Chapter 44 A/N I don't own Merlin, hope you like. Thomas and Isabelle, think Fitz and Simmons in Agents of SHIELD. I recently started watching it on Netflix and-no spoilers please- really hope they're endgame, they are so cute and funny when they banter! Wish I was that good a writer! I hated Ward after he did what he did in season one and then that rough patch they had for a while?! Ugh! Anyways, please enjoy!

The following week was chaotic. Word spread that Cassie had successfully performed a Cesarean and that both mother and child were alive, and all the Ladies of the court and the women villagers flocked to her every time they saw her to congratulate her and ask how she did it. It got to the point that Cassie spent all her time helping Merlin do his chores and avoiding others.

"Not to sound ungrateful, because I am. Very grateful, but why are you mucking out the stables with me?" Merlin asked after three hours of nonstop bantering between them, and a few yells from Arthur to shut up, landing them at the stables.

"I don't feel like talking about what happened with Thomas and Isabelle. And it's all anyone wants to talk about."

"Well, I'm sure patients feel a whole lot better, knowing you can take a baby from the womb and still keep the mother alive after. I've never seen anything like it."

"You come from a small village on the border, Merlin. I doubt you've seen anything."

"Mean! I once saw a guy run with his arm chewed off. Some creature attacked him and he ran through the forest towards us but he died before he made it, too much blood loss I assume."

"Okay." Cassie said, rolling her eyes and continuing to muck out the stables.

"How are they? Thomas and his family, I mean."

"She's finally walking, although with a lot of pain. There's really not much I can do for the pain. And they've been having broth practically everyday, I'm afraid to give her any more, at least until she stops bleeding. It's been almost a week but I don't think she should be doing anything hard."

"Like eating?" Merlin said with a chuckle.

"No, Merlin. Like having to… attend nature's calling."

"We're surrounded by horse manure, yet you blush when talking about pooping?" he quipped with a wide smile, earning a glare and a deeper blush from the girl.

"I could tip this barrow over and make you shovel it all back in. Careful Merlin." Cassie taunted with a sweet smile.

"You would too, Cassie. Let's finish up here and wash up, we smell." Merlin said, taking a whiff of his shirt and groaning in disgust.

"All right, Merlin." Cassie said with a tinkling laugh at his antics.

Merlin washed up before Cassie, letting her use his room for privacy while he and Gaius spoke quietly in the front room. "Thanks for letting me…"

"Yeah, no problem. Owaine stopped by looking for you. Thought you should know. I've to see about Arthur's dinner. Excuse me."

"Bye Merlin." Cassie said. "Bye, Gaius."

"Cassie, a word, please." Gaius said just before she could leave

"Yeah?" Cassie said slowly, ambivalently.

"Isabelle. How did you know what to do to save her? I've never seen anything like it."

"Honestly, I forgot half of what you taught me and I went on instinct. I had a tutor who taught me healing arts as well, told me sometimes it's best to follow your instincts and so I did. I cut until I could see the womb and then I made a final incision and sort of stopped thinking while I did everything. I can't explain it." Cassie said, finishing off quietly.

"You're a bright girl, Cassie, and you have great instincts. I do expect you to tell me exactly what you did so I can write it down. Oh! Here's some of my blood replenishing potion, she should have some more. Get her strengths up."

"Thanks, Gaius. I'll pop in now before going to see Owaine." Cassie said with a smile, taking the potion from his outstretched hand and walking out the door and down the hall to her chambers, knocking politely on the door.

"Cassie! How nice to see you." Isabelle said as she slowly opened the door, wincing in pain as she walked back to the table to sit down.

"I thought I said no stairs." Cassie told them admonishingly, shaking her head.

"Your chambers are bigger than our entire house, but the bedroom is too small to walk around in." she said, holding her arms out for the fussing baby. "Also, I'm glad we don't have to use that-" she pointed to the ceramic guttus- "Anymore. It's painful and uncomfortable."

"I'm glad for that too!" Thomas piped up from where he was boiling some soup.

"Gaius sent this blood replenishing potion. I know, it's really gross, but you have to take it. Get your strengths up and heal."

