Chapter 8: A/N So this is another chapter that is mainly in Latin, with a few English here and there. I know the last chapter probably sucked, I'm really not that funny or witty. But I tried my best at it, and the dialogue probably didn't flow as best as it could. Perhaps Gwen seemed less like what she does in the show, but it's really just her being more adventurous and wanting to go along with Morgana's ideas and pranks. I've always thought that Morgana played a whole bunch of pranks on Arthur as children and that's why their relationship, at least in the first season, is so joking and love/hate. And when they both say to each other 'I thought you were my friend' in the later seasons it really broke my heart. As always I do not own Merlin. We're going to have to wait for the teasing. The chapter got too long, ten pages! I don't think any of my other chapters will be nearly this long, at least I hope not. After the next two chapters there may be a time jump, be forewarned. Also, I might change the rating of the story, just to be safe.
Once the plates were removed, and Gwen, Morgana and Cassie got comfortable in the sitting area of Morgana's rooms, they got down to business.
"So, why did you come to Camelot?" Gwen started.
"I wasn't meaning to, I didn't even know about it. I led a pretty guarded life back in Hispania. Of course, I knew about the other kingdoms and I even visited them. I went to the Suebe kingdom to the lighthouse, and I went to the basque kingdom a few times, but never bothered to learn much about other kingdoms outside of those three. Ours was a vast one. It wasn't until I left home that I crossed the Pyrenees and into other visigothic kingdoms. I kept going north until I got to the kingdom of the Franks and boarded a ship. I traveled inland on my horse, I passed I think two kingdoms, there were knights with different colors, so I assume it was two, and then into this one, when Blaze, my horse, broke her leg. That's when Sir Leon found me and they brought me here. I didn't mean to be here, I would go even further north if it meant more distance between me and Hispania."
"So why stay?" Gwen asked
"I like it here. The city, the people, everything."
"Uther thinks you're a spy for Caerleon. I think it's stupid, what spy doesn't speak the language they're supposed to be spying on? Or get hurt before they make it to the city, for that matter."
"A very good one, if they play the cards just right. Best way to gain knowledge without the others knowing. But I don't know this Caerleon, and I would have found a way to get here without my horse dying. Perhaps I would have said my home was sacked by bandits, or I was captured by a slave driver and escaped. But I wouldn't have killed Blaze. I loved Blaze." Cassie said matter-of-factly.
"What was she like? Your horse." Morgana asked, curious.
"She was this beautiful blue-eyed cream horse. A gift from my brother seven years ago. She was feisty and free-spirited, very challenging. She never seemed to want to go at my pace, unless I really pushed for her to do it, or she knew it was urgent. Usually I just let her do her thing, we had a mutual understanding. A quid pro quo if you will. I help her, she helps me, and we keep each other company. She is actually very social for such a challenging horse. Proud and vain too. For many months she was my only true companion. I really loved her, it hurt more when I realized she would not get better than the actual fall."
"She sounds lovely. Shame how she died." Gwen said with a smile.
"Where is your family? Did they remain in Hispania?" Morgana asked softly, afraid of the answer.
"They were killed, by blood-thirsty heretics! I was of the few that weren't bled dry," Cassie replied with such vitriol. "I had fallen asleep the night before, hidden from view. I awoke, saw the carnage and left without a backward glance. I really wish people would desist with questions about them! It hurts too much to remember!" Cassie cried, a glazed look in her eyes.
"I'm so sorry, Cassie. We wouldn't have brought it up had we known. We've also lost a parent. My father was killed in a battle, my mother died before I could remember her, and Gwen's mother died from a winter sickness." Morgana said regretfully.
"We won't talk about it again, if that's what you want." Gwen told her new friend sweetly.
"I would appreciate that. It's just too soon for me. Is your father still alive, Gwen? Morgana mentioned your mother but not your father."
"Yes, he's the blacksmith in town. Not the royal blacksmith, but he does horseshoes and blades and armor. So, what were you doing at the lighthouse you mentioned? I've barely been out of Camelot, let alone to someplace as opulent, unless it's as Morgana's maidservant." Gwen asked after a pause while they all thought of their dearly departed and drank from their goblets.
"It was my eldest sister's birthday. I was with my family, on a trip with some royals when I was six. We went to the Suebe kingdom and toured the coast. I remember going up to the top and looking out at the sea. It was splendid. Truly magnificent!"
"I went to the coast west of here once, in Gawant. It was beautiful, but the water was freezing, my father tried to get me in there, but I refused. I could barely get into my ankles. It was so cold! We went to the seaside market and found these wonderful shells. I still have them. This oyster shell is my favorite." Morgana told them, showing an oval shaped shell with two sides-one rough and concave, and the other smooth and flat. It had varying shades of purple and yellow and white. The rough side was gleaming, obviously cared for throughout the years.
"I didn't know oysters were this pretty! My brothers wouldn't let me go down to the coast unaccompanied and no one was able to me. Safe to assume I wasn't as easy to deal with the rest of the trip as I usually was. Mother used to say I was the most level headed and easy-going of all her children. I certainly proved her wrong! I can throw a tantrum better than the worst of my siblings when I feel like it." Cassie joked
"I almost wish I had a big family growing up. It was just me, and later Arthur after I moved to Camelot. I might've had more fun!"
