CHAPTER FOUR
episode three, the mark of nimueh.

ISABELLA  VALOUR and morgana were in morgana's chambers when estella and gwen walked in with flowers in their hands. "you look happy." morgana smiled.

"we picked these for you both." estella handed each of them the flowers as the two girls widened their eyes.

"oh, that's so sweet." isabella smiled.

"something to cheer you up, morgana. i know you're not sleeping well." gwen added as morgana tilted her head.

"well, you three cheer me up." morgana smiled softly, bringing the three girls in for a hug.

the girls smiled, chuckling slightly. "would you like me to put them both in water?" gwen asked, morgana smiled as her and isabella nodded in response.

"oh, your grace, this came for you." estella walked forward, handing the princess a letter.

she glanced down at it, before sending estella a smile. "thank you."

she sat down on the chair near morgana's closet, and opened the letter.

dearest isabella,
princess of devlin,

i understand i haven't written to you in a while, and i do apologise. i hope you are finding yourself comfortable and well in camelot, and it is wonderful to hear you are already settling in.

all is well here, however, the people of devlin are missing their princess. how are you and prince arthur getting along? has there been a date set for an engagement party?

i apologise due to the fact this is going to be a relatively short letter as i would like to inform you that i am remarrying. the princess aurora of denmark, crowning her queen of consort. you met her once or twice. of course, you and prince arthur are invited. it is in three weeks time. i expect you both to be there.

yours sincerely, father.
king of devlin.

the princess sighed as she read the letter, excusing herself as she left to go and ask arthur if he would acompany her. she adjusted her tiara, wanting to look presentable for anyone who saw her, and made her way towards the courtyard where arthur was getting ready to go hunting.

when the knights suddenly began to bow, arthur turned around and smiled lightly at isabella who was holding the letter in her hands. "arthur." she greeted, curtsying slightly as he bowed his head. "isabella."

"my father wants to know if you will accompany me to his wedding in three weeks time." she spoke, handing him the letter as his eyes scanned over it. 

"of course." he nodded, "i'll see you when i return from my trip." he spoke, and she nodded, smiling lightly.

"well... have fun killing animals." she joked.

"i'm sure we will, your grace." arthur replied, as the knights chuckled, knowing arthur was a fantastic hunter.

"be safe." she smiled at him, before turning around and heading to the throne room where the king would be, to inform him of the news.

the guards bowed at the princess, and opened the doors immediately as uther stood with a few knights, and gaius, obviously talking about something important.

the king raised his brows when he realised they had been disturbed, but relaxed when he realised who it was. "princess isabella." he greeted, bowing his head as she curtsied slightly.

"good afternoon, my lord." she spoke, before frowning when she noticed what looked like a body covered with a white sheet. "is everything alright?" she asked.

uther nodded immediately, not wanting to worry the young princess, or have her tell anybody about the outbreak. "yes, fine. gaius has unfortunately found a man dead, so we were just discussing how it happened." 

"oh, right..." the girl frowned, not quite believing him.

"what is it that you need?" urher asked, walking over to her.

"my father would like for me and arthur to attend his wedding in three weeks time. i come here to ask your permission." she spoke and he looked slightly shocked at the thought of king henry remarrying, but nodded gratefully.

"well yes, of course. is there anything else you need?" he asked and she glanced down at the letter, before back to her king.

"well...my father would also like to know if there is to be an engagement ceremony?"

uther glanced down at the girl, letting out a chuckle before nodding. "yes, henry was always one for parties. tell him that when you and arthur arrive back from the wedding, we shall celebrate." he told her and she smiled lightly.

"thank you, my lord." she bowed her head, sending a smile to gaius who bowed his head, returning the smile before she walked out, wondering what they had been talking about.

however, when arthur returned, he told isabella to come with him to the throne room where gaius, merlin and the king were discussing the dead body more openly.

"what has happened to him?" uther asked as gaius looked at the body. he was pale, almost a blue colour with veins popping out as isabella widened her eyes.

"i don't know, sire. this is now the third case i've seen today."

"why didn't you report the others to me?" king uther asked in disbelief.

"i was attempting to find the cause first." gaius replied as he stood up to face the king, prince and princess.

"and what did you conclude?" uther asked, a distant look on his face that isabella couldn't work out what it meant.

"i don't think it's time to hurry to conclusions. the scientific process is along one." gaius explained hesitantly.

uther tilted his head slightly as he stepped toward, arthur and isabella sharing a look. "what are you concealing from me?"

"sire, i have seen nothing like it. the victims are dying in twenty four hours and it's spreading fast." gaius tried, but uther shook his head.

"but what is the cause?"

