Thanks Nance, now I've started singing "Men in Tights" :-P Oh and I've started some outline work for the companion piece you requested- however it is coming from a completely different direction than what even I anticipated. Not sure when it will be up- but I will let you know ;-)
I went back and added a couple lines for clarity in the last chapter – Merlin's thought process was clear in my mind, but after it was brought to my attention I see where it could be a 'huh' for others.
Sorry there wasn't a chapter yesterday, I got started reading Ancient Relics by TeenMuggle (a 300k+ word Merlin/HP x-over) and it totally absconded with my muse until I had completed it. All I can say is WOW it is worthy of the 1000+ reviews it has received. What an amazing story!
ANYHOO- I was torn between just putting out this short chapter or trying to get more written and postpone posting it, or just getting something out to you all. But I decided on the latter since I had already skipped a day. Enjoy!
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The two former servants were still laughing and comparing notes when Merlin noticed how late it was getting. It was nearing time to meet Gilli. The warlock stopped by the physician's chambers on his way to Arthur's to inform Gaius to be expecting a guest. Alice didn't seem very pleased about it as her love was still recuperating from his hip injury. The older woman was attempting to be assertive and becoming rather defensive about him, but Merlin was protective of him too and wanted to include his mentor in the conversation he was soon to have. Gaius's advice over the years and the bond of surrogate father and son wasn't broken simply because Merlin no longer lived in the storage room.
After prompting from Clarissant a few days before, Guinevere finally decided that she wanted to speak with Alice about her situation, but had yet to garner the courage to go by herself. For the queen this appeared to be the perfect opportunity. Merlin started to protest when Gwen said she wanted to accompany him there and the queen finally confided in him some of her feelings and desires.
"You don't understand how desperately I want to give him a child. Maybe in her healing experience she has something that might help. Plus, if I'm speaking with her, then you can have Gaius to yourself for a bit," The queen reasoned brushing her dark curls over her shoulder as she rose from her seat.
Merlin nodded reluctantly and offered her his arm as they headed across the castle. They walked along together in silence. Finally unable to contain his curiosity Merlin breached the subject of children, "Arthur told you about Cai's squire?"
Gwen stiffened and tightened her hand on Merlin's arm as they began to ascend the stairs leading to the physician's chambers. She blinked and looked to the side while worrying her bottom lip in a mannerism that none of the finishing tutors in the kingdom had never been able to break her of. "He did," She managed quietly after a time.
Merlin cast a glance out of the corner of his eye, "Are you alright with that?"
"Am I supposed to be?" Her voice held a hint of accusation. She knew it wasn't Merlin's fault but her mind was still filled with jealousy at the woman she'd met only briefly over the course of the tournament, feast, and treaty. Gwen couldn't blame Lisanor, or Arthur, for something that happened years before the now king had even noticed Gwen's existence. Yet the situation that the king had a child by another woman was not easily put aside.
The warlock shrugged, unable to give the queen an answer. "You were my first friend in Camelot. I worry about what all this is doing to you."
Her eyes softened as she studied his face. "You've changed so much since that day in the stocks when I saw a hero of the serfs standing up against an arrogant spoiled aristocrat, and yet your heart and kindness in thinking of others has never been lost."
Blue eyes smiled down at the queen, "Nor have yours, although I am glad to see you finally figured out what type of man you liked."
Gwen gasped and slapped Merlin's forearm playfully, "I always knew I liked the hero types, I couldn't help it that sometimes they were too daft to notice, even if I outright kissed them."
Merlin knocked briefly before he pushed open the door to Gaius's room. His face set in confusion, "Who did you kiss that…" He stopped, unable to finish his question as the realization suddenly dawned on him. He flushed with embarrassment and allowed his mind to briefly entertain the prospect of what life might have been like if he hadn't been so blind.
The queen chuckled while she followed him in, "Really Merlin, you may be one of the wisest men I know, but Arthur is more than right in his assessment that you are an idiot sometimes."
"Of which you should be entirely thankful for!" He reasoned as he attempted to recover from the insight of his past naiveté. He felt eyes on him and noticed the room's three occupants watching him. Gaius, as usual, seemed to know exactly what their conversation was about and his eyes twinkled with amusement. Gilli was squirming uncomfortably, while Alice had a look on her face that somehow managed to mix a patronizing contempt at the intrusion and a matronly understanding of what it meant to be young. Merlin found himself slightly annoyed at her attitude. He of course was thankful that she was back in his mentor's life, but he felt as if Alice was on some level trying to make it a competition for the old man's attention.
