#LIKE WHAT DOES ARTHUR THINK MERLIN DOES AT THE TAVERN TO COME BACK WITH THAT ATTITUDE AND PARANOIA

[whydon-twego]

"You have Arthur's complete trust" Merlin laughs when Gwen tells him this and asks her what she is talking about.

Gwen looks at him strangely, as if she thinks Merlin is joking but then she sees Merlin's expression and can't hide her surprise.

"Merlin, you do realise that you're the person Arthur trusts most in the world, right?" Merlin chuckles again but this time it is with a sense of guilt and annoyance that won't let him alone.

"I don't think so."

Gwen, who until then had been mending one of Morgana's dresses, puts down her needle and thread and looks at him seriously, Merlin doesn't think he has ever seen her like that.

"You two fooling around and teasing each other is fine, Merlin, but you can't really think Arthur doesn't trust you. You can come and go from his rooms as you please, whether he's there or not, you have the keys to his room, and you're the only person who has them, and the whole castle knows perfectly well that Arthur has priceless things in there. I know you shave him every morning and believe me, that is not the job of a manservant,"

"But he is the one who-"



"That's right, Merlin. He's the one who."

Gwen seems genuinely annoyed that Merlin doesn't grasp how much Arthur trusts him, and Merlin finds himself having a chasm in his chest because he doesn't want to think about it. He doesn't want to think about Arthur's trust in him, he doesn't want to think that Arthur thinks Merlin is a person worthy of his trust, because Arthur is the most noble and sincere person in the world and Merlin is hiding most of his life from him.

"I have to go, Gwen."

Merlin leaves everything where he is and does not even turn around when Gwen (probably guilt-ridden from that lecture) calls him back.

Merlin hides in the first crevice he finds and struggles to breathe.

He struggles to breathe because Arthur trusts him and he knows it, but he tries to think about it as little as possible. He tries to live life day by day and not think about tomorrow and how long it is that he is lying to him. He tries not to have a heart attack every time Arthur looks at him and smiles or pats him on the back saying "good job!" or when Arthur is the first to worry about him when they are attacked by bandits.

Merlin tries not to think about Arthur's scream when they were separated on a mission and Merlin had to drop rocks to protect him. He tries not to think about the time he had to steal the keys from Arthur's room and Arthur, finding him in the room early in the morning, didn't bat an eyelid at the excuse of the woodworms because Arthur trusts him and simply told him to leave.

Merlin is a horrible person who does not deserve this kind of trust, not when he is lying to the most important person in his life.

"Breathe."

Merlin, caught in the middle of a panic attack he didn't even realise was happening, jerks at the voice and Arthur's hand resting on his shoulder.

"Breathe, Merlin, come on, in and out, calmly, follow me" Arthur takes deep breaths and Merlin tries to keep up with him but Arthur's mere presence makes the situation worse and Merlin finds himself with tears in his eyes as Arthur looks at him more and more worried.

"Gwen!" shouts Arthur then and Gwen is at his side within moments "Go get Gaius, I can't move Merlin from here in this condition."

Gwen looks at Merlin and she's so worried and feeling so guilty that Merlin wants to say something to her but is already so much if he can breathe.

Gwen leaves and Arthur and Merlin are alone and Arthur strokes his back trying to calm him down and Merlin bursts into tears. 
Arthur lays a hand on his shoulder and settles him on top of him, not holding him too tightly for fear of Merlin's breathing getting worse.

"I was looking all over for you, you know? I thought you'd be at the tavern or having fun somewhere and instead, I find you here doing the doppol-head."

Merlin laughs between sighs and sobs and Arthur continues.

"You have a myriad of tasks to do. My armour is completely ruined, I have no idea where my sword is and you were supposed to revise my speech for this afternoon but apparently, you had better things to do."

Merlin's breathing calmed and he was finally able to concentrate better, noticing that the king was sitting on the dirt floor next to him and practically rocking him.

"Arthur…"

Arthur turns his head slightly but they still can't make eye contact.

"I have magic."

Arthur stiffens and Merlin already feels lost without his king by his side even though he is still physically there.

"Alright," Arthur murmurs and Merlin gets up to look at him because there is no way he is hearing correctly. Arthur turns to look at him and his expression isn't the happiest but Merlin can't blame him "we've been through a lot worse, haven't we?"

And etiquette be damned, what is right or not right to do at court, Merlin throws himself onto his king and holds him as if he never wants to let him go again, holds him trying to tell him everything he is unable to say right now in words.

Arthur holds him just as tightly and Merlin finally knows that everything will be all right.

And that is how Gwen and Gaius find them, embraced tightly in the middle of a corridor in Camelot.

[soni-dragon]

Eye of the Pheonix is actually one of the best merlin episodes because:

merlin and Gwen besties shenanigans; “what’s he actually thinking about” “you”

cold open to the most tender merthur scene

Merlin sleeping outside all knight for arthur

Hiccuping scene and arthur getting so annoyed

“But the perilous lands are… perilous”

“The task is meant to be completed alone and unaided” the start of the best continuing joke of all time

Putting the rest under a cut cause it’s long

Little morgwen moment in the market i love (one of the last we get….)

Cute arthur and gwen scene! Hehe

This is just the shipping episode of all time everyone wins

“You’ll need help” and the first thing merlin does is go find gwaine

smiles “hello, gwaine” “ah, merlin :)”

Immediately puts an arm around merlin

Throws merlin off a roof. this is what merwaine is all about :)

Gwaine is still Gwaine and not whatever the writers did to him after becoming a knight

Bridge guy (Grettir) is great and Arthur’s “no I’m prince arthur of camelot” i love you you’re so dense sometimes

“You need strength and magic” and then gwaine and merlin come along and NO ONE seems to think two seconds more about the implications

“ive been to almost every tavern” “so have i” you’re telling me merlin spent all that time looking for specifically gwaine to help him when he knows arthur is in danger

ANOTHER MORGWEN SCENE (ik morgana just wants her to leave) but we weren’t completely robbed

Arthur not realizing that he feels like shit and thinking hmm that’s weird, this is THE dense, damsel in distress arthur episode

Gwaine is two feet away are you really telling me he didn’t hear bridge guy call merlin Magic

“Strength has arrived the trio is complete” immeidate sword draw

But also the establishment of them as a trio i really love and they never did anything else with it

Gwaine with the flowers :))

THE ENTIREY OF THE FIRE SCENE

*THE* MERWAINE SCENE EVER

“a pheasant” gwaine please

“Why do you want to do this?” cause he’s in love with you merlin

“Same reason as you” (hesitates) (eye contact) “help a friend”

“arthurs lucky to have us”

…

“not arthur” SCREAMING

we’re back to the fond looks

gwaines tiny nod of assurance when merlin looks at him like ??! after he says not arthur

“youre the only friend i have” and i couldnt bear to lose you

Gwen finding out morgana has magic

“she’s changed” break my heart why don’t you (i dont want you to change) BRING HER BACKKK this is making me miss the arc morgana could have had so badly

They caught up to arthur SO FAST goes to show how arthurs going through it

Not wyvern they have four legs actually (tho their designs are cool)

This would have been such a good episode for gwaine to learn merlin is a dragonlord & has magic

Arthur conveniently is knocked out (as always) when merlin does cool magic stuff to save him

When merlin orders them to go and they bow their heads and walk away they look like kicked puppies

The famous arthur waking up to merlins silly little smile and being 100% not appreciative

whatthehellareYOUdoinghere? why can’t you ever just say thanks? augh THANKS!whatforcompLeTlYrUiNiNgThEqUeSt?!

i am supposed to be doing this ALONEEEE

“Are gwen and morgana here too? we going to have a surprise party?” i love you sassy arthur and yes you absolutely should have a surprise party

Do you want us to help you or do you want to do this ~aloneeee~

MERLIN!

The little smile and nod like yeah they got him

“this is a quest merlin not a treasure hunt” well it is sort of- “MERLIN.”

How is that one stone completely sound proof

The cockroaches are icky but y’all have gloves its not that bad you couldn’t even feel them

Set up with the water of avalon and something that actually follows into later episodes

“Merlin.” + arthur doesn’t want to show he actually cares about him vs. gwaine pulling him into a hug

“look what i found” merlin and gwaine shared looks of no you didn’t

The trios conversation at the end i love their dynamics + merlins pause and genuine thanks

Eoin macken looking pretty <33 (he always does)

Merlins little overview of the quest hes so excited awww

Immediate shift to sassy merlin the Duality

I wish Gwen knowing about morgana’s magic would have been explored more i want to see her join gaius and merlin in plotting and going on little quests

Anyways yeah to conclude i miss Gwaine sm :(

[merlingenrecs]

Peace reigns, Arthur is King, magic roams free, and Merlin is finally able to embrace his destiny in the open. Whether it’s stories set in an idyllic Camelot where old prejudices have been overcome, or simply quiet moments of happiness shared between friends, this category is all about the Golden Age being truly golden.

Today's gen fic rec theme: Happy Golden Age

↓ Find the list of fanfic recs under the cut! ↓

⚬ Freedom by reelin_writer, 1k, rated G https://archiveofourown.org/works/35368405 summary: "The first few days after magic was legalized, Merlin passed out four times." The new Court Sorcerer is collapsing right and left. After the initial panic, the populace is unfazed. Even Gaius acts like it's normal. By the third time, Arthur's the only one that doesn't seem to think Merlin's behavior is natural. Well, if no one else will, Arthur's going to get to the bottom of it.

⚬ Other Duties as Assigned by N16, 5k, rated G https://archiveofourown.org/works/33804967 summary: Tess finds many things about Camelot strange, but nothing quite as strange as Merlin, the king’s… Well. That’s the strange thing. Try as she may, Tess can’t figure out quite what Merlin is.

⚬  In the Light of Day by N16, 3k, rated G https://archiveofourown.org/works/48470635 summary: It’s not a big deal. Arthur and Merlin get attacked in the forest and they successfully defend themselves. It has happened a hundred times before. And yet this time, it’s entirely different.

⚬ Magic Wanders Free by N16, 3k, rated G https://archiveofourown.org/works/38988387 summary: Merlin has magic. Arthur knows that now. He can do all kinds of dramatic, extraordinary things. Perhaps even more miraculously, he can also do a million little things. And he doesn’t even realize it.

⚬ The Royal Pet by N16, 1k, rated G https://archiveofourown.org/works/39395520 summary: It’s very convenient having a sorcerer as Arthur’s manservant. Unless, of course, Arthur gets on said sorcerer’s nerves. Then things get… decidedly less convenient.

⚬ When the Inevitable Comes by N16, 3k, rated T https://archiveofourown.org/works/49949851 summary: It was inevitable that one day, one of them would be left behind. Someone had to die first. They both knew that. They did not, however, agree on who that someone would be.

⚬ Coming Home by N16, 7k, rated T https://archiveofourown.org/works/50026903 summary: When a simple errand turns into something dark and violent, Merlin returns to Camelot with wounds both inside and out. And he’s in no condition to take care of himself, whether he realizes it or not.

⚬ Lucky Roll by N16, 1k, rated G https://archiveofourown.org/works/29379705 summary: Months after Arthur learns about Merlin’s magic, he suddenly realizes the truth about all of those games of dice. He is not happy.

⚬ The Great Tavern Conspiracy by N16, 5k, rated T https://archiveofourown.org/works/34503646 summary: Arthur knows that Merlin isn't at the tavern. That's just a lie Merlin used to tell, back before Arthur knew he had magic. So if Merlin isn't at the tavern all those times he disappears, where the hell is he?

⚬ Speak (With) Your Mind by s0mmerspr0ssen, 7k, rated G https://archiveofourown.org/works/43308666 summary: When Merlin sets out to teach mindspeech to Arthur, he couldn't have known just how much it would affect the friendship between King and Court Mage.

⚬ With this I Protect (For this is My Oath) by salted_popcorn, 1k, rated G https://archiveofourown.org/works/52629106 summary: Yule is the time of year to reflect on the past year and look forward to the year ahead. But with the guilt that lingers and the people they lost? How does one look forward? This is a story of love, protection and promises.And fluff, of course of Merlin and his best friend's son.

⚬ Like Father, Like Son by salted_popcorn, 1k, rated G https://archiveofourown.org/works/40868550 summary: "Shut up, idiot. I didn't ask him to break into the vaults. It was his own idea." Merlin chuckled. "Doesn’t surprise me. You both have terrible ideas. Like father, like son." Really, the Prince need to stop following his father's advice on certain things.

⚬ Grumblings of the Head Knight by salted_popcorn, 1k, rated G https://archiveofourown.org/works/40868700 summary: Council sessions were tedious, boring and repetitive. Everyone hated them. But no one had figured out it was Sir Leon's revenge plan. Oh, and Merlin had burned down half of the castle. Leon did not want to deal with things anymore.

⚬ Greet The Dawn by Flight_of_Fantasy, 6k, rated G https://archiveofourown.org/works/43201323 summary: Merlin is terribly nervous about the transition from servant to court sorcerer, and Gwen knows a thing or two about transitioning from a servant to a member of the court. Luckily, she has a remedy. She began it when she became Queen, and she's more than happy to share her secret with Merlin.

[anxiouswildfire]

@lunasky2491 ‘s suggestion from a while ago

Hunith comes to Camelot in an au where merlin doesn’t visit her or write often. She doesn’t know much, since he doesn’t share a lot about his life.

Hunith Ambrosius sighed, head in her hands as she thought about her son. Hunith was the sort to worry. A lot. It had been many years since Merlin went off to work under Gaius. They used to be close, but nowadays Merlin seemed to rarely have time to write his own mother.

She looked over the last letter he wrote, dated back many months, and decided to make the journey to Camelot.

Dearest mum,

Hunith walked through many different towns making her way to Camelot.

I’m sorry it’s been a bit. I’ve been quite busy with his royal highness’ needs. He broke his arm last week and had been complaining ever since. When can I get a break?

She finally arrived many days later, in awe of the towering city.

Life has been good. Gaius is sticking to his ‘merlin goes to the tavern’ excuse whenever I’m needed, even though I’m literally doing important things and have rarely been to the tavern.

She made her way through the bustling loud streets to Gaius, figuring his apprentice wouldn’t be far.

Don’t worry about my little secret, I only do it when absolutely necessary

She quickly asked a passerby about the whereabouts of Gaius’ chambers. They pointed her in the right direction.

Ugh, boss wants me back now. I’m busy every second of the day I swear, but it’s actually fun in Camelot.

Hunith knocked on Gaius’ door. The man answered the door and gaped in surprise.

Miss you loads,

Merlin

Gaius hugged her. “Oh, Hunith.”

“Hello, old friend.” She smiled warmly at him.

“Merlin is still with Prince Arthur.”

“Is something wrong with him?”

Gaius raised his eyebrow, “which one?”

“Prince Arthur. Is he okay?”

“Yes of course-“ Gaius stopped. “Did you not know that Merlin is Arthur’s manservant?”

“What?”

“You didn’t know?”

“No, that boy never tells me anything! Wow! I’m so proud of him! Climbing the ranks.. oh I wish he told me more.” She considered. “The letters mentioning quests for the Prince makes more sense now. I thought he meant it in a metaphorical way.”

“He saved Arthur’s life.”

“Oh, my boy!” She smiled. Then hesitated.

“No one knows about his magic, don’t worry.”

Her eyes widened. “You know?”

“Let’s just say.. he wasn’t very careful in the early days.”

“Gaius!” Merlin walked into the room, then stopped at the sight of his mom. “Mum!”

“My baby!” She rushed towards him and gave him a hug.

Gaius left to give them some privacy

Merlin’s eyes filled with tears. “Oh mum..”

“Merlin, why didn’t you tell me you were the prince’s manservant!”

He blinked, “I thought I did. Did you not wonder why I hung around the prat so often?”

“I thought he was very injury prone.” She said, frowning at the insult.

“He does get into danger more than I’d like..” Merlin muttered. “But no, he’s my friend and my master.”

“Well I’m very impressed that you climbed the ranks-“

“No mum, I just got the job because I saved his life. I’m a terrible manservant.”

“How long have you been his servant?”

“Since the first day I came to Camelot, mum.”

She gasped. “Merlin! How did I not know this?”

“What were you thinking when I’d insult him all the time?”

“I thought he was rude to you when you treated him.”

“I mean he is rude but-“

“Merlin, don’t call the prince rude!”

