CHAPTER FOURTEEN,
episode eleven, the labyrinth of gedref.
ISABELLA VALOUR had insisted that she joined arthur, merlin and the knights on a hunting trip. it took a lot of convincing, but finally, arthur hesitantly agreed. however she soon got bored and slightly disgusted and separated from the group to do her own thing.
she stayed close by, so she could get back to them if needed. a guard was ordered to follow her, but she sent him away, wanting some independence.
she sat in the woods with a small smile, reading a book gaius had gifted her. rolling her eyes when she heard arthur yelling at merlin for something, but then she froze. in front of her was a stone. it was pale blue, and shone brightly, almost blinding her.
she squinted, putting her hand over her eyes to shield from the light. yet unknowingly, her eyes turned a golden colour.
"isabella valour!" she heard repeated whispers, calling her name as she froze. she looked around to see if anybody was near, but she couldn't see anyone. "strange." she whispered, nerves flowing through her body as she turned back to look at the stone.
she tilted her head, picking up her dress and crouching down to look at it. the voices got louder and louder as a strange feeling flooded through her. almost as if everything had clicked into place.
she picked up the small stone and found herself smiling in awe of its beauty. she didn't know what to do or what it was, but something was telling her to not let it go.
"isabella!" arthur called out as she jumped, her arms flinched, but somehow she didn't drop the stone. "come look at this!" he yelled again as she stood up, placing the stone into her pocket in her dress and hurrying over to the sound of his voice.
she widened her eyes seeing a unicorn's horn in arthur's hands. "look!" he exclaimed in shock as she frowned.
"did you kill this unicorn?" she asked, slightly concerned with wide eyes.
"well...yes." arthur said as if it was obvious, isabella noticed the hurt look on merlin's face and then saw the unicorn on the floor behind him.
"that's horibble." she frowned as arthur sighed.
"it's a unicorn! we must show it to my father." arthur beamed as merlin looked behind them both with wide eyes, "what are you looking at?" arthur asked with a raised brow.
however, both isabella and arthur turned around to see no one.
ARTHUR BROUGHT the unicorn horn to show the king as isabella couldn't help but think about the stone in her pocket. she barely listened to a word arthur and the king said, which gaius took notice of, and stared at her dress.
they soon left, and isabella ignored gaius and merlin asking her what was wrong as she only had one thing on her mind.
kilgharrah.
she went the same way she did when merlin took her for the first time, sneaking past the guards and going down the the caves. "hello?" she called out, the dragon nowhere to be seen.
"kilgharrah?" she called out again as the ground began to shake and the dragon flew down to sit in front of her on a rock. she smiled lightly, bowing her head as a sign of respect as he did the same.
"what brings you here, little one?" he asked curiously as she looked up at him nervously.
"well...i found this. i don't know what it is or...why i found it." she began as she lifted the stone up to show him, it shining brightly again as she touched it.
his eyes widened as he stared at the stone in her hands. for the first time, in a very long time. kilgharrah was speechless.
"do you know what this is? and why i feel so... connected with it?" she asked curiously, ignoring the feeling she had in her hands when holding the stone.
"have you ever heard of an agate?" the great dragon asked her as she nodded slowly.
"it's a stone like crystal, isn't it? it was supposedly magical and had healing powers." she said, she remembered reading about it once, and always been so drawn to it.
the great dragon smiled, and nodded. "and you must know that only one person in the entire land will ever be able to use it." he began as she listened curiously.
"so, why have i found this stone?" she asked, not caring as to why he was talking about an agate, and wanting to know what the stone in her hand was.
he began to laugh quietly, shaking his head in amusement as she frowned. "what is so funny?"
"has no one ever told you about your destiny and who you are?" he asked with an amused smile.
"why have i got a destiny? i thought i was simply meant to rule with arthur and have merlin protect us." she asked, slightly confused and tired of all these questions and no answers.
"you are agate." he said sinply as she raised a brow.
"so, now you are calling me a stone?" she asked, impatient and slightly offended.
