Chapter 56 A/N I don't own Merlin.
"I'm bored!" Cassie whined as she walked into Gaius' chambers the next day.
"So go do your rounds." He said from where he sat hunched over.
"I just finished them."
"So, go talk with Morgana and Gwen."
"Done, nothing of much interest, except for this nasty rumor that I have no want to spread."
"So go read a book. Geoffrey mentioned you went to the library yesterday."
"You know why I went. And, I'd really rather not read another word on Camelotian law or the treaties its undertaken, or the Kings or-"
"Go see if there's someone in the stocks. Maybe Merlin landed himself there, then." Gaius said, interrupting her with a raised eyebrow and an annoyed expression as he flipped through the open book on the table.
"There's not, I was just up in the battlements."
"Lancelot and Merlin should be at the training fields, go find them." he suggested.
"Yeah, okay." Cassie said, sighing wistfully-on purpose- and walking slowly out the door.
"Hey, Cass." Leon said when she ran into him a few hallways over.
"Leon. How's training?"
"Long, the squires this year aren't what we'd hoped for. But we'll get them bent into shape, do not worry." he said with a wicked smile.
"I think I will worry, but for the poor boys. Not you. You'll beat them into shape!" Cassie answered, a wide grin as she imagined exactly how they were being bent into shape.
"We all went through it. The fun's when you get to the other side and there's new squires to torture." he told her, leaning down to whisper the last in her ear.
"Oh, really?" Cassie asked through giggles.
"Yeah, really." he said, nodding sagely.
"So, when you become First Knight, you'll keep the tradition alive, then?" Cassie asked, looking up at him mirthfully.
"Among others, yes. Some of which you'll see if Lord Seisyll's son gets knighted. I should go. The King's expecting me. Best not to keep him waiting." Leon told her, giving her shoulder a gentle squeeze goodbye and turning to leave, a wide smile on his face as he walked down the hall.
"You'll warn me if I get caught in the crosshairs, yes?" Cassie called to his retreating frame, watching as he turned and walked backwards while he spoke.
"Nope! That's part of the fun!" he called back, laughing heartily when she rolled her eyes and bit her lower lip in concern.
"Oh, come on! I haven't even pranked you yet! This is just asking for trouble!" she called back, running to catch up to him, all boredom gone.
"No, this is me begging for it." he replied, his eyes twinkling in mischief before going serious when the warning bells began to ping. "Stay here, Owaine would kill me if you got hurt. I'd kill me if you got hurt." he said, suddenly serious as he turned and ran outside, sword unsheathed.
"I'm not staying here." Cassie said, drawing her dagger and running after him, only stopping when she saw the mass of people coming into Camelot looking like they'd been attacked. She quickly looked around, trying to find a familiar face in the crowd and smiling widely when he saw the weary look of her husband through the crowd speaking to Prince Arthur in quick words. Cassie quickly wound her way through the crowd, frowning when she noticed the cuts and bruises, and waited for him to finish reporting to Arthur.
"Cassie." he breathed with an exhausted smile, hugging her tightly and kissing her hand.
"My love." she greeted with a smile, blushing slightly. "Go on up, I'll tend to your cuts later, first let me help Gaius and Merlin with everyone."
"If I fall asleep waiting for you, it's not my fault." he said with a nod and a weary smile, winking at her and going up the steps into the castle.
"Where do you think this creature is heading? Not here, surely?" Cassie asked an hour later as she stitched up his deeper cuts.
"It appears that way, yes. When we left for Willowdale it had already been attacked, after Greenswood. Sir Durnure was injured, unfortunately he didn't live." Owaine said, looking down sadly.
"He was a good man." Cassie said softly, gently lifting his face with her fingers and looking into his eyes.
"He was a good friend. I was squired with him." he said softly. "I should go tell his wife, she needs to be told."
"Owaine, I'm sure the King has already had someone inform her. He was one of his knights, one of his vassals. It's his duty to inform her. You need rest, my Knight." Cassise told him, softly kissing his lips and rubbing his shoulder. "Let me prepare you a bath."
"Cassie?"
"Yes, my love?" she asked, her eyes glowing as the tub filled with water
"Is this the creature you and Merlin saw?"
"I believe it may be so."
"Our weapons did nothing to it, they shattered on impact. We had to run, to protect the villagers. We had to-"
"Shh. Let's not dwell on the past. That bath's ready, just get in and relax. I'll be back in a few, I just need to get something from Gaius for the rest of the cuts." she said, looking into his eyes and taking his hand to lead him to the tub, drawing the curtains slightly.
"I'll be right here." he said, undressing and lowering himself into the hot water with a pleasurable groan.
"I have a feeling you will." she replied with a sly smile, turning around when she got to the door to look at him lovingly.
"How's Owaine?" Leon asked as she closed the door.
"No worse for wear, I'm just going to get the salve for the cuts. He says this creature is headed for Camelot. You don't think it's true, do you?"
"If it is, we'll defeat it. We're Knights of Camelot, after all." he said, drawing himself up to his fullest height and walking proudly.
