Chapter 75 I don't own Merlin, I've recently re-found the fics from McDiggin'It and remembered why I started writing this, and I've realized that this has just become a monster that consumes my every dream, almost. Unless you count all my other dorky series that my kooky brain just appropriates. Which is quite a lot.

"What are you doing up here, Cassie? You know you're not supposed to be here. Much less at night and alone. Especially not alone, King's orders." Leon said one night three days later, finding her sitting against the wall staring up at the sky.

"I just wanted to be alone." she mumbled back quietly, not sparing him a glance.

"I hope alone doesn't include me." he said jokingly, trying to lighten her mood by kicking her feet gently.

"It does, actually." Cassie said, not caring how rude she sounded.

"Well, I can't have you alone up here. King's orders." he said, sitting down next to her and crossing an ankle over the other.

"Fine, I'll go." Cassie said, standing up and walking away from him, leaving him alone on the battlements with a shaking head.

"Cassie! Wait." Leon said, running after her and stopping her from opening the door to the stairs. "Listen, I'm trying. We all are, we're giving you time. But you can't treat us like this, you might wake up one day missing Owaine a little less and realize you've pushed all your friends away. Okay? I mean, it'll take much more than saying you don't want to see me to push me away, but you're doing much more than that to Lady Morgana and Gwen. You don't even acknowledge them anymore. They're hurting as much as you, Cassie."

"Yes, they killed their child and lost their husband in just two days, right?" Cassie replied in an acerbic manner, her eyes narrowed up at him. "Spare me the lecture, Leon. No one knows what I'm feeling. Not even Ellie. I don't want your pity. I've had enough pity in the last 72 hours to last me a lifetime. I just want to be alone with my thoughts right now, Leon. Make sure you tell everyone that." she finished darkly, shaking her head and turning to leave.

"You're right, I'm not going to pity you anymore. I'll give you your space and your time, but that's it. I'll let you grieve, but I won't give you any allowances to treat people the way you've been treating them, Cassie. I grabbed these after that night in your chambers, thought you should have them back. Fix the damage done. Who knows, might be cathartic." Leon told her, handing her the two keys back and opening the door for her without ever breaking eye contact.

"Thank you." she said, properly chastised as she walked through the door and down the stairs in silence.

"Good night, Cassie." he said, bowing to her at the bottom of the stairs and walking off towards the nobles' wing while she just stood there watching him go with a strange look.

"Guess I should go fix everything." Cassie mumbled to herself quietly, fumbling with the keys in her hands and looking at the floor as she walked to her shared chambers with Owaine.

When she got there she stood for a few minutes, taking deep, trembling breaths and resting her forehead on the doorframe, her eyes closed so she didn't notice Buin watching her as he walked down from the other end of the hallway.

"Are you okay?" he asked, stopping beside her and placing a gentle hand on her back.

"Building up the courage to go in." Cassie said, turning around and leaning her back against the door. "I might not."

"Caelia and I are going with you and Ellie tomorrow. Are you ready? Are you packed? It's not too long, but…" he said, his hand going up to the side of his neck nervously as he spoke to her.

"Ellie mentioned you'd offered. Thank you, Bruin." Cassie said stiffly, not meeting his eyes.

"Yeah." he said softly, "Cass, don't push away like this. Take your time, grieve. But don't push us away, just know we'll be here when you need us. We're your friends." he told her, nodding at her before bowing and wishing her goodnight and leaving.

"Will people just let me be a bitch! I don't feel like being nice right now!" Cassie murmured angrily under her breath, turning around and unlocking the door, walking in angrily and looking around in awe and shame. "I did this?"

She locked the door and left the key inside the keyhole and bent down to pick up a piece of feather, trying to remember exactly what she did that night and failing. She looked around and spotted a basket big enough for all the shards of glass she could find and went about carefully picking them up.

Once she was done picking up the glass shards, she gathered the wooden splinters and piled them all by the bed, moving what was left of the table near the bed and looking around to see what else she had to do, sighing when she saw the feathers everywhere, the puddles of oils and water, the logs strewn about and the torn up sheets.

Cassie tried to call up her magic, tried to will at least the feathers to gather in piles, but she failed to move them even a millimeter, collapsing on the floor and burying her head in her hands, crying in dismay as she didn't even feel an ounce of her magic stirring.

She jumped slightly at the unexpected knock on the door a few minutes later, drying her face with her fingers and standing up to go to the door to open it.

