CHAPTER FORTY EIGHT,
episode five, his father's son.

KING ARTHUR stood in front of the king of caerlon. the king had trespassed on camelot's land many times. arthur, isabella the knights and agravain captured the prisoners and were now deciding on what to do with him.

"this is not the first time he has trespassed on our land. only last week, he seized the village of stone down on the western borders." agravain spoke up from beside elyan.

"we are not on the borders now, agravain." isabella responded, "this is the heart of camelot's kingdom. he took a grave risk coming here."

"perhaps he doesn't see it that way." agravain shook it off, raising an eyebrow. "i fear it is no coincidence that all this has happened since uther's death."

"what do you mean?" arthur spoke up hesitantly.

"arthur, your father was a strong king. his enemies respected that strength." agravain began, but isabella shook her head, knowing what was coming.

"arthur is worthy of respect. his father never was respected, only feared by everyone. that is no a way to rule a kingdom. you saw how many threats and enemies he made along the way...how many times camelot was under attack! arthur is a strong king, he is kind and reasonable, and is more worthy than his father ever was."

merlin glanced over at the three of them, the knights sharing a look with slightly widened eyes. "my apologies, your highness. i have overstepped. i did not mean for it to come across as arthur not being worthy. there is not a citizen of camelot who would not lay down their life for you, arthur. but your enemies...to the enemies of camelot, you are still untested as a king."

"agravain, you cannot ask this of him! he is not his fathers son!" she pointed, looking angered at arthur's uncle.

"ask what of me?" arthur was still unsure as isabella glared at the older man, ignoring her king.

"you must send a clear message that any action against camelot will be met without mercy." agravain continued as isabella shook her head, thinking of walking away from the conversation.

"did we not achieve that here today?" arthur sighed, and agravain smirked.

"no, sire. not enough."

at his words, isabella left to sit with her fellow knights, blocking arthur and agravain out of her thoughts as merlin silently handed her a bowl of soup for their dinner. she thanked him quietly and sat next to sir leon, who instantly knew something was wrong.

"i don't mean to overstep," he began, but she simply smiled at him.

"but you'll ask anyway."

"...well, yes. what was that about?" sir leon asked, and all of the knights immediately moved closer to listen.

"agravain wants arthur to force caerleon to accept a treaty on our terms. if he says no, then arthur is to kill him...to send a message." she said simply, before ignoring all the other questions and hurried chatter.

it didn't take long for arthur to walk over to her and the knights. he silently held his hand out for her to take, and she glanced at him for a moment before taking it and walking away with him.

"i suppose i need your thoughts. as the queen." he said distantly.

she looked at him, confused. "why are you being cold?" she could tell immediately when he was being off with her. "was it because of what i said about your father?"

"can you tell me your thoughts on the treaty, or the consequences for caeleon."

she tilted her head, and dropped his hand. "war." she said simply.

arthur glanced at her, with furrowed brows. "what on earth do you mean?"

"if you do this, there will be war." she told him seriously. "those are my thoughts. that is all i have to say." she told him honestly, before leaving him stood there by himself, watching her retreating figure go with a heavy heart.

it was no secret arthur had grown distance since becoming king. he had so much pressure on him to make difficult decisions and live up to his fathers expectations, that he believed that distancing himself from his queen and even merlin, one of his closest friends although he would never admit it, would benefit him, and them.

spoiler alert, it didn't.

as the sun rose, arthur and isabella stood behind agravain who held a treaty out to caerleon, who looked at it in confusion. "what is this?"

sir leon took it from agravain and unrolled it for caerleon to see. "who expect me to sign this?" he scoffed. "to humiliate myself before you?"

"you invaded our kingdom." agravain cut him off, "you took what did not belong to you!"

"and if i do not sigh?" caerleon challenged, his eyebrow raised as isabella subtly glanced at arthur, who was looking straight ahead.

"then you will pay with your life."

caerleon chuckled, "and who makes these terms?"

"arthur pendragon, king of camelot." he walked forward, and caerleon's eyes filled with realisation.

he walked in front of the king and nodded. "very well...then make it quick." he got to his knees.

isabella glanced at arthur, who's eyes held no emotion. "think what you're doing, caerleon. this treaty could seal a truce between us. there would be peace, like there was between your father and mine."

"i am not my father." caerleon immediately cut him off. "and you are not uther." arthur stared at him, almost challenging him to continue. "you really have the guts to kill me?"

"you leave me no choice."

"you do not choose anything, boy. it is i who choose to die, and i alone." caerleon smirked, leaning forwards, "now get on with it."

arthur's face didn't change. isabella expected him to kneel down and shake his hand, call of the treaty like the arthur she knew would. but instead, he said three words.

"so be it." he reached for his sword. isabella shook her head slowly, and turned away, closing her eyes when she heard the painful scream of a former king.