"do you wish to know the reason why you are so drawn to the stone in your palm?" he asked as she nodded hurriedly.
"that is why i came here, sir. please do tell me."
he smiled lightly at her words. "that stone is agate." he began as she widened her eyes in shock. "you, isabella valour, are agate. i am surprised you have found it so soon." he said as she froze slightly.
"so...the one person who has the power to use this stone...is me?" she asked slowly, confusion and disbelief washing over her.
kilgharrah smiled, and nodded at her. "is that why the druid boy, mordred, called me agate when i saw him for the final time?" she asked, tilting her head as the dragon raised his head.
"that is correct. there is much written about you that you have yet to discover." he began as she raised her brows in interest.
"heed my words, miss valour." kilgharrah began, beginning to flap his wings and fly away. "do not give up that stone...it is yours for good. use it well."
isabella watched him fly away as she took a moment to process all of the information. she was still confused, but one thing she did know? she cannot tell anybody.
UNFORTUNATELY FOR camelot, all of the crops had died. no one knew why, but it has spread all across the entire kingdom. it seemed to have happened overnight. there were hundreds, maybe even a few thousand, of people cueing for food in the courtyard.
there was barely any grain left underground, and everyone was growing scared. uther had even ordered camelot to go under curfew. isabella was with merlin as they walked through the courtyard, smiling when gwen walked past them, "isabella, merlin?" she asked.
they paused to speak to the girl who set up her bucket by the water pump. "is it true what they're saying about the crops? that they're all dead?" she asked with a nervous frown. isabella and merlin shared a look.
"i'm afraid so." merlin replied, glancing at all the people. "i think we might have to start tightening our belts." he continued as gwen nodded.
"well i'm sure arthur will think of something." she replied as merlin shrugged.
"and if he doesn't, i will." he grinned as gwen chuckled and isabella and merlin walked away.
"merlin! isabella!" gwen called out loudly as the two frowned and rushed back to see what was wrong. isabella's eyes widened when she saw that water wasn't coming out of the pumps, it was some sort of sand.
merlin rushed to the castle to get king uther and arthur as isabella waited with gwen, the two continued to try and get some water out of the pump, but it was no use. the two pendragon's soon arrived as uther lifted up the sand from the bucket. "you say the well is full of it?" he asked.
"it is. me and gwen have been trying to get water since merlin sent to get you both." isabella replied as arthur nodded in agreement.
"i sent men down to the underground reservoir, there's no trace of water to be found." he told his father.
gaius joined them as uther continued to look through the sand. "first the crops and now this..." uther muttered.
"it's the same throughout the kingdom, sire." isabella told him as he sighed and looked away.
"gaius, can you offer any explanation for this?" he asked the elder man who looked hesitant.
"i cannot think of a scientific explanation, i can only conclude it is the result of sorcery." he told them as arthur and isabella shared a nervous look.
"i believe you are right. it is the work of magic." he chucked the sand away, and looked up the the castle. "our kingdom is under attack."
ISABELLA HAD practically forced arthur to let her tag along that evening to make sure everyone was in their homes after curfew. she wouldn't be able to sleep anyway, and always wanted to help.
"patrol the market and the lower town. no one is to leave their homes. dismissed." arthur ordered the soilders who bowed and turned around to leave. arthur and isabella walked through the courtyard as merlin walked past them.
"um, merlin?" isabella called out as the younger boy widened his eyes and turned to face them.
"you do realise there is a curfew?" arthur asked merlin who winced.
"yeah, i was in your chambers hunting for the rat." merlin said casually as isabella raised a brow. a rat? in the castle?"
"and did you find it?" arthur asked impatiently as they walked closer to him.
"no." merlin replied with a very over-dramatic sigh.
"so you have been outwitted by a rat?" isabella asked in slight shock. merlin's jaw dropped, before he shrugged.
"i mean, they do say rats are very intelligent."
"more intelligent than you, it would seem. now go home. it would be embarrassing to have to lock up my own servant." arthur told him as merlin put a hand on his hip.
