Wilbur wished with all his heart that he had the courage to put up somekind of fight. Merlin was an old and feeble man. But he knew hisgenetics. Wilbur had been born without a gene of courage. Wilbur rubbedhis right eye, the one he would soon be without, and felt tears well up.His last glimmer of hope was borne on a sigh.
"Maybe he won't come."
"He'll come all right. Arthur never breaks a promise. That's one of hisbest points. What I'm trying to do is see to it that he isn't so rashabout making them in the first place."
It seemed that Merlin was right, for just then there came to their earsthe sound of iron shod hoofs in the courtyard above their heads. Theceiling trembled slightly and a drop of water fell on Wilbur's head.Then footsteps clattered down a long flight of stairs and the door swungopen. It was Arthur, and from his appearance it was plain he had been ina fight.
* * * * *
From a cut alongside his temple blood dripped. His shirt of mail hadbeen pierced at the left shoulder and blood glistened redly there. Somehad trickled down and lay in beads like rubies on the gleaming mail. Hisface was streaked with sweat and dirt and his hair lay in wet clumps,and he was breathing hard.
"What happened?" Merlin asked quickly. Arthur let out a laugh and hiseyes glowed fierce.
"A band of varlets tried to ambush me on my way here. Had I not been inso great a hurry to keep my appointment with you I'd have brought yousome heads on Excalibur's point."
He held up the great sword and Wilbur turned faint at the sight of thegore along its blade. He put his hand over his mouth and his eyes rolledupward.
"Wipe that blade before this one perishes of fright," Merlin saidquickly. Then he became solicitous. "Are you sore wounded?"
"There were only ten," Arthur laughed. "They were too busy defendingtheir lives to do me much harm. Now, where is that drink you invited mehere for?"
"It will take a while to prepare," Merlin said. He busied himself with akettle and some jugs and powders.
Wilbur was turning a pale green from fright. He had to think ofsomething. Suddenly he turned to Arthur.
"You won't like this drink," he whispered urgently. "It may even poisonyou!"
Arthur stared down at him. "Even so I needs must drink it. I have givenmy word. A promise may not be broken."
Merlin was coming toward them now and Wilbur saw that the old man heldin his hand an instrument which looked like a surgeon's scalpel. He letout a shriek of terror and would have run had his legs not beenparalyzed.
"What is this womanly fright?" Arthur asked, wrinkling his nose.
"I need his right eye to make the _Elixir of Caution_," Merlinexplained. He laid a claw on Wilbur's shoulder and it was like the handof doom.
"Yeeow!" Wilbur howled. He began to babble. "You lied to me! You saidyou'd make me brave! False pretenses!"
He stopped abruptly. Merlin's hand had fallen from his shoulder. Therewas a sudden silence that grew thick and ominous. Looking up fearfully,Wilbur saw that Arthur had fixed Merlin with a hostile glare.
"Did you so promise?" Arthur demanded. He stood straight and regal."Answer me, and forget not I am your king."
Merlin's hands made feeble and apologetic gestures.
"What could I do?" he pleaded. "One like him is born seldom. I hadsearched the centuries, and there was no more time."
He turned to Wilbur and his face betrayed an apprehension that madeWilbur's hopes rise. Arthur did not act like he would stand for anypromise-breaking among his subjects.
"Tell you what I could do," Merlin said. "I could put your eye back whenI'm through with it. In fact, that's a promise."
"Will that make him brave?" Arthur demanded.
"Well...." Merlin hesitated. Arthur's finger slid suggestively along theblade of his sword.
"I'll look it up," the old man finished hurriedly.
* * * * *
His hand dipped beneath his robe and came out with the ancient book. Along nailed finger ran through the pages. There was a pause, and thenMerlin began to mumble.
"_Elixir of Fortitude_: One part _Eagle's Heart-Dried_, one part _Lion'sBreath-Distilled_, one part _Essence of Steel_, hm-m-m." His voicetrailed off in a hum, then picked up again. "Simmer for one hour._Caution_: MUST BE FINISHED BEFORE MIDNIGHT."
