"Father, it's too bad!" Eden said in distress. "We must get through that gate tonight."

"Don't upset yourself, Miss Eden," Nurse Melia said, an arm around her shoulder. "The gate won't be shut forever, and it's all one whether we get through tonight or tomorrow."

"Now, let us stay calm, please," Meriadoc said firmly. He tapped once on the ceiling of the carriage as a signal, and called out, "Walk on, driver. And knock up the gatekeeper, there's a good fellow."

The carriage began going over the wooden bridge; Eden could hear the wheels creaking against it. When they reached the other side, the driver took the carriage around in a half circle before the vast arched door, which loomed above them, lit by a lantern on either side.

Eden thought the driver was going to rap his knuckles against the iron grate, and couldn't imagine how anyone would hear him. But instead he took the handle of his carriage whip, and by dint of leaning over, struck it three times against a wooden door in the nearest tower – a normal, human-sized door.

After a couple of minutes, the gatekeeper appeared, looking out of sorts. He was bald, like Eden's father, but rather than being short and round like Meriadoc, had a tall, bony frame, dressed in a brown uniform. He carried a lantern on a heavy staff.

"Who knocks at my door?" he said crossly.

"Good evening, sir," said Meriadoc genially through the window. "We seem to have missed the gate by a few minutes, and I wonder if you could possibly advise us further."

"I'd advise you to turn around," the gatekeeper said, with a sardonic little twist of his mouth. "There's a village a few miles back where you can stay at an inn for the night. The gate opens again at dawn tomorrow."

"I'm travelling with my little girl, and her nurse," Meriadoc said. "You would not turn away a woman and child on a winter's night, surely, good sir?"

Eden almost protested she was not a child or a little girl – she was fourteen and a half, and had recently been moved up from a governess to a tutor! However, she was prudent enough to only purse her lips in silent disapproval.

"This here gate's closed for the night, by order of the king." There was an aggrieved note in the gatekeeper's voice now.

"Of course, very correct," Meriadoc agreed smoothly. "But you see, I'm here by order of King Bernard – or by his invitation, at least. My daughter is friends with the princess."

The gatekeeper peered in at the window to examine Eden, looking her up and down suspiciously. She felt like sticking her tongue out at him, but very wisely forbore this natural inclination.

"I don't know about no invitation," the gatekeeper said uncertainly.

"I have it here," Eden's father, producing it from his greatcoat. "I am King Meriadoc of Westmoreland, and this is Princess Eden."

The gatekeeper took ages reading the invitation, holding it some distance from his face, as if trying to raise it closer to the lantern light. When he handed it back, his manner was several degrees more deferential.

"Begging your pardon, Your Majesty," he said, with a clumsy attempt at a bow. "I do recollect now that I was to let you through, no matter what hour you arrived. If you had only mentioned who you was at the start!"

"I apologise for the inconvenience," Meriadoc smiled. "And I shall make sure King Bernard hears what a good, loyal, honest gatekeeper he has."

"There's a toll to pay for taking a carriage through," the gatekeeper warned. "Five ... seven silver coins, Your Majesty."

"Of course. And er, a little something for your trouble." There was a clink of coins, and then a more furtive clinking that went on a lot longer.

"Thank you, Your Majesty," the gatekeeper muttered. "You must give us a little while to open for you. These doors take time, and the men will complain something dreadful, them having just closed up."

He disappeared back into the tower, and it seemed to Eden to be at least five minutes before anything happened. However, she didn't mind waiting now, because they had been given permission to go through, and had even paid.

"Father, why didn't you just tell him who we were to begin with?" Eden asked in a low voice. "It would have saved a lot of time."

Meriadoc gave a little sigh. "I was hoping to slip into Camden unnoticed," he said. "We just announced ourselves at the gate as to who we are and why we are here, and in a city of this size, such information can be dangerous in the wrong hands. I deeply regret arriving here a few minutes late."

"I see," Eden said slowly. "I never thought of that."

"And perhaps I am old fashioned," Meriadoc added, "but I like to give people the chance to treat me decently before I tell them I'm a king."

⋆⋅•⋅⊰∙∘⋆ ❆ ⋆∘∙⊱⋅•⋅⋆

In the end, the heavy grate was only raised enough to let the carriage through, and but one of the wooden doors opened for them. Once they had trotted past under the watchful gaze of the gatekeeper, he came forward and approached Meriadoc's window.

