinking back to their sleeping quarters in Ealdor, his Mam and he would have thought that this was luxury. Now however, with all the experience he had had of castle and manor house accommodation, he saw it for what it was cramped and frugal. Then his eyes caught Arthur's and he realised that the room was of little importance. It was private and he was there with the man of his choice.
"I'll light the fire, it will take the dampness out of the room." He closed his eyes as he got the kindling to catch. The flames were soon strong and welcoming.
Arthur just smiled at him, his mind enjoying the sight in front of him. "Merlin, you have to be the fastest fire starter in the kingdom."
"Light your fire, do I, Arthur?" Merlin said as he ran his hand down Arthur's chest to his belt. He eased Arthur's cloak off his shoulders and lay it across the bed. He then unbuckled his belt, telling Arthur to hold his arms over his head and to bend over, he slipped the chain mail tunic off him. He dropped it in the corner. He then stood in front of him chest to chest, kissed him gently, saying, "I love having you completely to myself within four walls."
Arthur smiled, "Nothing better than the sound of a door closing separating us away from all the worries of the world. You did bar the door, didn't you? We don't need Leon bursting in to discuss the Cheddar offensive."
"Leon is the soul of discretion; he would never disturb us let alone burst in… Now, Gawaine that's another matter…he's a good knight and a friend. He's funny, truthful and trustworthy. Arthur, I'm glad he's in our group for Cheddar even if he will be starkers and followed by a mob of village girls."
Arthur started to laugh, "I'm lucky, I've got knights whom I trust…and you." He leant forward and gripping the hem of Merlin's tunic pulled it over his head. "You should be wearing an under tunic, you're gong to be cold." He stood back to enjoy what he saw and started tracing all the muscles and lines of Merlin's chest.
"That tickles…" said Merlin.
"Is that all…?" said Arthur placing kisses across his chest and up his neck. "I believe in gratitude for my involvement during your watch on the moors, that you owe me something."
"Arthur, I can't owe you anything. I haven't borrowed money from you recently," a smile crossed Merlin's face as he continued, "Might you not be confused, Sire?" Merlin felt himself falling backwards and he landed on the bed. "Oh, that!" he said with a grin. Arthur pulled of his boots as Merlin toed his off, they landed with Arthur's on the floor…soon, to be joined by the rest of their clothes.
Later, Merlin was to complain that he had had been attacked by a random stalk from the straw mattress. Arthur insisted on kissing the scratches and tiny puncture better, explaining that beggars can't be choosers and a straw mattress is more comfortable than the floor.
"But not as lovely as a sandy beech…or a moss covered forest floor."
"I don't know how I manage to get anything done when you are around. Come here!"
The cracking of the fire finally died. Merlin at one point did open his eyes to a darkened room with a single beam of moonlight crossing the bed turning Arthur's hair silver. "I am so blessed!" he said quietly.
-0-0-
Lying in a tangle of limbs, they were awoken by an insistent blackbird. "Can't he find something to do besides singing?" Arthur complained.
"He mightn't be able to, but I certainly can…" said a sexy voice at his shoulder. "We're awake now, seems a shame to waste an utterly beautiful morning."
"Merlin, it's raining."
"What I was contemplating doesn't depend on the weather!" said his beloved.
-0-0-
Gawaine was the final person to join them as they mounted up. Leon held his horse as he looked as if he had had an exhausting night and maybe the young girl presenting him with a slice of meat pie and an apple was the clue. Spenser nudged Simon and winked.
Merlin smiled not worth talking to him until he'd had some to eat. Gaius had included some of his famous hangover remedy in Merlin's emergency supplies, so if by noon Gawaine was still suffering, he might offer him some. It not only looked disgusting but tasted vile and yet according to Arthur it had miraculous properties which when used had enabled him to attend morning meetings with his father without being accused of over imbibing the previous night.
"Good of you to join us, Sir Gawaine," Arthur said as Gawaine grimaced at the raised voice. Arthur then turned to the others and said, "Our fist stop will be a break for the horses around noon. We've a climb ahead of us but we'll take it easy as it doesn't matter where we camp tonight. I would prefer however, to get to the gorge but time will tell."
