Live With What You Have

The Mark of Nimueh: Part 1

The Mark of Nimueh: Part 1

Adrielle was glad to see that things had settled back down in Camelot. Merlin had resumed his normal duties as Arthur's manservant. The pair acted as if nothing had happened. They didn't linger over the fact that Arthur nearly died or that he had completely sacked Merlin. They behaved like a proper prince and servant pair, more or less. Merlin was getting better at understanding where his place was but a part of him still refused to let the prince walk all over him. She had a feeling it would be interesting to see how the two of them interacted over time.

Even Adrielle's life started to slow down to a normal rate. She continued to follow Gaius on his rounds and continued to study her books on medicine. Whenever Merlin was away tending to the Prince she would take her chance and sneak out their magic book. She couldn't believe how much there was to learn about her powers. There was so much she had been missing out on. She had always just been able to do things based on instinct when she was scared or startled. It utterly amazed her how much she could do with a bit of practice.

Her rounds with Gaius had progressed well over the last couple of weeks. They had returned to Eva's house and helped deliver her baby. It was a sight that would probably remain with Adrielle for quite some time. Despite all that she had witnessed, she was still privileged to see a new life being born in front of her eyes. Adrielle had felt herself on the brink of tears, and maybe a bit of bile, as she watched little Lydia being born.

Adrielle and Guinevere were on the track to becoming close friends. Adrielle was grateful to have a female acquaintance in Camelot. She feared she would be confined to Merlin as her only friendly peer. Sure Merlin was the only one who could relate and understand to the fact that she had magic, for obvious reasons, but it was a welcome change to have another feminine friend to call hers. Adrielle had left another close female friend back in Ealdor and she missed her dearly.

Lydia's birth had been the highlight of Adrielle's life since the tournament and Knight Valiant. Adrielle could feel herself becoming slightly restless. A part of her secretly wished for something more exciting to do. She was becoming bored. She knew that when you got bored you do stupid things. She could think of many instances when Merlin would become bored and get himself into trouble. That's why Adrielle always tried to keep herself busy in Ealdor. As to avoid the boredom and trouble she was bound to get into.

Adrielle and Merlin were both glad to accompany Gaius down to the lower town when a report of something odd came through. The three of them trekked down to where a man was passed out in the dirt. Most people thought he was just a drunkard; a man who frequented the tavern a little too much and finally reached his limit one night. As they approached the body his limp form hardly looked out of place. Gaius knelt down close to the man's body and began to examine him.

"Aren't you afraid?" Merlin asked.

"Of what?" Gaius replied.

"Of catching whatever it is?"

"I'm Court Physician; it is part of my job. Now come on Adrielle. There's nothing to truly be afraid of," Gaius lectured. The girl in question was still hanging back a safe distance away from the unconscious body. She approached it slowly and knelt down next to the body. "So? What's your diagnosis?"

Adrielle bent down closer to the body and attempted to examine it. She noticed how pale the man's fingernails seemed to be and how his hands were starting to turn disturbing shades of blue and purple. She reached out to pick up his hand and flinched slightly at the touch.

"His hands. They're cold. Like...really cold," she noted. She held his hand in hers as she looked over it. The fingernails were nearly paper thin and transparent. His skin felt like it was tightly pulled over his bones. She noticed his veins were bright blue and vibrant on his ashen skin. She let his hand fall back to the ground and rolled his body over to get a better look at his face. She gasped audibly and brought her hands to cover his mouth.