"Figured you'd want some help. I heard you from next door." Leon said, looking guiltily at her and holding out one of two brooms.

"My magic won't work. I can't fix anything." Cassie told him, stepping aside to let him in.

"Do you know why? Has it happened before?" Leon asked, sweeping up the feathers in the front of the room while Cassie went to sweep up the ones at the back.

"Never. It's always been with me. My constant companion. Not even when I saw- when I woke up that horrendous morning. I've always felt it with me, no matter what. Thrumming, alive. I'm so cold now." she said sadly.

"I don't know anything about magic, but I can tell you this; I've seen this happen before, not with magic, obviously, but grief can drive a man to despair. And despair clouds everything. It's your grief that's stopping you from doing anything. You haven't even smiled since then. Cassie, I don't think I've ever seen a day go by without you smiling until now. It's not gone, just grieving." he told her, leaning the broom against the wall and taking the other one from her. "Let's just stuff this back in the mattress for now, I'll see if I can't ask a servant to fix everything while you're gone." he said, taking all the feathers and stuffing them back into the tear along the mattress.

"They'll ask how I managed to break the table and the bed. I'm not very strong, it's suspicious." Cassie replied, taking a thread and sewing the tear closed rudimentarily for now.

"Is this a magic book?" Leon asked, picking up a book lying under the bed while she finished closing the mattress up.

"Yes, it is." Cassie said, alarm flowing through her veins as he flipped through it before she remembered he knew.

"Can you even read this? It's not in-"

"Yes, Leon. I can read Runes. I am Gothic in case you forgot." Cassie answered crossly, sighing and shaking her head at his look. "I'm sorry. I suppose I'm being rather short."

"You are short, Cassie." he joked, closing the book and putting it on the sofa beside him. "What's it about?" he asked.

"Astral projection. Basically going out of body to see what you couldn't otherwise see. It works, I just don't know how I did it." Cassie answered thoughtlessly, sighing when he chuckled at her answer. "What's so funny?"

"You. You're so secretive until you say the first word. After that, you spill everything." he told her, leaning forward and touching his fingertips together.

"What's the point in lying? You already know." Cassie said with an uncaring shrug.

"Get some rest, you have a long trip tomorrow. Send my condolences to Lord Urien and Lady Morrigan." he said, kissing the top of her head and smiling at her.

"Wait!" Cassie said, regretting it as soon as the word left her mouth.

"Yeah?" he asked, pausing with his hand on the door handle.

"I- uhm. Good night, Leon." Cassie said, shaking her head in disbelief at her stupidity.

"Good night, Cassie." he said again, hiding his small smile by quickly turning around and leaving her there.

"Stupid! Stupid! Stupid!" Cassie said softly, hitting her head with the book once she sat down on Leon's vacated place and sighing as she looked at the book, an idea popping into her head as she looked around defeatedly at the door.

She stood up and grabbed the keys, quickly locking the door before walking towards the alcove in the south wing and reaching up to grab the sconce, biting back a sigh of relief when the bench moved aside soundlessly to reveal the hidden entrance. She held the candle she'd brought to the flame and walked down slowly, the skeleton key held in her other hand as she walked to the end of the tunnel and found a keyhole low on the wall. After she inserted the key and turned it she heard a loud click then scraping against the stone floor as the wall moved aside to reveal the entrance to the tower. Cassie walked in slowly, taking the key with her and going straight to the lanterns on the floor, lighting them and looking around at all the books. It took her almost an hour to find the books that could possibly help her figure out why her magic wasn't working; a book on magic affecting the mind, a book written by the Catha, and a book on wards and shields. She grabbed those books and tucked them under her arm, hidden by her robe, and looked around the room. As she did so, her eyes caught a particular golden amulet that glinted in the candlelight.

"Qué es esto?" she muttered to herself, placing the books on the floor and gingerly walking around more books and trinkets to inspect them closer. The moment she held it in her hands, the trillium-shaped white stone set in the middle began glowing and she felt a strange, welcoming heat travel up her hand, as if enveloping her in a hug. She gasped loudly when she felt it reach her chest and dropped the amulet on the floor in surprise. The second she let go of the amulet, she felt the heat pull back sharply, making her fall on her knees in panting breaths.

