25Chapter 2: A/N: From here out the dialogue will be between English and Latin- all Latin dialogue will be in italics(but written in English because I can barely decline the verbs, let alone write out full sentences.) I wish I did, but alas, I do not own Merlin or other characters from Arthurian legend apart from Casiopea and her family. Also, in case there is any confusion about this, it's not that Gaius never heard of Spanish, it's just that she's from a place where the primary language spoken is that of the Visigoths, who I assume spoke a Germanized from of archaic Spanish, not the medieval Spanish that was far more influenced by Latin. I couldn't find a good dictionary to help me with the archaic Spanish, even though it is a few centuries later than when Arthur is believed to have lived, so I just used modern Spanish.
"Pardon me?" Gaius asked, surprised.
"Meum nomen, Cassiopeia." (my name is Cassiopeia) she said, thinking that maybe speaking in Latin he would understand her. "I'm in pain, Gaius. My ankle, it hurts so much!"
"You speak Latin! Here take this for your pain." He said as he pressed the vial in her hand. "You'll feel drowsy after taking this, but that's normal. I have splinted your leg, it got broken when your horse fell on you. You will be fine in a few months. Do not fret, my dear, we will speak later." Gaius watched as she drank the full vial and slowly fell asleep.
Meanwhile, in the throne room Sir Leon told the King about the girl they found being the reason they arrived sooner than expected and reported everything as normal at the border and the outlying villages.
"Curious. Did she say anything to you when you found her, Sir Leon?" asked the King while he stood at the head of the table, the gold circlet gleaming in the sunlight, rhythmically tapping his fingers against the wood of the table.
"Yes, my Lord. Alas, she spoke in a foreign language. None I have ever heard before. Sir Bruin took her up to the Physician's chamber for treatment. We believe that she has broken her ankle, if not her lower leg. Perhaps he can shed some light to what she said, Sire." Leon responded.
"Yes. Perhaps." King Uther said slowly. "Could she be a threat, Sir Leon? She was found near the border with Caerleon, was she not?"
"She was, Sire. I do not believe that she is a threat, my Lord. She was deathly pale when we found her, possibly from the pain, and she is as light as a feather and thin as a stick, a strong wind could blow her away. Other than her foreign tongue and where she was found, there is nothing about her that leads me to believe she is dangerous." Leon told his liege respectfully.
"Cador. You are well traveled, perhaps you can assist Gaius in finding out where this girl is from? It'll put my mind at ease, tensions have been high with Caerleon recently, and I fear that King Caerleon might send a spy."
"Of course, my Lord," the old advisor said with a deep bow, "It would be my pleasure to assist Gaius."
Uther nodded at his council and dismissed them. "Arthur, a word?"
"Yes, Father." Arthur replied, curious about what was needed of him.
"Some sage advice for when you are King. We can never be too careful, son. We may be at peace with Caerleon right now, but everyone is out for their own interest. A spy at Court, even one as unassuming as a small girl, could be our undoing. Now I'm not saying be overly suspicious of everyone from a different kingdom, but be wary of those whose arrival is marred by mystery."
Arthur took his father's words to heart, showing his gratitude with a curt nod when the Lady Morgana entered. Her strikingly green eyes shining, and her long black hair flowing down her back.
"Arthur, my Lord," she greeted with a nod and a bow respectively, "I wish to go out for a ride. My maidservant, Gwen, has already prepared a picnic, and has gone to the stables to prepare our horses. I wanted to extend an invitation to you both, if you are not busy. The day is beautiful and the flowers are ripe for the picking."
Uther and Arthur shared a quick look which clearly said 'girl talk, flowers, next thing we'll be braiding her hair' before they both gave an excuse for the ride.
"Very well, I shall go alone then." She said with a beaming smile and a glint in her eye.
"Gwen! They've both denied my invitation! Now we can really have fun! Did you pack the swords?" She asked excitedly.
"Yes, my lady. Everything is packed and ready. How you always get them to let you leave without an escort, I shall never know." Gwen replied with a cheeky grin and curiosity burning in her green eyes. "Where would you like to go today, Morgana? The brook due west? Or the clearing to the south?"
Once the decision was made, they mounted their horses, and took off, the wind whipping their hair, broad smiles on their faces.