CHAPTER SIXTEEN,
episode thirteen, le morte d'arthur.

ARTHUR, MERLIN and the knights came back to camelot one day after their hunting trip, concerned and shaken up after an encounter with a deadly beast. arthur called an audience with the king who invited gaius to join them so he could understand what the creature was.

"the creature you describe has all the characteristics of the questing beast." gaius spoke after hearing arthur's description who pulled a face, almost mocking the old man.

isabella noticed he liked to pull rather strange faces when he was confused, it was quite amusing to her.

"surely that is a myth?" he replied, unbelieving of gaius's answer.

"he is telling the truth. according to the old books, the appearance of the questing beast is supposed to foreshadow a time of great..." princess isabella spoke up as they all turned to face her, seeing her struggle to find the english word. "upheaval."

"you know of the beast?" the king asked her as she nodded.

"i have read about it." she explained briefly as the king turned back to gaius, not believing either of them.

"whatever it is, it is spreading panic. the people fear it will enter the city." arthur replied, seeing the disbelieving look on his fathers face at isabella's words.

"then we must kill it. arthur, gather the guards together. you ride at dawn." the king ordered as arthur looked slightly taken aback, but nodded as isabella followed him out.

"i don't think you should do this." she said, catching up to him and merlin, the brunette boy moving to the side so she could walk in between them.

"it cannot be that deadly." arthur replied.

"it is a bad omen, arthur." she tried as the blonde kept walking.

she sighed in frustration and looked up at merlin, "has gaius told you about it?" she asked as merlin shook his head.

"why is everyone in this castle so uneducated!?" she suddenly exclaimed which made the dark haired boy jump as arthur rolled his eyes at his servant.

she looked slightly startled at her own words, but continued, "ask gaius to tell you about this beast so we can convince the arrogant prince to stand down." she said, sending a sarcastic curtesy to arthur before turning around to leave, her hair almost smacking merlin in the face.

"she is so dramatic and infuriating sometimes." arthur complained as merlin chuckled at him, causing arthur to turn around to glare.

"something funny?"

"of course not." merlin replied, following the prince who continued to mutter angrily.

ISABELLA WAS woken by a loud scream coming from morgana's room. she jumped out of her bed, not bothering to put on something to cover herself in her nightgown and rushed to the ward's room.

morgana was panting heavily on her bed, tears in her eyes as isabella ran over, "morgana? wake up." she shook the girl who continued to whimper, as if isabella wasn't there.

"ana, it's me, izzie! wake up!" she exclaimed loudly as morgana panicked and looked at the older girl who hugged her, "it was just a dream. you're safe."

"it was terrifying." morgana sobbed as isabella sighed, trying to comfort her.

"what was it?" isabella asked.

"i'm going to find arthur." morgana said, not giving isabella a second to stop her before she ran out of the room.

"ana we are not dressed!" the girl shrieked.

isabella looked at morgana who was trying to go to the courtyard where arthur was training the knights, and looked at her nightgown. she let out a sigh, and followed the girl.

"arthur!" morgana yelled as the prince turned to the girl with a frown, watching her run down the steps with isabella following a few seconds later.

"morgana come back!" isabella called out.

"what are you doing?" arthur asked as morgana ran over to him.

"you cannot face it!" morgana yelled, as arthur tried to hold her off from pushing him.

arthur looked at her in confusion as isabella ran over to them, "morgana." she pleaded, unsure of what she meant.

"morgana, go back to bed. there is nothing to be afraid of." arthur told her as morgana shook her head.

"please, arthur, i have seen terrible things."

arthur frowned at her, looking worried as merlin looked at him, "she has had a bad dream. she wouldn't tell me what happened." isabella spoke up, trying to pull morgana back.

"i'll take her to gaius." merlin suggested as morgana shook her head rapidly.

"no! i will not let you go!" morgana yelled loudly as both isabella and merlin tried to take her inside.

"morgana, merlin will make sure arthur is safe." isabella promised.

"no!" morgana screamed as isabella grew frightened.

the princess stopped on the steps, watching as the knights held onto morgana and pulled her back inside. merlin turned to isabella who looked frozen in place. "what did she see to make her act like that..." isabella thought out loud as she slowly turned around to look at arthur.

