#cedwick

A commission from the wonderful and talented @hrgwin

Based on a story I wrote: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28925946

Cedric:

-Is it just me, or can I hear your ribs crunching?

Baileywick:

-It just seems this way to you

For @jathis!

Cedric was spinning on his chair lazily as he found that he had finished his daily tasks. He had prepared an soothing potion for the young Prince James, who had nettles rash all over his legs. He had helped princess Sofia with her assignment and even sorted out his ingredients so his lab looked a bit less messy. Baileywick would be proud of him.

But that evening, the royal steward came in their bedroom much later than usual. Baileywick nearly didn't say a word as he got undressed, put his uniform neatly folded on his chair and put on his nightclothes. Cedric was a bit worried.

"Baileywick ?"

Baileywick looked at him. The royal steward had big, dark circles under his eyes and his cheeks looked more hollow. He looked so tired! Cedric berated himself silently for not having noticed that. He promptly plumped up a pillow behind his beloved's back and helped him to relax.

"Baileywick, what happened ?" asked Cedric softly.

Baileywick made a vague gesture, sighing.

"Oh, nothing, really... There are many staff members who have caught a cold and can't work for a few days, so there's more work to do. Nothing to worry about, my love," he assured.

Cedric frowned.

"You can't overwork like this or you could fall ill too," he murmured worriedly. "The castle needs you. The king needs you. And I need you!"

Baileywick smiled and kissed Cedric's lips softly.

"Don't worry about it. It's not the first time it happens and we'll work it out. Go to sleep, dear."

Poor Baileywick fell asleep as soon as his head touched the pillow. Cedric fell asleep later, thinking about a plan.

***

When Baileywick woke up the next morning and found the bed empty. He quickly got up and got dressed, fearing he had overslept. Usually Cedric never woke up before him! But when he went to the kitchens to start his day he was the first arrived, as usual. He didn't have the time to look for the royal sorcerer, he would check on him later. When he began to give the kitchen staff the first orders of the day, some cooks and servants looked surprised.

"Is there anything wrong?" asked Baileywick, ready to deal with the problem.

A maid bowed politely.

"Oh no, mister Baileywick," she said. "It's just that... I was sure to have left those clothes here to mend them today, and they are already repaired," she explained, showing a shirt with a stitched tear on a sleeve.

"Someone cleaned the jam cauldron... Whoever it is, thank you! I was planning to do that today," said another voice.

Baileywick nodded.

"If those tasks are already done, then we can do the rest right away. Let's begin," he said, all business.

***

The day was full of those little surprises for Baileywick. Some rooms in the castle were already clean, the garden's weeds had disappeared in the night, the cellars were exceptionally tidy. Baileywick saw the number of his daily tasks greatly reduced. The staff was very pleased with those surprises and when the queen Miranda came in the staff quarters to ask about the sick ones, most of them felt a lot better thanks to several vials of potions they found at their door. Those who drank it felt their fever diminish and their nose less stuffed.

"Nobody knows who left these potions for us," assured a maid.

"I only see Cedric who can do this," offered Miranda.

But the royal sorcerer was nowhere to be seen.

***

Baileywick quickly understood what happened when he heard about the potions. As most of the daily tasks were done, he had some free time after the dinner of the royal family and came to the tower to check on Cedric.

He found the laboratory in a total disarray. There were ingredients everywhere, lots of cauldrons heating on magic fires all smelling of eucalyptus. Many books were open on the slab. Stitching spells. Swiping spells. Dusting spells. Cleaning spells.

Baileywick felt his heart swell with love for the sorcerer. He had spent the entire night preparing the healing potions and trying to clean as much as possible, to make things easier for him, casting endless cleaning spells. He looked for Cedric and finally found him at the desk in their room, sleeping soundly. His head was on an open book at a page explaining how to seal dozens of bottles in one go. He was probably exhausted with all those spells. Baileywick smiled and kissed Cedric's forehead softly.

Then he carefully removed the book from under Cedric's head, replacing it with a pillow and pulling a blanket over him.