Chapter Four: Poisoned

When Meridyth woke the next morning her heart was still heavy with confusion. She rose from her bed and dressed herself in the rose red gown that Eirian had set out. Meridyth took the brush on the table and brushed her out her long chocolate tresses. She took the black satin ribbon from beside the brush and gave it to Eirian who was in the outer chamber.

"Braided, Lady?" the maid asked. Meridyth nodded as she sat down. Eirian's gentle hands braided Meridyth's soft hair with practiced skill. When the braid was completed, Eirian secured it with the black ribbon.

"There, all done, Lady. Anything else?" she asked.

"No, thank you." Meridyth got up and took the mahogany chest off the mantle. She opened the chest and took out the silver chain and pendant. She put the necklace around her neck and fastened the clasp. She then turned and headed to the dining hall for breakfast.

When she arrived at the hall she stopped at the head of the stair. There, sitting at her place at the table, was Aneira. Aneira looked at Meridyth, a horrible grin spreading across her face disguised as a sweet smile. Beside her sat Galahad, who also looked up for a moment then turned to Aneira. Arthur noticed her and stood.

"Meridyth, I thought you weren't hungry!" he said. Meridyth raised an eyebrow and looked at Aneira with murdered in her eyes. Aneira looked at her innocently.

"Yes, I'm glad my message was given to you," she replied slowly.

"Galahad told me this morning," Arthur said. Meridyth blinked in surprise and Gawain turned and glared at the guilty knight. Meridyth forced a polite smile and left the hall. When she left Gawain grabbed Galahad's ear and led him to the kitchens.

"What were you thinking? She skipped dinner last night. She'd going to be starving, you thick headed idiot!" Gawain growled. Galahad touched his ear gingerly.

"You didn't have to rip my ear off," Galahad grumbled.

"You did it either to sit by Aneira or to spite Meridyth, which was it?"

"Both." Gawain raised his hand to strike Galahad but thought better of it.

"After breakfast you will take Meridyth some food and wine or you will answer to me, understand?" Gawain ordered. Galahad nodded with reluctance. "And you will apologize."

They bother re-entered the hall and sat back down. Aneira inquired about the little talk.

"I'm to offer her some food and wine then apologize," he replied bitterly.

"Oh, well I'm finished so I can go get the wine from the kitchens. You go ahead and get the food. I'll meet you in the courtyard," Aneira said sweetly. Galahad nodded, not caring what she did for his ear had taken over his attention.

Once she was in the kitchen, Aneira took a cup and poured the wine. Then she took a small vial out of her sleeve. She took uncorked the bottle and sprinkled a few grains of its contents into the dark liquid.

She waited patiently for Galahad, sitting on a stone bench as he arrived. He was obviously irritated ad reluctant to speak with Meridyth, but feared Gawain's wrath even more.

"Here, I'll let you take it to her. I'll meet you here when you're finished," she said softly, handing him the poisoned cup. He nodded and headed out of the courtyard, not noticing the smile on Aneira's face.

Galahad asked the guard at the castle entrance where Meridyth had gone. The guard said that she was heading towards the stables when she left the castle. Galahad headed towards the stables in an annoyed silence.

As the guard had said, Meridyth was in the stables. She had begun to groom her horse when Galahad appeared. She glanced at him but returned to brushing the horse. Galahad moved to set him peace offering on the nearest stool, but stumbled and spilled most of the wine. Meridyth rolled her eyes as he straightened and placed the food and wine on the stool as though nothing had happened.

"Why do I have the odd feeling that Gawain forced you to do this?" she asked him. She led her horse into the stall it belonged in and closed the gate.

"He did. He is also making me apologize. So, I'm sorry. There, job done," Galahad said shortly. Meridyth frowned as he turned to leave. He didn't get out the door considering Meridyth had thrown a brush at his head and didn't miss.

"What?!" he asked, his voice rising. He touched his head gingerly. In a way he knew why she had thrown the brush, but he said nothing.

"You aren't sorry, are you?" she asked him. Galahad scowled, his guess was correct.

"Not anymore, thank you."