“Merlin!” Arthur called “Merlin, where are you, you lazy prat!” He noticed hunith had then merlin shortly after. “Oh, hello.” He bowed his head slightly in greeting.“Merlin, who’s this?”

“This is my mum, hunith.”

“Nice to meet you, hunith.”

Hunith smiled. “Hello, Prince Arthur.” She bowed.

“I don’t know where you get your rudeness from because it isn’t from her!”

“I know exactly where you got your rudeness from.” Merlin muttered

“Merlin! Don’t insult your king!”

Merlin rolled his eyes.

“Sorry about my son, my lord”

“Oh no, hunith, it’s alright, Merlin’s like this with everyone. Well especially with me..”

“Stop sucking up to my mom and tell me what chores you have for me so I can get out of your presence as soon as humanly possible!”

Arthur rolled his eyes, “Mordred suggested we all have an extra training session. You need to help me with my armour.”

Merlin glowered with genuine hatred. “Oh of course it’s mordred.”

“I still don’t get what you have against sir mordred.”

“‘Sir’ mordred more like sir murder. I’m going to kill that man someday. Maybe suffocate him in his sleep sometime..” Merlin muttered quietly.

“What?”

“Nothing. I’ll help you in a second after I get my mum settled.”

“I don’t have all day, Merlin.”

“I don’t have all day merlin” Merlin mocked as Arthur left

“Merlin, my baby, why do you not show him you care in more… conventional ways?”

Merlin sighed heavily like he was exhausted. “His head would get too big.” He said simply.

“I think we all would like to have a little love shown in more obvious ways.”

Merlin smiled at her softly, “I love you, mama.”

“I love you too, merlin. But you know that’s not what I meant.”

“.. i know.”

“You don’t want to keep him waiting.”

“I would like to keep him waiting actually”

“Don’t you ever worry about getting fired?”

“Oh getting fired.. that would be a sweet break.”

Hunith laughed, a little confused.

“I’m serious, I'm so tired.” He said with a straight face

Hunith stopped laughing

Merlin started laughing

Hunith smiled with uncertainty.

“No but to be honest, protecting that man from.. special assassins is a full time job. Plus my regular job of being his servant, PLUS a physician’s apprentice? It’s a lot.”

“That does sound like a lot, baby.”

“But it’s fine, I’m good.”

“Are you? You seem tired. You’re his friend, does he know?”

“No, but I’m alright.”

“Maybe you should tell-“

“No way. I’m not losing my best friend and possibly my life.“

“You think he’d kill you?”

“I don’t know but his father definitely would and I can’t make him choose between him and his father.”

“That’s not your choice to make, honey.”

“It’s my life!”

“You’re alone, my boy.”

“I’m.. not. I have Gwen, my friend. I have arthur. I have Gaius. I have other friends..”

“And I’m guessing only Gaius knows?”

“Well, yes, but-“

“I don’t think Gaius is the most understanding. Do you ever talk to him about how much pressure you have on your shoulders?”

Merlin sighed, tearing up. “How did you notice?”

“Just from you talking, baby, you’re so exhausted. I know you. Even though I barely truly know you now, I know my boy.”

Merlin hugged his mother. “Thank you for listening, mama. I do actually have to go before Arthur tries finding me again.”

“Okay, just think about what I had to say.”

“Thank you!” He shouted as he ran away out the door.

Hunith sighed heavily, knowing her son would not be talking to anyone about his troubles.

Gaius came back in.

“Oh, Gaius.”

“What is it hunith?” He closed the door and looked at her, worried.

Hunith teared up. “My boy, he’s under so much pressure.”

“Oh yes.. right that.”

“Gaius, there must be some way to help him!”

He sighed heavily. “I don’t know, hunith. It’s bigger than us.”

“Bigger than us?”

After some tea and cookies, the whole destiny thing was explained. How Arthur and Merlin were two sides of the same coin, Destinies intertwined, the once and future king and emrys meant to bring back magic to Avalon.

Merlin came back. “I asked for a day off.” He said as he walked into the room, immediately chattering up a storm, “Arthur said he’d think about it which basically means no but like I feel like it’s only because he’d miss me, he doesn’t really need me as a servant, he just likes having me around. Though that is helpful in keeping him alive.“

His two guardians exchanged knowing looks.

“Merlin, are you in love with Prince Arthur?”

“Hunith!” Gaius chastised for asking so outright.

“I’m.. what? In love? With Arthur?” Merlin laughed. “If I was in love with Arthur I would-“ he stopped. “Nevermind, um.”

Hunith smiled knowingly.

That’s all for now. Thanks for reading!

[somelokivariant]

Based off of this prompt

Merlin was back at work serving the King after nearly dying saving the kingdom. Just another average Tuesday.

Last night was fairly rough, Merlin arriving home after midnight with a rather pretty dagger sticking out of his abdomen. Gaius stitched him up and made him drink this very disgusting solution (God what was in there???). And after two little hours of sleep he was back serving this dingbat breakfast. Obviously he couldn't ask for a day off. What was he supposed to say, "Oh sorry Arthur, I found myself face to face with a fae cursing Camelot! I fought her with my magic but she threw a knife at me." Honestly he probably could say all that and Arthur would think Merlin spent too much at the tavern again. Merlin internally rolled his eyes. For now he was carrying on with work and Arthur's stupid comments like every other day.

He hobbled over to set the table for the king, his stomach burning. Merlin paid attention to not show it on his face.

"Why are you walking like that?"

"Like what?" He didn't pay attention to not show it in the rest of him.

"Like one of your legs is longer than the other."

"Oh, uh... I ran my hip into the table earlier"

Arthur just rolled his eyes and muttered to himself. Luckily Merlin was just clumsy enough for that to be entirely likely.

Merlin polished armour sitting down, and washed the laundry with magic. Unfortunately he couldn't find a way around Arthur's training. He could barely keep his coordination on a regular day, how on earth was he supposed to do this with stitches up his side. Stupid king training with his stupid muscles and sword. Merlin tried his best dueling Arthur while keeping his composure. He didn't want Arthur asking anymore questions, because honestly he was to beat to deflect them. Arthur swiped and Merlin dodged, a sharp burn going up his side. He felt like toppling over from the shock. Apparently that sludge solution from Gaius was not as effective as it was supposed to be.

Merlin almost audibly sighed relief when Arthur called for a break.

This was Arthur's break though, not Merlin's. "Go fetch cold water for his highness", he grunted under his breath as he made his way towards the castle. His stomach was still aching from that one-off swerve, he lifted his hand to hold some pressure in attempt to soothe the pain. Instead he just felt warm and wet. He paused to look down at the spot of blood that was slowly growing on his shirt. Merlin looked back at his hand dripping red, and staggered, finding the wall with his orher hand to support him. His vision started growing black spots and his ears rang. Merlin was only partly aware of the impact of his knees hitting the floor, and the pain in his side.

○○○○○

How long does it take to get some water? This dollop head probably got lost in his own damn castle.

Arthur rose from the field and started walking towards the kitchens. I have to do everything my self.

When he reached the castle he noticed a Merlin shaped lump half way down the hall.

"Fell asleep on a five minute walk?" He called out. The Merlin lump didn't move. As Arthur got closer he noticed the red on the floor surrounding Merlin. At this point he began to run.

Merlin was crumpled in a pool of blood. There was so much it took a minute for Arthur to find where it was coming from. He eventually recognized a few stitches in Merlins abdomen. Stitches? It wasn't a fresh wound.

Careful about the stress he was putting on Merlins body, he picked him up and ran as well as he could with a body in his arms - Merlin was actually quite heavy - towards Gaius's chambers.

He swung the door open with his foot, not bothering to knock.

Gaius turned around startled, but paused mid-exclamation when he saw Merlin limp in Arthur's arms.

"Set him down on this table here", he said while clearing scrolls and miscellaneous bowls.

Gaius lifted Merlins shirt and started dabbing around the cut with a rag.

"Get more rags from over there and start wiping down Merlin's stomach." Gaius got alcohol and thread. "His stitches came out. I told that boy he needed time to heal. Hold this. Pour here."

Arthur did exactly as he was told.

Arthur didn't know why his heart was racing so much. When this dollop head wakes up I'm going to kill him myself. Arthur sat back beat and stared at Meflin on the table.

Gaius finished cleaning Merlins blood and fixing his stitches.

"Arthur... Arthur?" Arthur looked up and Gaius came into focus. "I suggest you also go change out of your bloody clothes."

Arthur didn't want to leave Merlins side. He continued to sit exactly where he was.

Finally Merlins eyes opened, and he groaned as he propped himself up onto his elbows.

"Gods Arthur you look awf-"

Arthur leaped up and grabbed Merlins head, cutting him off with a very strong kiss. Merlin looked surprised. He gently put his arm around Arthur as Arthur buried his face in Merlins neckerchief.

After a moment Arthur pulled away and pointed a stern finger at Merlin. "NEVER do that again", he said in his commanding king voice. Merlin just stared. His king voice never worked on Merlin. "I mean, who will wash my drawers?"

Merlin aggressively rolled his eyes but Arthur recognized the hints of a smile.

@sonamysunivers @goddessofenergy @1asbrightasthestars3 @marvelqueenhere @faiirysecret @chloethebananana @m-nerd44

A/N: this is an unserious one shot rushed fic, OP also write an amazing one <3

Tag list

If ur mentioned its bc u asked to get tagged in op's post 👍

[merlinarthurandensemble]

Arthur was told when he was young about the prophecy

Notes: I really worked for that word count, oml. Also, I didn't proof read, really. Also, I use dashes in my writing--i think they're dashing--and I won't ever stop. Point is, I don't use AI...ever.

Okay, that's all, enjoy <3

Arthur Pendragon grew into his paranoia like he grew into his crown. Maybe the two correlate, maybe they're symbotic. In private moments, his eyes show his stress, his back shows his strain.

He has never told anyone what his father had shared with him--that dark secret of Emrys--so many years before. The paranoia gets to him sometimes. He wonders who knows and who suspects. In truth, none of them do, but sometimes at night, delirious from dreams, he imagines they find out and look down at him as he struggles against the funeral flames.

"Does he look alive?" Someone asks.

"Does it matter anymore?" Merlin answers.

But his paranoia wanes each morning as Merlin storms in like he has something to prove.

Arthur eyes Merlin over the top of the papers he has been reading. So many times he has thought to tell Merlin--his confidant and friend--about this gravest truth; but always something has stayed his words.

He does not want to see the horror on Merlin's face. Merlin has been known to go on--to anyone, really--about Arthur's heroic destiny to unite Albion under his long, wise rule. Arthur thinks Merlin has an incredible heart for romantic stories. But what makes his stomach jolt is that Merlin--despite his penchant for embellishments--truly believes those tavern stories he tells.

If Arthur were to call him over right now, sit him down at this desk, and explain that he will never unite Albion...he doesn't think he could bear it.

Arthur knows his future like he knows his past. He has known of it for many years, since his father spoke to him quietly and with great torment about the warlock named Emrys--a dark foe.

Uther had been fastidious in his teachings of Emrys. He taught Arthur of a dark beast, a man half flesh and half moon-dust. Emrys would descend like a cloud, impossible to fight and impossible to survive. Uther's lessons went on until Arthur could recite the prophecies from memory. "Magic is the cause, and only you can cure it. Smite it from the land and do not stop until you find him--until you find Emrys. If you cannot...then he will surely kill you."

The prophecies say that Emrys will smite Arthur on a fateful day during his twenty-eighth year: the day when he is impelled to call upon the eleven kings, and begin crafting treaties.

The year has come and the day is quick behind. Arthur knows it will be soon, and every day he does not tell Merlin--does not brace his best friend for this inevitable shock--his guilt grows.

He is lying to an honest man. His only excuse is that if he has had to experience half of his death (the knowledge of it the first act of a two part play) every day since he was young, then he begrudges the duty he has as a friend to force Merlin to endure the same, expectant, torment.

He doesn't want to hear Merlin's suggestions, and he equally refuses being the one to deny them. He has already considered every escape. He could run or hide; once or twice he drafted his own terms, though he never published them, as it were.

He could refuse to bade the eleven kings to his side and rename himself King Coward.

But he knows what he will do. He will call upon the Kings when it is time: when that unknown event brands it necessary. And then, he will die.

He has searched the kingdom for Emrys many times, always with Merlin behind his shoulder, loyal. Arthur almost wishes he had the grit to tell him why they were searching. Always, their searching as been for naught.

Merlin, for his part, has never questioned it.

Arthur burns against magic the same as he burns against death. Maybe those fears are one and the same: incipient and awful...but...natural.

He wonders if this is why his father told him of his future when he was so young: to kindle his hatred of magic. If it was, it hasn't worked exactly as intended. Arthur despises magic, yes, but he despises death too, and though he was instructed to banish magic from the land, he has never been able to condemn sorcerers to death. His leniency, then, has sealed his fate, as his father had warned it would.

He fears magic like he has never feared weaponry. He has never been timid with a blade or during a battle because he knows which foe will finally find his weak underbelly. His future is bleak...It's why he likes Merlin's stories--Merlin's surety in him warms him and keeps him from daunting imaginings.

Merlin sits up from where he scrubs the floors and flops his scruffy hair out of his face. He is only taking a break: a moment to stretch his neck and gaze up instead of down.

Arthur is pulled from his considerations, "Merlin," he says, "You missed a spot."

Merlin looks over, two parts amused and one part not.

"I'm getting to it."

"If that turns out to be a lie I'll have you on dog duty for a fortnight." Arthur says.

"You won't." Merlin says, sweaty, angular, and slightly challenging.

Arthur leans forward, eyebrow raised, "Would I lie to you?"

Merlin shrugs, "No. Nor I to you, my Lord." Their eyes meet for a moment and it feels odd. Then, Merlin is back to scrubbing and Arthur drops his eyes once more to his papers.

Merlin has noticed Arthur's declining good-humor recently, and Arthur can only be grateful that Merlin has not followed his example. Sometimes there is a weightedness to his step when he thinks Arthur can't see him, but he has been keeping cheerful otherwise.

Merlin doesn't complain anymore, not even to pass the time. It's as though he can sense something is coming. Arthur glances up, quick as anything, and back down. Merlin's sleeves are rolled up, his forearms are soapy, and his nose is too close to the flooring. His too-long hair drags every now and again as he scrubs viciously.

Arthur is all Merlin has. He cannot imagine how betrayed Merlin would feel if Arthur told him. Arthur's resolve hardens. He won't say a word, he couldn't bear if it called their friendship into question even for a moment.

He swallows. He has never cried for himself, but oddly, he thinks that, moments before he sends word for the kings, he will cry for Merlin.

Even as the sun descends behind him, he wonders how many more sunsets he will have the chance to miss while fruitlessly etching out plans for a future that will never be.

[merlin-bdsm-fest]

You want to make your characters suffer?

This is the third part of three posts to tickle your creativity and suggest possible uses of our 2024 prompts! Look at part 1 and part 2 or our Resources tab, if you haven't already.

Part 3: Punishment (psychological - non physical)

Punishment - the infliction or imposition of a penalty as retribution for an offence.

Some of the worst feelings for a misdeed can arise from non physical actions.

The "silent treatment" is the perfect example. In a BDSM setting, the refusal to acknowledge someone, denying them attention, having them stay still as furniture, treating them as a dog or animal, or having them stay in a corner can take an extra layer of humiliation.

What if they are not permitted to speak? Not permitted to make eye contact? Could Gwaine actually follow the order not to speak or does he need to be gagged? Oops that goes back to physical!

Some subs are more unruly than others. Does your character truly feel guilty and wants to repent or do they try to get away with it?

(btw, Merlin's canonical snark makes him a perfect brat!)

The repercussions can be educational as well as fulfilling their goal to correct behaviour, if they involve having the offender write an essay, an apology letter or writing the same thing over and over again as it was done in school, to make them focus and think about what they have done.

Verbal degradation and scolding/lecturing can also work, did you like it when Gaius told Uther off at the end of The Witchfinder (s02e07)? Do you want to write a scene where Gaius' words are even harsher so Uther decides to properly apologise (*wink wink)? They could be forced to publicly apologise.

Do you really like Merlin's Dragonlord Voice?

The punished person can be ordered to practice self care, to eat well, follow a different schedule, clean up or restrict sweets or alchool...

