~*A/N: So I was looking at the stats for this story and holy crap have there been a ton of hits and visitors! You guys are brilliant! Then, of course, I go and look at reviews, and, well, significantly less. I mean it; please let me know what you think, whatever it is. If you don't like it, let me know why or how I can fix it! I enjoy feedback. God, I've been on here for so many years at this point, I think I can take it. Anyway, enjoy, lovelies.*~


"O! beware, my lord, of jealousy; It is the green-eyed monster which doth mock the meat it feeds on." ~ William Shakespeare

~*~

"Oh come off it, Morgana, he didn't!"

"He most certainly did, regrettably."

Morgana and Kassia sat across from each other at the table in the former's room. A spread of fruits lay somewhat devoured in front of them as the two went back and forth telling stories about their lives. Morgana was just finishing telling the tale of Knight Valiant, and how Arthur refused to admit, even to her, that a girl had saved his life.

"Wow, what a dick."

"Pardon?"

"Oh, sorry; Mallinorian slang. Um, like jerk, prat, ass, and so on and so forth. Actually, closer to ass. Sheesh, his reputation wouldn't be ruined if he at least admitted it to you. Idiot."

"That's what I said, but of course he doesn't listen."

Gwen walked in with a basket of laundry, set it down next to the bed, and began clearing the plates. She looked at the two noblewomen who were laughing in front of her and shrugged off their grins.

"Oh Gwen, you don't need to clear those away right now; come join us."

"But my lady, I have chores-"

"Nonsense, Gwen; I'll not have you working while I'm having a good time with our gust." Morgana gestured to the chair at the head of the table, which Gwen dutifully sat in.

"That's better. Now, you're turn, Kassia."

Kassia took a sip from the goblet in front of her, trying to decide on a story she could bend to the times. "Let's see…okay, this is an old one. So I was about, oh, eight or nine at the time, and my brother was twelve or thirteen; I can't remember exactly. Anyway, my parents took us out of the city for the summer and to the country. Our summer palace is built on the shores of this lake that's so large, if you didn't know better, you'd think it was the ocean. So my father has his closest friends coming out, and my brother and I have been dressed in the most horrendous outfits that you've ever seen."

Morgana giggled, and a smile crept across Gwen's face.

"No, really! Bruce was wearing this hideous suit- it was this putrid green color that looked like split peas or something. Oh, and I, I was stuffed into what we refer to as 'The Little Pink Dress from Hell.' I mean, this thing was decked out in frills and flowers and made me look like a pastry!"

Gwen burst into a fit of laughter, and Morgana was holding her sides.

"Oh God, that's awful!"

"And it gets better! So the guests have all arrived, and the son of one of the lords decided that it was a good idea to make fun of our clothes. I gave him a piece of my mind, and he started to make snide comments about my brother. It's not that my brother isn't more than capable of taking care of himself, but I don't let anyone talk about him like that except for me. So, I start chasing this boy – who, by the way, is five years my senior and twice as big – around the property, brandishing a stick in the air!"

Kassia rose from her seat and started to imitate the scenario, chasing Morgana around the table. Gwen laughed as the two noblewomen ran around the table; well, Morgana jogged, and Kassia limped after her, which made it all the more comical.

"I chased him all the way down to the lake, and, with the entire party watching, pushed him in!" She lightly pushed Morgana, who caught herself on her chair, still laughing. Kassia leaned against the back of Gwen's chair and continue the story, lifting her injured leg off the ground. "Of course, I lost my balance and tumbled in, too. We then proceeded to fight in the shallows of the lake, getting covered in mud in the process. Both sets of parents rushed down with some of the servants, who pulled us apart. Needless to say, there were sore bottoms the rest of the evening. On the plus side, I did get out of the hideous dress."

Gwen clapped her hands, laughing as Kassia took a bow from her childhood tale. "That was hilarious, my lady. Has the rest of your life been so adventurous?"

