Chapter 28 A/N I do not own Merlin. For those who don't know, breech is when the baby is born bottom first-could be complete, incomplete complete, or partial breech- but in any case, the head's the last to be delivered. TWO MONTHS GUYS! You get a two-fer!

The next morning, Cassie found out that Merlin was being put in the stocks! She knew it was childish and immature, but he took her job! And she would have such a blast introducing Alex to him, and providing some rotten fruit to be thrown at him. She really wasn't above such childishness. After she finished her chores, had her breakfast, and finished with Morgana, she grabbed Gwen by the hand and dragged her out to the market, under the pretense that she needed help picking something out for her wedding.

When they collected what they needed, Gwen in her basket and Cassie in her bag, Cassie steered her over to where the pillory was standing. When she saw Merlin being pelted by fruit, she couldn't help but laugh out loud.

"Having fun there Merlin?" Cassie called as she dragged the petite blonde over, both their skin glinting in the sunlight, once the children had run out of food.

"You're loving this, aren't you? Is this what you meant yesterday?"

"Oh, this is much better than what I thought Gaius would do. I thought he would just give you a lecture."

"He did. Down in the dungeons." Merlin admitted.

"This is my friend. She's one of the ones that snuck up to the battlements with me."

"I'm Guinever. But most people call me Gwen. I'm the Lady Morgana's maid." she introduced herself.

"Right. I'm Merlin. As you probably know." Merlin responded reaching his hand further out so she could shake it, rather awkwardly. "ALthough, most people just call me Idiot."

"I'll say!" Cassie joked while Gwen simultaneously said:

"No, no, no. I saw what you did. It was so brave."

"It was stupid." Merlin and Cassie said at the same time.

"Well, I'm glad you walked away. You weren't going to beat him." Gwen said looking him up and down, noting his scrawny build.

"No. I-I can beat him." Merlin snorted, while Cassie just shook silently beside the girl.

"You think? Because you don't look like one of these big muscle-y kind of fellows." Gwen stated dubiously.

"Thanks." Merlin said, not knowing how else to comment.

"No! No, I'm sure you're stronger than you look. It's just, erm...Arthur's one of these real rough, tough, save the world kind of men and… well…"

"You're not." Cassie finished through peals of laughter.

"What?"

"You don't look like that." Gwen clarified with an annoyed look at her blonde friend.

"I'm in disguise." he said after motioning for them to move closer, making both girls laugh.

"Well, it's great you stood up to him."

"What? You think so?"

"Arthur's a bully, and everyone thought you were a real hero."

"Not Cassie."

"I never said that! I just said you had to be more careful, he is the Prince after all!"

"So you think I'm a hero?" Merlin teased.

"Don't push your luck, Merlin. I told half these boys to come over and have their fun! Teach you a lesson." Cassie said, and for good measure, she waved to Alex and his group of friends who waved back.

"I'll get you back for this Cassie. But, um, my fans are back. Guinevere, Cassie." Merlin says to warn them off as the kids start pelting Merlin once more.

"You really need to work on your flirting, Gwen! That was too funny to watch!" Cassie said, giggling uncontrollably

"Friend of yours?" Pellinore asked as they reached the courtyard.

"Who? Merlin? He's Gaius' nephew." Cassie explained. "But it really is too easy to have fun with him. He's no challenge at all. But he does have some great ideas for pranks"

"That's a scary thought. Two of you with a pranking brain. Bruin and I have yet to get back at you two for that 'kick me' prank." Pell said, looking at Gwen for help.

"Oh, no! I've been on the receiving end of her pranks. No way am I going down that path again!" Gwen said, shaking her head.

"Well, I should get to my rounds. See you later, Gwen! Bye Pell!" Cassie called over her shoulder as she turned towards the section of the castle where the physician resides. "Oh, could you tell Owaine I won't be having lunch with him today? I have an idea to mess with Merlin later at lunch time! Can't miss it!" the girl said excitedly, a glint in her eye.

"You know, I have a feeling those two will be in the stocks every week if they start the prank war that's bound to come!" Pellinore said, turning towards Gwen.

"Morgana will get Cassie out of it." Gwen said, pitying Merlin for the moment.

"If you say so. Bye Gwen"

"Bye Pell!" Gwen said, walking to the servants' entrance and going back to her duties.

"Do you want some vegetables with that?" Gaius asked, looking to Cassie with a mischievous smile.

Merlin just snorted in response. "Cassie could you fetch some water?" Gaius asked.

"Sure Gaius! I'm sure the one you have is filled with rotten vegetables. I'll just take the bucket with me, shall I?"

"Thank you."

As soon as Cassie closed the door, she turned to her rooms and switched buckets then crept back to the door. She knew it wasn't proper, and she should just trust Gaius knew what he was doing, but she couldn't help it. She made sure no one noticed her there with a whispered word and glowing eyes then put her ear to the door just as Merlin said:

"I know you're still angry with me."

