Chapter 29 [A/N: Happy Fourth of July!]
[Physician's Chambers—A Quarter Hourglass Turn Earlier]
Nimue slipped into view. Snide glint sparked in her eyes. Amusement spread her smirk still further across her face. Her spell held Arthur motionless. Consideration discerned Mithian's new state of affairs. "Most unexpected! I knew of your blood ties to Rhyfroth, Princess Mithian. I am impressed!" Respect prompted a nod. "Now, if Merlin can only pay attention." Snort pushed through her nose.
"Pay attention to what? I know how important Princess Mithian is! I am Prince Arthur's man though!" Merlin efforted himself into a sitting position. He rubbed the back of his neck. "Still stiff." Instinct moved his left arm to support himself with barely an effort at all….
…to little effort especially after recent wounds….
Needless to say, Shock and Wonder left most everyone aghast….
"What?" Merlin shifted his weight back to his right side. He discerned the questions in everyone's eyes. "I wish I knew." He noted Nimue watching him in turn. "Maybe you might know?"
"I would like to know as well, Priestess." Britomart hustled to Merlin's side. She examined his left shoulder and arm. "I do not believe it! You are healed!"
"Britomart, whatever happened just now, it took care of everything. Maybe Nimue did something?" Merlin shook his head. Plausibility seemed to support that theory. He glanced at Mithian.
"At least you remember what I did before. Thank you, Merlin." Indignant sniff escaped from Nimue's nostrils. "Because you posed your question respectfully, I will tell you." She motioned toward Merlin. "Three spells were cast. Sister Reyna's efforts kept Merlin alive. They should have healed him if not for Camelot's interference." Pointed Glare stabbed at Arthur for emphasis.
"My father did not know! How was he to know about Merlin?" Arthur struggled against the spell. "All of this about baggage!"
"Is that what you think?" Britomart stiffened. A headshake from Mithian cut off the rest of her response. She looked back at her mistress. "Milady, with respect, you cast a spell just now."
"Aye. I did. It was as if the knowledge just came to me. It is as you said, Priestess, my grandfather had magic but Queen Taene did not." Mithian frowned. "King Rodor told Prince Kay and me as much earlier."
"He lingered between life and death at that point," Britomart recalled.
Nimue rubbed her chin. Her eyebrow flicked upward. "Indeed. I cast the second spell, as the Fire Hair supposed, when Merlin and I met in another place. He was almost dead. I healed him. He returned with the order to rest. He of course would not. Nor did your sire or you, Pendragon, heed good sense! Every healer and royal save you two knew better!" She pointed at Merlin. "Your demands made him exert himself! That idiot's assault undid my spell! Before your effort, Princess Mithian, I had summoned an old ally of Nemeth to aid him." She shook her head. "It seems there is more to this matter than meets the eye."
"Old ally?" Mithian looked to Merlin and then back to Nimue. "King Rodor allows sorcery as long as the sorcerer co-exists with everyone else. Malodius has served Nemeth for several generations. Who else would that be?"
Nimue, another needs our aid. Open the door. Gaius, Malodius, and Accolon bring her to you.
Thank you, Lady. I shall. "That would be telling. You will see for yourselves soon enough." Nimue motioned toward the door. Her eyes flashed. "Others will join us."
"And you keep me like this? Release me, Witch!" Arthur strained against Nimue's spell. "You have tried to kill Merlin and me before!"
"I wished to stop Uther's insane Purge. Merlin got in the way. You…you…sought to interfere with my revenge. Besides, you were a means to an end at that point. As I told you, you are not meant to die at my hand. In fact, my spells brought you into this world. Gaius and I delivered you. Is that not true, Gaius?"
"Is what true?" Gaius shuffled into the chamber. "MERLIN? You can sit up? Britomart?" He looked toward Britomart. "What happened?"
"I apparently have magic, Master Gaius. I heard a voice in my head telling me that I'd made my choice. I felt a surge within myself. Words came and I cast a spell. Merlin healed. Prince Arthur tried to grab me. Priestess Nimue keeps him like that." Mithian's eyes went wide. "Lady Elaine? Nay! What happened now? What did Count Bernard do?"
"Count Bernard and Master Wyngate overdosed her on mushrooms, Princess." Gaius bowed to Mithian and then Arthur. "SIRE? What happened?"
"The Prince tried to grab Princess Mithian. I stopped that." Nimue curled her lip. "The goddess brought her magic to the fore. She healed Merlin herself. I had nothing to do with it." She turned toward the hall. "Bring the girl in here!" Disgust narrowed her eyes.
Malodius harunged. He bore a semi-conscious Elaine on his back. His eyes met Nimue's. He stopped in front of her and eased himself to the ground.
Elena stared at Merlin. "Merlin, they said….?"
