"I have the tub and—you look terrible." Drew laughed as he stepped into the room and was immediately shushed by the woman and Erec together.

"Is she unwell?" Drew hurried to Gwyn's side and gently touched her brow. "She looks pale. Has she been feverish? Why did no one send for me?"

"She is well." Erec arched a brow in challenge to Drew's last question but chose to take the meaning that Drew should have been sent for in his capacity as an apprentice healer.

"Or so I am told. She has ever been asleep since my arrival. I am also told that I am to allow these good people to tend my wounds. Since you are here with the tub, am I to assume that my wife ordered another hot bath and subsequent treatments?"

"Aye. She did." Drew watched Gwyn carefully.

"Her breathing is even... She merely sleeps." Drew nodded slowly, more to convince himself than any other. "But she sleeps so deeply? She has been running from her exhaustion these many days. It must finally have caught up to her."

"With a little help from Matilde and her potions." Erec confirmed. "But it is just as well. If it is as you say, then she definitely needs the sleep."

"As do you, milord." Drew turned his attention to Erec. "Can you not manage to stay in one piece? Must I ever be sewing your hide?"

"They are all the injury I have, aside from the many bruises."

Drew raised a brow in challenge. He knew Erec well. The man was the sort to deny his injury, fatigue, and any other weakness in order to press on and do what he felt must be done. If Drew and the others were not there to convince him otherwise, he would likely go until he collapsed.

"There is a great deal of battle fatigue, no doubt. I find it a wonder that you are awake." Drew looked doubtfully at Erec.

Erec did not like the worried expression on his friend's face.

"I am fine. You know how it is in battle." Erec gave a shrug and winced at the painful tug on his aching muscles. "I saw and heard nothing save my foe."

"It is no wonder that you ache so deeply. Do you not know how long you fought with Lord Neron?"

"Sooth, it felt like an eternity, but I imagine it was nary an hour that passed—Ouch!"

"Witch hazel stings does it not?" Drew chuckled, "But you are in error...my lord."

Drew used his mocking tone. Erec would have smiled were he not annoyed. Drew did enjoy pointing out Erec's errors, both in judgment and deed.

Mayhap it was just as well...Men who would not admit error were reckless and arrogant fools.

"Sooth, your match was closer to eternity than you imagined, milord." Drew shook his head. "It is a wonder you did not collapse sooner."

Erec did not know if that last was meant in disappointment or awe.

Drew was a real pain in the arse, but he was also on point...most of the time.

"Well," Erec all but growled in his growing irritation. "Out with it."

"You really do not know?" Drew blinked once, twice. "Did you not hear the church bells?"

Erec shook his head and hissed as the woman swabbed another cut.

"You have been fairly shredded. You rather look like one of those quilts; the ones with the odd bits sewn together, going this way and that." Drew gestured at the randomness in the air. Erec let out a low growl and Drew gave a shrug. "Most of the cuts will not require stitches. I do not imagine many will scar, although the one on your jaw..."

"The match?"

"Very nearly three and one-half hours from the moment you stepped onto the field until the moment you were carried off from it."

"No wonder I am so tired!" Erec exclaimed and shrugged as he was shushed by Drew and the woman in turns.

"The tub will be full shortly, and then you may leave us, good woman." Erec smiled at her as she wrang out the cloth she was using to tend his many cuts.

"Milord—"

"My man Drew has stitched me together many times, and he was carefully instructed in my care by my lady wife."

"As you wish, milord." She dipped her knees, and left them.

"Well done." Drew chuckled as he stepped forward to take over. "It is just a swell. It is as you say. I have sewn you together many times and am quite familiar with your peculiar ways."

"My peculiar—?" Erec started. He was feeling rather testy and could not decide if Drew was just being more annoying than usual, or if it was the fatigue and the pain. Erec hissed sharply as Drew applied more witch hazel.

Probably Drew...

