Chapter 13: A/N Since it's been a month from the first update day, YOU GUYS GET A TWO FER! This is the second chapter I'll post today, still working on the next one. There is a time jump here. 3 months have passed since she arrived in Camelot, 10 since she left Hispania, and Cassie no longer has a cast or a walking stick, her English is much better, but she speaks slowly sometimes, and generally looks around while thinking of the words. Remembering all the new words is no easy feat! Her, Morgana and Gwen are now the best of friends, and they have yet to play the prank on Arthur. Pranks are a lot of hard work, and take a lot of preparations to follow through with, especially if you're pranking the Prince. Lots of fluff in this chapter. Cassie and Owaine are good friends now, but they both want more. Neither is willing to make the first move, so their friends give them some nudges. Let's see what happens, shall we! I do not own Merlin. Italics still latin, all-capitalized words are just making them more important, not that it's yelling. If they yell, I'll put in like x-yelled or something like that. The little story about Reccared is all made up, unless by some coincidence it's completely true and I just guessed at it. Then I should ditch Chemistry and go study history LOL. As always Read, Review, good or bad, I like both! (Possibly more bad, mot the best at writing)
"Owaine! Stop it!" Cassie giggled.
The knight chased her down the wooded area. Cassie was out collecting the final herbs of the year for Gaius. Winter was fast approaching and the Spanish princess had made friends with half of Camelot in the three short months since she arrived. On this particular day, Sir Owaine was on 'shadow duty' as she had taken to calling the knights who followed her everywhere as per royal decree. Uther still didn't trust the young girl as far as he could throw her.
"Admit it! Admit it and I will stop chasing you."
"Never!" She replied passionately.
"Then you get what's coming to you!" He shouted as he caught her and spun her around before falling to the ground and tickling her.
"No! I won't say it. I will never say it!" she cried between peals of laughter.
"Then I have to keep tickling you. You should never have told Gwen how your brothers got you to admit to something. That was a big mistake!" he told her.
"No! Stop! Please, I'll do anything but admit!" Cassie pleaded.
"Anything?" Owaine asked, momentarily stopping the onslaught of tickles. Cassie took this to her advantage and flipped him over, pinning him to the ground.
"Gwen is SO dead! I can't believe she would tell you that!" Cassie cried with a look of incredulity.
"So, when are you going to admit it?"
"When I have no other choice, but for now…" Cassie started before suddenly standing up and running away. "You'll never get me to say it out loud, Owaine!" The little herbs she had gathered were left by a tree, forgotten.
"Fine, let's get the rest of the herbs, it's starting to get cold." Owaine said, glancing around conspiratorially.
"Yes, although the running kept the cold at bay for a bit." Cassie grinned at him.
Owaine went about helping collect what little herbs he knew, Cassie telling him that some of what he collected were really weeds with mirthful eyes. It didn't take long to replenish Gaius' stores of herbs, and there was still hours left of daylight, so Owaine decided to tease her some more about her little secret.
"So… will it take the easy way, or the hard way?" Owaine asked with a quirk of his brow.
"If you so much as come near me to tickle me, Owaine, I WILL resort to underhanded techniques. You see, Sirs Bruin and Pellinore told me a little something about you too. There is a certain lovely redhead with 'the world's most luscious lips'…" Cassie trailed off with a wicked smile on her face as she teased the ever paling knight.
"You wouldn't dare!"
"Oh, I so would. I'll tell her all that I know." She said casually. "Let's make a deal, I forget what they told me and you forget what Gwen told you." She said holding her hand out. Owaine just looked at it with suspicion.
"Never!" he replied with a playful smile "You know mine, and I know yours, I just want confirmation! So tell me, why is it you've never be-"
"Oh you will never get that out of me!" Cassie cut him off running away again, shrieking joyfully. They carried on in this manner for quite some time, playing around until the sky started to darken with storm clouds.
"We should go back, looks like it's really gonna come down now."
"Yes, it does." Cassie agreed, both looking up to the sky, when Owiaine suddenly grabbed her by the waist and spun her around. "Really! Put me down, Sir Knight!" Cassie said as loftily as she could after such a girly squeal.
"Yes, my lady." he obliged, bowing low to the floor. Both just burst out in laughter.
It was in this manner that they entered the castle and made their way to Gaius' chambers. What they found in Gaius' chamber was the ever-present(to Cassie and Owaine at least) eyebrow of doom and Sir Bruin with a hand over his mouth, trying not to burst out laughing.
