Chapter 99 I don't own Merlin.
"I will miss you. Don't be strangers, any of you." Gundemar said on the steps of the palace two months later, gently cupping the babies' heads.
"Of course not, Gundemar. Thank you for your hospitality. It's been wonderful." Addie said, smiling at him and leaning up to kiss his cheek gently.
"It's quite the opposite, my Lady. Your companionship on the long journey made it bearable."
"Oh, thanks for my part." Cassie muttered, adjusting the bag over her shoulder..
"All of your companionship." he said, rolling his eyes at her discreetly. "It was wonderful meeting you."
"My friend, it was our pleasure entirely." Gildas said, bowing respectfully to him. "And we will bother you occasionally. You've already said we could."
"I would be offended if you didn't pop into a dream here and now. The same goes for you, Princess."
"Hey, you want to be endlessly tortured by my inane chatter even when you sleep, I'm more than happy to oblige." Cassie told him, hugging him tightly and kissing his cheek lightly. "Accompany us to Narbonne? I have a belt to pick up."
"It would be my pleasure. Let me tell General Miro he will be in charge in the interim." he said, walking into the palace and leaving them standing there for a few minutes while he did so. "Follow me to the throne room. We'll be more secure there."
"So serious." Cassie muttered to Addie, the two of them giggling as they followed the king through the palace corridors.
"Whenever you're ready." Gundemar wavede her forward
"Geopene þæm infærelde to āsēċenne hwider." Cassie chanted, nodding as she walked through and threw the pebble back. "Are you going to miss it here?" Cassie asked as Gildas and Addie went to find some privacy to nurse the hungry boy.
"It's been my home for my whole life. But no, I'm not."
"Good." Cassie said with a soft smile, allowing him to escort her to get her belt.
"Mi Rey, Princesa." Lady Josefina greeted, curtseying to them both.
"Condessa Josefina, ¿cómo ha estado?" Cassie asked with a wide smile, hooking her arm through the Lady's and walking with her in between Gundemar and herself.
"Muy bien, Princesa, gracias. Y ustedes?"
"Perfectamente. ¿Algunas novedades? La Baronessa Diana sigue enamorada del escudero?" she asked conversationally, her eyes bright.
"No, ese fue un amor pasajero." she answered, smiling politely at her as they engaged in idle gossip with the King following them around.
"Disculpen. Tengo que hablar con mi hermano. Princesa Casiopea, Condessa Josefina."
"Mi Rey." they said, curtseying as he walked away and continuing down the hall.
"Princessa, si no es muy atrevida de mi, ¿le puedo preguntar algo?"
"¡Claro! Lo que quiera." Cassie said with a wide smile.
"¿Por qué no se casa con él y se queda como la Reina que es?" she asked, stopping by a window and looking at her.
"Tuve esposo en Bretaña, y un prometido ahora. No- no es nada contra él. Gundemar es un hombre honorable y justo. Y será un muy buen Rey." Cassie told her, looking down guiltily at her hands.
"¿Tuvo? ¿Es viuda?"
"Si, perdí a mi esposo. Pero tengo un hombre que me propuso matrimonio y me está esperando." Cassie told her, looking out at the soldiers training.
"Es obvio que el Rey la quiere. No le podría dar una oportunidad?"
"Se la di, Condessa Josefina. Pensé que a esta altura todos lo sabían. Pero no puedo estar con un hombre que no amo."
"Yo pensaba lo mismo cuando tenía su edad, Princesa. Pero lo llegué a amar con el tiempo."
"Puede ser, pero no sería justo." Cassie said, turning away from the window and taking a deep breath. "¿Me acompaña a recoger el cinturón?"
"Si, Princesa." she said, bowing her head respectfully and leading her out the door, both of them being caught up with by the other Ladies as they wound their way to the bronzesmith's foundry for the belt.
"Es hermosa. Tiene un gran talento." Cassie admired as the man handed her the detailed belt, turning it around before fastening it to her waist and sheathing her dagger.
"Gracias, mi Princesa. ¿Le gustaría ver más de mis trabajos? Las Señorías del castillo todas lo aclaman." he said, crossing his arms in front of his chest and looking at her patiently.
"Sí, muestreme." she said with a dazzling smile, waiting for him to open a wooden chest and reveal hair pins and bracelets of all styles and sizes.
