CHAPTER FORTY TWO,
episode thirteen, the coming of arthur,
part two.

french is in italics while in convos xx

ISABELLA VALOUR still felt sick to her stomach. it had been a week since morgana pendragon took over camelot. she couldn't eat, she couldn't think, she could barely even speak to the others. how could she be so stupid? she knew it was coming, merlin and even the great dragon had warned her about it. somehow, isabella felt as if a part of herself had been lost without morgana.

isabella had known morgana ever since she was seven. she and estella were her first ever best friends, true friends. ana and izzie did everything together. they took walks out to the villages together, shopped for new dresses, had endless sleepovers, gossiped about their favourite knights and isabella had even discussed how she would do everything in her power to make sure morgana was accepted as a sorcerer when she reigned.

everybody in camelot knew how close the two girls were. they were practically inseparable.

were.

was.

not anymore.

"—hey." a voice cut her from her thoughts. it was merlin. "i just came to tell you i am back." he whispered.

gaius, gwaine, elyan, merlin, isabella and arthur were hiding beneath some caves in the forest from morgana's army, and they had been for a week now, only leaving to get supplies like food and water. despite the fact isabella had barely spoken more than four words, each of them would tell her when they were leaving and when they would return.

isabella continued to stare at the bracelet on her wrist. her throat hurt, her vision blurred and she knew she was holding back the tears that threatened to fall. i, s, g, a. izzie, stella, gwen and ana. isabella stared at it, her lip trembling slightly.

a hand patted her shoulder gently, "why don't we switch the a to another g?" gwaine spoke up cheekily, "cause i would love a friendship bracelet."

"ooh! or a i, m, g! isa, merlin and gwaine!" merlin added, trying to get the girl to smile, laugh, look at them, anything.

isabella finally looked at them, her eyes softening slightly with a tiny smile on her face, but it wasn't long before she got up and walked away to sit with a distressed arthur. he snapped out of his thoughts seeing her and wrapped his arm around her. "how are you?"

when she didn't reply, he awkwardly cleared his throat. "sorry, it was a stupid question."

isabella closed her eyes slowly, thinking about everyone who was still in camelot. estella, gwen, sir leon, king uther, all of the knights. she wondered how they were...if they were even alive. she couldn't even bare the thought.

merlin soon walked over to them with their food, which isabella didn't touch. merlin began to try and get arthur to come to his senses and be a good ruler for the people. isabella felt personally attacked because she too had just been sitting there silently.

the girl looked up at the others, who were doing their own thing, most likely discussing how to defeat morgana and get camelot back. she took a seat next to merlin who was looking at some sort of vial. he looked around and noticed everyone was asleep, so they could speak freely. "the fisher king gave it to me...he said at camelots darkest hour it will help us."

isabella looked at it curiously, and watched as merlin whispered encantations to to try and get it to work. she held her hand out, and merlin hesitantly gave it to her.

merlin gasped in shock when isabella smashed it on the floor, the liquid pouring out. "why did you do that?" he asked in disbelief.

"look." she spoke for the first time in a while, watching as the now sparkling water dropped into a small dip in the floor.

merlin and isabella stared at it curiously, wondering what would happen. the princess's jaw dropped when they both saw a very familiar face in the reflection. "f-freya?" merlin gasped in shock.

isabella let out a breath, that turned into a relieved chuckle. "i have missed you both." freya answered, watching as tears filled isabella's dark eyes.

"but—you're—" merlin shook his head, not believing she was there.

"we do not have long." freya cut him off, smiling gently at the boy.

"is it really you?" merlin asked through teary eyes. isabella gently took ahold of merlin's hand and smiled at him.

"i swore that one day i would repay you both. now is the moment." freya spoke softly, looking at her two friends in adoration.

"i do not understand..." merlin trailed off.

"there is but one weapon that can slay something which is already dead." freya told them knowingly, smiling when merlin's eyes filled with realisation.

"a blade forged in the dragon's breath." he whispered.

"that weapon lies at the bottom of the lake of avalon, where you both hid it." freya recalled, making isabella nod slowly.

"but morgana's army are not dead...they are very much alive." isabella spoke up again, making freya turn to her through the reflection.

"anyone who toys with the cup pays a terrible price. the moment they entered their pact with morgause, they became the living dead. you must come to the lake." freya told them sternly.

"and you will give us the sword?" merlin asked.