"Such modesty is unbecoming, Sir Leon." Cassie joked as they walked up to the physician's tower together.
"Be that as it may, we will defeat it, don't worry." he said, opening the door for her and waiting for her to retrieve what she was looking for.
"So, do you think Lancelot has a fighting chance? To become a Knight?"
"I haven't seen him fight. But he takes orders without question, and from what you've said he seems an honorable man."
"He is. Honorable, I mean." Cassie said, walking slowly down the hallway towards the nobles' wing.
"Sir Leon, Prince Arthur would like a word." a page said as he approached them, bowing slightly.
"Thank you," he said, nodding to the boy and turning to Cassie, "See you later, then."
"Yeah, bye, Leon." Cassie said, making her way to her chambers alone, a worried look on her face.
"What's wrong, my Queen." Owaine asked when she walked in, peering around the partly drawn curtains.
"I just ran into Leon, this creature…what if we don't defeat it?" she asked uncertainly as she walked over to the tub and sat down beside it.
"We'll find a way. Gaius will have an answer. He always does when it comes to these things." Owaine said, reaching out for her hand and kissing it gently.
"Yeah, you're right. I'll still do some research just in case." Cassie said, nodding and smiling optimistically and leaning her hands against the edge of the tub, "Besides, we have a bet, don't we?"
"Was it really a bet? I thought it was just an agreement." Owaine responded, reaching around her and untying the laces on her dress slowly.
"I thought I was the one who had to seduce you? I had something planned, but I didn't expect you back so soon." Cassie said, letting her magic rise up and locking the door wordlessly.
"Then tonight you seduce me, but for now…" he said, trailing off and letting his fingers graze her bare skin as he pulled the dress down and admired her body.
"Owaine, you big fo-" Cassie started to say, but was cut off by his lips on hers, pulling her into the water and splashing the floor.
"You were saying?" he teased, nuzzling her nose playfully as she twisted in the water to wrap her arms around him.
"I was saying nothing, my Knight." Cassie breathed against his lips, biting down on his lower lip gently before using her magic to draw the window curtains closed and light the candles.
"Are you seducing me, Cassie?" Owaine said with a grin as he looked around.
"Not yet, my love. This is just to set the mood." Cassie replied, carefully getting out of the tub and sashaying over to the bed, squealing playfully when he came up from behind and wrapped his arms around her wet frame, kissing her neck tenderly.
"The mood doesn't need to be set when I'm with you, my Queen." Owaine said, trailing light kisses along her neck as he turned her around and gently pushed her onto the bed.
"Well, that's very good to know." Cassie breathed out, grinning wildly at the new information as he aligned himself with her center and pushed in, making love to her for the next half hour.
"I have to go to training. With this beast, Camelot needs all her protectors." Owaine said, hugging her close and kissing her neck.
"I know, go train. I'll see if any more of the villagers that came need treating." Cassie said. "The ones I already saw are fine, but there were so many more."
"I don't want to move, I'm too comfortable holding you close to me. This is one of those moments I wish would never end." He said, closing his eyes and holding her tighter.
"It will end at some point, my Knight, but that doesn't mean it won't be repeated. For now the Kingdom needs you, go protect her." Cassie said, twisting around in his arms and kissing his nose gently.
"As you wish, my Queen." he said, kissing her deeply for a few more moments before sitting up reluctantly and dressing to train.
"Hey, Merlin. Are there any more to be treated?"
"Yes, there's a woman over there who's with child. Gaius had a servant go up to tell you a while ago."
"Must have missed him." Cassie said, her cheeks flushing as she remembered just what she'd been doing then.
"Yeah, let's say I believe that for a second." Merlin said, arching his eyebrows quickly with an unbelieving smirk on his face.
"Oh, shut it, Merlin. I'll be over there." Cassie said, trying hard not to smile as she walked over to where the woman was. "Hello, are you hurt?" she asked softly, tending to the rest of the villagers until night fell and everyone had someplace to stay.
"Done for the night?" Cassie asked Owaine when he entered their chambers.
"Yes, you."
"Close the door and find out." she said in a sultry voice, walking behind the screen and changing into the sheer nightgown she'd gotten from Lady Gordon, locking the door with her magic once more and whispering under her breath: "forbaernan bleóreádan flēotaþ þæm heofoncandelum (Burn purple and float the candles.)"
"You never cease to surprise me, Cassie." Owaine said, looking around in wonder as the floating candles cast a dancing purple light over all of the room.
"You've yet to see anything, my love." Cassie said, appearing from behind the screen and leaning against the bedpost with her hand gripping it high.
"You are so right, I have yet to see anything." he breathed out, looking her up and down hungrily as she shook her head no.
"It's my turn. And I will torture you to the point of madness, my Knight." she said devilishly, biting her lower lip and spending the rest of the night making love to him slowly.
"Are you going to watch Lancelot's test today?" Owaine asked when they woke up the following morning, candles off and the fireplace burning low in the predawn.
