CHAPTER TWENTY,
episode three, the nightmare begins.

MIDNIGHT. ISABELLA dreaded this hour. it was the hour she always was awakened by morgana's screams. her cries for help after a nightmare. the way she would rush in almost every night—morgana's face filled with terror as she clutched onto the princess's arms, hiding herself behind isabella, as if isabella was a shield and they were on the battlefield.

morgana would usually calm down within minutes after isabella being with her, gwen and estella would often wake up and join them. the four girls staying with morgana until she fell asleep, then the handmaidens would go back to their rooms. isabella always stayed.

this night was very different. for the first time in a while, isabella was scared. like most nights, she rushed into morgana's room and comforted her. but this night...as she rushed in hearing the ward's screams, she found herself screaming along with her as a blazing fire took place by the curtains, the window smashing into a thousand tiny people.

she screamed for help, dragging morgana out of her bedroom as guards surrounded them. the warning bell even sounded as people thought it was an act of violence towards morgana. the king and arthur entered within minutes as they all worked to put the fire out.

the princess and the ward held each other closely as they were rushed to gaius's chambers to be checked over. they thankfully hadn't been harmed, but morgana was still shaking.

the next morning, isabella dressed and headed into morgan as chambers where the king, arthur, merlin and gwen were. her eyes widened as she looked over her room...it was destroyed.

"i came in with some extra blankets. there was a candle, but i put it out." gwen explained to the king and prince who turned to her.

"are you sure?" the king asked in concern.

"i blew it out, i'm certain." gwen replied confidently.

"she's telling the truth. i know this because estella came into mine at the same time and blew my candles out. then herself and gwen left together to their own rooms." isabella spoke up, recalling estella and gwen wishing her goodnight.

"gwen's been morgana's servant for years. we can trust she blew it out." arthur defended with a nod as gwen sent him a grateful smile.

"she could have been burnt alive. and you as well seeing as you came in." uther turned to isabella who looked up at him.

"it isn't unordinary for me to come in during the night. morgana suffers from nightmares as you know, so i usually wake up from her screams. this time i came in to see the fire up in flames. i had to drag her out, she was almost frozen in spot." isabella told them as the king sighed, looking around the room.

"lighting struck the castle roof last night. that could have started the fire." arthur suggested as isabella couldn't help but think something different was behind all of this.

"perhaps." the king replied.

"what other explanation is there?" arthur asked with a clueless frown.

"someone started the fire deliberately." the king replied almost instantly as isabella widened her eyes in shock, looking fearful.

"who would do such a thing?" she asked in disbelief as the king shook his head.

"i'm unsure. arthur follow me. we shall discuss potential attackers." the king muttered as arthur nodded slowly and followed him.

"he believes somebody did this...but there are too many guards to count. there's always five on mine and two on here. the seven of them would've seen something." isabella spoke up in confusion once they and gwen had left.

"unless." merlin mumbled as she turned to him with a raised brow, "unless?"

"sorcery." merlin whispered as she frowned, "but how? like i said, how could they get past the guards?" isabella replied in confusion.

"i don't know." merlin muttered, looking around the room.

isabella left the room and went back to gaius's chambers where morgana was. "what i don't understand, morgana, is how the fire started in the first place."

"it happened so quickly—it was terrifying." morgana whispered, her eyes distant as isabella walked in.

"you're safe now." isabella told her, moving to sit next to her.

"you two are the only people i've told about my dreams. i know i can trust you...it was me." morgana spoke as isabella sat up in shock, "what?" she asked carefully as gaius frowned.

"i set the room alight. i started the fire." she whispered, gaius looked at her for a moment with a frown.

"i do not understand. did you knock over a candle?" the french princess asked in confusion.

"no, that's not what happened." morgana whispered, shaking her head repeatedly as she looked at them with pleading eyes.

"i did it just by looking at it. the flames suddenly leapt higher." morgana admitted as isabella tilted her head.

"it could have been a gust of wind." gaius replied, not wanting to believe what he really thought.

"it wasn't. it was me." she said firmly. "it was magic." she whispered, her voice breaking as isabella's eyes widened as she stared at the girl in slight fear and worry.

"morgana, how could it have been?" she asked in shock as gaius shook his head.

"last night was an accident. it had nothing to do with you. how could it? i am going to draw you up a fresh remedy that will make you better." gaius began as isabella cut him off with a wave of her hand.

"gaius." she stopped him as he looked up at her. "morgana is clearly needing your help. why are you belittling her thoughts?" she asked calmly as morgana looked at her with a grateful smile.

"i promise, the remedy will make things better. you must both trust me." gaius said before walking away.

guild flooded through isabella as she realised morgana had poured her heart out and told her about her magic concerns, and all this time isabella never once told her about hers. and now gaius had disregarded her feelings and belittled them.

