CHAPTER 10 : TO THE WINNER THE SPOILS

Most of the other jousting competitors had men and maidservants running pails of hot water to their chambers so they could bathe before the Tournament Supper at which the awards would be presented. Arthur meantime had Thomas his trustworthy servant who thought ahead so by the time Merlin and he returned to their chambers, the fires had been lit under the coppers and plenty of hot water was available. A fire burned in the hearth and bath sheets were beside it warming, two dressing robes had been placed on the bed. Thomas then discretely bowed, mentioning that he had placed a light snack on the table and left Arthur in Merlin's capable hands.

Arthur laughed at the bath sheets, "Merlin, Thomas must think that you are dirty as well because he has left plenty of bath sheets for both of us."

"Don't knock it, Arthur, it's nice to be pampered every now and again."

"What do you know about pampering?"

"When I was little, my Mam used to pamper me."

"Merlin, she scrubbed you off in the village pond, how was that pampering?"

Merlin walked up behind Arthur who was slipping his boots off in front of the fire and said, "Bathing isn't the only way of indulging someone!" He slid his arms slowly around Arthur's shoulders and unbuckled his cloak.

"Stand up!" He faced him and ran his hands up his neck and eased his cloak off his shoulders, flipping it onto the bed. He slid his hand under his chain mail and with Arthur's help lifted it so Arthur could slip his arms and head out as he dropped it onto the floor in a pile.

Arthur murmured, "Merlin, that cost money!"

Merlin smiled cheekily, "Plenty more, where that came from..."

"What's got into you?"

"I've shared you with all the visitors and the knights for eight days, now I want you to myself…at least, for a little while."

Arthur smiled deciding that he could do with a little pampering especially as he was the Champion of the Joust. Merlin pushed him back to the bed taking one of the bed sheets and throwing it across the quilt. "Take off your tunic and lie down. I'll get some oils and give you a massage, you shoulders are so taut."

Merlin had, with Gaius teaching become quite an expert in massaging muscles especially those injured in battles. He could visualise the muscles from some of the surgeries he had seen and had watched Gaius work on Arthur. He brought the rosemary oil to the hearth in a little bowl. He rubbed the oil in his warm hands and started the rhythmic procedure, never putting too much pressure to damage the sore area but just enough to encourage Arthur's muscles to relax. He noticed when Arthur's breathing changed and he had fallen asleep. He took one of the smaller warmed towels and placed it over his shoulders.

He sat on the bed leaning up against the headboard and alternated from looking at the sleeping Arthur to watching the sun make its way across the roof opposite. When it reached the third window from the left, he leant over Arthur and ran his fingers through his hair. He left him and filled the bath adding more rosemary and a little lavender oil. He returned to the bed saying, "Wake up, Sleeping Beauty! It's time for you to bathe and get dressed. You can't miss the award supper."

Arthur moaned and grabbed Merlin's wrist. "I'd rather lie here and be pampered than eat."

"You say that now, but in four hours you'd have me tripping down to the kitchen to rustle up something because you became hungry." He leant over Arthur and drew his fingers slowly along his jaw line. "I want you to be the best dressed and most handsome person at the supper tonight."

"…only if you will dress similarly."

"I promise, I'll put on my best bib and tucker and outshine everyone else in the royal household."

Arthur was now standing beside him and he said quietly, "Merlin, even if you wore sack cloth and ashes, in my humble opinion, you'd outshine everyone.

Merlin started to laugh, "Arthur, you've never had a humble opinion in your lifetime. Come here!"

It took them another fifteen minutes to get to the water closet but neither complained. Merlin managed to warm up the water as Arthur slipped out of his smalls, smiling as he slipped beneath the water and sighed contentedly.

Arthur sat in front of the fire wrapped in a large bath sheet while Merlin bathed. Merlin came hopping into the room pulling on his trousers. He glanced at Arthur in front of the fire and said, "What are you waiting for? You could have started to get dressed while I was in the bath."

Grinning at him, Arthur shyly said, "I wanted to be pampered."

Merlin grinned…

-0-0-

Supper was in fine Camelot tradition. The food and wine was excellent and everyone received ample time to eat drink and be merry. Once the general hubbub settled, Sir Leon stood to announce the winners in the various tournament events. Merlin hoped that each of the kingdoms was well represented in the awards.

Treva had been most upset to learn that he wasn't going to attend. "But, I need to be there to see the winners receive their pennants and be able to applaud for the Camelot knights."

Arthur had said, "There will be plenty of other Tournament Suppers for you to attend. It will be starting too late for you and you have been very lucky this week to be able to watch some of the events from the royal stands. Anyway, I believe you have another supper date."