Speaking of restrictions, we all know how bad Merlin felt when he was removed from his position as Arthur's manservant (s02e01; s04e06), that is a good example of removal of privileges. Do Merlin's days off – when he can't go spend all day with Arthur – feel more like a punishment than a reward?

Which benefits can be taken away to make the most effective punishment? Can a Knight no longer eat at a table with their fellow Knights? Is Gwen forbidden to enter the Castle for a period of time or did her exile go differently?

If they usually wear a collar or an object from their lover that could be asked back. Did Morgana gift some jewelry to Gwen and temporarily ask for it back?

Another removal could be sex related: their favourite sex toy could be taken away, they can be forbidden to masturbate or to come. Their lover could tease them endlessly without giving them what they want. They can prepare their lover just to see them have sex with another person.

And so much more!

Feel free to come to our discord channel in The Tavern server (18+) to brainstorm and/or discuss prompts and ideas.

We can't wait to see how you will choose to interpret our prompt!

[mintedemrys]

Yes! Merlin and gaius relationship is so fascinating because Gaius keeps Merlin so isolated from everyone but him and the crown, so it leaves Merlin in this shitty position because the only person who he's allowed to talk about his magic with constantly tells him that he'll never be safe if he comes out about it, Gaius is just constantly manipulating him by saying he just wants to keep him safe while at the same time merlin also knows on some level that there's a pretty big chance that gaius would continue to side with the crown even in the case of merlins execution! And he constantly tells merlin that he must accept every punishment given to him and is never allowed any breaks or rest even when he's sick and way past the point of healthy! Merlin never got to process any of the traumatic things he went through and had to always pretend like nothing was happening so he could continue to work! Like in the case that merlin has to miss work because he has to go do something dangerous, every time gaius throws him under the bus and makes him out to be a lazy and irresponsible servant after he just risked his life! Which usually resulted in a punishment of even more work! Which does work out in his favor because someone who's constantly burnt out and sleep deprived is alot more emotional and impulsive and easier to manipulate. He was merlins guardian so he had a responsibility to make sure merlin was healthy and his needs were met and he definitely failed

it's so sad in a way because like, Merlin never had a father growing up, Gaius is the closest thing to a father that Merlin has ever had, and THIS is how he gets treated?

Gaius cares more about the security of the crown - specifically the Pendragon rule - and all the exclusive, prejudicial "codes" of Camelot (ahem, the First Code/Knights' Code, anyone?) than he does about his own ward. And that is just... so fucking sad. Because like, things could've been SO MUCH EASIER if Gaius had actually helped Merlin instead of constantly hindering him.

And the fucking tavern excuse! Gaius knows better than ANYONE that Merlin does not go to the tavern, like ever. The only time we have EVER seen him in a tavern is in the ep where we meet Gwaine, and the beginning of 5x12, and both those times were instigated by Arthur.

Honestly, I have to wonder if Gaius was deliberately fucking up Merlin's alibis by throwing the tavern excuse out so often, because Gaius is not generally a bad liar. He's great at manipulating Uther and Arthur, so the way he just blurts out "the tavern" whenever Merlin goes missing is.... a little suspect.

But yeah, he had Merlin under his control completely, and when Merlin breaks from that control and does what he deems to be good anyway, Gaius goes behind Merlin's back and fucks it up for him (as I just finished rewatching season five the first example of this I can think of is in 5x10, when Merlin insists he needs to meet with Finna, and Gaius goes behind his back to tell Arthur about her, putting Finna AND MERLIN in danger).

And it's just. So devastating to watch, because this is the "fatherly love" that Merlin gets? After a lifetime of not having a father? After finding his real father and losing him within two fucking days?

Speaking of, do not get me STARTED on the way Gaius latched onto Merlin's grief over Balinor to tie him even closer. That is absolutely sickening, like there's Merlin literally mourning the loss of a father he only just met, and Gaius comes on in like "Well, I might not be your real father, but at least I'm here" like? Fuck you? What the fuck?

You know, I've gotta wonder what Hunith would think of all Gaius's bullshit. Because while yes, she insisted on secrecy too, her fear was that of a mother for her only son. She was never afraid of Uther or Arthur, or what they would do to her for harbouring a sorcerer. She was afraid for Merlin's sake, what would happen to him, how exposure would hurt him. She only thought of Merlin's wellbeing, never of Camelot's or the Crown. And that is far more honourable than whatever the fuck Gaius had going on.

(I also still wish that Balinor had lived, if only so that we could've gotten to see how Balinor would've reacted to the way Gaius treats Merlin too.)

[legends-of-time]

Waking the Sorceress Within (BBC Merlin Story)

Chapter 51: The Secret Sharer

Masterlist

Amelia's POV

It's a busy day today and Amelia and Merlin take it upon themselves to charge into Arthur's rooms. The King is, of course, still asleep in bed.

Merlin opens Arthur's curtains, letting the light in. "Up you get!" He calls.

"What for?" Arthur groans, waking.

"A bath."

"Where's breakfast?"

"Say, 'Ah.'"

"Ah?" Merlin stuffs a roll in Arthur's mouth. "Merlin!" Comes the muffled cry before Arthur pulls the roll out of his mouth, spitting the crumbs out of his mouth.

Amelia saunters over to Arthur's desk with some documents. "Right, you need to set aside some practice time."

"Ah, wonderful. What for? Quarterstaff? Battle axe?" Arthur asks as he rolls over, lifting his upper body and resting it on his elbows.

"For your speech."

"Who to?"

"The Guild of Harness Polishers." Amelia gives him a look that indicates that she thinks he's an idiot for not knowing.

"The guild of who? I don't know anything about polishing." Arthur wines.

Amelia waves him off. "Doesn't matter because fortunately Merlin does."

Merlin holds up a really long scroll with a grin.

Arthur looks on in horror. "That'll take hours to learn."

Amelia points her pen at Arthur, grinning, unperturbed by his grumpiness. "You don't have hours." She turns back to the list in front of her. "First, you have to receive Odin's envoy."

"Do I have to give a speech?"

"No. You have to listen to one." Amelia says with horror as well as barely hidden amusement.

Arthur rolls his eyes, but Amelia ignores him. "Then you need to inspect the Guards, perform a freeman's ceremony, oh... and to be a judge."

"Preside over a trial?"

Merlin leans over Amelia's shoulder. "Ooh! A garland competition!" He exclaims teasingly.

Arthur glares at the grinning duo. "You're enjoying this!"

Amelia rolls her eyes. "Getting your lazy backside up? Yes, it's the highlight of my day."

Arthur rolls his eyes again and flops his head back on his pillow. "I never get any time to myself!" Arthur curls back into his covers.

Merlin rolls his eyes. "I know, it's almost like having to work."

Arthur doesn't move.

Amelia purses her lips. "Right, you asked for it." She turns to Merlin, gesturing to their oh-so-gracious King. "Merlin, get him up."

Merlin goes over to the bed and grabs Arthur, trying to drag him out of bed. Arthur struggles to stay under the covers. Amelia casually watches, arms crossed.

"No, come on. No, out of bed." Merlin says.

Arthur makes an odd squeal as Merlin forces him out of bed along with all his covers. Always the same.

"You're doing very well, Arthur." Merlin remarks to Arthur who's splayed out on the floor.

"I don't think so." Arthur grumbles.

Merlin fetches Arthur's shirt. "Everyone's saying it."

"I'm glad your friends at the Tavern approve." Arthur retorts.

Amelia rolls her eyes as she helps Merlin stand Arthur up. "Stop being silly. Despite your many faults, you're actually becoming a very good King."

"Thank you, dear cousin." Arthur says sarcastically. "And Merlin, you're still the worst servant I've ever known."

Merlin nods, grinning as he hands Arthur his shirt. There's a knock at the door.

"Enter." Arthur calls.

Agravaine enters. "Good morning, My Lord. May I have a word?"

"Of course."

Agravaine glances at Amelia and Merlin. "Er, the matter I wish to discuss is a delicate one, Sire. Perhaps it'd be better if we talked alone."

Merlin leaves but Amelia stays.

Agravaine looks annoyed at this. Good. "Could Lady Amelia possibly—"

Amelia narrows her eyes at him. "Why?" She asks sharply.

"It's an important matter involving the Kingdom."

"And then I should be included."

"You can go, Amelia." Arthur interrupts as he walks to his screen. Amelia glares at Agravaine's smug face and reluctantly leaves.

——

Amelia angrily storms into the Council Chambers where Arthur and Agravaine are. Once again, the three A's are reunited and Amelia couldn't be more displeased.

"What's this I hear about you interrogating Gaius?" She demands to know.

"There's a traitor in our midst. We need to find out who." The slimy snake calmly replies.

"Thank you Agravaine," Amelia says through clenched teeth, "but I was talking to my King." She turns to Arthur. "What are doing Arthur? This is Gaius. He's as loyal to you as they come."

"He might be consorting with Sorcerers again. He knew the one we went to for my father." Arthur tells her.

Amelia flinches as the memories of that night come back to her, but she quickly swallows them down. "And because he couldn't help you've decided to turn on Gaius?"

"He was reluctant to answer on what his views are on the outlawing of sorcery and clearly lied about consorting with Sorcerers. He may have fallen back into the dark arts." Agravaine replies this time.

"Do you have actual proof?"

"No, but I'm sure we'll find some."

Amelia glares at him before turning back to Arthur. "Gaius is your friend, our friend. If you mistreat him, you lose me, Merlin and Anne." She then turns and storms out of the room.

——

The warning bells sound and jolt Amelia awake that night. She finds herself standing in Gaius' Chambers along with Arthur, Merlin, Anne and Agravaine as Guards toss Gaius' possessions, breaking many of them, as usual.

"My Lord, he was seen riding away from the City." Agravaine says.

"That can't be true." Merlin argues. Anne grips his arm in distress.

Leon enters. "Sire." He says to Agravaine. "You were right. A white stallion has been taken from the royal stables."

"Well, where would he be going? Why leave at this time of night?" Arthur questions.

"Well, I could hazard a guess, Sire, but I think a thorough search of his belongings may well provide us with the truth." Agravaine replies.

Amelia glares at Agravaine, realising this is what he'd planned all along.

——

In the light of day, Amelia stands in the Council Chambers along with Merlin, Arthur and the slimy snake.

Arthur flips through the book titled Witchcraft, Sorcery & Magic that Agravaine had 'found', surrounded by multiple others, as he sits at the head of the table.

"And this was found in Gaius' Chambers?" Arthur asks.

"I am as disappointed as you, Sire." Agravaine says. "Someone so close, so trusted. And it's not merely the discovery that he was a Sorcerer, is it? It's... it's the lies. The lies and years of betrayal." Lying swine.

Amelia watches Arthur, increasingly angered by Agravaine's lies. Arthur drops the spell book on the table, upset.

"I know it's hard to believe, isn't it, Sire? But we both saw him refuse to condemn magic. We both knew he was hiding something. And neither of us want to believe it, but... now, with this... hasty departure in the middle of the night? These are not the actions of an innocent man, Sire. There can be no doubt. Gaius is the traitor."

Amelia can't take it anymore. "How could you say that?!" She cries.

"Amelia..." Arthur tries to interrupt.

Amelia ignores him. "This is Gaius we're going on about, how could you accuse him of betraying us?!"

"You cannot hide the evidence." Agravaine calmly replies, which angers Amelia further.

"The accuser usually has something to hide!"

"Amelia! That's enough." Arthur shouts causing Amelia to finally look at him. "Agravaine, leave us."

Agravaine bows. "As you wish, Sire." Amelia watches as he exits and sees Merlin doing the same but with a glare as he leaves.

Amelia turns to Arthur, placing her hands on the table, leaning towards him. "Arthur. He's given his life to this Kingdom. He would never betray you."

"He's been consorting with Sorcerers. He more or less admitted to it. Why run if you have nothing to hide?" Arthur questions.

Amelia opens her mouth to reply but Merlin interrupts her by blurting, "They're lies! Gaius would never run off in the night."

"Look, I know it's hard. But no break ins were reported. His possessions are missing. A horse has been stolen." Arthur argues.

"He would not leave without saying goodbye to me." Merlin looks away and stares in the opposite direction. Amelia's heart breaks at the sight of him.

Amelia turns back to Arthur. "Agravaine has made this story up."

"I shall ignore that last comment." Arthur says, shaking his head.

Amelia leans towards him again. "I know he's your uncle, but he's mine too and I can see through the lies. You can too."

"Amelia!" Arthur snaps. "I've had my heart broken enough already today. I don't want to lose anyone else." Arthur stands up briskly. "Gaius," Arthur holds up the magic book, "condemned himself." Arthur slaps the book on the table on his way out. "There's no more to be said."

——

Percival, Anne and Amelia are waiting in the latter's Chambers for Merlin. They're waiting for Merlin to search Agravaine's Chambers while he talks with the Guards and Knights about 'finding' Gaius.

The door opens and Merlin comes in looking rather cross. "He planted it!" He speaks. "I found books about sorcery in his Chambers."

"I knew it." Anne mutters angrily.

"I also found this." He hands them a small handkerchief, a red sort of soil rubbed on it. "I'm not sure how much use it'll be but this was coated on the bottom of his boots. It smelled odd to me, so I rubbed some off just before Agravaine entered."

"Percival." Amelia turns to him. "Ever seen dirt like this?" She hands it to him.

He sniffs it and pokes at the dirt, "No, but I bet I know who does. Gwaine."

——

They find Gwaine sitting on a bench in Gaius' Chambers when they enter.

"There you are! We've been looking for you." Amelia exclaims as soon as she sees him.

Gwaine flashes her a roughish grin. "I was here. Got bored of playing soldiers."

"We need your help." Anne cuts straight to the point as they all gather around the tables.

"With what?"

"What do you think?" Merlin asks snippily.

"Looking for Gaius."

"Do you know what this is?" Percival holds up the handkerchief.

"Might do." Gwaine reaches out his hand. "Let me see."

Percival holds it out and Gwaine takes it and smells it.

"That's iron ore. Where'd you find this?"

"That doesn't matter." Amelia dismisses. "Does it help us?"

"Iron ore's pretty rare in Camelot. In fact, I've only seen it once, on a patrol." Gwaine says.

"Where?"

"Er...ridge of Kemeray. They've been hewing iron from rocks there for hundreds of years."

——

Merlin, Amelia and Gwaine ride out of Camelot that night, towards the ridge. Anne doesn't come for obvious reasons and Percival holds back to keep an eye on things and any more than the trio will draw attention.

They enter the right mining shaft. Amelia looks down and sees the same iron ore on her boots. They walk through the Cave, searching for Gaius when a large man suddenly jumps out at them. Gwaine fights him but is knocked down. Merlin steps in and, with a flash of his eyes, the man flies forward and lands on Gwaine's sword. Amelia helps Gwaine to his feet.

Amelia, Gwaine and Merlin continue and come to a fork in their search.

"We should split up." Amelia says. "Covering more ground means finding Gaius quicker."

"Yeah." Gwaine murmurs in agreement.

Amelia and Merlin turn to go one way and Gwaine the other.

Merlin pauses. "Gwaine. If you find him, don't wait for us."

Gwaine looks unsurely at Amelia, who smiles reassuringly, before nodding.

——

Amelia sees the firelight ahead and pulls Merlin down, so they hide under a ridge just as a bald man in robes comes around the corner. He stops but doesn't look down to see Amelia and Merlin. When he leaves, they go where the man has just come from.

Amelia and Merlin come across another fork. Merlin indicates he'll go that way and Amelia nods, continuing the other way. It's only when Amelia hears Merlin cry out and feels something pull at her magic that she runs back the way she came.

She enters to find Merlin lying on his back on the ground. Amelia's breath catches in her throat when she sees it's Morgana standing before Merlin. Morgana pulls a dagger.

Amelia panics and just as Morgana throws the dagger towards Merlin, she leaps forward and throws herself in between them. Amelia stops the dagger by throwing out her hand. It stops just before her palm. Amelia uses her magic to throw it back to Morgana but stops it right before her sister's face and holds it there. She flickers her eyes over her shoulder to see Merlin standing, holding himself against some rock that lies in the middle of the room then turns her attention to her sister.

"Please don't, Morgana." Amelia pleads. "I don't want to fight you." She feels herself shaking. She hasn't spoken or been face-to-face with her sister in over a year.

