Of Chores and Crowns (A Merlin Fanfiction) ✔

Chapter Eight

I wiped the sweat off of my forehead with the back of my sleeve. My hair was coming out of its bun, strands of hair falling around my face.

I paused to lean against the stall door, glaring at Abatos. He had refused to let any servent but me come near him, so I was stuck mucking out his stall in layers of petticoats and a heavy shift.

My thigh was screaming at me in pain, which had gradually grown worse since our arrival in Camelot. I touched my hand to it, wincing when the pain flared up again.

"Dawn?" It was Merlin.

I straightened up, making sure not to make it too obvious that I was in pain. I would get it checked out eventually, but I wanted to make sure Faye was settled in at her new home first.

"In here!" I called back.

I stepped out of the stall, turning to face Merlin's direction. I pulled a smile on my face, but he was frowning.

"What's wrong?" I asked, furrowing my brow.

"I need you to come with me." He told me, urging me forward.

Panic started setting in, and I couldn't help but imagine all the scenarios that could have provoked this serious of a reaction.

"What is it? Is Faye okay?" I demanded, forgetting my leg for a minute as I raced forward.

"She's fine!" He exclaimed, realizing his mistake, "But I do need you to come with me."

Satisfied that nothing was wrong, I followed him hesitantly, confused as to where he could be taking me. I made sure to always be just behind him so that he couldn't see me limp.

Finally he stopped in front of a door. He pushed it open, and ushered me inside. The room was fairly large, with herbs hanging from the ceiling and filled with shelves loaded with books and vials full of liquid.

An older man was standing next to the table in the center of the room, watching me. I frowned.

"Merlin?" I asked, "Where have you taken me?"

"This is Gaius." Merlin replied, motioning towards the man, "He is going to help you."

Then I realized where I was. Merlin had taken me to the court physician.

"I'm fine." I protested, backing away.

I hit my thigh against the table, and cried out in pain, having not expected it. Merlin raised an eyebrow as if to say I just proved his point.

"That's nothing. Just a small scratch." I argued.

"A small scratch doesn't make you limp." He retorted.

I sighed, knowing I had been defeated. I looked over at Merlin, and then at Gaius. I blushed bright red and made sure not to make eye contact as I pulled up my skirts to reveal a bright red, inflamed cut on my upper thigh.

Merlin averted his gaze, his cheeks blushing red at the sight of my naked skin. He cleared his throat and said, "I, uh, I'm going to go, uh, gather some herbs. Yeah, I'll do that."

He rushed out of the room without another thought, obviously flustered. I couldn't help but smile, amuses, despite being a little flustered myself.

"Come and sit." Gaius said, motioning towards the table.

I gratefully sat on the tabletop, propping my leg up on the bench. A sigh of relief escaped me. Gaius moved forward to inspect my leg, frowning deeply when he saw it up close.

"It's infected."

He gave me a look like he was going to scold me, but I stubbornly turned away. This apparently couldn't stop him, and he started talking, as he cleaned the cut.

"It's a good thing Merlin brought you to me when he did."

"I am in well enough shape."

"Another day and you would have lost your leg." He retorted in a tone that implied he wasn't being sassy.

I was unsteady at this new information, but I stubbornly kept my mouth shut. Gaius soaked a piece of cloth in water and pressed it against my leg. I hissed out a sharp breath, but he didn't seem to have any sympathy.

"I am out of the herbs I need to make the salve that will heal your leg. I will go and search for them now, since Merlin clearly needed to take a small break."

I smiled, amused, and watched as he left the room. I placed a hand on the wet rag to hold it in place and used my other to lean back. Now that everyone was gone, I was a bit more comfortable to have my skirts raised.

There was a lot of skin revealed, and it was no wonder Merlin grew uncomfortable in my presence.

I sighed, tossing my head back. My hair was still in the knot, but it was so messy, I took it out anyway. My red hair was waist length, so it piled up on the table behind me. I ran a hand though it.

My leg stung as the water seeped into the cut, but I knew it would help, so I only pressed the rag closer. Oddly enough, the harder I pushed, the more relief I felt. I groaned, laying back on the table.

The sooner Gaius returned, the better. I felt antsy and useless, just laying here and doing nothing. I should have been working, and I couldn't help but curse the raider who had injured me in the first place.

I pulled my skirts higher up my legs when the hem started getting wet from the rag. I let my hair hang off the table edge. I sighed loudly, becoming impatient.

The door finally creaked open and I closed my eyes with relief.

"Thank goodness you're back, Gaius." I said, sighing, "You never know how antsy a person can be until you tell a servent not to work when they are supposed to be."

There was silence. I frowned, sitting up and letting my hair fall around me.

"Did you find the herbs you were looking for? Did you run into Merlin?" I asked, snickering at my own joke.

There was still silence. Finally I opened my eyes and turned in the direction of the door. I froze at the sight of him.

There, standing in the doorway, was Prince Arthur, his eyes locked on my bare skin.