Chapter 64 I don't own Merlin. I never thought it would be so hard to write once I got to the episodes. Honestly, I thought it might be easier. Apparently not, it's taken so long just to get to this episode, and now I have no clue what to do. I thought about doing like I did with the valiant episode, but then I got lazy. And on top of that, I've had some guests over since late April so… I have like no time. And My brother's been nagging me to stop fanfiction and start focusing more on my studies-which at this point in my carrier is stupid since I'm practically done with my chemistry degree-hopefully come December!- and have already started studying for the MCAT. If there's any doctors-or to be doctors-out there, then is it really necessary to have research experience to get into med school? Also, new favorite/follower, thank you haruhishibuya. Anyways, they get back after Sophia and Aulfric are killed and Cassie sees Merlin dragging him over to Camelot. AAAAAANND…. I'm back! Italy was amazing! The workish internship type thingy that I did was kind of a let down, but the people I met there were really cool, and the place was just completely awesome! And I went a little party crazy, but that's beside the point- it was only four nights! Anyways, on to the story, hope you like!

"So, Arthur. Morgana tells me what happened." Cassie greeted with a wide smile when they crossed paths in one of the empty hallways, hiding a bucket of feathers behind her back.

"Of course she did." he said, rolling his eyes and pausing on the way to the armory.

"So...was she really that pretty, or are you just that susceptible to womanly wiles?" Cassie teased some more.

"Ugh." he groaned, rolling his eyes and leaning against the wall, rubbing his hands over his face.

"I'm just joking, besides, I saw Merlin dragging you back here when we came back. I asked Merlin and he told me to ask Morgana. He said, and I quote: 'You really should ask Lady Morgana that, she knows more about the Sophia incident than I do anyways.' Which I highly doubt seeing as he's your shadow. And besides, why wouldn't he know, you two are friends no matter how much you deny it. The whole of Camelot can see it! The talkative weasel has wormed his way into your he-"

"Like you?" Arthur cut her off short, her ramblings getting to him as he started back down the hall with her in tow, hiding his amusement.

"Yes, like me. We're quite similar, Merlin and I. We have a lot more in common than anyone would guess. We could pass for siblings."

"No you couldn't. You and Morgana, maybe, because you are basically the same person in different packages, but you and Merlin…" he said dubiously, nodding to himself as she tripped over thin air. "Never mind, you could pass for his sister, but with blond hair and smaller ears."

"See, told you!" Cassie said happily, walking along chattering beside him.

"Well, it was a nice conversation we had." Arthur said amiably, turning around and smiling at her once he reached the door to the armory.

"You said nothing." Cassie replied with a narrow look in her eyes.

"No, but I listened." Arthur replied.

"No you didn't." Cassie said with a giggle.

"Did too."

"What was I talking about then?" she challenged crossing her arms over her chest and looking up at him.

"You were talking about dresses and hair and makeup." Arthur said the first thing that popped into his head.

"Actually, I mentioned how hard it was to fight in a dress and then kept on talking about the inordinate amount of time you spend training." Cassie pointed out. "See, didn't pay attention. But it's fine, my brothers used to ignore me all the time too. I think the only person that's ever actually paid full attention to me when I talk is Merlin, and that boy can give me a run for my money when we get to talking." Cassie said, looking up at the ceiling as she did so.

"Then, uh, talk less." Arthur suggested with a smile

"Why, it suits me so well, and I can always ramble myself out of trouble, for example, you've gone this whole way without noticing what my prank was! And I'm not going to tell you!" she said triumphantly, turning around and skipping back down the hall.

"What did you do?! Cassie!" Arthur cried, trying to look at his back and failing to do so.

"Doesn't matter now, Arthur!" Cassie called back, turning around to say it and laughing gaily as she walked into someone and stepped on his foot. "Oh! Sorry!"

"It's fine, what's so funny?" Leon asked, steadying her.

"Oh, nothing. Just a small prank." Cassie said vaguely, waving it off and changing topics, "So, what's so funny with you?"

"I'm not laughing." he said with a confused smile on his face.

"You are now." she said, blowing a fist-full of feathers at his face and running away.

"What was that for!?"

"A little hint for Prince Arthur!" she called over her shoulder with a wink.

"That was a very good prank you pulled on Arthur this morning." Morgana commented while they sat for dinner that evening in Morgana's chambers.

"Thank you. ¡Llegó caído del cielo! No pudo haber sido más perfecto!"

"English, Cass. I understood sky and perfect." Morgana said.

"It was completely by chance, Arthur just showed up before I could start my prank and then, it just popped into my head!"