"It's not all that fun, I was younger than the second youngest by six years. They never really played with me, but my brothers did help me master teasing and stitching. I don't know if they knew, but I would have been happy learning the sword if it meant I was with them. My sisters all just gossiped about the cutest guy and did needlepoint, and, at the time, I wasn't very interested in either of those. Now, I suppose I do the same." Cassie told them. "But we were still very close. They all knew our dad very well, and Zazie, the second youngest, told the best stories of him. She was six when he died so they were all great childhood stories, but still…"
"Speaking of cutest guys…." Morgana started, wiggling her eyebrows suggestively.
"Who do you think is the cutest?" Gwen finished, with a sly smile sent Cassie's way.
"I can hardly say. I've only seen three… and Gaius, but he's old, so he doesn't count." Cassie trailed off, knowing where this was leading.
"Oh, you're such a…"
"Watch what you say Gwen, we're in the presence of a Lady of the Court." Cassie warned teasingly.
"Fine! Let's go down to the training fields, you'll see all the knights. And I'm sure you'll meet the ones out on patrol soon, being an apprentice to Gaius and all."
"I'm not his apprentice yet, Morgana. And I don't think the King will appreciate me wandering about with his ward. Especially since he thinks me a spy. Maybe some other time, though?" Cassie asked hopefully.
"Sure I'd like that. But this does not mean you are leaving," Morgana said bluntly. "No, we still have many questions, and we also have to tell you what we are going to do to Arthur." Morgana said, a devilish glint in her eyes.
"I'd never think of leaving so soon, my lady. As a matter of fact, we should exchange war stories with our brothers. I have a feeling we'll each get new ideas on what to do. And most likely have some shared experiences." Cassie dangled the bait, effectively changing the topic of discussion from guys to pranks on guys.
"Arthur's not my brother, but I would love to hear all about yours. But first, how old are you? Sometimes you seem older than you look."
"I'm nineteen, but I tend to hide from the sun, gives me a headache and marrs my fair complexion. I've always been told 'you have one complexion, Casiopea, protect it' so I do what I'm told." Cassie explained, she'd always been told that she was small for her age, no matter what age it was. "Doesn't help that I'm not very tall, either. My brothers used to tease me mercilessly because of it. My sisters were all tall, I was the runt of the litter or so they say."
"You are not nineteen! I certainly didn't look like that when I was nineteen! My bosoms didn't come in fully until around twenty-one! And Morgana's still haven't!" Gwen cried unabashedly.
"Gwen!" Morgana cried with flaming cheeks, "I will have you know, they have come in, they are just proportional to my waist and hips! Not all of us are blessed with the curves you two have!"
"It's the Germanic blood in me. Strongly built women, the lot of us. Meant for child-rearing and not sitting pretty, no offense. I envy you actually, it has been incredibly hard to find something to bind my bosoms, especially while riding. But my mother always said she would have the most grandkids from me, wide hips and ample bosoms." Cassie told them, without chagrin. "I suppose now, it's true." she finished sadly.
"Still, Gwen doesn't have any Germanic blood and she still has a fuller bosom than I." Morgana said with a hint of jealousy.
"Don't be jealous, Morgana! I'd love to look half as good as you in those fine dresses of yours. I'm afraid they don't fall as gracefully on me, and they bunch up near the hips rather uncomfortably. Besides, I would kill for hair as long and luxurious as yours. I had to cut mine when I left. It became too much of a nuisance while I was traveling and kept getting caught on branches and twigs." Cassie sighed despondently.
"I think your hair is beautiful! I've always envied blondes. My brown hair is too common, everyone has it. But nobody has hair quite as blond as yours. Or as black as Morgana's! But then again, maybe if it were a little longer, there'd be more for a certain knight to admire…" Gwen teased as she trailed off, allowing Morgan to start where she left off.
"Yes, I can just imagine exactly what Sir Owaine might fantasize about whenever he thinks about her." Morgana said tantalizingly.
"Her long, golden hair…" Gwen began the endless litany of teasing.
"Her big, bright blue eyes…" Morgana continued.
"Her rosy cheeks…"
"Let's not forget the lips, Gwen. Rather full lips here."
"And the obvious exotic, GORGEOUSNESS of this girl. Really, I thought you were the one to envy, Morgana, But it seems we have found someone with looks to rival even yours in that department." Gwen finished.
By the end of Morgana and Gwen teasing Cassie mercilessly, the girl appeared like an overcooked shrimp, pink and closing in on herself, clearly self-conscious of all the praise from the two beautiful Camelotians.
Morgana was just about to comment on that when there was a knock on the door, Gwen got up to answer it and found Arthur there, with a grievous look in his face.
"Father's sent me for the girl, Casiopea. I don't think he's very pleased that you invited her into your rooms for lunch when she could be a spy." Arthur said gravely.
"She's no more a spy than you are Arthur. The poor girl is simply from another Kingdom, far away. Are we to treat any foreigner with suspicion? I was just welcoming her to Camelot." Morgana said innocently.
"Is that why she's blushing deeper than the red of my cloak?" Arthur retorted amused. She really was quite pretty when she blushed, he acknowledged.
"Come, Morgana, you are needed too. Can't keep the King waiting." Arthur declared.