"in your hands, it has the power to save albion." freya continued, and isabella noticed merlin was trying to fight back his tears. "thank you." he whispered.

"thank you, freya." isabella added.

freya smiled slowly, looking at the two with pride. "you never need to thank me...it has given me the chance to see you both again...i am so proud of you both. always remember that." she spoke quietly.

a cough made both of them look away. isabella sighed in relief seeing gwaine stood up, yawning obnoxiously loud. "nature calls." he muttered, leaving the cave.

isabella rolled her eyes and turned back to freya, only to see her gone. she frowned, looking defeated as merlin tried to get freya to come back. "merlin, we must go to the lake."

merlin looked at his closest friend and nodded.

merlin called the dragon to the outskirts of the woods, who landed in front of them and bowed his head at both merlin and isabella. "i have to cross twenty leagues of hostile territory. i need you to take us." merlin called out.

"i am not a horse, merlin!" kilgharah scoffed, unamused.

"if you do not, then morgana will have won!" isabella responded in anger, not having the time for the creature's silly temper tantrum.

"i see you have finally come to your senses, young agate." he grinned, before turning back to merlin.

the great dragon flew isabella and merlin to the the very lake they hid the sword in, isabella practically screaming the whole time from how scary it was. they arrived very early in the morning, and merlin helped lift isabella off the dragon. "i warned you before, that this sword in the wrong hands can do great evil." he began.

"you must promise me, that once its task is done, you will place it where none can wield it." the great dragon told them sternly, receiving a nod from both of them.

"i promise." they both echoed.

isabella walked in step with merlin closer to the lake, they found a small boat, and while isabella got in, merlin gently pushed it into the water and got in behind her until they floated to the middle of the lake.

goosebumps coated isabella's skin as the sword rose out of the water, a hand holding onto it, pushing it out of the water for them to take. isabella smiled, taking the sword. "thank you, freya." she whispered, before handing the sword to merlin.

IT DIDNT take long for them to return back to the caves, nobody had even noticed they had left. however, all of them noticed that isabella had perked up, but they would never believe it if she told them it was because she saw a ghost.

isabella walked in step with gwaine who was chatting about how he gets his hair so smooth, and isabella listened to every word, smiling at him. he was glad it was making her smile. finally.

gwaine stopped his chatter when they heard a loud noise from outside. of course, arthur and gwaine decided to go and find out what it was. obviously they had a death wish. but isabella and merlin followed anyway. they creeped out of the cave and hid behind a few rocks to see who it was.

arthur jumped out and someone gasped. isabella immediately recognised the gasp, and ran towards estella, bringing her in for a tight hug. "my stella," she cried, laughing into the french maid's hair. "i thought id never see you again!"

"you cannot be rid of me that easy! what an old hag morgana is, aye?" estella spoke hurriedly as isabella forced herself to laugh.

"that was the fakest laugh i've ever heard."

"shut up leon."

"gwen!" isabella hugged the maid, glad to have see her again.

"and if it isn't my favourite knight." isabella reached up to hug sir leon who gladly returned it, ruffling her hair while he hugged her. it was truly an honour to be loved by someone like isabella.

"we've been found!" elyan's panicked voice could be heard in the distance, "they are almost upon us!"

"get gaius!" arthur ordered merlin and immediately he held onto isabella's hand to make sure she was by his side.

the group ran as fast as they could through the forest in attempts to get away from morgana's men. they came to a few walls from a deserted castle and noticed a very large boulder being thrown down it. "look out!" arthur yelled.

"who is that?" isabella asked in shock noticing it had knocked morgana's knights down.

"no idea, but i'm liking them already." gwaine smirked, his eyes looking up to see if he could spot anyone.

isabella looked through the trees as quickly as her eye could move, searching for any threat or danger towards them.

the princess's jaw dropped seeing one very familiar man and then an unknown one next to him. arthur jumped in a fright hearing her practically scream so loud, "lance-bloody-lot!" she beamed, running up to the boy and hugging him tight.

the boy laughed possibly the most he has laughed in a very long time, hugging her back tightly, "i've missed you bella."

"and i you." she grinned, before turning to the man next to him. now...isabella was so in love with arthur usually she wouldn't even bat an eyelid ( apart from when she met gwaine for the first time ) , but this man...her eyes subtly widened and she glanced at his arms, which were most likely the size of isabella's whole body ( slight exaggeration but honestly not really, ) and then looking away awkwardly.

there is seriously not a single bad looking man around me.