"it was just a dream." merlin reassured as isabella looked distantly at him, shaking her head slowly. "merlin." she stopped him, as he nodded, waiting for her reply.

she looked down at arthur, and began to continued up the steps. "take care of him." she spoke slowly and unsurely as merlin nodded his head:

"i'll protect him, i promise." he replied, watching as she walked up the steps, turning back to look at them a final time before disappearing inside.

THE PRINCESS walked through the castle boredly, having nothing to do. morgana wouldn't see anyone because she was so focused on her dream and gwen and estella were busy in the village.

she tried reading one of her many books from devlin but even got bored of that since she had read them all so many times. she decided to go to gaius to see if he would let her borrow any.

the princess smiled at any servants or guards that walked past her, thanking them and returning any compliments they gave out to her. she loved being at camelot. everyone was so kind to her and they respected her as their princess, despite her being born princess of devlin.

they were very nosey, as always. asking about her engagement to the prince and if they had any romance between them. it was the downside of it all, knowing that because their marriage was arranged, there was no way arthur could truly love her. he could marry isabella and have a mistress on the side, and she could not do anything about it.

but she was always drawn to the prince. sometimes with all the threats camelot faced, it felt as if the kingdom was on fire and no one could save her but arthur. she wouldn't admit it, but she cared deeply for him.

"good afternoon, princess." a young girl smiled up at her as isabella returned it.

"hello, good afternoon to you too."

"i just wanted to say i feel terrible for you." the girl said as isabella's smile dropped and she stepped closer.

"whatever do you mean?"

"well, the prince." the girl said as isabella's heart began to race.

"what happened to him?"

"in the courtyard." was all the girl said before isabella raced off to see what was going on.

her eyes widened as she saw the king walking towards the castle with a body in his arms. isabella squinted, not believing who it was.

but then, she saw him.

she gasped in shock, seeing the king walk towards her with arthur in his arms. she shook her head to come back from her frozen state and ran over to the both of them as the king collapsed to the floor, a sob escaping his lips.

"no." she widened her eyes, thinking the worst as villagers, knights, guards and people who lived in the castle watched them, their faces filled with horror as the princess held onto arthur whilst the king covered his face, resting on his knees.

"what happened?" she exclaimed, tears blurring her vision.

"we need to take him to my chambers." gaius called out.

guards and knights surrounded them to lift up arthur and take him to gaius' chambers, but isabella wouldn't let go. "let him go." she cried, holding onto him tightly as the knights of camelot were unsure of what to do. they needed to get the prince inside, but they could not disrespect the princess.

a cold, but oddly comforting hand was placed on her shoulder, and she looked up to see merlin with a sad and guilty look in his eyes. tears clouded her vision as he motioned for the knights to lift arthur up while he hugged isabella to distract her, letting her cry into his shoulder.

after a few moments, she pulled away from him and ran into the castle, making her way to the throne room with merlin following quickly behind as she paced the room, "leave us." she called out to the servants and guards who left the room immediately as isabella turned to him merlin a heartbroken expression.

"is he dead?" she asked, her voice just above a whisper.

merlin gulped as he looked down at her. "i don't know." he replied, his voice no louder than hers.

"you told me you would protect him!" she suddenly yelled in anger, her voice breaking as she pushed him away forcefully, his eyes filling with tears watching her cry out in frustration and pain.

"i promise, i tried. i am so sorry. i have failed you both." he answered, taking a step closer.

isabella couldn't reply, she couldn't do anything. she felt herself sit down against the throne on the floor, pain evident in her eyes as she cried into her hands. "can gaius save him?" she asked, hiccups and sobs mixed in her words that merlin found it hard to understand her.

"he is going to try." merlin spoke, slowly walking towards her carefully, not wanting to overstep her boundaries. "isabella, i am so sorry. i...this was never meant to happen."

she waved her hand up to stop him, looking up at the younger boy, anger mixed with distraught in her eyes. "you must go and talk with the great dragon." she ordered him, her voice raising slightly without realising.

