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Caitrin just stared up at the young man who was now speaking to her from a small room at the back of Gaius’ workshop. She peered curiously at him, wondering now if he thought that she had been trying to steal supplies, or even some of the old books that were lying around. She had just thought it would be easier to wait in here than circling the castle in the hope of finding Gaius at some point. Out of everywhere, he would have t return here eventually and she doubted her business would take long. “It’s no matter, I was lost in my own thoughts.” Caitrin brushed the incident aside with a soft smile. She hadn’t been expecting the man to sneak up on her, so it was her fault as much as his that she had acted in such a startled manner.

She could not place the young man no matter how hard she tried. She was sure she had seen him around the feasts in Camelot, and from time to time in the castle, but she never paid much attention to servants. It wasn’t in her upbringing to pay those outside her own social circle much attention; that didn’t mean she was cruel to those who’s profession it was to serve of course. She had nothing against anyone really, it just meant that she was less likely to take notice of a servant than a new addition to the noble court.

His offer of help was one that she would usually grab with both hands, especially given her current condition. She knew of course that he wouldn’t be able to help her with the real issue which plagued her mind. Her magic was sometimes like a burning secret on her chest that she wanted to scream out to the world, but as usual it was kept hidden; she couldn’t let anything hinder her own life, or the life of any children that she might bear. “I just-“ Should she wait for Gaius or not? “Are you his apprentice? I just need to know what’s wrong with me.” Both hand were at her side now, and she smoothed into a gentle curtsey, “My name is Lady Caitrin Aubert, what may I call you?”

Caitrin had struggled with what had happened with Pip for months afterwards, and she couldn’t say that she would ever be over it. How on earth would she ever be able to get over what he had done to her? Her hand smoothed over her belly, at first she had wondered if she could truly ever love the baby when she had first found out she was pregnant. That had been a stupid thought though, one she regretted completely. There was no question that she did love this baby just as much as Esmae or Arthur. It didn’t matter how she had come to be pregnant, because there was no way that it could be the babies fault, and she would never blame them for that night. She squirmed a little as her brother in law spoke, she knew it would be fine, but she was an irrational, hormonal woman and she felt like she had a right to be a little worried about how they would cope with the new baby. “I just want everything to be normal Luc, no one but you, my Uncle and Griff know what happened, I just worry it’ll be obvious. What if they look like him?” She ran both her hands over her belly as Lucan took Arthur in his arms. The baby kicked her, and she gasped out, she wasn’t sure how she would take it if the baby was the spit of Pip. It was something she would have to deal with if it ever came to it.

She watched as Arthur transformed for his Uncle; it was always like that really wasn’t it? Caitrin smirked a little, and just watched as Lucan bobbed her son up and down on his knee. He settled so quickly that Caitrin was almost jealous of the effect Lucan had on Arthur. However, she knew that children often behaved more for their extended family rather than their parents given that they were usually spoilt by them. Caitrin had no doubt that Lucan and Camila would spoil her children rotten, as she would spoil their baby when it came along. “If you’re this natural with your own children you’ll have no problem.” She said softly as Arthur looked incredibly content.

Caitrin nodded a little as Lucan said that he was not going to disclose the nature of the letter to Camila, “I won’t say a word to her.” Caitrin promised and gave her brother in law a soft smile. She looked at her son, to her, both her children were worth just as much as each other. She knew she should see Arthur with more value, as he was her son and he was Griff’s heir, but still, she loved both Esmae and Arthur equally and nothing could change that. “Did he tell Griff that as well?” She asked, her eyes still on Arthur, wondering how Corneous saw his first grandson. Caitrin didn’t want Corneous interfering with her children at all, in the same way her own father wouldn’t have a say in their upbringing.

Lucan’s answer made Caitrin grin, and she couldn’t have asked for a better answer. “They’ll have an Aunt and Uncle who will spoil them rotten as well.” She winked at Lucan and gave a short laugh. She did frown a little though as he spoke of dying without an heir, “Don’t be silly.” She scolded, the frown still outlining her features, “You’ll have an heir, I have no doubt of it.” The talk of other arrangements did ignite Caitrin’s curiosity, and she couldn’t resist asking more about it, and she pressed her lips together, “What have you done?”

