Chapter 27 [Physicians' Chambers—A Fifth of an Hourglass Later]
Merlin folded his sheets and blanket onto the bed. His clothes already sat in the coarse sack by the wall. One last thing to do. He reached under the bed and pulled the floor panel up. From it, he took his crystal tipped staff, grimoire and the Fisher King's hourglass. He snuggled the tome in with his clothes and wooden cup. The hourglass glistened in the morning light.
You will need this at Camelot's darkest hour…. The Fisher King's words rang in his mind.
What is this? What is going to happen? Merlin set it in his sack as well. He replaced the floorboard panel.
"Are you taking a trip, Merlin?"
Merlin froze in his tracks. His eyes went wide. His mouth dropped. He turned to find Gaius watching him in turn. Expectation had the Eyebrow already raised. "Gaius! I was not expecting you so soon."
"Obviously." The elderly physician set his own bags on the table. "This is certainly a morning for news. Do you know how I got back here?"
"Uh…nay. I do not. Should I?" Merlin bit his lip. Trepidation much as a schoolboy felt before the angry principal cut through him.
"I had help from a most unexpected source." Gaius cleared his throat. He motioned toward the passage door.
"You are sloppy, Merlin. I have been here and you did not sense me?" Nimue smirked a 'gotcha' attitude at him. "Aye. The triple goddess ordered that Gaius be brought back here. She did not want you sneaking off as you are want to do."
"A pleasure for you I am sure." Merlin rolled his eyes.
"That is irrelevant! Merlin, what are you doing? Your duty is here at Arthur's side!" Gaius insisted.
"Does that mean here, Gaius? You know as well as I do that Merlin can be here as any of us can." She coughed. "You two do entertain. Events reach a fever pitch. I did not bring you back here simply for this melodrama. I require your help, Gaius."
"You what?" Gaius turned to her. "Whatever you have in mind, Nimue, I…."
She shook her head. "I am here to save Uther not kill him. Morgause poisoned him. He shows the first symptoms this morning." She brought a goblet from under her robes. "This is the vessel he drank from."
Gaius sniffed it. He wrinkled his nose. "Good grief! It's hogswart! It makes one susceptible to suggestions. It can also be quite poisonous indeed!"
"What can I do, Gaius?" Merlin grabbed the wooden mixing bowl and pestle.
"Get lavender and gosbane. Mash it in with bitterwort and water." Gaius grabbed two bottles from the shelf. He watched Merlin strip two lavender stalks of their purple flowers. "Very good, Merlin."
"Thanks." Merlin combined bits of the other two bottles with the flowers. Then he soaked the pile in water. He mashed the mixture together with the pestle. "Anything else?"
"That should about do it." Gaius inspected the medicinal mash for himself. "Aye. It seems you are having quite the day for saving monarchs, Merlin."
"I could not leave a Princess wanting her mother. Could I?" Merlin supposed.
"I suppose not. It does not mean you should jump right in with her either." The Eyebrow threatened to raise Gaius' hairline half the length down the back of his scalp.
"The goddess wants it. Guess we do. Freya agreed." Merlin put the bottles in question back on the shelf.
"Freya? She is back as well?" Gaius rubbed his forehead.
"Aye she and I came back. The goddess convinced the Calliech to release us so that we might serve. You know what that is, Gaius? The service you betrayed for all of this!" Her eyes blazed into the old man's.
"And you help us now?" Merlin scratched his head. He struggled to figure out her motivations.
"We are on the same side now. Your arrangement and Morgana's are by the goddess' design. You accept your duty now. That was ever my only argument with you, Merlin. Even Freya accepts her place although it does hurt that she cannot be with you."
"Leave her out of this! It is not Mithian's fault or mine! Freya knows that!" Merlin snapped at her.
"Mithian and you now, is it? My, my…." She sniggered. "I am so enjoying this! It is well that it is you and her, Merlin. You do not have a choice."
"What does that mean?" Merlin demanded.
A loud banging on the door interrupted the question.
"Answer it and find out." She smirked. Mischief sparkled in her eyes. "It seems your charade is over."
"What did you do?" Gaius leaned over toward her.