"i will." merlin nodded, already moving to leave as isabella cried some more, but finally worked up the courage to leave the throne room and visit arthur in his chambers.

she let out a breath before walking inside, hesitantly looking over at the boy who was laid across his bed, blood soaking through the bandage gaius had put on him as her shaken hands slowly went up to her mouth in shock.

she pulled out a chair, finding a pillow and sitting next to the bed, holding onto his hand with a permanent frown her face as she hoped he would wake up soon.

the candle flickered against her face as she stared, people came and went to check on him, and hours passed but she didn't leave him. she didn't even look away.

she barely heard the king come in and sit on the bed nest to him, trying to calm the prince for what they assumed was a nightmare. "you should rest. it's been hours since you first sat down." he turned to isabella.

she shook her head. "i am fine." was all she replied before the king sighed with a nod and turned to leave.

she took off the cloth on his head and dipped it into the fresh water gwen had provided and put it back onto his forehead, noticing he had begun to sweat. "you cannot die." she told him forcefully. "you won't. i will not allow it."

"one day we are going to be king and queen and i cannot do that without you. camelot needs you, arthur...i need you." she lowered her voice, tears filling in her eyes.

she sighed, sitting upright, "for the love of camelot, you have to live." her voice raised slightly in desperation.

she heard noises outside, and for the first time in a while she stood up and moved to the window. her heart fell as she saw hundreds of people from the kingdom in the courtyard stood with candles in their hands.

their eyes lit up and they smiled hopefully seeing isabella, but the princess only shook her head, having no news for them.

THE NEXT morning, isabella stared at arthur and the agate in her hands with a small frown. she could use it. but she wasn't sure how. she could speak with
the great dragon? or—

suddenly, merlin arrived with gaius and headed over with some sort of cup and sitting arthur up as the girl frowned. "what is this?" she asked hesitantly.

"it's going to save arthur's life." merlin told her confidently.

isabella frowned suspiciously, "at what cost?" she asked them, knowing it was never that simple.

"it doesn't matter. it's going to save him." merlin said as gaius lifted the drink to arthur's lips.

"merlin." she said sternly.

"isabella." the boy said in the same tone as she rolled her eyes.

"i could use this." she whispered, pulling out the agate.

she had been worrying so much of arthur she completely forgot about her powers. "that is too risky. what if—"

"what are you doing, physician?" uther's voice could be heard as they all turned to look at him, isabella immediately slipping the stone into her pocket nervously.

"what are you giving him?"

"it's a...tincture made from the lobelia plant. an ancient remedy for poisonous bites." gaius lied quickly, as the king widened his eyes.

"a cure?" he asked as isabella smiled.

"we hope." she replied.

"do you really think it will have some effect?" he asked them as gaius shared a look with merlin and isabella.

"it is our last resort, sire."

he then poured the liquid into arthur's lips and they all stared at the prince nervously. waiting for something to happen. "perhaps you should allow him to rest." gaius advised.

"i will not leave him." the king replied, staring down at his only son.

gaius vowed in response and he and merlin turned to leave as the king sat down. however, luckily for her he left when night fell, and she stayed. waiting.

her eyes widened when she notice him stirring, blinking slowly as she didn't give him a chance to move as her arms were already flung around his neck in relief, tears filling her eyes. "isabella." he almost smiled.

"oh, my boy." the king gasped as he walked inside the room, dressed in his usual attire as isabella didn't let go of the poor boy.

"i thought we lost you." the king said with a smile.

"don't worry, father. i'm not going to die. i think there's someone watching over me, keeping me from harm." the boy continued as isabella smiled knowingly to herself and the king nodded.

"maybe you are right. it is going to be a long journey to become king. you'll need a guardian angel." he replied as isabella smiled.

"perhaps it is your mother." she told him as arthur smiled, and then king looked down sadly.

"i shall inform the court that their prince lives." he said before leaving as isabella smiled down at him and he looked at her knowingly.

"i remember you talking to me." he suddenly said as her cheeks turned pink and her face dropped.

"...what?"

"you were holding my hand. tell me again what you said?" he asked as she stammered.

"i didn't say anything."

"yes you did." he said arrogantly as she stood up.

"no i didn't ." she almost stomped her feet.

"something about...camelot needs me..and you need me." he said distantly as she scoffed.