"I still can't believe he was walking around with feathers all over him without him noticing!"

"Oh, I can. Maybe someday I'll tell you exactly how I did it." Cassie said mysteriously, looking up over her cup of wine.

"Please do! What was the original prank?"

"I was going to cover the wall in feathers."

"Cassie!" Gwen cried, shaking her head.

"What? It's not like it would have been hard to clean up. I did it once before in Hispania, and the wall I chose there was much larger than this one."

"Yes, but magic wasn't illegal there, a sorcerer could have cleaned it up! It is here!" Gwen whispered, scandalized.

"As a matter of fact it wasn't a sorcerer who cleaned it up, and all the servants found it hilarious. Because I made an image of my brother being chased by an angry bird, but that's besides the point."

"Where'd you even get all the feathers to do that?" Morgana asked.

"There was a feast the night before and I asked the kitchen staff for all the feathers from the chickens. They didn't refuse."

"Yes, well, what were you planning on doing this time?"

"Merlin and Arthur sword fighting."

"You mean Arthur beating poor Merlin up?" Gwen asked.

"Yes, exactly."

"Poor Merlin." Morgana repeated with a scoff.

"Nah, he would've found it funny." Cassie said with a shake of her head.

"After sputtering like an idiot!" Mogana agreed, laughing at the mental image of him.

"That's so true! Okay, moving on… here's the pillow. I finished it this morning." Cassie said, getting up and rifling through her night table.

"Thanks, Cassie! I wouldn't have gone through it so quickly! It would have taken me three times longer to finish it!" Morgana said happily, a wide smile on her face.

"It was no problem, gave me time to relax and practice my ma-"

"Enter!" Morgana called over her shoulder as someone knocked on the door, interrupting Cassie,

"Lady Morgana. Lady Cassie. The King requests your presence in the throne room, my Lady. Immediately." the knight said, not sparing them a second glance before turning and leaving the room with a bow.

"Guess I should go. Wonder what it is this time. Probably wants me to bat my lashes at some visiting dignitary's son." she said with a roll of her eyes as she stood up gracefully.

"Or, perhaps, he's figured out you're the reason Lord Ulgar's daughter left in near hysterics a few months ago?" Casie suggested veering away from what she was previously saying as there were probably knights on the other side of the door.

"Yes, that was a fun week for us all." Morgana replied drily with a quick lift of her eyebrows. "But anyways, what were you saying before I was summoned?" she said, turning back to her friend and looking at her curiously as she looked over her friend's shoulder, masking her panic.

"Oh, nothing, I should go anyways, Owaine's probably lost without me by now. Is it just me, or does it seem like no nobleman knows how to dress himself without any help?" Cassie asked teasingly.

"Well, Arthur certainly can't. Merlin knows that better than anyone." Morgana replied with a light laugh as they walked down the stairs.

"Hmm, I'm curious. Is he as talented undressing as he is dressing?" Cassie teased with a seductive wink, her voice low so it wouldn't carry in the empty corridor.

"Well, I wouldn't know, my friend. He's never dressed me." she replied just as lowly, her eyes glinting in the torchlight.

"Have you two...you know?" Cassie asked, moving her hands back and forth suggestively.

"No, we haven't. It's hard to be around him and not want to rip his clothes off, you know?"

"Not really, I've never really wanted to rip Merlin's clothes off. His head or his tongue, maybe. The boy talks more than I do. But no-"

"Sometimes." Morgana interrupted with a pointed look.

"Sometimes what?" Cassie asked with a confused expression.

"He only talks more than you do sometimes. And that's only when you've got a headache. Or spoke so much the day before that you've lost your voice." Morgana answered.

"Fine, sometimes. How does he feel?"

"About your talking? I don't think he minds really, you two could probably be with each other all day and not tire of talking, even if you're talking over one another."

"Oh, ha ha. You know what I meant!" Cassie said, laughing drily at her friend's remark as Morgana chuckled.

"How should I know?" she replied, turning the corner and looking back. "I was in his pants, not his head."

"Morgana!" Cassie cried, sufficiently scandalized at her careless response.

"You asked, I answered." she explained away, shrugging her friend's reaction off. "Besides, aren't you the one that's going to go do the same with your husband?"

"Behind closed doors! And not talking about it like that! Maybe that's what King Uther wants to talk to you about: You speak like a sailor!"

"Oh, my dear Cassie. If that's how you think a sailor speaks, you still have much to learn." she said, sighing and shaking her head as they descended more stairs and kept on their way to the throne room.