"I did nothing! It was the goddess! She sent Balinor to tell Arthur last night! She allowed Merlin to learn of his heritage and place! It seems that the Princess had feelings all along for him. Much as Tintagel is here because of Prince Accolon and Morgana! You see what happens when one does their duty, Gaius? I do not suppose you understand that." Nimue ground her teeth.
"MERLIN!" Arthur bellowed through the door.
"Oooh! He is not happy." Her smirk widened.
"You are not helping, Nimue." Gaius hobbled across the room. He opened the door. "Arthur!"
Arthur drew back in surprise. "Gaius? What are you doing here? I thought you were in the provinces!"
"I had help getting back here, Sire. Come in." Gaius ushered Arthur inside and shut the door.
"YOU?" Arthur drew his sword. "I should run you through!"
Nimue's eyes flashed yellow. With a flick of her finger, she wrenched the sword from the Prince's hand. "You can try. Then it would not suit the greater design. Would it?"
"Greater design? What design, Woman?" Arthur rubbed his forehead to stop the pounding in his temples.
"Why the co-existence of everything including the old religion, Arthur. The end of Uther's insane Purge. I warned him! Gaius knows this! Your birth meant your mother's death! Your father knew this!" Nimue insisted.
Arthur shook his head. Most days, he'd dismiss her out of hand. Revelation's heavy handed dumping of its secrets however made him more inclined to hear her. "After everything else this morning? REALLY?"
"Lower your voice, Boy. I delivered you from your mother's womb! I brought Gaius back here to help Uther this morning! I deserve better from you!" She narrowed her eyes at him. "Where do you think the Purge started from? He blames me and every other magic user for the deal he made!"
Arthur slumped into a chair. Disbelief paralyzed him. "And Dragon Lord it seems." He bit his lip. "Merlin, you want the good news or the bad news first?"
Gaius and Merlin looked at each other. Then they turned to him. "Good news."
"Well after speaking to your father's ghost, Merlin, I arranged for your freedom. I am sacking you." Arthur handed Merlin the scroll. "The King signed and sealed it just an hour ago based on your service to Camelot. You are a free man and he has granted you noble status." He shook his head. "What you do with it I cannot fathom but it is yours."
"Great! Then you can make me a knight or a counselor! I can…." Merlin saw Arthur's head bow. "What now?"
"Is this the bad news? Sire, what did your father do?" Gaius pressed.
"Gaius, Merlin, I am sorry. He found out that Merlin is Balinor's son and a Dragon Lord." Arthur shook his head. "Merlin, you are banished from Camelot. You are to leave the city by sunset."
"Banished? We have to talk with him! We cannot…." Gaius started.
Merlin shrugged. "I am leaving anyhow." He hustled up the stairs to his soon to be former bedroom. He brought out his sack and staff.
"Merlin, be careful! What are you doing with that?" Gaius lectured with a sharp shake of his head.
"Merlin, is that what I think it is?" Arthur marched across the chamber. He looked over the crystal-ended staff.
"Oh I believe it is." She leaned back against the bookshelf to watch (and egg on) the melodrama in process.
"This is a wizard's staff! What are you…?" Arthur stopped stock still. Shock widened his eyes. "Wait! You…you…" He reached out to strangle his former servant. Before he could do so, he found himself floating several heads off the ground. "What did you do?"
"I made you float up there." Merlin sighed. "And you can stay there until you stop being such a clot pole."
"Merlin, I am your Prince!" Arthur snapped. He flailed around in midair.
"Not anymore. You tried to kill me. Might as well let you calm down." Merlin allowed himself a shrug.
"Calm down! YOU'RE USING MAGIC! You…" Arthur started.
"Merlin, please!" Gaius shook his head.
"Nay. Not until he stops being a cabbage head." Merlin turned to Arthur. "I have used my magic hundreds of times to save Camelot and you. You do not appreciate it. You are a creature of magic too. I do not suppose you know that?"
"You are not helping, Merlin!" Arthur hissed.
Merlin stepped back over to Arthur. "Well maybe this might! Nimue brought Gaius back here even though she hates them both to cure your father this morning! I saved Queen Taene of Nemeth from poisoning last night! And that is just in the last day or so! Magic, despite what Uther rants, is not evil in itself! It is how it is used! All right? I could hurt you, kill you or spell your clothes off and make you float naked in the square if I wanted to. We have both seen enough examples of such magic." He glared at her. "No ideas."
