Catrin: Sister of Emrys

Chapter 3: Meeting Kilgharrah & Cade's Part

Present Day
Cade gagged, a gag which quickly turned into a harsh cough. Merlin looked up at his sister with concern. "Are you okay, Cade?" He asked. Cade coughed again, but looked up at him and nodded.
"I'm fine." She said. "I must've swallowed wrong."
Yeah, that's it. Merlin thought, rolling his eyes. Cade shrugged and went back to shoveling the horse manure. Merlin sighed and went back to work.
Three hours later, Merlin dragged an even paler, coughing witch into Gaius' chambers. Gaius looked up as Cade's hacking caught his attention. "What did she do?" Merlin looked up at Gaius, a look of annoyance on his face.
"Overestimated her tolerance." he answered.
"Did not." A hoarse voice said weakly. Merlin and Gaius looked down and saw Cade glaring at them, her eyes only partially opened. Merlin lightly smacked Cade's head with his free hand.
"You did and don't you dare argue with me." He said. Cade opened her mouth to say something, but was interrupted by a series of harsh coughs. "It's freezing out there and with your weakness, by all rights you shouldn't have been out there in the first place." Once the coughing had ceased, Merlin and Gaius managed to drag Cade over to one of Gaius' patient beds. They sat her down and Merlin sat next to her while Gaius went to find something to soothe Cade's throat.
Merlin put a hand on Cade's forehead. "You're burning up!" he exclaimed. Cade looked away, hunching her shoulders in guilt. "How long have you been feeling like this?" Merlin asked. Cade wrapped her arms around her shoulders and shook her head. Merlin groaned with annoyance. "Cade, now is not the time to be stubborn!" Cade shuddered slightly at Merlin suddenly raising his voice, then her shoulder slumped, her arms falling onto her lap.
"Fine." she sadly softly. "I've been feeling like this since last night, when I camped out before getting here." Merlin's eyes widened.
"What!" He exclaimed. "You've been feeling sick since last night and you didn't bother to tell us?"
Gaius came back over to Cade and Merlin, one hand holding a vile of a potion, the other reaching out to grasp his nephew's shoulder firmly. "Calm down, Merlin." he said. "Yelling at Cade won't make things better." Merlin looked at Gaius and relaxed slightly. Gaius turned his attention to Cade. Handing her the vile, he asked, "How, though, did you manage to hide this from me, a skilled physician?"
Cade quickly downed the potion, gagged slightly at the taste and looked at Gaius. "When you live in Everwick, you can't afford to be sick. So I had to hide it when I did. I've gotten quite good at hiding it."
"Until it gets worse." Merlin mumbled, still clearly irritated. Cade nodded.
"Then it's impossible to conceal." she said. She coughed again, this time the cough being softer. She kicked her boots off while Merlin took her jacket and neck scarf off. Then Gaius gently pushed Cade down on the patient's bed.
"Rest now, Cade." he said. Cade's eyes began to droop as the sedative in the potion began to take effect. It wasn't long before she was fast asleep. Gaius turned to Merlin. "Stay with her. I'll let Arthur know." Merlin nodded and looked back at Cade. Gaius smiled and left the chambers. Merlinsmiled slightly and brushed Cade's dark bangs from in front of her face.
"You really know how to make things difficult for us, now don't you?" he said softly.
Merlin. Caden. Merlin tossed in his bed, his hands unconsciously going up to his ears.
Go away, Kilgharrah! He exclaimed mentally.
Young Warlock, you must awaken and come to the clearing. Bring the young witch. Kilgharrah commanded.
Cade's sick! Are you out of your mind!
The young witch will be fine. I do not wish to talk for very long, but Caden must know her place.
Her place in what?
That is what you will find out when you get here. Upon your arrival at the clearing, you must call me to you. Then, I will tell you what you must know.
Fine. We're coming. Kilgharrah's presence left Merlin's mind and Merlin sighed. He got up, slipped on his jacket and boots and crept into the main chamber. Gaius was fast asleep on his bed and Cade was fast asleep on the patient's bed. Merlin quietly walked over to Cade and gently shook her shoulder. Her green eyes, paler with fatigue from sickness, drifted open to meet Merlin's eyes.
"Sorry to wake you, Cade." Merlin said. Cade reached up with one arm and rubbed her eye with her hand, yawning widely. "There's someone I want you to meet and he won't wait until tomorrow." Cade nodded sleepily, allowing Merlin to pull her up and help her into her boots and jacket. They walked quietly out of Gaius' chambers and made their way across the courtyard to a deserted clearing.
Upon arriving, Cade jerked fully awake as Merlin roared, "O drakon, e male so ftengometta tesd'hup'anankes!" Suddenly, Cade was aware of the sound of wings flapping in the air and she looked up just as the enormous golden form of the Great Dragon, Kilgharrah came into view. When he landed, Cade struggled to keep her balance.
"I am here." he said. Cade blinked her eyes and shook her head.
"No way!" she exclaimed. Kilgharrah's golden gaze fell on Cade and she shuddered.
"No need to be afraid, young witch." Kilgharrah said. "I am only here to tell you and the young warlock something of great importance."
Merlin eyed the dragon sternly. "So tell us. We're here, tell us what was so bloody important!"
"Patience, Merlin." Kilgharrah said and Merlin groaned loudly, running his hands through his short dark hair. Kilgharrah turned his attention back on Cade. "Caden, has your brother told you exactly why he has remained in Camelot where he is at risk?" Cade shook her head. "It is because it is his destiny to protect Arthur Pendragon until he can become king. When that happens, magic will return to Albion."
"Big destiny." Cade said. "But what do I have to do with it?"
"You are just as important to destiny as Emrys."
"Emrys?" Cade turned to Merlin in confusion.
"Emrys is what the Druids call me." he explained. Cade nodded slowly.
"And to the Druids, you, young Caden, are known as Catrin." Kilgharrah said.
"The Druids have a name for me?" Cade questioned. Kilgharrah nodded.
"As I said, you are just as important to destiny as Emrys."
"No pressure or anything though." Cade said, half-joking. Kilgharrah said nothing. He opened his wings and took off into the air. Cade frowned and looked up after him. "Really? He just says that and then flies off! He didn't even say what I'm supposed to do to protect this prince!" Merlin grinned and walked over, putting a hand on Cade's shoulder.
"That's just the way he does things. I've learned to just go with it." Merlin said. He began leading Cade back to the castle. "Let's get back before Gaius sees we're gone."

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