15th Century Girl

Chapter Eighteen: Potion

"Of course he won't tell you" Carter said "It makes him look like tottering ass" Carter hissed, I giggled, but let Carter continue. Carter sighed (now turned to me) he resumed "he began to drink and laugh with his 'buddies' and then he began to tell them of your beauty, which didn't bother me. Then, as he got drunk, his speaking of you became more surly than I fancied. He began to speak of what he wanted to do to you...and I couldn't handle it." Carter growled, he sighed.

"I warned him, I told him to shut his mouth. He challenged me. He threw down the gauntlet and I picked it up, next thing I now a crowd has formed around us and Arthur's hurtling towards me. I moved and he fell to the ground." Carter shook his head and chuckled, turning back towards the flames "Percyla, his drunkenness was so severe that he couldn't even piss straight."

I laughed quietly and Carter continued "he said something, something I will not repeat, for it offends you to a irrefutable point...and I punched him so hard I knocked two of his teeth out." My eyes bulged and I blushed, no one had ever fought for me before, that I knew of, anyways. "When he was down, he said something more of you, calling you a 'fobbing seducer', and I pounced upon him. I do think I had the intent to kill him, but that intent has gone. But, if he ever says or does anything inappropriate or evil, you tell me and I will show him no mercy" Finished Carter, turning to me, I nodded and he laid back in the rocking chair.

   Carter was called to the training grounds, so I meandered about the castle, finally finding myself in the castle's library. As I peeked down one aisle I saw Merlin, I called to him and he wore a goofy grin "what are you in here for, Percyla?" Asked he and I shrugged.

"I was just walking around" Said I, Merlin nodded and said he was getting a book for Gaius. I nodded and I walked with Merlin back to Gaius's chambers, where Gaius was crushing something with a mortar and pestle. Gaius was the court physician (the doctor, basically) and treated any ailments that someone might have, rich or poor, he treated them. He thanked Merlin for the book and asked him if he and I could have a moment alone, Merlin obliged his master and shut the door behind him.

"Ah, my lady Percyla, you've been troubled" Said Gaius, pushing a stool towards me, turning, and bringing the mortar and pestle to a small table before the stool. I sighed and nodded.

"I have" I said softly, I thought I heard the door creak, but I thought nothing of it, the castle often creaks and moans from changes in temperature. Gaius now finished the crushing up of something, took up an apothecary bottle, and poured the mixture from the pestle into the bottle, corking it and shaking it up afterwards. He smiled and held it out to me.

"This should take care of any uncertainties, you'll dream to-night of the solution or choice to your problem." Said Gaius, he pointed to the bottle "drink it after dinner to-night, then do your normal tasks and it should be ready by the time you lay your head upon the pillow" I nodded and hesitantly took the bottle from him "do not uncork it unless you are about to drink it" Gaius finished, I nodded again and thanked him, he patted my head. "Not a problem, my dear, not a problem at all." Gaius walked to the door, opened it and called for Merlin, who came inside still wearing the goofy grin.

I had not seen Arthur all day, not once. Even at dinner Arthur was not present, so, I sat next to Carter and Merlin, for, Guinevere and Morgana were also not present. I inquired about them, but no one knew where they went to, not one person! After dinner, Carter and I stopped by my chambers, to get a few night gowns and day dresses and I found a note, written by Arthur. He apologized many times and asked that I come see him in the woods, alone.

"Not a chance in hell that that's happening" Carter said, plucking the note from my hands and stuffing it in his pocket, I smiled, I was already feeling weary from the potion or medicine that Gaius gave me and I longed to sleep. Carter found Merlin for me and I asked Merlin to ride out to Arthur and tell him to come back, that I was too weary to travel out to the woods, at night. Merlin nodded and from Carter's chambers I watched Merlin ride out to the woods. Carter disappeared into the WC (which is just a room, with a chamber pot and a bowl where you wash your hands, since, in the fifteen hundreds there was no such thing as indoor pluming) and I reached over to his red, leather bound drawing journal. I saw the picture of the fish swimming in the pond, I flipped the page to find a picture of me, lying next to him, asleep. 

I smiled and turned the page again to see a drawing of me sitting in a rocking chair, a piece of apple in my hand, watching the rain with the light of the fire glowing off of my wet dress. Again, I turned the page and saw me in the library, looking at the books. The next picture was of my and Gaius's hands on the apothecary bottle, Carter named that picture 'Problem Solver'. That last picture (that he drew so far) was of me smiling to him, it was at dinner that night, he named it 'Beautiful Smile'. I heard his step and quickly put the book back, I smiled as Carter returned, he smiled back and quietly kissed my cheek, he sighed and laid down with his head upon my chest, he wished me sweet dreams and fell asleep.

That night, all I could dream about, was Carter.