CHAPTER EIGHT,
episode five, lancelot.
A CREATURE of the night had attacked a village near camelot, and once merlin came back after seeing the beast in the forest and telling arthur, uther and the prince left to see the fallen village.
once they returned, the king had immediately ordered for more guards on lookout then normal, he wanted camelot to be ready incase the beast attacked their city. that meant even more guards stood outside isabella's chambers.
"right, you jumped-up dung beetle! this is it." the blonde boy spoke sarcastically as he stood outside the castle at the training ground for the third time that month, with many people watching as a man tried to beat arthur in a battle, to see if their was any chance he could become a knight.
isabella didn't really understand what was going on, but because of the king's orders, wherever arthur went in public, she went. besides, it usually was quite amusing when the prince was in public.
"your final test! pass this, and you're a knight of camelot." arthur continued as isabella caught merlin's eye, who was stood next to an unfamiliar young man, and waved at the young warlock.
the unknown man next to merlin's eyes widened and he smacked merlin's chest a couple of times and pointed to isabella who raised a brow, amused.
merlin blinked and glanced over at isabella, and returned the wave as the man next to him looked stunned, quietly exclaiming, "you know the princess?!"
merlin laughed and started walking towards isabella, gesturing for the man to follow, which he did quickly. "—fail, and you're no one." arthur finished as merlin reached isabella.
"your majesty," merlin greeted with a small smile, bowing his head as she returned it. "merlin. i'm so pleased you're well again. who might you be?" she asked.
the unknown man widened his eyes and bowed, isabella thought that if he bowed any more his nose would be on the floor, but she smiled in return nevertheless. "your majesty, my name is lancelot."
"it's lovely to meet you, lancelot. my name is isabella." she introduced. "how do you know merlin?" she asked curiously.
"lancelot saved my life in the woods from the beast." merlin told her as isabella looked impressed. "interesting." she smiled before glancing over at arthur again.
"you face the most feared of all foes, the ultimate killing machine. you face me." arthur spoke as he faced the young man about to fight him.
isabella let out an amused laugh, "so dramatic." she shook her head. "and arrogant, don't forget." merlin added as isabella let out a hum in agreement.
"that is the prince, you do realise?" lancelot frowned as isabella let out a careless giggle.
"and i'm the prince's wife to be. plus, merlin is allowed to make fun of arthur, because i said so."
"your challenge is to last one minute in free combat." arthur spoke as the man began waving his swords around to appear more intimidating.
"i doubt he will last one second, let alone a minute." isabella tilted her head.
"grimond, second son of wessex..." arthur pulled out his sword as the man beside isabella, merlin and lancelot flipped the hourglass timer as the minute began. "your time starts now."
the crowd watched the fight, most of it was grimond waving his swords around as arthur watched with an amused smile, before the fighting began. grimond aimed his sword at arthur who easily dodged and lifted his knee up to knock grimond down as the crowd let out cheers.
"take him away," arthur ordered before turning around with a bored expression to face isabella who sent him a proud smile, as he nodded at her, returning the smile.
"you really are going to marry him one day." merlin spoke with a raised brow.
"i know." she spoke distantly, shaking her head with a small smile. "come on, merlin." she spoke, walking over to the prince who was waiting for her with a smile.
"well done. again." she smiled as he leant down to hug her, shoving his helmet into merlin's arms who rolled his eyes, the three beginning to walk through the village.
"grimond's the third to fail this month." arthur huffed as isabella sent merlin an amused smile. "how am i meant to defend camelot with rubbish like that?" he continued.
"i think i might be able to help." merlin replied as isabella nodded.
"yes, what about lancelot? he saved you from the beast did he not?"
merlin nodded as arthur raised a brow. "that's great, i'm sure he is terrific. but i'm assuming you are forgetting the first code of camelot." he stopped walking to face them.
"the what?" merlin's face dropped.
isabella sighed. "right, the first code. only those of noble blood can serve as knights." isabella mocked the king as arthur sent her a look, but couldn't fight the smile off his face.
"so, unless your friend is a nobleman—" arthur began as merlin nodded suddenly. "he is a nobleman."
"is he?" isabella blinked, confused. he didn't look it. ( no offence, lancelot ! )
"absolutely." merlin nodded again as arthur raised a brow.
"very well. bring him to the training ground tomorrow."