Caitrin was starting to wish that Griff would just stir and wake up because otherwise Richard would just start making comments otherwise. She had no idea how her husband was sleeping through this either, after all, Richard could be anyone. The fact that Caitrin knew him was really of little consequence. There was a random man speaking to her in the middle of the forest, was it too much to ask for Griff to be a little concerned given their current circumstances? She looked down at Griff, who was just about waking up; Caitrin rolled her eyes. Knowing him, it would be a while yet before he was capable of coherent thought. She sighed a little as she ran her hands over her rounded belly.

It took all Caitrin’s strength to keep her temper under check, and to not lose her temper with Richard completely. She had been told by the midwife to not let her temper run away with her, and to keep calm for the baby’s sake. Caitrin glared at Richard as the child within her kicked violently against her stomach. She recoiled slightly at the sensation but tried to not let it show. Instead she raised her eyes to Richard and pressed her lips together angrily, “Just don’t.” She said through gritted teeth, only just realising how much what Richard had said really had bothered her. She couldn’t think of her child as an ‘it’. There was a child growing within her, and she would have a son, or a daughter, and they would look like her and Griff, only the best bits of both of them of course, and they would always be loved, “My child will never be an ‘it’, and if you say it again then you’ll really regret it.” She would probably kill him, given the mood she was currently in. He would probably continue of course; Caitrin was under no illusion. Richard wasn’t one for knowing when to stop for fear of upsetting someone.

Caitrin really had no desire to dwell on her last meeting with Richard; it had ended in humiliation on her part. She had been drugged and kidnapped twice, and had been driven into getting lost in the middle of nowhere. If her Uncle had been trying to put her off running away again then he had succeeded where many others would have failed. She had never run away again since the few days with Richard. “Especially when there are much more interesting things in the present.” She replied to him with a soft smile on her lips, though she didn’t really feel that cheery.

She wasn’t sure whether Richard was lying or not, but she had to assume that he wasn’t for the time being given that he would have had to be incredibly quick to get anything of value from her home. She folded her arms, and looked him up and down, “Then where have you been exactly?” She asked him, though she doubted that she was going to get a useful answer of any sort. This was Richard after all. There would be looting of course after Morgana’s take over; Caitrin had grown up in a warlords home, so she knew the ways of war. However, that didn’t mean she liked the idea of looters going into her home, and going through her things.

Well, Griff was finally awake then was he? Caitrin couldn’t help but smile up at him, he looked confused of course and she couldn’t blame him really. She slipped her hand in his and ran her spare hand over her belly, pulling a face at Richard, “I didn’t choose to bother you last time.” She pointed out reasonably. Caitrin hadn’t asked for Richard to come and kidnap her last time, she had fully intended to go home, and there had been no reason for Richard to intercede. Caitrin looked from Griff to Richard and squeezed her husband’s hand with a soft smirk on her lips. “I assume my Lord Uncle did not send you this time, Richard?” She asked and then grinned, “In which case you will answer my husband, what are you doing here?”

Her temper was still quite high as she entered the room, and seated herself in front of Lucan’s desk. Caitrin however quietened her temper as quickly as she could, as the physician had told her on many an occasion that getting herself worked up and annoyed might harm the baby. That was the last thing she wanted to do, so she had taken a moment or two to compose herself, and nothing felt like it was happening with the baby so she relaxed and took her mind off that little subject for the time being. It had been harder being pregnant with this baby than it had been with Esmae and Arthur. With them, they had always been seen as the ones to complete their little family, and the baby she was carrying now was an eerie reminder of how it had almost been torn apart. They were memories that Caitrin didn’t like to revisit, but she was often forced too. It was hard to think that this wasn’t Griff’s child, but the baby would be Griff’s. She would make sure of it. Everything would be fine when the little one arrived; it was only two months now until the birth. Caitrin smirked a little at Lucan, “How have you coped without seeing me?” She teased softly, “You had best not tease Camila the same way that you tease me, Jesu, if you do it’s a wonder she puts up with you.” Again, it was a little jest, but there was usually very little seriously discussed between Caitrin and Lucan. As brothers in law went, she was quite glad to have been landed with Lucan.

