Chapter 67 I don't own Merlin, and I don't think I like this chapter very much. I don't know if I did or not. I'm very ambivalent about my writing right now, I feel like there's writer's block from my stupid classes.

"I've got training earlier today, see you later?" Owaine said as he dressed

"Always, my love." Cassie replied, sitting up in bed and kissing him passionately.

"Keep kissing me like that and I'll never leave." he mumbled against her lips.

"Darn. You've discovered my plan, I need to come up with a new one, now." she said with a roll of her eyes.

"Goodbye, my love. I'll see you later." he said with a fond chuckle.

"I should get ready, too. Make my rounds and all."

"Okay, Lunch?"

"Certainly." Cassie said with a wide smile, her eyes glowing as she tied the laces magically.

"It's a bit tight, isn't it?"

"Is it?" Cassie asked, looking down at herself. "Oh, I must've overdone it with my magic. Thanks for letting me know."

"Tie it like that when we sit for lunch." Owaine suggested as he looked her up and down and bit his lower lip.

"You could just wait for this evening, get a real show." Cassie replied wickedly, leaning up and taking his lips in hers. "Training awaits, my Knight."

"I hate you right now." he breathed out as she sashayed towards the door.

"Your mouth says one thing, and your body another." Cassie said from the door, blowing a kiss his way and leaving with a light laugh.

"Someone's happy this morning." Merlin greeted her as he walked out of the physician's chambers.

"Very. If you'll excuse me, I have some work to do, my friend. And if I'm not mistaken, you do too."

"I was hoping you could keep me from going, I really don't want to muck out the stalls."

"I'd get it over with quickly, if I were you." Cassie said with a conspiratorial wink at him.

"Fine." he groaned out, reluctantly walking away. "See you!"

"Bye, Merlin!" Cassie called back at him, remembering she needed a few herbs and he was supposed to go sometime that week. "Oh, wait!"

"Yes?" he asked hopefully, running back up the stairs.

"I need these herbs whenever you go out to pick them." Cassie told him as she disappeared into her chambers and grabbed a list she'd made earlier.

"Sure, no problem. Tomorrow?" he asked.

"Tomorrow's fine." she answered with a smile. "Thanks."

"Okay, bye."

"Yeah, see you." Cassie said to herself, going into her chambers and accidentally knocking over the pots she used for the pregnancy tests.

"Damn! Now I have to go into the market to get some more!" she said to herself, bending over and picking the pieces up as the door swung open.

"Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, Gaius. Do you need something from the market? I have to get some new bowls."

"No, thank you, Cassie. You go, I'll pick this up."

"Thanks, Gaius." Cassie said with a smile, relief on her face that she didn't have to sweep up the broken pieces.

"Four of those bowls, please." Cassie asked the vendor with a smile, handing him the thrymsas as he gave her the bowls. "Thank you."

"My Lady." he said with a quick bow, turning to his other customers.

Cassie walked back to her chambers and left the bowl on the tables, checking the other ones that were hidden behind the screen before leaving for her duties for the rest of the day. She was walking back from her first patient when she heard the blood-chilling scream reverberate through her mind, her hands flying up to her head and dropping just as quickly as some of the townspeople looked at her in worry.

"My Lady? Are you alright?"

"Yes, Jane. I'm perfectly fine. Just a slight headache."

"You should go lie down, my Lady."

"Thank you, Jane, but it's passed. I'll continue on my rounds. How's your child?" Cassie asked, walking beside the older woman and making conversation.

"Big and strong, my Lady. And a crier. I don't think I've slept a full night since I had her."

"I'm sure you will. Just give it time." Jane answered, stopping beside Cassie as she stopped and looked around quickly for the source of the voice in her head.

"It seems I've gotten slightly turned around." Cassie laughed, realizing her mistake and covering for it. "You wouldn't happen to know where Esmelda lives, do you?"

"A few houses down that way."

"Thank you. Make sure to get some rest, Jane." Cassie said kindly.

"Yes, my Lady." she said, giving her a wide smile and watching Cassie leave in concern.

"Hello, Esmelda, how are you today?" Cassie greeted, going about her duties for the rest of the morning and deciding to finish her weekly visits that same day.

"Busy day, my love?" Cassie asked in greeting that evening as Owaine walked in and collapsed on his stomach on the bed.

