Chapter 7

Merlin had no trouble getting me out of bed the next morning. After a day of sitting in meetings, I was very much looking forward to training! Merlin seemed in high spirits as well. No surprises there, ha!

We bantered and teased as I ate breakfast and he tidied the bed. At one point, I threw a sausage at him for his cheek and he caught it with his magic and ate it. Thanks, for the sausage, Prat! I cannot believe that he called me a prat when I had just tossed him my sausage! Guinevere chastised us as though we were little boys. Yes, it was a glorious morning.

I sent Merlin ahead of me to gather my shield and weaponry and take it to the field. After checking my schedule and taking leave of Guinevere, I headed out and found myself joined by several knights. The camaraderie of my men lifted my spirits even higher.

Yes, life was going swimmingly until we heard clanging and shouting ahead of us. We raced down the corridor and turned the corner to see Leon wrestling Lord Fenmore to a wall, shouting for guards and help. I'd never seen Leon lose his head, always collected and steady as a rock, was he. But now- now he looked thoroughly enraged. "Sire!" he cried, "Merlin!"

I looked down the staircase strewn with training equipment and my stomach dropped. Merlin lay very still at the bottom of it.

Knights were rushing past me. Leon was giving the loudly protesting Fenmore into the guards' custody and ordering them to put him in the dungeon. I didn't care because Merlin was lying very still at the bottom of the staircase.

I couldn't seem to move. All I could do was stare. Why couldn't I move?

My body finally came alive as more knights rushed past me down the steps. One called for a stretcher, another for Gaius. As I leaped forward, Leon began furiously relating what had brought my friend to such grievous harm. I shook my head and brushed him away. That could wait. Right now Gaius was needed and that was all that mattered. My men made space for me.

There was no blood, and Merlin was beginning to stir as I crouched beside him, reaching to cradle his head in my hands.

"Lie still, Merlin," I commanded, "Help is coming."

He moaned and cracked his eyes open to look at me then shut them immediately with another pained moan. A concussion, then, at the very least. He tried to turn on his side and I recognized that he was about to be sick. As we assisted him he suddenly yelled in great pain before vomiting. It was a messy and confusing affair, for, not knowing what his injuries were, we didn't know best how to support him.

Finally, Gaius arrived and took charge. A crowd had gathered. The knights, a few servants and nobles, Leon and I watched as Gaius looked him over.

"Concussion and a broken arm," he stated succinctly and began supervising the placement of Merlin on the stretcher.

I followed along behind with Leon in the small procession to the physician's chambers.

In Gaius' chamber, Merlin's arm was braced before he was carefully moved to the patient's bed, whereupon Gaius proceeded with his care. My friend's agony pained me greatly. Couldn't something more be done?

"Gaius."

He didn't look away from his patient but responded, "Yes, Sire?"

"I'm not sure if you've heard yet but the ban on magic has been officially lifted."

"Yes, Sire. Merlin told me last night. It is welcome news, my Lord."

He continued to work, bandaging Merlin's head now and asking Leon to close the window shutters to darken the room. Merlin muttered slurred questions and occasionally twitched in pain. Gaius examined his arm more closely and tsked, "It's a bad break."

I dreaded what was coming. Merlin wasn't able to keep anything down, including the pain medication.

"Didn't you practice magic before my father instigated the Purge, Gaius?"

He hesitated in his ministrations to glance at me over his shoulder.

"Yes, Sire."

"Was it healing magic?" I asked.

He straightened and turned to face me with his eyebrow lifted to its famous height.

"Yes, my Lord, it was."

"Could you use that magic now to heal Merlin and give him relief?"

"I'm sorry, Arthur, my magic was never very strong. I'm afraid I'm far out of practice and may no longer have the power necessary to effect the.."

"Try anyway," I broke in flatly.

"Sire," he shook his head. "I would need to prepare.."

"Then do it, for pity's sake!" I almost shouted as Merlin groaned again and reached out in my direction with his unhurt arm.

"Ar-thurr!" he protested feebly, his speech slurred, "Dollophead, shhh ..be quiet." He brought his free hand up to press against his forehead.

"I'm sorry," I responded quietly. "Gaius, what can you do?"

"Sire, treating the wounded from Camlann has severely reduced my supplies. I do not have the requisite materials to perform the healing spell, even if I did have sufficient power."

I looked down at the only other sorcerer in the room.

"Could he heal himself?"

"I think not, my Lord. He is powerful but inexperienced. I'm sorry to say healing does not seem to be his gift. And even if we were able to couple his power with my knowledge, he certainly couldn't do it while suffering the effects of a severe concussion."

As if to confirm and punctuate that statement, Merlin once again rolled to his side with a cry as his arm dragged against the cot and he began heaving.

I held his head as Gaius held the bowl for him. When he finished, he lay back and murmured something and gave a tiny snort.

"What was that, Merlin?" I asked.

He whispered, "I s-said, ..s-so much for th' s-sausage."

For some strange reason, after all that had happened this morning, that disgusting little sentence made me want to cry. Things had been going so well. Too well, I guess.

Gaius noticed.

"Arthur, take heart. He may not be able to directly heal himself but his magic has always acted to speed up the process. I speak from past experience. I believe his healing in this case will also be greatly accelerated."