"Relax." Drew grinned. "I am in jest. Now hold still. I need to stitch this one on your jaw."

"Take care and use small stitches." Erec cautioned.

"If you were not suffering sorely, I would be offended at your lack of confidence. Mayhap it is only that you are afraid that your lady wife will love you less if it scars? My lord, that is only your vanity. You have so many scars already, what difference can one more possibly make?"

Erec chuckled and winced at the prick of the needle and the tug of his flesh.

"Sooth, but none yet upon my face."

"You can always let your whiskers grow back and then no one will ever see the scar."

"Enough." Erec laughed but it degraded quickly into a groan. "Get on with it. I do not know how long I can stay awake."

---

"The Lord Erec is sleeping." Drew replied.

"His majesty has called him to audience in the great hall."

"His injuries were many. He must rest."

"His majesty demands it." The servant seemed worried.

Drew could not fault him, for his majesty's temper was widely known.

"Do no worry." Drew assured the servant. "I will do my best to rouse him, but it may take some time for me to make him ready to appear before his majesty. He was badly injured and must needs move slowly."

"I will tell his majesty. He shall not be pleased."

"His majesty is never pleased." Drew replied and shut the door.

"Let the servant carry the message. It is I that the boy should be worried for." Drew mumbled as he made his way to where Erec slept stretched out upon a pallet on the floor. Erec never liked mornings, but he was more bear than man when he was made to wake early.

---

As it so happened, Drew spoke truly. Erec was injured more greatly than he first let on, and he did indeed move very slowly. Drew determined that he would order another bath when they returned.

"Your majesty." Erec dipped his head for he could not bend enough to properly bow.

"You have rid me of that treasonous knave and I have learned that four of Neron's most loyal men have perished, three of them at your hand."

"By my hand?" Erec could not recall any such thing.

"Were you not responsible for the presence of the archers and the guards during the signing of the treaty?"

"Aye. As captain of the royal guard, it was my duty to see the protection of the royals."

"Then it is by your hand. There was an uprising at the signing that your archers and guards handled with lethal swiftness. I have learned just this hour, that those three men were Lord Neron's men. I have also learned that you have crossed swords with them on a previous occasion."

"Do you mean the three men who attacked a farm-girl when we sought hospitality at her father's farm?"

"The very same." Hugh nodded. "I am given to understand, from Sir Robert, that you held a knights council and ordered a public shaming. You held the men, but they escaped during the ambush."

"Aye." Erec nodded.

Sir Robert... the snake.

Erec knew that man would be trouble one day.

"It happened that way."

"And when were you going to tell me that you decided their fate without consenting me, their liege lord, their king?"

"I decided nothing of my own accord. It was the council's decision to carry out the public shaming and to hold the men for your judgement. Lord Brecken sent a letter. That you did not know of the council until now confirms what I have long suspected. Lord Brecken's letter was diverted."

"It is of little consequence." Hugh waved a hand and Erec blinked at the sudden change in his demeanor from anger to what could only be described as boredom. "I sentence them to death for their crimes, and they are dead."

Erec said nothing. Hugh was behaving...oddly. He was condescending, as ever he was, but he seemed...less...

Venomous?

Mayhap Erec was too tired and in too much pain to care much what Hugh thought of him.

"It seems I am once again in your debt." To Erec's ears, Hugh sounded annoyed.

"How shall I reward you?" Hugh waved a hand. "You already have a title. You also have wealth...and a wife. What more can your king do for you?"

Erec frowned. What was this game?

"Your majesty, I am weary to my bones and my injuries pain my greatly. I find that I cannot keep my feet for many more minutes together. If it please, your majesty, I would beg a private audience on the morrow."

"Very well. But before you leave us." Hugh raised his hand and the trumpet sounded.

"Hear Ye, Hear Ye!"

The great hall fell silent and the herald spoke.

By order of his majesty, in honor of his champion, Lord Erec, there shall be a feast. For seven days together, let there be merriment and rejoicing. Hip Hip Huzzah!