"Ugh." he replied, turning onto his back and kicking off his boots.

"Are you hungry, my love. You skipped lunch." Cassie asked, taking her plate and going over to the bed.

"Hmhm." he said, sitting up and accepting the plate gratefully. "How was your day?" he asked with a mouthful of food.

"It was productive. I went to most of the women in the morning and finished the rest after a quick lunch."

"Sorry I stood you up. Uther's had us knocking on everyone's door."

"Yeah, Leon searched here just as I finished my lunch. Didn't say much, though. What's going on?"

"There's a Druid boy in the city. You didn't hear about the execution?" he asked, finishing his plate of food and looking at her in gratitude.

"Did I hear about it? Yes. Did I bother to watch it? Absolutely not. In part because I thought it distasteful, in part because even the sight of Druids gives me fear greater than I can handle."

"I understand. Don't go getting into trouble." he said with a pointed look.

"I don't go looking for trouble, my Knight. It usually finds me."

"You mean Merlin?"

"Yes, I mean him, but I can't just sit back and do nothing. Besides, when was the last time I actually did anything dangerous?'

"Five minutes ago." he answered quickly.

"Five minutes ago I was reading, hardly dangerous."

"Yes, but what were you reading?" he pointed out.

"Fine, I'll give you that. But I could have easily hidden it, and the only person that comes in here at this hour and without knocking is you, my Knight."

"I should hope not!" he said, kissing her quickly.

"Actually, Merlin es capaz de entrar sin pensar."

"What'd you say about Merlin?"

"He's definitely capable of barging in. No manners, that boy."

"You're still crazy."

"I married you, didn't I?" Cassie replied, smiling cheekily.

"If I wasn't so absolutely exhausted, I'd push you onto the bed and show you just how crazy you are."

"Well, you really don't have to do much, my love." Cassie said in a sultry voice, getting on her knees behind him and massaging his back and arms.

"That feels amazing, lambkin."

"I try, but it would be so much easier if I had bigger hands." Cassie replied, kissing his neck softly.

"No, your hands are perfect. Any bigger and they wouldn't suit you." he said, taking one of her hands and kissing it gently.

"Let's get some rest now, my Knight."

"Whatever you say, my Queen." he replied, standing up and preparing for bed.

"Good morning, my Queen." Owaine said, hugging her tightly and kissing her cheek

"Hmm, 'morning." Cassie mumbled, turning around and burying her head back in the pillow.

"What'll you do today? It's past dawn." he asked, stretching out and walking over to the dresser. "You're always up early."

"Nothing. Read a while, sleep a little longer. I might have lunch with Morgana or Ellie. Might play with your niece for a bit. Who knows." Cassie said lazily, sitting up and smiling up at him with sleepy eyes.

"Ah, the beauty of life as a Courtier." Owaine said with a smile, kissing her deeply before straightening up and finishing dressing.

"Ah, the beauty of doing all my work in one day." Cassie corrected, using the same tone he'd used.

"I'm envious of you."

"I know you are. But just think of it this way, you're the envy of all the knights. Except for whomever catches Morgana's eye." she told him reassuringly.

"Someone's being rather-what was that word you used?"

"Creída? Presuntuosa?" Cassie suggested.

"Yes! Exactly! That's what you are."

"Is it not true?" Cassie replied, her eyes glinting teasingly.

"It's entirely true." he replied.

"And there's a way for you to find out if you stay any longer." she suggested.

"Oh, you kill me, woman. Alas, I can't stay. Arthur'll have my head. And Uther, his."

"Still haven't found him?"

"Not so far as I know. I'll let you know if I see you later."

"Of course. Stay safe, my love. And come back to me."

"Always." he said, kissing her once more before disappearing out the door and leaving her to sleep some more.

"Who is it?" came Morgana's voice after Cassie knocked around late morning.

"It's Cassie, 'Gana."

"Oh, thank goodness! You can help us." she breathed, opening the door quickly and pulling her friend inside.

"Sure, where's Gwen?" Cassie asked in confusion when she saw Merlin pull the curtain back.

"He's got an infection. We need you to treat him." he said gravely.

"I-is th-tha-" she stuttered out, glued to the spot.

"Yes, that's the Druid boy everyone's looking for. Help us!" Morgana said, hurrying back to the boy's side and kneeling.