"oh! and make sure he brings his seal of nobility." arthur added before taking isabella's hand and walking away as isabella turned back to send a wave to merlin, ( who tried to return it, but failed as he dropped all of arthur's armour ) and then walked away with the prince.
"thank you, arthur! you won't regret it!" they heard merlin call out as arthur waved him off and isabella laughed.
"lovely to see merlin back and well."
arthur raised a brow and shrugged in reply. "i suppose. he's as annoying as ever, though." he admitted as isabella rolled her eyes.
"be nice."
"i'm just being honest." he defended as she shook her head, smiling at the people of camelot who sent them bows and curtsies.
ISABELLA WATCHED curiously as gwen spoke to lancelot and merlin by the tents. lancelot was dressed in a knight's uniform, and looked incredibly nervous.
arthur walked next to isabella and put his sword away, and before he could speak, lancelot scurried over with a nervous smile. "yes?" arthur asked.
"lancelot. fifth son of lord eldred of northumbria." he introduced, stuttering slightly as isabella glanced at arthur.
"lanc...a lot?" he spoke, slightly amused.
"bella and my servant mentioned you." arthur tilted his head as isabella glanced up at the prince, and then at lancelot who nodded nervously. "got your seal?"
lancelot nodded, holding it out and bowing slightly, "sire." he spoke as isabella moved out of the way, knowing what was coming. arthur lifted his hand up to smack lancelot's face and gwen and merlin looked alarmed.
"arthur." the girl rolled her eyes.
"sluggish reactions. on the battlefield you'd be dead by now." arthur said in a monotone voice as lancelot looked upset from his position on the grass.
"come back when you're ready." arthur spoke and walked away.
isabella looked down at lancelot with a small smile. "do you want to become a knight of camelot?"
"yes, your grace." he nodded as she sent him a smirk.
"well, get up and prove to him you're good enough." she whispered as lancelot nodded with a smile and got up.
"i'm ready now, sire." he called out as arthur stopped, and turned around with an amused expression.
"you are, are you?" he asked teasingly.
lancelot nodded in response as merlin looked relieved and gwen smiled. "fine. you can start by cleaning out the stables." arthur ordered as isabella looked down, she couldn't help but find the whole situation amusing.
the knights laughed and lancelot turned around to look at merlin and gwen. gwen beamed and merlin sent him a happy thumbs up, and when he turned back around, merlin face planted and gwen sighed.
THE PRINCESS and her prince walked through the village, visiting the people as isabella had a genuine smile on her face, whilst arthur was slightly bored but made sure to be smiling whenever isabella glanced at him.
"this may be boring to you now, arthur. but you are going to want to people to like and respect you at some point." she lectured as he sighed but nodded.
"i know, isabella."
"right." she trailed off and he glanced down at her.
"i like your dress." he admitted and she laughed at him.
"well, thank you. it's a bit dirty now, thanks to you making us walk through the horse stables." she pointed out.
"well i wanted—" he cut himself off when he saw lancelot sat down sharpening his sword. arthur picked up a broom and walked over to the young man, and chucked the broom at him, as lancelot jumped, but caught it.
isabella raised her brows, impressed as arthur did the same. "not bad." he commented before returning to isabella's side again.
"would you like me to sweep the guardhouse again, sire?" lancelot asked as isabella rolled her eyes at arthur who seemed to be enjoying it.
"it certainly needs sweeping." arthur nodded.
"but first, i'd like you to kill me." arthur ordered as isabella paused, almost choking on air as lancelot blinked in confusion.
"sire...?"
"come on. don't pretend you don't want to." arthur smirked, and isabella sighed in annoyance as she sat down on a nearby bench, watching.
there was a small crowd watching now as lancelot used the broom he had caught as a weapon, and arthur found a different broom. arthur smirked in amusement and waved lancelot over, "come on."
lancelot shoved the sword forward, which arthur dodged with ease and the two began fighting combat, the sound of wooden brooms hitting each other filling everyone's ears.
"come on, lancelot. you're not beating a carpet." arthur huffed in annoyance as he twirled the broom around in his hands.
lancelot sighed and went again, and luckily arthur dodged them, hitting lancelot in the side with the broom, and then managing to knock him into the barrel of hay, lancelot luckily getting up quickly.
when lancelot started to back away, arthur smirked and walked forward, attempting to knock him again as lancelot gasped slightly. "congratulations, lancelot." arthur spoke as he chucked his broom into lancelot's hands.
