Hey everyone thanks for reading, I have already got a few followers and favorite, thanks guys . Love to know what you think. updates have been really quick, I probably should of done it slowly but oh well I was enjoying myself too much. So this chapter turned out really long. hope you enjoy it. there is one more chapter and then an epilogue. Thank you so much for reading enjoy


Chapter 4: Beware Thin Ice

It was late when Cassandra was awakened but whispers. She remained still slowly opening her eyes and squinted to the source of the noise. Hunith was leaning over a large figure lying on the spare Cot and having a hushed whisper with them. Cassandra strained her ears and tried to hear what they were saying. She recognised the male voice as that of her father and she smiled that he was ok. "Your son looks like his father "she heard her father say

Hunith sighed but said with a hint of a smile "I know he has his kindness and determination too"

"Does he have his talent "king Lear asked with amusement and curiosity?

Hunith looked at Merlin sleeping quietly on the floor not sure what to tell the kind, Merlins talent was special and he would be in danger should anyone find out. King Lear was Balinor's friend though and would not betray his son would he?

Lear understood Hunith's reluctance to voice the answer so he decided to help "The boy's father was a very close friend Hunith, I would not see any harm come to the young man. Besides, my kingdom does not condemn those with magic. We may be allies with Uther but only for appearances and to prevent war. I do not openly enforce the agenda due to avoid Uther's ruthlessness; I simply allow it to be. My own wife had small amount of magic, but it is sad my daughter does not possess the ability" He smiled

Cassandra rolled her eyes, her father thought she had no magic, but that wasn't entirely true she had a small amount that allowed her to feel and sense a person's magic but not entirely use it herself. Perhaps to make flowers grow was the only thing she had been able to do and that was sensing the small growth in the earth and making it bloom. Hardly even bothering about, but it did make her happy. She had chosen to knock on this door the night before because she felt a pull towards the warm sensation of magic. Hunith's hushed voice snapped Cassandra back from her thoughts.

"Merlin is special and I fear for him every day. The children and villages are clueless of his abilities and I want to keep it that way. They have trouble with him and tend to comment on the fact his father is not around, I shudder to think what they would do if they knew he had magic."

"You would be welcomed back to Incatasi where you would be treated with the utmost respect and honour and merlin would not have to hide?" Cassandra's father offered

Hunith just shook her head "No, that is not the life I want, this is our home and I don't think merlin or I would be ready for that kind of life. He would be even more of a target because everyone would know exactly who he is"

"I guess you're right , but I will still keep trying to persuade you until I am fully recovered and we leave which will probably be by the start of spring and even then I will continue to request your presence " Lear chuckled but the undertone of seriousness that he would continue to ask still evident.

Hunith smiled and patted the kings arm "You are exactly how he described you , and you are welcome to stay here as long as you like while you recover, I think it will be good for both children they seem to get on really well. Now I suggest you get some sleep it's a miracle you survived out in the weather "

The king stifled a yawn and nodded as he conceded to Hunith's wise words. Cassandra smiled, it looked like she was going to be able to stay in Ealdor a bit longer, it made her extremely happy about the fun she could have with Merlin , but she would have to get him to reveal his magic somehow first .

oOo

It took Cassandra a number of weeks to finally be able to get Merlin to reveal his magic, even if it wasn't how she expected it to be revealed. The weather had turned bad again and they were stuck in doors. Not that it really bothered the two children as for both of them it was almost like a complete family. Hunith had no qualms about treating Cassandra like her own daughter and doted on her, King Lear was the same with Merlin. Although he was very sick and recovering slowly, he felt a certain responsibility to his friend's young boy. As the king recovered in bed and the storm raged outside the children were found in front of the king being instructed on the history of the five kingdoms, fundamentals of literature and then told stories of knights, dragons and most excitingly magic.

It was a full week before the blizzard calmed down enough that both parents felt save and confident enough to allow their children to escape into the chilly winter wonderland. Besides Cassandra and Merlin were driving both their parents insane by the end that Hunith virtually pushed them out into the fluffy white snow to get some peace and quiet.