"Whoa!" she gasped, feeling her eyes glow as her magic surged forward and the lanterns' flame grew exponentially and caught on a wooden crate. In a panic, she looked around for something to douse the growing fire with and, not finding anything, she took off her cloak and used it to extinguish the fire.

"I have to be more careful." Cassie muttered, her head pounding slightly at the surge of magic through her body. She bent down and carefully picked the amulet back up, bracing for the feeling that traveled up her arm when her skin met the cold metal. She watched in fascination as the stone glowed brightly for a few more seconds before it faded into what resembled a clinohumite with various shades of orange, yellow, and red.

She moved her thumb over the gem and turned the pendant over in her hands curiously, squinting in the moonlight to read the inscription on the back. "Cylc eluned. What does that mean?" she read aloud, wondering to herself with a furrowed brow as she gripped the pendant in her hand and picked up the rest of the books, watching in fascination as they disappeared the moment she grabbed them. She let go of the books and saw them reappear immediately, but her hand was still invisible. "¡Que raro! ¿Qué estará pasando?" she asked herself, looking around the room and not seeing anything pointed at her. An idea suddenly struck her so she dropped the amulet and held it by it's chain, sticking her hand out and turning it over to inspect it. She stood there wondering how the amulet worked for a few minutes before she sighed deeply and slipped the chain over her head, feeling the cold of the metal resting against her breasts. She picked the other books back up and went to the door of the tower, sliding the key into the hole and turning. She managed to lock the door behind her and turn around before she walked into someone's chest.

"What were you doing in there?" he demanded, glaring daggers down at her.

"Uh… nothing?" Cassie said, her cheeks flaming and her heart pounding in guilt as she looked around in a panic.

"Come with me." he said, grabbing her by the arm and walking away quickly towards his chambers.

"Where are you taking me?" she asked the man, trying hard to remember his name.

"Quiet, girl." he growled, tightening his grip and walking faster. "Get in there! Now!" he hissed at her, throwing open a door and pushing her in.

"W-what do you want?"

"Why were you in the tower?" he asked angrily, bolting the door closed and staring down at her in the moonlight.

"I-I don't know what you mean." she stuttered out, opting for acting like she was confused.

"You know exactly what I mean, girl!" he growled loudly, holding out one of the books she'd taken. "Now tell me, what are you doing in Camelot?"

"I-I'm just. I was- I" she stuttered out through scared tears.

"Speak!" he said impatiently, throwing the books on the floor with a loud bang.

"I live here. That's all!" she said in a small voice.

"Lies! The only way to get in there is with magic! Tell me. What. Were. You. Doing. There." he asked, punctuating each word angrily.

"I swear, I'm not doing anything wrong. Please, don't turn me in. I'm begging you. I'll do whatever you want." she said, getting on her knees and looking at him with wide, scared eyes when he said that. "Please, my Lord."

"Stop begging, it's unbecoming of a Lady. Get up." he commanded, stepping back and leaning his back against the door.

"Thank you, my Lord."

"I'm not a Lord. My name is Gildas. Keeper of the Tower. Not many have discovered its secrets. How did you?" he asked, crossing his arms over his chest and looking at her searchingly.

"I was with my husband. Not long ago, a few weeks, maybe." she answered. "It was an accident, we were just, uhm, talking and I touched the sconce and it opened and curiosity got the better of me."

"The nook in the south wing?" he asked to clarify.

"It's more of an alcove." Cassie murmured with red cheeks. "I swear, I'm doing no harm, please. Don't turn me in." she repeated.

"I turn you in and I get killed as well." he replied drily, uncrossing his arms and bending down to retrieve the books from the floor and look at them. "What need do you have of these books?"

"I… can't access my magic. Not since three days ago." she said, timidly, looking down at the floor.

"It's your grief. I can feel it. Give it time." he said, not unkindly, as his dark eyes looked down at her.

"But-I- it doesn't feel like it's just grief. I was able to use it, in the tower, and it just sort of exploded out of me, but then I couldn't use it again. And I can't feel it, I just needed to know why. And so I thought that maybe I could find answers in the books there." Cassie said by way of explanation.

"Give me your hand." he said, holding his hand out and taking hers gently.

"What are you doing?"

"An old spell. To help me find your magic." he answered, closing his eyes and breathing deeply. "Tócnæwe fullæstende mec sé ġesċeādes for þéos mónaþádl (help me understand the reason for this malady)"

Cassie drew in an airy, shuddering breath, watching him closely as his eyes flew around under his lids and his hand glew a soft gold. They stayed that way for almost half an hour until Gildas opened his eyes and let the spell fall.