Treva turned beseechingly to Merlin but he only agreed with Arthur. He started to pout but then he remembered that he really loved Merlin and if Merlin also felt that he should wait until he was older he would.

Merlin smiled at him saying, "Where is my little boy's smile?" Those words meant so much to Treva that he had put his arm around Merlin's waist and grinned up at him saying with a big smile, "It's here, Merlin!"

Randall had taken him by the hand and hustled him off to supper which he was taking with Gaius who was tired and had decided that he had attended enough Tournament suppers and would prefer to eat in his own chambers with the lad for company.

-0-0-

The large dining Hall was filled with knights representing the kingdoms of Bodmin, Camelot, Cumbria and Wales. Banners representing each kingdom were hanging behind the top table, the colours were vibrant, the atmosphere electric. The main doors opened; a fanfare sounded and the knights stood. Arthur processed into the room accompanied by the kings and queens of the other kingdoms. They took their places at table, another fanfare sounded and the culinary delights were paraded around the room, servants making sure that all the royal guests received ample portions of each masterpiece and wanted for nothing.

Once the main course had been eaten, a lone trumpeter announced that the speeches would begin. The servants still circled the hall topping up wine goblets.

Arthur stood and thanked all the competitors who had attended the tournament, hoping that they had enjoyed reacquainting themselves with their brother knights and had done well at their individual events. He again thanked the rulers of the various kingdoms who had permitted their knights to participate in the Camelot tradition especially those seated with him on the head table. Merlin smiled, Arthur knew just what to say to make even the kings and their knights who had not placed high on the standings, feel as if their presence had been important. Arthur then reminded the monarchs that their presence had enabled face to face discussions over the last eight days, which had been a benefit to all.

As Arthur sat down, the Welsh representative of King Ludd, his brother Prince Michael of Wales, on behalf of all the assembled kings, thanked Arthur for his hospitality and assured him that the annual Camelot Tournament was a favourite of most knights and in particular his brother Rhys. The knights roared as Rhys this year, had done exceptionally well in his own right.

Leon rose to take over as he said, "The scores of all events have been tallied and the most desired Tournament Pennant will be awarded to the kingdom with the highest number of points with Individual Pennants for the winners of each event. We will start with the Individual Awards…" There was fidgeting from the gathered knights, they would have preferred the overall score reported first.

Leon asked Sir Gawaine who was still sporting his collar bone support to read the list of winners. Gawaine stood on the dais and started to list the individual winners in the Sword Fighting, the mêlée à pied, the mêlée à cheval and the Jousting. He said, "I will give the name of the winner and runner up as each man contributed points to his kingdoms overall score. Any man winning the final in a contest against the commoners received an added bonus for his kingdom."

Gawaine paused for effect and looked around. Rook called out, "Get on with it!" There was a round of laughter.

"The winners in the individual categories are King Aubrey of Bodmin, Sir Aislin of Muldart, Prince Rhys of Wales and King Arthur of Camelot," Gawaine announced. The assembly rose and cheered as the men received their pennants. There was a buzz of excitement from the Camelot knights as their king and one of their brother knights were among the winners. "The runners up are Sir Spenser of Sherewell, Sir Reginald Woodhouse, Prince Dougal of Cumbria and Prince Rhys of Wales." The Camelot knights joined in the cheering. "The highest scoring individual is Prince Rhys of Wales," Gawaine concluded.

Merlin smiled at the thrilled look on Prince Michael's face, his little brother, the overall individual winner had won both equestrian events. He thought, 'Treva is going to be very excited that his green and white knight with the beautiful horses has won.'

Once the winners left the dais, King Egburt of Warwick, rose to announce the overall winning kingdom. He read the note passed to him by Sir Leon, "It gives me great pleasure to award this pennant to the kingdom of… Camelot." Gawaine handed him the pennant and Arthur motioned for Aislin to step forward to receive it. The Camelot knights almost brought the rafters down.

Arthur stood and thanked both Aislin and Spenser who had been instrumental in keeping the prize in Camelot for another year. Someone yelled, "For the Love of Camelot!" and all the knights echoed him.

Once silence fell, King Aubrey took the floor, "I have really enjoyed this tournament and I have decided to announce my retirement from competitive sword play in any further tournaments. As my father King Trevor, would have said, 'Lad, it's time to quit when you are ahead!' I also know that Bodmin will be most capably represented in future competitions by my brother Ewan and our knights" Everyone cheered as the young Ewan was a force to contend with.

Slowly the servers brought in the desserts…as others refilled wine goblets.

FINIS