Merlin and Cassandra ran down to the lake where they had, had their first picnic. They were laughing at each other and the freedom they suddenly found themselves with. Cassandra nudged Merlin and he lost his balance falling into the wet snow. Cassandra pounced on top of him and started to wrestle lightly laughing at the struggling boy "Get off Cas I'm getting wet" Cassandra just sniggered and rolled her eyes , Merlin had shortened her name and had been calling her Cas for the better part of the week. "Don't be such a girl merlin come on you should be able to beat me" she mocked him

"You aren't being a lady if the princess Viviane could see you now" he did a good impersonation of a reproachful lord telling how a princess should behave. Cassandra just laughed at him as he continued to struggle. Then he suddenly used his strength against her and flipped her on her back pinning her with his hands and knees. "Gotcher, do you yield "he threatened with a smile

"NEVER! I will go down fighting "Cassandra laughed struggling against the unexpected tight grip. She went limp under him and stopped struggling as if submitting to his strength. Merlin relaxed and that's when Cassandra pushed with all her strength catching Merlin by surprise and forcing him to tumble off her. They both lay panting and giggling at the exertion from their play fight. "Merlin let's make snow angels "she said while starting to use her arms and legs to make a pattern in the snow. Merlin did likewise; they didn't notice the creeping group of boys silently making their way to the oblivious friends.

Merlin pulled Cassandra up and helped brush the snow from her clothes as they admired their art work. They were lean against each other smiling in contentment until they heard a nasty mean voice behind them." Well look what we have here the princess and the bastard "Damien seethed he was still angry at being made to look like a fool by a girl.

Cassandra glared at the mean boy with dangerous eyes and reached for her dagger "Do you want me to teach you another less-"she stopped when she didn't feel the dagger at her side. Gasping she looked down and sure enough her dagger was no longer tucked into her belt. She panicked, realised that she must have left it in the house, She cursed ;she would make sure from now on that she would always carry it .They could be in some trouble now.

Merlin tried to be brave and stood up to Damien he wasn't afraid or ashamed any more, Cassandra had given him inner strength that he hadn't realised he was missing, he could always use magic. "Leave now Damien, before someone gets hurt. The king will have your head if you hurt his daughter" Merlin announced with a growl warning the bully

Damien just laughed "Oh I don't think so, he is confined to a bed and who said anything about hurting her."

"I won't let you hurt Merlin I can still take you, why don't you fight fair, at the moment its 6 against 2. " Cassandra boldly replied

"Cassandra what are you doing, are you trying to provoke them "Merlin whispered

"Don't worry, they won't touch us they are just a bunch of harmless bullies "Cassandra replied back.

Oh how wrong she was , Damien just smiled crookedly it was amazing how sinister a young boy with a face that still had baby fat around it could look. "I have something that I think you will not do anything to allow it to be damaged "Damien snickered

Merlin and Cassandra frowned at this new information and it wasn't until Damien pulled out a familiar gold chain belonging to the princess. Merlin put a comforting hand on Cassandra to steady her. "How did you get that, give it back NOW!" she angrily asked

"I found it and no I don't think I will "

"Please it is the only thing I have of my mother it is special to me "Cassandra's anger turned to pleading. Damien seemed to think about it as Merlin's hands curled into fists he was ready to pound some sense into Damien this would be the worst thing he had ever done; Even worse when he stole poor little Annabel's doll and threw it in the mud for fun.

Three of Damien's thugs had circled closer to Merlin without them knowing, "Oh ok come and get it "Cassandra sighed in relief as she walked forwards to get her necklace back. Just as she reached out for it two things happened at once. One the thugs closing in on merlin quickly grabbed him and gave him a quick couple of punches making him fall to his knees as they knocked the wind out of him and two Damien spat in Cassandra's face and tossed the necklace out on to the frozen lake, where it slid across the ice and landed in the middle . "Go get that princess "he leered

"Will you leave Merlin alone, "she asked tears leaking in her eyes as she saw the bruise start to form on his face, Damien and a couple of other boys were blocking her way to reach him.

"Cassandra no don't it's too dangerous "merlin gasped, a boy swiftly kicked him making him silent again

"STOP! " Cassandra yelled

"Go on then go get it", Damien teased

Cassandra took a deep breath and slowly walked out on to the ice. She took each step slowly one at a time. She slipped a couple of times but managed to remain up right. As she got further and further away from the shore the ice began to thin and she could hear a slight shifting under her feet. She reached her necklace and picked it up smiling in relief gripping it tightly in her hand as if her very life depended on it. The princess took a step back towards the shoreline and one step closer to safety when a loud cracking sound like thunder could be heard.

"CASSANDRA RUN!" Merlin screamed at her as the ice began to break