"you just made basic training." arthur nodded as isabella stood up to walk with arthur towards the castle, but everyone stopped when they heard the warning bell go off, and people screaming.
arthur's eyes widened as he looked down at isabella, "if something bad happens, get to your chambers, i'll find you after." he spoke as she nodded and they rushed towards the courtyard where hundreds of people were struggling to walk.
"what happened to these people?" isabella asked merlin and gaius who were treating a woman.
"their village was attacked by a winged monster." gaius told her as isabella, lancelot and merlin shared a look.
"i'll tell arthur, he'll have to warn the king and get his knights ready if the beast is now heading for camelot." isabella told them, the three men bowed and said goodbyes as isabella rushed off towards arthur.
OVER THE next few days, arthur had been training his knights for longer and even more than usual, preparing them for the beast to attack. arthur had moved lancelot's test forward, and was fighting him that day.
"well, here we are." arthur spoke as everyone gathered to watch. isabella joined gwen, merlin and estella to see it. she had noticed gwen wouldn't look away from lancelot, and also noticed how estella and merlin couldn't look away from each other.
"your final challenge. succeed, and you join the elite. fail, and your journey ends here." arthur told him as lancelot moved some of the hairs away from his face and merlin clapped, before realising nobody else was so he stopped.
"lancelot, fifth son of lord eldred of northumbria... your time starts now." he spoke as the man flipped the hourglass timer around and gwen put her hands over her mouth in worry and anticipation.
the crowd began to clap as the two men put their helmets on, and began to fight. isabella always found it hard to watch whenever arthur was in battle with someone. she knew he would always win them, but it still worried her.
gwen and merlin grinned happily when lancelot managed to slam his sword onto arthur's helmet, showing that he had a chance of beating the prince. isabella raised a brow, amused, as estella mumbled a sorry after grabbing onto merlin's hand out of fear.
gwen and merlin sighed as arthur knocked lancelot's helmet off, causing the man to fall to the floor. a few people clapped as arthur took of his helmet, and looked down at him. "shame."
just as he went to take lancelot's ribbon, the man shot up and kicked arthur down as isabella's jaw dropped as arthur was knocked to the floor with lancelot's sword at his throat. "do you submit, sire?"
guards came to hold lancelot back, and drag him off as arthur stood up with an angry look. "on your knees!" he ordered as the guards shoved lancelot down and gwen, merlin, isabella and estella shared a look.
and then, arthur smiled lightly.
EVERYONE WATCHED with small smiles as the king knighted lancelot in the throne room, the sword moving from each shoulder. "arise, sir lancelot, knight of camelot."
isabella, stood in the middle of arthur and merlin ( with estella stood next to merlin! ) smiled and began to clap, the rest of the knights, servants and royals joining in soon after as lancelot stood up with a smile.
arthur clapped slowly with a proud smile, and isabella nudged him with a small smirk, and they both looked over at gwen who looked at lancelot in admiration.
the king walked over to speak with lancelot as gwen and morgana walked over to arthur, isabella, merlin and estella. "who is this man?" morgana asked as she looked at lancelot thoughtfully. "he seems to have come out of nowhere."
"i know. he's been a bit of a shock to us all." gwen replied, she too looking at lancelot with a small smile.
merlin and arthur shared a look as all of the girls looked over at lancelot curiously. "i'm disappointed in you, arthur. someone finally beat you." isabella sighed dramatically.
the three girls let out a giggle at her words as arthur rolled his eyes. "it's the first and last time anyone beats me in a battle." he said confidently.
"i don't know, arthur...something tells me you're very wrong." isabella tilted her head, before sending the prince a distant smile and walking away with morgana, gwen and estella.
THE CELEBRATIONS begun, and everyone was drinking, talking or even dancing to the music as isabella couldn't help but notice the king looking suspiciously at lancelot.
"my lord? is everything alright?" the princess asked, curtsying slightly as he glanced at her and bowed his head.
"isabella, yes, fine. it's just..." uther looked over at lancelot and arthur who were joking together.
"the last i saw lancelot's father, he only had four sons. i don't remember it being that long for him to have had another son, especially at lancelot's age." the king spoke, frowning. "i've asked for the seal to be checked, so we shall find out by morning."
"oh." isabella raised her brows, surprised. "i suppose so." she looked over at estella and merlin and smiled lightly.
