Disclaimer - Kit-Kat has said that she will kill me with the brushy end of a toothbrush if I say that I own Merlin. (I don't doubt that she could do it!) So as much as I would like to have him, Merlin belongs to Catherine.

As I walked back with Gaius, my thoughts drifted to what I'd figured out. This was really bad. Like really, really bad. If we couldn't remember what happened, how could we stop it?

"Are you sure your sister will be fine, Catherine?"

I smiled at my mentor. "She'll be fine, Gaius. She's stronger than she looks and she's had worse than a nosebleed."

He smiled and opened the door to his chambers for me. "Let's hope she doesn't have worse than that here. Now, I want you to read this book on the properties of certain herbs in poultices and then see if you can make me a few of the easier ones, alright?"

Picking up a book, I sat at the table. I never thought being a healer would be fun, especially seeing as I was squeamish around blood, but I loved it.

We worked in companionable silence for a while, then as Gaius climbed up to the balcony I felt that same calm I'd felt in Uther's chambers. I looked up towards the door and smiled. Merlin was in Camelot.

My P.O.V. (Jade, if you hadn't guessed!)

"There is only one evil in this land, and it is not magic! It is you! With your hatred and your ignorance, you took my son! But I promise you, before these celebrations are over, you will share my tears. And eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, a son for a son!"

I winced in sympathy as I saw the woman's tears.

"Seize her!" Uther cried.

I rolled my eyes. Her son had been executed for magic, did it not cross his mind that she would use magic too? I scanned the crowds, feeling drawn to a certain area. I found what I was looking for and smiled. Merlin was walking towards Gaius' chambers. Catherine was in for a shock.

Catherine's P.O.V.

I gasped as Merlin walked in, feeling my magic inch towards his.

"Gaius?" he called.

Gaius turned, a smile on his face, but he hit the railing and fell towards the ground.

I stood up and nearly fell over as I saw Gaius slow down and his bed fly across the room and stop underneath him to soften his fall.

"What did you just do?" I gasped, running to my mentor and helping him up. I knew what Merlin had done, I just wanted to hear him say it.

Merlin stammered excuses.

"Tell me!" I demanded.

He tried to lie. "I have no idea what happened."

"If anyone had seen that…" warned Gaius.

"That was nothing to with me!" Merlin cried. "That…that was…"

"We know what it was." I said quickly. "We just want to know where you learnt how to do it."

"Nowhere." he said quickly.

I snorted in disbelief and Gaius looked at me sharply. "I'll go and see if Jade's alright." I said, and hurried out of the room.

…...

"So Mary Collins was there, then?"

Jade nodded. "Yup. And Uther tried to arrest her because of what she said. Didn't I tell him to be careful? Did he listen? No. Do you know why? Because he's a self-centered, misogynistic, arrogant pig that thinks that if a woman tells him something it means absolute jack."

I burst into laughter. "What I wouldn't give for you to say that to his face!"

She grinned. "I did. Hence why I am now on my hands and knees scrubbing the perfectly clean floor of his chambers."

I collapsed in fits of giggles. Jade was going to get herself killed with the way she was treating Uther, but at least the way she was treating him was funny. "No! You said that to his face?"

"Well, I hissed it in his ear as he was walking back inside, but I'm sure it had the same effect."

I sat up straight and grabbed the other cloth in the bucket of water. I might as well help her while I was here. Uther's rooms were huge. "Well, Merlin showed up and made Gaius' bed fly across the room. I think Gaius is currently grilling him to find out how he did it." I told her.

She looked at me in astonishment. "He did magic in front of you? Didn't he care?"

I shrugged. "I don't think he knew I was there. He didn't look at me until I ran to Gaius."

She hummed in response.

"He tried to lie to us. To me and Gaius, I mean." I continued. Jade didn't seem to be listening.

"I want you to come shopping with me later this afternoon." she said.

I put my cloth back in the bucket and stared at her. "You want to go shopping?" I wondered if she was feeling alright.

"Well, I have a feeling Gwen wants this back." she plucked at the skirt of the dress.

"Fine." I sighed. "Do you even have any money to buy anything?"

She grinned. "I persuaded Uther to give me some."

"Do I want to know how?"

She looked insulted. "Do you really think I'm that bad? I told him he could take the money out of my wages."

I sighed in relief. She hadn't threatened to kick him in the balls. Yet.

…...

"I got you water. You didn't wash last night."

I looked up to see Merlin walking out of the spare room.

"Sorry." he said quietly.

"Help yourself to breakfast." Gaius said, winking at me. I smiled slightly.

As Merlin sat next to me I felt the familiar calm wash over me. I saw Gaius nudge the bucket of water off the table and smiled as Merlin leapt up, freezing the water in place. I glanced at the door slightly, but luckily the bucket hit the floor.