"I'm healing rather quickly! Thomas told me what you did for me, and I think this is not necessary." Isabelle said gratefully smiling as her baby girl let go of her nipple and began smacking her lips.

"It only helped start the healing, you need to help it do the rest. Drink, eat up and rest. I don't know how long before you are fully healed, and I would offer to let you three stay in my quarters until that time, I'm afraid I cannot. The King is who decides and I think we'd all prefer not to bring you to his attention. It's best for everyone involved. There was a plague last week, we killed what caused it just before you arrived, and there's still some vacant houses, I can ask around, see if maybe you can stay in one until you are healed." Cassie offered kindly.

"Stay in Camelot?" Thomas said warily, "I still don't like the idea. Maybe we should talk about this first. It's not-well- I'll think about this."

"No need to explain, I understand perfectly." Cassie said kindly. "Take that potion, Isabelle." she told the new mother with a pointed look.

"Yes, my Lady." she said, downing it in one and pulling a face at the repulsive taste.

"You might be forced to take it again tomorrow. In the meantime, don't stay still too long, but don't do too much. Let the pain be your guide, if it's too painful, take a break, don't try to push yourself."

"Easier said than done when it comes to her." Thomas said with a silly look directed towards his wife.

"I'll leave you to rest now, I have my own fool to find." Cassie told Isabelle with a teasing smile when she glanced at Thomas.

"I know you've told us to stop, but thank you for everything. We've finally picked out a name for her. Do you want to hear it, my Lady?" Isabelle asked softly.

"You're right, I have told you to stop thanking me. Just get better. And yes, I would love to hear her name." Cassie replied from the doorway.

"We've named her Cassiopeia. In your honour. Neither of us would be here if it weren't for you." Isabelle told her, holding up her baby and kissing her temple tenderly.

"Consider that my payment, then." Cassie said beaming. "Your firstborn is named after me! And I don't want anything else! Goodnight, now." Cassie said with a smile, going out the door and closing it gently.

"You ready?" Owaine asked the following morning in the square.

"Not in the slightest. Oh! I'm so nervous!" Cassie said, putting her hand to her face. "Have I left anything?" she said, looking at the trunks frantically.

"A few things." Gwen said as she and Morgana got nearer. "Your wedding dress for one."

"I still can't believe you haven't let me see it." Cassie complained as they got nearer, her face flushing in excitement.

"No, not yet." Gwen said, quickly moving around her and stowing it safely, knowing exactly what Cassie was going to do ."

"Also, these two angels." Morgana said with a wide smile, bouncing Taran on her hip playfully.

"Oh! What was I thinking!? How could I have almost left the two most important men in my life?"

"Hey! What about me?" Owaine cried in mock anger.

"Eh, you'll get over it, you know it's true." Cassie said, waving a hand dismissively before turning around and giving him a quick kiss

"Save that for the honeymoon, you two." Merlin said as he and Arthur appeared behind her.

"Shut it, Merlin."

"Gaius said he'd check up on Thomas and Isabelle the next few weeks."

"Incredible really, that you were able to take the baby from the womb and both are still alive. I've never heard of anyone being able to do that."

"She's just that good." Owaine cut in, holding his hand out to help Lady Morgana, Gwen and Cassie into the carriage. "After you, my Lord." Owaine said as he mounted the carriage to drive and motioned for Arthur to Lead the way out of the city.

"How long's the journey?"

"Two days. We'll camp along the way and get there by midday tomorrow." Owaine answered.

"So what are your lands like?" Merlin curiously asked while Morgana finished reading The Romance of Tristan and Iseult to Alex and Taran dozed off.

"We'll make camp here." Arthur said when the sun was casting long shadows on the ground heralding sunset.

"I'll gather some firewood then start dinner." Merlin said as he dismounted his horse, disappearing through the brush.

"Alex'll help you! Don't lose him, Merlin. You have been warned!" Cassie said, glaring at him jokingly as the little boy ran after Merlin.

"Oh! I'm so excited to meet your little niece or nephew! Have you heard if it's a boy or girl?" Gwen asked Owaine conversationally as she went about setting up camp with Cassie and Morgana.

"We haven't heard a thing, actually. We just assume he's been born already." he answered.