"I am, he did save Merlin and myself." Cassie said, turning onto her back and looking up at the canopy of the bed.
"I'll be happy to see you there." he said, his fingers tracing nonsensical patterns along her stomach.
"That tickles, you know." Cassie said, laughing happily as he kept on drawing on her stomach.
"I do know, I remember when I found out just how ticklish you are." he said with a chuckle.
"There has to be something we don't know about each other. Tell me."
"We have our whole lives to find them out, Cass." he answered.
"Please." Cassie asked again, batting her eyelashes at him as she turned her face to look at him.
"Okay, I absolutely hate asparagus. Even more now that you come home smelling of it whenever you make the potions."
"I didn't know that, you could have just told me. I could bathe before I come back, come smelling of roses or something." Cassie said, smiling sweetly at him.
"Your turn, tell me something." Owaine said, stilling his fingers and laying his hand flat on her stomach.
"I can't stand chicken. The texture, the taste, the smell. Any of it." Cassie told him, making him quirk his eyebrow at her and look at her as if she were crazy.
"Why not tell us, we would have had something other than chicken at the wedding feast."
"We did have something other than chicken, there was veal, and mutton, and a lot of vegetables and fruits." Cassie said with a light laugh.
"Oh yeah, I forgot. Too busy looking at my gorgeous wife." he said, leaning over and kissing her deeply, fingers trailing patterns once more as she giggled into the kiss.
"Owaine, stop!" Cassie giggled, pulling out of the kiss and trying to stop his hands.
"Not until the sun comes out." Owaine responded, getting on top of her and kissing her gently, looking at her mischievously and winking. "I will make you feel now as you made me feel last night."
"Go ahead and try, my Knight." Cassie said, confident he wouldn't be able to, and regretting her confidence an hour later after she had been proven wrong. "I hate you, my love." she breathed out heavily, her chest rising and falling quickly with her heated breaths.
"I love you, my hate." he said goofily, kissing her once more before getting out of bed.
"Help me tie these? I wanted to have breakfast outside today. In the gardens. Care to join?"
"Can't, stricter schedules now that there's a creature about. But I'll see you later, love." Owaine said, finishing the knot and kissing her temple before tying his sword belt on and leaving.
"Well, here we are. Your final challenge. Succeed and you join the elite. Fail and your journey ends here. Lancelot, seventh son of Lord Seisyll of Alba…" Arthur said as he walked the length of the training field, turning back to face the timekeeper and nodding. "Your time starts now." They both put their helmets on, unsheathing their swords and preparing to fight. They danced around each other before the first attack; Lancelot made the first move, Arthur on the defensive as the swords clanged and slashed, never still until the tables turned and Arthur advanced, making Gwen clutch at Merlin's shirt and Cassie gasp in worry, the exciting fight continuing before them until Arthur knocked Lancelot out.
"Oh, I was so hoping…" Cassie said softly as Arthur put his sword in the ground and removed his helmet, bending to retrieve the flag from his opponent's belt.
"Shame." Arthur said, when suddenly Lancelot stood up and knocked Arthur to the ground, retrieving the sword and holding it to Arthur's chest.
"Do you submit, Sire?" Lancelot asked, ignoring the cheering from Cassie as she yelled "Epa! Santiago, y cierra España!"
"What are you saying?"
"It's…a battle cry...do you not have those here?" Cassie asked slowly, furrowing her brow as guards restrained Lancelot and Arthur towered over him with his sword held to Lancelot's chest.
"Your people are strange." Gwen said with a giggle.
"Well, I guess I could have yelled 'Barritus' but I don't really have a shield to make it better right now. You know how the shield makes it reverberate and sound louder. Also, my voice is too high pitched to make it sound intimidating." Cassie replied, smiling as Arthur offered Lancelot a hand up and declared that he had passed the test.
"What were you yelling?"
"This again? It's the battle cry my ar- we used in Hispania."
"Like 'for Camelot'?" Arthur asked, putting the sword in the sword rack and taking off his gloves.
"Yes! Exactly like that." Cassie said happily, catching Owaine's eye and excusing herself. "Congratulations Lancelot, I know how much this means to you." Cassie said, sweetly, giving him a quick kiss on the cheek and skipping over to her husband, talking animatedly as they discussed the fight.
Post A/N I know that 'Santiago, y cierra españa' is from the Reconquista, but I couldn't exactly remember what the older battle cry from Spain was and I didn't bother looking. Also the 'barritus' is Roman, ancient, and from what I remember from high school history class, it was rather intimidating. Do you know, it took me a good three days to write this, but only because I had like 0 motivation for it, I was in a slump :( But, hopefully I'm back now! Also, brand new one-shot that may or may not have something to do with this fic! There's two, actually, but the second one got super long, so it's not really a "one-shot" cause it might become like, four chapter, haven't actually finished that one, but the first one is just some bromance/friendship stuff. Let me know if you want it, it'll give me time to get the idea on paper. Well, computer, but you know what I meant!