"Your mother asked me to look after you."

"Yes,"

"What did your mother say to you about your gifts?"

"That I was special."

"You are special. The likes of which I have never seen before."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, magic requires incantations, spells. It takes years to study. What I saw you do was… elemental, instinctive."

"What's the point if it can't be used?"

"That I do not know. You are a question that has never been posed before, Merlin."

"Did you ever study magic?"

"Uther banned all such work twenty years ago."

"Why?"

"People used magic for the wrong end at that time. It threw the natural order into chaos. Uther made it his mission to destroy everything from back then, even the dragons."

"What? All of them?"

"There was one dragon he chose not to kill, kept it as an example. He imprisoned it in a cave deep beneath the castle where no one can free it. Now, eat up. When you{ve finished, I need you to take a preparation to Lady Helen. She needs it for her voice.

"Here you are!" Cassie said, releasing the spell and entering the room.

"Do you know where Lady Helen's rooms are?" Merlin asked, trying to sound casual.

"Yeah, sure, I can take you there after lunch. I'm headed that way, anyways. Check up on Lady Ellie and deliver her monthly potion."

"What's wrong with her?" Merlin asked, trying to put a name to the face.

"Nothing wrong with her!" Cassie said laughing. "She's pregnant."

"What's the potion? I've never heard of such a thing."

"In her kingdom, the women would drink a tincture to keep them nourished and to keep the baby nourished." Gaius explained.

"Come on then! Shant keep the Ladies waiting, Merlin. You need to learn that." Cassie said with a playful look.

"Don't forget the potions!" Gaius called as Merlin unceremoniously gulped down the rest of his food.

"Okay, Lady Helen's rooms are down there. I'll just wait here for you then I can introduce you to Lady Eleanor quickly and then you're free to wander around." Cassie said grasping her hands in front of her and rocking on her heels.

When Merlin came back from Lady Helen's room, he was practically sprinting towards her.

"Come on, let's go!" Merlin said, taking her hand and dragging her around the corner quickly.

"Merlin! What's the matter?"

"Nothing, just a funny feeling about her. That's all." he replied evasively.

"Okay. Let's introduce you to Ellie, then you can go on your merry way!"

The two walked through the nobles' wing until they arrived at the corridor that led to Pellinore and Owaine's rooms.

"Cassie! Had lunch yet?"

"Yup. This is Merlin, Gaius' nephew. Merlin this is Owaine. My betrothed."

"So you're the one who too-OW! Cassie!" Owaine started to say, until Cassie hit him in the head and gave him the stink eye.

"I know you too well, Owaine." Cassie warned.

"Right. What are you two doing here?"

"Introducing the new physician's apprentice to Ellie."

"Dinner, thern? Since we missed lunch." Owaine called over his shoulder, walking away.

"'Course!" Cassie replied with a smile before turning and knocking on Ellie's door. "Now, she's usually here at this time, but she may be visiting with her friends." she told him waiting for the door. They waited a minute longer before Cassie admitted defeat and the two left to the courtyard. They walked out through the servant's door before making their way to the market together.

"Ignore him, Merlin. I've to check up on Mary, she's due any day now. Don't get into trouble!" Cassie said when she spotted Arthur. She turned around and went to the Lower Town to do her rounds while Merlin kept on walking.

"How's your knee walking coming along?" Arthur asked, trying to get a rise out of him. Merlin ignored him, just like Cassie asked. But it was easier said than done.

"Aw, don't run away!" Arthur said, as he and his cronies were laughing.

"From you?" Merlin stopped, still not facing Arthur, and asked.

"Thank God, I thought you were deaf as well aas dumb." Arthur sighed.

"Look I've told you you're an ass." Merlin said as he turned around. "I just didn't realize you were a royal one."

Arthur turned back to look at his friends like 'is he for real?' before Merlin continued.

"Oh, what are you going to do? Get your daddy's men to protect you?
"I could take you apart with one blow." Arthur said as he laughed.

"I could take you apart with less than that." Merlin challenged.

"Are you sure?" Arthur asked, to which Merlin took off his jacket and threw it to the ground. The knights behind Arthur kept egging them on.

"Here you go, big man." Arthur said, as he threw Merlin a mace. Merlin tried to grab it in time, but it fell to the floor so he bent to pick it up. Arthur, on the other hand, expertly handles his mace, swinging it with ease above his head.

"Come on, then. I warn you, I've been trained to kill since birth." Arthur said, advancing slightly.

"Wow, and how long have you been training to be a prat?" Merlin asked, receiving an incredulous scoff.

"You can't address me like that," Arthur scoffed.