"and why is bella here then?" he asked as isabell raised a brow.
"because i want to be." she replied, slightly childishly as arthur watched the two bicker back and fifth for approximately five minutes.
"enough!" he exclaimed with a sigh, rubbing his face.
isabella's face dropped as she looked in front of her to see a man with a stick and a white cape walk into one of the doors by the castle. arthur seemed to have seen it to as he frowned, "what was that?"
"what?" merlin asked curiously.
isabella began to run towards where the man went into as arthur followed her close behind, and merlin had no choice but to come along too. they chased the man for a few minutes down some stairs until they came to a stop. "which way?" isabella asked.
arthur tapped merlin and began making some strange hand signals, before gently grabbing isabella's hand and walking down one way of the tunnel. merlin clearly didn't know what he meant so he followed them too.
"that means you go the other way and cut him off!" arthur whisper yelled as merlin nodded.
"okay!" he said with a smile and ran down the opposite tunnel as isabella and arthur went the other way.
they walked through the tunnel, arthur not letting go of isabella's hand as they searched everywhere, but ended up walking straight into merlin again. arthur was about to ask where he was, but isabella tugged ok his sleeve and pointed at the wall where a shadow of the unknown man was, walking away. arthur told merlin to go the other way as him and isabella rushed to where the man was.
"where is he?" arthur asked in annoyance when they met back up with merlin.
"i didn't see anyone." merlin huffed, out of breath as isabella stayed behind arthur, slightly nervous.
"he was right here, merlin! don't tell me you let him get past you because you couldn't fight an old man off." isabella spoke up, annoyed and slightly tired of chasing a random man around the castle.
"bella, no one passed me!" merlin defended.
arthur scoffed. "are you blind?" he yelled.
"are you looking for me?" an unknown voice spoke as isabella jumped and turned to face the man, he wore a cape and with a hood on, and stood strangely still as he spoke, "i am anhora, keeper of the unicorns." he told them.
arthur pulled a face and looked down at isabella who snorted at his expression. "camelot is under curfew. what is your business here?" arthur asked the man who didn't move.
"i have come to deliver a message." anhora told them calmly as isabella raised a brow.
"who is this message for?" arthur asked as anhora looked at him.
"it is for you, arthur pendragon." he said as arthur frowned.
"is it you who is responsible for killing our crops, tubring our water into sand?" arthur asked him, getting slightly irritated.
"you alone are responsible for the misfortune that has befallen camelot." anhora told him calmly as arthur scoffed.
"me? you think i'd bring drought and famine upon my own people?"
"when you killed the unicorn you unleashed a curse. for this, camelot will suffer greatly." he told him as arthur glared at him.
"if you have put a curse on camelot, you will lift it or you will pay with your life." he told him threateningly.
"the curse was not my doing." anhora shook his head.
"undo the curse or face execution." arthur told him as merlin and isabella shared a look as arthur walked closer to the man.
"only you can do that. you will be tested." anhora told him slowly, arthur shook his head.
"you're under arrest." he said, reaching out to grab him, but somehow anhora disappeared.
he reappeared onto the steps behind isabella as they turned to face him. "until you have proven yourself and made amends for killing the unicorn, the curse will not be lifted. if you fail any of these tests, camelot will be damned for all eternity." he told them.
the three shared a look, merlin was worried, isabella was annoyed that she stayed up this late only for the kingdom to be cursed forever, and arthur looked angry and disbelieving of the man.
"well, if that is all, sir anhora, i best be off." she told them all, smiling at merlin, waving at anhora who simply stared at her, and taking arthur's hand to drag him back to the castle with her, so he could walk her back to her chambers.
THE NEXT evening, isabella, merlin and arthur were on lookout for anhora. unfortunately, isabella and merlin had fell asleep by the courtyard as they were woken up by a loud scoff.
"don't you worry about keeping watch, merlin, isabella." he scoffed as isabella and merlin sat up quickly. "you both just make yourself comfortable."
isabella sighed and got up as merlin smacked his lips together, "stop smacking your lips. it's annoying." arthur snapped as isabella caught up with him.