"your grace." the man spoke, bowing his head as she snapped out of her trance.

"oh, please, if you are a friend of lancelot you are a friend of mine. plus, we are probably about to die so titles do not matter. what i am trying to say, is call me isabella." she replied, shaking the much taller man's hand.

he laughed, shaking her hand. "percival." the man responded with a kind smile.

"alright, we need to hurry." arthur spoke in annoyance, leading the group out of there. merlin smirked to himself seeing the look of jealousy on arthur's face, gwaine looking the most happy and smug he's ever been.

"i take it the boulder fall wasn't an accident." arthur called out as lancelot patted percival's shoulder.

"it was percival's strength that brought them down." lancelot said, bringing gwen in for another hug.

"i can see that." isabella quietly muttered to estella who giggled.

"what are you both doing here?" arthur asked, shaking percival's hand and telling him to call him arthur instead of your highness.

"i sent for him." merlin admitted.

"thank you, merlin." estella giggled, looking at both lancelot and percival as isabella joined in with her laughter.

the others didn't bat an eyelid, it was a regular occurrence for them to gossip in french together. it could be scary at times being in a whole new country, but having each other made it a lot easier.

"we owe you our lives. thank you." arthur smiled at the brave men who both smiled, lancelot shaking arthur's hand.

slowly, without even realising, arthur and isabella were gathering their knights of camelot for when they became king and queen. the group looked anywhere they could for safety, and finally came across the castle of the ancient kings.

"search the place, see what you can find." arthur told them all, who did so.

isabella found something which was covered with an old blanket. "arthur," she called out. each of them looked at her and walked over. isabella gently pulled off the blanket to reveal a round table.

a table that would go down in the legends and history books, known to all as the knights of the round table. there were ten chairs placed at this table. arthur took a seat, and beckoned for the others to follow.

he held onto isabella's hand to help her sit, and slowly, merlin, sir leon, gwaine, percival, lancelot, elyan and gaius sat, but there was only one seat left. estella looked at gwen and immediately smiled. "it's okay, i'll stand." estella nodded, letting gwen take a seat.

estella walked over to stand behind isabella's seat and her princess smiled at her fondly.

"this table belonged to the ancient kings of camelot. a round table after no one man more importance than any other. they believed in equality in all things. so it seems fitting that...we revive this tradition now." arthur spoke, making isabella look at him curiously.

"without each of you, we would not be here." he spoke, and lancelot glanced at merlin and isabella with a small, knowing smile, which they both appreciated.

"my father has languished in prison for too long. tomorrow...i make my bid to rescue him...are there any around this table who will join me?" he asked.

not even a second later, isabella stood, looking at her prince with a small smile. "i think we all know, i would walk into the mouth of hell for you. of course i am going to join you." she spoke as if it was obvious.

lancelot was next to stand, and arthur smiled at him. "you taught me the values of being a knight. the code by which a man should live his life, to fight with honour, for justice, freedom, and all that is good." he looked at gwen.

isabella smiled fondly at him, lancelot would always hold a special place in her heart. "i believe in the world that you both will build." lancelot told them both who thanked him.

"even though i was a commoner, a nobody, you were willing to lay down your life for me, arthur." elyan spoke, standing up. "it is now my turn to repay you."

sir leon was next, "i have fought alongside you many times. there is no one that i would rather die for." those words made isabella feel so proud of arthur, and the man he was becoming.

"i think we have no chance." gwaine spoke up cockily, "but i wouldn't miss it for the world, especially if there is a skin chance i get to sacrifice myself for isa." he grinned, standing up.

isabella laughed, nudging arthur who rolled his eyes but smiled at the boy. only gwaine was allowed to flirt with his fiancé and get away with it, because he was gwaine.

isabella's new crush then stood, muscles and all as he smiled at both of them. "your enemies are my enemies." percival told them, bowing his head.

gaius was next, "if you need an old man." he began, making them all chuckle. isabella was growing more and more emotional at all of the people who stood for them.

estella stood, "both you, arthur and camelot makes my queen happy, and that is what i live for. i will proudly stand with you and fight for our home." she smiled, looking at merlin and isabella with so much love.

gwen was next, "you know the answer." she nodded with a small smile at both of them.

all was left was merlin.

arthur side eyed him, "merlin." he said, practically forcing him into it.