Three times the herald cheered and three times those in the great hall echoed him.

"You may go." Hugh waved his hand at Erec. "I shall send for you on the morrow."

Erec gave another half bow and stumbled a little as the turned to leave. He was more tired than he thought as the room tilted beneath his feet.

Drew was at his side, ready to grab his friend should he stumble again. Erec smiled at the gesture and ever so slowly they made their way back to the stairs. Erec stopped and looked up.

Once more he swayed.

"I am not at all certain I can make it up those stairs." Erec frowned. "I find that I am suddenly a little dizzy."

"It is the blow to the head." Drew said, concern furrowed his brow.

"Blows." Erec corrected.

"I shall call—" Drew turned to look for John but the man suddenly appeared, followed closely by the others.

"We saw him stumble." John said, moving over to Erec's other side. "Shall we?"

Drew nodded and between the two of them they supported Erec and climbed the stairs. At the top, Gil went round them and opened the door.

"He must stay awake for a time, so that he does not fall into the sleep from which he cannot wake."

"How can I help?" Dermot stepped forward.

"Find Matilde. Tell her to send the tub and lots of hot water. I need the liniment also." Dermot nodded and left them.

"He is dizzy and no doubt suffering upset of the stomach."

"That comes as no surprise." Gil mumbled. "Neron really rang his bell on that last blow. I saw Erec sway and my heart nearly stopped. I thought he was a dead man for certain."

"It was the last act of a very desperate man and Erec suffers for it." Drew spoke as he and John lowered Erec to a chair. "We must keep him awake until the morning. If his dizziness and stomach upset are improved by then and if he is still in his right mind, then we may safely let him sleep."

It was a testament to Erec's complete and utter exhaustion that he merely groaned as set him in the chair. Leaning forward to cradle his forehead in his hands, he let them continue to discuss him as though he was not there. Sooth, it took all of his focus to keep his stomach from emptying. At the moment, Erec could not find the time to care for anything else.

"What is wrong with Gwyndolyn?" Gil asked as he turned and finally realized she was there. "She sleeps so soundly. That is not like her."

"She is...overwrought." Drew finished. He knew Gwyn's secret, though she did not confide in him. He had the unfortunate knack for being in the wrong place at the wrong time and he overheard her talking with the Lady Alexandi. It was not his secret to tell.

"She worried over Erec these many days and did not eat or sleep as she should. She is beset with fatigue, that is all. She sleeps so soundly because Matilde gave her something to keep her abed for several hours together."

"Good for Matilde." Gil nodded, knowing full well what an uncooperative patient Gwyndolyn was.

"I wonder what his majesty was about?" John mumbled as he moved round the bed to look at Gwyndolyn. "It is not like him to show kindness or respect. Yet he publicly honored Erec."

"He could hardly do otherwise." Drew mumbled as the servants came in and he directed placement of the tub.

"I suppose that is true. Erec's battles on the tourney field were fought in Hugh's name before all of those witnesses. Hugh could hardly ignore Erec's heroic deeds this time."

"Just so." Drew said, coming round to Erec. He began the slow process of removing the fine clothing that he had just helped Erec into not an hour prior.

John excused himself to watch over the children, as was his wont these many weeks once he knew Gwyn was safely in her chambers for the night.

Dermot returned with the tray of herbs from Matilde along with three servants carrying trays of food for Drew and the others.

"Since we are not returning to the feast this night, Matilde wanted to be certain that we did not miss the meal." Dermot answered Drew's unspoken question after he directed the placement of the trays and dismissed the servants.

"What is his majesty's game?" Dermot asked. "I wonder at his sudden change toward Erec."

Drew and Gil exchanged glances and laughed.

---

Erec remained in the water until his skin was pruned and the water was almost cold. At which point he was so relaxed that he offered little resistance as Gil and Drew dried him like a child and helped him to the lie upon the pallet upon the floor.