"Oh, off and on. I mean, I wouldn't really call that an adventure, but it's one of my favorite memories. My father's face was so red; I thought he was going to explode." She smiled at the memory, staring off into space over Morgana's shoulder.

"You miss your family, don't you?"

She looked at the raven-haired lady. "I do, yes. We were very close."

There was a knock at the door, to which Gwen jumped to answer. When she stepped away from the door, Arthur entered the room. Kassia saw that his walk was far too arrogant, so it took everything she had to not roll her eyes. Morgana, on the other hand, was not so subtle.

"Arthur, to what do we owe the privilege of your visit, one of which I love so much to receive?" She smiled at Kassia.

"Sorry to disturb you ladies from brushing your hair, or whatever it is you do, but have you seen Merlin lately?"

"No, we haven't; why? Did you misplace him?"

"I did not misplace my servant. The tosser's vanished, and the longer he's gone, the longer the list of things I need him to do gets. If you see him, will you relay that message?"

"Yes yes, consider it done. Anything else?"

"No; I'll be on the training grounds with the knights if you see him. Ladies." Arthur nodded as he turned on his heels, closing the door behind him.

"Did he just completely ignore you?"

Kassia looked back at Morgana. "Probably."

"Wow, that's a first."

"How so?"

Gwen cleared away the plates on the table, wanting to avoid the conversation. Morgana leaned forward, folding her hands under her chin. "Well, whenever there's a beautiful woman within a hundred feet of him, Arthur tends to puff out his chest and do whatever he can to impress her. But here you sit, a perfectly lovely girl of noble birth, injured, and he bloody ignores you! Do you think he's ill, Gwen?"

"Oh, it's not my place-"

"Gwen."

"-Not ill, just daft."

Kassia rolled her eyes. "Thank you for the compliment, Morgana, but I'm pretty sure that I pissed him off last night."

Morgana arched an eyebrow. "Now you have to tell me; I love gossip, especially if it's about Arthur."

Kassia laughed. "He was giving me a mini-tour of the castle, and he took me up to one of the towers so I could see the Moon."

"How…romantic of him. And very out of character."

"You know, I was thinking the same thing, and I've only just met him. Anyway, so I was staring at the Moon, and I could feel him staring at me for about ten minutes, so I called him on it. Instead of just taking it and moving on, he got so defensive and just became plain infuriating."

"That's more like the Arthur I know and sometimes like." Morgana leaned back in her chair, smiling. "I think he fancies you."

"And I think he's a bloody wanker, but that's just an opinion."

There was another knock at the door. As soon as Gwen opened it, Merlin ducked inside. "Sorry to disturb you, Morgana, but I need a place to hide."

"What's going on, Merlin? Arthur's looking for you."

"Yeah, and so is Gaius. I can't clean the leech tank again; you don't understand."

Kassia giggled. "Sorry, Merlin, but that's what you have to deal with. Why don't you just run down to the training grounds and help Arthur? I'm sure the leeches will keep."

Merlin shuddered. "Arthur's in a foul mood today; I'd take the leeches over the training ground any day."

"Well then go tend to the leeches; doesn't sound like too big of a dilemma to me."

Merlin sighed, exasperated. "Why do they both always need me at the same time?"

Kassia stood from her seat, limping over to the raven-haired boy. "Because you have poor time-management skills. Mind if I join you at the training grounds?"

"Kassia, what're you up to?"

The brunette turned to Morgana. "Training. Do you mind if I go with Merlin?"

"No, it's fine. It's been great to get to know you." Morgana rose from her seat.

"Same to you; I would like to call you 'friend', if that's alright."

"It'd like the same. Come by anytime, Kassia."

The two hugged. "I'll let you know how it goes. It's been lovely chatting with you, Gwen!"

The handmaiden smiled and bobbed, returning to her work. Kassia linked arms with Merlin, walking with him back to Gaius's room. When they entered, the physician was nowhere to be seen.

