Chapter 40 A/N I do not own Merlin, and at the end of last chapter it was the beginning of The Romance of Tristan and Iseult; Drawn from the best French Sources and Retold by J. Bédier Rendered into English by H. Belloc. Forgot to let you know the last chapter. Italics is latin.
Cassie walked back to her chambers later that night with Taran in her arms and Alex in Owaine's, both fast asleep.
"They look so peaceful, Cassie." Owaine whispered, opening the door for them.
"They do, let's put them to bed now." Cassie whispered back softly, climbing the stairs behind Owaine and making sure the baby was in the makeshift crib safely.
"Here. You look thirsty." Owaine said, handing her a goblet of water and pouring one out for himself.
"Of course! How could we have missed this! Water!" Cassie breathed out in revelation.
"What?" Owaine asked, more than slightly confused.
"It's the water! I have to go tell Gaius!"
"Yeah, you do that. Meanwhile, I'm going to throw this out. Just in case." Owaine said, emptying the goblets into the bucket and throwing the water out the window to the empty street below.
"Gaius!" Cassie exclaimed, barging into their chambers and regretting it since they were asleep. "How late is it?" she asked herself quietly, moving around the room and writing her suspicions down on a piece of parchment for them to read in the morning, seeing the white flower in a vial and realizing they'd figured it out already.
Cassie snuck back out and walked the few steps to her chambers, letting Owaine wrap his arms around her and softly crying into his shoulder.
"I wish I could do something for Gwen's father." she told him dejectedly.
"I know, but if you do, Uther'll definitely know, and if he finds out it was you…" Owaine warned her, tightening his embrace as he was not able to finish saying what the king would do.
"I know. It doesn't mean I have to like it, but I know." Cassie said, taking a step back from him and wiping the tears away.
"We should go to sleep. Another long day tomorrow." Owaine told her wearily, sitting down on the cot. "I know this type of sorcerer is evil, the one that starts plagues and sows destruction, but every time he sends us out, I can't help but fear that you'll be discovered." he said, rubbing his hands over his face.
"Darling, I know." Cassie said, crouching in front of him and placing her hands on his knees.
"Sometimes, I feel like I can't be a knight anymore. Like it just doesn't stand for the same things." he said wearily.
"Owaine, look at me. You're still protecting innocents, you're fighting for your home, for your family. And Uther may not be the best King in some ways, but he's definitely good at keeping a portion of his people safe, and he cares about those people. Arthur's different, I can tell. And one day, when he becomes King, this land will flourish with every last citizen, and you will be by his side as Knight of Camelot." Cassie said firmly, looking at him with a proud smile. "And I will be by yours, as your wife and the mother of your children. Now and forever."
"How is it you always know the right thing to say, Cassie." he asked her with unshed tears in his eyes.
"Sheer dumb luck." Cassie answered with a teasing smile. "Come on, to sleep, Owaine. It's late and tomorrow's sure to be as hard as today."
"Sleep in my room. I'll stay with the kids tonight." Owaine said, giving her a quick kiss.
"You're too good, my Knight. You don't have to do that." Cassie told him with a small smile.
"Yes I do, you look terrible and if I'm to wed you in a few weeks, you need to be absolutely radiant. Get some rest, Cass. I'll see you tomorrow."
"IF you're to wed me?" Cassie asked with a dangerously teasing look in her eyes.
"Yes, if I'm to wed you then, you need to look better than perfect." he replied, playing her game. "Now, sleep. You'll feel better in the morning."
"You won't, Taran's a crier." Cassie told him with a smile, taking an extra dress so she could change into it in the morning.
Cassie closed the door softly, walking past Gaius' chambers on the tips of her toes and barely rounded the corner when she heard the door squeak open and closed. She hid in an alcove and waited for whoever it was to walk past her before following. When she saw it was Merlin, she had the sneaking suspicion he was about to do what she didn't have the guts to. She debated for a split second stopping him; Tom was a good man, but she couldn't let something happen to her friend. Then she remembered that Gwen would have no one and she decided to just let him heal her best friend's father. She'd confront him tomorrow. With a sigh, she went to Owaine's room and went to sleep almost instantly after changing into one of his older shirts.