"Well, I'd much rather not, thank you very much. I'll leave you here, I have to go see to my husband." Cassie said, stopping just before the throne room and kissing her friend goodbye on the cheeks

"We both know what that means!" Morgana called back as the younger girl rounded the corner, rolling her eyes in amusement.

"Hello, love. Good day?"

"The best, my Knight. Yours?"

"It was okay. Would've been better had you given in this afternoon."

"No such luck, my love." Cassie replied, standing on the tips of her toes and kissing him lightly before turning back to pour a cup of wine for herself.

"Why so chaste, my Queen?" Owaine asked teasingly, walking up behind her and pulling her closer to him, spilling some wine on her dress.

"Now look what you did." Cassie said, putting the pitcher down and taking a quick sip before turning around to face him.

"Suppose we'll have to do something about that. It'll stain." he said looking down at her with a smirk.

"Something like this?" Cassie said with a quick glow of her eyes, making the spill disappear before his eyes.

"Actually, I was thinking something more like this." Owaine replied, taking the pitcher of water and throwing it on her.

"Owaine! Are you serious!?" Cassie cried in shock as the cold water seeped onto her skin.

"Well, now there's something...non-magical, to be done about the wet dress." he said smugly, reaching back and untying the laces of her dress slowly.

"Hm, well now you have to wait, my hair got wet and I'm going to take a bath now." Cassie said, kissing him on the side of the lips and sashaying towards the tub as she filled it with her magic.

"Want some dinner?"

"Already had some with Morgana. But you're welcome to eat while I bathe. After all, it is your fault I now have to bathe. I was planning on doing it tomorrow morning." she said over her shoulder as she lowered herself into the hot water with a content sigh.

"Yes, or...I join you. Don't really need to eat right now. My hunger is for something else." Owaine added, looking at her lasciviously.

"Is it now?" Cassie asked amusedly.

"Hmh."

"I'm tempted to just ignore you." she pointed out as she lathered her arms

"But you can't do that. I know you." he added, kissing her before she could move.

"A little too well, my Knight." Cassie submitted after their lips separated, lowering herself into the water to wash her hair.

"You done?"

"Someone's impatient." Cassie said with a small smile.

"No, I just have something to talk to you about." Owaine replied.

"Really, what?" Cassie asked, her interest peaked.

"Not until you're done."

"You never have something to talk to me about! Tell me!" she said, twisting around in the tub to look at him.

"We talk!"

"Yes, but you never open with that! Come on! Spill."she said hungrily.

"Someone's gossip hungry. I would have thought spending the day with Morgana would have you sated."

"Owaine!" Cassie whined.

"Cassie!" Owaine whined back.

"Don't make me use my talents on you!"

"Which ones? The ones I love, or the ones I like?" he teased.

"If anything I'll deprive you of the ones you love."

"You wouldn't!" he said, narrowing his eyes and tilting his head at her.

"Oh, I so would. Now talk!"

"Okay, fine. Come on, it's easier to show you." he said, holding his hand out for her to take and handing her the towel to dry off.

"I'm dry, free me from my misery! Tell me!"

"Alright, my silly lambkin. Close your eyes." he said softly, taking her by the shoulders and leading her to the floor-length mirror.

"Can I look now?" she asked when he let her go.

"No." he said simply, walking around quietly and grabbing the package from the corner. "Open them." he said softly from behind her, wrapping his arms around her slight frame and holding the dress up to her body.

"Owaine, it's beautiful! I love it. Where'd you get it?"

"I asked Gwen for the measurements so the seamstress could make it." he said with a soft smile as she held it close to her body.

"Help me in it!" Cassie said excitedly, putting it on over herself and smilin as the silky material slid against her skin and he barely tied the laces.

"Knew you'd look beautiful in it. I was hoping you'd wear it to the coming-of-age ceremony in a couple weeks."

"I love it, Owaine. Of course I will. There's no way I wouldn't wear such a beautiful dress. I love you." she said with a wide smile, hugging him gently and leaning up to give him a long kiss.

"I think you love the dress more. Haven't kissed me like that in…"

"A few hours?" Cassie asked with a quirked eyebrow, holding back her amused smile.

"I was going to say a much longer period of time, but now that I think of it, yes, a few hours." he conceded with a thoughtful smile, his arms still snaked around her waist.

"So… what's the present for?" she asked curiously.

"You mean you don't know?" he asked with a furrowed brow.

"Should I?" Cassie asked, suddenly worried.

"It's been two years since I first saw you. Two years since we met."