NO ONE spoke. no one had spoken since arthur killed the former king... except of course, agravain who was ranting on about how amazing he was for doing it.

isabella broke the silence when they reached their chambers. merlin had left to muck out the horses so they were left alone. isabella was sat near the window, looking out of it onto the busy streets of camelot. everyone was talking about it. 

"it can't have been easy for you." the girl spoke up quietly, making him glance at her.

"i had no choice...a show of strength was necessary." he replied, moving to sit on the bed, now facing her.

she glanced at him, shaking her head with a small smile. "what happened to the compassion? i think that shows strength." she shrugged.

"well, then that's the difference between you and i."

she shook her head, "why are you pushing me away? you have changed since becoming king."

"and you haven't? people change, isabella. especially when they have to rule a kingdom now." he cut her off, making her stand up.

"why don't you simply talk to me, you are so cold all the time. i'm right here, all of your knights, we are all here." she pleaded, standing in front of him.

"i don't need anyone. i cannot aford that luxury now...you must understand it. the kingdom is our responsibility now and things will change." he told her seriously.

"what are you saying?" she asked, her face falling slightly.

"now that i am king, things are to be different."

isabella stared at him, slowly shaking her head and walking away. the queen began to walk out just as merlin was walking in, "talk some sense into him will you?"

merlin glanced at her with a small frown, and walked over to the king who was staring at the floor. "seriously? you can push me away all you like, but her?"

"you cannot speak to me like that, merlin. incase you forgot, i'm the king now."

"arthur you told me you have never loved a person the way you love her, it was you that told me you would let the world burn and camelot fall just to make her safe and happy, it is you that sits in bed learning french for her every night while she sleeps, and it was you that told me you never even dreamed that you would meet somebody like her."

arthur listened to the man with a small frown on his face, "merlin, that's enough."

"you can do both, arthur. you can be a king and a husband. you do not understand how lonely she must feel. she thought she would rule alongside you, with morgana, gwen and estella, and now she only has gwen because you are completely disregarding her."

"i said that's enough." he spoke louder, getting up and leaving his own chambers.

merlin watched him go with a small frown. this was now how it was supposed to go. his very reason for existence was crashing down just as it was beginning.

"WE RIDE at dawn." arthur finished his speech. king caerleon's army had reached camelot's boarders at first light, and camelot were to begin to prepare for battle.

"long live the king." agravain smirked, praising him for his speech.

"long live the king!" everyone echoed. isabella stayed silent, her arms crossed and a small frown on her face as she stood next to the king. arthur glanced at her, noticing she was unhappy at the announcement that there would be war.

although it had been well over a year since morgana and estella left, she always thought she'd be queen with them by her side. the two of them never left isabella's thoughts. and now arthur was pulling away from her, her whole world felt as if it was coming crashing down.

she glanced back at him, before turning to leave, gwen following closely. "are you alright, my lady?" gwen asked carefully. "i have known you for quite some time now...i have never seen you so distant and upset."

"i am fine." she said, her voice trembling slightly. "i just...i miss them." she answered, quietly.

gwen's eyes softened. "ana and stella."

isabella let her tears fall and sat down, her hand covering her mouth. "i always thought i would rule with you three at my side. i just cannot get over it. it's been a year, it's pathetic really. i do not understand why i am so emotional all of a sudden."

gwen gave her a tight hug, closing her eyes. isabella looked ahead of her, before frowning slightly, her mind drifting to the bed behind her.

"gwen?" the queen said quietly out as gwen looked at her, noticing the troubled look on her closest friend.

"yes, bella?" she asked, this reassured isabella, knowing that gwen was talking to her as a friend, and not her servant to the queen.

"i..." isabella trailed off, sighing. "...i have not bled this month. or last month." she whispered, so quiet gwen barely heard her, the handmaiden's eyes widened in surprise, and a smile broke out onto her face.

"isabella, that's amazing." she gasped, rushing to hug her as isabella sighed, looking unsure. "is it?"

"of course! you're carrying the future of camelot! you must speak with gaius so you can be sure." she rambled as isabella shook her head, cutting her off.

"being with child is going to take away so much of my freedom. i will not be allowed to join arthur and the knights on their trips out, i will be treated as if i will break if one small thing hurts me... and even worse, they will be brought into a land of war and battles." she paced back and forth.

gwen shook her head, watching as the women complained about being a woman. "why should i have to go through this pain and inconvenience so camelot have an heir?"

"you do not want this child?" gwen asked, her smile turning into a frown.

"i did not say that." isabella defended as gwen nodded her head, muttering an apology.

gwen knew that isabella was worried, however what isabella didn't know was the the moment she would lay eyes on their child, she would do anything for them.

"as you know, arthur and i are not happy together at the moment. i don't know how i can tell him something like this." she frowned, taking a seat on her bed.

"speak to gaius first. if it is true, then you have to tell him, bella. he will be over the moon and all of your problems will be forgotten." she reassured as isabella grumbled.

