Geoffrey of Monmouth (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
of_monmouth) wrote2012-12-30 09:38 pm
of_monmouth) wrote2012-12-30 09:38 pm
Entry tags:
*NaNo Project* Part the Fourth - Section the Eleventh - Camelot - 953AD
The next morning though I rather regretted it, not because of a hangover, Gaius had been right about the bread, or maybe I just hadn’t drunk enough, but because I hadn’t bothered to return to the castle and had simple fallen asleep where I had sat.
And at some point during the night it must have rained...only a little bit, but rained nevertheless.
It did prove to be an important lesson though, I discovered that cramped and tiny as it was sleeping in a closet sized room on passable bed was much more comfortable than sleeping propped up against a building. All my joints and muscles protested as I got to my feet and I wondered where Gaius had got to. Surely he hadn’t just left me to be exposed to the elements.
My question was answered after only a few steps, there was a hay cart in front of me, and there in the back atop of the hay bales was Gaius snoring away.
I laughed and shook my head the latter proved to be a very bad choice as my neck muscles spasmed in protest. The resulting yelp I gave startled Gaius who suddenly snorted and opened his eyes, blinking against the sun.
He got up, slowly, looking around until he finally spotted me. “Geoffrey,” he frowned. “What am I doing in a hay cart?”
We returned to the castle with Gaius predicted he would be well and truly scolded by Linus for not returning last night and it occurred to me that I had no idea how Cedas would react, except perhaps for poorly. But how poorly, I prayed that I wouldn’t find myself without even a closet room.
Once Gaius and I had parted ways I began to become more and more anxious about my fate until I was almost sweating, by the time I arrived at the doors to the archives I had to wipe my hands on my tunic. I took a deep breath as I opened one side of the double doors and stepped inside.
As usual Cedas was at his desk scribbling away and I waited to hear what my punishment was to be.
And waited...and waited some more. Cedas seemed unaware that I was even in the room, so finally I was forced to clear my throat to get his attention.
He still didn’t look up.
I coughed again and still nothing.
Finally I had to do it. “Excuse me...sir? I’m back.”
“I know you’re back, boy,” Cedas snapped not looking up from his writing. “I’m not deaf, don’t just stand there like a condemned man, get to work, those shelves won’t sort themselves.”
And that was it! Really, Cedas was utterly impossible to comprehend most of the time, it could be terribly annoying. But! I was not one to look a gift horse in the mouth, I had expected to be lectured and possibly sacked, but neither of those things had happened. For whatever reason Cedas was being lenient on me, so I hurried to collect my list and got to work.
I found out later that Gaius hadn’t been anywhere near as lucky as me. Linus had lambasted him for a good hour on his return then sent him off to work in the kitchens for a week. On hearing about my escape from punishment he eyed me with disbelief and respect.
“If someone had told me just a few months ago that Cedas would be letting his assistants get away with staying out all night I would have called them mad. You must repair books just by touching them or something. Are you magic?”
I shook my head. “Just lucky.”
Gaius gave a snort. “You certainly are. Wish me luck in the kitchens, maybe I’ll learn something useful there, Linus really is the most appalling cook and I’m not much better.”
I did wish him luck and smiled to myself as he disappeared down the corridor towards the kitchens.
I had a lot to tell Mother and Father when I wrote to them next!
And at some point during the night it must have rained...only a little bit, but rained nevertheless.
It did prove to be an important lesson though, I discovered that cramped and tiny as it was sleeping in a closet sized room on passable bed was much more comfortable than sleeping propped up against a building. All my joints and muscles protested as I got to my feet and I wondered where Gaius had got to. Surely he hadn’t just left me to be exposed to the elements.
My question was answered after only a few steps, there was a hay cart in front of me, and there in the back atop of the hay bales was Gaius snoring away.
I laughed and shook my head the latter proved to be a very bad choice as my neck muscles spasmed in protest. The resulting yelp I gave startled Gaius who suddenly snorted and opened his eyes, blinking against the sun.
He got up, slowly, looking around until he finally spotted me. “Geoffrey,” he frowned. “What am I doing in a hay cart?”
We returned to the castle with Gaius predicted he would be well and truly scolded by Linus for not returning last night and it occurred to me that I had no idea how Cedas would react, except perhaps for poorly. But how poorly, I prayed that I wouldn’t find myself without even a closet room.
Once Gaius and I had parted ways I began to become more and more anxious about my fate until I was almost sweating, by the time I arrived at the doors to the archives I had to wipe my hands on my tunic. I took a deep breath as I opened one side of the double doors and stepped inside.
As usual Cedas was at his desk scribbling away and I waited to hear what my punishment was to be.
And waited...and waited some more. Cedas seemed unaware that I was even in the room, so finally I was forced to clear my throat to get his attention.
He still didn’t look up.
I coughed again and still nothing.
Finally I had to do it. “Excuse me...sir? I’m back.”
“I know you’re back, boy,” Cedas snapped not looking up from his writing. “I’m not deaf, don’t just stand there like a condemned man, get to work, those shelves won’t sort themselves.”
And that was it! Really, Cedas was utterly impossible to comprehend most of the time, it could be terribly annoying. But! I was not one to look a gift horse in the mouth, I had expected to be lectured and possibly sacked, but neither of those things had happened. For whatever reason Cedas was being lenient on me, so I hurried to collect my list and got to work.
I found out later that Gaius hadn’t been anywhere near as lucky as me. Linus had lambasted him for a good hour on his return then sent him off to work in the kitchens for a week. On hearing about my escape from punishment he eyed me with disbelief and respect.
“If someone had told me just a few months ago that Cedas would be letting his assistants get away with staying out all night I would have called them mad. You must repair books just by touching them or something. Are you magic?”
I shook my head. “Just lucky.”
Gaius gave a snort. “You certainly are. Wish me luck in the kitchens, maybe I’ll learn something useful there, Linus really is the most appalling cook and I’m not much better.”
I did wish him luck and smiled to myself as he disappeared down the corridor towards the kitchens.
I had a lot to tell Mother and Father when I wrote to them next!