"i'm thirsty." merlin remarked as isabella spun around to face him.
"we're all thirsty, merlin. how irresponsible of you to fall asleep while we were on lookout." she said, trying to keep a straight face to make herself look better.
"you—i—you fell asleep too!" merlin stammered as isabella gasped in shock, a hand over her heart as she looked up at arthur who raised a brow at the princess.
"he lies!" she exclaimed as arthur watched the interaction tiredly, always having to put up with her acting which she enjoyed so much.
"you have way too much fun with those silly games." merlin grumbled as isabella curtsied deeply, smiling.
"you realise we are on lookout, not at the theatre?" he asked hesitantly, wondering if she had hit her head previously as isabella's jaw dropped.
"why are you both disrespecting me and my performances today? off with your heads." she said dramatically as merlin huffed, finally getting up.
"i can't wait for the day you become queen." he said in annoyance as isabella smirked.
she dusted off her dress, noticing how it was covered in mud on the bottom, before following arthur to the door as they saw a shadow, the princess signalled merlin to come over as they waited for the person to show themselves. when they didn't, the three of them went into the same direction as the unknown person arthur in front, then isabella and then merlin.
arthur pulled out his sword and stepped into where the grains were kept as he once again made strange hand signals to merlin who pretended to know what he meant.
"show yourself before i run you through." arthur said loudly.
isabella picked up a large hook she found as protection, standing next to arthur as a man came out very slowly with a shovel and a bag of grain. "who are you?" isabella asked with a disturbed look.
"my name is—my name is—" the man stuttered, shaking his head.
"speak up." arthur ordered as the man nodded slowly.
"my name is evan, my lord, your grace." he stammered as merlin walked over, standing next to isabella who held the hook tightly.
"i see you think you can help yourself to our grain reserves." arthur spoke angrily as the man looked down. "my father has ordered that looters be executed."
"please, my lord. i do not steal for myself. i have three children. they have not eaten for two days, they are hungry." the man cried as isabella put down the hook as arthur walked over to the man.
"it is the same for everyone." arthur told him as isabella looked at him. "arthur." she warned as he stepped back from the man.
"i—i know it is wrong to steal. i couldn't bear to see them starve." the man muttered shamefully.
"could you bear for your children to see you be executed?" arthur asked him.
the man shook his head, tears rolling down his cheeks as arthur sighed, unsure of what to do. "go." isabella told the man, who looked confused. he looked for arthur's permission, who nodded.
"if you are caught stealing again, i will not spare you," arthur told him calmly as the man nodded with a smile.
"yes, my lord, your grace. thank you!" he whispered as he rushed past them.
"wait." arthur called out as the man stopped, and isabella looked up at arthur expectantly. the blonde picked up the bag of grain and chucked it at evan who beamed, "use it sparingly. it might be the last food you and your family get for some time."
"you have shown yourself to be merciful and kind, my lord. this will bring its own reward." evan told him with a small smirk, before leaving as quickly as he came.
isabella shared a knowing look with merlin as arthur seemed to have not thought about his words.
THANKFULLY, GWEN had revealed that the water was back through the pump, and isabella couldn't help but tell morgana about last night as they gulped the water down as quickly as possible.
arthur still didn't believe that it had anything to do with anhora. stubborn. isabella knew that he didn't believe it just because the man was a sorcerer. but she also knew he would do anything for merlin, and she was confident that if merlin's secret ever came out, their friendship wouldn't change.
as for her and her agate, not a single soul knew. she couldn't. not even estella knew. she thought about telling merlin, but wasn't sure how. she also realised that there was a chance kilgharrah would tell merlin. she kept the stone in her dress hidden pockets at all times, incase she ever needed it.
the people were growing hungry, there were still hundreds of them cueing by camelot as morgana and estella handed out food for them. while they were doing this food, arthur and merlin returned back from their trip to find out how to stop the attack, so isabella joined arthur in the the throne room with king uther.
