The rain didn't fall that day. The clouds circulated for several hours, murmuring indecisively, finally parting just before sunset. Fortunately, however, the tiresome drizzle had subsided. Walking from the well, with a bucket of water, I enjoyed the cool breeze carrying the scent of freshly cut wood. I stopped for a moment to catch a breath and caught sight of Arthur in one of the windows. He was looking straight at me with that worried expression that had lurked in his gaze since he had called me after executing the apple tree. He retreated deeper into the chamber when he realised I could see him. I sighed heavily and moved on. I passed two guards, one of whom, known as Shaggy Tim (in reality completely bald), was explaining to the other that he had long since told them all that something was up, but they hadn't listened to him, and now they had confirmation. The other replied snottily that it was no confirmation, to which Tim wheezed angrily, but strangely the argument didn't develop. They both looked up suddenly at the buzzard circling in the sky, whose vibrating scream cut through the air time and again.
„That little scum always crawls out of nowhere when you least expect it", said Tim, apparently assuming that, having lost sight of me, I wouldn't be able to hear it.
„People say he's the bastard child of Gaius. Supposedly from some hamlet in Essetir".
The second guard laughed loudly.
„What's the matter? There are no whores here that the old man wandered to Essetir"?
I felt an irresistible urge to turn their tongues into earthworms or make them squeal like pigs for the rest of their lives instead of talking. Bastard... That hated word made me leave Ealdor almost as much as magic. In Camelot, I almost managed to free myself from it, but I was unable to escape some of the unpleasant rumours circulating about me.
„And I advise you well, beware of him, because he spies and reports everything to the prince, and if you happen to want to wring his head for that, you wouldn't keep your own. Just a little longer and the servants will rule this kingdom", continued Shaggy Tim. I quickened my stride, very much not wanting anger to take over me. I guess the fatigue of the day had made the conversation I had heard throw me off balance far more than I could have expected. The knowledge that there was no gaius to talk to about that damned cat, and perhaps complain about human meanness, didn't improve my mood either. Outside the door of Arthur's chambers, I set the bucket down with far too much force, splashing quite a lot of water onto the floor. I had particularly nasty luck, for in the corridor appeared Sir Henry Greenfort, one of the members of the royal council, who, he once declared to me, would have drowned me in a well if I had served him. Having no other choice, I tried to get out of his sight and in front of his shoes, avoiding him as any servant would.
I held my breath, hoping he would ignore me. Perhaps I should have simply pressed the door handle and entered Arthur's chambers, but I was unexpectedly gripped by the same brief but deep fear I felt when I touched the apple tree, the same fear I felt many years ago when Arthur told me the story of Morgana's cat. My heart sped up violently, the hair on the back of my neck went astray. 'I think I'm really starting to go mad,' flashed through my mind.
„What are you doing"? growled Greenford, splashing saliva all around. He was half a head taller than me and muscular like a knight. His right hand had been disabled, supposedly since birth, but he had trained his left hand to perfection to deliver precise blows. I was sometimes puzzled by the similarity of his features to Gwaine's, but Gwaine didn't seem to recognise a relative in him, and I didn't explore the matter further. After all, most noble families are related to each other.
„I spilled the water", I replied, struggling to force the words through a throat still clenched with terror.
„I saw perfectly well how you put that bucket down. What are you thinking!? You're sulking and in front of your prince's door! Wipe it off! Now! I want to pass through here"!
„You have plenty of place to pass, Henry".
Geoffrey of Monmouth's calm voice startled us both. Greenford looked over his shoulder with a look on his face as if he feared he'd seen a ghost.
„And anticipating your next words", Geoffrey continued, „I don't advise you to drown anyone in a well unless you want to pay a six thousand gold coin fine for polluting drinking water intakes".
„Forgive me, but I don't understand what you are actually suggesting. This servant's behaviour is reprehensible and I thought it appropriate to admonish him. That's all".
Greenford's face took on an offended expression. Nothing could be made out of Geoffrey's expression, but the tension between them was almost palpable.
„You've repeatedly threatened to drown this boy in the well, so I'm trying to dissuade you from doing so. For a many reasons, although I think the financial argument will appeal to you the most".
Oh, that would explain why Geoffrey and Gaius so keen to increase the amount, I thought. I had no idea that his lordship held me in such high esteem as to utter threats against me in the presence of other council members.
Greenford laughed artificially, which sounded more like he was whooping.
„I really don't understand your insinuations, dear Geoffrey. You were there, after all, and you know perfectly well the nature of my conversation with Lord Agravaine. We discussed the fact that Prince Arthur would benefit from a more competent servant. We considered ... the possibilities of convincing the Prince".