Morgana's face is one of shock before she quickly recovers. "Sister, I should've known you were here. A traitor is never far away." She smirks, ignoring the dagger hovering in front of her face.

Amelia narrows her eyes at her. "I'm not the traitor Morgana." She rebuts. "That was all you."

Morgana glares. "You betrayed us! You turned away from your family!" She spits.

"You and Morgause were attacking my family." Amelia counters. "I couldn't help you in your hateful crusade."

"You protected Uther and Arthur! You turned against your people!" Morgana cries.

Amelia tries not to flinch at the mention of Uther. She grits her teeth and steals her resolve. "I never turned my back to my people, Morgana. That was you. You're the traitor to all magic users. Not I."

Morgana glares. "Get out of the way, Amelia. I'm not fighting you. Despite your treachery, you're my sister."

Amelia feels herself soften at the statement before shaking it off. She shakes her head, continuing to hold the dagger at her sister despite everything in her telling her not to harm the woman. "No, I'm not letting you harm Merlin. We want to know what you've done to Gaius."

Morgana shrugs. "Well, Gaius had some information I needed. The whereabouts of the Sorcerers Emrys and Tarian. If he gave it to me willingly, his suffering would not be prolonged, but... if he did not..." Morgana smirks.

"If you have harmed him..." Merlin threatens from behind Amelia, drawing Morgana's attention back to him. Amelia narrows her eyes and slightly nudges the dagger closer to warn Morgana.

It is then that the bald man from earlier enters. Amelia continues to hold the dagger at Morgana but watches him cautiously.

"Alator this is my sister Amelia and Merlin, the most troublesome serving boy I've ever known." Morgana introduces.

Amelia watches as Alator seems surprised and looks more closely at Merlin.

"I take it your time with Gaius was fruitful?"

Alator looks at Morgana. "Gaius told me everything."

Amelia's stomach drops at that. Oh, no.

"So, you know who Emrys and Tarian are?"

"Indeed, I do." Alator walks forward, and Morgana looks like she wants to follow him, desperate for his answer, but she can't move as Amelia continues pointing the dagger directly at her face, nudging it closer.

Alator stops and looks Merlin in the eye. Merlin glares at him. "Not only do I know who Emrys and Tarian are, I know exactly where they are."

Morgana's eyes are wide with eagerness. "Then tell me."

Amelia holds her breath, ready to attack when Alator speaks the truth.

Alator looks at her. "Never." Alator aims his staff at her. "Forþ fleoge!"

Amelia watches in shock as Morgana screams as she's thrown backwards against a rock and collapses unconscious. Amelia immediately drops the dagger, turning to Merlin and Alator. The former backs away cautiously.

"Merlin, Amelia, I am Alator of the Catha. I am honoured to be of service." He declares.

"You have magic!" Merlin states.

Alator nods. "I understand the burden you carry. I have lived with it all my life. I have been shunned, persecuted, and sometimes even hunted in every corner of the Five Kingdoms. I understand what that feels like. You're not alone. From what Gaius told me, I do not have your great powers, Merlin, but I share your hopes. For I, and others like me, have dreamt of the world you seek to build. And we would gladly give our lives to help you do it."

Alator kneels to Merlin. Amelia and Merlin share a look of amazement.

——

"So, Morgana never found out about Merlin and Anne?" Percival asks after Amelia had finished explaining to him the whole story. Both of them lie on top of the blankets on Amelia's bed. Amelia is cradled in Percival's arms as he lies on his back.

"No, she didn't count on Alator's true loyalties." Amelia replies.

Percival lets out a hum. It's quiet then for a few moments as they simply bask in each other's company.

Percival then breaks the silence. "I know this is a bad time, but I knew I might back out of it if I wait any longer."

Amelia frowns in confusion, pulling herself up, leaning on her elbow so she can see Percival's face. "For what?" The Knight doesn't reply, simply chews his lip anxiously. Such lovely lips as well. Amelia shakes those thoughts away to focus on the conversation. "Percival, you're scaring me."

"Marry me." He whispers.

Amelia's stomach drops all the way into the pit of the Earth. "What?!" She exclaims before lowering her voice. "As in, marry marry? 'Be your wife' married?"

Percival nods. He tucks a stray strand of her long brown hair behind her ear. "Amelia, you're the strongest person I know and now knowing of your magic, you're even stronger in my eyes. Your loyalty and strength make you the most beautiful person I've ever met, and I love you more than anyone I know." He sits up, grabbing both of her hands and giving them a tight squeeze. "I believe we're meant to be." He cringes. "And that was horribly romantic but it's what I feel."

Amelia's heart beats wildly against her chest. She loves Percival, and she is sure of that, but being married to him? Like, actual marriage?

She sighs. "I can't believe we're doing this."

His face breaks out into a cute, nervous smile as he says, "So... you're saying... yes?"

Amelia laughs as she wraps her arms around his neck. The force of it causes Percival to tumble backwards and Amelia to land on top of him. "Of course, I'm saying yes!"

With that, Percival gives her a deep kiss and when they pull away, they share the biggest hug they have ever had.

——

A/N: Please leave comments on how you're enjoying this story and what you think.

[rapha-reads]

do you have any merthur fic recommendations that have happy endings?

Do I ever ! Strap on, I've got quite the list.

Tagged Angst With A Happy Ending :

Take A Letter, Merlin by Caledonia/@iamcaledonia (7870 words, Modern Era)

Arthur is an emotionally repressed workaholic who is unhappily married. Merlin is his loyal and competent personal assistant. One Monday, Merlin comes to work to find that, over the weekend, Arthur has dictated a letter for Merlin that is about to change both of their lives. A song fic inspired by the 1969 classic, 'Take A Letter, Maria' by R. B. Greaves.

Kiss Today Goodbye, by Cithara/@citharaposts (5337 words, Canon Era, Divergence from s02e13)

When Arthur regains consciousness in time to hear Merlin confront the dragon, his world is turned on its head by the revelations that follow.

Turning the Page, by @schweetheart and @queerofthedagger (19050 words, Canon Divergence, Epistolary)

Without intending to, Arthur pushes Merlin just one step too far. Now he's left without his manservant but a hundred questions, a world of hurt, and guilt that clings to him like a shadow. Well, and a notebook filled with drawings because apparently, Merlin can draw on top of being a sorcerer. No matter how often Arthur tells himself that he just wants to forget, he can't help but come back to the collection of sketches and notes, a chronicle of all that Merlin has done.

Maybe their story isn't quite over yet.

The Knights of the Table, by DrJackAndMissJo/@drjackandmissjo (9198 words, Modern Era, Food Critic and Chef AU)

'Can you even believe this guy?" Gwaine asked, offended and almost breathless as he popped himself on Percival’s counter. There was no need for any of the other men to ask who he was talking about. Everyone knew about the devilish creature that wrote the restaurant and food reviews on Camelot Weekly. “What makes you even think it’s a guy?” asked Lance as he took the newspaper from the Irish man, “I’m pretty sure that it is a demon sent straight from hell to torture all of us!”

Tagged Happy Ending :

Hope On A Tuesday Afternoon, by arsenicandsunshine (8985 words, Modern Era, Housemates, Idiots in Love, Getting Together)

Arthur likes his life. Why wouldn't he? Nice flat, all to himself, stable job. Friends. Yep, he's set all right. Or, he is until he ends up with an unexpected flatmate. Merlin certainly does have a knack for turning Arthur's life upside down.

a long, long day, by @oncefutureemrys (1237 words, Canon Era, Secret Relationship, baths and massages)

Merlin was beyond tired of it all. He just wanted one moment where… it could be just him. Just him and Arthur, just the two of them, without the rest of the world interfering. But alas, Merlin was no normal person and neither was Arthur, and the chances of them having a regular day were almost as likely as Uther deciding to stop hating magic. So, he walked into Arthur’s room, ready for more late night chores, a slight slump in his posture. To anyone else, it would seem as if he was perfectly fine, usual Merlin just slightly tired from a long day’s work.  But Merlin knew it was a bit more than that. And so did Arthur, apparently, because when he stumbled in, he found the idiot sitting casually behind his desk, an air of amusement and playfulness surrounding him, a teasing grin forming on his stupid, stupid (handsome) face. Or: Merlin's had a long day, so Arthur takes care of him.

Suffering in Silence, by TheCourtSorcerer/@tcs-main (3205 words, Canon Divergence, Sir Leon-The-Long-Suffering, POV Leon)

He couldn’t take it anymore. He had to say something. He couldn’t keep silent anymore. Day in, day out… The constant borderline scandalous looks, the barely concealed innuendos, the incredibly unsubtle touches, all of it! He was going to lose his mind. How could two people be so blind?! So, that’s what led him to the tavern that night, across from Gwaine, a hint of regret tugging at his mind that he steadfastly ignored. “Okay… How do we get them together?”

Secrets & Lies, by LiGi/@little-ligi (13333 words, Canon Era, Divergence, Arthur Finds Out, Protective Arthur, Friends to Lovers)

Arthur had finally put his finger on it. The thing that had made Merlin stand out, the thing that had intrigued him about the boy ever since the first time he’d met him. The thing that was going to get him killed… Merlin had magic. Not only had it, but used it freely all the bloody time. It was only a matter of time before someone saw him do it, and then they’d report him to the king and Merlin would be dragged out into the courtyard and executed. Well, not if Arthur had anything to do about it.   Mid series one, Arthur, for once not being totally oblivious, discovers that Merlin has magic. The problem is, having magic gets people killed and Arthur very much prefers Merlin alive. It turns out making sure nobody sees Merlin do magic is rather a full-time job however...

A Universe Which Freely Gives, by @psychotic-fangirl369 (26455 words, Post Canon, Reincarnation, Arthur Returns, Getting Together)

Arthur returns… but because of a series of unlikely events (and perhaps a bit of morose dragging of feet because he can't bring himself to believe the signals), Merlin misses the boat. By the time he makes it to the lake, signs of Arthur abound but Arthur is nowhere to be found. Magical tracking being less reliable than one might think, when Merlin finally does manage to find him Arthur is bizarrely well-adjusted, living in a flatshare in London with roommates who think he's batty but mostly harmless, and working an improbable job. Enter: Merlin, who Arthur absolutely is not expecting to still be alive.

So Where Are My Flowers?, by @tehfanglyfish (1365 words, Canon Era, Pining, Flowers, Magic Reveal)

A question asked as a joke leads to years of fresh flowers waiting for Arthur each morning until the one day he almost screws things up.

Balancing the Scale, by sunsetmoonrise (20528 words, 5+1, Canon Era Divergence, Slow Burn, Pining)

Five times Merlin didn't realise Arthur was protecting him, and the one time he did.

Alright, that's quite a lot already! These are the latest in my bookmarks, don't hesitate to ask me again if you want more!

[jakeonao3]

you try so loud to love me (I cannot seem to hear): merthur, 1k words

“He can never know I’m in love with him. Telling him I have magic is one thing but telling him I’m in love with him is out of the question.” Merlin said at the druid he was talking to in the woods just outside the castle.

After sorting out their problem – said problem being that the Once and Future King still didn’t know about Emrys being Merlin, about them not ruling Camelot together, and that had brought them here, to the druids wanting Merlin to confess his feelings towards Arthur to the man in question – so, more like problems, and by sorting out he means saying he’ll never tell him, the druids left Merlin in the clearing they were in.

As soon as the druids were out of sight and earshot, Merlin sighed and sat on the grass. He couldn’t tell Arthur he had magic, let alone that he loved him. Both of those things would end their friendship, and Merlin didn’t know what he would do without Arthur by his side. Without being able to protect him, even if he would never know about it.

The sound of leaves shuffling made him turn around only to see the man he was thinking about, Arthur. Arthur was there. Oh my Goddess, how long had he been there? How much did he hear?

Arthur walks up to him, and Merlin just stares at everything but him, praying to the Triple Goddess, the Disir and the Old Religion that Arthur didn’t hear a thing.

When he’s close to Merlin, Arthur says, “Merlin.” It doesn’t have that usual tone of fondness and exasperation it always does instead it seems to be partly angry and partly- Merlin doesn’t know.

Merlin finally looks up to his king, still sitting on the floor.

“Arthur, what are you doing here?” He tries for casual but knows he’s missed it by a mile. His breaths coming more rapidly now.

Arthur is still looking at him as he says, “I followed you because I wanted to know where you actually are when you and Gaius say you’re at the tavern.” A pause then, “I heard everything, Merlin.”

Merlin’s eyes widen before he stands up and tries to walk backwards to get away from him, breaths coming more and more shortly. He doesn’t even realize he’s talking saying I’m sorry all over again, apologizing for something out of his control, let it be the magic or the love, he didn’t choose any of it, it just happened.

“I’m sorry, I’ll leave. Please don’t kill me. I don’t want to die.” With tears in his eyes, he realizes that he couldn’t live with the thought of Arthur hating him and banishing him, so he says, “No wait, please kill me here, with your sword. I don’t want Gaius to see me burn, I don’t want to be banished, I can’t live with the thought of you hating me, so please, kill me now.” While he was saying all of this, he managed to get in front of Arthur, only inches separating them.

Arthur slowly lifted his hand and put it on Merlin’s cheek. “Merlin, you idiot.” He placed a small peck on his lips and then said, “I could never harm you, or banish you for that matter. I’m in love with you too. And for the magic, did you really think I didn’t know? I’m not that dense, you know?” Merlin gave him a skeptical look. “Are you not angry? About my magic, about me lying to you for all these years, about me being in love with you?” There was a pause where he thought back about what Arthur had just said. “Wait, you’re in love with me?” His eyes widened and Arthur took it as a good moment to place his lips on Merlin’s once again. This time Merlin kissed him back – after a second of shock – and what a joy that was. He had imagined kissing Arthur, but the fantasies were nothing compared to the real thing.

He was so caught up in the kiss that when Arthur pulled back, he chased him with his lips, getting out a moan from Arthur. Merlin liked it so much that he walked him back until his back was against a tree trunk.

At this point, they were making out like teenagers. Tongue sliding against tongue. Teeth biting on lips and so on.

This time it was Merlin who broke the kiss by putting his hand on Arthur’s chest and holding him there. Arthur was looking at him with so much love that he didn’t know how he never noticed it before. He placed one or two more kisses on Arthur’s lips just because he could, and finally stepped back.

“We should head home.” Arthur loved the idea of taking Merlin to bed and be his in all the possible ways, so he said exactly that. Merlin smiled at him and responded with “I’ll take good care if you, my love.”

And with that they headed back to Camelot hand in hand, happier than they’d ever been.

[cystali]

rule breaker (bbc merlin fic)

so I realized I truly never posted this fic on ao3 to tumblr, and as I'm working on some more of it....maybe.. here it is for you. TW: irresponsible alcohol use

Merlin doesn’t really drink. It’s a rule of his, almost, that he never technically put in place but follows all the same. On the rarest of occasions, he gets a little tipsy when Arthur decides to treat the knights, but never to the point of losing his head. If he decided to get drunk with the Knights of Camelot, what might he let slip? Something about his magic? Something worse?

So, Merlin doesn’t really drink.

Until now. He swiped a pitcher of wine from the kitchens — he was sure Cook would realize it was missing soon enough and immediately suspect Gwaine. Merlin somehow didn’t mind. 

His hands moved over the fabric of a purple bedspread, back and forth, and he watched as if he wasn’t the one controlling them. He wasn’t drunk. He had enough sense to avoid that, at least. Probably.

Slowly, his hands came to a stop, and he lifted one up to see it coated in dust. No one had been in here for a long time, after all. Morgana’s chambers had been closed off in unspoken mourning for the better part of a year. At first, he thinks, Arthur sealed them off for his father’s sake, to stop him from wasting away in the memories, and while that didn’t seem to help, Arthur kept them sealed after his father’s death. Merlin hoped it was enough to keep Arthur from the same fate.

It was dangerous being here, sitting against the wall of a room that reeked of betrayal. But Merlin liked the familiar company, and he had his magic on high alert, ready to conceal himself at the presence of someone outside the door.

So he drinks. He’s not sure why. Nothing out of the norm had really happened. He made a sacrifice, he thwarted Morgana, and Arthur thought his second home was the tavern. Par the course. Perhaps it was George’s droning lessons throughout the day that finally did him in. He certainly couldn’t blame himself if that was the case.

His hand moved back to the bedspread, fingers painting swirls in the dust. 

