Disclaimer: We don't own the tv show Merlin, or any of the characters from it. we only own our OCs

This chapter is influenced by an episode of Angel, try and work out which one, I'll give you a clue, then those who put in their review name of the correct episode will get a sneak peak at chapter 8.
the clue is: The episode of this chapter was influenced by is in season 5 of Angel.
Also those who can pick up the firefly line in this and tell me who says that line and the episode it is from also get to peak at chapter 8

Manage to get both and you get an extended sneak preview.

This chapter takes place a few hours after chapter 6.

Chapter 8

Lady Cassandra's system was shutting down, her encounter in the forest had left her with a lot of internal injuries, her misfiring healing magic wasn't helping. Merlin's estimate of Cassie having about a day left to live was the same as the one Gaius had given.

Merlin hadn't left Cassie's bedside since he had carried her to her chambers, Isabella hadn't left either, the serving boy could see the pain and grief written across the Isabella's face, the pain of

"Merlin" Arthur called

"I don't want to leave her,He said to Isabella, his clear affection for Isabella's dying sister was easy to read on his face.

"You should go, see what he wants,Isabella replied, the pain on her face was nothing compared to the pain and guilt in her voice.

"How is the Lady Cassandra?Prince Arthur asked

"Not good, the wounds are internal. She has less than a day."

"You should go, be with her. I know what she means to you, even if she doesn't" Arthur replied, he knew of Merlin's feelings for Lady Cassandra, and knew that if she should die, that the serving boy would want to be with her in her final hours, even if Cassandra would never know of the feelings his servant had for her.

"Thank you, Sire" Merlin responded, smiling slightly, before going back to Cassandra's chambers.

"What did he say?" Lady Isabella asked, just as they heard a faint stirring from the Lady Cassandra's bed,

"He's letting me stay with her,He replied, heartbroken, at the thought of losing the girl he loved so much, she would never even know how he felt about her. "I'll find a way to make her better. Save her. I promised her I would,"

"I'm not scared," Cassie's voice was rasping and her green eyes fluttered open and were golden for just a second as she spoke, but she was unconscious again.

Merlin knew that flicker of gold meant that Cassie was using magic, she was so weak she couldn't control it, he had been through the same thing when he was poisoned a few months after he arrived in Camelot.

Cassie's magic wasn't being used like he had used his when he was dying, he knew the spell she was using, it was used to heal internal damage, strengthen the body, it wasn't working for Cassie though, the spell sapped what little strength she had left, but it eased her pain. At least for a little while.

Her sister and the serving boy rushed to her side, the Lady Cassandra was drawing closer and closer to death, Merlin and Isabella could sense it.

"You care for her, don't deny it, I can see it in your face, and I hear it in your voice. You love her, don't you?" Isabella smiled, weakly, and for once did not have a grim expression, Merlin blushed slightly as he took Cassie's hand.

"Hard not to, she cares so much for those around her,He looked back the fatally wounded Cassie, who looked like she was a corpse almost.

"If I loose her tonight, thank you for caring for Cassie, she'll at least have someone else who loved her and she loved back close by,"

Merlin blushed harder, Cassie had feelings for him, he never knew, but things made more sense now.

Every little blush, every giggle, her concern for him. She cared, she cared for him more than he knew she had. Cassie had hidden her feelings so well, the odd slip while he was around, made everything clear,

"She made me swear not to tell, unless she said otherwise, but she's dying and I thought you should know"

Merlin left and came back with a pile of books, when he got back to Cassie's chambers he began to look through them, trying to find a spell strong enough to save her it took a couple of hours but he found one and managed to cast it, Isabella left to get a few hours of sleep.

"The handsome man saved me from the darkness" Cassie said, as her eyes fluttered open and looked over at a lightly blushing Merlin, and smiled. "Thank you"

"You should rest," He said, taking her hand in both of his

"I slept for so long" Cassie replied, she was still pretty weak, "I love you, you should know that" she whispered as her eyes slowly slid shut again

"I love you too" Merlin replied, as Cassie drifted off to sleep, a soft smile on her face.

–

A/N

Did you know that Angry Email intended for Cassie to die in this chapter,