Chapter 2 - Camelot

Granny Mill sent Willow with a tonic for Vincent, a tanner who had taken ill while visiting a village close to Crab Tree but then returned to the Camelot where he lived over his shop. It was a long trip. Willow had to start at dawn if she had any hope of returning before dark.

While she walked Willow secretly hoped to see Merlin at Camelot. She knew it was unlikely. The castle was a large place. The town around it was even larger. But the possibility was a pleasant thought on her long walk. Willow knew that Granny Mill hoped to play matchmaker, too. For a woman that never married herself, she certainly took great delight in matching up others. She knew Willow had no real interest in such things, but that only seemed to delight Granny Mill all the more for the challenge.

The day turned hot quickly. Willow soon ran out of water. She stopped twice to refill her water skin from rivers with muddy banks since the water levels were generally low. When she finally arrived at Camelot, she was surprised to see the pumps there gushing water.

She had only been to Camelot once before when she was little. Then it had seemed like a vast warren of people and noise to her. Now, it seemed much the same. A little less vast, a little less noisy, but still quite overwhelming. She had to ask around for Vincent. Tanners lived in the lower town where the fumes and reek of their shops wouldn't reach the fine people of the castle proper. As she wandered, Willow realized that the possibility of accidentally seeing Merlin became less and less likely the further into the lower town she pressed. Oh, well. It had been a pleasant traveling thought. What would she think about on the long journey home?

After asking several times and getting lost almost as many Willow found the tanner's shop. It was rundown, dirty and stinking. She took a deep breath and plunged into her task. She marched across the shop yard full of animal hides in various stages of scraping and soaking. She stomped up the steps to the doorway where an old scrap of leather hide hung as a makeshift door and shouldered the hide open to run smack into a man's back. The man was backing out of the shop and knocked her over. He turned in time to catch her before she hit the floor of the porch. She looked up to thank the man whose arms she was trying to get free of and stared into the beautiful face of Merlin. They both laughed.

"Willow! What are you doing here?" Merlin's delight was warm and infectious.

"Merlin?" Willow got her feet under her as fast as she could. As happy as she was to see him, she was embarrassed to be knocked off her feet by him and to have him holding her in his arms. Once up, she said, "Fancy running into you here." Then she grew suspicious. "Are you here to see Vincent?"

Merlin raised an eyebrow. "And so are you." He drew her by the arm further away from the doorway. "What are you treating him for?"

Willow nodded. "His gout pains him. He asked for the strongest pain relief we could offer. I came to deliver his last treatment and some pain medicine since he had said he didn't want to bother the castle physician when the condition was almost cured."

Merlin laid a finger beside his nose. "He's been to Gaius several times. Each time he asks for stronger pain medication. We need to talk to Gaius about this. Would you be willing to come to the castle with me and tell Gaius everything you know about Vincent's problems and treatment?"

Willow nodded, concerned for Vincent's health when he was obviously double-dipping on the pain medicine. She was also secretly pleased to be able to meet the court physician, Gaius, and suppressing a smile, to spend more time with Merlin. What were the chances? Or had Granny Mill known all along that Vincent was double-dipping? Was this a set up on her part for her matchmaking games? Willow squared her shoulders. She would not be so easily baited.

Merlin hooked an arm through hers and steered them through the complicated maze of streets, alleys, gates, and halls. Willow was completely lost and didn't really like the feeling. Merlin chatted pleasantly the whole time, naming streets and locations.

At the gate to the castle courtyard, a guard stopped them. He laughed at Merlin. "Who is this pretty little lady you have here, you scoundrel."

Willow was taken aback. She turned to Merlin. "Scoundrel?"

Merlin blushed. "Pay no mind to Cedric. He's always teasing everyone." To Cedric, he said, "This is Willow of Crab Tree, an apprentice healer to see Gaius. Step aside, Cedric or Gaius won't be so free with you know what."

Cedric blushed. "Now, Merlin, you know I didn't mean anything by it. No need to go telling Gaius about my little joke."

Merlin smiled and pulled the guard's helmet down over his eyes as they passed. He guided Willow up a grand staircase. To the castle doors. At the top of the stairs a handsome young man in chain mail and a red cape called, "There you are, Merlin. I've been looking all over for you. My plate mail needs to be polished by this afternoon. We have a guest arriving. How would it look if I were to greet them with rust spots on my armor?" He raised an eyebrow and cocked his head in a pointed expression.

Merlin laughed. "I can't right now, Arthur. I have important business for Gaius."

Arthur's mouth dropped open. "But what about my armor? And who's that?"

Merlin raised an eyebrow. "You could always polish it yourself." He pulled Willow away down a hall.

Behind them, Arthur yelled, "Merlin! You better come help me at least."

They kept walking. Willow whispered, "Was that Prince Arthur? The prince!"

Merlin grinned, "Yeah, he's a little helpless when it comes to just about anything other than smashing people's heads in with a sword. I'm his body servant. But I try not to pamper him. I don't want to encourage his dependency." They turned down a long hallway with no doors.

Willow couldn't believe her ears. "You're Gaius's apprentice and Prince Arthur's body servant? When do you find time to get any sleep?" She was impressed. At the end of the hallway, they turned right.

Merlin laughed. "I don't really. Or I don't nearly get enough of it. Here we are." He pushed open a wooden door and lead her into a spacious room with lots of light from high windows. An old man stood at a table shaking a bottle of blue liquid and holding it up to the light. "Gaius, we've got a problem."

Gaius smiled. "She hardly looks like a problem." He said to Merlin. "Hello," he said to Willow. Then back again, "Merlin, what have you been up to? Arthur was here looking for you. I sent you to administer that tonic hours ago. What took you so long?" He glanced at Willow and their linked arms.

Blushing, Willow slid her arm out of Merlin's.

Gaius raised an eyebrow. "Start explaining Merlin. And who is this? Introduce us. Where are your manners?"

Willow looked at Merlin, clearly flustered by the scolding, and stepped forward to extend her hand. "I'm Willow, apprentice healer to Millicent of Crab Tree." Gaius took her hand with eyebrows raised. "I've come to administer a tonic to Vincent the Tanner who was recently in the vicinity of Crab Tree and sought Millicent's treatment and pain relief for his gout." Gaius looked confused. "I was doing a follow-up treatment because Vincent claimed he didn't want to bother you since you were so busy treating the king and castle people." Gaius opened his mouth to protest but Willow kept talking to finish up the description of the situation. "Upon arriving here I ran into Merlin also administering a tonic to Vincent. We decided this was cause for concern so Merlin has conducted me here to discuss the matter with you."

Gaius nodded clarity dawning on his face. "Vincent seems to have developed a problem. It's good you brought this to my attention. Merlin, go attend to Arthur. Willow and I will discuss Granny Mill's diagnosis and prescription of treatment. Return as soon as Arthur is done with you. There are many tasks yet to complete today."

Merlin sighed. "Yes, Gaius." He turned to leave. Willow gave him a secretive little wave.

Gaius spoke again. "And Merlin," Merlin turned back, "the leeches need to be cleaned again."

Merlin rolled his eyes. "Yes, Gaius. Maybe you need a second apprentice. There is far more to do than there are hours in the day to do them."

"Be off with you, Merlin. You know Arthur doesn't like to wait."

After Merlin left, Willow said, "I don't know how he keeps up with all the work involved with being both an apprentice and a prince's body servant."

Gaius raised one eyebrow. "Poorly, I can assure you."