He didn’t drink after Lancelot. It was different than the others he lost, different in that everyone knew what a close friend he was, and where usually, he was inexplicably somber, his sadness had a reason. People even expected him to drink, like Gwaine or Percival had, but he didn’t. He couldn’t.

But he’s drinking now, on his sixth — seventh, eighth? — goblet, and he understands the appeal. Things are fuzzy, and even if his memories are clearer than he thinks they should be, they are fuzzy too.

Shouldn’t he be sad? He should be, but maybe the alcohol’s more effective than he thought. Doesn’t he have a lot of reasons to be sad? He thinks he does.

There was Lancelot — the bestest friend. One of the greatest he’d had, really. There was that time—  and Freya! He could be sad about Freya! It was perhaps not the love he saw in the greying hairs of Ealdor’s married couples, but it was a love he thought the poets might write of. It was love. He hiccuped. And his father, who he didn’t even get to know. He still kept the carving by his bed.

He could be sad about Morgana.

Oooh, his brain tells him, stilling his hands on the bed. Oh. Maybe he is a little sad. 

He goes to pour himself another glass, picks up the pitcher, and somehow spills it. The darkness of the wine seeps into the edges of the bedspread, mingling memories and dust, and a puddle grows on the floor beneath it. Merlin picks up the pitcher with his magic and hurls it into the wall, where it dents and falls to the ground.

His vision is blurry, and he’s really not sure when he stood up, but he sits back down. Drop by drop, the wine reaches the end of the fabric to drip onto the floor by his feet, and Merlin watches it with an intent he didn’t think himself capable of at the moment.

It reminds him of something.

Someone is shaking him by the shoulders, not gently but not harshly either, and Merlin wonders why he didn’t feel them coming. He knows the voice asking him to come to his senses, though. Merlin opens his eyes fully, ignoring the crusty feel of them, to fix a glare at them.

“Dammit, you?”

Arthur doesn’t respond with a glare or a retort like Merlin thought he would, instead staring at the area around Merlin’s hand. Merlin follows his unreadable gaze to see his goblet, knocked over on the floor. 

Merlin sets it right-side up. “Better?”

Arthur snorts, then cuts off the sound as if he had made it against his will, and Merlin is incredibly surprised that the man had gone so long without saying anything. Yelling at him. 

“What possibly possessed you— what, was two days in the tavern not enough for you?” Ah, there it is. But he’s not yelling, and Merlin thinks that perhaps the tavern jab is meant to be comforting. Arthur’s weird brand of comforting. “And why here of all places?”

Merlin laughs, a little wetly, because somehow that’s funny, and says, “And why are you here, then?” It comes out slurred.

As he speaks, Arthur’s facial expression changes to a very familiar one: irritation. “Because my idiot of a manservant is a drunken fool.” 

“Hey!” Merlin is offended by that. “I’ve never even been drunk before now, except for—  for—” Merlin tries to remember. “Will. Will and I did, once.”

Will is another thing to be sad about. 

Arthur does not respond immediately, but eventually, he says, “I’m sure your friends at the tavern would disagree.”

Frowning, Merlin doesn’t say anything. He doesn’t think that deserves a response, firstly, but secondly, he is starting to remember why he came here. His vision becomes a little bit blurry again, Arthur’s frown going out of focus.

Arthur sighs. “I understand that coming back after your ordeal in the forest might be hard, but you can’t waste yourself away in the bottom of a cup.”

He knows he told Arthur some story about what happened to him in the forest, but he currently can’t remember what it was. How much did Arthur know? Did he know about Morgana? About Merlin being enchanted?

“It was hard,” is all he ends up saying. Something in the back of his mind screams that saying even that was a mistake. But he means it.

Arthur’s eyes widen briefly before they soften, considering him. He gets up from his crouch and Merlin thinks he’s going to leave, but instead, he moves to sit beside him against the wall. Merlin lets him.

When he speaks again, Arthur speaks quietly. “Did you hear anything of her, when her men captured you?”

Merlin doesn’t want to think about it anymore. He wants to do something else. But Arthur did ask. “She’s alive. Still eager for the throne, ready to kill you. Still mad at me.”

Next to him, he feels Arthur’s head whip around. Merlin doesn’t turn to look back at him.

“Merlin, what...” Arthur begins, slowly, then carefully restarts. “Merlin, it almost sounds as if you met her.”

He does look at him, now, and he sees the beginnings of betrayal in the crease in Arthur’s brow, but he also sees concern. Merlin smiles, and the crease deepens.

“Yeah.”

He thinks he sees a mirror shattering in Arthur’s eyes, and he wants to be able to fix it, but he can’t. He can never fix anything. Raising his arm, he scrubs at his eyes with a shirtsleeve, and Arthur chooses then to speak, maybe utilizing his distraction.

“Well, you’re clearly not…” At his pause, Merlin looks up, seeing him biting his lip. “You’re not well right now.” 

Merlin snorts.

Ignoring him, Arthur continues on. “You’re not well, and this might be a pointless question even when you are, considering your general intelligence,” His eyes meet Merlin’s at the tease, yet an unreadable emotion in his eyes makes the joke fall flat. He faces forward again, eyes gone from Merlin’s. “But why would she be mad at you?”

There’s a drinking game the other servants play some nights. He’s not entirely sure of the specifics, but he knows they sit around a table and ask each other questions, and sometimes they drink alcohol because of it. Merlin had always wanted to play, but he never did —  he couldn’t remember why he didn’t, but he knows he wants to be able to do it with at least one of his friends. At least one, before he can’t anymore. And he can’t remember how much he had to drink, but after the anger of that last glass, he’s feeling a little more energized. 

Reckless.

“Why don’t we,” Merlin pushes himself off the floor enough to sit up straight. “Why don’t we play a game? I’ll answer any of your questions, and if you can tell I’m lying, I’ll take a drink.” 

“Merlin,” Arthur enunciates as if talking to a child. “You don’t have any more wine.”

“Pshhhh, I’ll just tell you then.”

“Tell me what, exactly?”

The hesitance in Arthur’s voice is somewhat uncharacteristic, but the curiosity isn’t. Merlin grins victoriously and leans closer to say, 

“If you’re right.” 

At Arthur’s frown, Merlin’s victorious grin fades a little. Perhaps he won’t be able to play this game after all. Slouching, he thinks about how he should have done it with Lancelot when he had the chance. 

“Alright, then, if you’re so interesting,” Arthur says right as Merlin gives up hope, and Merlin is feeling so many things it’s hard to keep track, but he thinks it’ll be fun. Arthur’s looking at him a little too seriously for him to feel the same way, but whatever. They generally did things he wanted anyway — it was only right Merlin got a turn before Morgana killed them all. He waved a hand, signaling for Arthur to start, and there’s a pause before his response.

“Were you really at the tavern?”

“Ha!” Merlin didn’t expect that, expecting him to continue his questions about Morgana or maybe ask about Will and his drinking, but this is definitely an easier answer. “Nope. Gaius is jus’ uncreative.”

He watches as Arthur’s fist tightens slightly where it rests on the floor, and he hopes he doesn’t get yelled at today. He’s pretty sure he’ll have a headache tomorrow without any extra abuse.

Instead of shouting at him, Arthur sighs sharply through his nose. “Lying to the king is considered treason, you know.” Merlin shrugs. “What else have you lied about?”

“That’s not a very specific question,” He considers whether or not that follows the rules of the game, but he also can’t really remember if there were enough to tell. He decides this is just an instance where he’ll lie. “But not very much.”

Something about that unnerves Arthur, causes his fist to unclench and his face to slacken. “You’re lying.”

Ah. “I am.”

As soon as the words are out of his mouth, Arthur is standing up, seemingly ready to stop their short-lived game and throw Merlin in the stocks. It’s a little dramatic considering even Arthur himself lies sometimes, but as Merlin watches Arthur stand in the middle of Morgana’s chambers - amidst dresses and weapons he knew Arthur had personally given her over the years - he doesn’t think it that dramatic after all. So Merlin keeps quiet as the king paces the floor, doesn’t say anything when Arthur kicks the dented pitcher across the room, and waits until Arthur’s breathing slows. 

“Why would — ” He doesn’t finish the question, but he doesn’t have to.

“There are a lot of tiny reasons, but I think…” Merlin stares at the ceiling instead of Arthur, letting his head rest against the wall. “I think I don’t want to force you to make a decision that’d hurt you. Or me, honestly.”

That’s enough to get Arthur to sit back down next to him again. Merlin’s brief burst of energy is gone and he doesn’t want to be in this room anymore, but he’s too tired to get up. With both of them tired, they sit in silence for a while, letting the dust settle again.

When it comes, Arthur’s voice is monotone. “Why was Morgana mad at you?”

He lets out a long breath. He knows, he knows he really shouldn’t tell Arthur anything about this, but the wine is still dripping slowly off the bed, and he can’t bring himself to tell him anything but something genuine. He thinks that’s okay, just for right now.

“I never gave her a chance,” Merlin starts. “I think that’s what made her like this in the end. I was the only one she had, and I never —” He runs his hands through his hair, letting his fingers pull on the strands to feel the burn of it. The burn travels down to his eyes, and his tiredness again gives way to resigned anger, one that slowly peters out. “I never gave her a fucking chance, Arthur, not when it mattered. And I don’, I don’t even know what I could’ve done differently, but her hatred — it only started once I stopped giving her a chance. And now she’s alone with it.”

He wants to regret saying it, but he can’t, not right now. Still, he’s said too much, implied too much, and he expects Arthur to be angry, demanding, maybe even jokingly exasperated. Instead, Arthur stares at him, unnervingly calm. He feels that underneath the calm, a fire is waiting to burn him further. It’s more likely he’s just trying to piece together anything coherent from what he just said, but Merlin still feels like he is in the eye of the storm, ready to turn around and find debris hurtling straight for his neck. He can’t help the shake of his hands, though maybe that’s partly the drink.

Arthur worries his bottom lip as he continues to study him, head tilted; it was a look he grew when he was particularly deep in thought, and Merlin had had it pointed at him a few times, but never had Arthur been so open about it, usually cutting the act short when he realized that scrutinizing Merlin means showing he cares about Merlin. That Arthur isn’t doing so now worries him, and he opens his mouth, ready to say something even though there are so many residual emotions swirling around in him that he cannot fathom what he even can say, after all of that. Apparently, Arthur has an idea.

“It wasn’t your fault.” 

Merlin doesn’t blink, he doesn’t stare. He just sits with a tightness in his chest.

Arthur repeats it. “What happened to Morgana wasn’t your fault, Merlin.” He can’t think. Arthur can’t say that, not when he doesn’t know-

“You don’t— you can’t— “

Arthur interrupts him like the prat he was born to be. “Perhaps I don’t. Perhaps I know much less of you than I thought I did,” Merlin feels tightness anew at the sincerity in his voice, and Arthur continues on. “But what little I do know is that whoever’s hand guided Morgana’s hatred, it was not yours.”

He stands, shoulders straightening, before he offers a hand to Merlin. When he doesn’t take it, Arthur huffs and pulls him off the floor by his arm. In the back of his mind, Merlin thinks that it’s a rather rude thing to do, but he’s too preoccupied stupidly staring at Arthur to voice anything to that effect.

Arthur squeezes his arm just so before slinging it over his shoulder, apparently not trusting Merlin to walk on his own. “And I also know that sitting here rotting in drink isn’t going to help you any.”

Despite Merlin’s weak protests, he guides them out of Morgana’s chambers, raising a dismissive hand to any guards stationed in the halls. As they enter the hall leading to the physician’s quarters, Arthur slows, and Merlin finds himself staring at him with slightly more intelligence. He knows he probably needs to say something.

“Arthur—”

“Not tonight, Merlin,” he interrupts, and Merlin can feel Arthur’s neck tense beneath his arm. “But tomorrow, tomorrow I am sure we will find plenty to discuss.”

He releases Merlin, making sure he can stand on his own, before he walks away, taking whatever Merlin could have said with him.

As Merlin ignores Gaius’ exasperated questions and collapses onto his bed, he doesn’t think— cannot think of anything but Arthur’s back as he walked away from him.

[farieshades]

🙂🙂

What do you think about the realtionship dynamics between Arthur and Merlin?

The relationship is friendship throughout the show, no matter what fandom (myself included) chooses to believe. But, they do love eachother, but whether that is brothers, friends, lovers, or otherwise specified is generally up to interpretation. There is a potential for Arthur to choose not to enter a relationship with Merlin due to his preconceived notions of needing a wife, perpetuated by his father and the court. Maybe it was Merlin ‘rejecting’ a love interest that he couldn’t show his whole self too. Either way, the show doesn’t have them as lovers, so I’m basing this response off friendship generally. 

The two of them are powerful, in their own ways, but Merlin is trapped in his destiny and Arthur might kill him if he knew the truth. [Though it is my belief that Merlin can’t die as evident from the last scene of the series, nevertheless, I doubt Merlin would like to try.] 

Through Season 1 we start the relationship with Arthur showing a trusting and honest visage in believing the word of a servant who he’s just met against that of another knight, and then instantly defying his father (Treasonous to disobey the word of the King) to save said servant. Then, the habit of saving eachother starts to become a normal progression through the episodes. 

But let’s backtrack for a moment, I’m getting ahead of myself. 

The show doesn't start with them as friends. Rather the opposite in fact. The quickest enemies-to-lovers I can think of probably. But, we meet Arthur picking on a servant, acting as a bully until Merlin calls him off with a very... well we know the scene. Iconic. 

Nevertheless, Merlin is quickly tossed in jail. 

Our boy came into Camelot with fists flying not caring who they hit honestly. 

Then, Helen of Mora and the sleep song that knocked everyone out where they stood except for Merlin not even being the slightest affected, and, notably, saving Arthur. This then starts where the friendship grows from, not quickly, likely, as they are still strangers for a long while, but now they're strangers who are relying on eachother. 

Arthur relies on Merlin not to get him killed, trusts him to get his armour done (despite Merlin never having dones such a thing), relies on his food not being poisoned, relies on a lot of little things that probably seem inconsiquential until they don't actually get done and suddenly nothing works (cue a flashforward to the disheveled Arthur trying to find Merlin season 4). 

Episode 7 stands out, when Merlin is, probably literally, sticking his neck out lying to the King at Arthur's request, though bewitched as Arthur probably doesn't care either way. 

"You're not merely a warrior, you're a prince - a future king. You've proved your courage, but you must prove your wisdom" from episode 9, shows Merlin has come to know who Arthur is beneath the exterior of a bully that's slowly fading away, something that Gwen or Morgana comments on at some point though for the life of me I can't remember when. 

The end of Season 1 shows the relationship as strong, Arthur's still somewhat clueless as to who Merlin is (as he really does remain through the entirey of the series), but Merlin and thus the audience, has a pretty good grasp on Arthur. The friendship only grows over the next two seasons. 

Through Season 2, from the limited knowledge Arthur has, when he scolds Merlin, there’s a legitimate reason for it, which is a theme through the season and onwards. Gaius says he’s skiving off work and in the taverns? Merlin’s just gone with no explanation for a few days comes back looking beat up and swaying, easily could have been a tavern brawl and drunkenness rather than bone-tired and potential blood loss. 

However, that first episode with Sigan completely wiped Arthur’s characterization from Season 1. This does fix itself (although this is the season with the wonderful Troll Stepmother whom Arthur wasn’t listening to again), with Aredian, Kilgharrah, and their talks about Gwen, episode 9 with the hunter who captured Freya saying he trusted Merlin (despite instantly after seeing stolen food which he shakes his head at). The trust is still there, it’s just swaying back and forth wildly like a monkey stranded on a vine.

This is evident in the very first episode here with Cedric usurping Merlin's position and subsequentially being possessed by Sigan. However, Arthur in this season is relying on Merlin more, sneaking him out of the castle, sneaking him into the castle, sneaking Merlin out of the castle in the 'wooing' schemes. 

The problem happening in the season in regards to the relationship, is Arthur's belief of courtly values and stations. "She can't be your friend, let alone anything else." He may be saying this to Merlin about Morgana, but he's also referring Gwen to himself, then he'll go and treat Merlin like a friend (that he is), then deny that there is friendship between them (notably Balinor's episode and episode 6's end of not-hug). 

Then not long after denying friendship, episode 6 happens and Arthur doesn't arrest Merlin. The patterns of friendship continue as Arthur regularly breaks laws and orders for Merlin's comfort (Gaius in episode 7 notably). 