"Okay, can't you just magic it clean or something?" Kassia looked at the tank, grimacing at the tiny bloodsuckers sliding along the glass.

"I mean, I guess I could, but Gaius would be cross with me if I did…"

Kassia threw the bolt on the door, leaning against it. "Okay, he's not getting back in anytime soon, so go for it. I like watching you use your magic."

Merlin looked at her confused. "Why are you helping me with this?"

"You saved my life, for one; I want to help you in any way I can until my debt's repaid. Also, I want us to be friends. I like you, Merlin, and it seems that people in my time got a lot of things wrong about Camelot. Hell, I didn't think that this place was real, and yet here we are."

"You confuse me." He shook his head with a smile, turning to the tank. Merlin reached his arm out and muttered something in the same language that got Kassia to Camelot in the first place. The leech tank glowed, and all the dirt was gone a few seconds later.

"There, you see? All better. Such a lovely shortcut, isn't it?"

Merlin looked at Kassia. "Thanks for playing lookout, Kass."

"Thanks for using a nickname; does that mean we're friends?"

Merlin nodded cautiously. Kassia beamed, taking his hands in hers. "You don't know how happy that makes me. You're probably the only person I'll be able to tell everything to, Merlin. You're such a good person. And don't let Arthur get to you too much."

The two exited the room, walking slowly down to the training grounds. Merlin helped Kassia keep weight off of her injured foot as they navigated the hallways to exit the castle. As they stepped into the late summer air, the sounds of metal crashing and battle cries could be heard even from where they were.

"Ugh, sounds like I'm going to have my work cut out for me today," Merlin groaned.

"I'm sorry Arthur's in a foul mood, Merlin. I think that might be my fault."

Merlin looked at her, and they slowed their walk. "How so?"

"Well, I called him out on some things last night, and he's too proud to admit it. So, here we are. Would you stop grinning like an idiot? It makes me feel silly."

"I'm sorry, but you don't know how rare it is that someone talks back to Arthur, especially a lady. He gets all the girls and the glory."

"Well, I suppose it's time for a change, then, yes?"

"Yeah…plus, I think he fancies you."

"Um, I'm thinking 'no', actually. You're the second person to say that to me today, you know that?"

The two reached the training ground and watched as Arthur fought with a knight- Sir Kay, according to Merlin. Kassia watched intently as the two did a rather graceful – albeit barbaric – dance across the grounds. She found her eyes to continue to be drawn to Arthur; he was by far the most graceful one with a sword. The prince put Kay flat on his back, and the knight yielded to his lord. He proceeded to give the knights a lecture on them not trying hard enough, even though it was a bit warm that day.

"Come on, men, you're supposed to be ready for anything! Honestly, you're fighting like a bunch of girls!"

Kassia laughed from her place next to Merlin. The knights, having not noticed her earlier, turned, and all bowed to the lady. Well, all except for Arthur, who looked a bit perturbed.

"Something funny, Princess Kassia?"

"I'm sorry for disturbing your training, but, well, yes actually. You see, Arthur, the way I hear it, the women in Camelot seem to be quite adept fighters, as I've heard you know from experience."

The knights weren't sure how to respond to that, but Arthur glared. Merlin felt uncomfortable being where he was. True, he was Arthur's servant, so he should be on his side by default, but Kassia was also his friend. Frankly, she was far more entertaining than Arthur. As a result, he scooted a bit closer to the princess, gripping her arm to help her balance. Arthur looked to Merlin.

"So I see you've finally emerged from your hiding place, Merlin. Why don't you suit up and get out here so I can show the men how they should be fighting, then?"

"Arthur, give it a rest; you and I both know that Merlin isn't a fighter. If your knights aren't doing what you think they should be, then perhaps the fault lies with their instructor."

Arthur stepped closer. "Are you telling me how to do my job?"

"Oh, of course not, my lord; if I were to tell you how to do your job, I would simply do your job for you. However, since I am still injured, that would be rather difficult and unfair to both of us."