The following day she went back to her room and collected the boys once more, taking them to Morgana's chamber and going about her duties while Morgana obsessed over the baby for a bit.
"Good morning, Gwen. You don't mind if Alex stays while I try to find a wet nurse for Taran, do you? I hate to be a bother, but Gaius is busy with other things and Merlin's helping him and-"
"-Cassie, go do what needs to be done. I'll watch Alex while Morgana has tea with Lady Sybill. Go, Cassie," Gwen said with a chuckle, pushing her out of the room and going back to cleaning up the room.
"Hey, Merlin." Cassie greeted as she left the room.
"How's your father? Is he feeling better?" Merlin asked when he popped his head into the room.
"Yeah, it's incredible. It's a miracle." Gwen said cheerfully.
"His skin's clear, back to normal?" Merlin pressed with a smile.
"Yes."
"Great!" Merlin said, going to leave but turning back when Gwen spoke cautiously.
"You don't seem surprised."
"No, no, I am. It's a miracle." Merlin said, stepping into the room fully.
"But how did you know he was well?" she asked suspiciously.
"Er... because you're smiling." Merlin answered, looking back at the door that had slammed shut as if it were trapping him.
"That's really weird because I haven't told anyone, but you know. How could you know?" Gwen replied astutely, narrowing her eyes slightly in suspicion as she searched his eyes for an answer.
"Yeah. Alright. You finally found out, I'll tell you." Merlin said, swallowing as he walked closer to her looking right in her eyes. "I'm psychic."
"No you're not." Gwen said, giggling at him and giving him a wide smile.
"It's true!"
"Alright, what am I thinking?" she challenged.
"That I'm not psychic." Merlin said slowly, enjoying making her smile.
"You're strange." she said, giggling. "I... I don't mean that in a nasty way. You're just funny. I like that." she said quickly, looking into his big blue eyes.
"Erm, er, I'm pleased for you." Merlin stuttered out after an awkward pause.
"Thank you." Gwen told him, not wanting him to leave.
"What for?" he asked, his brow furrowed in confusion.
"Don't know. Just for asking." Gwen answered with a sweet smile and a bat of her eyes.
"I didn't like to see you upset." He told her simply, the two looking into each other's eyes. "I have to...get on." he said, swallowing nervously and waving awkwardly with a small grin. Gwen returned the wave just as awkwardly, grimacing internally as she heard the childlike giggles from behind the screen. "Don't breathe a word of this to Cassie, Alex." she warned once Merlin had gone.
"I was able to get a temporary wet nurse for Taran. Alina was just about to start to wean her baby from breastmilk and agreed to nursing Taran for a few weeks. At least until I can find them something more permanent." Cassie said bittersweetly.
"That's good. Alex, why don't you watch Taran for a bit over there. Cassie and I have to dust and we can't get any dust in your brother's mouth." Gwen said sweetly, arranging some blankets on the floor so the two boys could sit. "Here,Mrogana said you could play with this toy."
"Thank you!" he said excitedly, playing with the small rag wolf while he watched his brother.
"Have you given any more thought about what you'll do."
"Yeah, I have to find them a home. I really care about them, but I can't care for them. I realized yesterday that I'm in way over my head. I asked around a bit, but since the Lower Town's cordoned off and everyone's suspicious or in mourning, I didn't get any straight answers." Cassie admitted sadly, helping Gwen beat the dust out of the curtains.
"I'll see what I can do. Talk to some of my neighbors." Gwen told her with a smile.
"You seem much happier today. You're father doing better?"
"Yes, Merlin was just by asking me about that." Gwen said with a slight blush.
"Is that a blush coloring your cheeks? What did he say, what did he do?! Did you flirt, did he flirt? Tell me everything." Cassie said with bright eyes, finishing with those curtains and sweeping the room while Gwen cleaned the table tops.
"What are you two gossiping so happily about?" Morgana asked when she returned from tea a while later.
"Gwen and Merlin, sitting in a tree…"Cassie singsonged teasingly.