"Here." Gaius gave Merlin a bottle and small sack. "Catherine will show you around."

We got as far as the door before Gaius called after us. "Catherine? Remember that Sir Olwin's as blind as a weevil, so warn him not to drink it all at once."

I nodded and turned to Merlin. "Hollyhock and Feverfew for Lady There-must-always-be-something-wrong-with-me, and this bottle for Sir Olwin."

"Lady what?"

"Lady Percival, but trust me, from what Gaius has said, my name suits her better."

He nodded ad smiled slightly, then tensed as there was a shout echoing down the corridor.

"Kit-Kat!"

I smiled at Merlin. "It's fine, it's just my sister."

Jade walked up to us. "Hey, Kit-Kat. Hello Merlin."

Merlin's eyes widened. "How do you know my name?"

"I knew you were coming. Have you fought with Arthur yet? Oh, no you haven't. I'll stop talking now."

I snorted. "Was there something you needed?"

She nodded vigorously. "Uther's driving me up the wall, ranting and raving about how Mary Collins escaped. He didn't even notice that I left!"

I laughed. "He's going to give you hell when you get back, you know that."

She nodded again. "I'm Uther's personal maid." she told Merlin, who looked confused. "And you!" She pointed to me. I stepped back. "You didn't help me like you said you would!"

Help her…Oh. "Clothes."

"Yes, clothes."

I thought for a second. "Tomorrow? Gaius is probably going to want me on his rounds today."

Jade sighed, but nodded. "Just leave me to suffer at the hands of Uther. Fine, it's not like I have feelings or anything like that."

I laughed. "Just try not to hit him!" I called as I walked off.

My P.O.V.

"Lady Helen. Thank you so much for coming to sing at our celebrations." I watched as Uther faked a pleased welcome. I'd told him that 'Lady Helen' was probably Mary Collins in disguise. To say he hadn't been pleased was an understatement.

"The pleasure's all mine." smiled 'Lady Helen'.

"How was your journey?" Uther took her hands, masking the anger on his face.

"Oh, the time it took, Sire." she sighed. I glowered slightly, she wasn't going to fool anyone that easily!

"Well," Uther said pleasantly. "It's always worth the wait." He smiled again and I shuddered slightly at the thoughts he had to be entertaining for a smile like that. Something to do with death, and her, probably. Such a pleasant man.

"It will be." Mary smirked.

…...

"Was it just me who could see the evil smirk on her face?" I asked as Uther walked back to his chambers.

He sighed and turned to me. "You were not the only one. I fear what she is planning for my son."

"She's going to sing him to sleep then stab him." I blurted, then clapped a hand over my mouth. "And I was not going to tell you that."

Uther raised his eyebrows. "Oh? And why not?"

"The more you know, the harder it will be to pretend." I confessed. "And the more she suspects you, the harder it will be to stop her."

He gave me a surprised look and I shrugged slightly. "Contrary to your belief, I am actually intelligent. I can read and everything."

He snorted slightly. "I don't doubt your intelligence, however next time, I would prefer you tell me everything you know. I am a better actor than you think."

I nodded, keeping my gaze on the floor. "Yes, Sire."

Catherine's P.O.V.

We walked through town, heading for the stocks. Merlin had been in a fight with Prince Arthur yesterday, and Gaius had gotten him out of jail. For a price. We laughed at Merlin as we walked past, and Jade couldn't help picking up some fruit and smearing it on his face.

"Thanks!" he called as we walked to the clothes stall. Why it was so close to the stocks I had no idea.

"Thank every god I know! Female trousers!" Jade cried ecstatically.

I laughed at her and she shoved me slightly. I had to admit, she was good at living in Camelot; She nearly out-haggled the stall owner, buying a pair of brown trousers, some boots, two tunics and still having money left over.

"I cannot wait to wear these." she sighed as we made our way back into the castle.

"Won't Uther disapprove?" I worried. "You can't let him sack you, you have to stay with him, remember?"

"I gave a supposed prophecy about me, you and Merlin. We don't know if it's even true."

"It's got to be." I argued. "I'm the one who'll heal you all, because I'm working with Gaius, and if you ever need alibis I can give them, meaning that you'll stay out of jail. You're with Uther, and I really doubt he's going to let you quit, given that he doesn't trust you. And we both know that Merlin's going to end up with Arthur."

She sighed again. "Kit-Kat, you worry too much. Yes, Uther will disapprove. No, he won't fire me. Yes, we'll all be fine. Now go make people better for me."

Laughing, I ducked into the corridor to Gaius' chambers. Never, ever, would I understand that girl.

…...

Merlin walked in and both Gaius and I stifled a laugh.

"Do you want some vegetables with lunch, Merlin?" I teased, and snickered when he glared at me. I shared a look with Gaius and we both burst into laughter. "How did you like Jade's present?" I added, smirking a little. The look on his face when she'd walked over with a rotten cabbage…it was hilarious.