We also get an interesting scene of 'acceptance' in episode 9 with the wonderful dress scene in that “As long as you do a decent day's work Merlin, that’s all I care about [...] what a man does in his spare time is completely up to him. [...] The colour suits you, Merlin!” Now, it's unclear what any LGBTQ status characters are dealing with in Merlin as they're not mentioned, but it wouldn't be a stone throw from assuming 'not good' with how much magic can be seen as an allusion for queerness (in Morgana's quote in season 3 specifically, or in the druid scene). This is just a layer of acceptance that Arthur is showing with regards to, from Arthur's perspective, Merlin being a cross-dresser (which probably didn't help when Gwen found him going through jewlery. The King and Queen giving him a nice dress is now suddenly in my head and Merlin just does not know how to decline that). 

Then, a few episodes later we find Balinor we get an annoying "I know I'm a prince, so we can't be friends, but if I wasn't a prince[...] well then, I think we'd probably get on." Arthur sees a status imbalance with him as the problem, that he is a prince. Not that Merlin is a servant. And so we end seaosn 2 with not-quite-equals but unrecognized-verbally-friends. 

Through Season 3 we finally start getting to see more equality between the two show up through the season. Arthur is growing as a person, seeing servants as equals rather than as before when he thought that couldn't be possible. We also get Arthur understanding layers of Merlin somewhat, as evident in episode 2 "There are times, Merlin, when you display a sort of – I don’t know what it is – I want to say...It’s not wisdom. But yes, that’s what it is. Don’t look so pleased the rest of the time you’re a complete idiot" which was in response to Arthur who will one day be a great king. 

Now, this season also introduces the knights (barring Lancelot from season 1 and Leon from season 2), and Arthur is gaining friends that are changing his worldview (in particular Gwaine and his flirtatious nature with Gwen provoking a surge of what one may call protection or jealousy in Arthur). 

At the end of the season, we get the fun 'Cup of Life' debacle in which Arthur trusts only Merlin to aid with the retrieval, and when they sneak back into the castle to meet up with Gwaine and Elyan with Arthur injured, Merlin takes charge making things run smoothly in the escape. Then, finally, the round table of ancient kings, and placing strangers who aided him (Percival), common-born (to-be) knights, and servants (Gwen and Merlin) around the table with him. I think the only actual nobles there were Leon and Gwaine aside from Arthur, which is uite the big step to equality that is a basis behind the Arthurian legend to begin with, something that was missing, but steadily growing, in the first two seasons. 

The very end of season 3 we get the joking scene of cleaning Arthur's boots, put on as an act rather than an order, evident by the joking manner it is said in. This scene also shows the audience a hint of what the future holds for their friendship. 

Now in this season, we also get a wonderful commentary from January 2, 2021, 12:45PM - @Im-an-assbutt, in the "Merlin is Arthur's Mistress" idea. No idea where the idea originated from, and google hates me trying to figure out what "Mistress treatment" actually is, so i'm going to accept this at face value. 

When Season 4 starts, we see Merlin in the role as an advisor, or, partially. He's writing speeches, helping with government things. And instantly the audience can see the dynamic between them as the Dorocha are released and attacking Camelot. 

Now, I know the fainting scene gets lots of backlash from Arthur seemingly rolling his eyes at the display and Lancelot rushing to help, however, as someone who does faint often Old friends just kinda let me lay there while new friends freak out, and strangers on the street unfortunately like to call for assistance. So, to me it never struck me as peculiar to see, but that’s my two cents into that. 

Now, quickly the group goes onto the fun Dorocha quest and we get some fun whump Merlin scenes in which Arthur nearly calls of the quest to save the entire Kingdom because Merlin was injured (by something that no mortal had ever survived but that's probably besides the point I'm sure). Not long after Merlin returns hale, the audeince gets to learn Arthur is deciding to sacrifice himself, refusing to let Merlin do so and even (deleted scene) handing him his mother's sigil, which, at the time, is basically marking Merlin as heir to Camelot, or at the very least, heir to Arthur. Suddenly understandable why this isn't kept in, but whatever, it's true in my heart. 

Now quite quickly after all this, Uther is killed (in Arthur's perspective by Magic), and Arthur blames magic calling it 'pure evil' and something he should never have trusted in to merlin's face, and yet, Arthur leaves the great hall after a night of mourning to find Merlin having been sitting outside all night. The friendship is still there, nonetheless, in fact, that's one of the things Arthur quickly reaffirms "You are a loyal friend, Merlin." 

But, now, Arthur takes the throne, with his uncle Aggravating whispering into his ear false beliefs of worth and general bullshit, and starts pushing people away (episode 5 "stick to what you know" when Merlin tried to talk to him about the issues happening reinforced later by "I don't need anyone. I can't afford that luxury.") And it's a toxic mindset to be sure, but his only rolemodle of a King growing up was a widowed man who was paranoid about everything who was a tyrant to his people and had no true friends... that's a terrible Role Modle, Arthur, please, go read a book about the Roman Empire, preferably not Nero or Caligula. 

Anyway, as the season progresses, we get introduced to George who Merlin definitely knows as he's practically running Camelot behind the scenes, but this shows Arthurs reluctance to get a new servant. Merlin in his position serves as a confidant, a friend, and an advisor. He doesn't want him replaced. 

It's not without problems, sure, but it wouldn't be interesting if it was. The end of the season however, throws the nearly-invisible-now imbalance into Merlin's favour as he strips Arthur of his 'will', this doesn't last however. Yet, the ending of the season also further strengthens Merlin's resolve to never tell Arthur because if there is one thing obvious, Arthur hates being betrayed and secrets, and the subterfuge Merlin used to conceal his magic would easily be seen as a betrayal, something Agravaine tells the audience in their confrontation. 

With Season 5, the first thing we should note is the existing time gap between S4 and S5 that is the time of mystery and when anything under the sun could have happened as we generaly have no bloody idea outside of Kidnapped!Morgana. But, with regard to the fun dynamics going on, Merlin retains the position he was appointed to in the first episode, that of Manservant I mean, but he is also Arthurs most trusted advisor and confidant, a long way from where they began. 

But then, this season decides to do the magic reveal (at the last episode area which is very annoying but alrighty), and flips that on its head. But we'll get there in a moment. 

We see the two arguing 'like an old married couple' within the first part of the season, the iconic "Is there anything you're actually capable of doing?" / "Putting up with you", an argument that would never happen between a King and any servant (barring Merlin, who is just as wild as he was when he showed up in camelot with fists swinging, it's just been tamed into a focus now). 

There is also more of Merlin confiding in Arthur through season 5, there is understanding, there is trust, and there is, overwhelmingly, friendship. 

When the Horn of Cathbhadh arrives on the scene, we get the very interesting scenario with the apple bowl. Now, there's no reason for Arthur to need to hide something from Merlin as he enters. And yet he does, knowing that Merlin will give him that Merlin-look and he'll need to explain himself. This, of course, ends with Uther haunting Camelot, great for all involved really. 

But let's move on. 

The season also has some of the worst decisions Merlin makes, but he does make them under faulty knowledge and mistrust and paranoia, such as the Disir. Not only would his advice as an advisor be horribly biased in the episode, but he held the knowledge that 1) Mordred is the problem 2) To save Mordred you must accept magic - therefore the only conclusion is Let Mordred Die by Refusing Magic. Really bad wording on that if I'm honest, but I suppose Mordred did die when Arthur refused Magic, just not instantly. 

Eventually, we get to a heartwrenching scene "You know, Merlin, all those jokes about you being a coward, I never really meant any of them. I always thought you were the bravest man I ever met. I guess I was wrong", which is absolute bullshit. Fuck Arthur for this sentence in particular. 

The next time they truly talk in episode 13: 

"I defeated the Saxons, the dragon, and yet I knew that it was Mordred that I must stop. / The person who defeated them was the sorcerer. / That was me. / Don’t be ridiculous, Merlin. That’s stupid. Why would you say that? / I’m a sorcerer. I have magic. And I use it for you, Arthur, only for you. / Merlin, you are not a sorcerer, I would know! / Look, here ~Magic occurs~ / Leave me." 

Really, truelly, awful way to start the end of the series, but at least we finally got a magic reveal. But at the same time, the reaction would have been similar regardless. Arthur trusts people easily and completely, Merlin more than anyone else, and to learn that there was something hidden from him is taken as an instant betrayal, something that would have happened no matter when the reveal occured (Though S1-3 there's danger of execution from Uther, then Arthur never actually is seen removing the laws anyway so.... Arthur what the fuck do you want from Merlin?? When would the opportune moment ever be for this?)

Now, it's clear that Arthur still trusts Merlin after this, as he tries to get Gaius to send Merlin to Gwen. He'd never do that if that trust vanished, not to his wife and Queen. However, Gaius does turn Arthur's views, he tells him Merlin is the greatest sorcerer to walk the earth, and Arthur completely balks at the idea, after all, he knows Merlin. Maybe not completely, but you don't spend 9 years day-in and day-out at someone's side and not know them. 

Arthur reacts negatively to Merlin dispatching Saxons with a wave of his hand, because that shatters the image that Arthur had of Merlin being someone Arthur needed to protect, someone who wouldn’t/couldn’t hurt a fly, someone who was incapable of harm. [Now I swear there was a fanfic I read that had the reveal and Arthur having a "oh no I'm gay" reveal himself after that but I can't for the life of me remember it, Gaius in this was completely exhasperated like "sir, you're not enchanted, your pining"].

But, continuing on to the last moments, more or less, we also get "So you’re not an idiot, that was another lie. / No, it’s just another part of my charm." Which really is true. Merlin is still an idiot, which at this point is practically just a character trait for him. A powerful, somewhat scary idiot, but still a brave one. Still probably tripping over his own feet and dropping things. 

The last thing I wanted to touch on in Season five was Arthurs last words. "I want to say something I’ve never said to you before. Thank you." Thank you had been said multiple times, but never to the level that it needed to be. But now, Arthur knows what he was thanking him for, giving him credit for all the things Merlin sacrificed and did. [Now again, commentary on this has people suspecting Arthur says “I Love You” which is potentially debatable, but the words aren’t actually there, so we’re going with “thank you”]

From what may be Arthur’s view of the entire series (which reiterates some of the above), there are numerous times when Arthur disrespected Merlin (Sigan and the Merlin stepping stool, trusting some random family member you haven’t seen in years vs a man who has been at your side for years), but Merlin still considered Arthur his best friend. 

To Arthur, this relationship starts as Prince and Manservant (Or before that, Prince and Peasantry), but this quickly devolves because Merlin refuses to act like a Manservant. He’s a friend, stubbornly loyal, shit at obeying orders, and brave as fuck. They share secrets (somewhat common with Manservants I can imagine as Lady’s in Waiting were in a similar position and were held as being confidants to their Lord/Lady… Theoretically, this would be a Lord-in-waiting or perhaps another role, but none of this is ever mentioned in Merlin and insofar as Medieval heirarchy and households go, BBC Merlin doesn't dwell on that 'under the stairs' stuff.) Nevertheless, there is a separation of class and a known power imbalance from the get go as Master and Servant, but Arthur still saw it as more equal than he is shown to behave with the servant in the first episode. 

Arthur eventually realizes that Merlin is constantly going above and beyond what should be expected of a normal servant, especially from the view that Merlin can leave anytime.’ He is under employ of the King, but he was also working two jobs (Manservant and Physician) and Merlin could very well up and leave back to Ealdor should he choose. But in his perspective, Arthur protects Merlin, pushing him away from conflict and throwing himself ahead of Merlin to protect him (nicely moving away from Merlin’s glowing gold eyes as branches fall), then instantly looking for Merlin after the battle ends (usually scoffing about hiding despite Merlin having no armour or weapon on patrol). This part doesn’t quite change, not until the last few episodes as the above states. 

Now, in Merlin’s view of the series, that we mostly see the lens of, there are times when it feels like the reason Merlin hasn’t left Camelot was because of the Prophecy of an aged Dragon giving him the feeling of obligation to Camelot, Magical People, and Arthur’s safety. Thus, this is his destiny, he doesn’t have a choice to leave (in his way of thinking at least), and while he keeps the secrets of Arthur, there is no way for Arthur to do the same to him, because Arthur is Prince/King of a kingdom that kills people like Merlin. 

He can’t defend himself, not with magic at the very least, should Arthur physically move to hurt him. Not only would this be near treasounous, but it would have him ostracised by the Kingdom, potentially exiled if not killed and it really would hurt the attempts of promoting good magic (which the show doesnt do anyway). Also, Arthur is Merlin’s only hope at a future away from persecution, and hope is a disease that clings on. Merlin makes choices to keep Arthur alive that actively hurt the people that ‘Emrys’ should protect. So in Merlin's view, there are a lot of red flags going around that are being ignored. 

And then, the bloody idiot Prince/King goes and Risks his Life to protect Merlin. To be fair, Merlin does the same, but really, please, stop risking your life and war, you're just going to give Merlin a heart attack at some point.

One of the biggest imbalances that we get to see, from Merlin’s pov, is the secret imbalance. Arthur confides everything to Merlin, whereas Merlin’s secrets build up drastically as the seasons continue and he gets more secrets to hide. 

Tldr; Their relationship is, considering the era represented, overwhelmingly positive [if we ignore the ptsd Merlin is going to be dealing with for the next 1500 years]. There are toxic traits that exist on both sides of the men that cause imbalances in any type of relationship one would have, but there isn’t any ‘equal’ characters that would exist for them presented (Prince of Camelot to any other Prince is never shown, only princesses / and Greatest Warlock to Walk the Earth doesn’t exactly have any equals).

[friendlyneighborhoodcapricorn]

so I'm watching merlin again rn (I don't think I've watched anything else for a week straight) and uh, it's been two episodes and I've barely seen gwaine and I feel the dire need to complain about that. like sure sure arthur's king now wonderful show me gwaine for longer than two seconds please. so for the sake of getting any gwaine content today, hello, I have come here, and I'm asking you for some gwaine headcanons! what would it be like to date him? specifically before he became a knight of camelot? say, like, before the end of season three? because once I've watched further I absolutely will come back and beg you for some dating sir gwaine headcanons but that'll probably have to wait until I at least finished season four

Ooh yes absolutely!!

You definitely met in some roadside tavern, when you saved his ass after he got himself in over his head in yet another bar fight.

Gwaine is charming, but none of that worked with you. You just saw him as the idiot from the tavern who thought he could handle a dozen men coming at him at once.

But while Gwaine is very respectful of boundaries (as we see when he’s with Gwen), he doesn’t leave you alone.

Claims the road is a dangerous place to be on your own. When you point out that he’s also alone, he just says “not anymore, I’m with you, aren’t I?”

And that? That playful smile as he says that? You feel something change between the two of you, like the ice has finally been broken.

But it’s more than that. In hindsight, you know that was the moment you fell in love with him.

So from then on, neither of you ever has to be alone again. You travel together, whichever the way wind blows, or chasing the sunset all the way down to the sea.

It’s not always easy, life on the road, but with Gwaine walking next to you, it’s comfortable.

For all the non-stop talking Gwaine did those first two days, you quickly learn that he enjoys silence just as much. He likes hearing the world around him; likes hearing the wind in the trees and the squirrels in the bushes and your footsteps next to his own.

He takes you to meet his mother and sister once, which is when you learn that Gwaine is actually from noble heritage. You don’t bring it up, knowing he’ll explain in his own time, and he does so the next day, when you’re back on the road.

Gwaine is a hopeless romantic, and so was the way he asked you out.

You’d been staying at an inn, where Gwaine had insisted you took the bed -you weren’t opposed to sharing, but this one really was just too narrow to fit 2 people- while he slept on the floor. But unbeknownst to you, there was an ulterior motive to his altruism.

He’d been in this area before, and he happened to know a beautiful clearing by a waterfall. He set it up in the middle of the night, leaving the second you had fallen asleep, and barely made it back before you woke up.

It was a warm, sunny day and neither of you were ever in a hurry, so Gwaine made sure you took your time walking back there.

You noticed he was nervous; he wasn’t as talkative, but he also didn’t seem to enjoy the silence like he usually did. Even when you reached the clearing, a colourful field of wildflowers greeting you, it didn’t immediately make sense.

