"Gaius, you're needed immediately in the guest quarters!" a soldier called outside the door.
"This late?" Gaius groaned.
Anna, who had her cloak on and was about to leave for the night, opened the door. "What is it, Deiniol?"
"Princess Mithian has arrived," Deiniol answered, a little out of breath. "She seems to have ridden all day, and collapsed when she arrived."
Anna, home forgotten, began gathering up supplies and Gaius hurried after Deiniol to examine his patient. He and Merlin met at the guest room just as Leon was bringing Mithian in, and Anna came in soon after with some of Gaius's supplies.
"If it were up to me," Merlin was saying to an older woman, who clung to his sleeve.
"Please!" she begged.
"Gaius?"
"Very well; make yourself comfortable," he said to her. Anna deposited Gaius's bag by the bed and went to fetch the older woman, whom she took for Mithian's attendant, something to eat and drink from the kitchens.
Gaius soon had Mithian looking better and eating a bite of stew. "I would like her monitored during the night," he added to Anna.
"I can do that," the waiting-woman, Hilda, volunteered.
"Oh, no, you will need rest as well," Gaius said. "Anna can very well stay with her tonight."
"I will not be able to sleep a wink knowing that my darling might be unwell," Hilda insisted, gazing adoringly at her charge, who looked back expressionlessly. Anna wondered momentarily if she were more exhausted than Gaius had realized. Mithian turned and seemed to see Anna's eyes on her, at which she snuggled down under the blankets and closed her eyes.
"Very well," Gaius acceded at last. "Anna?"
"I'll clean up here," she agreed, and he said goodnight to his patient.
"I take it you are the Princess's nurse?" Anna said to Hilda as he left, making small talk while she cleared away Gaius's supplies.
"Yes—I have nursed her from a babe," Hilda said, throwing another tender look at her charge.
"I am surprised you didn't accompany her to Camelot on her earlier visit," Anna observed, folding an unneeded blanket.
"I was unwell at that time," Hilda said quickly, "or I would have. I did enjoy her stories of the diversions she had with Arthur," she continued after a moment. "Especially her prowess in the hunt. My Mithian was always a great sportswoman." Her eyes gleamed.
Anna smiled politely and said goodnight.
She caught up with Gaius in the corridor, just as he was being hailed by Leon. "How is she?" he asked, hurrying up.
"She's weak, but I sent Merlin to tell Arthur that he could question her in the morning. As long as he's gentle. I don't know what happened to her, but it must have been an ordeal."
Leon looked concerned. "I will make sure there is a chair placed for her in the Council Chamber tomorrow."
He also volunteered to escort Mithian to the meeting the next morning. When he knocked on the door, it was opened by Hilda.
"How kind, Sir Leon," Hilda said and turned to fetch Mithian. Leon wondered for a moment how Hilda knew his name, and then realized she must have heard Gaius call him by it the night before.
Mithian was as gracious and regal as she had been the night before, but it was obvious she was in a frail condition. She leaned on his arm more than usual, and was uncharacteristically quiet when Leon tried to make small talk. However, she smiled gratefully up at him when he helped her to her seat in the Council Chamber. Hilda, whom he had escorted on the other arm, he helped to another chair on the side of the room.
His heart was wrung as he watched Mithian tell how she had escaped from Odin's men, how her father was wounded and hiding in the forest. He was glad that Arthur agreed to help King Rodor, but was a bit worried at Mithian's ability to travel so far so soon. But if Gaius said she would be fit, he believed him. The rescue mission was certainly not without its perils—but he trusted Arthur. And if one king would not help another in his time of need, what was the point of having allies? Once Rodor was rescued and safe in Camelot, they could plan a way to fight off Odin and his men and restore Rodor to the throne of Nemeth.
The day was spent in making plans and gathering supplies. And it was a long day, too: Leon had patrol for the first few hours that night, just as he had the night before.
"You know you could trade off with someone," Sir Raynelle reminded him as they paced along the wall of the castle. "Sagramor doesn't have night duty for another three weeks; I'm sure he'd give you a break so you can get some rest before tomorrow."
"No, no," Leon said, waving away the suggestion. "I'm not complaining. Sagramor will have enough night duties in his life."
"Look—there," Raynelle said suddenly, pointing up to a window in the guest quarters. A raven was perched on the windowsill. "I didn't realize there were ravens in Camelot."
"There didn't use to be, but I've seen them a few times the last year or two," Leon answered. "I'm wondering if we have a nesting pair."
The raven flew away toward the north. "We follow that path in the morning," Leon said quietly.
"Do you always get this poetic on night patrol?" Raynelle grinned at him.
Leon laughed. "Watch it, Raynelle."
000
The rest of the patrol passed without incident, and Leon headed through the castle toward his quarters at a very late hour. As he was nearing the gallery, he heard what sounded like voices, and a woman crying out. Hurrying around the corner, he saw two figures: one in black leaning menacingly over one in white. The symbolism of it struck him with forboding for a moment, and then he saw it was Hilda, leaning over Mithian.
"Princess Mithian! Are you alright?" he asked, rushing forward. Hilda gently raised her to her feet. "Your Highness?"
Hilda answered for her. "The Princess was feeling a little faint, that's all," she said calmly. Mithian kept her face averted, her arms wrapped around herself as if she were cold, or in pain. Leon saw that she was hunched over, holding herself together. "We were just getting some air."
"Can I get you something, Your Highness?" Leon asked, addressing Mithian exclusively. "Perhaps Gaius—"
"I'm sure Gaius needs his sleep for tomorrow," Hilda said quickly.
Leon still waited for Mithian to answer. "I'm feeling much better, thank you," she said at last with a brief smile, though she did not make eye contact with him, which was uncharacteristic.
"We won't detain you any further, Sir Leon," Hilda said. "We will all be needing our sleep for tomorrow. Good night."
"Good night, Your Highness, Hilda," he answered, and watched them walk away, Hilda supporting Mithian, whose walk seemed strangely wooden.
TBC
AN: So I discovered that Hulu has Merlin (yaaaay!) though not season five (argh!). I had to rewatch this episode repeatedly to write this chapter, so thankfully I found that zzstream dot li has Merlin episodes (yaaaay!).
Please review!