I nodded, grateful to know it but it was small comfort as I watched Gaius set and splint his left forearm. Merlin was brave in the face of his pain and confusion but still, his cries nearly undid me. I gripped his good hand, bracing him and giving what support I could through the process while Leon assisted Gaius. Between cries, he gasped and kept repeating the words 'I'm fine, I'm fine' almost as a mantra. At first I think he meant to reassure us but then it seemed more like he was trying to convince himself, to remain in control of himself until the procedure was finished. And suddenly I was angry again. Very angry.

"Leon, come with me."

We left to find a small chamber where we could converse privately. As we walked, my rage went from a boiling hot desire to immediately execute someone to a calculating determination to punish. I had to forcibly remind myself that I wanted to be a king who desired only justice.

We found a secure room. I wasn't going to beat around the bush, but first things first.

"You don't seem to have been surprised about hearing that Merlin has magic."

"No, Sire."

"Why?"

"It was merely a confirmation of all I've suspected since you returned from Camlann. It was unusual that he wasn't by your side when you returned and then you spoke with trust and respect of the sorcerer who wished to remain anonymous. It sounded to me as though you knew him well. Your treatment of Merlin has become more respectful, even deferential at times. -Which is also unusual." He grinned a little. "Aside from that, I know his noble heart and his devotion to you. We've all noted his determination to protect you on patrols and quests. Once I thought back over the years since his arrival, I began to suspect that our good luck wasn't really luck."

"Dropped branches."

He nodded. "If he always had such power at his command, it would explain why he tended to behave and speak more like an equal than a subservient peasant."

I hadn't thought of that. But he was right. It explained so much.

"And lastly, Sire, after all the wrongs suffered by magic users at our hands, a sorcerer desirous of protecting Camelot and her king would have to be a sterling soul."

"Yes."

We were silent for only a moment.

"All right. What happened?"

His expression darkened.

"I was on my way to training when I heard Lord Fenmore's voice in the corridor ahead. He was upset that his attempts to comment in the previous council meeting were rebuffed while a mere peasant was allowed to speak. He was evidently insulted and jealous. He said that you were unfit to be king because you listened to peasants rather than to those high born. Merlin objected with deference and restraint. Fenmore insinuated that your injury at Camlann had affected your judgement and that it was the reason for the 'foolishness' of removing the ban. He called Merlin several poisonous things and said he would take whatever steps needed to see your decision reversed, beginning by removing your 'meddling, uppity' servant. He shoved him down the stairs just as I came 'round the corner. Merlin had his arms full of equipment. He could do nothing."

"No. He could have done something! But he's too damned determined to keep his secret!"

I took a moment to stew and fume.

"Gather the court and have that snake brought from the dungeons. I want this taken care of before the proclamation this afternoon. You'll need to give testimony, of course."

"Of course, Sire."

—-

I don't wish to rehash the trial. It was grim. Fenmore was stripped of his lands and title based on his subversive disloyalty to the crown. He had no supporters in the crowd. I did take a moment to express my additional displeasure at his treatment of my servant and also availed myself of the opportunity to inform my court of my expectations of civil behavior in every instance.

"My Lords and Ladies, in his abuse of my servant, Fenmore has offended the spirit of generosity and nobility that should define every citizen of Camelot. Regardless of station, our interactions with each other should be respectful. I personally have deep regard for the man who acts civilly toward everyone, regardless of class or difference of opinion. I believe it is the hallmark of a noble spirit. And I find that I have very little regard," -I couldn't help glaring at Fenmore- "for those who cannot muster some decency and respect for their fellow human beings."

There.

If they wanted to curry favor, they would have to show more courtesy to the lower classes than they may have been accustomed to in the past.

After lunch, I checked on my friend who looked to be resting more comfortably.

"He has been able to keep some pain medication down."

"Is there any way he could be present for the proclamation, Gaius? This is his victory."

He shook his head, dashing my hopes.

"No, my Lord. He is coming along quite well but pushing him would be unwise."

I hid my disappointment but Gaius was as sharply intuitive as ever.

"He felt triumphant last night, Arthur. Today's proclamation would just be dessert. Pleasant but unnecessary."

I was disappointed by Merlin's absence on the balcony during the proclamation, however, Guinevere's hand was in mine and Sir Leon stood at my side. Behind me were several influential council members. The proclamation was made and the reactions seemed to be mostly thoughtful, unsurprised acceptance, with only a few unhappy people. I mentioned this as we retired from the balcony.

"I'm not surprised, my Lord," said Leon.

"Oh?"

"In my visits to the tavern since your return, I've overheard discussions and sentiments to rival those at the council meeting. Your words had an impact. They, and the tales of the sorcerer at Camlann have been the main topics of debate and conversation. Many elderly who have lived since long before the Purge have spoken in favor of your sentiments. They relate memories of neighbors and townspeople who were benevolent magic users. And those who suggested that you were enchanted were shouted down by others who said a king who thinks and who asks his people to think doesn't sound enchanted. The people love and trust you, Sire."

That was humbling news.

Guinevere squeezed my hand and caught my attention. She smiled up at me. "Training, Arthur?"

She knew me well.I felt eighty years old after all the sitting and standing around. I need to move!

I kissed her hand.

"What do you say to some sparring, Leon?"

"It would be a pleasure, Sire."