"You've been to Annwfn?"

"Where?"

"The Otherworld. The land of the dead. Why'd you go?"

"I don't know what you're talking about. Honestly."

"Have you done anything to speak with someone who's passed on?"

"I had a dream f-four days ago that-I spoke with Owaine. By a lake. Avalon, I think he said it was called." she answered with a furrowed brow.

"That was a mistake, my Lady. The dead are dead for a reason. What you did was dangerous, powerful magic. You cannot do it again." he said gravely, bending down to be at her level.

"I don't know how I did it, I-I may have been trying to figure out a way to see him again. But I don't know how." she admitted, contrite.

"Avalon? You've seen Avalon?" he asked, catching on to the rest of her answer, his eyes wide with wonder.

"Yes." she said slowly, her eyebrows furrowed. "Why?"

"No mortal being has seen Avalon while alive! What was it like?" he asked, straightening up and looking excitedly at her.

"It was beautiful. Peaceful, there's not really a way to describe it. I'm sorry." Cassie said, words failing her. "You could see every small detail in the mountains, and the lake was crystal clear. I didn't feel any… malice. It was amazing."

"It sounds perfect." he said.

"For however long I was there, it was perfect." Cassie agreed.

"Your magic has been tethered to Annwfn. I have to sever the connection." he said after a while of gazing dreamily out the window.

"Why?"

"Because a living soul cannot be tethered to the Otherworld."

"No, why is it tethered?" she clarified with a small shake of her head.

"I can only guess. Perhaps when your husband died your magic reacted to your grief, sought him out. Met him as he crossed the river alongside Fand and made the journey with them."

"Who?"

"You don't know much of our religion, do you?" he asked amusedly, his lips forming a reluctant grin. "She is the goddess who makes the journey across the lake with heroes. Akin to Charon in Greek mythology."

"Oh." she said, shaking her head and looking at him. "If I-if you sever this connection will I ever see him again?"

"Even if I don't, you can't see him again, it's far too dangerous." he warned her. "If you go back there, you could be trapped. The land of the dead is not for the living. There's a reason no mortal soul can go there."

"Bu-"

"No, my Lady." he said urgently, shaking her and looking down as he noticed the amulet glinting against the front of her dress.

"What are you looking at?" she asked with narrowed eyes when he stood there staring at her bosom.

"Nothing!" he said quickly when he realized what it looked like.

"Nothing?" she challenged with a quirked eyebrows.

"Yes! No!" he said, shaking his head and hitting his hand to his forehead. "Where did you get that?" he asked after a quick sigh, moving on.

"What, this?" she asked, looking down at the amulet. "I found it. Just now in the tower."

"That's Enuled's Stone. It's been lost for years! It cannot have been there this whole time!"

"Who's Enuled?"

"He was a powerful sorcerer from two centuries ago. It's rumored that whoever can wield the power of the ring is destined to… Llys Dôn?" he said, his eyes glimmering in recognition.

"What? Why would you call me that?" she asked, "The only other person to call me that is the Great Dragon. Although he's not really a person, is he?"

"It is your destiny." he answered, ignoring her small rant.

"My destiny?"

"I'm sure the dragon has told you of your destiny. Your role in bringing magic back to Albion." he said,

"Very little, he said something about a beacon and lighting the way."

"Trust the dragon to be cryptic." Gildas said with a chuckle. "You must keep your friends from the darkness, keep them on the right path."

"You're being just as cryptic as Kilgharrah." Cassie told him.

"Help them, keep them good." he replied with a roll of his eyes, talking as if he were speaking to a six year old.

"Oh. How do I do that?"

"Keep them true to themselves. Stay true to your heart. Do that, and you'll all succeed." he said, placing her hand over her heart and tapping her hand twice.

"And if I fail?" she asked, watching as his hand retreated.

"I truly cannot say. I do not know, my Lady." he answered, shaking his head and leaning back, giving her space as he noticed she seemed uncomfortable.

"Well, if I may call you Gildas, you may call me Cassie." she told him, holding out her hand once more in greeting, thanking him silently for the space.

"Very well, but if I may, I really do need to sever the connection your magic has to the Otherworld."

"If yo-what happens if I don't?" Cassie asked timidly.

"Terrible things, Cassie." he said gravely, looking at her pointedly. "Now, open your mind, let me in so I can help you."