"I sent you to collect the herbs five hours ago! FIVE HOURS! What exactly happened that it took you so long to find them?" Gaius asked, exasperated.
"We-" Sir Owaine started but was cut off by Gaius. Sir Bruin was just shaking with suppressed laughter at his fellow knight being reprimanded by the old physician.
"No! You two were playing around like little children! I was worried that something had happened, I was about to send Sir Bruin here to look for you!"
"We're sorry Gaius, time got away from us." Sir Owaine said, looking decidedly scolded.
"It was my fault really. I was the one tha-"Cassie started.
"Oh! I really was concerned when you took so long, and then I see the two of you walking in the gates just… you had me worried is all. You know I think of you as a daughter, Cassie. I couldn't bear to lose you."
"I know, Gaius, I think of you like a father too. Well, a grandfather really, you spoil so and-"
"I am not that old!" Gaius cried affronted, the knights just burst into laughter at this. That quickly died down once the eyebrow was turned to them.
"We'll just be outside here." Sir Bruin said awkwardly.
"Bye Cassie, see you later." Sir Owain said. "I hope?" he looked at Gaius hopefully. Gaius just grunted in response.
"I didn't mean that you were old, Gaius. Just that I see you in more of a grandfatherly figure than a fatherly figure. If you were the latter, I'd expect more lectures and chastisements like my brother did."
"I know, dear. Just I never had children and I think of you as my daughter. This old heart couldn't take heartbreak very well."
"Oh Gaius!" Cassie cried, a soft loving look on her eyes and hugging him fiercely. "I'll never leave you, you MUST know that!"
"I do, Cassie. I do. You've become such an integral part of my days that they would feel almost empty without you."
"Oh, Gaius!" She replied with tears falling down her face.
Meanwhile, Sirs Bruin and Owaine were on the other side of the door, talking.
"I can't believe you and Pell told her of Vanessa!"
"Oh, so that's why you took so long, she called you out on it?" Bruin asked, a slightly guilty expression on his face. "We honestly didn't think she'd take it so hard, since neither of you have actually made the first move. It's like watching a dance with you two!" Bruin said, receiving a mock glare from his friend.
"No, she just teased me about it in that infuriating way of hers that makes me want to-" Owaine said, stopping his sentence before he said something he would regret. Vanessa came to mind just then, and how the knights teased him about it for weeks.
"Can't help it if you're a romantic. You should become a bard!" Bruin said with a raucous laugh as he quoted: " luscious lips, as ripe as berries. Hair as soft as silk, the color of a fiery dusk..."
"I will never tell any of you anything again!"
"But you're the baby in our group! It's up to us to make sure you make a fool of yourself." Bruin said, throwing an arm over his friend's shoulder. "Besides, it's much too fun watching your face go as red as a tomato whenever we bring them up." he said dismissively.
"I can't wait until there's someone younger for you to torment." Owaine said drily.
"Come on, you'll have just as much fun tormenting him as we do you."
"Yeah, yeah. " Owaine waved his hand absently. "I've got training to get to. See you, mate." And he went on his way, even made it to the end of the corridor before he turned around and asked with narrowed eyes: "Hang on. When did you and Pell tell her about Vanessa? It's not like you're drinking buddies, I doubt she's ever been in a tavern. Yesterday morning when we changed shifts, Pell hung back and we joked around with her about you and 'your romantic heart' and poetic ways." Bruin said, fluttering his eyelashes and putting his hands above his heart. "We thought girls liked that stuff, figured we'd be helping you along."
"She's not like other girls, that stuff doesn't melt her like it would any Lady of the court. Except Lady Morgana. Sometimes it's like there's two of them, they're so similar."
"You're not wrong there, Owaine. Don't you have somewhere to be?"
"Oh, right! We'll finish this later, you and Pellinore both!" Owaine said as goodbye.
The door to Gaius' chamber opened and Cassie appeared to let Bruin in while she continued with her studies as the physician's apprentice.
"Owaine left? I was hoping to apologize for telling him off earlier." Gaius asked looking sheepish, a strange look for the old man.
"Training." Bruin replied.
"Well, I have some rounds to do, Cassie's just going to work on some solutions while I'm out." Gaius informed the knight.
"Anything to be wary of, explosions, noxious gases, fires?" Bruin teased.
"Oh, ha ha. I can mix a potion, have done so for at least three years. My mother was teaching me." Cassie said, a sardonic grin on her face. "They may have been basic, but still..." she muttered.
"She is quite a fast learner, barely any explosions this month, Bruin, you don't need to worry. Much." Gaius added as an afterthought, chuckling as Cassie spluttered in indignation.