"Señor, debe tener una esposa muy feliz; sabe perfectamente cómo llegar al corazón de una mujer." she said jokingly, looking at the crystal encrusted butterfly hairpins and the wide dragon bracelets. "Lamento decirles que van a tener que esperar para comprarle más, ¡me los quiero llevar todos!" Cassie told the ladies beside her, reaching into her purse and taking out the coin purse. "Me imagino que 10 onzas es más que suficiente." she said, tipping that amount onto the iron scale in front of her and setting the weight.
"¡Mucho más que suficiente, Princesa Casiopea!" he said with wide eyes, looking at her and the other women with an open mouth. "¡Se lo daría por 5 onzas!"
"Aceptelo, necesita con que comprar más bronce para hacer su trabajo. Igual estas monedas no me sirven en Bretaña." she said, taking the chest from the man as he locked it and handed her a key.
"La próxima vez que venga, es más que bienvenida, ¡Princesa!." he said, bowing low to her and going to open the door for all of them. "Cuando quiera."
"Debo confesar que estoy un poco celosa de usted, Princesa." Lady Diana said, following her back into the castle and looking at the ground with a blush as the other Ladies bid her goodbye, giving her the excuse that they had something else to do.
"Yo también lo estaría. Necesito hacer campo para llevarme esto, podríamos ir a su habitación para poder hacerlo?" Cassie asked, smiling with confidence at the nervous girl.
"Si, sigame." she said, smiling as she walked alongside her.
"Princesa, la estaba buscando. Todo en orden?" he asked, looking at the chest she held in her arms.
"Si, todo en orden. ¿Me podría ayudar, Rey Gundemar?" Cassie asked, handing him the heavy chest and continuing to follow Lady Diana to her chambers.
"Por supuesto, Princesa." he said with a smile, taking it from her and following them.
"Mi Rey, Princesa, los dejo solos." she said curtsying.
"No es necesario." Cassie said quickly, smiling widely. "Sólo tomará unos segundos. Se conocen?"
"Rey Gundemaro." he greeted, taking her hand and softly running his lips over her fingers with a smile.
"Baronesa Diana." she said curtseying and blushing deeply as he looked into her eyes while Casssie took out some of the dresses she'd brought from Camelot.
"Baronesa, escoja dos de estos vestidos. Necesito espacio y estos estaban doblados en el lugar preciso." Cassie said, placing the dresses on the bed and interrupting their moment.
"¿Perdón?" she asked, looking between the dresses and Cassie slightly confused.
"Necesito espacio, y estos me lo están quitando."
"Princesa, es muy bondadosa." she said with wide eyes, running her fingers through the delicate fabrics and tracing some of the beading.
"Rey Gundemaro, ¿tal vez la puede ayudar?" Cassie suggested, smiling as he reached out and took the light blue one.
"Me parece que este le puede favorecer."
"Le agradezco su ayuda, mi Rey." she said kindly, taking the dress and blushing as her fingers brushed his.
"Diana, si yo fuera más alta, le dejaría unos a las otras Damas-en-Espera. Por favor, dele estos a la Condessa Josefina." Cassie said, taking the two left and folding them quickly
"Si, por supuesto, Princesa." she said, looking at her with wide eyes and back down to the dresses on the bed. "Muchas gracias."
"Con todo el gusto." Cassie said with a smile, closing the trunk and shrinking it back to size before tying it around her neck. "Gundemaro, gracias por su ayuda."
"Con todo mi gusto." he said, smiling at her and opening the door for the two ladies.
"Gracias, mi Rey." Diana said, smiling softly as she walked out of her room and waited for them to follow. "Con permiso, voy a hablar con la Condessa Josefina. Muchas gracias de nuevo por el obsequio."
"No, gracias a ustedes." she said, smiling sweetly and watching as Gundemar looked after her as she walked away.
"I've got good taste, right?" Cassie asked him, smiling knowingly as he turned to her and huffed in annoyance.
"She has to be new here, I don't remember seeing her before." he said, shaking his head in annoyance at her.
"She is much younger than you, my Lord. Perhaps you just didn't look because of her age." Cassie said, smirking and looking forward.
"She can't be that young!" he said, looking back as they walked towards the council chambers again.
"Five years younger than I." Cassie told him.
"How old are you?"
"My dear Gundemar, you should know better than to ask a Lady her age." Cassie told him, smiling sneakily as Addie and GIldas walked up to them.
"My Lord, are you ready to go back to Reccopolis?"
"I think I'm going to stay for a day or two. Could you send a note to Miro and tell him that?"