"How do I know you're not going to enchant me?" she asked warily, looking up at him.

"Because I want magic brought back to this land, and I want it brought back as peacefully as possible." he answered, letting her see the truth in his eyes. "Please, trust me. I am your ally."

"Okay, I trust you." she said after a few minutes of looking into his eyes, trying to gauge how serious he was.

"Thank you." he said, holding his hand out once more and closing his eyes in concentration. "āsundra þéos gefégednesse, béte þéos bréostlocan, ġehǣl þéos cbeftes. (Sever the connection, restore the mind and soul, heal the body.)"

"Is that it?" Cassie asked after she felt a brief warmth flow through her body.

"Far from it. You have to say this spell every day as the sun sets. Every day. Just once a day, and you'll know when the spell has worked. It'll be obvious." he told her, writing it down on a piece of parchment and putting it inside a book.

"I can take these?"

"If you're worthy of bearing the stone, you are worthy of the tower." he said gravely, rolling his eyes as she giggled slightly into her hand. "What's so funny?" he asked with an exasperated expression.

"You're so serious: I'm 'worthy of the tower.' You need to lighten up, Gildas." she said, still giggling.

"Glad to see it has started its job." he muttered with a chuckle and a roll of his eyes.

"I should go, I have to leave tomorrow." she said, sobering up quickly and standing up, smiling shyly as he handed her the books.

"Have a lovely trip, my Lady." he said with a bow.

"Do you live here?"

"No, I do not. I am the keeper of the tower, albeit a relatively new one. I have yet to discover all its secrets. I live in the forest."

"In a hovel?" she asked skeptically.

"No, I have a cabin that I built. It's very cozy. And I have every comfort I need or want." he answered with a chuckle. "Go on, if you need anything, just call me." he said, handing her another piece of parchment with a shorter spell on it. "Just say this and I'll show up in a bit."

"Thanks." she said warily, looking at him strangely.

"I'm not hitting on you." he said quickly, "Just offering a friend. Honest."

"I'm keeping you to your word, then. Friends." she said, going towards the door and looking at him expectantly.

"Oh, right!" he said after a few seconds of smiling amiably at her. "The door's locked."

"Thank you." she said, tucking the books under her arm once more and leaving quickly to her chambers. "Actually", she said, turning around quickly and walking back in the room with him. "Could you help me with something in my room?"

"Sure, I don't think I should be seen, though. They kind of know I have magic, and if they see me with you…"

"How do they know?"

"Eh, I may have set the stables on fire a while ago." he said "Completely accidentally. I'm not a pyromaniac."

"I just need help fixing some things." she said, handing him the amulet. "Just cover the stone with your hand." she told him, waiting for him to grab it and disappear.

"It won't work, the stone is yours for now, until you reset it."

"So you can't use it?"

"You can use it, just hang onto me and we'll both become invisible." he said, holding out his arm for her.

"I think you are flirting with a newly widowed woman. It's in rather poor taste." she said, grabbing onto him and leading him to her chambers.

"I am not flirting with you. You're far from my type." he said, his eyes glowing as he opened the door silently and led her in. "Okay, you really made a mess." he said, looking around and seeing all the glass in the waste bins and the poorly stuffed feathers in the bed. "Befæstniaþ. (fix it)" he said, waving his arm over the whole of the room and smiling smugly as it all fixed before her eyes.

"Thank you, Gildas. You can leave now." she said, putting on a haughty attitude.

"Yes, my Lady." he said, bowing deeply enough to be considered mocking and disappearing in a flash of golden eyes.

"I have to ask him how to do that." she muttered to herself, going to the newly fixed bed and laying down to sleep.

"Cassie. Cassie, wake up." Caelia said, gently shaking her awake the following morning.

"Caelia? How'd you get in here?" Cassie asked nervously, her eyes flying over to where the books she'd gotten from the tower lay on the table.

"Your door was open. Only slightly, but open nonetheless." she said, standing up as Cassie moved her legs over the edge of the bed.

"Oh. Suppose I should lock it next time." she said, looking at her sheepishly.

"How are you feeling? Do you need help dressing?"

"No, thank you. I can dress myself." she said, smiling shyly. "I'll see you down there in a few minutes."

"Okay, I'll send a servant up for your trunk." she said, taking her hand and squeezing it gently before turning around to leave with a gentle smile.