"ana, i believe you. you know i always will. but, trust me on this. do not tell the king that you have these thoughts. the king is already arresting any supposed sorcerer in camelot and any suspect." isabella crouched down to her height since morgana was sitting on the bench.

morgana looked up at her and slowly nodded. "i promise." she whispered.

"what has happened, and if you truly believe you have magic. it is nothing to be afraid of. we will work something out." isabella whispered, holding the younger girls hands.

morgana nodded hurriedly and left as isabella sent a warning look to gaius, who chose to ignore it. "she cannot know if she has magic." gaius said simply.

"why not? merlin and me could help her!" isabella pleaded as gaius put his hand up to stop her.

"i understand she is your closest friend but trust me on this, isabella. mark my words. nothing good will come from morgana being a sorcerer." he told her, sending shivers down her spine.

she nodded slowly and turned away, unsure of how to feel or what to do.

she decided to go to sleep early since she was kept up half of the previous night. unknowingly to her, morgana had gotten up in search for gaius, but instead found merlin and told him about her fears that it was magic.

merlin had gone to see the great dragon, who almost immediately told him to never help morgana and tell her the true extent to her powers. it seemed many people agreed that morgana knowing her true potential will ruin everything.

the village was crowded with guards arresting anyone who was suspicious, isabella couldn't do her usual walk around because there were so many guards and people running away.

ISABELLA'S BLOOD ran cold next morning as she entered morgana's chambers. she wanted to check on her closest friend. but morgana was nowhere to be seen.

she rushed out, searching the castle. the throne room door's practically burst open as she saw the king talking to arthur, they noticed her panicked state and frowned. "isabella what's wrong?"

"morgana's gone. she's not in her chambers, or anywhere." she exclaimed as the kings eyes widened in horror and he immediately alerted the guards to sound the warning bell and searched camelot again.

around an hour later, arthur came back to morgana's chambers were isabella and uther were. "the guards have completed their search of the castle. there is no trace of her." he told them.

"encircle the entire city. no one comes in or out." the king replied almost immediately, gaius then walked in.

"you sent for me, sire?" gaius asked as the king nodded and turned to him.

"yes. what time did you deliver the sleeping draughts to morgana?" he asked, gaius looked at him with a frown.

"the guard said that merlin delivered it." arthur replied for him, "after she retired to her chambers."

"so she was safe then?" the king asked as gaius nodded slowly. "yes. i suppose she must have been."

isabella followed arthur and uther out with a look of sadness on her face as she acknowledged that morgana may have been kidnapped, or fled the castle due to her fears of being magic.

"have all the suspects been arrested?" uther asked arthur who nodded slightly.

"nearly. a few have gone to ground." he replied as knights and guards entered the throne room, along with gwen, estella, merlin and gaius.

"issue a proclamation: all the prisoners will be executed unless the lady morgana is returned to camelot." the king called out loudly for everyone to hear as isabella noticed merlin looking guilty as she frowned.

"i'll see to it, sire." arthur replied as the king waved everyone away to leave.

isabella wished that wherever morgana had gone, if she fled, she wished she would've taken isabella with her. so she wouldn't be alone. the princess would've told morgana about her own magic and would have helped her as best she could.

morgana was with the druid's. she had been reunited with mordred, and couldn't help but wish she had at least asked for isabella to leave with her. she knew how much isabella cared for mordred and would have wanted to see him again. she missed her closest friend. but this was the right thing to do. here, with the druids, she could be herself and not risk being killed.

according to gaius, merlin had also disappeared. the trail he had left had been on path to where the druids were. the king believed that a sorcerer had escaped through the cage door under the grounds and took morgana with them to the druids.

luckily, merlin wasn't a suspect. gaius had managed to convince arthur that merlin wasn't well, due to him worrying too much for morgana. arthur had, of course, responded with, "tell him to stop pining, man up and get back to work."

arthur, the guards, knights and guard dogs had left camelot to follow the trail to where they believed morgana would be. isabella had begged the king to let her go, but he forbid it.

so, she waited and waited for morgana to return back to them. she just hoped morgana would return safe, and no innocent druid would be harmed.

ISABELLA FOLLOWED the king to the courtyard when they heard arthur was back. tears of joy filled her eyes as she saw morgana on the horse.

she rushed over as morgana got down and flung her arms around the girl, the king following close behind. "you're safe, thank heavens." she whispered as morgana hugged her tight.

"i missed you." morgana smiled back as the king then hugged her.

"you were right, it was the druids. they kidnapped her." arthur said as morgana looked worried as the king looked at her sadly. "i'm sorry this happened to you."

"i'm alright now." morgana promised with a small smile.

"we're all so happy to have you back." isabella grinned as morgana looked unsettled, but nodded in agreement.

"it's good to be home." morgana mumbled, isabella tilted her head slightly at the girl. something must've happened—morgana we most definitely not happy to be home.

love this episode sm .