"...i think you should say the cause...the most likely cause is sorcery." gaius spoke regretfully as merlin looked up, and isabella tilted her head at him. merlin had been acting strange lately.

at gaius' words, uther sighed and took a seat on his throne as arthur looked down at the body. "you must find who did this." uther ordered as isabella looked at him, and then to arthur.

"i will, father." arthur nodded as isabella walked towards them as uther waved her over. "conduct door-to-door searches, and double the guards on all the gates. arthur, you must lend the physician your servant."

"what? merlin? but—" arthur began to protest as uther shook his head.

"we need gaius to find a cure." the king interupted. "he needs all the help he can get. if gaius is right, believe me, the city will be wiped out...isabella? you mustn't visit the village as often anymore. atleast not until this is over."

"but why not?" isabella asked curiously.

"if it spreads your life will be at stake. i may not be your father but i made a promise to yours that i will keep you safe. arthur, you too, only go out to do the door-to-door searches." he ordered as the two nodded.

"yes, sire."

"this is the kind of magic that undermines our authority, challenges all we've done. if we cannot control this plague...people will turn to magic for a cure. we have to find this sorcerer. and quickly." he whispered to arthur, isabella overhearing as she glanced up at arthur who looked shocked.

"yes, father."

arthur led isabella out of the room as she attempted to follow him to the town. "you heard what father said, don't leave the castle." arthur turned to her as she sighed.

"i want to help." she protested as he shook his head slowly.

"king's orders. you can watch from your window." he teased as she rolled her eyes, but as he bowed his head, she did the same and turned around to go back towards the castle.

THERE WERE more and more cases of the unknown disease over the next few days. arthur and the guards had searched almost every house and room in town.

isabella jumped when somebody banged on her chamber door a few times, she got up from her seat by the window and opened the door to reveal arthur and three guards as she rolled her eyes. "seriously, arthur?"

"my apologies, isabella. you know i have to search every room in the castle. that's including yours." he said as the guards began to look around her chambers as she shrugged.

"well i have nothing to hide. go on."

"so you'll be joining me to my fathers wedding?" she asked as arthur nodded.

"of course. father tells me our engagement party will take place after we arrive back." he raised a brow.

"i know, i know." she waved him off. "blame my father." she spoke as he shook his head.

"i thought an engagement party would be fun." he shrugged as she rolled her eyes but smiled.

"goodbye, arthur." she waved him off and he scoffed, smiling once more before ordering the guards to leave as he followed, not before sparing her a final glance.

her eyes widened as she noticed the many dead bodies with white sheets placed over them in the courtyard. she joined uther and arthur in the throne room as arthur told him about his searches.

"we've searched everywhere. the entire city." he told the king as isabella looked up from her lap, and to arthur.

"nothing?" she asked.

arthur shook his head. "i don't know where else to look." he sighed, feeling defeated.

uther turned around, rubbing the side of his face. "i want you to impose a curfew. no one is to be allowed on the streets after the great bell. and cordon off the lower town."

both isabella and arthur frowned at his words, "why?" arthur asked for them both.

"because that's where most of the victims are. isolate it. stop the disease from spreading."

"but what about the people who live there?" arthur asked, isabella stood up from her throne to join him as uther walked away.

"don't you think i haven't considered it? what else can i do? i have to protect the rest of the city." the king spoke firmly.

arthur bowed in response and walked out, isabella deciding to follow. "those poor people." she voiced her opinion.

he nodded slowly. "i know."

"just because they live in the diseased area doesn't mean they should be cut off." she continued as he nodded along with her words.

"i a—isn't that morgana's maid?" arthur suddenly frowned noticing gwen running through the courtyard and towards gaius and merlin's chambers.

"yes, guinevere...she's crying. it must be her father." isabella realised as she widened her eyes.

HOWEVER, THE next morning when isabella was speaking quietly to morgana, saying gwen wouldn't be working due to her fathers sickness, gwen walked in with a happy smile. 

"oh." isabella blinked awkwardly. "gwen? is your father alright?" she asked.

"it's incredible. he's feeling amazing. so much better...it's a miracle." gwen beamed.

"that's great..." morgana frowned, but turned to isabella with a worried look. gwen left to put the flowers in the vase and the girls walked together to the window.
"how is her father better? and just her father?" morgana asked out loud.

"i don't know..." isabella spoke but her eyes widened as they heard a vase drop.

"gwen?" morgana called out as both girls hurried to the door where the guards got a hold of gwen.

"guinevere, i am arresting you for crimes in contravention to the laws of camelot, that you did practice enchantments." arthur spoke as isabella and morgana turned around.