"Of course." Gildas said, waiting for him to write it out quickly and disappearing it without a word. "It's done."
"You have to teach me that!"
"You tell me to teach you too much, Cassie." he said, rolling his eyes and nodding at Gundemar. "My Lord, it's been a pleasure serving you this past year. I wish you prosperity and glory."
"Thank you, Gildas. I wish your family the same."
"Goodbye, King Gundemar. I'm happy to have been your friend."
"As you will be forever, my Lady." he said, bowing to her and smiling at the babies. "And so will they. You are always welcome here."
"Goodbye Gundemar." Cassie said, smiling softly at him and caressing his cheek gently.
"Goodbye, Princess. I'm glad to have met you."
"As am I. I do hope you can be happy and healthy."
"Oh, I will be." he said with a chuckle, hugging her tightly. "As I hope you will. Send your knight my congratulations."
"For what?" Cassie asked with a breathless chuckle.
"For your love." he said, kissing her cheek and straightening up. "Farewell and good journey, my friends."
"Thank you, King Gundemar." they all said, bowing to him and waiting for Cassie to finish chanting the spell to open the portal to Armorica.
"I've never been here, it's rather pretty." Cassie said, looking around at the thick forest of greenery once they crossed through.
"It's just trees, Cassie." Gildas said, looking his children over with his magic.
"Did the portal hurt them?" Cassie asked worriedly, looking guiltily at them.
"They're in perfect health. Just a little disoriented from the sudden change in air." he said.
"I thought they couldn't see far? At least that's been my experience with the babies I've helped birth."
"Your English got worse with all those months of only speaking Latin or Spanish, Cass." Addie said with a giggle.
"Okay, the babies I've encountered don't have a great field of vision." Cassie repeated, rolling her eyes and smiling as the baby boy reached out to take her finger.
"Well the babies are perfectly fine, Cassie, no need to worry." Addie told her softly, smiling as she sat down and hummed to her children.
"Are you okay to continue to Caletum?" Gildas asked, looking at Cassie. "I can open the portal myself."
"You mean Calais?"
"That is how the Franks refer to it, yes." he said, holding his daughter close.
"I'm fine, really. I stopped for you guys. And to look at the map. I'm not too familiar with that area. At least not with a secluded part of that area." she said, untucking the copy of the map Gundemar had given to her and looking it over. "Okay, got it." she said, nodding at them and waiting for their say so.
"You realise you're the one with a title, not us. Right?" Addie asked as she looked at them for permission.
"Yes, but that doesn't mean I'm going to order you ar- actually, that's just what I'm going to do." Cassie said, looking at them evilly before winking at Addie. "You're my slave now."
"Just open the portal, will you?" he said, rolling his eyes.
"I thought I was the one with the title. Maybe I want to sight-see." she told him, smirking as he groaned.
"You realise the only sight you'll see is more trees."
"You're worse than Merlin, you know?" Cassie said, rolling her eyes and opening the portal. "I'll go first." she said, picking up a few leaves and folding them up to throw it to them. "Don't come until I throw it through."
"Okay, Cassie." Gildas said, waiting for her to step through before mumbling to his children. "Your auntie is a very, very annoying girl. It's women like that that you have to avoid, they will manipulate you with their smile."
"Oh?" Addie said, watching the leaf fall to the ground and standing up. "I'm so telling on you."
"But mum." he said, sounding whiny and laughing as she took his hand and pulled him through.
"What's so funny?"
"Many, many things."
"Most of which you'll only guess at." Gildas told her, looking around and smelling the sea air contently.
"Called me or you childish?" she asked Addie quietly.
"Something like that." she said, looking around. "Are we going to use the portal or are we going to sail?"
"I was rather hoping a portal. I really don't feel like getting on another boat." Cassie said. "I just want to get back as quickly as we can."
"We can transport from here."
"You can take us all?"
"No, but I can take a few trips. Elemental magic, I'm good at."
"Okay. Go ahead." Cassie said, nodding to him and letting him take her hand and mutter the spell.
"I'd ask you to teach me, but I think portals are just as good." Cassie said, trying to find solid ground.
"First time's always difficult. You good?"
"Mhm." Cassie said, taking deep breaths through her nose.
"Here, keep it handy for the babies." he said, knowing they'd throw up just as quickly as they landed.
"Okay." Cassie said, watching as he twisted out of sight and kicked up the wind for a moment before he came back and the wind died down.