"Sir Pellinore must be excited."

"Like a pair of castanets! Is that a saying here?"

"No, it's not." Arthur said slowly, his brow furrowed as he tried to make sense of what she said.

"He's very excited, my Lord." Owaine said with a chuckle. "I think the saying she's looking for is over the moon."

"Why would-whatever. He was a nervous wreck last I saw him, Art-I mean my Lord. Although, if he's anything like my brothers were when they had their children, we can expect a lot of running around and crying. Not necessarily from the baby, I'm pretty sure they cried more than we did."

"We?"

"My oldest brother had his twins before I was born. I remember when Lorencio had his third, I was four, and I remember him crying a lot." Cassie said with a light laugh.

"You never speak of your family." Arthur observed.

"We were a big family. Youngest of eleven, and all. I suppose it hurts too much to remember them, sometimes. Other times I can't help but think about them." Cassie said while she bounced the baby on her lap.

"Oh. Right." Arthur said awkwardly.

"It's okay to ask, Arthur. I like to remember them in their element. As warriors and- well they were talented at what they did. Not unlike you." Cassie said softly with tears in her eyes.

"They were warriors?" Arthur asked.

"Yeah, all of them. Royal soldiers, I suppose you could call them. No knights in Hispania. Plenty of warriors, though. The tournaments the royals held were very exciting. I especially loved watching my brother's fight each other. They would always joke about who was the better swordsman. I beat them all at least once. Playing around, and with no witnesses to not hurt their pride, but still. Pretty good with a sword myself."

"Even better with a dagger." Owaine supplied as Alex and Merlin emerged from the bushes.

"You should take a page out of the kid's book, Merlin. He knows how to collect firewood. You've got twigs." Arthur said when he saw them, chuckling at Merlin's spluttering and Alex's beaming smile at the prince of Camelot complimenting him.

"Yes, well at least he can carry a conversation. It's not all grunts and noises with him, like with you and your knights." Merlin mumbled back as he lit the fire and began dinner.

"Oi!" both men exclaimed in affront while the women just laughed at them.

"You're not going to defend me?!" Owaine sputtered at Cassie.

"Not married yet, no need to defend you all the time." she replied with a beaming smile and wicked gleam in her eyes.

"That'll be fixed in a week." he said leaning down and kissing her on the cheek.

"Can't I just have a peek at the dress, Gwen?" Cassie whined since Owaine brought up the topic.

"No! You cannot. It's as much a surprise for you as it is for Owaine." she said at once.

"Bu-"

"No, Cassie. You can see Morgana's dress."

"I've already seen Morgana's dress! I want to see mine!" she whined, letting the men break off and do their own thing.

"Sorry, no peeking." Gwen said, with a look that said no more.

They awoke in the morning, Arthur grumpy from Taran's crying all night, and packed up the camp, climbing back into the carriage and spending the rest of the trip in excited conversation.

"You weren't exaggerating when you said the gardens were the most beautiful thing you'd seen." Gwen breathed out when they reached the entrance of the manor.

"And I didn't see all the flowers in full bloom." Cassie said as she let Alex step down before she did.

"Oh, that's just not fair! Two kids and you still have that beautiful figure!" Ellie called out from the entrance with a bundle in her arms.

"My nephew?" Owaine said excitedly as the servants took all the trunks inside and the party made their way to the doors.

"Your niece. Come meet her, my Lord." Ellie said, looking expectantly at Arthur as he dismounted his horse.

"Beautiful girl, my Lady. What's her name?" he asked as he looked down at the baby.

"Elaine, Sire."

"Little Ellie!" Cassie said cheerfully as she, too, looked down at the bundle in Eleanor's arms.

"Everyone's inside. Morrigan's overseeing the decorations for the party and Alys is in the back making the menu for the dinner."

"But the wedding isn't for another week." Cassie said with a slight smile and a nervous chuckle.

"They're even worse for his wedding. When Pell and I got married they started everything a few days before, not a full week!" she whispered, nodding her head at Owaine who was greeting his brothers.

"Who are these two? Don't tell me you've skipped straight ahead to the children and forgot to get married." Morvydd said with a chuckle.