"there are some supplies left in the palace stores." arthur began as the princess and king walked into the throne room. "we are distributing them to the people, but there is not enough to live on."
"i was visiting the villages and the people are starving. they will not survive for long, sire. is there not anything we can do to help? perhaps ask the next kingdom?" isabella spoke up as both men turned to her.
"we cannot look weak." uther dismissed as she stood up straighter.
"what about isabella's father? we can write to him?" arthur suggested as isabella shook her head.
"he will think that camelot isn't a strong enough kingdom for me to live in and will attempt to break off the engagement." she replied, knowing her father too well as uther nodded, showing he agreed.
"you must stop distributing food to the people." uther finally spoke up as isabella's eyes widened as she turned to look at arthur who also looked shocked.
"they will starve." arthur disagreed, trying to keep things calm as he could see isabella getting angrier by the second with his father.
the king sighed, turning to face them both. "we must conserve the food we have for our army."
"we cannot let our people go without food." isabella spoke up, a slight anger in her tone as arthur could only pick up on the "our" she would usually say "the". it made him smile lightly, before he remembered what was happening.
"we must defend the kingdom at all costs." uther cut her off as it was arthur's turn to cut in.
"what is the point of defending a kingdom—"
"what would you have me do?" uther exclaimed as arthur continued, "—where the people have starved to death?"
uther walked past them both as they turned around. "what about isabella's idea? we could ask the neighbouring kingdoms. i'm sure they—"
"as soon as they realise how weak we are, our enemies will strike against us." the king interrupted.
arthur frowned, "you do not know that for certain."
"i would rather starve than beg my enemies for help!" uther exclaimed as arthur almost scoffed, isabella looked away, unsure of what to do or say. "what of our kingdom's reputation? have you no pride?"
uther had seen to hit a nerve. arthur looked up at him, anger clear in his eyes as isabella even looked at the king in disbelief. "i cannot think of my pride when our people go hungry. they are all i can think of."
the king took a step towards his son and isabella, "give the order to stop distributing food to the people. is that understood?" he said threateningly.
arthur stared back at him, shaking his head. "you'll have to give that order yourself." he said before leaving the throne room.
"very well." uther said menacingly as isabella turned to give him a deep curtesy, before leaving along with arthur.
"but if you had caught the sorcerer, i would not have to. that is your responsibility." uther called out as the two stopped for a moment, before continuing to leave.
"one day you will understand what it takes to be a king and queen!" was the last thing they heard as they left the throne room and made their way outside where merlin was to look out on the courtyard.
merlin greeted them with a small smile, turning back to look at the people as arthur sighed. "they do not yet know there is worse to come."
"what do you mean?" merlin asked, frowning at the two of them.
"the king is going to stop distributing food to the people. they are to be left to starve." isabella answered for arthur as merlin's face fell.
"i had the chance to lift the curse and i failed them." arthur spoke up, isabella didn't know what he meant, but she assumed something happened while him and merlin were out.
"you weren't to know you were being tested." merlin reassured, trying to comfort the prince, but it wouldn't work.
"my people are starving. camelot is on the verge of collapse and it is all my doing." arthur said slowly, before turning to leave as isabella and merlin watched him with a frown.
"i am going to find anhora. you...comfort arthur." merlin suggested with a frown as isabella rolled her eyes but nodded and left to find the prince whilst merlin went to find his horse.
she made her way to arthur's chambers and knocked on his door. hearing him reply, she opened the door and smiled lightly, seeing him stood watching through the window. "are you alright?" she asked, walking over to the man.
"i can't think of myself when my people are starving." he replied, not looking at her as she sighed.
"it is not your fault, arthur. i promise you—i do not know what happened with your test, but surely there will be a final one. your last chance."
"how can you be sure it isn't my fault?" he almost scoffed as she took his hands in hers, making him face her with a small frown.