"we are preparing for battle, i can't bring this upon gaius." she sighed, getting up from the desk to pace around the room.

"i don't think you understand the seriousness of this, my lady. you must speak with gaius."

TWO EXTREMELY uncomfortable hours later, gaius decided to bless isabella with a congratulations for her pregnancy. everything was all happening so fast. three hours ago isabella was in a council meeting preparing her knights for battle and now she was laying on a table with her legs spread open in front of an old man.

"what do you mean congratulations?!" she practically jumped up from the table, causing gaius to jolt back slightly.

"my apologies, my dear, i understand that is very uncomfortable. however, it is important for you to know that you are, in fact, with child. from what i can tell...almost a two months into the pregnancy." gaius said gently, making the girl cover her mouth in shock, feeling as if she was about to faint.

"i'm having a baby with a man who hates me." she said dramatically. "and we are going to war tomorrow."

gaius rolled his eyes at her dramatics, and patted her arm. "it is best you tell arthur after the battle. otherwise it would keep his mind distracted."

"if we even make it that far."

"what happened to having faith in him?" gaius raised a brow.

isabella shook her head slowly, not answering the question. gaius stood up, "i shall speak with the king and tell him you are not to ride with them into battle."

isabella huffed, "no, you cannot. i want to fight for my kingdom."

"isabella, my dear, you must stay home." gaius said, sending her a stern look. gaius looked at her for a few moments, before standing up straighter. "i think it's best you retire for the night, your majesty."

isabella stared at the man in slight shock, shaking her head slowly before leaving the room and heading to her chambers.

arthur was stood by the window when she entered, he glanced at her as she climbed into bed and faced away from him. "isabella, i know you will put up a fight with me, but i am asking you to stay here—."

"i'm not coming." she cut in before he could finish, making him frown softly. "i am under strict orders from gaius to stay. i have fallen ill."

arthur's face softened as he sat next to her, his eyes looking at her facial expression to gauge how she was feeling. "i'm sorry i did not realise. i have not been there for you."

"its quite alright, i understand...good luck tomorrow. i have every faith in you."

THE QUEEN of camelot blamed her sickness due to the worry for arthur, and her kingdom while they were away at battle. she had ignored the fact that she was carrying the next ruler of camelot, because as always, her only thoughts were on arthur.

he had practically told her things had changed and he did not think they should be as close anymore, yet all she thought of day and night was him. she spent each morning and night on the floor, looking out of her window to the stars, begging to the lord above for him to return to her safety, no matter the cost. selfishly, he was all she wanted.

however, her sickness had increased. gaius believed it was due to the fact she was so unbelievably stressed which was not good for the baby. isabella had spent two sunrises in bed, drifting in and out of sleep.

she didn't hear or notice gaius entering her room every hour, she didn't hear the clatter of hooves entering the courtyard, and she didn't hear the shocked gasp that escaped arthur pendragon's lips as he walked into the sight of an exhausted looking isabella.

he dropped to his knees beside her, holding onto her hands. her eyes peeled open slowly, and she smiled. "you're back." she whispered, her voice cracking.

"you're sickness has gotten worse." he frowned in concern, making her shake her head with a small smile.

"please do not worry about me." she attempted to sit up, him immediately helping her. "i have to speak to you."

"about what i said—i didn't mean any of it, i was just—" arthur began frantically, his eyes blinking back the tears that threatened to fall. "there has been so much  pressure, and i stupidly thought—"

"arthur...please do not worry. i have something good, and positive to tell you." she continued, holding onto his hands as he nodded eagerly.

"i'm...i am...i have a..."

"...what is it?"

"there's a..."

"go on, you can tell me."

isabella sighed, growing nervous as she couldn't get her words out. "there's a baby inside me." she blurted, not saying it in the way she wanted to, but in that moment she was so nervous she just spat it out.

arthur's eyes widened, an unknown emotion in his bright blue eyes as he stared at his love, his mouth opened and closed again, unsure of what to say. his eyes closed, and isabella realised he did this to disguise the tears threatening to fall. her hand reached his cheek, and she rested their foreheads together. "thank you."

she chuckled through her tears, looking at him in confusion. "whatever for?"

"every single day, you make me the happiest man alive, and this has just increased it by thousands. you are remarkable. truly remarkable." he kissed her face, smothering her with kisses as she laughed, pulling away.

"even when i look like this? sickly and pale?"

"especially when you look like this." he kissed her forehead gently, and she smiled softly up at him.

"i think...this is just the beginning." she says, laughing softly.

sorry for how long it's taken me to get this chapter out!

so i'm sure you're all livid with the pregnancy era bc everyone hates when humans have kids . idk man but we are gonna have the future heir of camelot get excited !!!!!! i also lowkey hate the plot but it had to happen at some point

get excited for merlin being the best big bro figure