"No. I won't do it." Cassie said in a shaky voice, backing away from them nervously.

"Cassie, you have to! They'll kill him! He's innocent." Morgana told her, glancing back but not thinking twice

"No! I won't do it!" Cassie repeated, her anger and fear fusing as Morgana stood her ground.

"He's a child!" Morgana said forcefully, "An innocent child!"

"They're looking for him!" Cassie all but yelled back, her voice rising in pitch but not in level.

"Gwen, talk some sense into her. She doesn't want to treat the boy!" Morgana said as Gwen walked in through the servant's entrance.

"What?" Gwen said, startled as she'd never known her friend to refuse helping anyone.

"He's a Druid! You have to turn him in, Morgana! If you don't, I will!" Cassie said, trying to steady her voice.

"I will do no such thing and neither will you!"

"You can't keep him in here, Morgana. Be reasonable."

"Reasonable! The boy is injured, and innocent! I will not see him executed."

"Fine, then. I'll turn him in!" Cassie said, her voice low as she held back her scared, angry tears and began towards the door, only to collapse in a heap as Gwen hit her from behind with a silver pitcher.

"Gwen!"

"I-I didn't know what else to do. She was going to turn the poor boy in!"

"Yeah. I know. I just didn't expect it from Cassie, of all people." Morgana said sadly. "Help me tie her up, Merlin."

"Tie Cassie up?! All due respect, Morgana, but you're crazy." he said, finding his voice after witnessing the interaction between the women.

"So what, we just keep knocking her out whenever she wakes up? Help me!" Morgana said once again.

"She's going to hate us." Gwen said, nervously worrying her lip as she brought a chair over to the small nook and looked for some rope. "This is all we have."

"At least she'll be comfortable and tied up." Merlin joked as he picked her up from the floor and placed her on the chair gently.

"Not the time, Merlin!" Morgana snapped, looking to Gwen and holding her hand out for the silk fastenings. "Go tell Owaine she'll be having lunch and dinner with us."

"Yes, my Lady." Gwen said, standing up and hurrying out the room.

"I'll treat him, Cassie won't be of any help knocked out." Merlin said, standing up and going out the door, but not before looking pitifully at the unconscious blonde.

"What took you so long?" Morgana asked as she opened the door for Merlin later that evening.

"Sorry. Once Gaius gets talking about anatomy, there's no stopping him." he said, walking briskly towards the boy and trying not to look at Cassie, lest the guilty feelings stop him from treating the boy properly.

"Are you sure you know what you're doing?" Morgana asked worriedly as Merlin put the ointment on the infected wound gingerly.

"I'm doing my best." Merlin said quietly, trying not to lose focus on the sick child from the feeling of Morgana's skin on his.

"I'll get you some more water." Morgana said, feeling the tension in his shoulders and resisting the urge to rub the knots out.

"Speak to me." Merlin said softly, watching as the boy's eyes rolled backward and he fell asleep once more.

"I don't know if he can't speak… or he's just too scared to." Morgana said, rounding the corner with the pitcher of water and bowl in hand.

"Yeah, he's asleep, anyways. Just have to wait and see." Merlin said, standing up and helping Morgana with the water pitcher.

"Guess so." she said, looking at him curiously.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" Merlin asked, parroting her words from the day before.

"You should check on Cassie, too. She's been out cold for a really long time." Morgana said, shaking her head clear and looking at the younger girl.

"Yeah, I'll do just that." he said slowly, his eyes following Morgana as she slightly pulled the curtain to hide the boy from view.

"She's got a bump, but she seems fine. She should wake up in a bit. Unless she's pretending to be asleep to not speak with us." Merlin said, waving his hands in front of her face. "Either she's a really good actress, or she's still out."

"What if you're wrong? What if she's really hurt?"

"If she doesn't wake up by morning, we have to tell Gaius."

"Which I'd rather not. Considering." she said, looking at the sleeping boy.

"I'll see you tomorrow, then. Check up on him as soon as Arthur turns his back." he said by way of explanation, his smile wide and goofy.

"Just throw him a bone." Morgana replied teasingly, leaning closer to him and batting her lashes.

"I should… go now." Merlin said slowly, unsure of himself as he felt his arousal getting bigger.

"I'm sure they won't miss you. Morgana whispered, pulling him over to the servants' room with a wicked smile.