"Oh, poor babies." Addie said, watching as Cassie helped wipe the spit up gently.
"I think we should give the magic a rest now. They don't seem to like it so much." Cassie said gently, caressing the baby's cheeks with a wistful smile.
"Let's go into the nearest town and get some rest, it's been a year's worth of travel in a day." Gildas said, putting the hand on the small of her back and leading her towards where he knew they could go.
"No, I'd rather get it all over with today." Cassie said, shaking her head and looking at him. "Besides, you did promise me I'd get to meet your boys."
"Of course, I'll take you near where I live, and then we'll walk the rest of the way. I'm the only one who can magically enter there."
"Not even Addie?" she asked, looking at the girl and adding sarcastically, "He really trusts you."
"Cassie, even if I could transport inside I don't really need to." Addie told her. "It was my idea when we moved in there, anyway."
"Really? Guess I'm just selfish." Cassie said with a shrug, nodding to Gildas as he told her where to open it to and she whispered the words once more.
"Come on." he said, walking through and throwing a small pebble back.
"Let's go, baby." Cassie said softly, holding the child close to her breast and walking through the portal quickly.
"Through here, come on." he said, leading them expertly through the woods and pulling back a wall of thick shrubbery. "Go through here. Careful with their faces, these shrubs can hurt come springtime." he said, waiting for them to walk through before walking through himself.
"It's not springtime, Gildas." Cassie pointed out.
"It's the end of springtime." Gildas corrected, sweeping his arm out. "Welcome to our home. Well, my father's home. Ours is close by."
"It seems like a nice place." Cassie said softly, looking at the huge clearing filled with uneven grass and shrubs in many different shapes and sizes.
"A way for them to learn to control their magic. You embroidered, they play with the grass and make it grow or cut it and then shape the shrubs."
"If Camelot let magic users in, they'd be welcome at the royal gardens." she said, looking at the shrub of a dragon on the far end of the field. "Have they ever seen a dragon?"
"No, but my father's best friend was a dragonlord. Whittled a dragon and gave it to him when he first got married."
"To your mother?" Cassie asked softly.
"Yeah. He's long dead. In fact, I think the dragonlords died out with the Great Purge, but…"
"Yeah." Cassie said sorrowfully, looking down at the ground.
"Daddy!" the two boys yelled when they walked out to the yard, breaking out into a run and throwing themselves into his arms. "I missed you so much!"
"I missed you too." he said, kissing their cheek and letting them go. "We have a few people we'd like you to meet. Cassie?"
"Hello." she said softly, walking up to them and kneeling slowly. "Meet your sister, Cassie."
"She looks funny." one of the boys said, looking into the sleeping face and giggling.
"I think she looks like you." Cassie said, tapping his nose with a gentle finger and smiling at them. "Addie has your baby brother in her arms. Go see." she added, smiling as they ran up to her and hugged her legs.
"I think they like you." Gildas muttered, taking his daughter from her arms and helping her up. "I'm going to go inside and see if Father has the strength to come out."
"Right." Cassie said, smiling softly as Addie peppered their faces with kisses and they giggled and tried to move away from them.
"Have you met my friend? This is Cassie. She helped me bring your brother and sister into this world." Addie said softly, nodding at her to come closer. "She has magic too."
"Really?! Can you show us something!"
"Tell me what you want to see?"
"Can you make this into a dragon!?" they said, holding out a rock for her to take.
"Well, I don't think I can." Cassie said gently, taking the rock from them. "But that doesn't mean I can't try. Let's let your mom go inside while we play." Cassie said with the widest smile, standing up and closing her fist around the rock, muttering a spell under her breath and throwing her fist up as her eyes glew golden and the rock changed mid flight into hundreds of thousands of little, colored lightning bugs.
"They're not dragons." they giggled as she shrugged sheepishly.
"Well, it seems I'm at a big disadvantage…. You know my name, but I don't know yours." she said, lying on her back and looking up as the lightning bugs began to fade into yellow.
"I'm Iain. he's Eoin." the boy said, laughing as he saw the bugs fly around before fading into nothingness.
"Fine names, my dear friends." Cassie said, sitting up and looking at them. "So… what do you want to play?"
"Tag, you're it!" Iain said, getting up and running away while Eoin did the same but the other direction.