The knights and guards left The Sprung Snare with one very happy landlord seeing them off, rubbing his hands, waiting for them to be on their way so he could see how much he'd made on their stay. "Good Knights, we are here for you on your return trip," he called hopefully.
His wife smiled at her daughter's sad face saying, "They might be back this way." The girl just looked glum and shook her head.
By noon, Gawaine couldn't even remember the face of his latest conquest. He'd emptied his water skin and he still felt parched. His head was throbbing and he was riding with his eyes closed trusting that his horse would stay with the others. Merlin who had been in the front, rode back to him and handed him his water skin saying, "Take mine. We can fill up at the next stop." He also handed Gawaine a little blue vial and advised him to swig the whole thing down. He waited until it was empty and said, "Now continue drinking the water." He pocketed the empty vial and rode back up to Arthur.
Arthur said when he came back to him, "You should have let him suffer. No one forced him to drink."
"Arthur, would I have ignored you in that condition?" Merlin added, "Anyway, Gaius included the remedy for a reason and I get to choose the recipient."
"You've got a soft spot for Gawaine. Now, what happens if I get a hangover?"
Merlin dug his heels into Iago who trotted off as he said, "Don't worry, there's more from where that came."
They pulled over once the area had levelled out. There was a fast running stream and everyone took the opportunity to fill up their water skins, Gawaine almost emptying his again before refilling it. He was beginning to look a little more like himself and readily partook of the food packed by the landlady at the inn.
Leon said, "This stream should lead down to the river and then into the gorge. I've been here before but for you who are making your first trip to this area, you are going to be shocked by the beauty and sheer height of the cliffs once we get into the gorge proper."
Arthur smiled dreamingly at Merlin, who looked back quizzically. "Get ready to be blown away again, Merlin." Merlin smiled, Arthur had remembered the tears on the boy's face when he had fist seen the gorge way back when.
Merlin felt that he could quite happily live in this area. He only wished, he could have been one of the peregrines which nested in the cliffs and could have flown over the gorge. It would have been spectacular. On their last visit, Arthur and he had managed to find time to climb high enough on sheep trails so they could look across and see the top of the cliffs on the other side and the sparkling trail of the Yeo river in the distance. Looking through the gorge from their position, at the cliffs which fell sharply to the trail in the bottom and the rounded slopes which broke their jaggedness, Merlin felt this must be one of the most beautiful areas of the kingdom of Camelot.
-0-0-
True to Leon's word, as the ragged limestone cliffs came into view, novice and old timer marvelled. This crack in the earth was the result of a river which had scoured the rocks and over the years had disappeared, leaving a beauty of nature. Merlin breathed in deeply, feeling that it was a shame that by the end of the mission in this place, men would possibly be dead and his people injured.
Arthur looked over at him, "Why are you looking sad?"
"Seems a crime that we are going to search this area and then kill or maim people."
"Merlin, stop being a girl. You can't restrict beautiful places only for good people. If brutal and dangerous people take over, it's necessary to stand up to them for the villagers who can't. We make the laws and they obey or… If however, you would prefer to hole up in a cave with the wounded guard until it's over, that fine with me?"
Letting a ghost of a smile drift over his face, Merlin said, "Could Gawaine keep me company?" He and Iago managed to move over smartly as Arthur moved Mulgan towards them.
Spenser smiled looking at them. Merlin was the best thing that had ever happened to Arthur, his mind went back to when Arthur's closest boyhood friends had been Edmund and Spenser's brother Piers. He thought sadly, both of them now dead. Edmund murdered as a teenager and Piers more recently killed by a fire which he had set. He felt a hand on his arm and he opened his eyes to see Simon looking at him worriedly. He smiled; he also knew how close you could be to a friend.