"I'm sorry. H-how long have you been training to be a prat, My Lord?" Merlin said, complete with a mock bow and everything. Arthur gave him a perturbed grin and turned to his knights, then swung at Merlin. To which he barely avoided, ducking quickly.

The fight quickly moved into the stalls where Arthur walked on a cart while Merlin turned the corner and got his mace stuck in a hanging cage. Arthur swung his weapon and hit a display of firewood, knocking it over.

"Come on then, Merlin! Come on!" Arthur calls animatedly, stalking his prey as a crowd begins to gather. Arthur kept swinging at the now weaponless boy. He swung the mace over his head then swung at Merlin, who fell over a fruit stall and hid behind it, the mace hitting a fruit. Arthur jumped over the stall and followed Merlin, who subsequently fell over onto a pile of sacks.

"You're in trouble now!" Arthur taunted.

"Oh God."

But Merlin, spotting the hooks just behind Arthur, called his magic forth and moved the hook to trap the mace. Essentially giving Merlin enough time to move away. Merlin kept walking backwards, looking for more obstacles to put in Arthur's way and saw a crate. He used his magic again and moved it right where Arthur would step, and step he did.

"OW! Argh!" Arthur cried as he banged his shin.

Merlin moved behind another stall, and after Arthur swung the mace at it, crouched and spotted a rope. He used his magic to pull it taught and Arthur fell face first into a sack, losing his weapon. Merlin saw an opportunity and picked up the mace, swinging it inexpertly away from him while Arthur backed up.

"Do you want to give up?" Merlin asked proudly.

"To you?" Arthur asked as if the mere thought of doing so would wound him

"Do you? Do you want to give up?" Merlin asked, still swinging the mace.

Arthur stepped in a bucket and fell backwards on yet another pile of sacks. Merlin was thrilled with his victory and looked out over the crowd, noticing Gaius standing there, scowling at him. He paused and Arthur took the opportunity to grab a broom and attack him from behind, turning Merlin around and hitting his gut and head before knocking him over. Arthur used the broom to sweep some dust onto him. The guards went to grab Merlin to throw him the dungeons again, but Arthur stopped them.

"Wait. Let him go. He may be an idiot, but he's a brave one." Arthur said as the guards released Merlin. Arthur walked over to Merlin and shook his head while saying, "There's something about you Merlin. I can't quite put my finger on it."

Merlin saw Gaius disapproval and silently followed him back to their chambers.

"How could you be so foolish?!" Gaius yelled at him opening the door.

"He needed to be taught a lesson." Merlin responded, walking farther into the room while Gaius closed the door.

"Magic must be studied, mastered and used for good! Not for idiotic pranks!" Gaius cried, indignantly.

"What is there to master? I could move objects like that before I could talk!" Merlin replied, equally as fervently.

"Then, by now, you should know how to control yourself!" Gaius yelled back.

"I don't want to! If I can't use magic, what have I got?! I'm just a nobody, and I always will be. If I can't use magic, I might as well die." Merlin finished defeatedly.

He went back to his room and lay face down on his bed. Gaius enters a few moments later carrying his medical bag and sighs.

"Merlin. Sit up, take your shirt off." he ordered.

"You don't know why I was born like this, do you?" Merlin asked, his back bruised and painful.

"No." Gaius admits. He starts treating the wounds.

"I'm not a monster, am I?" Merlin asked moodily.

"Don't ever think that!" Gaius says, looking Merlin in the eye, but Cassie barged in, breaking the fatherly bonding between the two.

"Gaius! Mary's giving birth now and the baby's in breech. I don't know what to do. Lauren's with her while I ran over to tell you." Cassie panted out.

"Sorry, Merlin. But I have to go." Gaius said, looking at his nephew dejectedly

"I-I understand, Gaius. Go!"

"I can take care of that, Gaius. I'll go when I'm done, okay?" Cassie said, still catching her breath and holding her side.

"Thank you, Cassie." Gaius said, nodding at the girl and quickly leaving the room.

"Ooh." Cassie winced, seeing all the cuts and bruises forming on his back. "Here, It'll sting a bit." Cassie said, softly wiping away at the cuts and dabbing at the bruises as she applied the tonic.

"Thanks. Cassie." Merlin said.

"Why would you ask Gaius if you were a monster?" Cassie whispered, looking into Merlin's eyes.

"I-I pick too many fights I guess. That's why," Merlin lied badly, saying the first excuse that popped into his head.

"Why did you really come to Camelot?" Cassie asked, slightly hurt he hadn't trusted her. '¿Viniste para lastimar a Uther, para atacar a Arthur o Morgana?' she thought bitterly.

"My mother wanted me to learn to control myself. She thought Gaius would be the one who could teach me how to." Merlin answered half honestly.

"Here. Take this for the pain. I've to go now, Merlin. You'll be right?"

"Yeah, she'll be right, Cassie. Thanks." Merlin said to her.