"everything will work out, arthur. have faith." she told him with a raised brow as he smiled knowingly at the phrase. he nodded, trying not to think about the people and pressed a light kiss to her knuckles as a thank you.
merlin arrived moments later explaining about the final test anhora had granted him. arthur had to go to the labyrinth of gedref for his final test. isabella and merlin insisted they came along, but arthur would not let them at all.
but they, of course, wouldn't listen.
they waited a while after arthur left and followed him close by on their own horses to the labyrinth, stopping whenever he did and making sure to stay hidden. they came to the maze and isabella's eyes widened in shock as she looked up at merlin.
"how on earth are we going to get out of the maze?" she asked out loud, following behind merlin as they came closer.
the boy shook his head with a frown, "we will just have to follow arthur closely."
the two seemed to be walking through the maze for what felt like hours, staying close by so they wouldn't get lost or split up, yet they still hadn't found arthur or even came close. or so they thought.
the two of them stopped once they saw anhora stood at a dead end with a sword in his hand, and walked slowly towards him. "you said arthur would face a test. and here you are preparing a trap for him." merlin called out.
"the trap is not for arthur." the man said simply as isabella looked up at merlin in confusion. "it is for you."
he muttered an incantation and all of a sudden, isabella felt vines wrapping around her dress, binding her and merlin as she winced, trying to get out of them.
anhora took them to a strange looking beach, which had a table and three chairs set up as he told them to take a seat. the two shared a nervous look, but did so as isabella sat in the middle chair, as they waited for anhora to do something.
isabella's eyes lit up seeing arthur escape the maze and walk over to the three of them. "merlin, bella?" he asked angrily as isabella smiled innocently.
"i'm sorry." merlin replied as arthur glanced at anhora.
"let them go. i'll take your test, but not until they are released." arthur told the man firmly as isabella sighed.
"that is not possible. merlin and princess isabella are part of the test. please, sit." anhora told him as arthur frowned, not moving.
"if you refuse the test you will have failed and camelot will be destroyed."
arthur sighed and sat down next to isabella who smiled nervously at him. "i thought i told you both to stay at home."
"you did." isabella replied as arthur sighed and merlin didn't reply.
"let us get on with it." isabella told anhora, slightly impatient and nervous for what was going to happen.
"there are three goblets before you. one of the goblets contains a deadly poison, the other two a harmless liquid. all the liquid from each goblets must be drunk, but each of you may only drink from a single goblet." the man explained as isabella widened her eyes.
arthur pulled a face, scoffing. "what kind of ridiculous test is that? what does that prove?" he asked in annoyance.
"what it proves is for you to decide. if you pass the test, the curse will be lifted." anhora replied as arthur pulled another face and turned back to merlin and isabella as they stared at the goblet.
"let's think about this. what if i drink from my goblet first?" merlin spoke up quietly as arthur waisted no time in replying.
"if it is poisioned, you'll die."
"and if it is not then you'll have to drink from yours and either of you could die." merlin replied irritably. "there must be a way around it."
"it is perfectly simple. one of us has to die." isabella spoke up, a determined look on her face. arthur and merlin noticed her facial expression, and both understood how she was feeling. the two men made an unspoken rule to not let her go through with her plan.
"we have to find a way to determine which goblet had the poison. then i shall drink it." arthur said, not a second later, isabella had already replied with a firm "no."
"i will be the one to drink it." merlin replied, as if it was obvious causing isabella to scoff.
"i am not letting either of you die. i will drink the poison." she told them both, them shaking their heads in response as she sighed.
"this is my doing. i'm drinking it." arthur told them both as merlin shook his head.
"it is more important that you both live. you are the future king and queen. i am just a servant."
"you are not just a servant, merlin!" isabella exclaimed in annoyance.
"this is no time to be a hero, merlin. it really does not suit you." arthur replied seriously as merlin sighed, rubbing his face with his hand.
"what if i drink from mine first? and if that is not poisoned, then i will drink both of yours." merlin explained as isabella rolled her eyes.