By late afternoon, they were approaching the gorge with the village situated directly west of it. Once they reached the gorge itself, they turned off into the limestone cliffs making their way up a track into an area where they could camp. Even better, if Merlin was able to locate the entrance to the caves, they'd stay there. On one of the missions, a very old man had told them that not only was the whole area riddled with caves but there was also an underground river.
Merlin being Merlin, remembered the caves' location and soon, the eleven of them had their horses unsaddled, bedrolls in hand, searching various caves for places to sleep. Merlin winked at Arthur and he fell behind the others and followed him further up the track to a cave where they had previously stayed. They dropped their bedrolls and saddle bags and went back to check on the others.
Leon and the others took the cave closest to Arthur's but Merlin said that there was no need to be cramped together as there were lots of small caves. Simon decided, he'd like a cave of his own much to Spenser's disappointment; however a fleeting glance from Simon had the two of them sharing. The guards took their own cave.
They gathered outside the main cave to put the final touches to their plans. Merlin was going to wander into the village early next morning to meet up with Philip whose son would get a handcart to Merlin with the promised clothes. The four of them would get into disguise and wander into the village in pairs to see if they could pick up any information.
The remaining knights the guards would have a day of rest prior to arriving in the village on behalf of their monarch. Some knights having to wear borrowed cloaks to replace those lost in the storm.
-0-0-
Merlin finally returned with Peter and a cart with clothes. Gawaine and Simon, rifled through them after Arthur had decided what he wanted to wear. Gawaine breathing a sigh of relieve as there were no women's garments in the lot. Merlin grinned at him and received a gently nudge to his arm.
Arthur wore his own trousers, a ratty looking, long brown wool coat and a ridiculous hood attached to a cloak which was cut off to only cover his shoulders, known as a cowl. Simon opted for a loose farmer's blouse in dirty grey, tied at the waist with a woven straw belt, topped off with a stained skimpy leather jerkin. He also sported a pair of hobnailed boots and a nondescript cloak.
Merlin opted for a moth-eaten rabbit fur jerkin, a too large under-tunic the colour of crushed earwigs, his own trousers and boots and then added a hooded cowl.
Gawaine checked out the clothing and chose a long side split tunic in brown. Over his own pants, he added another larger pair to cover his boots, tying them at the knee with leather thongs. He picked out a black cloak but as it smelt of decay, he returned it to the cart to choose a regular cape in a mouldy green colour. He felt not only depressed but naked without his red cloak.
Arthur proved to be difficult regarding his fashionable boots. "Merlin, I'm not putting my feet inside someone else's boots."
"Well, yours will stick out like a sore thumb. No ordinary traveller would have such fine quality boots."
"I could have found a body and stolen the man's boots…"
"At least cover them in mud and maybe they won't be so noticeable."
"But then they'll be dirty, a king doesn't wear dirty boots."
Gawaine interrupted, "For heaven's sake, Arthur, you're supposed to be a non-descript traveller not a king." He turned to Merlin and said as an aside, "He needs a good slap!"
Merlin burst out laughing and Arthur glared at him saying, "Fine, but not only will you muddy them but also clean them once I'm out of this ridiculous outfit." Merlin did as he was told but managed to pay Arthur back as he got mud on his trousers in a conspicuous place.
Arthur jumped back, "Merlin, look what you have done."
"Sorry, I overbalanced." Arthur scowled at him. "Don't worry, Arthur, once it dries, I'll brush it off."
Simon and Gawaine started to laugh, Simon losing it completely, looked at Arthur's annoyed face and Merlin's smirk…
They made their way to the others and their outfits passed muster. Spenser immediately fell out of favour as he remarked on the unfortunate mud on Arthur's front asking him if it were a new court fashion. Peter hid the hand cart, their cloaks and chain mail in a cave and returned to the village.
The horses were all sorted out and Arthur led the motley crew towards Cheddar. They had had a sparse meal at The Dew Drops Inn, a local pub, eating outside as befitted their station. Within the hour, Merlin had gathered information from the locals and they had an idea where the bandits were most likely to be located. Gawaine also found out much to his chagrin that the advantages of wearing a red cloak also pertained to the attention afforded to him by the barmaids.