The knights and Merlin looked back and forth at the two nobles. The air around the two became very intense as they glared at each other. Arthur broke the stare first, taking a step back to a more respectful distance.

"Did you come down here just to try and insult me, or is there something you need?"

"Actually, I was hoping to enlist one of your knights to show me how it is you fight here. I've never been the best with a sword, but my father insisted that both men and women know how to fight; just because I'm out of my kingdom for the time being doesn't mean that I should let him down, now does it?"

"I suppose not, but, as you said, you're still injured. Why don't you come back when you're in better condition?"

"Oh Arthur, you do care! Thank you for the concern, but despite my injuries, I can move decently. Now," she looked past the prince at the row of knights behind him, turning on her charm, "would any of you fine, strapping gentlemen care to assist me in my quest, or do I have to make the awful decision of choosing one of you myself?"

Most of the knights clamored forward, not only because they would get away from Arthur for a while but because they would get to spend time with a princess doing what they did best. Kassia smiled at the disruption she had caused, – which was her goal all along – while Arthur fumed.

"Alright, alright, settle down, men; you're all obviously up for the task. Oh Arthur, don't get your knickers in a bunch over this. Now, who shall I be borrowing from you?"

"My lady, it would be an honor to train you," one knight said stepping forward and bowing. He was fairly good-looking, too, which Kassia considered to be a bonus. "If my lord is willing, I shall serve you in any way I can."

"What is your name, good sir knight?"

"I am Sir Lucan, son of Duke Corneus."

"Well then, Arthur, will you allow Sir Lucan here to help me reach Camelot's high standards with a sword, or must I look elsewhere for help?"

"Fine, fine; you're excused, Sir Lucan."

The knight stepped forward, bowing to Kassia again and taking her to the side where a row of swords were resting, just waiting to be used. Merlin looked at the fuming Arthur and stifled a laugh as he turned to leave.

"And where do you think you're going, Merlin?"

He was so close. "Oh, I was just going to go tend to your chambers, sire."

"The stables need cleaning before you even go near my chambers. And my dogs need exercising, my laundry needs doing, and you're still going to help me train later. Anything wrong with this?"

"No, not at all sire; I'll be off to the stables, then." Merlin sighed. Kassia had really pissed Arthur off, and now he was suffering for it.

"Good; and for the rest of you," he turned back to the knights who were glaring at Sir Lucan, "if you think that I've forgotten about how much you're slacking, I haven't. Now, let's try this again! Sir Gareth, Sir Tristam, you're up!"

Arthur watched the two knights fight, but his gaze kept drifting beyond them to Kassia and Lucan. The knight was showing her the basics, and she did her best with her injured appendages. She would laugh periodically at things he said, and vice versa. Arthur felt his blood boil whenever Kassia stumbled and Lucan caught her, but he didn't know why. Instead, he continued to take his anger out on the rest of the knights, who weren't as fortunate as Sir Lucan to escape Arthur for the day.

~*~

As Kassia finished her supper that evening, there was a knock on her door. "Come in!"

Morgana entered the room, closing the door swiftly behind her. "I've just seen Arthur, and he's furious. When I went to Merlin about it – the poor boy's practically dying on his bed – he said to come see you."

Kassia leaned back in her chair as a smile crept onto her lips. "Please sit, Morgana."

The lady glided into a chair by the fireplace, where Kassia joined her, gripping her hands. "It's like I told you earlier: I went to train today. My father's always believed that everyone should be prepared to defend what they love, no matter the gender. So, I enlisted Sir Lucan in that quest today."

"Lucan? Well he's attractive, to be sure-" Morgana realized why Arthur had a storm cloud over his head. "Well, I've never seen Arthur jealous of one of his knights before; you're simply amazing, Kassia, where have you been all my life?"