"Hey! That's not fair!" Cassie called after them, getting up and leaving the bag on the ground as she ran after them, smiling widely as she chased them around the clearing and laughing as she fell into a puddle of mud. "Oh, now you're going to get it." she said, getting up and running after them with blackened hands, catching Eoin and hugging him close as she messed up his hair.
"Now look at this! You're all filthy!" Addie said, hands on hip and a glare in her eyes as she looked at the four muddy hands chasing after Iain. "Inside, now!"
"Yes, mother." the boys said, hanging their heads and walking in, but not before looking back at Cassie and grinning widely.
"And you, too." she said, looking at her up and down.
"Yes, mother." Cassie repeated, grinning widely and giggling as her eyes glew golden and she used her magic to clean herself up.
"Oh, shush." Addie said, laughing at herself and shaking her head.
"It's an honour to finally meet you, Llys Dôn." he said, sitting up with a pained expression. "I'm Rhys."
"Call me Cassie, please." she said with a wide smile, curtsying and sitting next to him. "I must say, your son is very mysterious. He's kept me in the dark about many things in the past year or so we've been travelling."
"All a part of our family. I cannot tell how many times a beautiful woman has said that to me." he said with an airy chuckle. "I'm glad I got to live to see you and Emrys come to life."
"Hey, whenever you say so I'll drag Merlin here for you to meet him yourself."
"Destiny works in many ways, my dear. We cannot force it. Emrys needs to mature more before he can come into his full power."
"What does meeting you have to do with that?"
"Not me. My son."
"Gildas? But he's already met him."
"I have more." he said, chuckling and sharing a look with his son. "But that means nothing. I wanted to meet you."
"So… what's the verdict?" she asked, looking at the floor nervously.
"You are everything I've heard you should be and more." he said truthfully, nodding at her and smiling.
"Heard from who?"
"The prophecy."
"Will- can you tell it to me?"
"During Albion's darkest hour, two powerful sorcerers will be born upon this Earth; Emrys, the most powerful warlock to ever walk this Earth, and Llys Dôn, the Beacon of light and hope. They are destined to usher in a new age, the Golden Age. And, with the Once and Future King on their side, the Kingdom of Albion will be the most prosperous and peaceful until the time comes that brings them back."
"'Brings them back'?" Cassie repeated, her brow furrowed as she considered the words. "How?"
"Llys Dôn is destined, also, to help create the Veil between the living and the dead. One that will ensure the safe passage back from those destined to return."
"I've heard this before, why are prophecies so cryptic?"
"This is, believe it or not, one of the most forward prophecies I've heard. Nothing cryptic about it."
"How do I-we- do this? How are we supposed to 'usher in a new age' and 'bring them back'?"
"That is not something anyone can tell you. You have to decide and you have to do it yourself without anyone's help." he said, breaking into a fit of coughs.
"I can ease the coughs." Cassie said softly, watching as Addie held a glass of water out for him.
"You cannot cheat death. I've been alive for many centuries. It's my time."
"I did once." Cassie said quietly, looking at the floor as she thought about that day.
"What do you mean? You mastered the power of life and death?" he asked with wide eyes.
"Wel- I, erm…" Cassie stuttered out, looking around nervously. "Merlin's friend, Will, was on death's door, literally, and I healed him."
"Impressive, I've seen High Priestesses who couldn't master the power in all their years of training. Who was your tutor?"
"My teacher was Edurne, but the real power behind her was teaching me how to understand the spells, not how to use my power."
"You'd make my grandchildren a good teacher." he said, chuckling and coughing up some more blood.
"Please, let me ease the pain." Cassie said, holding her hand out reassuringly.
"No, my time is coming. Don't waste your energy on me, my dear."
"If you say so." she said, nodding to him and chuckling as the boys ran in, no longer muddy, and jumped onto the bed.
"No jumping on the bed, boys." Addie said, rolling her eyes as Gildas walked over to pick them both up and keep them under his arms.
"Well, it's starting to get late, are you hungry?" Cassie asked, standing up and smiling widely at the boys who nodded emphatically.
"I'll go catch something." Gildas said, dropping the boys on the bed and grabbing the bow and arrows.
"I think I'd rather go. I missed the forest."
"Want some company?"
"No, I'm good." Cassie said, smiling at him and taking the bow and quiver from him.
"Whatever you say." he said, sitting next to his boys and playing thumb war with both at the same time.
"You've been gone for a while." Gildas noted as she walked back into the clearing, dragging a big hare along.
