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Caitrin was staying in the castle for the next day or so, there was a feast in the evening, and if her Uncle wasn’t going to accompany her then she was going to go by herself and she was going to enjoy herself. The advantage of having a friend who was the Prince of Camelot meant she could always count on lodgings here, of course her Uncle had been assured that the best of care would be taken of her, and though Caitrin didn’t doubt that, it didn’t mean that she had to behave completely did it? She grinned at the thought; the men of the court were quite different to the ones in Mercia, of course that had a different context to it all together. Her father had kept her away from court, afraid she would tarnish his precious reputation. Caitrin pressed her lips together, and slipped her cloak from around her shoulders as she mounted the stairs to her room. She needed to get her things ready for tonight, and then perhaps take another walk. Caitrin had been taking a walk out in the gardens, and had been hoping to meet some of the courtiers out there. However, it had been a rather slow morning so far, all those walking had done so in couples. Caitrin scrunched up her face, she had avoided marriage before, and fully intended to keep it that way.

The young noblewoman hitched her skirts up as she walked up the stairs, she had the perfect dress for tonight, it was deep blue and fitted to her figure perfectly. Of course all she had to do was pick out the jewellery and she would enchant any man in the room. The tensions surrounding her Mercian birth were still in the air, given that there was still some tension between King Uther and King Bayard. Caitrin didn’t really get too hot and bothered about the politics between kingdoms, she didn’t understand it, though she knew one source of tension was that Mercia accepted magic, and Camelot did not. That was always a bitter topic for Caitrin, as she had been forced to hide this part of herself for so long now, even in Mercia no one had known of her true gifts, as her tutor had always been worried that Mercia would go the same way that Camelot had, and she had not wanted her apprentice to be in the middle of that.

As she reached her door, the young woman quickly realised that all was not as she left it. Furrowing her brows, and brushing down her satin, red dress, she pushed the door open and peered inside. She was greeted with a rather unflattering sight, and put a hand on her mouth to stop herself from bursting out laughing, “Can I help you?” She asked with a furrowed brow as she took a step into her guest chambers, resisting the urge to laugh at the young man.

Caitrin placed a hand on her swollen belly, as if to convince the child within her to calm, as she could feel it moving within her. The sensation, though reassuring, was quite uncomfortable, and she found herself lost for words for a moment before the sensation passed, and she was able to smile back up at her friend. Gaius, as with all of her other children, had prepared medicines for her, and had given her his impartial advice. Caitrin was not sure how she would have got through sometimes without his guidance. He truly was a great man, and Caitrin held a great deal of respect for him. “He has.” Caitrin said, “Gaius is always such a help to me, he always knows what to say.” She smiled softly, and then looked down at her belly, a mischievous smile crossing her fingers, “Though he does not want me to think too much on it, in case he is mistaken, he felt my belly, and believes me to be carrying twins once more.” She grinned, and rolled her hand over her belly; she was bigger than she had been with Alfie, but she could not remember how big she had been with the twins. That was a long time ago now, and so much had happened inbetween. “But don’t tell anyone, this is between us.” She grinned at him, and with this little secret she hoped he would see how much she still valued him as a friend, and how she would always value his friendship and advice.

She laughed as Arthur spoke, “I’m not sure who will be more worn out, Griff or the children.” A grin passed her lips; though Griff had always been positive he would not be the father their children deserved, he always did such a good job with all of them. They all adored him, even though he was a little soft on them at times. Caitrin didn’t mind though, they were bringing up their children the way that they should be brought up; with love and encouragement. It was a stark comparison to her own upbringing. Caitrin just supplied a soft nod, and smile as Arthur replied, telling her that he was well. She knew he was lying in some sense of it, because Arthur would not be well in times such as these. She knew he felt for his people while they were under the threat of Morgana, and Caitrin prayed that Arthur would soon defeat the witch in the field, and they could go back to the peace that they all craved, “I’m glad.” He probably knew that she was aware he was fabricating the truth, but she knew him well enough not to push him on matters like this.