"Their parents died last week. Cassie's been taking care of them while we find someone to take them in." Owaine said quietly while Alex stood slightly behind Cassie, clutching at her skirts.

"How noble. What're their names?"

"Alex is the big one and Taran is the baby." Owaine said, pointing them out while Ellie cooed over Taran.

"You Ladies must be tired from the journey. I'll tell Sara to change your room, to one that has an adjoining nursery." Morvydd said as he stood aside to let them in.

"Thanks, Mor. It's great to see you again."

"You too, Cassie." he said with a wide smile as she stood up on tip toe to give him a quick kiss on the cheek.

"Lunch will be served in an hour. Are Sir Leon and Sir Bruin not coming?" Ellie asked.

"They had to go on patrol." Arthur answered.

"Is Katherine here yet? I can't wait to meet her! Owaine's told me so much about her."

"She's set to arrive tomorrow morning." Morvydd answered as they walked down a hall. "This is you, Sire. Your manservant can stay in the chambers just at the end of the hall, or he can stay in the servant's quarters with the other servants."

"Thank you, Lord Morvydd. Right there's fine. We'll see you at lunch." Arthur said with a nod as he and Merlin went inside his chambers.

"Adalberto wanted to see you before lunch, Cassie. Not sure why, though." Ellie said as her daughter began waking up and fussing. "Excuse me, I'll see you all later."

"You're farthest away from Owaine, for now, Cassie. I'm not sure the marriage practices in Hispania, but you're not supposed to be together here." he answered, looking fondly at the boy in her arms. "Your room, my Lady. Your maidservant can stay in the chambers on this end of the hall."

"Thank you, my Lord." Morgana said as Gwen opened the door and thanked him as well. "We'll see you at lunch, then. And from what we've heard, there's only one big difference in the marriage customs with them." she added as an afterthought her eyes twinkling with mischief.

"The only real difference are the vows." Cassie said with a shrug as Taran pulled her hair a bit. "Ow." she cried.

"Here, let me." Morvydd said, disentangling his hands from her hair gently.

"Thanks." she said with a smile.

"This is their room and yours is right next to it." he said when they turned a corridor.

"You weren't kidding when you said it was the farthest." she said with a smile as they stopped just outside the doors.

"What happened to their parents?" he asked curiously, eyeing the boy who was running into the room gleefully.

"The plague in Camelot last week. I helped deliver Taran a few months ago and got close to Alex before that. I couldn't leave them in the streets so I took them in. I was in way over my head, though. Didn't even know how to properly feed Taran at first. I have learned a lot, and I'm absolutely exhausted, and it's only been a week."

"Pellinore said you were a gifted healer." he said, entering the room with her.

"Anything he says is an embellishment." Cassie told him with a blush.

"Lived it first-hand. Alys and I have been trying for years, but everytime she-well, we've had so many miscarriages. But that potion you gave Adalberto the recipe for, it's helped. We haven't told anyone yet. Not even Mother knows, but I just wanted to thank you." he said, looking deep into her eyes.

"I'm really happy for you, Mor! I suppose that's why Adalberto wants to see me?" She said with a wide smile, beaming up at him.

"It's really Alys that does. Ellie's talked to her about you and all of it. But she doesn't know about…" he said awkwardly.

"I won't say anything until you two decide to tell everyone. Not even to Owaine." she said sweetly.

"He couldn't have found a better girl to fall in love with, you know. When we first heard about you, we thought you'd be different. The way he and Pellinore described you."

"What a complete prankster?" Cassie asked teasingly.

"No, we thought you were older than him, and we knew you were smarter than him, physician's apprentice and all."

"I'm not that much smarter. And I really am more of a prankster. I just didn't want to risk it last time. Just you wait, my Lord. I can beat any of the pranks you did as a child in my sleep."

"I don't doubt that. Ellie told us about the prank you played on Pell and Bruin. Brutally funny, if you ask me. Pell didn't like it that much, though."

"Yeah, I feel bad that I ruined the tunic. Not for the prank, but that poor tunic..." Cassie said, shaking her head and trailing off comically at the end.

"Well, I'll leave you to get settled and see you at lunch." he said with a chuckle.