"go enjoy the celebrations, isabella." he bowed his head as she smiled and walked over to morgana and gwen.
"izzie," morgana smiled, and isabella grinned.
"gwen, i think sir lancelot might have eyes for you." isabella spoke as she saw both arthur and lancelot staring in their direction.
"me?" gwen scoffed slightly, smiling. "no way. he's probably looking at you two." she spoke, shaking her head and looking down.
"nonsense!" morgana spoke and isabella nodded.
"would it be so bad if he did?" isabella raised a brow as gwen blinked.
"he's...um. he's not my type." she blurted as isabella raised a brow.
"sure." they giggled.
"what are you four giggling so much about?" arthur teased as the girls shared a look before shrugging with small smirks on their faces.
"oh, nothing. go and give one of your speeches, arthur." isabella waved him away.
he shrugged, "alright."
arthur clapped on the table, catching everyone's attention as he stood up, drink in hand. "ladies and gentleman, please join me in a toast to our new recruit," he pulled lancelot up.
"our new knight of camelot. sir lancelot!" he raised his glass.
claps and cheers filled the room as everyone clinked their goblet's together, the music started and dancing began.
UNFORTUNATELY, THE next morning, isabella had been called to the throne room, and isabella had an idea of what it was about.
the princess walked into the room, the few people in there bowing seeing her as she walked over to where arthur stood. "what's going on?" she asked, noticing lancelot on his knees in front of the king.
"no idea," arthur whispered back, clearly having a headache from all the drinking the night before.
"tell him what you told me." king uther spoke.
the court genealogist, geoffrey, nodded and held up the seal. "these credentials are faked." he spoke as both isabella and arthur sighed.
"the seal itself is faultless, forgery of the highest possible standard, but forgery it must be. there is no record of a fifth son of lord eldred of northumbria." geoffrey told them, "therefore, he—" he continued, as uther cut him off. "lied."
lancelot looked down with a sigh as king uther walked towards him. "do you deny it?" he asked as lancelot shook his head.
"no, sire."
arthur looked down with a sigh, putting a hand over his face as isabella placed her hand on his arm, attempting to comfort him as he sent her a smile. "you've broken the first code of camelot." uther told lancelot.
"you have brought shame upon yourself and upon us. you are not worthy of the knighthood bestowed upon you. you never were, and you never will be." uther spoke calmly but menacingly as isabella winced. "get him out of my sight." the king ordered as the guards pulled lancelot out of the hall.
"sire." arthur began.
do you contest my judgment?" uther asked, raising a brow.
"his deception was inexcusable. however, he meant no harm, sire. i am sure of it. he only wished to serve."
"the first code is a sacred bond of trust." uther began, turning to face isabella and arthur. "it is what binds the knights together. how can you trust a man who has already lied to you?"
arthur nodded respectfully and followed isabella out of the throne room.
"did you know?" arthur asked curiosity as they reached the courtyard, walking through towards the village.
"no, but it was all quite suspicious."
"i agree. it's a shame, really. he was a decent fighter." arthur mumbled as isabella agreed but then her eyes widened in horror.
"arthur." she pointed up to the sky.
the creature was flying towards camelot as everyone began to scream, the warning bell going off as arthur placed his hands on her arms, "isabella, go to your's or morgana's chambers, stay there and you two stay together." he told her as she nodded, slightly in shock.
"be safe," she placed a hand on his cheek before turning around and rushing inside the palace, unfortunately getting shoved and almost tripped up by the people of camelot screaming and running to safety.
"izzie!" morgana cried, bringing the girl in for a hug as isabella reached her chambers, seeing morgana, gwen and estella were all there waiting for her. "oh, thank god you're safe." estella whispered.
"i'm okay," isabella waved them off before slowly walking over to the window where gwen stood as the other two girls followed. the four women stared nervously out of the window as the beast flew across the courtyard, all of the knights and guards trying to fight it off.
a gasp escaped their lips as the creature knocked the knights down, and once they stood back up it had landed in front of them as they all put their shields together.
the knights walked forward and then began to run at the beast, pointing their swords and weapons at it, an when arthur managed to stab it, his weapon snapped in half as everyone's eyes widened as the four girls shared a horrified look.
one of the guards chucked arthur a torch as arthur picked it up and began to wave it at the beast, luckily making it fly away from camelot as the girls let out sighs of relief.