"The trunk is right there, Henry." Cassie said as she finished fastening the mantilla over her face.

"Yes, my Lady." he said, bowing and taking the trunk out while she stood there.

"You okay, Cass?" Arthur asked, knocking on the door frame and crossing his arms.

"No." she said, not bothering to turn around.

"He shouldn't have picked up the gauntlet. Neither of them. But we can't change the past. No matter how much we wish to." he said, crossing the threshold and walking up behind her. "This is yours." he said, turning her around and holding out Owaine's sword and cloak to her.

"I don'-"

"Cassie, it's yours. He would have wanted you to have it." he said gently, placing the items on the table and taking her shoulders. "It's here for you. Always. Take your time, grieve, heal." he said kindly, trying to look into her eyes through the lace veil she had on.

"Arthur. My Lord, I can't do this. I cannot pretend tha-" Cassie began, the events of the past few weeks still playing on a loop in her mind's eye.

"Cassie, we're waiting for you." Ellie said gently, looking between the two of them as she stood by the door with her babe in arms.

"Okay, Goodbye, Sire." Cassie said, curtsying and skirting around him, avoiding looking at Arthur at all costs and not noticing as Ellie stayed back.

"My Lord, if I may." she said, waiting for him to nod at her and continuing. "Cassie needs space from everyone. Including yourself. That's why I've convinced her to stay much longer with Morrigan and Urien than we had planned last week. I don't know what happened between her and the Lady Morgana, but I don't see them being friends again anytime soon. She's hurt, and she's betrayed."

"Your daughter is getting lovelier with each passing day." he said, patting the baby's head gently as he walked closer and nodding at the Lady Eleanor. "Your advice is welcomed. Please make sure she gets better."

"I will, Sire." she said, adjusting her hold on her fussing daughter and curtsying lightly.

"Goodbye, Elle." he murmured goofily to the young girl.

"I'll get the firewood." Cassie said when they stopped for the night just as the sun was starting to descend.

"You don't have to, Cassie." Bruin said as he set up the camp. "I've got it."

"No, I need the walk. Please." she said, her grip on the piece of paper with the spell Gildas had given her the previous night tightening.

"Don't go far." he acquiesced with a stubborn nod of his head, looking at his wife pointedly.

"I'll get some water." Ellie said, looking at her daughter. "Could you watch Elaine for me?" she asked Caelia, nodding discreetly in the direction Cassie went.

"Yes, of course." she answered, walking over and taking the baby from her friend.

"Āsundra þéos gefégednesse, béte þéos bréostlocan, ġehǣl þéos cbeftes." Cassie said after taking a few moments to open her mind and chant the spell like Gildas had told her to on her knees.

"Cassie, Cass, you okay?" Ellie said, walking up behind the girl and placing a hand on her shoulder.

"Yes, I'm fine.'' Cassie said after jumping slightly from the scare. "Just something I had to do."

"What? Why?"

"It's long, and complicated." she answered, standing up and gathering the branches she'd gathered.

"We have time." Ellie said, taking the branches from her arms and looking at her pointedly as she let them fall to the floor.

"I'm not even sure I understand it enough to explain it. My life's turned upside down." Cassie said sitting back down and taking a small twig to draw nonsensical patterns in the dirt with.

"So has mine." Ellie said gently.

"No, I mean everything I believed in, before coming here, makes no sense with what's been happening and all. Apparently, the reason I haven't been able to use my magic is because it followed Owaine into annen."

"You mean Annwfn?" she asked, her eyes confused and worried.

"I think so, maybe." Cassie said, furrowing her brow. "Either way, my magic's trapped, I have to say this spell as the sun goes down until I can feel it back." Cassie handed her the slip of paper.

"How do you know it's come back?" she asked worriedly. "Where'd you get this?"

"It was given to me."

"By whom? Someone you trust? How do you know this spell isn't doing something else?" she asked worriedly.

"I...don't. Truthfully, but something in him inspires trust."

"How long have you known this man? Who is he?"

"I...can't tell you. Trust is something that should be earned, I can't betray his trust so quickly." Cassie told her, looking down at the ground with an embarrassed flush.

"Well, do I know him?"

"No. You don't know him." Cassie answered truthfully.

"Do you know him?" she asked.

"I trust him."

"But you don't know him?" Ellie pressed.

"No, I don't know him. I only met him last night." she acquiesced.