He’d put a blanket down, set up some food and drinks in the shade of the trees, didn’t sleep all night just to get this done. It was a nice surprise, a lovely one, even though you weren’t sure why.

But it didn’t really make sense until he asked you out, right when the sun hit the top of the waterfall, golden evening light filling the air.

And there’s no one around, but even if there were, you’d still react the same way: by grabbing the front of his shirt and pulling him closer so you could kiss him.

You stay up that whole night, talking and looking at the stars and making up stories for them, and you spend the whole next day there too, catching up on sleep or swimming in the river.

You can’t get married, unable to pay an official, but neither of you cares. At some point, Gwaine comes up to you with two wooden rings, woven from branches of a willow tree (a symbol of love in Celtic belief), and you both consider that more important than anything an official, a stranger, could have to say about you being together.

There’s many, many more bar fights, but the two of you fight like a well-oiled machine. Even after all this time, Gwaine is still in awe whenever he sees you take up a blade or throw a punch. He can get a little distracted by it, which means you probably have to save his ass again. And when you mockingly scold him afterwards, he laughs and says “just like old times, love”.

And then, for once, it’s not Gwaine stirring up trouble in a tavern. No, this time it’s the prince of Camelot.

This got out of hand, so I’m going to leave at this, but I hope you liked this <3

[botanicallyinclinednerd]

Moments that highlight Merlin and Gwaine’s dynamic:

3x04: Gwaine's first words directly to Merlin are "pass the jug" which Merlin does and he just stares as Gwaine drinks from it and punches a guy in the face with no problem.

3x04: Gwaine flirting asking Merlin for his name and introducing himself to Merlin in the middle of a bar fight (that he threw the first punch of because he saw Arthur and Merlin had gotten themselves into a predicament). Merlin is completely baffled by this man that bashed someone over the head with a pitcher of alcohol, commented on the waste of alcohol, and threw himself back into the thick of the fight with a flip of his hair

3x04: Merlin has no idea how to react to Gwaine and his attitude towards nobles or his reason for helping them in the tavern being due to their slim odds of winning

3x04: Merlin’s stunned exasperation at Gwaine’s bar tab

3x04: Drunk Gwaine telling Merlin as he helps him up the stairs to his bed, "You're the best friend I've ever had" and Merlin replying "you seem to have quite a few" and laughing at Gwaine’s drunken laughter. They then exchange bits of their tragic backstories. Gwaines laughter at hitting his head against the wall sets Merlin off again, laughing at Gwaine’s antics.

3x04: the conversation about fathers while cleaning the boots. If I'm not mistaken, Gwaine is the only person, Gaius aside, that Merlin ever talked to about Balinor after having briefly met him.

3x04: Gwaine getting concerned when Merlin doesn't come back quickly and going to find him. Gwaine asking Merlin if he's okay and upon getting a "no" from Merlin, readily fighting the two "knights" to protect Merlin

3x04: Merlin apologizing for Gwaine getting banished and when Gwaine brushes it off and says "People get sick of me too quickly" Merlin quickly replies "I didn't" and Gwaine seems surprised by this: "After the trouble I caused?" And he laughs at Merlins response "you livened the place up." Gwaine gives Merlin a pat on the shoulder and a smile/nod in farewell.

3x04: Merlin grinning as he recognizes Gwaine’s disarming maneuver on one if the thug knights.

3x04: Merlin expressing concern at Gwaine saying he might go to Mercia. Merlin proceeds to try to convince Gwaine to stay. Like the first time in the episode Gwaine says good bye, Gwaine claps Merlin on the shoulder and gives him a nod and a smile. It also looks like he winks at Merlin as well this time.

3x08: Merlin grinning when he greets Gwaine when he finds him in a bar brawl. Gwaine looks and sounds delighted to see Merlin, grinning back. Ignores the fight to greet Merlin, the shot changing to show Gwaine with his arm around Merlin shoulders

3x08:The whole escape scene is amazing, the music adding to the hilarity. Gwaine, like any good friend, shrugging and pushing Merlin off the wall into the hay bellow

3x08: Them laughing over Merlin searching every tavern in Angard for Gwaine and Gwaine replying he'd be in all of them

3x08: Campfire scene in the Perilous lands. Merlin asks Gwaine why he wants to help and Gwaine responds "Same reason as you. To help a friend," and when Merlin says "Arthur is lucky to have us" Gwaine replies "Not Arthur," while looking at merlin with this look on his face and giving Merlin a tiny smile. Merlin responds "I'd do the same for you," "I'd hope so. You're the only friend I've got." Merlin raises his eyebrows at that "I'm not surprised" and they both laugh

3x08: Gwaine pushing Merlin into the room out of the way of the descending stone wall

3x08: Gwaine pulling Merlin into a hug when they find Merlin unharmed in the room. Its a very bro-y hug with back slaps

3x08: Merlin smiles at Gwaine and thanks him for his help as they part ways at the border.

3x12: Gwaine started moving towards Merlin and Arthur after he heard Merlin’s voice, meaning he recognized it. Merlin is delighted to see Gwaine, grinning widely. Gwaine calls Merlin "old friend" and puts his hands on Merlin's shoulders

3x12: Merlin telling Gwaine what their quest is and Arthur getting annoyed because it was a secret and Merlins response is "Its Gwaine!"

3x12: The fire wood bit where Gwaine messes with Merlin and Merlin doesn't realize it. "Merlin, don't you know when someone's joking with you?" Merlin laughs. Gwaine then makes a quip about his reputation and winks at Merlin

3x13: Gwaine asks Merlin if he's alright, comments that it looked like Merlin had seen a ghost

4x01: when Merlin spots Gwaine and Percival chicken fishing from the grate, Gwaine puts a finger to his lips with a grin. Merlin is amused by their antics

4x02: Gwaine gives Merlin a hug when he rejoins them before the Isle of the Blessed

4x04: Gwaine compliments Merlin on the stew and thanks him while putting a hand on Merlin’s shoulder

4x04: the poisoned stew scene, Gwaine obnoxiously eats over Merlin shoulder and pats Merlin on the shoulder while Merlin is probably plotting his revenge against all 5 of them

4x06: Gwaine goes with Arthur to find Merlin and he talks up Merlin to Arthur. Can be inferred that Gwaine is indirectly telling Arthur to praise Merlin more. Gwaine can be seen grinning in the background when he and Arthur find Merlin

4x06: Gwaine calls Merlin "bog man" and looks hurt when Merlin refuses to let him snag any of the food and snaps at him.

4x06: Old man Merlin antagonizing Gwaine, alluding to his nobility without actually saying it. Merlin’s motivations behind this taunt are unclear

4x07: Gwaine is waiting for Merlin in Gaius’s chambers to check on him. Merlin is not happy to see him and is at first rather snappy. Gwaine seems a bit hurt by Merlin's dismissal, but he still lets Merlin know he's there to help him. Gwaine goes with Merlin to find Gaius

4x07 deleted scene: Gwaine and Merlin stop to eat around a fire. Gwaine assures Merlin that they will find Gaius and Merlin thanks him for the help. Merlin promises to return the favor one day and Gwaine makes a joke about Merlin maybe regretting that considering all the trouble he gets into. They laugh and then have a short heart to heart about fathers. (This scene can be found on YouTube under Merlin "4x07 deleted scenes")

4x07: when Gwaine is knocked to the ground by his opponent, Merlin used magic to knock him off his feet and he ended up landing on Gwaine. Gwaine is staring up at Merlin with wide eyes. Merlin helps Gwaine to his feet

4x07: Gwaine looks very displeased when Merlin tells Gwaine not to wait for him if he finds Gaius. Gwaine ends up trying to go looking for Merlin anyways but is talked out of it by Agravaine (btw Gwaine looks like he wants so badly to stab Agravaine in that scene on multiple occasions and I think its a shame that he didn't)

4x08: The fishing pole interaction in the night. The light banter

4x08: if you watch Gwaine in the background of the scene where Leon goes off on Merlin and calls him "nothing but a servant" you can see Gwaine looking livid and a muscle jumps in his jaw. The next scene when he shoves into Leon he asks Leon "why don’t you mind your damn tongue?" Which doesn't connect to Leon telling Gwaine to mind where he's going. It does however connect to Leon yelling at Merlin.

4x10: Gwaine scaring Merlin in the shrine by suddenly grabbing his shoulder and whispering "boo"

4x10: Gwaine giving Merlin a pouch of salt as protection against spirits and telling him if it didn't work, gaius could use it as seasoning. Merlin isn't amused by that

4x12: Gwaine pulls Merlin back and tells him they had no time to argue, Merlin needed to go.

5x02: Merlin smiles when he sees Gwaine alive

5x04: Gwaine is concerned for Merlin when he’s found unconscious, helping Percival lay him down and sitting by Merlin's head with his hands on Merlin's shoulders. He expresses concern to Gaius when Merlin takes too long to wake up

5x04: Gwaine is delighted to see Merlin awake and definitely goes in for a hug which Merlin derails by putting his hands on Gwaine’s shoulders and moving away before Gwaine can hug him. In the background Gwaine does a little smirk and head shake and Merlin back to his normal self

5x04: Before Merlin goes off to find Arthur, Gwaine stops him with a hand on his shoulder, wishing him luck

5x07: Merlin’s conversation with Gwaine about his suspicion that Arthur was not safe in Camelot. Gwaine promises Merlin that he will stick close to Arthur to protect him. He gives merlin his word.

5x07: connecting to the point above: Gwaine goes to check on Gwen when they lost the "intruder" if you really over analyze this scene and the scene in the courtyard, you could come to the conclusion that Gwaine is aware Merlin is in the room. His eyes keep darting to the corner where Merlin is and in fact its Gwaine looking in that direction that tips Gaius off to Merlin in that corner. When the previous point is taken into account, it is doubtful that Gwaine would have left Arthur unless he had reason to believe he was in more danger if he stayed than if he went with Gwen. But this is conjecture on my part and just what I took away from these scenes.

5x07: Gwaine smiles kindly at Merlin when he’s let out of the cells

5x11: Gwaine chuckling and commenting that Merlin had caught something on the hunting trip too (a cold)

5x11: Gwaine asking Merlin what was wrong after he and Leon encounter Mordred threatening Merlin in the hallway. Gwaine looks slightly concerned, especially after Merlin brushes it off and claims it was nothing.

5x12: Gwaine’s confidence in Merlins healing ability: "don't worry, Merlin knows what he’s doing"

5x12: Gwaine going with "my friend Merlin" to the crystal caves. That Merlin chose Gwaine speaks to his trust in him, and that he agreed readily speaks to Gwaine’s friendship to Merlin

5x12: Gwaine thanking Merlin for helping Eria, Merlin implying that Gwaine likes her, light teasing

5x12: Merlin lying defenseless on the ground and screaming for Gwaine, sounding absolutely petrified. Gwaine was already moving to Merlin before he yelled, as he noticed when Merlin went down. Gwaine asks him if he's okay and holds a hand out to help Merlin to his feet. Merlin thanks him and Gwaine replies, while clapping a hand on Merlin’s shoulder "No need to thank me Merlin. It was the least I could do."

5x12: Gwaine is taken aback when Merlin tells him that he will go the rest of the way on his own. Gwaine is concerned for Merlin’s safety. When Gwaine asks what Merlin is looking for, Merlin has a conflicted look on his face before he ultimately replies "I can't tell you that Gwaine. You'll just have to trust me" and Gwaine obviously does, as he does not push or protest and he gives a tiny nod of understanding.

5x12: Gwaine tells Merlin "Look after yourself Merlin" and gives Merlin his sword, making a joke about Merlin knowing how to use the sharp end that makes them both chuckle. When the shot shows Gwaine again, his eyes are filling with tears. They firmly grasp each other's arm in farewell

5x12: Gwaine tells Merlin "I hope you find what you're looking for" to which Merlin grins broadly at Gwaine and Gwaine smiles back, though it quickly fades as the tears in his eyes get more prominent and he actively looks like he's trying not to cry. Gwaine looks like he doesn't expect to see Merlin again. And he's right. "I hope you find what you're looking for" are Gwaine’s last words to Merlin.

Also: for the fucking record, the music playing in their final scene makes it so much more heart breaking. It starts off quieter and slow and at the end, at their goodbye, it swells and just has a feeling of finality to it without there being a proper ending.

[phantomchick]

Merlin fic rec list

To Be A King by clotpolesonly Teen And Up, No Archive Warnings Apply, Gen, Merlin and Arthur, Merlin and Mordred, Gwen/Arthur, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Merlin's Magic Revealed, Canonical Character Death, BAMF Merlin, Dragonlord Merlin, Original setting, Magical kingdom, King Merlin, Royal!Merlin Summary: When Merlin discovers that his father was an estranged prince and he himself is now the only heir to the throne of a magical kingdom, he is forced to leave Camelot for the perils of a royal court. Will Merlin be able to win Arthur's favor again before Morgana launches an attack on a defenseless Camelot? Will he be able to defend his own kingdom at the same time or will all be lost? -

A Matter of Sovereignty by Kizmet Gen, No Archive Warnings Apply, Friendship Summary A visiting prince takes it into his head to brutalize Merlin, but sometimes the solution to a problem is in how you phrase it.

-

Bumps and Bruises by platonic_boner merthur, implied/suspected abuse, Protective Arthur, Magic Revealed, pre-relationship, teen an up, canon typical violence,

Summary: Arthur notices Merlin’s constant injuries, and decides he needs to step in and protect Merlin.

-

Finding Home by riventhorn Arthur/Merlin, Hurt/Comfort Summary: Written for a kinkme_merlin prompt. When Gaius retires a new physician takes over and quickly kicks Merlin out of his room and takes it for himself. Arthur finds Merlin sleeping in the stables...and it's winter.

-

How To Love A Living Thing by Polomonkey Mature, merthur, Merlin/Arthur, Pendragon (Merlin), Hurt/Comfort, Abuse, Violence, Sexual Harassment, Drowning, Guilt, Romance, Protective Arthur, Mild Sexual Content, Redemption, Healing, Canon Era

Summary Guilt ridden and lonely after his confrontation with Nimueh, Merlin slowly begins to isolate himself from Arthur. When two knights take it upon themselves to teach him his place, Merlin finds himself with nowhere to turn. Will he be able to reach out to his prince before it's too late?

-

Obeisance by casspeach Gen, No Archive Warnings Apply, Merlin/Arthur

Summary: It's not that Arthur won't share his toys, just that he expects to get them back undamaged

-

All's Well That Ends Well by StormDancer explicit, Merlin/Arthur, Arthur Finds Out, magic reveal Summary: Merlin spent the week and a half that Arthur was gone splitting his time between crafting careful explanations that never ended up explaining the important things, the things that would make Arthur listen, and making half-baked plans to escape to Ealdor. He found a number of fire-proofing spells that would have no effect if they decided to cut his head off, and figured out how to adapt an invulnerability spell he had been trying to find a way to cast on Arthur without him noticing so that it would protect him from being decapitated, but it would have no effect on anything but metal. Despite all his frantic searching, he did not find a teleportation spell, because that would have been too simple and if there was one thing Merlin had learned in his years at Camelot, it was that nothing was ever simple.

-

Deeds by the5leggedCricket Merlin/Arthur Pendragon, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Soulmate-Identifying Marks, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Episode Related, Oblivious Arthur Pendragon, Teen and Up,

Summary: Arthur is coming of age, and that means he’s about to get Deeds—marks on his body telling him of his soulmate’s greatest accomplishments. But as he tries to find his soulmate, he also makes some worrying discoveries about the kind of person his soulmate is.

-

Honorable Intentions by smilebackwards Gwaine/Merlin, Guinevere/Arthur Pendragon, Courtship, Protectiveness, Protective!Arthur, Teen and Up, Summary: There are several considerations Arthur would like to go over, starting with the state of Merlin's virtue.

-

Laundry's Hard Work by supercalvin Gen, Teen and Up, Canon Era, can be read as pre-slash, BAMF Merlin

Summary: Wasn't Merlin supposed to be...tiny? When the hell had he learned to use a sword and not fall on his backside? Where the hell did those scars from? What the hell?

or Arthur still thinks Merlin is the young boy he met ten years ago and he starts to notice things in his manservant that he wasn't aware had changed at all.