"i should go find arthur." isabella told the girls, "you can all stay here tonight with me if you wish." she smiled warmly and they all nodded with small smiles.
"i'll fetch some blankets," gwen replied and isabella nodded before leaving the room.
"you said your knights were the best in the land, and you proved that today." she heard the king praise prince arthur as isabella smiled and caught up to them. "all i know is that it is still out there."
isabella noticed merlin and gaius stood in the corner so she walked over to them with a smile as uther continued, "let's not wait for it. the kingdom has been menaced by this creature for too long. we finish this now."
arthur nodded slowly and turned to stand with isabella who gave him a hug, "i'm glad you're alright." she whispered.
"always," he winked and she rolled her eyes.
"sire, if i may," gaius spoke up as they all turned to him.
"gaius." the king nodded, gesturing for him to continue.
"i've been researching this creature, sire. i believe it to be a griffin." he revealed as isabella raised a brow, intrigued.
"a griffin? what's in a name?" the king frowne.
"the griffin is a creature of magic." gaius explained briefly as uther's face dropped.
"i don't have time for this, physician." he said sternly as isabella mentally rolled her eyes.
"it is born of magic, sire. and it can only be killed by magic." gaius argued.
"you are mistaken. it's a creature of flesh and blood, like any other." uther shook his head, blinded by fear. "arthur proved that today."
"i'm not so sure, father." arthur spoke up as uther faced him. "i think there may be some truth in what gaius says. the griffin was unharmed. our weapons seemed useless against it."
"useless? i think not." uther almost scoffed stubbornly.
isabella spoke up, "it is true, sire. me and morgana were watching and everytime the knights struck the beast, it was as if it didn't feel it. arthur's weapon even snapped in half when it came in contact with its body."
"no, it's tasted our steel once. next time will be it's last." uther shook his head as walked further away from them. "when will your knights be ready to ride again?"
"an hour, maybe two." arthur guessed.
uther nodded. "good. we finish this tonight." he walked out as isabella glanced at merlin.
arthur left to gather his knights as isabella subtly walked over to gaius and merlin. "merlin? if what gaius says is true, and it can only be defeated by magic...is there any way you could...you know, help out?"
"i don't know. i don't think i have the power." merlin sighed as isabella shook her head.
"of course you do, merlin." she whispered with a reassuring smile before leaving to go to her chambers before it got dark.
THE PRINCESS watched with nervous eyes as arthur, lancelot and the knights rode out of camelot to fight the creature. she knew merlin and gaius had been up to something to try and work out how to save the kingdom, but for obvious reasons, kept quiet.
"i'm sure it will be fine, gwen. lancelot will live." she heard estella comfort gwen who was sat on isabella's bed with tears in her eyes.
"i told him not to go." gwen spoke.
"he must go. it is an honour. and if they defeat the beast, lancelot could become a knight again." isabella walked over, crouching down and holding gwen's hands with a smile.
the four girl's spent the evening like any normal friends would. they sat on isabella's bed, gossiping, eating the food estella had snuck from the kitchens, and tried to keep their minds off of the situation.
gwen had even started telling a scary story before she stopped after her own made up story scared herself and she got under the covers, shouting in a panic at the three girls when they pretend to be ghosts.
it wasn't until there was a knock at the door as they all shared a look and isabella got out of bed, walking over to it and opening it to reveal arthur. she let out a relieved laugh and flung her arms around him. "isabella," he laughed as she let him in.
"lancelot did it. he killed the griffin," he told the girls who looked excitedly at each other and gwen stood up.
"where is he?" she asked with a frown.
arthur looked down, clearing his throat. "he's left. not for good, but for now. he wants to wait and prove it to himself before he becomes a true knight of camelot. i'm sorry, gwen." he smiled and she nodded, looking slightly heartbroken.
"i'll leave you to it." arthur nodded before hugging isabella once more and then leaving the room as the girls all comforted gwen.
the scene that lancelot tells the king and arthur he is leaving is actually quiet sweet bless him. and the fact he learns merlin's magic and keeps his secret aw i think i do love lancelot for now
idk lancelot isn't even bad i think it's just the fact he gets in between gwen and arthur in the show😡😡😡😡but it's not a problem in this fic as gwen and arthur won't be a thing. so maybe i will end up liking lancelot.
i think my fav knight over than arthur would have to gwaine. so gorgeous and such a good character. can't wait to see my man.