Caitrin could not disagree with him there, though again she was glad she had not brought the children with her. She would not have been able to cope in these crowds with such a young family at her feet. Though she had been pushed around a little in the streets as she had made her way here, it was nothing she could not handle. “It’s not your fault, you didn’t ask for this.” She said firmly, “And besides, I am unharmed.” She pointed out, and smiled, “I’m Mercian, remember? We can handle more than a little shoving in the streets.” Playfully she winked at him, but her expression softened as he expressed his pleasure at her arrival here, “I wouldn’t have let you go without saying goodbye.” Caitrin pointed out; she knew that having a friendship with the king meant that she could not always see him as often as she would have liked, but she treasured the time which they did spend together.

The silence which ensued felt quite eerie, and Caitrin just rested her hands on her belly, waiting for Arthur to break it. Her few moments of reflection were broken as he spoke, and her smile widened, and she nodded her head, “I remember it like it was yesterday.” She sat back in her chair and grinned, “If I remember correctly, you could not wait for the first opportunity to see me without my Uncle by my side.” Gosh, those were young days indeed, long before she had met Griff, or even thought of children. She nodded at his reflective comment, it was strange to think how different they both were now. “My wedding feast aside, the feast you threw me that night Is the only one anyone had ever prepared for me.” She smiled a little at him, running her hands through her smooth, red hair, “Before that, I had thought everyone in Camelot disliked me.” She paused, “Our kingdoms were not always great friends.”

Caitrin was not waiting long outside the door before Arthur opened it. She was quite glad it was him, rather than a servant, who admitted her into the chambers, given she wanted a little bit of privacy with him before she left. Caitrin had not seen Arthur as much as she would have liked in the past years, given she was now a mother, and he was a king. It was a stark comparison to the two carefree teenager they once had been, where the biggest problem of the day had been to decide where they would ride out to. How times had changed! She smiled up at Arthur, “Good afternoon Arthur.” It was a simple greeting, but one she felt like she had to supply. Perhaps in company she would have used his formal title, to mark her respect of his status, but here, where there was just the two of them, they were just friends without any of the pomp and circumstance. Caitrin took the seat offered to her before answering Arthur’s first question.

She sat upright, and placed one hand on her belly almost sub-consciously, and nodded softly, “Everything’s fine, thank you, though this little one has brought on a case of morning sickness.” That in itself was nothing to worry about, she had always had morning sickness, and though it was unpleasant, at least it felt like everything would run smoothly with this pregnancy. Her life was perfect at the moment, she and Griff were celebrating bringing their next child into the world, and she was so proud of the children they already had. They were all growing up well, and happy, which was all she could ask for. “The children, and Griff are all fine as well; he’s looking after them all today, so Jesu knows what I’m going to go back to.” She smiled a little, and rolled her hand over her swollen belly, and looked across at her old friend. She knew he was the King, and that it was his duty to protect Camelot, but some small part of her wished he didn’t have to take this risk.

Of course Caitrin had watched Arthur ride off to war many times, though that didn’t make the reality of it any easier to grasp, “And yourself?” she asked, with a soft and unwavering voice, knowing he would lie, and tell her everything was fine even if it was not. They had been friends long enough for her to know how this works, “The whole town seems to have come alive with the preparations for the battle.” Caitrin paused, “I was nearly stood on, on the way up here.” She then figured she should probably introduce what she was doing here, as Arthur had not raised the question yet, "I wanted to come and see you, before, well-" she broke off, as she hated this part, "Before you go to war."