"what have i done? i haven't done anything! help me!" gwen called out as arthur turned to the two girls.

"arthur, what are you doing?" isabella asked in disbelief.

"we found a magic poultice in her house." he told them regretfully.

morgana scoffed. "that's ridiculous!" she exclaimed as estella walked in, about to ask what had happened with gwen.

"how else do you explain her father's recovery?" arthur turned around.

"she's innocent. i know she's innocent." morgana shook her head repeatedly, looking fearful for her friend.

isabella nodded in agreement. "gwen would never practice enchantments and you know it." isabella spoke.

"well what can i do? i cant turn a blind eye!" arthur snapped as he walked out.

"come on." isabella grabbed onto morgana's hand, who held onto estella's and the three girls chased after the prince, gwen and his guards.

"well done." uther spoke as arthur looked down regretfully as the guards dropped gwen to the floor in front of his throne.

"why will no one believe me? he got better! he just recovered, i didn't do anything!" gwen exclaimed as everyone stepped back in fear.

"we believe you." isabella spoke. the crowd in the hall immediately bowed, letting out shocked mumbles when they saw her as she and morgana walked over to gwen.

"perhaps this is a disease that is not always fatal. have you thought of that? perhaps he recovered naturally." morgana added on.

"then what of this poultice that was found?" uther asked, his head held high.

gwen frowned in confusion, which made isabella understand she was not the sorcerer. what poultice? i don't know anything about a poultice."

"you see!" isabella waved her hand at her.

"it was found in your house." uther sat forward, a menacing tone laced in his voice as he stood up. "undo this enchantment. put an end to this contagion!"

"i can't!" gwen shook her head desperately.

"then i can show you no mercy." uther whispered.

"i am not a witch! i don't know how to stop the illness." gwen begged, tears flowing down her tanned cheeks.

"if you will not undo your sorcery, you force my hand and i must find you guilty." he began, "but i've told you—" gwen shook her head repeatedly. "it is therefore my duty to pronounce judgement."

isabella's eyes widened as she looked up, looking around the room to see if anyone would defend her and morgana as she realised what the king was about to do. "no." she shook her head, and it was clear morgana had realised now too.

"and under the circumstances i have no choice but to sentence too to death." the king spoke as gwen shook her head, "no." she whispered, morgana couldn't help but fall down next to gwen and embrace her as isabella stood, shocked.

"i can only hope that when you die, this evil plague dies with you."

"and what if when she dies the plague doesn't end because she isn't the sorcerer who did this!" isabella exclaimed as uther turned to her.

"then so be it."

isabella put a hand over her mouth as morgana shook her head. "take her away." uther ordered as the guards did so.

"no! please, no. i'm innocent!" gwen called out desperately as everybody left the hall.

"i know gwen. she's my maidservant, not an enchantress!" morgana cried. it was just the three pendragon's and isabella in the room now as arthur stood by the throne looking down as isabella placed her hand on his arm.

"have you ever seen an enchantress?" uther turned around at morgana's words. when she didn't reply, he continued. "believe me, they bear no sign, no mark! there is no sense of evil in the eye."

"i've seen the way the girl works. her fingers are worn, her nails are broken. if she was sorceress, why would she do this? and why would she be morgana's handmaiden? kneeling on cold stone floor morning after morning, when she could make these things happen with a snap of her fingers?" isabella spoke up desperately.

"like an idle king." morgana snapped as uther raised his hand at her menacingly, making isabella widen her eyes.

"you have no right!" he shouted in anger.

"but you have the right to cast a judgement on that girl!" morgana yelled desperately.

"i have a responsibility to take care of this kingdom! i take no pleasure in this!"

"but you are sentencing the wrong person." morgana begged, "what if it was somebody else who placed the poultice there? someone close to gwen?" isabella suggested as morgana nodded her head.

"they're right, father. you hear the word 'magic' and you no longer listen." arthur spoke up bravely as isabella smiled proudly and thankfully at him.

"you saw it for yourself, she used enchantments." uther waved his thoughts off.

"yes, okay, maybe. but to save her dying father! that does not make her guilty of creating a plague." arthur tried to reason. "one is the act of kindness and love, and the other of evil. i don't believe evil is in the girl's heart after how i see her with isabella and morgana."

"i have witnessed what witchcraft can do." uther spoke calmly. "i've suffered at it's hand. i cannot take that chance. if there is the slightest doubt about this girl, she must die or the whole kingdom may perish!" 

"i understand that." arthur spoke with a sigh, "we all do...it's just—" isabella then began.