"Well?" Arthur said.
"I've got everything except the last ingredient," Merlin said unhappily.Suddenly his face lit up. "We'd better hurry. There is only an hour anda half left."
He scurried to a bottle which hung on the wall and brought it back toWilbur. "Drink some quickly. You will feel no pain." When Wilbur hadgulped some down Merlin took the bottle and handed it to Arthur. "Youtoo."
* * * * *
Above their heads there was a rumbling and the pounding of hoofs in thecourtyard. Quickly Merlin ran to the oak door and slammed it shut. Heseemed to be expecting trouble. It turned out he was right again.
More than one pair of feet was on the stone stairway. Loud voicesshouted, "Open up!" Wilbur recognized one of the voices and he groaned.Then bodies were hurled against the door.
It held against the first assault, and against the second. The thirdtime there was a splintering of wood. Wilbur held his breath. A hingehad torn loose. Once more there was the crash of armored bodies againstthe oak and the door flew inward. Sir Kay was inside in a flash, andbehind him came five more. The dark man's eyes lit on Wilbur.
"So, varlet!" Kay bellowed hoarsely. "My suspicion was right. You are inthe plot against me!"
Without waiting for a denial he flung himself at Wilbur and his swordswished through the air. How he managed it Wilbur never knew, but heducked in time. The flat of Kay's sword caught him a glancing blow onthe head and knocked him off the stone bench.
Then the great room was filled with the clash of steel as Arthur wentinto action. Out of eyes that were glassy Wilbur saw him decapitate twomen with a single stroke. Another fell dead before he could raise hisshield. The other two fled with Kay's curses following them. OnlyArthur's brother was left.
"Yield," Arthur warned grimly. Kay's reply turned Wilbur's ears red. Thetwo went at it. For a few minutes it was an even battle, and thensuddenly both swords came together with a force that drew sparks. Kaywas left with only a hilt in his hand.
What happened next Wilbur hardly knew. There was a clang as somethingbounced on the stone floor, and a great round object that looked like ahelmet rolled past him.
"Quickly now," Wilbur heard Merlin say. "There is barely the hour leftto us."
Wilbur could hear but he could see nothing. There was a black veil overhis eyes. Powerful arms lifted him and laid him on the stone bench. Thenthere was the sound of bottles being emptied into kettles. Wilbur heardfeet approach him but he was too sleepy to care. Something touched hiseye but he felt no pain.
In his dazed state time passed quickly for him. There was always thescuffling of Merlin's feet, and now and again the old man's creaky voicerose in weird incantations. Then something hot was pressed againstWilbur's lips.
"Drink," Merlin said. Wilbur opened his mouth and felt a hot liquid gushdown his throat.
"I want my eye," Wilbur mumbled.
"Don't worry," Merlin told him. "I'm getting it."
He was taking his time about it, Wilbur thought. He could hear a greatstirring going on. There were muffled curses and he heard somethingbouncing on the floor.
"Darn stuff is so thick I can't tell them apart," Merlin was muttering.
"Hurry!" Arthur called. "The cock crows midnight!"
"I'm doing my best," Merlin said. He was breathing hard as he bent overWilbur. There was a quick pressure against Wilbur's eye socket andMerlin grunted triumphantly.
"There!" the old man said. "I've kept my promise. Now I'm going to sendyou back where I found you, and good riddance. You've been nothing buttrouble."
Again something hot was poured down Wilbur's throat. It had a familiartaste,
a sort of smoky flavor. Liquid fire coursed through his veins, hefelt his body grow light and buoyant, he was floating. Then he was beingsucked down into a black vortex and through a Stygian passage. Thepassage seemed endless but it was not, and at the end was a tiny hole oflight which grew steadily larger.
* * * * *
Wilbur found himself on a sagging porch, before a door that leaned onsprung hinges. His head ached, and raising his hand he ran it along hisscalp until he found a large bump. He rolled his eyes upward as thoughto see where he had been hurt. All he saw was a