The young sorcerer leapt to his feet and came up to Merlin, the consternation in his eyes evident that something else had been found since they parted earlier that afternoon. "We need to talk, now," Gilli demanded in a low voice.
The queen cleared her throat and looked the raggedy young man over, hinting to Merlin for a proper introduction which Merlin was reluctant to give. "Gwen would you mind…" He offered a pleading smile, blue eyes darting towards Alice.
Her dark brown eyes glazed over with suspicion, "Mm hmm." She took the hint and moved away from her friend. Gwen approached the two healers with a smile.
"My Lady, what brings you to my humble chambers?" Gaius asked pleasantly.
She attempted miserably to stop her nerves from getting the best of her as she wrung her hands together, "Actually I came to speak with Alice, if you don't mind?"
"Of course. Have a seat, my dear," He offered her a space on the bench at their quaint dinner table.
Taking a breath, Gwen bit her lip, "It is really a private womanly matter. I hope you understand."
Alice smiled at the queen, "Well, come along we can go into my room and speak." The smile turned into more of a smirk when the healer saw Merlin's eye's roll. She had nothing against the boy and in fact was very grateful of the situation he had taken her from to bring her back to Camelot, but she had an ornery streak in her that could rival Gwaine's. She could tell he resented his new position like any child that had been usurped from his home in such a manner would. Gaius asked her to be nice to the boy, so she was…to an extent, however Alice couldn't help but take enjoyment in ruffling his feathers. Soon he would understand that it was all meant jokingly. Or at least she hoped so.
The queen followed Alice up the small stairs to the side room and closed the door behind her.
Merlin watched them go, biting back his feelings. He sighed and placed a hand on Gilli's shoulder, leading the younger man over to the table. Gaius was watching his ward, his eyebrow raised in amusement. He evaluated the two youngsters, although grown men, to his eighty plus years they seemed nothing more than children. Merlin nodded for Gilli to begin as they settled onto the bench.
"After you left the tavern, the guy I saw earlier that didn't go in you know where came in and met up with one of the others that did. I used some of my magic to listen in on their conversation."
Gaius sat up straighter. "Although magic is free in Camelot, you need to be careful," He began lecturing. When the young man arrived at his doorstep, Gaius was surprised to remember him from the open melee years before. He hoped Gilli was much more careful this time around with his gift.
"Gaius please," Merlin requested, "This is about the situation we were discussing a few days ago."
Gaius leveled a serious gaze on them both before the elder asked, "Are you any closer to finding out who is behind this?"
"Yeah, we managed to get a couple of names today. Lord Edmund for one, but why he would have Lady Thea's servant steal Bran eludes me," Merlin stated.
"I must say, I am not at all surprised to hear his name mentioned. Perhaps the mere idea of an enchanted head in the castle was simply too much for them all to take in after everything that has happened."
The sandy-haired man ruffled his hair with his fingers, "Well they said something about the problem being taken care of but they might have to move up their plans due to someone's stupidity. First step would be to remove the 'bastard's' family so he would be distracted."
Merlin felt his blood turn cold. However much work Geoffrey and Arthur put into making his birth legitimate, the warlock still heard that word whispered through the halls in reference to him. Either that or someone found out about Loholt. Whichever it was could spell trouble. "Did they give any more clues about who it was or what they were planning?" He questioned eagerly.
Gilli sighed, "No, another person came along and they shut up real quick about it."
"We've got to find Bran, Gaius."
"I kind of took a snoop around the place we saw earlier. I found the basket I saw earlier and a pool of blood," Gilli said uneasily. He was unsure if Merlin would approve of him taking the initiative to do such a thing.
"Well, they already said it was out of the city. Although I can't imagine there would be too much blood from Bran's head."
"Have you spoken with Arthur about organizing a search?" the physician asked tiredly, the pain in his leg was beginning to throb from the prolonged sitting at the bench.
"I tried, Gaius! He doesn't want to make a move until we are absolutely certain. He's not thinking clearly right now and is so afraid of turning into Uther he refuses to make a decision."
Gilli snorted, "Seems like he needs a nanny to look after him."
"Who needs a nanny?" Guinevere asked coming down the stairs.
"Your husband," Merlin stated cynically. A thought popped into his head and he turned towards Gilli with a wide smile that made the younger man squirm.
"I have to say I don't like the way you're looking at me."