"no! one day you will become king and queen of camelot. then you will understand...such decisions must be made. there are dark forces that threaten this kingdom." uther spoke as isabella and arthur glanced at each other before back to the king as morgana stood next to them.

"i know witchcraft is evil, father. however, so is injustice...yes, we are yet to be king and queen and we don't know what kind of rulers we will be. but i do have a sense of the kind of camelot we wish to live in." arthur replied, motioning to isabella who silently agreed. "it would be where the punishment fits the crime!"

uther looked at them in shock, standing up to face them. "i fear you are right. she's played with fire and sadly she must die by fire." he took a sip of his drink and walked away as morgana shook her head and ran out.

isabella spared one more glance at the king and the prince, before shaking her head slowly and walking out, following morgana to her chambers.

UTHER AND many others, including gaius and a few knights, sat around the main table in the throne room, arthur and isabella present as they discussed gwen's death sentence. "...what if burning this witch doesn't stop the poison? how do i protect my people?" uther continued.

"my men have closed down the water pumps." arthur told him. he was stood behind isabella's chair, his hands on the back of it as she looked up at him.

"but the emergency supply won't last for much longer." gaius spoke up. "we have to find a way of cleansing the water of the disease."

"but how?" uther sighed, looking hopeless.

just as gaius was about to reply, merlin opened the doors and came running in as everyone turned to him with a frown. "it was me!"

isabella almost chocked on her own breath hearing his words. "it was me who used magic to cure gwen's father." he finished. when nobody spoke, he huffed in annoyance, "gwen is not the sorcerer, i am!"

"merlin! have you gone mad?" gaius stood up and merlin shook his head.

"i cannot let her die for me."

"i place myself at your mercy." merlin turned to the king as gaius shook his head.

"no. he doesn't know what he's talking about."

"i do!" merlin snapped.

"then arrest him." uther shrugged, sitting down as arthur let go of isabella's chair and walked over.

"father, please. i cannot allow this. this is madness! there is no way merlin is a sorcerer." arthur practically scoffed in disbelief.

"did you not hear him?" uther said tiredly.

"...yes."

"he has admitted it." uther spoke again.

"he saved my life, remember. and isabella's." arthur argued as uther looked at his only son.

"why should he fabricate such a story?"

"as gaius said he's got a grave...mental disease." arthur stammered as isabella raised a brow and so did uther.

"really?"

"yes! he's in love." arthur spoke suddenly as merlin choked.

"what?"

"with gwen." arthur finished smugly as merlin shook his head.

"i am not!" he denied as uther looked at isabella who looked slightly amused.

"yes, you are." arthur nodded. "i saw you yesterday with that flower she had given you!" he teased, wrapping an arm around merlin's shoulders.

"i'm not in love with her!"

"it's all right." arthur teased, dragging out his words. "you can admit it." he pointed to the people sat around the table who all had amused smirks on their faces.

"i don't even think of her like that!"

"perhaps she cast a spell on you." uther spoke up, before letting out a laugh as everyone joined in.

"merlin is a wonder. but the wonder is that he's such an idiot—" arthur stopped to squeeze merlin's neck with his arm that was wrapped around his shoulders, "—there is no way he is sorcerer."

"don't waste my time again. let him go." uther decided as merlin sighed, before walking out, but not before meeting isabella's curious, yet slightly suspicious gaze. there was something different about merlin she couldn't work it out. yet.

GWEN'S EXECUTION had been moved forward to that night as morgana and isabella rushed into gaius' chambers in a panic. "they are bringing forth the execution! we have to prove gwen's innocence." morgana announced themselves as they walked in.

"we're trying." gaius promised.

"please. just tell us what we can do to help." isabella spoke up and merlin sighed.

"we need arthur."

"arthur?" morgana frowned, sharing a confused look with isabella.

"there's a monster, an afanc in the water supply. that's what's causing the plague."

"well then we must tell uther!" morgana widened her eyes as gaius shook his head.

"the afanc's a creature forged by magic. telling uther wouldn't save gwen...he would just blame he for conjuring it."

"so what are we to do?" isabella asked desperately.

"we need to destroy it. then the plague will stop, and uther may see sense." merlin explained briefly.

"and that's why you need arthur?" isabella nodded on understanding.

"he's our best chance." merlin nodded. "but he won't want to disobey the king."

"he will for izzie." morgana spoke, and isabella nodded slowly.

"leave that to me." she spoke before quickly leaving gaius's chambers.

arthur walked towards his chamber doors, but noticed isabella was stood inside as he raised a brow. "isabella? you alright? i am sorry about all the mess, merlin's not been in today."

isabella raised a brow and tilted her head. "poor merlin." she spoke, he smiled lightly, noticing she still had her french accent and nodded. "yeah."