"nah, i don't really fancy it." the quirky boy joked, and they all laughed.

"you don't have a choice."

"okay." merlin stood, and isabella reached over to pat his shoulder, squeezing it slightly.

arthur smiled at each of them, and looked at each and every one of them with care. they were equals. "on behalf on isabella and myself, i want to thank you all for staying loyal to us in camelot's hour of need...i'll do something my father will not approve of."

"but it is what is right." isabella added, "it would be an honour for you, gwaine, percival, lancelot, and elyan to be a knight of camelot."

the men widened their eyes in shock. lancelot's dreams had come true, gwaine wasn't too bothered but if it meant he got to see isa everyday then so be it, percival was overjoyed that he finally fit in with people, and elyan was so happy he almost tripped getting onto his knees to be knighted.

arthur and isabella stood in front of the now kneeling men, and arthur pulled out his sword. "arise, sir lancelot, knight of camelot." isabella began, while arthur knighted him with the sword. lancelot stood, tears in his eyes.

"arise, sir gwaine, knight of camelot." isabella spoke, arthur knighted him and gwaine stood up, giving isabella a bow which she smiled at.

"arise, sir percival, knight of camelot."

"arise, sir elyan, knight of camelot."

"tomorow when you fight, you can stand proud, knowing you are members of the most noble army the world has ever known." arthur told the knights of camelot, and merlin smiled proudly at them.

THE KNIGHTS, two royals and two servants snuck through to the castle to stay hidden. gwenevere had offered to stay back with gaius so he would not be alone. estella wouldn't listen to isabella telling her to stay and came along with them.

they split off into groups. lancelot, isabella, estella and merlin, and sir percival, sir gwaine, sir elyan and sir leon were with arthur. the four of them snuck through the castle, and merlin told them, out of estella's earshot, he could sense the cups power.

"you still have not told her?" isabella asks merlin in shock, motioning to estella who was ahead.

"have you?" merlin retorted.

isabella rolled her eyes, "touché."

lucky, because merlin wielded the sword forged with a dragon's breath, it did not take long for them to find the cup. they came to the throne room where more knights were guarding the cup. lancelot fought them off and then pushed them in merlin's direction to finish them off which was quite hilarious to watch.

"how—" estella asked in shock, when merlin stabbed them, they practically blew up.

"i think there is something you should know." merlin awkwardly spoke while fighting off another knight.

"which is?"

"it's quite hard to explain—" merlin began, but seeing the look on estella's face he sighed. "long story short. i was born with magic, my destiny is to protect bella and arthur, i use magic to save them on the daily, and this sword was forged in a dragon's breath because i am the last dragon lord." he rushed out.

estella stared at him in shock, "well that's one way to find out." she spoke.

"don't you find the fact i told you all that...i don't know...scary?"

"scary? good heavens, merlin. i think you're magnificent and since we are confessing things—i love you." she rushed out, fighting off a knight and shoving him to merlin.

isabella's eyes widened at her words, and thought for a split second, "sorry to ruin your moment, but can i also confess something?"

"oh, good grief, you have magic as well?" estella joked.

isabella did not smile.

estella's eyes widened.

"oh."

"you want the short version?" isabella asked while fighting off the last knight. "i am the agate, which is french as you know for good woman, i have healing powers using a stone but now i probably do not even need to use the stone and sometimes i move things with my mind and it is my destiny to rule with arthur—phew." the girl breathed one merlin killed the final one.

"and what about you, lancelot?" estella turned to the boy.

"just lancelot...just a regular guy." the boy shrugged carelessly.

estella shrugged and high fived the boy, "regular guys and girls for life."

"she took that well." merlin raised a brow and isabella was too busy looking at the cup to answer.

"bella, watch out!" estella suddenly screamed. before isabella could respond, she felt herself being pulled backwards, but nobody was pulling her, she fell into the side of the wall, almost knocking her out.

estella marilyn was one of the bravest people isabella had ever met. she had just witnessed morgause use powerful spell was magic to knock her best friend down, but still was brave enough to stand up for her. estella practically saw red, the blonde turned to morgause in anger, "how dare you touch my sister."

shivers ran down isabella's spine at estella's words, her eyes widening to look at morgause's expression.

morgause eyed her, and smirked. "ah yes, the serving girl. morgana told me all about you...always following after the princess and merlin...pathetic. i have a feeling i won't be seeing you again." morgause simply smirked, which angered estella more.

