Chapter 12 - Plans
Willow woke early the next day. After checking that Arthur still slept she went to visit Gaius. He was up. One of the things Willow really appreciated about the elderly was that they were early risers. Merlin apparently was still abed. Willow discussed what supplies and equipment use were available. Gaius did not have the river available to cool things like Granny had. Willow wondered how she was to keep certain tonics she liked to use for pain reduction cold. She resolved to figure something out later and went to check on Arthur again.
He was up, groggy and hungry. Hunger was a good sign for someone who had a fever and congestion. Willow checked his temperature again and listened to his lungs. Merlin came in while she had her ear to his chest. He spoke very loudly about breakfast. Arthur's chuckling was thunderous in her ear. She was irritated with Merlin, but she'd heard enough to recognize that Arthur was no worse for wear due to his long painful journey the day before.
Arthur started to complain at and about Merlin. Merlin acted blissfully unaware or unbothered which infuriated Arthur. Both Merlin and Arthur almost seemed to like this little game. Arthur's breakfast smelled delicious, which reminded Willow she hadn't had her own breakfast yet. So she took herself off to find some while they bantered about trivialities.
It was nice not having to take any part in making her breakfast, but Willow found getting any food out of the kitchen staff a challenge in itself. After getting a meager but tasty breakfast Willow returned to talk to Arthur about how he was feeling. She found him deep in conversation with his father and several knights. She listened to them talk about the defenses of the kingdom, but mostly she listened to Arthur's voice for the telltale congestion that she suspected he would begin to exhibit soon. The discussions with Uther and the knights got a little heated. Willow tried to stay out of the way, but with access to Arthur for a proper assessment denied to her for so long, she grew bored waiting. She went looking for Merlin.
After asking around to many people, she found him in the stable mucking out the stall of Arthur's horse Swift Frost. "What is on Arthur's schedule today?"
Merlin looked up with straw in his hair and a dark streak across one cheek that she hoped was mud. "What?" Then he smiled. "Oh Willow. What can I do for you?"
Willow didn't get too close. She was never very fond of the smell of horse manure. "What is Arthur's schedule today? Because apparently my desire to attend him and assess his health is low on his list of priorities. When can I find a time that he is free for that?"
Merlin grinned. "I don't know. I'm usually trying to avoid Arthur because his list of priorities for me to do is endless whenever I see him. I don't usually try to keep track of him. That's far too hard. He's a restless, busy man."
Willow sighed. "Well, how can I keep him healthy if I can't ever get to him? Uther has already informed me that he doesn't trust me and if I put a foot out of line he'll throw me in the dungeon. If I don't keep Arthur healthy what will he do to me then?"
Merlin shook his head. "Even if I did know Arthur's schedule, he's hardly going to follow it, confined as he is to his bed." Then Merlin smirked. "But perhaps he won't stay confined to his bed. He's a very determined man." He raised an eyebrow at her.
Willow frowned. "I guess I sit outside his room and wait for an opportunity to talk to him when nobody else is." She tsked. "It's a very inefficient use of my time."
Merlin nodded. "Forgive me if I don't join you to keep you company. Sitting outside his room is the worst place for me to be unless I want enough tasks to keep me busy until I'm an old man."
Willow nodded. "I understand."
As she turned to go, Merlin added, "You will let me know if Arthur is on his feet and walking around outside his room before nightfall? Won't you?"
Willow rolled her eyes. "If you don't see it, it didn't happen."
Merlin groaned. "That's not fair. I have to condemn myself to a lifetime of tasks just to know the truth?"
Willow smiled. "It was your idea to make the wager." She shrugged. "And I need a new dress."
As she walked away, Merlin called, "Oh, I see how it is. Taking advantage of a poor working boy's wages for your own gain. Shameless, Willow. Truly shameless. Being in the seat of power, in the kingdom's capital has already corrupted you. Shame. Shame."
Soon she was out of earshot with a smile on her face. She was glad Merlin was here. He was always good for a laugh and was a good friend to have when someone was new in a large place like Camelot. She wondered what it would be like to kiss him. After he was cleaned up of course. She also wondered why he didn't use magic when no one was looking to accomplish the many tasks Arthur set for him. From what she could tell, he certainly was capable of it.
Willow decided to pay a visit to Gaius for advice about getting in to see Arthur. That must have been a problem he'd encountered before. When she got to his quarters she found Gaius working on brewing up a medicine. He was more than happy to explain to her, "If your time was more valuable then you would have the right attitude to demand Arthur's time for his treatment." He suggested, "You can do some apprentice work for me to make your time more valuable. Or I suppose more a journeyman's work since officially you're apprenticed to Millicent."
"Or journeywoman's work as the case may be," Willow added.
He chuckled. "I would greatly appreciate the help since Merlin is often detained doing Arthur's work. We could discuss your ideas on treatments and you could be more of a junior partner in working with my patients, giving priority to Arthur, of course. It might make Uther more peaceable and cooperative also."
Willow liked the idea. She truly enjoyed Gaius's company and was appreciative of the extra training in this new capacity. Secretly, she didn't mind the increased likelihood of seeing more of Merlin either. Especially, when he wasn't mucking out stalls.
After discussing the situation Willow decided to give another attempt at seeing Arthur. Somehow on the way to his room she got lost. She thought she knew the way, but must have been mentally preoccupied and took a wrong turn. Oh! Stop distracting yourself with thoughts of Merlin. This is why you decided to stay a maiden, unencumbered with these attention consuming thoughts.
She was in a part of the castle she'd never been in before. Curiosity got the better of her and she decided to see where this hallway went before she turned back to try to retrace her steps. As she neared a corner, she heard voices.
Oh, good, she thought. I can get directions.
She heard a man's voice say, "You'll need to be careful with this poison. It's undetectable, It breaks down quickly once eaten, but it's very effective. Make sure you only get it on his food. It's quite deadly."
Willow's mouth dropped open. She flattened herself against the wall to eavesdrop. This was dangerously important information.
A girl's voice chuckled, "Is it so terrible if a few extra people die?"
"Fool, you'll get yourself caught with that attitude. More than one person dying will look suspicious." The man's voice said.
The girl giggled and said, "Oh, Tobias, you're always so serious. I was only joking."
Tobias! He was one of the knights.
Tobias's voice sounded growly when he said, "Make sure you're serious when using that. Use all of it. Do it in his dinner tonight. Uther will blame that healer girl. He's already got it in for her. I've got you a position in another castle closer to your family to get you out of harm's way. Meet me at the stables as soon as you've put the poison in his dinner. Just do this right. Understand?"
He's asking her to poison Arthur and is trying to blame me for it! I've got to tell somebody!
"I've got it already." The girl said, sounding irritated.
Tobias said, "Alright. You go back by the south stair. I'll take the north. When you see me in the hallways don't even make eye contact. Understand?"
"I'm not an idiot." The girl said.
"We'll see," Tobias said, sounding threatening.
Willow heard Tobias's heavy footsteps move away from her. Then lighter footsteps approached her hiding spot. Willow pressed back into an old mildewy curtain and pulled it in front of her just as a girl rounded the corner.
After the footsteps passed, Willow tried to get a look at her, but all she saw was the girl's back. She was slightly wider than average and her hair under her serving cap was a mousy brown.