"must have been your fever messing with you. i never said that." she told him as he smirked.

"isabella. don't lie to me."

"i am not." she said, trying to get her cheeks to go back to their usual colour. "now since you are better, i am leaving."

she turned to leave, but he held onto her hand, making her turn back to face him. "stay." he told her.

she glanced at the door, knowing she need to find out who's life had been bargained, and then at him.

she sighed and sat down next to him, not letting go of his hand.

"ISABELLA!" GAIUS yelled, rushing into arthur's chambers the next morning as she jumped and looked at him. "what is it?"

"i'm sorry, sire. i must speak with isabella." gaius said as isabella took a look at his worried face and nodded, saying goodbye and rushing out.

"merlin bargained his life for arthur, but instead, it is hunith who is gravely ill. merlin has gone to see the great dragon." he explained as she widened her eyes in shock.

the two rushes to his chambers and waited for merlin to arrive. when he finally did, tears were in his eyes as isabella hugged him.

"i have to save her." he told them both, not looking at either of them. "if the balance of the world needs a life, then nimueh must take mine."

"merlin, no." isabella shook her head, her eyes wide.

"yes. i will return to the island." he told them, beginning to stand up.

"you are young. your gifts, your destiny, are far too precious to sacrifice." gaius stopped him as isabella nodded in agreement.

"my destiny? this is my mother. my powers mean nothing if i cannot save her." he spoke, as isabella's eyes filled with tears.

"you have taught me so much...taught me who i am. taught me the purpose of my skills. taught me magic should only be used for great deeds. but most of all,
you have always taught me to do what is right." he said to gaius who had tears of his own.

"and you have been a great friend. my closest friend. ever since i arrived. you will be the greatest queen camelot has ever and will ever know." he began as isabella shook her head at him, looking up at him with pleading eyes.

"stop this. you are not saying goodbye."

he nodded slowly at her, tears rolling down his cheeks. "i need to say goodbye to arthur and estella." he told them as isabella began to cry, her emotions getting the best of her as she watched one of her closest friends walk away.

"please don't do this." she said as she caught up to him. "i beg you, merlin."

he continued walking as tears streamed down her cheeks. "fine! i order you then! i am ordering you to stay." she cried as merlin stopped.

"goodbye, isabella. i'm sorry."

THE PRINCESS was walking through the courtyard, trying to get to her chambers to stay out of sight. she couldn't stop thinking about merlin.

"bella!" a voice yelled as she frowned. turning around, merlin ran towards her with her horse and his.

"merlin! you didn't go!" she exclaimed, beaming at him.

"gaius did." he interrupted her as she widened her eyes. "he's sacrificed himself."

"no." she whispered in shock as merlin got onto his horse.

"i am going to save him. are you coming?" he asked.

isabella waisted no time in getting onto her own horse, ignoring the guards trying to help and come with her as they galloped out of the courtyard and to the place where nimueh stayed.

it was a long journey, and they had to take a boat to get to the castle. neither spoke, too much on their mind.

isabella followed quickly behind merlin as they heard loud incantations from nimueh, "stop!" merlin yelled as they saw nimueh stood over gaius who was on the floor, her holding a goblet over his head.

"back again so soon, warlock? and this time you bring the agate?" nimueh asked mockingly, eyeing isabella curiously as the girl stared back.

it seemed everyone had knew of her true self before she even did.

"i see it in your pocket, princess." she smirked as isabella frowned.

"what have you done?" merlin asked, walking towards her as isabella stood back, unsure of what to do.

"your mother is safe. isn't that what you wanted?"

"have you killed him?" merlin's voice broke as nimueh shrugged.

"it was his wish."

merlin sighed as a tear fell from isabella's eye, her heart beating rapidly against her chest in fear and disbelief.

"i bid my life for arthur's, not my mothers, not gaius'!" merlin shouted angrily as isabella widened her eyes.

"the old religion does not care for who lives and who dies! only that the balance of the world is restored. to save a life, a life must be taken. gaius knew this." the witch yelled back, evil in her eyes.

"it is not the old religion that has done this, it is you!" merlin replied as nimueh smirked at him.

"come now. us three are too valuable to each other to be enemies."