She smiled as Lucan accepted the congratulations as she shifted Arthur in her arms. He was just under ten months old now, and Arthur was always incredibly animated. Though he had her colour of hair, as he had grown he had started to facially look more and more like his father; especially with the way he smiled. “Do I look as tired as I feel?” She asked lightly with a small laugh, “It’s getting easier, Esmae and Arthur are sleeping longer, so I’ve had more time to rest while cooking up the next Aubert.” She smiled, though it was a sad sort of smile; not that she would ever admit it of course. Arthur’s attentions had already been snatched by his Uncle of course, no doubt he had recognised the voice, and the baby was smiling away as he sat up on his mothers legs, leaning against her belly with one of Caitrin’s arms draped around him to stop him from falling. It really did amuse Caitrin that Lucan always insisted on calling Arthur ‘Sir Arthur’. “He was making a fuss earlier, I wasn’t going to bring him, but in the state he was in I couldn’t leave him. He probably knew I was coming to visit you.” She smirked, as her sons attentions were now firmly on his Uncle, and he was gurgling happily at him.

Caitrin just watched as their little meeting was interrupted and she brushed a hand through Arthur’s red hair and kissed the top of his head, watching Lucan as he opened the letter. “What is it?” She asked him with furrowed brows, as she took the drink he was offering her, sipping it slowly and carefully; given she still had Arthur in her arms. Caitrin took a moment to look around the room she was currently sat in, Allard’s estate was quite beautiful, it wasn’t as big as her Uncle’s estate, but it was nice all the same she supposed.

Caitrin was starting to feel quite concerned at Pip’s expression, and she pressed her lips together, still trying to make light of the situation, though her head told her that there was something very wrong here. Philip was hardly ever serious with her, well, not when they were alone anyway. She traded from him of course, so the business on that side of things had always been serious, but he had never been anything but charming and suave when they were really on their own. She felt a little sick for a moment, wondering if Pip was going to tell her that Griff knew about them. That could never happen. The arrangement between her and Philip had been made before Griff had come on the scene, it had never been anything that was meant to lead anywhere, and in truth, Caitrin couldn’t really see why she had kept it going this long. She had just never thought to break it off, when she was around Pip it was always harder to say no than when they were apart.

She took a step or two after him, still allowing him his distance, but she wanted to stay close to him nonetheless. Caitrin brushed her hand along the bark of the tree that she was now stood next to, as if looking for some support. Though she knew she would be sad to see Pip go, if he had to leave she couldn’t say that it wasn’t for the best. She shouldn’t be out here at all, not with him anyway. No matter what she did, or said, to Philip, the fact remained that she loved Griff. He made her happy, and he made her feel wanted. Nevertheless, she smiled when he told her that he wasn’t leaving, but she didn’t show much more than that, as she knew that whatever he had to say was still to come. Instead she just breathed out slowly; her fingers tracing the wood of the tree beside her in an absent minded way.

Caitrin knew that Pip’s business took him all over the five kingdoms, so she didn’t question that Philip had been in Glouchedon. Instead, she focussed more on the other details of the story, and felt something uncomfortable shift in her stomach as he began to mention a woman, and then a betrothal. Caitrin felt her heart sink in her stomach, and she was torn between laughing and crying. This couldn’t be right, Griff was engaged to her; he had given her his pendant, and had sealed the betrothal with her Uncle. Her face had visibly fallen, but she was still hoping that this was Pip’s idea of a sick joke, “There has to be some sort of mistake.” She said, adding a small unconvincing laugh to the end of her words as she walked a few steps away from Pip; turning away from him. Her fist clenched, then unclenched as she processed Pip’s words; biting the inside of her mouth to stop herself from letting her emotions run away from her. She turned back to Pip with an air of misplaced confidence, “Griff is engaged to me.” She fiddled the pendant in-between her fingers, “He gave me this when he proposed; he’s going to marry me, not some woman of his father’s choosing.” Her words were strong and confident, but they didn’t sound anything like that. Her emotions were wavering and she began to stumble over her words, “He-he proposed.” He had been the one to sit there beside her, and tell her that he loved her, and that he wanted to spend the rest of his life with her. Had it all been recycled? “This can’t be true, it just can’t be.”

