Phoenix Fire

3 - Getting Patched Up

KAENA

By the time we were inside the courtyard of the castle of Camelot my arm felt like lead. It would take a seriously skilled physician to get me in fighting shape by the end of the week. We stopped near to the steps up to the castle's main entrance. It really was a beautiful place. White stone and red flags underneath a clear blue sky. I slipped off my horse and stumbled a little. An arm shot out to steady me. I gave Arthur a weak smile in thanks.

"You be careful alright." He told me, "Your father would not be happy with me if I let anything happen to you."

Really you'd be doing him a favour I thought, but I didn't say anything.

"Yeah, I suppose I'll be going back to him after this, might need to rest up for a little while." Not totally a lie. I would need to rest up, but not in Bernicia. Anywhere but there.

Arthur turned to Merlin. "Make sure Gaius fixes her up and get her some food while you're at it. Oh and I'll need you to clear out the stables tonight as well, oh and my armour needs polishing too. I have to go and report to my father." As he said the last part the two exchanged a grim look, before Arthur turned away and walked up the stairs.

I followed Merlin to a side entrance near the steps and we hurried inside.

"So," he said, looking over his shoulder at me every so often, "do you know who those men were that attacked you? Arthur seems to think they were bandits."

We turned a corner and I accidentally hit my arm on the side of the wall. My coordination was a little off, which wasn't a good sign. I don't think I'd let onto them how deep the cut was, which was good. I didn't want them to see me as vulnerable. "No, they weren't. I have a feeling they've been tailing me for a couple of days. Smugglers I think."

"Smugglers?" He asked. We continued down a corridor with some steps up ahead.

"I'm a girl, on her own, in the woods. No horse, little food. Easy target most would assume. They were probably looking to sell me onto someone like Cenred, he always has a use for vulnerable women." I replied with venom.

"Sounds like you're not really fond of him." Merlin raised an eyebrow at me as we walked up the stairs.

"I had a friend once, in a village. His men took her, and her sisters." I tried not to think what had become of Helena. She had screamed and screamed as they'd taken her away. I'd wanted to face them but Helena wasn't a fighter so we'd hidden. I had watched from under a disused wagon as they'd dragged her out of the barn. I'd promised myself I'd find her. One day.

"This is it." He told me, coming to the door at the top of the stairs. We walked inside. It looked like a mix between an apothecary and a library. Books were lying open on benches and the top of the main table in the middle. There were steps leading up to a sort of open second floor balcony, with books lining the walls. Across from me there were shelves with powders and liquids of all colours. Herbs and dried flowers hung from the ceilings and there was strange glass mechanism to make potions on the table. It smelt like camomile and bonfire. A strange combination but somehow homely. There was a small fire with a cauldron over to one side with something that looked like soup bubbling in it. All sorts of wooden and metal contraptions hanging from the banisters and from the balcony. A bed was over to one corner with a wooden door at the opposite side of the room.

"Gaius?" Merlin called, "This is Lona we met her in the woods, she was attacked."

An old man in a red robe looked up from the table. He'd been studying a book with drawing of plants etched onto the pages.

"Hello." I said.

"She's hurt. Her arm..." Merlin trailed off as Gaius stood up.

Gaius smiled at me. "It's good to meet you Lona, now let me take a look," he inspected my arm. "Ah yes. Merlin could you get me some rosemary, white willow bark, echinacea, and yarrow. Also some cloth, we'll have to apply a dressing here." He led me to the bed and Merlin jogged around the room collecting the ingredients.