"no, i share nothing with you!" merlin shouted in anger. "and neither does isabella! her powers are used to heal not to kill!" he yelled.

"with my help, arthur and isabella will become king and queen." nimueh argued back.

"i will make them king and queen, but you will never see that day." merlin said threateningly before casting a spell as isabella moved out of the way, however nimueh easily stopped it.

"your childish tricks are useless against me, merlin. i am a priestess of the old religion." she conjured up a spell with no words, fire forming in her hands as isabella widened her eyes.

merlin jumped out of the way as the fire shot at him, the spell crashing into the castle to cause a large piece of it to break, falling straight towards isabella.

nimueh called out a spell, and the rocks froze above her head, allowing isabella to run out of the way. "you see, i am on your side." nimueh smirked.

"you are also a creature of the old religion. you should join me." she said, dodging a spell merlin threw at her and conjuring up fire again.

"you think i would join forces with such selfish and cruel magic? never." merlin sneered as nimueh stared at them.

"so be it." she said softly, before aiming the fire towards isabella, this time it knocked her down, a scream escaping her lips as she fell back to the grass.

"bella!" merlin called out in shock as she had a large burn mark on her dress, which had been ruined.

"pity. she could've been just as powerful as i. we could have ruled the world." nimueh told merlin.

isabella's eyes widened as she looked up weakly at merlin who stood up, looking at nimueh with a dangerous look in his eye.

"you should not have killed my friend. and you most definitely should not have hurt isabella." he told her as nimueh looked startled, but replaced her nervous look with a smirk.

merlin silently raised his hand to the air as thunder crashed loudly, isabella struggled to sit up and watched as nimueh's eyes widened. merlin moved the lightening straight onto nimueh as she was electrocuted repeatedly and isabella looked at him in shock.

isabella blinked, and nimueh had exploded into the air, watching as merlin moved over to her , helping her said. "i'm fine. check on gaius." she told him, limping slightly behind him from the impact of the fall.

rain poured onto them both as merlin cradled gaius in his arms and isabella sat down next to him, her hair tangled and her dress ripped to shreds as she felt for gaius' pulse. "gaius...gaius." merlin begged.

"no!" merlin screamed as gaius didn't wake, the two of them beginning to cry as isabella hugged him, shaking gaius repeatedly.

"bella, you have to use it." merlin told her suddenly. the girl widened her eyes, shaking her head.

"but i don't know how!"

"you have to try." he told her, a reassuring look in his eyes as she slowly took out the agate.

she nodded hesitantly and pulled out the stone, hovering it over gaius with a small frown. she thought for a moment, before nodding to herself. "j'utilise cette agate pour soigner mon ami!" i use this agate to heal my friend. she called out over the wind.

slowly, the wind picked up as her eyes turned a golden colour, the stone lifted out of her hands and light shone out of it as merlin watched with wide eyes. the thunder and lightning continued as isabella's hair blew in her face, the girl pushing it behind her ears as she looked up at the light with wide eyes.

and then, it all stopped as the stone fell back into her hand.

"merlin...isabella." the man whispered as a relieved gasp escaped isabella's lips.

"gaius, you're alive." merlin exclaimed in relief as he brought the man in for a hug, pulling isabella into it as well as the three cried.

"what did you do?" he asked, noticing isabella's ruined outfit and scar on her face.

"nimueh is dead." merlin replied.

"merlin was incredible." isabella said breathlessly. "you really are the greatest sorcerer ever known." she smiled through the tears.

"says you. if it wasn't for you, gaius would be dead." merlin beamed as gaius noticed the agate in her hands.

"you both amaze me." gaius whispered. "you have mastered the power of life and death itself. we will make a great warlock of you yet. and you? your powers to heal will be used greatly. i am surprised you have managed to almost master it so soon. you really are the agate."

"so you believe in us now?" merlin smiled down at him as gaius chuckled.

"i would...if...if you could." the man struggled. "stop this blasted rain." he finished.

isabella broke out into laughter, merlin joining in and soon after gaius as the three of them embraced another time, relieved and grateful to still be alive.

this ep was so sad

nimueh is gorgeous but a horrible cow😭😭😭😭

season two next!! new gif toooo🤭🤭