"Yeah, bye, Morvydd." Cassie said as she turned to see Alex playing with a wooden sword. "Alex!" Cassie said with a chuckle as he began hitting the bedpost. "Come on, let's go play outside. I'm sure you can find a boy in the village to play with."

"Urien! Morrigan! How are you?" Cassie greeted as she walked through the manor to go outside with Alex and Taran.

"Hello, Cassie! It's so good to see you! And who are these precious boys?" Morrigan said, giving her a quick kiss and looking down at the shy six year old and the babe in her arms.

"Alex, you want to say hello?"

"Hello my Lord, my Lady." he said with a shy bow.

"I think he's wanting to go outside and play. There's plenty of village boys his age to play with." Urien said knowingly.

"Are the decorations ready? I'm really curious to see them." Cassie said, practically bouncing with excitement.

"No, they're not ready yet. And no, you can't see what we have so far." Morrigan said, gently pushing her outside towards the door.

"But I-"

"Go on, find Owaine, take a walk through the gardens. Stay out of the Great Hall." Morrigan warned.

"Yes, Morrigan. See you at lunch."

They made their way outside towards Adalberto's cottage, Alex swinging the wooden sword left and right as they went and Taran fussing in Cassie's arms, when a few of the village boys ran up and asked Alex if he wanted to play with them.

"Can I, Cassie?" he asked with big round eyes looking up at her.

"Go ahead, Alex. Have fun." she said with a wide smile and a tinkling laugh at his reaction.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you!" he said gleefully, running away with the village boys as one of them called back; "Thank you, my Lady!"

"Come in." Adalberto called from inside his cottage as Cassie called on the door.

"¿Cómo estás, Adalberto?" Cassie said as she walked inside with Taran in her arms.

"Su Majestad." he greeted, bowing slightly as Alys walked out from behind the curtain.

"Cassie! How are you? Who's that precious baby?!" she asked with a wide smile.

"I'm well, thank you. Excited for the weekend. And his name's Taran. Not my child, if that's you're next question." Cassie said with a smile, hugging her soon-to-be sister.

"So, whose is he? Not Owaine's?!" she gasped out.

"No, he's not Owaine's child. His parents died last week during the plague. Owaine and I have been trying to find a family for him and his brother, but none of the townspeople were able to-Anyways, not ours."

"Brother?" Alys asked, quirking her head curiously as she sat down at the small table.

"The most adorable six year old you'd ever meet. He's out playing with a few of the village boys." Cassie said with a smile as she took a seat at the small table in the room. "Mor told me the good news! I'm so happy for you!"

"Truthfully, you're the reason why. Adalberto said your potion's why we've managed to get so far along in the pregnancy. All our others miscarried rather quickly and I thought we wouldn't ever- Thank you, Cassie." she said tearfully, hugging the younger girl tightly.

"Oh, Alys. You're not much older than I am. You would have had a child sooner or later." Cassie said softly, "And you're squeezing Taran."

"Oh! I'm sorry. Can I hold him?" she said tearfully, wiping the tears from her face.

"I think he'll like you" Cassie said, holding him out for her to take. "So, Adal- where'd he go?" Cassie asked, looking around for the man.

"He left a while ago. You didn't notice?"

"Guess not. Mor said you were in charge of the ceremony decorations. Can I see? Morrigan refused to let me in the Great Hall. Please?" Cassie said, begging with her eyes.

"Sorry, I have orders. But we can take a stroll around the gardens. Tell you which flowers we used."

"We can stop by for Morgana and Gwen and take a stroll then. I think Ellie was resting last I saw her."

"She has a wet nurse, Cassie. I don't think she's resting at all. Probably with Pellinore somewhere." Alys said with a knowing smile, laughing when she blushed scarlet. "Oh this is too easy! It's no fun making you blush"

"I changed my mind, I'll go rest and you can take a stroll with Morgana and Gwen. Make them blush, if you can." Cassie mumbled, ignoring the girls' giggles.

"Oh, come on! I'm just teasing you! Besides, it'll be good for him to get some fresh air." she said, bouncing the laughing baby on her lap.

"Fine! But no more innuendoes!"

"You'll stop blushing after your wedding night. We all did."