Caitrin Aubert pulled her cloak around her, and narrowly missed colliding into the rush of soldiers, and people who were swarming around the streets of Camelot. There was an air of organised chaos, but she wasn’t getting too irritated at the fact she had been walked into at least five times from her way up from the entrance to the city. She had walked here with a guard, given the fact she wasn’t allowing herself to ride at the moment; her condition prevented it. She knew she was only four months pregnant, but still; she wasn’t risking anything and would not forgive herself if anything happened to the baby. Her children were more than toddlers now, Esmae and Arthur were nearly four years old, and Alfie was only just coming up to being three. It felt strange to think she was going to be starting the cycle again with a new baby; she desperately wanted another daughter. She and Griff had made her condition public a few weeks ago, so it was common news now, though nothing too hyped as they already had three children. Of course they were thrilled, but it was hardly going to be met with the same enthusiasm as with their first child.

Her arm wrapped around her stomach, and she continued upon her way. Another solider collided with her side, but she managed to keep her balance. Jesu, she had not seen the place so busy in years. No one really made much accommodation for a noblewoman passing through on their own; everyone had their own agenda today, and Caitrin appreciated that. She would never know what it was like to ride off to war, and neither would she ever want to. Sighing softly, she carried on walking, trying to keep her spirits high. Now she was quite glad she had decided against bringing any of her children with her, she knew that Arthur liked them well enough, but she didn’t want to upset any of them with the talk of war, and in Camelot it would be inevitable for them, even at their young age, to ask questions. Of course she would tell them what was happening, but she didn’t want them to be overwhelmed by it, especially seeing as their Uncle would be playing a part in the battle.

As a mother of three, she had so much to think about, and worry about, but for now, she was taking a bit of time out for a duty of friendship. Arthur Pendragon had been a close friend of hers since she had arrived in Camelot, and she had even named her eldest son in his honour. It was not something which Caitrin had done without thought, and she was sure Arthur had appreciated the gesture, even if her husband had been a little apprehensive about it at first. Eventually, Caitrin found herself within the castle, and it felt like a complete change from the chaos of the outside world. It felt slightly surreal, but her feet took her to the door of Arthur’s chambers, and she knocked on softly, not finding a guard nearby to allow her entrance. Of course she did not enter right away, as she had no idea whether he would be with the Queen or not. Instead, she just slipped her cloak from around the shoulders of her ruby red dress, which held tight around her rounding belly, and waited patiently for an answer.

Caitrin didn’t mind people asking after her condition of course, especially now it was showing properly now. Her rounded belly was only emphasised by the tight dress she was wearing; the midwife had told her that she had a while before her belly was supposed to swell to this kind of size, but Caitrin wasn’t worried about the fact she was growing quickly. She just wanted the baby to be healthy; this would complete hers and Griff’s little family, and so she was counting down the days until she would be able to hold her child. Caitrin was certain she would do everything right, not like her own family; she would love her children, and appreciate them. Caitrin didn’t want her children to grow up thinking they were unwanted, or unloved as she had. That particular cycle would never be repeated, not while there was breath in her lungs.

Well, Caitrin knew she wouldn’t have appreciated being called anything but a lady at Aryenne’s age, indeed, since coming to Camelot in her earlier teenage years she had always been called a lady. She just nodded a little, “I do not mind calling you a Lady, I know I would not have appreciated being called anything but at your age.” She smiled, hoping to come across as understanding. Then again, this could be her pride seeping through a little, as her family had always commanded respect, and that came mutually in most occasions. She had no idea really, perhaps if she had been brought up in a loving family she would not have the same expectations which she had now. She shook her head softly, “No, I am not my Lady.” She smiled a little, “I am from Mercia, my family still lives there, well for the most part.” She shrugged, “But I love it here in Camelot; I have never thought to move back.” She never would, especially given how her father was. She would not let him get anywhere near her baby.

She did wonder how big she would become; she and Griff were hardly giants, and so she hoped her belly would not swell too much. At the moment she was comfortable, but she knew that soon it would become harder to move, and more tiring. Caitrin smiled softly, “Not at the moment, it just feels like I’ve put on a lot of weight.” She chuckled, as really that was all she had done, but it wasn’t an overwhelming amount just yet. “Though I doubt I’ll be able to move much by the end.” Caitrin smoothed a hand over her belly, and felt the baby stir a little; she hoped the little one would settle before bed, so she could get some sleep.