Ignoring me, Merlin looked apologetically at Gaius. "You're still angry with me, aren't you?"

"Your mother asked me to look after you." he reproached.

I rolled my eyes slightly. Here we go, lecture time. "Gaius," I interrupted. "Have we had any more complaints from Lady Percival?"

Gaius grumbled and launched into a complaint about how 'some people' never seemed to want to be healthy.

Merlin nodded at me in thanks and I smiled at him. "Don't worry about it." I whispered.

…...

Merlin stormed through the door, closely followed by Gaius. Please say he didn't fight with the Prince again, I prayed silently.

"How could you be so foolish?" Gaius yelled.

My prayers hadn't worked, apparently he had.

"He needed to be taught a lesson." Merlin said righteously.

"Magic must be studied, mastered and used for good! Not for idiotic pranks!"

My eyes widened. Merlin had used magic in a fight against Arthur? And I thought I was stupid.

"What is there to master?" Merlin protested. "I could move objects like that before I could talk!"

"Then by now you should know how to control yourself!"

"I don't want to! If I can't use magic, what have I got? I'm just a nobody, and I always will be. If I can't use magic, I might as well die."

Merlin stormed into his room and I looked at Gaius in shock. "Did he really use magic against Arthur?"

Gaius nodded tiredly. "The one thing he needs to do above everything else is keep his head down and he's already gained the attention of the Prince. How Hunith managed to keep him a secret I do not know."

I smiled sympathetically and picked up Gaius' medical bag. "He had blood on his shirt. I'll go take care of it."

Chuckling, Gaius poured himself some tea. "It's likely to be nothing. Arthur would have seen that Merlin didn't know how to fight and would have gone easy on him."

I walked over to Merlin's door and knocked on it gently before walking in. "Merlin? Sit up and take your shirt off. I want to check your shoulder."

He pulled his shirt over his head and I winced when I saw the mace wound. "Ouch. Here." I placed my hand over the wound and concentrated. I felt a twinge of pain that disappeared quickly.

Merlin gasped as he skin grew over the green light that had fallen onto his shoulder from my hand. "How did you do that?"

"You're not the only one staying here who really shouldn't. Although, neither me nor Jade have been able to do magic since we were kids."

"I was born with it." he sighed. "I'm not a monster, am I? For being different?"

I turned his head to look at me. "Don't ever think that you're a monster." I told him firmly. "Being special, being different is nothing to be ashamed of. If we were all the same, what would be the point in being alive?"

He chuckled slightly. "That was deep."

"I have my moments" I grinned, before pressing a light kiss to his cheek. "You're different, but at least you fit in more than I do." I said sadly, closing the door.

"What's got you looking so down?" Gaius asked me.

Shaking my head, I grabbed an apple, "Nothing. I'm going to stay with Jade tonight, do you mind?"

He shook his head. "I want you back once she goes to serve Uther for the day, understood?"

I hummed a reply and left.

…...

I laid on my stomach on Jade's bed, looking down at her. She was sat on the floor, leaning next to my head.

"Do you ever feel like everyone knows we don't belong here?" I asked conversationally.

Jade looked up at me quickly. "How do you work that one out?"

"Well, think about it: two girls magically appear on the floor of the throne room, wearing clothes that haven't been invented yet, claiming that they know everyone and that they suddenly have magic powers. We don't belong here. You know it, I know it, Uther and Gaius know it."

Jade threw Uther's boots onto the floor. "Who says we don't belong here? I feel pretty welcome, well, Uther's not exactly a ray of sunshine, but at least he hasn't had us executed."

I sighed. "I miss home."

Picking up Uther's boots again, Jade looked at me sharply. "Maybe that's why you don't feel like you fit in. You still think that back there is home."

"It is!"

She shook her head. "Not to me. Home is where you're happiest, remember?"

"Scrubbing boots makes you happy?" I snorted. "Why are you cleaning his boots in your room, anyway?"

She scrubbed at a stubborn stain of mud. "If I did them in Uther's chambers then his floor would just get dirty, then I'd have the extra job of cleaning it again. Nah, it's just easier to do them in here. Anyway, change of subject: how's Merlin? I heard there was a fight."

She smirked and I rolled my eyes. She really was impossible to hold a serious conversation with. "Oh, you know, argued with Gaius, had a wounded shoulder, asked me if I thought he was a monster. He's great."

She dropped the brush. "He asked you what?"

"You heard me."

She shook her head. "Poor guy. What did you tell him?"

"That he was special and if we were all the same there'd be no point in living." I told her matter-of-factly.

She snorted. "Deep, Kit-Kat. Real deep."

I smiled. "Well, I have to be serious sometimes."

…...

I walked slowly into Gaius' rooms, wincing and stretching. "Remind me never to sleep sat up against a wall again." I told him, scowling when he chuckled.