"Away, thinking of ways to make Arthur hot under the collar. I'm pretty sure that my ankle's going to take longer to heal now, but well, I've certainly learned a thing or two. One, swords can be incredibly heavy. Two, I should probably apologize to Merlin for making Arthur so angry. And three, I'll be needing to make sure I'm presentable for a stroll with Lucan tomorrow."

Morgana all but squealed. "Oh Kass, you've already got Sir Lucan courting you? How wonderful! Do you really care about him?"

"Well he is rather lovely…"

"Do you fancy Arthur, too?"

Kassia sighed. "Oh, Arthur's handsome, alright, but I see no point in pursuing anything with the Crown Prince. He's positively boorish and insufferable and his ego knows no bounds."

"And yet you still want him."

"I'd be mad not to. But, it would be futile to do anything about it." Kassia smiled. "'Gana, I haven't the foggiest as to what I should wear tomorrow. You're always so elegant, maybe you could help me?"

"Anything for a friend. Besides, I love seeing Arthur like this. He never gets jealous. Never."

"Well, there's a first time for everything. Is he really jealous?"

"Of course; does he know that he is? Of course not. If he did, he'd probably be banging down your door at this very minute."

No sooner had the words fallen from Morgana's lips then a rather obnoxious knocking sounded at the door. The two women looked at each other and burst into a fit of laughter. "It's open," Kassia gasped.

As predicted, Arthur burst into the room, stopping in confusion at the sight of the two women in stitches in front of the fireplace.

"What?"

They looked at him, and their laughter continued even louder than before.

"Oh for God's sake, what's so funny?"

Kassia fell to the floor first, followed by Morgana. They stayed on the stone for another minute before they were able to pick themselves up. Kassia dragged herself into her chair, her laughter dying away first from the pain in her body.

"Can we help you with something, Arthur," Morgana asked when she'd recovered.

"Yes, Morgana; you can leave."

"Excuse m-"

"Now."

The two women looked at each other again, and Morgana rose. "I'll be back first thing in the morning with Gwen, alright?"

"Alright; good night, 'Gana! Thank you for stopping by."

"Of course. Arthur," Morgana exited the room, closing the door behind her. The lady's laughter could be heard down the hall as she made her way back to her chambers.

Arthur looked at the amused Kassia, not moving from his position in front of the door. She finally rolled her eyes. "Are you just going to stand there, or will you have a seat?"

"Does Sir Lucan entertain you that much?"

"I'm afraid I have no idea what you're talking about, my lord. Sir Lucan's an excellent instructor-"

"Don't give me that," Arthur stormed close, his eyes as intense as the flames they were reflecting.

"I'm not giving you anything," Kassia jolted from her chair, ignoring the painful cries from her body. "I've been here just over a full day, I'm in pain, and I've got a royal prat in my face, jealous over one of his knights!"

"I am not jealous."

"Then explain to me why you're in my room, questioning Sir Lucan's actions. Or mine. Both of which, frankly, are none of your damn business. You may know Lucan, but you don't know me, and I refuse to have you barging in here acting like you do!"

Arthur continued to stare into her eyes, both sets of which were flashing dangerously. This time, it was Kassia who backed off first, dropping into her chair from the pain shooting through her body.

"Arthur, please sit down; I can't stand up to argue with you anymore."

The prince did not sit, but instead leaned against the back of the chair. "I've heard talk of plans between you and my knight tomorrow. More training?"

"Doubtful; not that it's any of your concern, but we're going on a walk."

"A walk?"

"Yes, a walk, do you have a problem with this? Because even if you do," she continued when his mouth opened, "it means very little to me. Perhaps if we knew each other better, but we do not. If you would like to take some time to get to know me and I you, then perhaps your opinion would mean something to me."

"What if we're in training tomorrow and he's unavailable?"

"Then you're jealous child," she spat.

Arthur was taken aback by this, but recovered quickly. "You know, whatever. You two enjoy your little stroll."

"I plan to."