"Took me a while to find a big enough hare for all of us." Cassie said, heaving it over to him and dropping it at his feet.
"I think this is more than enough."
"Are you kidding me? Your twins had me running around for 30 minutes playing tag. I'm starved. I forgot how much energy kids have." she said, her stomach rumbling as if on cue.
"Ha!" Gildas barked, laughing rowdily as she just glared at him. "I don't even last 15 playing that game with them. Go on, I'll prepare dinner."
"Sure." Cassie said, ruffling his hair and walking into the house with a small smile. "I do hope you boys like stew."
"I promise you'll never eat stew as well as she makes it." Addie said with a wink, standing up and excusing herself as the babies started crying from hunger.
"Do you have tomatoes and herbs?" Cassie asked him as the boys ran up to her and began barraging her with questions. 'Where did you learn magic? Can you teach us how to do that spell? Want to play some more!?'
"In the back garden. Why don't you boys go and help her pick some vegetables." Rhys said, saving her from their chorusing voices.
"Okay!"
"Energetic pair, aren't they?" Cassie asked him with a grin as she let herself be dragged out by the hands.
"Cassie, I just wanted to thank you for how you've been with the boys. It means a lot to us." Gildas whispered as they put the stew to cook on the fire twenty minutes later.
"It's truly my pleasure, old friend." Cassie whispered back, smiling brilliantly at him and making conversation with Rhys while the stew finished cooking.
"This is delicious!" Iain said, smiling at her as he walked up and held the bowl out for second helpings.
"Well, thanks for the high praise!" Cassie said, giggling softly as Eoin also came up for more. "Told you it was just enough." she said to Gildas as he mirrored his son and smiled at her in the same manner.
"Boys." Addie giggled, rolling her eyes as she caught Cassie's gaze. "Can't live with them…"
"I don't know about that. Living with Owaine wasn't very hard to do." Cassie replied, smirking as she sat down beside her friend.
"Owaine is your husband?" Rhys asked.
"He was." Cassie answered, willing herself not to cry after such a long time.
"I'm sorry, losing someone is always hard."
"You know better than anyone that time is what's needed." Cassie said softly, jumping slightly at the knock on the door.
"Relax, only family can get in here." Gildas said, standing up and going to open the door and smiling as he saw his brother on the other side. "Anhora!"
"Brother, how are you?" he greeted, hugging him quickly with a wide smile.
"Swell, come in! I see you're still using your charges as trusty steeds." Gildas commented, spotting the unicorn in the clearing neighing wildly.
"She said screw you."
"I thought they couldn't curse." he said with a furrowed brow.
"Okay, I say screw you. She agrees." he said with a smirk. "What smells so delicious?"
"Dinner, sit down, I'll get you a plate." Gildas answered.
"Oh, hello. Who are you?" he asked, setting his stave on the floor and smiling at his nephews.
"Cassie."
"Oh, Merlin's friend!"
"You know Merlin?" Cassie asked with a smile.
"We crossed paths a year ago." he said vaguely.
"He cursed Camelot because Prince Arthur killed his favourite unicorn." Rhys said. "Something I highly disapprove of."
"I'm just following the rules, father." he said.
"Strange." Cassie said thoughtfully. "You look more like his father than his son."
"It adds to the air of mystery." he said mystically, stroking his long beard. "I also grew this beard for that reason."
"You are so alike." Cassie said with a giggle, shaking her head at them. "I wonder what you look like old." Cassie said, looking at Gildas.
"Well, there is an ageing spell. I can give it to you." Anhora said, winking at Addie.
"Definitely!" Cassie said with twinkling eyes, ignoring as Gildas stage whispered to his wife how annoying they were. "So, tell me about your meetings with Merlin and Arthur." she told him, sitting back and watching him as he regaled her with the tale about Arthur and Merlin.
"Well, it was lovely meeting you. If I weren't so white-haired, I might try to court you." he said, bowing in compliment to her and winking at his brother nearly two hours later.
"Goodbye, Anhora." Cassie said, rolling her eyes at him good-naturedly.
"And you ask why my true loves are my unicorns." he told Gildas, smiling at her and leaving them with a friendly smile.
"Your family really is very strange, Rhys. The only normal ones are the babies."
"That's 'cause they can't talk. Their weirdness is genetic, I've stopped being surprised." Addie piped in, leading her over to a separate room and making up a bed. "You can sleep here, Gildas and I can sleep elsewhere."