estella raised her sword bravely, making isabella sit up in shock. "stella, no." she said quietly. morgause's sword clashed against estella's. luckily, morgana and isabella had taught estella how to fight combat during their spare time together. in return, estella and morgana had taught her a little bit of french.

but morgana had grown up fighting combat, and she was that much older than estella that she had a lot of experience and the upper hand.

it all went so fast, and before isabella could blink, estella's sword had been flung out of her hands. "morgause, no!" isabella screamed, but it was too late.

isabella's eyes had been covered by someone's hand, feeling herself being forced to turn around and not look. isabella fought the person to get off of her, and turned back to see estella on the ground, the sword in her heart. isabella couldn't see properly—tears blurred her vision and she walked closer to find her best friend lying on the floor, bleeding and whimpering in pain.

a sudden scream of anger and hurt escaped isabella's lips, squeezing her eyes shut tightly as she lashed her arm out in frustration, not even noticing her eyes turning golden and morgause being flown backwards, her head hitting the corner of a wall, a small puddle of blood surrounding her head. merlin flung his arms up to cover his face due to the windows smashing from her scream...or magic...merlin wasn't really sure.

"merlin, the cup!" lancelot yelled, watching the scene in front of him with wide eyes. was morgause dead? he couldn't be sure without seeing her properly, but her once golden hair was coated with blood.

"no!" morgana could be heard, running towards morgause and cradling her. isabella was too tired and too hurt to even look at her.

"it is over, morgana." merlin told her firmly, and morgana looked up at them all, anger in her light eyes.

"you are wrong. mark my words, this has just begun!" she screamed, casting a spell to disappear from the castle.

isabella sat with estella, tears falling onto the french maid's face as she rested her forehead against estella's. the throne room was in ruins, the windows were smashed, glass everywhere and a few bricks from the walls had come crumbling down. the throne room doors burst open to reveal the knights of camelot, arthur in front as he searched for his princess.

"what on earth happened—" arthur began, only to panic even more when he heard isabella's painful sobs. "isabella." he gasped, rushing over to the girl who was holding estella's chest where the blood was seeping through her shirt.

"i couldn't save her." she spoke through broken words, hiccuping slightly as the knights and merlin stared at them in disbelief.

"there was nothing you could have done." arthur promised, attempting to pry her away from her best friend.

"you don't understand." isabella spoke through tears, but deciding on saying no more. she looked back at her friend and shook her head, her body shaking slightly from the pain. she gently reached down to kiss estella's forehead.

merlin stared at the girl he loved's dead body in anger and pain, he never expected this to happen. estella died saving isabella. isabella looked up at merlin with tears in her eyes and reached her hand out for him to take.

merlin slowly walked towards her, taking her hand and sitting next to estella. "i will be outside if you need me." arthur spoke up, kissing isabella's temple and turning to leave, his knights following closely.

the two best friends sat in silence, staring at estella. she looked so peaceful. "i don't want her to go." merlin broke the silence, his throat getting choked up.

isabella brushed estella's hair out of her face, "in a peasants outfit too, she would be so upset with us." she tried to joke, and despite the fact they both chuckled, nothing would distract them from this death.

"i always thought i was estella's protector...with my powers. but it turns out i never was...she was mine." isabella turned serious, her lip trembling slightly. "she loved you so very much." isabella whispered, so quiet merlin barely heard her. "ever since we arrived, i saw the way she looked at you. i am so sorry this love was taken from you, merlin. you deserve it more than anyone."

merlin reached over to hold isabella's hand, his other hand already holding estella's. they didn't need to say anything, being in each others presence was enough. the platonic love they had for each other was strong, and a bond like that was forever.

omg i am a MESS.

i only decided on killing estella a few weeks ago and i'm still unsure if it's the right decision. i'm going to miss her so much . but at least gwen still has a proper role as servant otherwise bc of no morgana gwen wouldn't have a role in the story.

estella was such a beautiful character, and i was so excited having someone as a love interest for merlin, finally, but as i was writing an episode some time ago, i realise because isabella loved morgana so much there is a chance she would not hate her a such as i need her too. unfortunately, killing estella would make isabella do that. for now anyway.

can we talk about the fact estella said "it's okay, i'll stand" and she was the one to die? 🥰parallels.

now !!! time for a new gif of our soon to be king and queen....

i actually can't believe it. we r on season four. king and queen soon. our babies are growing up :(