Chapter Text
oday was a peaceful day.
Birds were chirping outside as they have been for the past few hours and the wind was humming softly, slightly moving the trees. No plots. No treasons. No public burnings. Sun was still shining, from time to time lighting up the floor and walls.
Merlin stood next to Arthur watching him as he worked over his right shoulder. The prince didn't seem to be bothered by it just now. He was focused deeply on the letters and numbers. Only a sudden position shift reminded him about his servant's existence.
"Alright Merlin, polish my sword and you can go." Arhur waved him off and gave his attention back to papers scattered all over the dark wooden table.
"I already did."
Arthur raised his eyes to look at his manservant once again.
"Huh, maybe you're not as useless as you seem to be." He made an effortless comment and scoffed. "Good for you, you can go." Arthur wrote something on one of the documents.
Apparently he's in a neutral mood today.
"Thanks." Merlin replied and after a moment mumbled something much less tactful. "Ass."
"Unless I reconsider."
Merlin quickly turned around to leave the room as quickly as possible.
"Merlin!"
He stopped midway and faced the prince.
Arthur gave him a daring look and Merlin tried to give as innocent impression as he could in return.
"I almost forgot, Merlin! The stables are dirty. Would be a shame if-"
Merlin fled
"Merlin! Get your arse back here right now or I'll make sure you're rolling in horseshit until the evening!" - Arthur yelled even though he knew the idiot won't return before evening anyway.
It's funny how he lets him get to his head on a daily basis.
A few guards and some noble's serving boy watched Merlin pass by with a satisfied smirk on his face. No one said anything.
Merlin was.. well specific and people around the castle knew that. Some believed he is brave for speaking up to ones with higher ranks, some just think hes being stupid. Or maybe a bit of both.
Merlin slowed down once he reached the stairs, far enough from the prince's chambers and peacefully strolled through the castle halls.
Maybe if Gaius doesn't have much chores left for him he might even have some time for himself… He could go for a walk or something. Sun was slowly setting down, but he probably still had at least two hours before it gets completely dark.
He reached Gaius' chambers and entered the room almost stumbling on a threshold.
"Hi Gaius!" he said cheerfully.
"Merlin! You're back early I see."- Gaius responded, looking at him for a moment before going back to checking his herb supplies.
"Yes, I am!" Merlin half shouted. "Arthur decided to have some decency today and let me go earlier."
"I'm glad to hear that. I have a few things for you to help me with, but it shouldn't take you long." Gaius took a few jars from the shelf and put them on the table. "I need to check up on a patient on the outskirts of the town. Poor man, he got pneumonia after getting caught in the rain while riding. His wife is worried sick."
"How is he?" asked Merlin.
"Not bad, but not very good either. I have to make sure he doesn't get any worse."
"Is there something I can do to help?"
"I don't think there's much we can do now, we have to wait and see." Gaius put on some thin coat and took his bag. "While i'm gone, could you sweep the floor, make a few simple chamomile preparations and maybe a syrup from dandelions? I'll be back in half an hour."
"Sure, I'll do it." He said as Gaius walked to the doors.
"Thank you Merlin."
"No problem." he smiled. Gaius left.
Merlin approached the nearest shelf and looked for ingredients before he noticed Gaius already left them on the desk. The only thing missing were dandelions as they need to be fresh.
It wasn't hard to find some, they grow everywhere, so he could be picky. He chose those growing far away from the main road as they were not covered in dust and mud.
He took two bowls and carefully separated yellow flowers from leaves and stalks, while waiting for the water to warm up. The entire room was filled with a nice yet specific smell now.
Merlin sat down for a moment and enjoyed the atmosphere. He loved the smell of herbs. Physician chambers basically never lacked it but it wasn't as noticable when leaves were still in a jar.
After leaving the flowers above the fire, it was time to prepare the already dried chamomile. Merlin washed the bowl he used previously with dandelions and found some additional empty bottles in the old cupboard.
Eventually Gaius came back and sniffed the air.
"Dandelions?" He commented.
"Fresh from the field!" joked Merlin cleaning a greenish bottle. "Smells nice doesn't it?"
"It does" Gaius inspected the pot above the fire nodding in approval. "Well done Merlin. Remember to check on it once a while."
"I know."
"I know you know, but it's a completely different matter whether you will remember about it or not."
Merlin laughed. "I'll do my best not to burn it."
Gaius raised his eyebrow. "I hope so."
A dead silence fell for a moment. Merlin took a better look at Gaius and realized the man seemed a bit downcast.
"What happened?" He stopped working for a moment."Is your patient okay?"
"It's not that. His state hasn't changed since morning, but his wife…She is terrified. Her father died of a similar illness, she has been crying the entire time."
"That's… awful. You tried to cheer her up a bit? Give her some hope?"
"Of course I did. I told her Oliver should be better soon and that with a good care the risk is minimal."
"That's a lie isn't it?" asked Merlin sadly.
"It is." admitted Gaius. "As I said, I don't know yet how he will respond to the medicines I gave him, but… pneumonia is hard to cure. Not many survive it."
Merlin slowly looked down and nodded. He understood how Gaius felt, it's not easy to talk to patients' families. Sometimes the job requires telling lies. A lot of lies.
"You look tired, I can cook something to eat for both of us." offered Merlin.
"There's no need to, I'll do it." Gaius opened the food cabinet. "Guess what's for dinner."
"Oatmeals?"
"Oatmeals." Gaius closed the wooden cabinet. "I think we still have some raspberry jam left."
Merlin watched the older man as he took a small kettle and poured some milk inside, but after a moment he went back to preparing herbs.
Already dried chamomile flower heads were in a small gray jar covered with a piece of string and a cloth.
He untied the knot and took out most of the jar's contents.
I will have to restore the supplies later, he thought to himself. Some were growing on the left side of the forest, just next to the city gate.
Merlin started to grind it when suddenly something shattered behind him.
Not only shattered. Literally exploded.
Just like that.
He jumped, startled by the unexpected sound, feeling that something grazed his skin right next to his elbow.
"Huh." Merlin looked at his bleeding forearm and the glass shards lying all over the floor.
"What was that?" Asked Gaius.
"I don't know, the jar just exploded." Merlin found himself a piece of cloth to cover the wound.
He cleaned it and went back to his task.