"Okay." Cassie said, turning to leave for Mary's.

When she got to Mary's, Gaius was telling her to stop pushing.

"Cassie, come here. Watch closely. When I get to the shoulder blades, you need to help me turn the baby to face Mary's thighs." Gaius said as Cassie walked over.

She kneeled to help, holding her arms out at the ready and looking closely at what Gaius was doing. Gaius put his finger between the legs and proceeded to move one of the thighs out towards the leg, freeing it. He did the same with the other leg and wrapped it in a warmed cloth he had waiting. He then gently pulled with the next wave of contractions.

"Cassie, I need you to gently turn him clockwise until the shoulder is at the top, I'll help from his waist." Gaius told her as she held onto the baby's torso. They turned simultaneously, and when the baby's shoulder was visible, Gaius hooked a finger and delivered the arm by sweeping it across the chest.

"Okay, now I want you to turn the baby completely to face the other leg. Tenemos que girarlo en el mismo sentido, si no, podríamos hacer un daño grande." Gaius told her, switching to spanish to not alarm Mary.

They turned the baby in the S configuration, making sure to keep him supported in the lower body and Gaius repeated the sweeping motion to deliver the next arm. He moved the cloth up to wrap the baby's arms.

"Now, we're going to turn his body so his back is parallel to the floor."

Once they managed to make his back face upward, Gaius instructed Cassie in Latin what he was doing.

"Okay, now what I'm doing is I am going to my index and middle finger on his cheekbones, so that I can flex the head and keep his body between my palm and forearm. Then, I'll take my other two fingers and hook his neck and shoulders. I'm going to pull gently down, I'm going to need you to apply some pressure just above her pelvis so his head won't bend upwards." Gaius said quickly, explaining everything he was doing clearly.

"Here, Cassie. Take care of him. I've got Mary." Gaius said, quickly handing over the baby, clamping and cutting the umbilical cord, and turning back to the mother who had begun to bleed.

"Why isn't he crying, Gaius?" Mary asked full of dread.

"Don't worry, he'll do so quickly." Gaius told her, con.

"ABCDE!" Cassie muttered to herself, quickly going over the months of preparations Gaius gave her.

She immediately checked that the airway wasn't blocked and bent the head back to open his mouth. She quickly suctioned his mouth with a bulb and small pipette, then the nose and tapped the plants of his feet lightly to stimulate the breathing

"Oh, lloro!" Cassie sighed with relief before she dried him and wrapped him in dry, warm cloths and checked him over for any birthing injuries. Glancing over to see Gaius still working on Mary, Cassie leaned over and listened to his breathing sounds over the cries.

"Bring him over Cassie. I've stopped the bleeding and delivered the afterbirth. He needs to feed." Cassie walked over carefully and placed the boy on his mother's chest for feeding.

"He's a beautiful, healthy boy, Mary." Cassie told her with a smile.

"His name is Taran."

"It means lightning, am I correct?" Cassie asked.

"Thunder. He's supposedly the god of Thunder in Welsh mythology." Gaius corrected.

"I thought that was Thor?" Cassie asked, confused.

"No, he's Norse mythology."

"I'll just leave it at that. If not, I will start to confuse the ancient Greek and Romand gods with the Norse and Welsh gods, and then I'll get a headache." Cassie said, tilting her head and with a confused expression.

"I'll let you get some rest while I present your son to Robert and Alex, shall I?" Cassie said, holding out her arms to gather Taran in.

"Thank you, Cassie. Gaius." Mary said gratefully, closing her eyes and falling asleep.

"You have a healthy, beautiful baby boy, Robert." Cassie said, holding him out to meet his father. Robert reached over and cradled his son to his chest, cooing at him.

"Can I see?! Can I see?!" Alex asked excitedly from the stairs.

"Come here, son." Robert told him, getting down on one knee so the smaller boy could see.

"Wow! He's so pink! And small!" Alex said with big eyes, the adults all just laughed.

"Go on inside, your mom's tired, but she wanted to see you three." Gaius said kindly as he made his way down the stairs.

"I'll be back later to check up on you two." she said, cooing down at the little babe. "Bye, Alex. Bye Robert." she added as she, too, made her way down the steps.

Cassie walked back to Gaius' chambers to thank him for helping her and to review once more what she should do when a baby is born in breech and to write it down in one of her journals. She had taken to amassing her knowledge in tomes, and writing down in spanish, english and latin. Soon, she would have a wall full of journals and books dedicated to birthing and treating wounds and the like.

Post chapter A/N This one ran a bit longer, but I just got too caught up in writing to realize, and I don't really want to break it into two. Do you prefer it over three thousand words, or under? I don't know. Anyways, some of the dialogue is mine, but most belongs to the writers of the show. You've read, now review and let me know your thoughts!