"I suppose you don't love me anymore either." Galahad blinked stupidly.

"What did you say?" he asked his voice calm but trimmed with surprise.

"You heard me. I knew, you know. I knew that you loved me, but I ignored it because I was still upset about my father's death," she replied coolly. She turned around and rested her hand on the post next to her.

"I see." Galahad began to leave the stable. Meridyth heard his steps slowly fade. She assumed he had left, but he had stopped at the door, about to say something. He was cut off when Meridyth began to speak again, presumably to no one.

"I love you, Galahad. Yet you love me no more," she whispered just loud enough for him to hear. Galahad then left her.

Meridyth gazed at the food resting on the stool. She picked up the mostly empty wine goblet. She brought the innocent looking goblet to her mouth and felt the cool liquid touch her lips. She sipped the wine and set the goblet down where she had taken it from and touched her head. The room had begun to spin and darken. She fell against the stall next her and slid down the door, unconscious.

Galahad changed out of his black shirt and replaced it with a white one. He touched his face and felt the prickling stubble of his beard. It had been a few days since his last trim. She spent the next fifteen minutes carefully shaving his face with the small knife that lay on his bed table. When his face was smooth once more, he headed to the dining hall, his heart light.

When he arrived at the table Meridyth's seat was still vacant. Gawain was already there, eyeing him curiously. Gawain watched Galahad take his seat next to him, a peculiar smile spreading across his smooth face.

"What did you do now?" he asked with suspicion. Galahad looked at him, never ceasing to smile.

"She loves me," Galahad said contentedly. Gawain looked at him with confusion for a moment, but then realized that he was speaking of Meridyth.

"Anyone could have told you that," he said with sigh. Galahad ignored him and poured himself some wine. Soon, Aneira appeared dressed in a royal blue gown. She was smiling sweetly, capturing the attention of the lower men of court. She made her way to sit next to Galahad. She sat down on the empty bench and placed a soft hand on Galahad's arm.

"Galahad..." she began, her hand moving up his arm. Galahad took her hand and removed it as though it were a piece of garbage that had been thrown on him.

"That is not your seat, Lady Aneira. Kindly remove yourself from it and sit next to Bors at the end of the table," he said indifferently. Aneira frowned severely and stood up with a high pitched "humph". She then sat down by Bors, who wasn't so thrilled either. Gawain smiled and shook his head at Bors' plea to trade seats.

It was slowly getting late and Meridyth had yet to show up. Galahad was beginning to worry when the doors opened. His hopes were shot down when it was only a stable boy who looked worried and desperate. Arthur looked up and noticed his frantic movements.

"What is the problem, young man?" he asked calmly. The boy's eyes snapped to Arthur.

"Sire, there is something terribly wrong with the lady Meridyth! She's in the stable but she won't wake up!" the boy said with fear. Aneira smirked as the news filled the room. Galahad leapt from the table and ran to the stables, everyone following behind. Aneira stood up calmly and walked to the stables without a care in the world.

Galahad reached the stables first and sure enough Meridyth was leaning against the stall door she had fallen against, unconscious. Galahad knelt next to her and touched her cheek softly. She was burning with fever.

Meridyth moaned softly and opened her eyes. The others that had run to the stables arrived and looked at Meridyth with concern filling their hearts. Guinevere knelt by Meridyth and touched her face and felt the fever that ravaged her body.

"She must be taken to her rooms. She's feverish and very ill," she said to Galahad. He nodded and lifted Meridyth, one arm around her back and the other beneath her knees.

"The... wine..." Meridyth whispered. Gawain took up the cup and poured the remaining liquid out. There was a thin layer of white paste on the bottom of the goblet. Gawain touched the paste and sniffed it.

"Poison, most definitely. Whoever put the poison in didn't put enough to kill her," Gawain stated as Aneira arrived. Her look of mock horror became genuine at the sight of a weakened, not dead, Meridyth.

"What happened?" she asked. Gawain looked at her.

"You took your time getting here," he muttered. Aneira ignored him and looked at Galahad, who held Meridyth. Meridyth's dark eyes were open, but were slightly hazed over with fever. Aneira's body shook with fury. Once again her plans had been foiled by some means that were unknown to her.