Arthur stormed out of the room, slamming the oak door behind him. Kassia gripped her ankle in pain, crying out. Biting her lip, she hobbled into the hall, making her way to Gaius's chambers. She needed something badly for the pain her body was in.

The physician opened the door. "Kassia, what's wrong?"

"Gaius, I'm in so much pain-"

"I understand. Come, I'll get a remedy for you." He helped her to the table where she sat as he prepared the pain medicine for her. "So, I've heard that you've had a rather exciting day."

"That's what I've been hearing, too. It was going pretty well until Arthur decided to be a green-eyed baby and ruin my evening."

"Oh?" Gaius put the herbs into the boiling water. "How so?"

"I've got a date with Sir Lucan tomorrow, and he's throwing a hissy fit about it. I thought he was supposed to be better than that!"

The older man shook his head, smiling. "Arthur will be fine by morning, I'm sure. And Sir Lucan's a good man. You don't need to worry about anything."

Kassia sighed. "Gaius, I feel like I'm just playing a part right now. I just want to go home. But I can't go home, and how am I supposed to get better if Arthur keeps making me worse?"

Gaius sat next to her while the potion brewed. "Kassia, I believe that you are overreacting. You've been through a lot in the past day- more than anyone your age should have to go through. You've seen, what, nineteen years?"

"I'm twenty-one."

"And you've just fallen victim to something that no one should have to go through: you've been separated from everything you care about. You are remarkably brave, and you're certainly a credit to your family."

"Thank you, Gaius. I'm sorry for just barging in here and unloading on you."

"What, and Merlin's never done the same?" He smiled as he poured the liquid into a cup. "Let it cool before you drink this."

"Alright." She blew on the liquid that smelled like pine. "Speaking of, where is the cheeky bugger?"

"Passed out on his bed, I'm afraid."

"But it's still early! How can he be tired?"

Gaius's reply was simple. "Arthur."

Kassia made an 'o' shape with her mouth, blowing again on the potion. "I should probably try to not make Arthur angry, then; at least not to the point where he takes it out on Merlin. God I feel awful!"

"You should exercise some caution, yes," the physician commented. "Kassia, do you remember the spell that your friend was casting?"

Heat crept into her cheeks. "Um, why?"

"I want to help you find your way home; not that I want to be rid of you, but because I like you. You deserve to be in your own time and not stuck here."

"I do love what I've seen so far…" she trailed off. "I'm a bit embarrassed by what she was doing, actually. Promise you won't tell?"

"My lips are sealed."

"A love spell. I wasn't after anyone in particular," she added quickly at the look on Gaius's face, "but I told her I wanted to find my soul mate and get it over with. She wanted to prove she could do it, and well, obviously she got it wrong." Gaius pondered this, and she continued. "I've never had the best luck with men; ever. While my friends were all off being courted, I got to stay in and write music about being lonely. Not exactly how I wanted to spend my teen years, but that music did help get me famous, I suppose. Anyway, there you have it. That's how I got myself here."

"I see. I can't promise that that's the first thing I'll be researching, but I'll be sure to let you know if I find anything of service."

"Thanks, I really do appreciate it." She downed the potion that had finally cooled. She stayed seated for another minute as it took effect, and sighed happily as the pain retreated from her body. "How much longer do you think until these old bones of mine are better?"

"I'd give it about two weeks to be sure, but you seem to be a fast healer. You'll probably be able to move around more normally within the week."

"That's a relief to hear." She yawned. "Do you mind if I go check on Merlin? I want to apologize for what happened with Arthur."

"That's fine; I'm probably going to turn in myself. When you go in, would you give this to Merlin, too?" he handed her a cup of the same liquid he'd given her.

"Alright; I'll let myself out later. Good night, Gaius."

"Good night, Kassia."

The time-traveler rapped lightly on the warlock's door. There was a groan from within, so she opened the door softly, peering around at the bed. Merlin laid flat on his stomach, still fully dressed with his head to the left. It was a distinct possibility that he'd simply walked in the room, removed the armor, and fallen onto the bed. Kassia shook her head sadly, hobbled as quietly as possible next to him, and knelt by his face.