Outside the window the storm was picking up. Vendors had long since packed up their stalls, made sure nothing got damaged by the ferocious weather. Cassie just looked on for a moment before she began with her potions.
"It's really pouring outside. I expect ice might begin to form soon if the temperature keeps dropping." Bruin commented after she looked away from the window.
"Does it not snow here? The white fluffy thing that falls in winter." Cassie asked, curious.
"You mean snow? Not this far south. Maybe in Deira or Gwynedd, definitely north of Hadrian's Wall. Does it snow in Hispania?" Bruin answered, as Cassie wrote down in her ever-present notebook the word.
"Only the mountains. The landscape with snow capped mountains is really very beautiful. I remember we went once, to the Pyrenees, for some feast or other. I don't remember why we went, but I remember the mountains." Cassie answered wistfully.
"Ah, Hadrian's Wall. A name I recognize. We had dealings with the Romans, too. They were our somewhat allies against Atilla. Well we helped them defeat him, and again with the Burgundians and Franks, but I won't go into history. Never paid it much mind when I was younger, so I might get the facts wrong."
"Yes, I didn't like it very much either when my tutor taught me. I much preferred war tactics and battle strategy. In hindsight, I might have paid more attention, but we can't change the past, we can onl-"
"Only learn from it. My Brother used to tell me the same thing when I complained." Cassie finished for him.
"Did all the peasants learn in Reccopolis?" Bruin asked.
'Joder! Se me olvida, porque no le paro bolas a lo que digo! Es muy difícil vivir escondida.' she thought, hitting herself for forgetting about her secret.
"No, but I lived near the royals and did the princesses' hair. I learned a thing or two from them." Cassie responded. If she took too long to answer, Sir Bruin didn't seem to notice.
"What were they like, the royals?" Sir Bruin asked curiously. This time, Cassie took her time to answer.
"They were...very...just. I don't remember ever hearing anyone upset over how they ruled. The people loved them, especially the princesses. They would dote on them when they went out into the marketplace. The Queen Mother was the nicest, in my opinion. She treated everyone with as much dignity as she could, she even helped the physician with the sick and the hurt. Her husband had passed shortly before her youngest daughter was born and her eldest son ascended the throne. I never knew her husband, but I have heard stories of his courage and bravery. And of his skill in battle. Reccared. He put down countless uprisings all throughout his country. He was trying to convert his people from Arianism to Catholicism, though some people didn't take too kindly to it. He nearly succeeded in the whole of his kingdom, except for a few who wouldn't convert. They led an uprising near Toledo and he was killed."
"So you're Catholic?"
"I was raised that way, but after what I saw, I refuse to believe that God can allow this to happen. I lost my faith in Him and…" Cassie trailed off, sadly. Remembering all this was hard enough, but to talk about them, her family, as if they were complete strangers… That made her want to curl up in the corner and cry. Sir Bruin noticed this and changed the subject to something more….agreeable. At least to him. Bring on the favorite pastime of anyone who has ever seen Cassie near Owaine.
"So, you and Owaine. Was it that bad? I mean, he got really upset that we told you about Vanessa. I just figured it'd give you an idea of how to proceed. Knowing he's just a big softie and all. A girl's petticoat if I remember correctly how Prince Arthur reacted to the brilliant prose of my dear friend." Sir Buin embellished.
Cassie just grinned, thankful for the change in subject. That is until Sir Bruin continued.
"Pellinore swore it would give you two a push in the right direction, if you know what I mean?" he said wiggling his eyebrows playfully at the girl.
"Oh, stop it you!" she said, throwing the nearest rag at the knight.
"We mean nothing by it." he said with fake innocence. "We just want our wittle Owaine to get the giwl he wikes." Bruin just got a glare from the girl blushing furious red in response to that.
"Don't worry, Bruin. I have plenty of pranks up my sleeve. Owaine and I will get back at you, Pellinore and Guinevere for sharing too much." Cassie said, a sickly sweet smile on her face that made beads of sweat form on Bruin's brow.
"Oh a-a-all right. I-I-I'll make sure to let Pell and Gwen know to watch their back around you two for a bit." Bruin gulped out, making Cassie laugh even more.
A/N So Reccared really did convert Spain to Roman Catholicism.I think his elder brother was converted first, then he was and managed to convert his Kingdoms. But again, Not a historian, and I kind of glossed over that during my private Catholic school days-who knew school could have been so interesting. I mean I vaguely remember his name under who first converted Spain to Catholicism, but other than that...