Merlin's Gold

Merlin's Gold - Chapter 8 - A Walk in the Garden

Chapter 8 - A Walk in the Garden

Grayle sat on the floor in the nursery having dinner with his cousin, a multitude of dolls and various invisible people. As he sipped an imaginary drink from a small pewter mug, the little girl giggled with delight and smiled at him.

He'd not long been out of his sick bed, but had decided to go for a walk, fed up with being cooped up in one small room. After wandering the corridors of the castle he'd ended up outside the nursery, where his cousin Anna was playing happily with some toys. After introducing himself to the girl's nurse he started talking to the princess who had immediately coerced him into playing all sorts of inventive games, usually involving him doing most of the work while she supervised.

She leaned over to top up his mug and looked up at him, her small face delighted at having someone new to play with.

Suddenly she stopped, her gaze fixed on the doorway behind him.

"Izz," she said pointing. "Izz".

Grayle looked around and saw Iseult standing in the doorway, her arms full of toys.

He stood up swiftly but awkwardly, his wounds causing him to wince, and bowed to Iseult, his face a mask of pain.

As he staggered, she dropped the toys on the floor in an untidy heap and ran swiftly to him, steadying him with an arm across his shoulders.

"I'm sorry," he whispered, his eyes downcast and unable to look at her face.

"Sorry? Why?"

Anna sat on the floor between them looking bemused, but watching with interest.

"You should never have had to see that, I lost control, I turned into a raving beast, I...."

"...saved me," she finished for him.

She ran a hand through his hair and he lifted his head at the touch. As his eyes met hers, she smiled at him and he lost every sense he possessed, utterly enthralled by her gaze.

"Ewww," said Anna a few seconds later, followed shortly afterwards by "Mummy!"

Grayle and Iseult hurriedly broke the kiss, both flushing red to the roots of their hair as they turned to see Guinevere standing in the doorway with an amused expression on her face, her daughter standing in front of her with a disapproving frown.

"They were kissing mummy," she said grumpily. "He was playing with me, but then she turned up and ruined the game."

Iseult fled from the room, muttering apologies, leaving a beet red Grayle to face his aunt and cousin alone.

"Um, I, er....," he began.

Guinevere walked over and kissed him lightly on the cheek. "Silly boy," she murmured. "Go after her, now. I'll look after Anna."

He threw her a look of gratitude and made his way after Iseult as quickly as his wounds would allow.

The next few days for Grayle were a mixture of painful recuperation and utter bliss as he walked with Iseult around the gardens surrounding Camelot.

Anna was a constant and suitably irrepressible chaperone, running rings around the two moon-eyed youngsters. Occasional cries of "Eww, disgusting," or "not again!" were heard by amused courtiers and castle staff as the three companions wandered vaguely around the grounds.

It all stopped on the third day, however, as the weather changed. Grayle and Iseult were sitting in a secluded part of the gardens, sheltered by high hedges and willow fencing. As usual, they were talking quietly, heads together, watching in amusement as Anna marshalled her toys to order in the grass. Grey clouds were scudding overhead, and the skies were darkening and full with the promise of rain.