"Hey you, how're you feeling?"

"Like I've been trampled by a stampede of wild horses." Merlin's eyes remained closed; it looked like it hurt to even breathe for the skinny boy.

"Oh Merlin, I'm so sorry for all of this. I let my pride get to me today, and Arthur took it out on you. This is my fault." She looked down at the cup in her hands, watching the steam lessen.

"'S okay, really. This happens from time to time."

"But this is my fault; it probably wouldn't have been so bad if I'd been less of a prat. God I'm a horrible friend."

Merlin slowly opened his eyes and looked at her. "You aren't a horrible friend, Kass. I thought it was funny watching Arthur's face contort like that."

Kassia smiled. "Okay, you, I need you to budge."

"But it hurts!"

"And if you move, it'll hurt less. Gaius gave me this to give you," she held up the glass. "So, up you get."

Merlin moved slowly, rolling onto his back and sliding into a slightly upright position. Kassia blew one last time on the liquid, holding it to Merlin's lips. He drank while she tilted it, until the entire potion went down his throat. Kassia set the cup on the nightstand, watching as Merlin's face went from pained to peaceful.

"Thanks for that."

"You and me both, Merlin. We're all in pain as a result of Arthur tonight."

Merlin's eyes snapped to her face. "What'd he do to you?"

"Got jealous; budge, you." Merlin scooted to the left, making room of Kassia to lay next to him on the tiny bed. "I've got a date tomorrow with Sir Lucan."

He cocked an eyebrow. "And it all makes sense, now. I heard him giving the rest of the knights extra grief all day."

"Yeah, I know; Lucan's a good teacher, though. I think I'll get a better grip on how to handle a sword yet. Though he did spend a lot of time flirting with me. And I mean a lot."

"Did you flirt back?"

"Of course I did! Jealous, Merlin?"

He rolled his eyes. "Don't get me wrong, Kass, you're absolutely beautiful, and you're kind, and you put Arthur to shame, but I just can't bring myself to think of you that way."

"Well, that's probably a good thing, because if we thought of each other in a romantic or sexually-charged way, this scenario would be deemed highly inappropriate," Kassia scooted closer to Merlin to prove her point.

"This is a bit uncomfortable."

"Tell me about it," she shifted back to her previous position with a laugh.

"So, you and Lucan, huh?"

"Oh it's just one date, really. We aren't going to be getting married and copulating anytime soon, Merlin."

"Must you imitate Arthur? That's all I hear from dawn 'till dusk."

"Can I tell you something, Merlin? About the future?"

His eyes lit up. "Absolutely."

"Your name is one of the most famous in the world. There are tales speaking of the wonder you create, actors who clamor at the chance to play you; there are songs dedicated to you, and hell, there's an expression used quite often. Have you ever considered growing a beard?"

The young warlock look at her, bewildered. "Are you kidding me?"

"Of course not; then again, don't grow a beard, at least not anytime soon. You'd look quite ridiculous with one, I think."

The pair laid on the bed, the only light creeping under the door from the main room. The Moon wasn't out that night, but it didn't need to be. Merlin pondered Kassia's words. It was strange, seeing her dressed in such a fine gown, and then thinking that she wouldn't be born or another fifteen-hundred years, after he was long gone. It was a bit morbid.

"Tell me more about the future?"

Kassia smiled. "Okay."

Kassia described her home in great detail, seizing Merlin's attention late into the night. She described how her country didn't have royalty, how they'd done away with it when they declared themselves to longer be a colony. Merlin found that part funny. She spoke of transportation, of television, cell phones, computers, the Internet, and of her life on the road. Merlin would ask questions on most of it, and let her gloss over some of it. An hour before the Sun was due to rise, the two sunk down into the bed. Kassia hummed a tune, lulling the pair of them into sleep.


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