"No! Finally!" Morgana breathed excitedly.
"No, not finally. He's slower on the uptake than you and Owaine were." Gwen said, teasing Cassie in return. "I'll tell you everything she told me while Gwen finishes." Cassie said excitedly, going over to the sitting area with Morgana and sitting down on the floor next to Taran and Alex and telling her in Latin.
"Seize her!" Cassie heard when the door slammed open.
"No!" Gwen said in fright.
"Guinevere, I'm arresting you for crimes and contraventions of the laws of Camelot, that you did practice enchantments." Arthur said when the guards had grabbed her upper arms and made her drop the vase she was holding with a clang.
"Stay with them." Morgana told her friend, running out to the entrance to see what was going on. "Gwen?"
"But what have I done? I haven't done anything! Help me, please!" Gwen cried, terrified, as the guards led her out of the room.
"What are you doing?" Morgana demanded, just as scared for Gwen as Gwen was.
"I found a magic poultice in her house." Arthur said, going towards the door to Morgana's chamber to leave.
"Oh, that's ridiculous." Morgana said, stopping him short of the doorway.
"Then how else do you explain her father's recovery?" he demanded, looking back at her.
"Well, she's innocent! I know she's innocent." Morgana said vehemently.
"What can I do? I can't turn a blind eye!" Arthur said, stalking out the room.
"What happened?" Cassie asked in a trembling voice, holding Alex closely.
"Arthur's arrested Gwen for using magic! How ridiculous is that!? He's as bad as his father!" Morgana said, placing the silver vase with the dead, white flowers on the table and stalking out of the room.
"Cassie? Is she really a sorceress?" Alex asked quietly, too afraid to speak any louder.
"No, darling. She's not. Gwen's innocent. Let's go back to my chambers now. I need to bathe Taran." Cassie said, standing up and picking up the baby. "Can you fold those and leave them here?"
"Yes, Cassie." Alex said quietly, gripping the toy wolf tightly as he did as she asked.
C-can I have some water. I'm thirsty!" Alex said after they'd arrived at her chambers.
"I don't have any clean water here, but you can have some of this milk." Cassie said, taking the small bottle of milk she kept cool in the water for him to drink. "Leave enough for later, I'm planning on making some tomato soup for us tonight." Cassie said, going up the stairs into her room to bathe Taran.
"Yes, Cassie." Alex said, sitting at the table after he took a swig of milk.
"Cassie! Cassie?!" Owaine called, knocking on her door urgently.
"Hi, Owaine! Cassie's washing Taran up there right now." Alex said when he opened the door, a milk mustache on his upper lip.
"Come here." Owaine said with a sigh of relief, scooping him up in his arms and wiping the milk off his face while he closed the door with his foot.
"Cassie." he said softly from the door to her bedchamber.
"Owaine." Cassie called back just as softly, wrapping the baby up gently before picking him back up. "I'm fine. It's Gwen." Cassie told him with tears in her eyes.
"Oh, lambkin. Shouldn't have let you leave last night, should I?" he asked knowingly.
"No." she whispered, hating that she lied to him about Merlin.
"Alex tells me you'll be making tomato soup for later. I have to get back, I'll be missed if I'm gone for too long."
"I know. I love you, Owaine." Cassie told him, standing on the tips of her toes to give him a chaste kiss on the lips before nodding to Alex, "You get a kiss too." she said, kissing his cheek softly when Owaine put him back on the floor.
"I'll see you later, Cass," he said, going back out the door and leaving the three of them alone. You want to spend some time at Uncle Gaius'?" Cassie asked Alex sweetly, gathering the baby in her arms and holding her other hand out for Alex to take once Taran was situated.
"Okay." Alex said, taking her hand and walking over.
"Gaius, you don't mind watching them for a bit, at least while I see Gwen, do you?" Cassie asked him desperately.
"Sure, don't be too long, Cassie."
"Thank you, Gaius. Really." Cassie said, giving him a gentle kiss as she handed him the baby.
"Don't be too long." he told her again as she left, forgetting about the sleeping baby and waking him up, sighind tiredly at the cries.