Galahad turned and began to carry Meridyth to her chambers. Aneira stood in the doorway, blocking their exit. She, as well as everyone else in the stable, was shocked when she was simply pushed aside harshly. No one, save Galahad, knew why. Galahad knew there was only one person who had the opportunity to put poison in the wine and that person also had a reason, but that reason wasn't clear to him. He didn't accuse anyone right then for the major concern was Meridyth.

Silently the pair made their way from the stables, across the surrounding yard, to the castle. Meridyth remained awake, her breathing slowly, her breath coming in soft wheezes. Occasional moans passed through her pale lips, though they were no louder than whispers. Galahad held Meridyth closer as her once infrequent chills occurred more and more often.

"We're almost there," Galahad said softly. They had entered the castle as he spoke to her.

"It's... so... cold..." Meridyth whispered between wheezes. She leaned against his chest, hoping to gain some of his warmth.

Galahad reached her rooms where Eirian waited, her once calm face draped in fear and worry. Eirian ushered them into the inner chamber and motioned for Galahad to put Meridyth on the bed. He complied and was literally thrown out of the room by the woman.

Soon several other servants were summoned. Each one carrying something different. Eirian had taken it upon herself to make her young mistress well again and she seemed to be doing well.

Hours had passed and concerned people appeared at the door. None were allowed to see her yet, for Eirian insisted that they wait until she was finished. Eventually they had chairs brought into the makeshift waiting room.

It was half past midnight when Eirian appeared in the door, her ace glistening with sweat. The anxious faces of the king, queen, Bors, Gawain, and Galahad gazed at her, thirsty for good news. Aneira had tried to wait with them but was banished from the chambers by Galahad. Everyone remained curious as to the origin of his newfound hatred for the woman.

"You may see her now. Her fever has broken and she is sound asleep, so please be quiet. She will be weak for a few days, so riding and physical activities are simply out of the question!" she said calmly, her voice rising slightly near the end.

The five people entered the room in complete silence, not wanting to wake the sleeping woman. Arthur stood on her right and stroked her pale cheek. Arthur bent down and kissing her forehead gently and left the room, his heart and mind set on finding the culprit.

Bors simply left after nodded briefly. Guinevere sat down on the bed, not disturbing her body and brushed away a stray lock of hair. She then kissed Meridyth, brushing her lips softly against Meridyth's cheek. Guinevere then stood and left.

Gawain sat down in the wooden chair near the bed, crossing his burly arms across his chest. Galahad sat on the edge of the bed and intertwined his fingers with hers. To Galahad, the entire situation was his fault. If he hadn't acted like a complete idiot then she wouldn't be lying there, weak and helpless.

"She seems so peaceful there," Gawain remarked quietly. He thought he saw Meridyth open her eyes briefly, but dismissed it, thinking the light was playing with him. Galahad grinned at the thought of Meridyth being "peaceful".

"She does, doesn't she?" This morning, when I last saw her, she said she knew that I loved her. When I left, she thought I didn't love her anymore, so when I saw her in the stables I was scared," he said softly. Gawain raised an inquisitive eyebrow.

"Scared?" Galahad nodded.

"Yes, that I would never be able to tell her that I do still love her," Galahad replied. Gawain looked at him, watching his smooth and loving movements. It was quite apparent that he still loved the young woman. He remembered the first time they had met ten years ago. They could barely stand each other and now they were in love with each other.

Gawain left the room. Galahad turned and gazed out the open window, breathing in the clear night air.

"Galahad, you're sitting on my foot," a strained voice said tiredly. Galahad leapt up, looking at Meridyth's supposedly asleep body. Meridyth pushed herself up into a sitting position and looked at Galahad innocently.

"You're supposed to be asleep!" Galahad said with shock. Meridyth shrugged.

"I was, until I realize I couldn't move my foot," she replied. "I'm just glad you didn't break my ankle." Galahad stared at her and then left the room, wondering whether she was lying or not. Meridyth watched him, a smile playing on her lips, which answered Galahad's question. She had lied.