"Is she awake yet?" Gwen asked as she finished making the bed and Morgana wrung out a cloth.

"No, I'm starting to get worried." she said, laying it on the boy's forehead.

"What'd Merlin say?" Gwen asked, twisting her finger nervously.

"To tell Gaius if she doesn't wake up, but I'm more worried for the boy. His fever's worse. Has been since early this morning." she said worriedly. "And she won't wake up. And it's all my fault."

"Have you tried anything?"

"I threw some water on her earlier." she admitted a little guiltily.

"We should get Gaius."

"Yes, and I will. After Merlin gets here. He said he would come and check on them."

"I'll see if I can find him."

"Wait! What did Owaine say?"

"He had night duty the rest of the week, and was overseeing the squire training today, wouldn't have seen her anyway. Morgana, I feel horrible about this."

"Yeah, I know. I do too. I just don't understand why she wouldn't… help him! What's he ever done to her?" she said feverishly.

"Let me care for him for a while. You'll make yourself sick if you go on like this."

"His fever's getting worse." she said, continuing her ministrations.

"Morgana." the weak boy said telepathically.

"Did you hear that?" Morgana asked in surprise.

"What?" Gwen asked, her brow furrowed in confusion.

"He said my name."

"Did he? I didn't hear anything?"

"It's Merlin." he said from the other side of the door after knocking, waiting for Gwen to open the door. "How are they?"

"He's getting weaker, whatever you did yesterday, it hasn't worked." she said, looking at Merlin worriedly as he nervously brought his hand up to his forehead. "We have to ask Gaius for his help. After all you've done you can't give up now! Please! If he doesn't receive treatment he'll die." she begged, not noticing how Gwen was watching her closely.

"Ok. I'll go. And Cassie?" he asked, turning to look at the girl who seemed to still be unconscious.

"Either she's still out cold, or she's faking it." Morgana said absently, fussing over the young boy.

"Let me check." Merlin said, standing up and going over to her quickly, gently checking her head for inflammation. "I know you're awake, Cassie. You can stop faking now."

"Mhn mhnhhmhmmh." Cassie mumbled through the gag.

"Oh! Right. Forgot." Merlin said sheepishly.

"And you can go to hell." Cassie said, licking her dry lips and not meeting his eyes. "All of you."

"Go to hell for treating a sick child?" Morgana demanded in shock.

"I'm really sorry, Cassie. We had to." Gwen said placatingly.

"Had to? You had to hit me hard enough to knock me out for HOURS. You didn't have to do anything!" Cassie yelled in a hoarse voice, the dryness of her throat hurting as her voice rose and she stared at them as if they were traitors.

"Cassie, I'm so sorry. Please, forgive us." Gwen said softly, going to kneel in front of her.

"Forgive you? Not after this. Not ever." Cassie whispered back, turning her head away and letting the tears slide down her face.

"Cassie, please don't make a big deal out of this." Merlin pleaded, only stoking her anger.

"Big deal!? Why don't you untie me and I'll show you just how big a deal it is after you get knocked unconscious for hours!" she replied angrily, her voice rising once more as she tried to shake free of her bindings.

"Good going, Merlin. She won't shut up now." Morgana muttered with a roll of her eyes.

"No, I guess not. But I'm going to make as much noise as possible, hopefully a guard will hear and take that Druid to be executed!" Cassie yelled loudly, spitting the word out hatefully and struggling as Gwen and Morgana went to hastily gag her once more, her raw screams in Spanish echoing loudly in the chamber.

"I should go now. Gaius should see to him." Merlin said, looking warily at Cassie as he backed out of the room.

"Calm down, Cassie! The only thing your yelling will do is get us all executed!" Morgana said, grabbing a pitcher of water and holding it up threateningly.

"Mhhnhnhnmh hnhnhmhnhnh mhmhnhh!" Cassie mumbled through the gag angrily, hot tears flowing down her face.

"I don't understand you! You're such a kind person, why do you insist on killing this boy? He's innocent!" Morgana said passionately, earning a glare from the tied up blonde as she mumbled furiously at her.

"Mhmm!? Mhmmh? Mh mhmmh hhwmmw hmmmh! Mhmm mhhh mmmhm mhmmh mm!" Cassie replied, her angry tears turning into tears of sorrow for her people.