"Morgana and Gwen hardly blush at such topics."

"They're made of stronger stuff than you or I. Lived in the royal palace with all the nobles their whole lives, basically." Alys said with a shrug.

"Yeah, that's not it. I lived in a palace with the royals my whole life as well." Cassie told her with a snort.

"Really?"

"Yeah, I was a part of the Royal household. With the youngest princess." Cassie said, lying cooly and hating herself for it.

"I didn't know that about you."

"Come on, let's find Morgana and Gwen and take a walk." Cassie said with a smile, changing the subject and looking around for Adalberto.

"He's probably with his grandchildren. His son-in-law left his daughter a few months ago, newborn and all." Alys answered her unasked question as they left the physician's house.

"That's horrible! Why would he do such a thing?" Cassie asked, horrified.

"I don't know. No one does, and apparently he has magic too. Maybe he ran because he was afraid someone would turn him in to the King." she said in a scandalized whisper.

"He had magic?" Cassie asked, paling visibly.

"Yeah, one of the other farmers caught him in the fields one day using magic to talk to someone. He didn't know what they were talking about because he was talking in his native tongue."

"S-so he left because he had magic? Why would he risk anyone finding out and using it?" Cassie asked, sitting down in the shade of a large tree.

"Y-yeah. Are you okay?" Alys asked in worry, seeing how pale and scared she was.

"I-I'm fine." Cassie stuttered out.

"Don't tell anyone I told you this, but not all magic is bad." Alys whispered to her quickly, looking around to make sure no one heard.

"W-what?" Cassie asked, tears forming in her eyes.

"There was this boy in the village near my lands, he had magic and he was the sweetest person I've ever met. They killed him when they found out he had magic, but I've never forgotten what he was like, or how he used his magic. He only ever used it to help with the farming. And occasionally to do his chores. He also worked as a stable boy." Alys said with tears swimming in her hazel eyes, her voice taking on a dreamy tone.

"You loved him, didn't you."

"I did. Against my father's wishes. His family had been killed when the village was raided when I was nine. He lived in his family's house with some of the other kids whose family had been killed. He worked the fields and had a few other jobs to be able to survive. I used to love riding, and he was always there, making sure my horse was ready and taken care of. And he was always there. There was this one time,years after the attack, that I snuck out to go riding alone. I didn't want to be with anyone and he respected that, but he still followed me into the woods. To protect me, he said. And we started talking. Eventually we did that every week. And I fell for him. When my father found out he was furious and made sure I would never see him again."

"He didn't…?" Cassie asked, her eyes wide in horror.

"No, he didn't know about the magic." she whispered defensively. "He fired him from the stables and made sure he couldn't come near me. And that I was never alone. But I figured out a way to sneak out, or sneak him in."

"Does…?"

"Mor doesn't know. That I loved him. He knows my opinion on magic, but not about Leopold." she said wistfully.

"I'm sure he wouldn't care, you know." Cassie said, "That he's not your first love, I mean. Not about...uhm." Cassie trailed off awkwardly.

"Mor's not like Owaine. He's a very jealous man. When we met, there was another man courting me, well, trying to anyway. I still missed Leo. And Mor swept me off my feet. Literally."

"The spooked horse running right at you." Cassie said with a smile as Taran began waking up. "We should get back, he's getting hungry and I should get some goat's milk."

"Why not just use Ellie's wet nurse?"

"He drinks more than baby Ellie would and I'd feel bad taking away any milk from her." Cassie said as she got up.

"Try asking Adalberto. He might know someone who can nurse him for now." Alys suggested, stopping her in her tracks and pleading with her eyes silently.

"Don't worry, Alys. I won't tell anyone about Leopold. Parece mi destino cuidar los secretos de todos." Cassie said with a sad smile.

"What?" Alys asked, wiping the few strays tears away.

"I'll keep your secret. I'm glad you trusted me with it." Cassie said quietly as they walked through the edge of the gardens back towards the manor. "I'm getting hungry as well. I'll stop by Adalberto's before going in to lunch."

"I'll let Morrigan know." Alys said softly, giving her a quick hug and playing with Taran's hand before going separate ways.