"Cassie! It's extremely dangerous! How do you know what he's after? How do you know he's not dangerous! How do you know he's not looking to hurt the King?!"

"Are you asking this because he has magic, or are you asking this because you don't trust my judgment?" Cassie asked with narrowed eyes.

"I'm asking because you cannot be so imprudent and careless about this! Magic is dangerous!" Ellie hissed under her breath.

"If it's so dangerous, why don't you go and protect your daughter from me." Cassie said in a dull voice, the hurt clear in her eyes. "The firewood was gathered by hand, no magic has been used." she added, taking it from the floor and walking past her towards the campsite.

"Thanks, Cass." Bruin said, playing with his giggling son and daughter. "I'll light it in a bit. Did you see Ellie?"

"Yeah, we crossed paths." she answered, piling the firewood and grabbing the flint from Bruin. "Here she comes."

"You okay, Ellie?" Bruin asked as she walked in. "Took you a while to go for the water."

"Yes, I'm perfectly fine." she answered, going to the kids and smiling down at them. "I just got a little thirsty, had to refill the waterskin."

"I'll go see if I can't catch us some dinner tonight." he said, standing up and grabbing his bow.

"We'll be right here, love." Caelia said, smiling up at him and playing with the young girl as the young boy followed his father excitedly.

"Cassie?"

"Yes, Bruin?"

"Can I offer you some advice?"

"On?"

"I lost my first wife. You will get through this. And you will find love again. You'll think of Owaine and remember him fondly. All it takes is time."

"And pain, Bruin. I didn't just lose my husband, I lost everything." Cassie told him softly. "I know you've been through this before. I know Ellie's going through this now. But it wasn't just my husband. I lost my everything. Time just isn't enough."

"Maybe not now, but it will be eventually." he answered, squeezing her empty hand gently and kissing her cheek.

"I am sorry… about your first wife. I was inconsiderate. I know you're only trying to help. I just don't want your help." Cassie said, throwing the twig she'd been fiddling with the whole night into the fire and getting up. "I'm truly sorry for the way I'm acting, none of you deserve it, but I just want to be alone." she apologized, looking at him and sighing. "Goodnight, Bruin."

"Good night, Cassie." he said, looking into the fire and thinking about his first wife fondly.

"Ellie! Cassie!" Alys said, waddling up to the carriage as it rattled to a stop and helping open the door.

"Hi Alys." Cassie said, accepting the hand down and holding onto the mantilla with one hand as the wind picked up. "Morrigan." she greeted as she walked towards the door.

"Oh, Cassie, Ellie. Come here." Morrigan said with tears falling down her face as she hugged them tightly. "I miss them so much!" she said, sobbing quietly into the hug.

"I know, Morrigan. So do I." Ellie whispered tearfully, tightening the hug.

"Come, you must be exhausted." she said, wiping her tears with a delicate kerchief and ushering them in while she went to Bruin and Caelia. "Won't you come in, please?"

"Of course, my Lady. We were rather hoping to stay the night before continuing onto our lands." Caelia said, adjusting her baby on her hip.

"You know you're always welcome here Sir Bruin, my Lady." she said, smiling wistfully at the two children running around the front garden. "Stay as long as you like. You and Pellinore were like brothers, you both watched out for each other as well as you could." she said weakly, tears beginning to fall anew as Bruin shifted on his feet uncomfortably and Caelia handed him the baby.

"Come, Morrigan. You look like you need some rest." Caelia said softly, taking the woman's arm and leading her inside.

"Lord Urien, may I have a word with you?" Bruin asked as he walked into the library. "It's rather important."

"Yes, of course. Have a seat Sir Bruin." he said wearily, motioning at the empty chair in front of the fire.

"It's about Cassie. I'm worried for her. I remember what she's feeling, and… it's not healthy for her. She's… she hasn't really spoken with anyone more than a few minutes. I'm afraid she's going to keep retreating into herself, and the grief will make her mad."

"I'll make sure she's not alone. Those two boys she brought here may help cheer her up." he replied, taking a sip of wine. "Thank you for your concern."

"I wasn't only friends with Pellinore, Owaine was my friend as well. And it really is very difficult not to care about Cassie. That girl just worms her way into your life." Bruin told him.

"That she does."

"Thank you for listening, my Lord. I'll leave you to your thoughts now." he said, standing up and bowing respectfully before leaving the room.

"Sir Bruin." he nodded in farewell.