A shiver ran down my spine and this time I knew exactly why. Greenford is just Greenford, but if Arthur's uncle wants to get rid of me, I can expect serious trouble.
„This boy completely doesn't know his place. What I've just seen crosses all boundaries".
I drove my gaze to the floor so that Greenford wouldn't see anything inappropriate in my gaze. I wasn't going to provoke him and make the task more difficult for Geoffrey, who was clearly trying to get me away from him. And then I saw it; wet footprints stretching from the puddle of water on the floor almost to my feet. Paw prints. Could it be that some small creature had run this way unnoticed and, right under my nose, magically floated into the air?
I clamped my eyelids shut for a moment, and when I opened them, something turned over in my stomach. The footprints had clearly arrived. They began to appear before my eyes, another and another. And then everything around me went dark, as if night had suddenly fallen. The corridor narrowed. Morgana was heading towards me with a black cat in her arms. She was much younger than when I met her, but it would have been difficult to mistake her for anyone else. The cat nuzzled its head against her cheek and purred loudly. She stroked it with her gloved hand and adjusted the red scarf around its neck.
„And now he's pretending to be innocent"! Greenford's voice came from somewhere in the distance. Morgana's figure began to blur.
„The assessment of my servant's work is entirely up to me and I don't wish my decisions in this regard to be questioned in any way. Is it clear"?
The phantom disappeared and I continued to stare at the floor, at the circling pawprints of the invisible creature, the cat I had climbed the tree for today. Have you taken in a pet, Merlin? That's great. Is it dead? Oh, well... Everyone gets what they deserve.
I realised that Arthur was standing in front of me, looking at me with penetrating eyes, as if he had noticed the chaos in my head and was trying to make sense of it.
„Don't put on such a frightened face", he said in a mocking tone. „Ever since I can remember Greenford has been threatening to drown his sister, wife and aunt. They are all perfectly well".
„That's reassuring", I replied quietly. We were alone in the corridor. The moment of Greenford and Geoffrey's departure must have escaped me, obscured by a bizarre vision. I took the bucket and followed Arthur into his chambers. Footprints followed me, but they faded with each passing moment until they finally disappeared as I busied myself putting away the washed clothes I had brought earlier into the wardrobe.
„If something like this happens again, you are to tell me immediately", Arthur spoke up, looking through some papers.
„Yes, my lord", I muttered. The wooden hanger slipped from my fingers and fell to the floor making a lot of noise. Arthur sighed.
„Are you all right"? He asked in an irritated tone, but with a hint of genuine concern.
„I'm just tired", I replied. The penetrating gaze of his blue eyes rested on me again.
„Merlin", he said with emphasis. It looked as if he was going to ask another question, but he fumbled at the last moment. „I'll let you leave right away. I want to go to bed now".
Something heavy fell on the pillow right next to my face. I broke off violently and my stomach went up to my throat, colliding with my heart rumbling madly on the way. A pair of glowing, catlike eyes stared at me. I realised I was dreaming and calmed down a little. The cat began to tickle and purr. Again and again he rubbed his side and head against me until finally, overcoming my inner resistance, I reached out to stroke him. It was very strange to the touch, as if someone had stretched the fur over the skeleton and replaced the remaining tissues with some substance that was a little too runny. I couldn't shake the feeling that the purring was making the bones in his body tick without being properly stabilised.
The cat let out an unnaturally low meow and jumped down to the floor. He slipped through the ajar door and meowed again, this time more insistently. Intrigued, I moved to follow him. He crossed the main chamber with his tail proudly raised, stopped at the door, put his head against it and glared at me expectantly. As dreams usually do, I opened the door without much thought and allowed myself to be led through the deserted, castle-like corridors and then onwards, out into the woods. The night was clear, though a fine rain was drizzling. The cat strayed from the trodden path and I really don't know how I managed not to lose sight of him in the thicket, especially as he kept accelerating. His white paws hardly touched the ground. He meowed from time to time. He urged on. I could hardly keep up with him, but I couldn't stop, as if he were pulling me on an invisible rope. The cold was getting to me, the thorny branches were hurting my legs.
What a realistic dream, I thought, as my bare feet encountered something sharp. I longed to wake up. Maybe if I shouted, Gaius would come and... There was no Gaius. He has left. No one can wake me up. I have to run after the dead cat I climbed the tree for until I reach my destination.
The cat finally stopped under a huge beech tree, let out a bone-piercing, painful howl, then began scratching the ground between the roots with desperate vehemence. I threw myself off, overwhelmed by an irrational need to join him in this madness, but then someone's strong hands seized me and my mind was filled with fog.