Caitrin was a little surprised at how rude Aryenne was about her parents, especially seeing as they were not long in each other’s company. She just stayed silent for a moment, processing what she had said, “I’m sure they are not that bad?” She asked quietly, and sipped at her wine, after all, she knew the extremes of bad parenting. If the only thing Aryenne could complain about was that her parents were dull then she had little to concern herself with.

Caitrin was not going to give in easily; she was still kneeling, and so tried her luck with standing up to defy Morgana further. Though she had no intention of screaming her point across to the false Queen, she wasn’t going to betray Arthur’s trust and sign her loyalty over to Morgana. Caitrin had nothing left to lose now, Griff had left months ago, and she hadn’t heard of him since. Her family in Mercia would not rise to her aid, and her Uncle would do what he thought was right, and if she conflicted with that then he would not help her. Caitrin just stood opposite Morgana, and stared on at the false Queen; a defiant look across her face. She didn’t like doing this, of course she would rather be back home at the estate, in her familiar surroundings, but her stubbornness had got the better of her once again. Caitrin had dug her heels in now, and it was unlikely that she would step down. In a way, she felt sick because this was the woman who was representing their kind. Of course Morgana did not know that they had their magic in common, as Caitrin would not disclose it to her if her life depended on it, which she supposed in a way, it did. It was little wonder that people in Camelot were so scared of sorcerers if Morgana was the person representing them.

It amused her that Morgana underestimated her, perhaps she didn’t know about the friendship that she and Arthur had. Caitrin knew she had no information regarding Arthur’s whereabouts, but she also thought it was naïve of the Queen to assume she knew nothing. However, perhaps it was to get her to slip up, and tell something which could aid Morgana in her quest to find Arthur. Caitrin just shrugged, not really caring much for formalities at the moment; Morgana didn’t deserve them, not after the way she was treating her people. “I would never be friends with someone like you.” And by that of course she did not mean a sorceress, as how could she discriminate against her own kind. No, instead she meant someone who had played all her closest friends false. Caitrin might be a lot of things, but she was no traitor, and she would defend her friends until the end. “Have you brought me here to mock me my Lady, if so, may I return to my cell?” She asked curtly, and with an unfazed expression, even though she was quite afraid of what Morgana was capable of. Some people were born to hold power, and she was increasingly of the opinion that Morgana was not one of those people.

Caitrin, through all her worrying and concern knew she could not just abandon her estate and leave at the drop of a hat. At the end of the day, she was the Lady of the Manor, and she took her role seriously; there were peasants on the land who relied on the estate, and of the people who lived there. It was a role her Uncle had fulfilled, and now she and Griff were running most of the place. There was no way she could just go, but then, was it really worth the risk if it was going to harm their unborn child? Caitrin placed her hand again at her belly, wondering what this new life would be like, and she felt a burning sensation within her; Morgana would never get her hands on this baby, and she would not ruin the future she and Griff had planned; Caitrin wouldn’t let her. Perhaps Merlin was not aware how stubborn she was, and how determined she was to fight off any threat to her family. Of course Caitrin had her magic to fall back on as well; she was never alone in that respect.

She drew a deep breath, “I will have to speak with my husband.” She said slowly, “He might want me to go to his parents in Glouchedon if there is trouble.” Not that Caitrin would ever go on her own, mind, but there was an alternative she supposed. However, there was no way that she was going anywhere on her own. She and Griff had spent enough time apart, and she would not leave him. There was no way she was going without him, they had to work in unison, or not at all. After all, she technically couldn’t do anything without her husband’s permission, though she knew that he would never commit her to that, Griff knew her well enough to know she knew her own mind, and would not be persuaded of anything but her own opinion. “I do appreciate your concern Merlin.” She smiled a little, “I feel like you are someone I can trust with a matter such as this.”