"You do take the fun out of it, Merlin. Whatever!" She frowned.
"There is good magic too, Arthur! It's like your sword. How do you wield it? Do you fight by the knight's code? Or do you kill in cold blood? It's your choice. Right?" Merlin insisted.
"By the Knight's Code of course!" Arthur spat. "What is your point?"
"Magic is a force like that, Sire." Gaius interjected. "It can be used for either good or for evil depending on the user's intent. Sometimes, such as in certain cases, for both." He turned toward her.
"I could say the same of you, Gaius. Be careful." She shook her head. "Listen to him, Arthur Pendragon. Listen well. Merlin is making a good point for once. Even I am impressed. Do go on, Merlin."
"Thanks." Sarcasm dripped over Merlin's tone. Then he turned back to Arthur. "You always keep talking about the changes coming and what you want to do, Arthur. How about this? How about you think about co-existence for everyone? No more persecutions. We all work together on a Sorcerers' Code along the lines of a Knights' Code for magic use."
"I just cannot believe you have been doing this all along right under my nose!" Arthur ranted.
"Well he has, Sire." Gaius rolled his eyes at Merlin. "While you two are doing this, I will help Uther. Remember, Merlin, do not hurt him."
"Even a little?" Merlin rolled his eyes.
"MERLIN! THAT IS NOT FUNNY!" Arthur yelled.
"Hey! Keep it down all right?" Merlin signaled palms down toward the floor.
Gaius took the bowl and stormed out of the chamber. "I cannot believe that boy sometimes!"
"So what do you think of my proposal? Will you let magic users have a chance in Camelot when you are King?" Merlin proposed. "They are under the law just like everyone else. We will work out the details together."
"The details, Merlin, are already in place. They just need to be revived," she told them.
"And there will be peace! I do not want any incursions!" Arthur hissed.
"As long as you do not start any, there should not be any. Give everyone a reason to believe. You have expressed your desire to have a Camelot for everyone. So do so. Just include folks like Nimue and me. Do not give a reason for sorcerers to hate you, they will be less likely to do so." Merlin continued.
Arthur raised an eyebrow. He has to admit that Merlin had a point. He could even hear Wisdom prompting Merlin although that concept threatened to cause a brain clot in his own head. "Work it out? For everyone?"
"Aye for everyone. Sorcerers and others alike, Pendragon." She chimed in.
"Well, Arthur?" Merlin asked.
Arthur sighed. "Aye, Merlin. What you say makes sense. We will have to work on a Sorcerers' Code or revise it." He turned to her. "Perhaps there is someone in Avalon who will work on it with us?"
"Of course there is. We will be pleased to do so. It will bring a measure of peace to Britannia." She turned to Merlin. "Let him down."
"Do I have to?" Merlin shook his head.
"MERLIN!"
"Oh all right." Merlin lowered Arthur back down to the floor. "I suppose I should leave. I can meet the Nemeth delegation."
"Wait! YOU KNOW ABOUT THEM? MERLIN!" Arthur narrowed his eyes.
"They are not here for a war. They want to negotiate." Merlin held up the scroll. "This is a big part of it." He put the scroll in his sack and cinched it closed. "Now that Uther has banished me, I can go with them. I get my knighthood and place to live. Oh I can not be such a cabbage head toward my servants as someone else."
"But I will still be a Prince. You are just a knight." Arthur retorted.
"But that is the best part, Pendragon." She arched an eyebrow.
"Best part? Merlin, there is more?" Arthur raised an expectant eyebrow. "Why am I not surprised? Of course there is!"
"We are about to be equals." Merlin grinned. He slapped Arthur on the shoulder blade. "I am going to be a Prince."
"You? A Prince?" Arthur laughed. "Merlin, you…"
"I am quite serious. Want to ride with me to meet the Nemeth delegation? King Rodor will explain." Merlin wrapped the end of his staff in a cloth. He hefted his sack over his shoulder. "Shall we go?"
Arthur motioned half-seriously toward the door. "Why not?"
Nimue vanished into the mists.
"I have a walk ahead of me. Come on." Merlin told him.
"We will ride out. I am not about to have a Prince Clot Pole walk out like some beggar." Arthur tugged him out the door and shut it behind them. "Follow me."
Even Arthur found there were good parts to being overwhelmed on that particular day….