"Wh…Where?" Elaine forced her head up. Delirium blurred her surroundings. Fever paled her complexion. Sweat beaded across her forehead. "Nay! Nay! Na' 'gain! Can' take more! I…." She held her stomach. "Help me, goddess!" She leaned forward. "S'rry…Mal…o…"
Accolon grabbed a wooden bowl from a nearby table. Sympathy panged within himself. "Here, Milady!" He handed it to her.
Nausea and Mushrooms induced another vomiting fit. Elaine turned from it. "I…I made another mess! Just do…do not force those wr…wretched things on me again. Please." Sobs streaked her face.
"Gaius?" Merlin forced himself to stand. Urgency pressed him toward Elaine. He wanted to do something for the beleaguered girl. "What do we do for mushroom poisoning?"
"Milk thistle, Merlin! Good grief! Elena, Britomart, and I can handle this! Please! Just lie down. You have nearly died three times this week already!" Gaius placed his hands on Merlin's arms. "Britomart, do you know where it is?"
"Aye, Master Gaius. I will get some ash dust as well. This should help." Britomart brought an emerald-tinted bottle down from one shelf. Right below that one, she spied a brown-tinted bottle. "Elena, I need a clean bowl."
"I have it, Sister!" Elena brought a bowl over to Britomart. "Prince Accolon? Can you help her to a chair? She should sit down." She pointed toward the worn chair in the corner.
"Aye. Good idea." Accolon eased Elaine over to the designated chair. "Just be comfortable, Lady. We will help you." He scowled at the discharge around her fingernails. "Pray that is enough! She ingested them a few turns of the hourglass ago."
Nimue moved to the healers' side. "He's right. That will not be strong enough." She stuck her finger into the pale mush. "Neartiach!" Her eyes glowed. Sorcerous energies flowed through her hand, down her finger, and into the mixture. Then, she pulled her hand out.
"What are you doing? You want to make it worse?" Arthur demanded.
A sarcastic snigger spit past Nimue's lips. "Uther did twist your mind, did he not? Magic does plenty of good. Look to Merlin. Open your eyes, Prince!" She shook her head. "Give my patience, Lady!" She walked the bowl over to Elaine and Accolon. "It is prepared. Open your mouth. This is the remedy." She placed several fingerfuls one at a time into Elaine's mouth.
Each bitter mouthful narrowed Elaine's eyes and puckered her mouth. Her face contorted. Still, she swallowed each dose. At the end, she swallowed several times. "Water please?"
"Of course." Accolon handed Elaine a goblet. "Drink it slowly, Lady Elaine. Then, we should let you rest." He watched her drink the water down. "That is better. Your body cannot tolerate those mushrooms. We were fortunate."
"King Rodor will get to the bottom of this! I cannot believe Master Wyngate would do something like this! He knows how the King feels about such vile practices." Chill stabbed up and down Mithian's back. Revulsion sent a shudder through her. She watched Merlin ease off the cot. "Thank you, Merlin."
Merlin bowed to Mithian. Granted, Stiffness still slowed his movements. "Glad to help. Gaius, maybe I should go back to my quarters? We have to leave in the morning."
"Our fathers will speak, Prince Arthur. Merlin should stay behind to let his shoulder heal properly." Mithian looked about the chamber. Something else felt off to her.
Merlin, look to the plaza. A companion and I will be there shortly, Kilgarrah announced in his mind.
Malodius jumped to his paws. Dragon? How? He stiffened.
Realization and Mischief sparked in Nimue's eyes. Well now! So that is how you knew about those things! She laughed. "Oh, how I underestimated you, Merlin!" She waved her hand. "There! Do behave yourself. Uther and you are in for a surprise!"
"Surprise? What have you….?" Arthur stiffened. His eyes narrowed. "If this was Camelot…."
Alarm Bells rang out. Siren alerts beckoned toward Plaza beyond.
"The warning bells? Now?" Mithian turned to Merlin. "What does Nimue mean that she underestimated you?"
Gaius shook his head at Merlin. "It is nothing, Milady. Do not…"
Nimue raised her own eyebrow at Gaius. "Again, you sweep something under the furnishings? It is so tiresome! I will see you out there." A flash swept her away from there.
"Britomart, Master Gaius, and Elena and you should stay with Lady Elaine. Malodius, Merlin, Prince Arthur, follow me." Mithian led them toward the passage.
Arthur rasped a sharp breath. "Merlin, I do not know what you are up to but I am going to want answers!" He stalked out the door and down the passage.
So much for things returning to normal! Merlin shook that thought off. Priority lay with Nimue's next "surprise". Afanc and Poisoned Chalice kept him on edge. He hustled after Arthur.
Gaius shook his head. Details seeped too far out into the open for his liking. Arthur's discoveries held uncomfortable consequences….
…where they'd go only Fates could tell….