"No, don't worry about that. I think I should head back to Camelot now. It's been long enough." Cassie said sweetly, smiling at her friend and taking her hand. "Besides, I've enjoyed your hospitality far too much. I feel I have overstayed my welcome."
"You have not, Cassie. But I understand if you really want to go." she said, hugging her friend tightly.
"Thanks, Addie."
"Don't be a stranger. Visit us whenever."
"I'll become a nuisance. I promise." she said, smiling softly and winking at her.
"Rhys, it was wonderful meeting you. Thank you for answering my questions to the best of your ability."
"The honour is mine, Llys Dôn." he said, bowing his head respectfully and watching as she walked over to the two boys.
"I'll come visit. I promise. Next time I'll come with some wooden swords and teach you how to sword fight. Maybe even show you how to beat your father quickly." she whispered to them, kissing them on the temple and tucking them in. "Get some sleep."
"Bye, Cassie." they chorused, smiling and closing their eyes.
"Come on, I'll take you over, you've been using too much magic recently. Those portals are hard to do. Even more so when you open five on the same day."
"My power is strong enough, Gildas. Thank you for the offer, but I'm not entirely sure how Arthur's going to react to me, let alone you. You're an unknown person, untrusted. Arthur's chosen to trust me. At least that's what he said, I'm not sure how ready he is for that."
"Tread carefully then, Cassie. If you need anything…"
"Well, I'll be showing up every now and then. I think your kids love me more than you. They've asked me over." Cassie told him with a wide teasing smile.
"You can come anytime. This is my father's house, his land. Hand me the map you've copied and I'll show you where we live." he said, rolling out the parchment and holding one end while she held the other. "Right here, just open a portal here, and walk the rest of the way."
"I'll see you. If you ever need anything…" Cassie said, trailing off with a friendly smile.
"Same goes for you. Whenever. Even if it's 'Prince Prat' who needs it."
"I should never have told you Merlin's nickname for him." Cassie said with a chuckle.
"Safe travels, Cassie."
"Thanks, Gildas. The same goes for you."
"I'm not travelling."
"Stay safe, I mean." Cassie said, hugging him and kissing his cheek. "Thank you for everything."
"What are friends for?" he said, smiling and watching as she walked away.
"Who are you?" someone asked, stepping in front of her and cutting off her path.
"I'm just travelling to Camelot. I won't be a bother." Cassie said, staring the man down and surreptitiously gripping the hilt of her dagger.
"What do you want in Camelot?" he asked, smirking at her.
"None of your business. Let me through." she said through gritted teeth, her eyes warry and hard.
"Now why would I do that? Especially with a Lady travelling alone and with a ruby encrusted dagger on her belt?" he said, gripping her wrist and making her tighten her hold on it as he held her hand in front of her face.
"I can kill you without twitching a muscle. Let me go." Cassie warned him, watching as he looked over her shoulder and smirked.
"Me, maybe. But the others…" he said, looking around and letting go of her wrist. "Go ahead and try."
"Would you like to face the sword, dagger, or magic?" Cassie asked him, smirking as the others began to retreat with uneasy expressions.
"What would a sorceress have to do in Camelot?" a woman asked, appearing from the crowd and walking up behind her.
"Not what you're thinking." Cassie said, not looking away from the man.
"Tell me." she commanded, her blade digging into her back.
"Love. There's a man there that I love and I'm going to him."
"I guess I can understand that. Tristan? Let her wrist go."
"As you wish, my dear Isolde."
"You're the ones from the story?" Cassie asked as they kissed passionately in front of her.
"We made the mistake of making camp with a bard one night." Isolde said, looking at her analytically. "So, tell us about your love."
"I think not, it's very private and I wouldn't want to make the mistake of camping with a bard."
"Well, none of us are bards." Tristan said.
"No, you're clearly not. Bandits would have killed me, so you're not those either. Smugglers?" Cassie asked, smirking as he nodded his head, impressed.
"You're very smart."
"Well, I'm not an idiot. And I've travelled alone before. I can take care of myself."
"Stay the night, it's dark, and there are bandits around." Isolde offered with an amiable smile, nodding for them to go to their camp.
"I accept your offer."Cassie agreed. Sheathing her dagger and making a mental note to keep it more hidden. "His name's Leon and he's a knight." Cassie said, following her through the trees and lighting the fire with a wave of her hand.
"We don't have anything against magic users, but you should warn us next time." Tristan said, holding his hand out as a few swords unsheathing rang through the quiet night.