"Go make sure the hallway stays empty." Morgana ordered Gwen. "I'm taking the gag off, ýou scream and I douse you with this pitcher of water." she warned, reaching back and pulling at the end of the silk binding. "The boy is innocent, Cassie. Would you really see him die just because he has magic?"

"Innocent?" Cassie repeated in disbelief. "¡Sabes perfectamente bien que no lo es! Ustedes me han escuchado hablar de lo que su gente le hizo a la mía. ¡De inocente no tiene nada! Los druidos son despreciables, son sabandijas. Asesinos. ¡No te perdonaré nunca!" Cassie said, whispering the last quietly, ignoring the tears still streaming down her face and staring angrily at her friend before turning her face and ignoring her as she retied the gag.

"Gaius! Finally, he's through there." Gwen said when she opened the door for him and Merlin.

"Are you three out of your minds?!" Gaius hissed out when he rounded the screen and saw Cassie tied up. "Untie her at once! You should be ashamed of yourselves. She's your friend."

"Mhmmh mhmhhmh mmh mh!" Cassie mumbled as Merlin quickly bent down beside her and began untying her from the chair.

"Are you okay?" he asked worriedly.

"I'll be fine, Gaius." she answered, getting up and walking away from the others as quickly as she could on unsteady legs, tripping over her feet before she got to the door.

"No, you're not. What did you do to her? She can barely walk!"

"I said I'll be fine! Don't touch me!" Cassie snapped as Merlin went over to lead her back to Gaius.

"Cass-" Gwen started to say, but was cut off as she forcefully opened the door as wide as she could and slammed it behind her.

"My love? Where have you been?" Owaine asked as he found her slowly walking up the stairs.

"Gwen and Morgana knocked me out and tied me up to keep me from telling anyone about the Druid they're hiding." Cassie said dully as she waited for him to walk closer.

"They what!?" Owaine asked in shock.

"Merlin hid the boy there because there was nowhere else to go and Morgana agreed." Cassie replied.

"How are you?" he asked, instead of shouting the million things he wanted to when he saw how defeated she looked.

"I don't know." she said, the tears forming behind her lids as she shook her head and stepped into his arms. "I don't know."

"That's a horrible bump! They really hit you hard." he said as his hand went up to her head and began rubbing calming circles on her scalp.

"I was out for hours. Tied up and locked in a room with that… thing."

"Sir Owaine. Shouldn't you be in the training fields with the squires?" Arthur asked as he walked past them.

"Yes, Sire. I was heading there now." he said with a respectful nod, letting Cassie step back from him with her face lowered.

"Are you okay, Cassie."

"Yeah, I just fell and hit my head. I was going to go lie down." She lied quickly.

"You do seem a bit wobbly. Accompany her to your chambers, Sir Owaine. Then report to the training fields." Arthur told him with a quick nod at both of them.

"Are you going to tell me what happened now?" he said as he led her to the bed and sat her down.

"Merlin took the Druid to Morgana, she agreed to hide him, I found out after the Druid got sick and they needed me to treat him, they knocked me out and tied me up when I called them crazy and said I was going to get a guard, and Gaius yelled at them to let me go when Merlin couldn't treat the Druid. Here I am." she said dully, stripping her clothes off and stepping into the tub she'd filled magically.

"Why would they do that?! They're supposed to be your friends!" he demanded, going with her and placing a towel near the tub.

"If they were really my friends, they'd have known exactly what the Druids did to my people, and if they know, they just don't care." she answered as she stared at the vials of soap.

"Are you just going to sit in the water? They really hit your head hard."

"I can always just heal it. Ġehǣl." she said, taking her hand up to the back of her head and whispering the spell.

"I always seem to forget about your magic."

"I don't know how. I'm not exactly subtle, you know." she said with a smirk.

"Will you be alright? I have to go train the squires and they'll have my head if I don't go."

"Who's the all elusive 'they'?" Cassie asked him with a short smile.

"I guess I'll take that as a yes. I'll come back for lunch and dinner." he said, kissing her chastely.

"I won't move from this room. I may have healed myself, but now I'm exhausted. It's much harder to heal yourself than it is to heal others." Cassie said, tipping some lavender oil and the calming salts into the tub and leaning her head back against the cold stone.

"Explain later." Owaine said with a light chuckle and a subtle nod.

"Remind me to." Cassie replied with a content sigh as she let her eyes close.