No matter how unsafe Merlin thought that Camelot could become in the future, it was nothing compared to what Mercia was like right now for her and Griff. Last time they had been there, even the royal family had not been enough to keep them safe. Her father had beaten her black and blue, and when Griff had tried to fight him off, he had received a similar treatment. Caitrin breathed out slowly; no way was her father hurting this child; she would kill him before he did. That was another reason not to go back; she wasn’t sure she could be counted as being responsible for her actions. Until a few years ago, Caitrin would not have thought magic capable of such evil, and in a way she still didn’t want to believe it. Magic was supposed to be used for a force for good, and to help others; not for selfish gain. Helgund had always taught her that.

“I-I can’t just leave.” She whimpered, “My estate, I have people to look after.” Her Uncle’s lands held residents all around them who relied on the profits of the manor to keep them all clothed, and fed. Caitrin was good friends with a many of them, and she didn’t feel like she could just abandon them. Until she was a few more months pregnant, she would be capable of getting away quickly. They couldn’t just send all the vulnerable people into hiding, the idea was ridiculous. It wasn’t that she didn’t appreciate Merlin’s concern, but she had duties to attend to, and she couldn’t just run away on the off chance that something did happen. “I have heard of Ealdor, yes.” That was in the kingdom which had belonged to Cenred; the land had been carved up not long after his death, “Merlin….” She paused, “It’s not that I don’t appreciate the concern, but I can’t just run away in case Morgana does attack.” He was right though in a way, could she stay here in her condition? With the constant threat of attack hanging over her head, “What if I-I stay here a while longer, then travel when my pregnancy is further along?”

Caitrin knew that she had just been being silly to think Nora would not trust her to help nurse her. Of course they both knew that no physician could have saved her father, the poison was too far in his system for anything to help him. That didn’t make the fact any easier to swallow of course, but there would always be a part of Caitrin that assumed Nora blamed her a little for what had happened during that series of events. “Well, do not hesitate to do so in the future.” She smiled, and rested the top of her head against Alfie’s mop of brown hair, “I can always leave my little rabble under the watchful eye of their father if you ever need any help.” Griff would have no choice in the matter of course.

She nodded, of course she had missed her full night’s sleep, but now she was getting them back she was realising how much she had missed them. Having three young children did nothing for her sleeping pattern, and entertaining them all often used up most of her energy. Most nights she crawled into bed completely exhausted. “No doubt the nights will be interrupted again in time.” She grinned, she and Griff weren’t expecting another child at the moment, but she did want more children. Caitrin had grown up in a large family, and so she felt like that was normal. Alfie was sat quite quietly on her knee, which surprised her. Usually he began to mess, and annoy her. However, he seemed quite settled today.

The sadness in Nora’s voice when she mentioned her sister wasn’t missed by the young noblewoman, so she offered a little reassuring smile. Caitrin vaguely remembered Nora’s sister from the Camelotian courts, but in truth she could barely remember her face. Of course she would never tell Nora that, but still, it made her a little sad that she had just allowed her memories to fade. “I hope so, he’ll have to speak loudly to get a word in edgeways with these two.” Both Esmae and Arthur looked up at her; Esmae grinned knowingly while Arthur just blushed again. Alfie leant back against his mother, who slipped her arms round his middle, squeezing him jokingly.

Both the twins jumped up at the mention of going outside, Caitrin just rolled her eyes at them before setting Alfie down so he could walk the short way to the gardens. She didn’t take his hand, as he had already caught up with Esmae and Arthur. Caitrin hugged her middle, but smiled, she liked the fact that all three of her children appeared to get on extremely well. “Thank you for all this effort Nora, you really don’t have to just for us.” She smiled at her friend as they began to walk into the gardens. The preparations really were beautiful, and Caitrin sat down, smiling at Nora as she did the same, “We picked the right day for it, wouldn’t you say?”