Caitrin really just wanted to forget her time with Vortigern. She had never really spoken about it with anyone, not even Griff. Yassia was probably the only one who knew that she had ever had some experience with the man, but even she didn’t know the ins and out of it. She shifted slightly in her chair, and looked down at the fire. Really, she had wanted to forget about that day, and what she had gone through with him. She had never been so humiliated and helpless in all her life. Up until then, Caitrin had always thought she was so strong, and able to handle anything, but Vortigern had shown her just how weak, and it had changed her. She couldn’t say it was for the worst either. “I didn’t think you were being insensitive.” Caitrin said warmly, with a soft smile to match it. After all, Yassia had no idea what had happened to her at Vortigern’s hands. “It’s just not something I find... easy to talk about.” She explained vaguely, and began to fiddle with the ring on her finger. She wondered if she would ever tell Griff what had happened to her that night. It was hardly likely to happen again, she was sure he had drugged and then forced her into bed with him. She had found it so hard to trust again after that, but these things healed with time, and she was a stronger woman now.

She laughed as Yassia spoke of Griff not seeming manly if he complained about the weather and being cold. It was just something that she had come to expect with him. Griff complaining about the weather was a large feature of their relationship; her room back at her Uncle’s home was now furnished with blankets and the like for when he joined her. “I’m sure he just says it to make me feel sorry for him.” She wrapped her arms around her body, and gave a wide smile, “And I always fall for it.” That was probably the reason that he kept saying it really, whenever he said that he was cold she would fetch a blanket, or get them both some wine, and settle with him. She would get annoyed about it if she didn’t enjoy the result as much as he did. Jesu, they were as bad as each other really.

Though Caitrin still held the opinion that there was much more to this than Yassia was letting on, she was sure pressing the issue wasn’t going to get her anywhere. Something would happen or it wouldn’t; life had a funny habit of being like that. Like for instance, she and Griff had their differences in the past, but they had clearly been meant for one another, and here they were, practically married in all but name anyway. “We shouldn’t have wound him up so much; he could have hurt you, and it would have been my fault.” Caitrin wouldn’t have been able to live with herself if some harm had come to her friend because of her stupidity. Nothing had happened though, and that was the important thing. Caitrin pressed her lips together and made a quick study of her friend, sure that she wasn’t going to get anything else out of her tonight. “I am not in the least bit tired.” She suddenly declared and set her goblet down gently, “What would you say to a quick walk?”

The riders were quickly halted as the Princess appeared to be in some distress. The guard who was conveying them looked from his mistress to her guest, almost clueless. He knew what to do if they were set upon by bandits, or if a horse became lame, but he had no idea about matters of medicine. Caitrin was more knowledgeable about such things, but she was quite shocked at how sudden the princess was taken by whatever ailment she was going through. Nervously, Caitrin bit her lip and drew her horse alongside Xenia’s, but not too close as she wished to give the girl some room to breathe, and retch if it came to that of course.

Talk of an allergy scared Caitrin somewhat. Allergies were dangerous things when left untreated. Nervously she looked over Xenia, wondering what had triggered this attack. They had medicine back at the estate, but there was no point in going back home if they were better suited to find something in Camelot to help Xenia. Caitrin had not yet dismounted, but she wondered if Xenia would be more comfortable if she sat on the roadside for a while, away from the horses, “What allergy?” Caitrin forced herself to ask with a dry mouth; hoping it was nothing serious. She tried to catch Xenia’s eye, as the woman was still having difficulty breathing, “What medicine do you need?” She asked a little more seriously, hoping that this could be fixed, and as smoothly as possible.