"merlin, you idiote . you can only drink from one goblet." she sighed.
merlin hummed and put his chin in his hands as he stared at three goblets, making arthur raise a brow. "i had no idea you were so keen to die for us." he said sarcastically.
"trust me, i can hardly believe it myself." merlin muttered as arthur chuckled, before he looked at both of them with a small smile.
"i'm glad you're both here."
isabella was thinking of a plan inside her head, looking determined as merlin seemed to think of her plan too. "i've got it. we pour all the liquid in one goblet, and then we can be sure it is poisoned. then all the liquid can be drunk and it will be from a single goblet."
arthur smiled at them both. "you never cease to surprise me. you're a lot smarter than you look, merlin." he said in shock.
"is that actually a compliment?" merlin raised a brow as arthur chuckled.
"look out, both of you!" isabella suddenly yelled as both merlin and arthur turned around in a panic.
with shakey hands, the princess took the chance to grab the two goblets and pour the liquid into one. she closed her eyes as she brought the goblet to her mouth. "no!" she heard panicked yells
before the liquid could touch her lips, the goblet had been snatched from her and as she blinked, arthur had drunk it. "no!" she exclaimed, standing up from her seat in shock.
the prince began to cough, falling to the floor as isabella let out a panicked yell, getting down to his height on the floor, holding his face in her hands as merlin checked his pulse. "come on, arthur." she whispered, tears rolling down her cheeks as she shook him.
merlin widened his eyes in horror as isabella lifted arthur onto her lap to cradle him in her arms. merlin looked at anhora in shock as isabella suddenly remembered her agate.
she wasn't sure what to do, or how to use it, but she slowly brought out the stone as merlin frowned, watching her curiously as she placed it onto arthur's chest. "it will not work, agate." anhora said simply as she looked at him through blurry eyes.
merlin's eyes widened in realisation as he worked out who isabella was. now he understood even more as to why it was his destiny to protect her, it wasn't just because she was the once and future queen. she was agate.
"how do you know of who i am?" she asked, as the elder man stared at her.
"he is not dead. he is merely consumed a sleeping draft." he told her, ignoring her last question as she let out a breath of relief.
"what?" merlin asked with a frown.
anhora glanced at him, "a unicorn is pure of heart. if you kill one, you must make amends by proving that you also are pure of heart. arthur was willing to sacrifice his life to save you both. he has proven what is truly in his heart. the curse shall be lifted." he told them both as isabella smiled through the tears, squeezing arthur's hand and then bringing merlin in for a hug.
"you're—i can't believe—agate—" merlin rambled as the girl chuckled slightly, telling him to slow down. "the great dragon told me someone i knew had the power to use agate—now everything makes sense to me."
she smiled, nodding as she placed the stone back into her pocket. "i have no idea how to use it or...anything really. i just know it is mine, and the great dragon told me to use it well." she explained, before sighing. "i am sorry for not telling you. a secret for a secret. i didn't know how."
"it's fine." merlin shook his head with a frown. "i understand." he nodded, his lips turning up in a smile as she grinned.
"thank you, merlin." she said as he nodded, before they both turned to wait for arthur to wake up.
THE NEXT day, they returned to camelot and saw that everything was back to normal. the crops were growing bag and there was more food.
arthur was told by his father to restock the grain, but before he did, he, isabella and merlin walked far into the woods where nobody went, and decided to burry the unicorn horn.
"i should never have ended your life. i'm sorry." arthur murmured as he placed the horn into the ground, merlin placing some soil over it as isabella frowned, looking behind her.
"arthur, merlin. look!" she whispered in amazement.
the two men turned to look at her , and then when she was looking as their eyes widened, a unicorn, just like the one that was killed stood nearby, looking at them as the three slowly walked towards it.
isabella was the first to stroke the unicorn, smiling in content as the unicorn nuzzled into her neck, making her giggle slightly.
"when he who kills a unicorn proves himself to be pure of heart, the unicorn will live again."
6.6k words??? a crime
i'm home alone while writing this yay. not .
also miss valour found the agate ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ she is agate babes ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ star girl