Merlin followed Giaus traditionally through the lower town of Camelot. His arms filled with necessary restocking's of supplies and struggling to keep up as Giaus continued untroubled from store to store.
"Giaus?" Merlin asked with heavy breath.
"Yes Merlin?" Giaus asked examining a small bottle of some green powder.
"Don't you think we have enough?" He said, shifting his arms to indicate they were full.
"We just need some grinded lizards tongue for Uther's remedy."
"Well, that sounds . . . appetizing." He said imagining the taste of grinded lizards tongue. Following Giaus he looked around in curiosity.
"Ah! Here it is." Giaus stated. "Come now Merlin." Merlin in struggle followed Giaus back to the castle staying a small distance behind Giaus.
"Excuse me, sir?" A young girl asked from somewhere close by. Merlin peeked above the supplies in his arms to see the young girl was talking to Giaus.
"Yes?" Giaus asked in response.
"I was wondering if you might tell me how to get to the castle?"
"May I ask why you seek to go to the castle?" Giaus said in caution
"I seek a job as a maid." He paused for a moment. Looking the girl over for anything suspicious. Merlin did the same, though nothing rang out to him. And he admitted she was quite a cute looking girl.
"Well then let my apprentice and I show you the way."
"Oh that would be much appreciated." She gave a small bow and smiled at Giaus in such joy, Merlin thought the girl was going to kiss him.
"My name is Giaus and I'm the court physician. The boy behind me is Merlin my apprentice." Giaus made a motion to Merlin as they started walking and the girl looked in his direction smiling.
"Looks like you have quite a load Merlin." Merlin grinned and looked down into his arms.
"That is a bit of an understatement . . ." He trailed off trying to think of her name.
"Oh sorry. I've almost forgotten. I'm Cassandra." She offered her hand to him, then slowly pulled away seeing he was busy. "Would you like some help?" She asked in the awkwardness of trying to shake his hand.
"Well that would be much appreciated Cassandra." She merely smiled and took half of Merlin's load with ease. There was a moment of silence. "Soooo," Merlin said extending the word so to think of what to say. "you are seeking a maid position?"
"Yes I figure it will pay better than my current job."
"And what is that?"
"Well my brother and I currently work as entertainers. Outside the walls of Camelot."
"Well that sounds interesting."
"Oh it is!" her eyes lit up, "You see so many things outside the walls it just . . . blows your mind." Merlin, being in the sight of a pretty girl, got nervous and made a sound like something blowing up. Cassandra looked at him for a moment before starting to laugh with Merlin.
"MERLIN!" Arthur came walking towards them in an angry sort of fashion. Immediately Cassandra lowered her head and averted her eyes.
"Yes sire?" Merlin asked as Arthur stopped in front of him.
"While you are standing here and chattering my armor is need of cleaning!"
"Right away sire, just after I put these supplies up in Giaus's chambers."
"NOW! Merlin!"
"Um . . . yes sire." Merlin looked around for a place to put the supplies, then looked at Arthur. Arthur looked at him like he was an idiot and Merlin looked around once more."
"Um . . . " He looked to Arthur again.
"I can take them Merlin." Cassandra said avoiding Arthur. Merlin looked at her unsure.
"It is alright. I've carried more than this before."
"Oh for Heaven's sake Merlin just give the stuff to the girl! We haven't got all day." Arthur demanded, beginning to tap his foot. Merlin quickly handed the remaining supplies to Cassandra most of them falling to ground. Cassandra laughed a little as Merlin quickly picked them up and put them on top of the stack. Then he looked around again before rushing off to Arthur's chambers.
Cassandra giggled as he left and Arthur looked at her.
"Piece of advice," Cassandra looked at Arthur with a mixture of amusement and seriousness, "He's an idiot. So don't get to liking him too much." Cassandra's face turned confused and she gave a curt nod.
"My lord." Arthur turned to leave.
"um, My Lord?" Arthur turned around, "May I ask where Giaus's chambers are?"
Merlin was in the midst of cleaning Arthur's armor when Arthur himself entered his chambers.
"I must say Merlin, I do believe you found a girl who likes you for. . ." Merlin looked up at Arthur, "well you!"
"Thanks Arthur." Merlin replied sarcastically, returning to scrubbing the armor.
"No I mean it." Arthur said taking a drink of his water. Merlin began to laugh.
"Yeah I know you do. That's the funny part. I mean I just met her not even an hour ago Arthur!" Arthur wacked Merlin on the back of his head.
"Ow!"
"I said she liked you Merlin, not loved you."
"Either way I'm too busy to see her anyways." Merlin said in aim to get free of the subject.
"Oh didn't I tell you?" Arthur asked in such an obvious tone of amusement that Merlin stopped cleaning the armor and looked at Arthur with some fear.
"Tell me what?"
"I've just hired Cassandra to be a maid in the castle."
"You didn't!" Merlin said in disbelief.
"Oh yes I did." Arthur said rather pleased, taking another drink of his water, "now you'll have time to see her! Arthur walked past a rather shocked Merlin, giving him a good, and little too strong pat on the back.
Gerard sat in his and Cassandra's small home deep in the lower town of Camelot. He sat at their excuse for a wooden table making a very plain dagger hover over the center of the table. He concentrated very little on the task and more so on the task he had prepared himself for. The preparations were set and all that was needed were allies. Ones whom themselves had power.
He smiled happily at the thought and let the dagger drop with a loud thud onto the table. He stood and yanked it from the center and sheathed it. He then continued to do some chores until Cassandra got home.
"You are rather late." He said finishing cleaning the last bowl.
"Well it is rather worth it." She said revealing three gold coins. Gerard eyed them in shock and picked one of them up.
"So I assume you got a job in the castle."
"Yes, Prince Arthur himself gave me the job.," She hung her cloak in the wardrobe. "I almost thought I was dreaming," She laughed, "But this means I'll be home at later hours." She said cautiously, looking towards Gerard with a worried expression.
"Well it certainly seems worth it." He said giving her back the coin with a smile. She smiled at his approval and began to get things ready for dinner.
"I'll be heading out later tonight.," He said from another room, "I'm going to the tavern to meet with a man about performance opportunities here inside Camelot walls."
"Really?" She asked holding back her suspicion.
"Well of course. I very well can't leave you alone for days on end. What sort of older brother would I be?" He again ruffled her hair as he came back into the kitchen. She giggled at his sign of affection and continued with making dinner.
"I can handle myself you know?" She arched an eyebrow in giving him a questioning look.
"Yea I do, but still. . . just don't want you to be lonely."
"Oh please!" She said tiredly, "I have friends. Not like I'm a completely lost without you." She didn't see the sad glance that Gerard gave her. He walked to her and gave her a hug.
"I know." He said releasing her and looking at her face. "But I'm completely lost without you." Cassandra looked down.
"I wish you wouldn't say that."
"Sorry." He took her hands and she looked back up at him again. He smiled. She smiled. And gave her a quick kiss on the forehead.