"You're just in time, I was about to wake Merlin up."

Opening Merlin's door, he stopped dead. "Unbelievable!" he muttered.

"Has he jumped out the window?" I smiled, standing beside him. I shook my head at the state of the room. He hadn't even been here a week. Even Jade wasn't that bad. Wait…she was worse…

"Oi!" Gaius shouted, making both me and Merlin jump. "Have you seen the state of this room?"

Merlin shrugged. "It just happens."

"What, by magic?" I grinned.

He smiled at me. "Yeah."

Gaius shook his head at both of us and picked up a few of Merlin's clothes, throwing them at him. "Well, you can clean it up without magic, and then get me some herbs: henbane, woodworm and sorrel. And Catherine? I need you to deliver this to Morgana. Poor girl's suffering from nightmares."

I nodded. Yay, almost no sleep, then work the next morning. I loved Camelot. Sarcasm? Why yes, yes it was.

My P.O.V.

"Calm down, Sire!" I hissed.

Uther was pacing back and forth in his room, muttering about how he should have arrested Mary Collins as soon as he saw her.

"Sire!" I said sharply, and he stopped pacing to look at me. "Everything will be fine. Now calm the hell down, get your ass into that hall and don't you dare let that bitch in there know that you're onto her!"

Uther stared at me in shock for a second. "I'll talk to you about your language later." he sighed, before walking briskly out of his rooms to the dining hall.

I followed at a more leisurely pace and met 'Lady Helen' outside.

"Hello," she greeted me sweetly. "You're Uther's servant, aren't you?"

I nodded curtly. "And if my future husband acts even the slightest bit like Uther I'll throttle him."

She laughed. "Whatever for? Uther is perfectly charming!"

I scoffed. "He's the most insufferable man I've ever met! Good luck, My Lady."

She gave me a slight nod and listened to Uther's words as I opened the door ready for her entrance.

"We have enjoyed twenty years of peace and prosperity. It has brought the kingdom and myself many pleasures, but few can compare with the honour of introducing Lady Helen of Mora."

I had to hand it to him, the man could talk. It was just a shame that such a good speech was wasted on a hag like her.

The feast didn't really last long after that. She sung her song, which, if it didn't have a murderous spell behind it, would actually have been quite nice, and Merlin dropped the chandelier on her. Then, clever boy that he is, he pulled Arthur out of the way of the knife just in time.

I grinned across the hall at Catherine and slipped out the door to wait for the King. The feast wouldn't last long, not with a dead body in the middle of the hall.

He soon came out and I grinned at him. "Se? Everything was fine, just like -"

"If you plan on saying 'I told you so', I will personally escort you to the stocks."

"I was just going to say -"

Uther glared at me.

"Nothing." I continued. "I was going to say absolutely nothing, Sire. Although I did tell you."

He growled and this time, I was smart enough to shut up. I did actually want to keep my head.

Catherine's P.O.V.

"Seems you're a hero." I said to Merlin as I joined him in his room.

"Hard to believe, isn't it?" he smiled.

"No!" I protested. "I saw how you saved Arthur's life."

He scoffed. "That was magic."

"Exactly!" I pressed on. "I said that you were special, you're destined for greater things, what if this is it!"

"Protector to Prince Prat of Camelot?"

I chuckled. "I wouldn't put it quite like that, but yes. If he dies, he'll never become King. Perhaps you're meant to get him there."

Merlin looked at me in shock, but before he could say anything I heard Gaius calling. "Merlin? I have something for you."

Merlin unwrapped the package and snorted. "But this is a book of magic."

Gaius smiled. "Which is why you must keep it hidden."

I shot Gaius a look. He'd been there when Jade had her vision, he knew that Uther had been there too. And Gaius also knew that the King had probably put two and two together. If Merlin hadn't been arrested by now, he probably wouldn't be at all.

After Gaius left I turned to Merlin. "Where are you going to keep it? Under the floorboards?"

"You know, that's not a bad idea…" he said thoughtfully, but looked up when we heard a shout.

"Merlin, Prince Arthur wants you right away." called a guard.

"Your destiny's calling. You'd better find out what he wants." I teased.

He gave me a gentle shove on the way out. Still smiling, I joined Gaius at the table and picked up a book on anatomy.

"Kit-Kat, you here?" Jade poked her head around the door.

"What's up?"

"Uther's given me a job to do." She handed me a black cloak. "Come on."

"What are we doing?"

Jade looked at me. "Looking for Lady Helen's body."

I blinked slightly. Well, you didn't get told to find a dead body everyday. "Uther trusted us with this?" I frowned.

She nodded. "Said there was no-one else he'd give the task to."

I raised an eyebrow. Perhaps Jade was right; This place was better than home.

A.N. - Yay, Chapter Three! Kit-Kat, I hope it was ok!