"I can't believe I forgot." Cassie said with a sigh. "Guess I should go and find you something. Can't have you thinking I don't think about you. I might get you this one thing I saw in the market the other day while 'Gana and I were walking around."

"I can think of another gift you can get me right now…" he said mysteriously.

"Oh? What gift?" Cassie asked, her eyes wide and innocent as she figured exactly what he was saying.

"I think you know. Those eyes don't fool me, my love."

"Oh? Well, we could, but it would just be what we do every night. And day."

"Are you going to make me say it?"

"Maybe, perhaps I don't want to give you the pleasure." Cassie pointed out, her eyes glowing as she undid the laces on her dress and changed into the dress she'd worn earlier.

"Either way, we'll both be getting the pleasure we seek." he said, taking her hand and pulling her away from the mirror. "But it would be nice to hear."

"Tough luck, my friend." Cassie said with a smile, letting him lead her out the door and down the hall. "But, you're crazy if you think it'll be so close to our chambers, especially since so many people walk through here."

"Where do you suggest we go then?"

"Follow me, my love." Cassie said, kissing his hand lightly and walking towards the south wing.

"To the stars and back, my Queen." he replied cheekily, winking at her as she looked back at him and rolled her eyes.

"I believe I know where we're going now." Owaine said after a few moments' silence as they walked around the castle hand in hand.

"Oh?" Cassie replied simply, trying to hide her smile.

"Yes, oh." Owaine told her, walking ahead and leading her over to the far corner of the hallway.

"You've quite the intuition, my Knight." Cassie said haughtily.

"And you don't wear haughty well, my Queen. Which is surprising since most royals are pompous asses!" he said, adding the last jokingly.

"Watch yourself, wouldn't want a pompous ass hearing you." Cassie said, nodding to Arhtur walking towards them with Merlin walking beside him.

"Hey, Merlin. Arthur." Cassie greeted them with a wide smile as they passed.

"Hey, Cass. Owaine." Merlin greeted the same way while Arhtur just nodded. "Obviously can't stay to chat. Arthur's in a mood." he teased.

"Must be his monthly's" Cassie agreed teasingly, winking at Merlin conspiratorially. "Owaine gets the same."

"Do not!" Owaine protested as Arthur just spluttered angrily, much to Merlin and Cassie's amusement.

"You know, I don't think my floor's all that clean, Merlin. Add that to polishing my armor and sharpening my sword. Oh, and the horses need brushing. Today."

"You know, my Lord, if you can spare him our chamber's rather messy." Owaine added, smiling wickedly.

"Yes, I can spare him. Go on and clean their chambers before doing mine. I expect the floor to be spotless before the night's over. And the horses had better be brushed when we go out on a hunt tomorrow morning. I expect them to be saddled by dawn. We'll be out all day." Arthur said, nodding goodbye to the couple and walking away, giving him even more chores to do and ignoring that he hadn't followed.

"I would have thought he'd run out of chores today." Merlin groaned out, following behind quickly to catch up.

"That was mean, now he has to do our room, too!" she admonished, slapping his chest and giving him a look.

"You shouldn't have played along, darling." Owaine explained calmly, taking her hand and starting their trek once more.

"But it's so fun to watch grown men splutter like fools! Especially if that man is the Crown Prince." Cassie argued back, smiling mischievously.

"He's not the Crown Prince, yet. His crowning's next week."

"Whatever, he's still the Crown Prince." Cassie said with a chuckle, her eyes glowing momentarily as they disappeared behind the tapestry and she sat on the small stone bench.

"Making sure no one hears?"

"Yes, and I also put up some wards to know when someone's coming down the hallway."

"Paranoid much?"

"Extremely. Now, take your present, my love." Cassie said, standing up and lifting her skirts provocatively, her right leg on the stone bench and her left reaching up behind her to hold the sconce.

"What'd you do?" Owaine asked as the stone bench moved aside quickly and revealed a trapdoor.

"I don't know! Do you want to see what's down there? I'm really very curious." Cassie suggested excitedly.

"No, I don't want to see what's down there" he said, stepping closer and pulling her closer through the waist and gathering her skirts in his hand, "I want to see what's down here."

"But Owaine! Think of it as a quest! Come on, adventure and mystery and all that stuff you knights like."

"We like action, in every sense of the word." he said seductively, leaning down and capturing her lips with his.

"Fine! But I'm coming back and going down there, I don't care if I'm alone." Cassie mumbled against his lips as passion overtook them and he did all he promised he would.

"Wanna look now?" Cassie asked once they leaned against the cold stone wall, panting wildly.

"Sure, why not." Owaine said, knowing she had really meant it when she said she'd go alone.