"Sorry, After a year and a half of travelling with people who don't care…" Cassie apologised, placing her sword at her feet.
"You're not very trusting, are you?" Isolde said, handing her a bowl of food.
"I trust completely when it's earned. Thanks." she said, giving it back. " But I've already eaten."
"That's a good policy." Tristan said. "So, this Sir Leon… Is he honourable?"
"Far more than you, I'd wager." she answered with a short laugh. "No offence meant."
"None taken, my Lady." he said with a deep laugh. "I am a smuggler."
"What are you smuggling?"
"Ah, not answering that, my Lady. You are in love with a Knight of Camelot."
"Yes, one who knows I have magic and hasn't said a word." Cassie pointed out.
"He loves you, not me."
"True." Cassie conceded, chuckling while Isolde assigned a few of her entourage to get ready for the first watch and got herself ready to sleep.
"I don't suppose you have an extra bedroll?" Cassie asked hopefully.
"No, sorry. You'll have to manage, my Lady." Tristan said, laying out next to his love and looking at Cassie apologetically as she made to get comfortable for the night.
"Will you travel on with us? We're heading near that way anyway." Isolde asked as soon as the sun rose.
"I have a few detours to make before going, so…" Cassie told them, shaking her head apologetically.
"Then it was a pleasure to meet you, my Lady." Tristan said, bowing low and kissing her hand.
"Your man's a flatterer." Cassie told Isolde, smiling coquettishly. "I'd tell you to watch your back if he weren't so obviously taken by you."
"I have him wrapped around my little finger." she agreed, shaking hands with her and smiling widely. "Should our paths ever cross again-"
"I welcome the exchange of wits and the chance to best him with my sword since I hadn't the opportunity last night." Cassie said, nodding at her.
"Until next time, my Lady."
"Until then, Tristan, Isolde." she said, twisting the ring around her finger and smirking before she covered the stone with her hand and disappeared from view.
"I've never seen anyone disappear like that so quickly." Tristan said, turning to his wife and looking at her.
"Just invisible, I can still hear you, Tristan." Cassie said from a few paces away, chuckling as he turned around and looked for her.
"That is why Uther hates magic." he called out, brandishing his finger in the wrong direction.
"Perhaps." Cassie said to herself, walking away towards where she knew the nearest stone quarry was.
"I'm here to buy enough large stones for an archway." Cassie said, going up to the nearest quarrier.
"Ha, what would you need that for, little girl?"
"For none of your business. I can go to another quarry and pay them." Cassie said, glaring at him and turning around.
"How much?" he said, stopping her from leaving reluctantly.
"I'm prepared to pay generously. Just get me the stones."
"Yeah, and how will you carry them?"
"Do not question me unless you are prepared to know the answer." she warned him, taking out the pouch and retrieving at least 15 ounces of gold thrymsas. "That should be far more than enough for the stones I require."
"Give me an hour at most. I'll have them all brought to you then, my Lady." he said, taking the gold from her and backing away.
"Good." Cassie said, rolling her eyes and opening a portal behind her, making sure it went to a secluded area in the middle of the woods on the southern border of Essetir.
"Your stones, my Lady. Transport will be extra."
"Don't concern yourself with that. Go back to your quarry unless you want to be executed by Uther." Cassie said, her eyes warning.
"I should have known." he muttered to himself, backing up with all of them into the mineshaft.
"Plausible deniability." Cassie told him, her eyes glowing as she levitated the stones and had them follow her through the portal to an empty clearing and putting up a protection charm around the clearing.
"Ālimpaþ þæm stángaderungum ond wíeraþ bígels. Āþenċ þæm múþe se éðel þá licburge. Beféhaþ se galdor wiðinnan ond bífére eac þone bealucræft þære eorÞwæstme cnídende heorte. Ālīef þone bealucræft hiru þurh þæs háligrefte efyngellcan blòd þurh brist." she chanted, her eyes fixed before her as she directed each stone to form an arch and watched the golden sheen imbue every inch of them.
Cassie sat cross-legged as she let her hands work in front of her weaving a spell from the edges in; all the while the Veil formed slowly like a thin, transparent white silk curtain.
Close to five hours later and covered in a thick sheen of sweat Cassie let her magic go and looked at the stone archway with a proud smile.
"I can't believe I did it!" she whispered weakly, falling onto her back in exhaustion and blacking out immediately.