"to offer to give up his life to save gwen's...i can't imagine a man loving me so much." she spoke slowly, trying to bite back the smile as she knew she was teasing him.

"nope, i can't imagine that either." he shook his head as she rolled her eyes and he smirked.

"you know, sadly the age of gallantry is dead. you look around and all you see are small men not big enough to fill their armour. there's not one of them that's able to stand up for what is right." she smirked, taking a step towards him.

he glanced at her and sighed. "what do you want me to do?" he spoke and she let out a slight laugh, amused.

"follow me."

ARTHUR FOLLOWED isabella to the courtyard where merlin and morgana were after isabella had explained about the creature, arthur raised his sword as they walked towards some sort of underground cave where the water supply came from.

arthur lit the torch with fire, standing at the front as morgana did the same and stood at the back as they walked through the caves. "you better be right about this, merlin." arthur spoke cautiously.

they came to a stop when morgana gasped and a growl could be heard near them. "it's the beast." isabella realised as her and morgana shared a look.

"you both should stay here." arthur turned around.

"we're coming with you." morgana replied almost immediately. "no." arthur huffed.

"scared we'll show you up?" isabella teased as arthur sighed again.

"you know my father will have us all in chains if he knew i'd endangered you both."

"it's a good thing uther doesn't know about it then, right morgana?" isabella stepped forward.

"right." morgana nodded as merlin looked amused whilst arthur sighed.

"i'm telling you both, turn back! you could get hurt." he repeated.

"so could you." isabella crossed her arms in a very unladylike manner.

"...if you don't get out of our way." morgana added and walked past the two boys as isabella let out a laugh and followed morgana deeper into the cave.

arthur and merlin soon followed them as morgana glanced at the three of them. "how are we going to find it?" she whispered.

"let's just hope we do before it finds us." isabella suggested.

"stop." arthur suddenly spoke as he spun around, holding the fire up to see clearer.

"what?" merlin asked.

"i heard it...it's just a shadow." arthur sighed and continued to walk forwards, the other three following closely, isabella looking behind them every few moments out of fear.

they came to the water supply, and nothing was there. "spread out." arthur suggested as they all did so, going through different pathways. isabella, being curious, wanted to follow merlin to see if he would continue acting suspicious, but when they heard a loud growl all of them ran back to where arthur was.

"are you alright?" isabella called out as arthur nodded slowly, looking stunned.

"did you see it?" merlin asked.

"yes!"

"what did it look like?" morgana asked with wide eyes.

"it's quick—" before arthur could continue, morgana suddenly screamed as isabella grabbed her arm and yanked her backwards towards her as arthur waved his torch at it.

"where is it?" arthur called out in annoyance.

"i think it's gone this way!" merlin told them as they all followed arthur through a pathway.

when they saw the creatures shadow, their eyes widened and they panicked even more when they saw it, arthur then began to fight it off, but it was no use, apart from the face it hated the fire.

just as the creature tried to latch onto arthur, merlin yelled, "use the torch!" and arthur lifted the torch up, but isabella's eyes widened in shock when she heard merlin mumble enchantments under his breath, which caused the fire on arthur's torch to grow larger and burn the beast.

isabella covered herself and morgana in her cloak and merlin covered his eyes to shield them from the flames as arthur looked shocked.

WHEN THEY managed to prove gwen innocent, morgana, merlin and isabella went to where she was kept as gwen was released and reunited with her dad. the two embraced as morgana beamed and isabella couldn't help but glance up at merlin.

"thank you!" gwen exclaimed as she hugged both girls as they chuckled.

"don't thank us. it was more merlin, really." morgana smiled. "he's the real hero here."

"i don't know what to say." gwen smiled through the tears.

"i didn't do anything." merlin shook his head bashfully.

"i'm grateful to you all. come on, gwen." gwen's father spoke as he led gwen out, morgana following closely.

"merlin?" isabella spoke, knowing it was just the two of them left. "i want you to know...your secret is safe with me."

merlin's eyes widened as he looked stunned. "how...how long have you known?" he asked and she smiled lightly.

"i've had my suspicions. it was confirmed last night. i understand why you don't want anyone to know." she began and he nodded slowly in a panic as she took a step towards him.

"i only hope when i am queen things will change. when i am, i will do my best to make things better for you and your kind, merlin. you have my word. i am forever grateful for the times you have used it to save me and arthur, and i know arthur would be too if he knew."

with that, she sent him another smile before leaving the cell and going up the stairs towards the great hall, faintly hearing the young warlock calling out a thank you.

merlin + bella = brotp 🫶🏼