-

Fathom Me Out by supercalvin Merlin/Arthur, Canon Era, Magic Revealed, Teen and up,

Summary: After ten years, Arthur thinks he has Merlin all figured out. But as he watches Merlin, he finds out that he has more questions than answers. The longer he thinks about it, the more uneasy he feels. So he pushes it aside. Except, he can no longer ignore the questions he has about Merlin. Not your everyday reveal!fic

-

Loyalty Before Royalty by CaffeinatedFlumadiddle Gen, Gwen & Merlin, Arthur and Merlin being the most iconic duo? I think tf not, Gwen and Merlin wreaking havoc? Teaming up against Arthur? That's the most iconic duo there, as usual, Explicit Language, Fluff and Humor, Attempt at Humor, Arthur is so exasperated, someone help him, good thing he loves them both

Summary: "Where did you get that?" Arthur asked, but he already knew the answer. "Gwen." "...and the horse?" "Gwen." "What about the-" "Gwen." Merlin interrupted. Arthur nodded. At this point, he wasn't sure why he even bothered to ask. He was pretty certain his wife was going to knight Merlin any day now.He looked Merlin up and down for a few moments before accepting it all with a sigh. "As long as you get my armor to me tomorrow...I don't care." He finally said, turning away. Merlin cleared his throat. "Gwen gave me tomorrow off." "For the love of God." Or I hate that Gwen and Merlin's friendship kind of withered away in the later seasons so here's a oneshot about her and Merlin abusing her new royal powers because that's what happens when your best friend becomes queen.

-

Know It All Knight by Shi_Toyu Leon & Merlin, Knights of the Round Table, Magic Revealed, protective leon, Arthur Finds Out, Oblivious Arthur

Summary: Leon couldn’t say for sure when the exact moment was that he figured out Merlin had magic. He’d suspected it for a little while, to be honest. He definitely had it figured out by the time Arthur managed to ‘kill’ the Great Dragon. What Leon could say for sure was the exact moment he figured out that no one else had figured out Merlin had magic.

-

The Nature of Trust by Lynds Merlin's Magic Revealed, Leon is the Mam Friend, Leon is so done, Protective Gwaine, Lancelot Lives, Canon Era, Arthur Finds Out, Hurt Merlin, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Torture, Canon-Typical Violence, reference to hunting and cooking animals Summary: Leon starts to notice that the knights, one by one, are starting to trust Merlin's judgement. That he keeps warning Arthur about danger, and being right. Is there more to Merlin than meets the eye?

-

Repercussions by PeaceHeather Fix-It of Sorts, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Lecture, Rants, Episode: s02e06 Beauty and the Beast, Episode: s02e05 Beauty and the Beast, Canon Era, One Shot, Gen Summary: Uther married a troll. In canon, that all worked out fine eventually. In this slight canon divergence, there is at least one noble who's not willing to let it slide so easily.

-

No Harm Will Come to You Here by fancyh Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Season/Series 05, Merlin's Magic Revealed, Fluff and Angst, temporary amnesia, teen and up,

Summary: "That was magic," Arthur accuses.

"Oh." Merlin just nods, looking unperturbed.

Arthur fights to keep his expression calm, mind racing and heart pounding. "Sorcery is outlawed in Camelot. On pain of death."

Merlin splutters, finally fixing Arthur with an affronted glare. "It's not like I meant to do it!"

***

Merlin gets hit with a spell meant for Arthur and loses his memory. Revelations ensue. Set sometime after 5x02.

-

Metamorphose by clotpolesonly Merlin/Arthur, Teen and Up, Between Seasons/Series, Episode: s03e01 The Tears of Uther Pendragon (Part I), Episode: s03e02 The Tears of Uther Pendragon (Part II), Mpreg, Magic Reveal, Angst with a Happy Ending, Pining, morgana redemption, some transphobic language from Merlin when he finds out he’s pregnant because of magic but it’s mostly just the shock that does it Summary: When Merlin falls into bed with Arthur, he doesn't expect for to wake up alone. He doesn't expect Arthur to give him the cold shoulder either, but there is something else he expects even less which forces him out of the kingdom for over a year. He returns to find a traitor in the court, an army on the way, and a love he'd thought all but lost waiting for him with open arms.

-

Four Days To Fall In Love. by CupCakezys Teen and Up, No archive warnings apply, Merlin/Arthur, Morgana/Gwen, Soulmate AU, Arthur Knows About Merlin's Magic, Protective Arthur, Mutual Pining, Angst with a Happy Ending, Secret Relationship

Summary: In a world where everyone has a soulmate (or two or three), Arthur Pendragon knows he is destined to be alone. For Arthur can see his heartstring, could follow it to where his soulmate lived, and that could only mean one thing.

His soulmate had magic, and should they ever meet, Arthur would have to kill them.

-

Sacrificial Lamb by RurouniHime Angst and Humor, Pining, First Time, First Kiss, Post Season 1, Initial Misunderstanding, But it’s resolved, Happy Ending, Fluff with a touch of angst at first

Summary: Arthur's been overworking his knights, so they come to Merlin as a last resort.

-

Cheers and Spirits by CaffeinatedFlumadiddle Gen, The knights are kinda fools, but the best king, Humour, Fluff, Fluff and Humour, Knights of the Round Table & Merlin

Summary: Despite all the supposed trips to the tavern none of the knights have seen Merlin drunk. They decide to rectify that. A poor decision, really.

-

Circle 'round the Truth by enviropony Merlin + Knights friendship, Gen, Magic Reveal, Oneshot, Knights of the Round Table & Merlin Summary: They know about the magic. Or, more accurately, Merlin's magic is the truth the knights circle around, and Merlin's loyalty is the one 'round which they rally. (A character study with some yelling, an action sequence, and a bit of walking.) Post-S4.

-

Strict Justice by schweet_heart mutual pining, BAMF Arthur, magic reveal, canon au, oneshot, teen and up

Summary: After a particularly grueling battle, Merlin and Arthur share a quiet moment in their tent.

-

before it breaks by schweet_heart Teen and Up, Hurt/Comfort, Angst, merlin whump, magic reveal, merlin & arthur, merthur

Summary: “It’s not what it looks like,” he says, hand still outstretched, barely a waver in his voice as he lies, outright, to Arthur’s face. “Sire, I can explain.”

“Can you,” Arthur says. He’s aware that he’s trembling, a seismic reaction to the outrage and denial still fighting it out inside his head, but he knows what he’s seen. What it must be. “Well, then, you’d better be quick about it, because it looks a lot like magic.”

-

Until the Day I Die by Cookie Teen and Up, Oneshot, Angst, Temporary Character Death, Angst with a Happy Ending

Summary: Arthur believed Dragoon had killed his father, and so he plunged his sword deep into the sorcerer. Now Merlin was dying in his arms and Arthur was facing the future alone.

-

These Castle Walls Bleed Lies by marguerite_26 Mature, hurt/comfort, Magic Reveal, Angst, Merthur, mentions of arthur/gwen, Gwen/Lancelot

Summary: With his father unfit to rule and Camelot decimated, Arthur must assume the role of King. But the truths he discovers shake the foundation of all he holds dear.

-

before his eyes (he now sees clear) by hwc Teen And Up Audiences, Uther Pendragon is terrible and complicated, Merlin/Arthur

Summary: It takes Uther half a second to see Balinor in Merlin, and he's almost sure of what he should do.

-

Keep Your Secrets by new_kate, orphan_account Mature, rape/non-con, torture, captivity, romance, alternate universe - canon, canon typical violence, hurt/comfort

Summary: Arthur Pendragon is captured by the bandits. While he waits to be ransomed, he slowly gets to know Merlin, the prisoner being held in the next cell.

-

Crossing the Line by Ultrageekatlarge BAMF Merlin, Gen, Crack, Oneshot, Magic Reveal, Hurt! Merlin, Humour

Summary: In which Merlin gets bludgeoned, strangled, attacked, smothered, shot with glass, and tossed out a window, burned, whipped, stabbed, thrown down stairs, nearly drowned on dry land, and harpooned, and still manages to save Camelot from seven evil sorcerers, before lunch.

-

Your Touch Is My Salvation by elirwen Magic Reveal, Canon Era, Oblivious idiots in love, Curses, Teen and Up, Oneshot, Hurt/Comfort

Summary: Merlin suffers from an effect of a curse. Arthur can help more than he initially thought.

-

A Heavy Heart to Carry by Thursday_Next Rescue, Hurt/Comfort, Magic Reveal, Oneshot, Mature, Merlin/Arthur Pendragon

Summary: When Merlin is captured and injured, Arthur must face up to his own feelings for his manservant as well as the many secrets he discovers are being kept from him.

-

Can you do that? by no_nutcracker Merlin/Mithian, no archive warnings apply, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Soulmate-Identifying Marks, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Episode: s04e11 The Hunter's Heart, Arthur & Merlin friendship

Summary: Merlin should be overjoyed. He just found his soulmate. If only she was not betrothed to Arhur.

-

His Remedy for Care by ArgentSleeper Teen and Up, canon au, Episode: s02e13 The Last Dragonlord, Angst, Canon Typical Violence, Hurt/Comfort, Fix It

Summary: Injured in the dragon attack in lieu of Arthur and afraid of being stopped from going on the mission, Merlin kept away from Gaius and never learned that Balinor was his father. Instead it's Arthur that puts two and two together as he seeks the dragonlord out, first to save his servant (not friend- they can't be friends), then to save his kingdom.

-

A Considerable Head Start by ughbutidontwantto BAMF Merlin, Gen, when villains have more regard for you than friends, Camelot has a serious class problem, Merlin deserves better

Summary: Merlin is frighteningly competent and his friends are correctly concerned. Obviously they're going to follow him out to the woods. And obviously they're not going to like what they hea

-

The Conscience of the King by ughbutidontwantto Gen, Post-Magic Reveal, Legal Drama, Oneshot, Friendship feels

Summary: Merlin's magic was revealed and now everyone has to deal with it in an official capacity since tragically most of these characters work in government. Arthur, predictably, is struggling to cope.

-

Out of Sight, Out of Mind by BabyStepsAreStillSteps Merlin Deserved Better, Hurt/Comfort, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Merlin Needs a Hug (Merlin), Episode: s05e09 With All My Heart, Fix It

Summary: When Arthur turned his back on the Dolma that he didn’t know was his manservant, Merlin reminded him that he was missing a very important member of their rescue party.

What if he hadn’t?

-

What They Owe Us by ironspidereilish Merlin/Arthur, Alternate Universe, Aredian’s a tax collector instead of a witch hunter but he’s still a bastard, Hurt/Comfort, Poverty, Angst with a Happy Ending, Protective Arthur Pendragon, BAMF Arthur, Canon Era, Romance, sexual coercion mentioned, BAMF Merlin

Summary: When Arthur finds out that the castle staff are having their wages held for weeks at a time and can no longer afford food or their homes, he will not rest until they are protected and Aredian is stopped.

The fact that Merlin’s stomach is rumbling while he delivers the prince his breakfast, and Arthur hates the thought of him suffering, only serves as extra motivation to fix this.

-

royal blood by Rona23 crack!fic, humour, comedy, Balinor Lives, Dragonlord things, Golden Age, Bamf Arthur, Bamf Balinor, Bamf Merlin, Fix It, Magic reveal, Oblivious Arthur, Merthur

Summary: ..... as if Balinor could be killed by Bandits O.o

Alternatively: An alternative take on Balinor surviving and saving Camelot. ... And then proceeding to hold the entire kingdom hostage, because he has a frigging Dragon at his disposal :)

- The way by Naelyn Episode: s04e11 The Hunter's Heart, POV Arthur Pendragon, Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Oblivious Arthur, Until He’s Not, Hurt/Comfort, Merlin Deserved Better, Communication or lack thereof, Canon Divergence

Summary: "One more word out of you, and I swear to God I will send you into exile."

He knows it’s not the pyre, knows there’s much worse, but banishment would mean staying away from Arthur forever – and, as pathetic as that might sound, he thinks he would rather die than let that happen. It is clear that the feeling is not reciprocated, clear that in Arthur’s eyes, he will never come first. There’ll always be people coming before him, and he’s made peace with that long ago – but if even Agravaine can come before him, then anyone could, no? Anyone could replace him. Call Merlin a traitor and have Arthur get rid of him. Anyone could.

Merlin no longer feels safe in Camelot.

or: Arthur threatens Merlin of banishment. To Arthur's eyes, it's all forgotten. To Merlin's, however... Well, let's just say that his faith in their mutual destiny, once unwavering, finds itself faltering at a dangerously quick rate.

-

Better in the Mourning by CaffeinatedFlumadiddle Gen, Lancelot & Merlin, Knights of the Round Table & Merlin, Grief, Fluff and Angst, Gwen/Lance mentioned, let the characters grieve, 5 Knights of Grief

Summary: Merlin mourns Lancelot's death. The rest of the knights help out. (AKA Merlin gets to take advantage of not having to keep a dead loved one a secret and gets some goddamn support in this castle)

-

I suppose that I look different (without the robes and crown) by WingedWolf121 Canon Era, Episode: s05e03 The Death Song of Uther Pendragon, Uther Pendragon’s A + Parenting, Ygraine/Uther, Arthur/Merlin, Balinor/Hunith, Dragonlord Merlin, BAMF Merlin, Fix-It, Angst with a Happy Ending

Summary: When Arthur blows the horn of Cathbdhah for the second time, the horn doesn’t just send Uther to the other world. It sends Arthur away as well – to a world where Ygraine never died, the Great Purge never happened, and magic lives freely at court. As do those who practice it.

-

For Your Information by reni_days Merlin & Uther, Merlin/Arthur, Modern Era au, Oneshot, Teen and Up

Summary: Merlin sighs. "After your...announcement," he explains, "your father decided he needed a bit more information. Which is apparently where I come in. I'm sort of like his gay tutor, it's hard to explain."

-

Good Fortune by platonic_boner Canon Era, Fluff, Merlin/Arthur, Oneshot

Summary: Arthur makes Merlin a lord, and Merlin does an astonishingly good job of running a village.

-

Within Reach by foxy_mulder Explicit, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Hurt/Comfort, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Sex, Merlin/Arthur, Angst with a Happy Ending, Oneshot, Slowburn

Summary: Nobody touches Arthur.

Merlin realizes it slowly, and when he does, he wants to kick himself for not seeing sooner. ___________ (Or, Arthur and Merlin's relationship with touch over time.)

-

Moment of Weakness by TheAsexualofSpades Gen, Fluff and Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Angst with a Happy Ending, Arthur Knows About Merlin's Magic, Protective Knights, Protective Arthur Pendragon, Protective Merlin, Whump, Oneshot, Merlin/Arthur

Summary: After all Merlin's gone through, you'd think it would take some world-ending magic spell or an almost successful attempt on Arthur's life to shake him properly.

It isn't one of those, and Merlin has no idea why.

He just knows he can't be weak.

-

The Only Reward Bestowed Upon Me by greatdumbking Gen, Oneshot, Merlin/Arthur, angst, hurt/comfort, angst with a happy ending, Episode: s04e05 His Father's Son, Fix-It, Agravaine, Canon Era, Love Confessions

Summary: “You’re wrong Merlin. I don’t need anyone. I can’t afford that luxury. The kingdom's my responsibility now, and mine to bear alone. And you must learn to accept that.”

How could this hurt so much, a third time? Merlin could feel the façade of his casual indifference faltering. His face fell, tears were clawing at his throat, creeping into his eyes. It took all his effort to nod, steel his eyes, and swallow down the rising sob.

(How did Merlin get chosen the be the bait? Why did Arthur start pushing Merlin away? Why couldn't he see how much it was hurting him?)

-

Maybe Not the Most Awkward Dinner to Happen in Camelot's Citadel, but it's Definitely Up There by HopePrevails Gen, Gwen/Arthur Pendragon, Merlin, Fluff, Domestic Fluff, Oneshot, Humour, past Gwen/Merlin

Summary: When an argument about whether Merlin is remotely attractive or not breaks out over dinner, Queen Guinevere accidentally drops into the conversation that she had a crush on him when he first arrived in Camelot. Arthur takes it... like Arthur.

--x--

“Don’t look so surprised, Merlin.” Gwen said kindly. Perhaps she was the psychic. “You’re sweet and gentle, charismatic-” Arthur snorted. “- and I’m not going to let you walk out of those doors thinking you don’t look the part, either. Remember, even when you first came to Camelot, I-” She stopped herself, snapping her lips tightly shut.

-