"You'll be wanting Camden Palace, I expect, Your Majesty" he said, now seeming quite friendly. "You can't go wrong. The North Road becomes Arden Street at the gate, and it cuts right through the city. Follow it all the way down, then turn left onto Bridge Street. That will take you to the palace."

"How will we know if we've missed our way?" Meriadoc asked.

"If you can see the river, you're just a step from the palace. If you're in the river, you've gone a step too far," said the gatekeeper with a wheezing laugh at his own witticism.

"We'd never be such fools as to drive into the river," Eden retorted.

"Now then, Your Royal Highness. That's all my fun," the gatekeeper said. "The Castle Gate will be locked that side, and you'll be safe within the city walls. Have no fear of that."

There was an exchange of thanks and farewells, and some more coins pressed into the gatekeeper's eager hand. The carriage started moving with a sedate little jolt, and they were finally in the city of Camden!

Eden had thought Everwick a handsome city. Compared to Camden, it was little more than a market town. Arden Street was a broad thoroughfare, lined with tall buildings, and lit with glass lanterns perched on ornate iron poles.

The street was filled with horses and all manner of conveyances; everything from fine carriages like their own, right down to donkey carts. And crowds of people, bustling their way down the pavement with arms laden with packages, or recklessly weaving in and out of the traffic to cross the street.

A boy streaked his way right in front of their carriage, so that the driver had to stop suddenly, and Nurse Melia was thrown out of her seat.

"Well, I've never seen anything like it," she said in wonder, rubbing her head where it had got bumped, and being helped back to her seat. "We shall have to keep our wits about us here."

Near the North Gate were coaching inns for people to stay in once they arrived, with omnibuses parked outside them. There were theatres and taverns for them to spend money in, but also places of worship.

"Why are there so many shrines around here?" Eden wondered.

"I'm not quite sure," Meriadoc said, looking around him. "Camden certainly seems busier than when I was here last."

Eden's question was answered when they had to pull up outside a marble temple with classical columns. A young priest in a heavy yellow woollen robe carrying a silver bowl came up to the carriage door, and called out, "Would you like to make an offering to Mercury, god of travellers? Give thanks for a safe journey, brother and sisters."

"Uh well ... I suppose it wouldn't do any harm," Meriadoc said, looking surprised. He fidgeted in his purse, and threw three silver coins into the bowl.

"May Mercury accept your generous offering, brother" the priest said, a bit perfunctorily. "By his blessing are you brought safely to Camden. Speed as if your feet had wings, and be brought to fortunate places."

"Er, we thank thee for thy divine blessing," Meriadoc said, rather awkwardly. But no father who was used to playing pretend games with Eden could falter long, and he ended on rather a flourish. "And we do give all honour to the lord Mercury, and um, all his works of beneficence."

The priest skipped back to the temple, presumably to add their coins to the sacred coffers.

"And I suppose that's why there's so many holy places near here," Eden said. "I must say, it seems funny to pay the god for a safe journey when we've already arrived and did perfectly well on our own."

"It never hurts to keep on the good side of the local divinities," said Nurse Melia sagely. "You never know, we might need Mercury's help yet as we travel around his domain."

"Isn't Mercury the god of trickery?" Eden asked, who had learned this when studying Latin.

"Thieves, tricksters, travel, messengers, money, and merchants," confirmed Meriadoc. "Things in which you cannot always put your trust."

"All the more reason to keep our eyes open in Camden," said Nurse Melia, her eyes darting about as if she suspected everyone. "We're under the protection of a fickle god, and anything might happen."

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LINDENSEA LORE

The Temple of Mercury is of Roman origin and built in the classical style, although fully modernised within. It was much patronised by Sir William Merrythought, the Bard of Lindensea, who may have called upon Mercury's help while writing his beautiful sonnets and witty plays - many of which are staged today in the nearby theatre district of Camden.   

It has long been a tradition for those arriving in Camden to make an offering in thanks to Mercury, and for those preparing to leave the city to ask the god for safe passage home. The temple is conveniently located for travellers at 23 Arden Street, Kingsgate, Camden. Feast Day is May 15 each year. Worship every Wednesday evening. Open all hours.

From A Pilgrim's Guide to the Shrines and Temples of Camden, published by Spiritus Press.