#arthur pendragon needs more justice

[justaz]

thinkinnn bout arthur pendragon. my baby boy. he's such a bitch but also such a baby girl.

he never felt the love of a mother and relied on his father for all of the love and validation he needed growing up but uther never gave it to him unless he succeeded in battle - probably against druids/sorcerers. arthur never feeling like he was enough, that he was never worthy of love unless he did something for them or won a battle because that was the only time his father looked at him with a modicum of warmth.

being a prince raised to one day be king and being taught to never trust anyone, that as king he can only trust himself, and then watching his father fuck over the people of camelot and going "a king must make hard choices" but arthur never agrees with any of that!! he puts on the aloof asshole act to keep people away so he doesn't get hurt but baby boy wears his damn heart on his sleeve. he cares. SO much. he trusts everyone, no matter how many times he's been betrayed. he does everything he can for his people

he strives for their love and pride because he never got it growing up. he works his ass off to be the best king for his people that he can be, so he can be the best heir for his father that he can be, so he can be the best son for his mother that he can be - all so he can prove that he's good enough and worthy enough of love. yet time and time again, he's betrayed by those he has done nothing but be there for. time and time again, the people he's loved and trusted most have betrayed him and left him like he was nothing. proving to him time and time again that he wasn't enough, that he'll never be enough for their love or loyalty.

[fxirybun]

Hi, if you may have time I would like to participate in your dinamic :)

intials / nickname / first name: V T M

your zodiac sign (either your sun sign or your big 3): Leo

I your most used emoji: 😭

I tell me the name of your DR s/o and their respective reality they're in: Arthur Pendragon, Merlin BBC series

Hope you have a good day wherever you are!

hello there VTM ! thank you berry much for participating in my ask game ヾ(◍´▿`◍)ﾉﾞ

ෆ⸒⸒ his ten (10) green flags

𐙚 the type of man who will always stand by you , no matter how tough the circumstances can be. he's also the type who would go to any length to protect you , even risking his own life.

𐙚 once you gain arthur's trust , you’ll never going to doubt his loyalty. he's someone who's devoted to the people he cares about and would never betray you.

𐙚 he doesn't mind listening to your side of the story , making sure that you feel heard and respected. if he ever wrongs you , he’ll be quick to make it right because fairness is at the core of his values.

𐙚 arthur will treat you with the utmost respect. he believes in nurturing those he loves and will always put your needs and feelings at the forefront.

𐙚 you'll never have to worry about arthur shirking his responsibilities or taking things lightly. he can be reliable at times , working hard to provide stability both physically and emotionally.

𐙚 if arthur makes a mistake or hurts you , he’ll be humble enough to admit it and learn from it. you’ll see him grow and become more understanding. he won’t shy away from improving himself and will always try to be a better person.

𐙚 even if he has moments of doubt , he’ll come to rely on your advice and support, knowing that you have his back.

𐙚 arthur will always make you feel safe. he takes the well-being of his loved ones seriously , and you’ll feel secure in his presence. he’ll do everything he can to protect you and keep you from harm.

𐙚 he'll work hard to make his relationship with others strong. arthur is the type of man who is determined to make things work , no matter the obstacles. he doesn't give up very easily and would even do the means to fight for those he deeply cares about.

𐙚 arthur will be able to forgive you when you make mistakes , and he’ll expect the same in return. he's not the type to hold grudges as he values reconciliation. if ever there’s a disagreement , he’ll want to talk things through and move past it , ensuring peace and understanding between you and him.

ෆ⸒⸒ his ten (10) red flags

𐙚 arthur may come across as prideful or acts like he knows best. this arrogance could make you feel like your opinions aren’t always valued , especially if he’s too caught up in his own perspective.

𐙚 he can be very set in his ways , which means you could find yourself in frustrating arguments where he refuses to budge , even when he’s clearly wrong.

𐙚 there would be some cases wherein arthur's sense of justice can turn into criticism. he might judge you too harshly if he feels you’ve done something wrong , expecting you to live up to his strict moral code.

𐙚 he can be slow to embrace change or new ways of thinking. If you bring up ideas or beliefs that challenge his worldview , he might dismiss them or be closed off from your perspective.

𐙚 arthur's impatience can show up when he’s stressed or frustrated. he might push you to act or make decisions faster than you’re comfortable with , or he could get annoyed when things don’t go according to plan.

𐙚 arthur can be emotionally distant when it comes to expressing his feelings. he may be struggling to open up about what’s really going on inside of him , leaving you to guess how he’s feeling.

𐙚 he's deeply tied to his upbringing and traditions , which means he might hold onto outdated ideas or beliefs.

𐙚 when pushed to his limits , arthur can have a quick temper. his anger , though often short-lived , can flare up unexpectedly , making him say or do things in the heat of the moment that he might regret later.

𐙚 arthur tends to be guarded especially when it comes to showing his vulnerabilities.

𐙚 beneath his confidence , arthur sometimes struggles with self-doubt , particularly about whether he’s living up to his potential. this insecurity might make him overly defensive when criticized or cause him to seek constant reassurance.

fxiry : i hope this post helps ! feedback is required ^^

[igniferrus]

I can't believe the BBC's The Adventures of Merlin peaked at S01E04 "The Poisoned Chalice."

OBVIOUSLY I love the absolute absurdity of Merlin and Arthur trying to die for each other after knowing each other for like a week. Just for the vibes and for the Merthur implications, however; this episode is the one that does the characters and their interpersonal relationships the most justice, in my opinion.

Now with a read more, because this got out of hand, fast.

We start with the Gauis and Merlin father-son relationship, with them bantering in the hallways about work. Gwen and Merlin get to giggle together at the feast, and then we see their bond as Gwen worries over Merlin (and her blaming herself when he 'dies').

Merlin is also a wonderful sunshine boy in this episode. The weight of his destiny hasn't worn him down yet, he's still riding the high of finally understanding the reason he was born as he was. He perks up when Arthur tells him he's going to the feast, he treats the guests as guests (no immediate suspicion, trying to impress Kara/Nimueh), and we get to see some of his best cheeky moments - like calling Gaius out for making up a proverb, telling Kara he runs the castle, pestering Arthur about his smelly clothes and the food fights, and, of course, when he wakes up mock scolding Gaius for hugging Gwen, and then claiming not to be alive but his own ghost. He's still a silly boy, especially when he wakes up and says he doesn't remember what happened after drinking the wine.

But what I think this episode does particularly well is the Pendragons, especially Arthur.

We get Morgana ready to cut a bitch immediately when things go wrong at the feast, but also see her compassionate side when she allows Gwen to go tend to Merlin. Her relationships with Uther and Arthur are phenomenally well done. Uther scolds her (off-screen) for wanting to bash people about the head with ladles at the feast. But she also gets to stand up to him and show her displeasure at his choices.

When Uther rants at her after Arthur leaves, she agrees with his every point, sarcastically. His ordering Arthur to stay "worked like a charm" and "[her] lips are sealed" when he tells her to knock it off. She calls him out for oppressing Arthur and not letting him make his own choice, telling Uther "[He] can't chain [Arthur] up every time he disagrees with [Uther]" and "Arthur's old enough to make decisions for himself"

But Uther wins this argument (or is at least conceded to), because he asks Morgana if he should allow Arthur to make his own choices, if that means Arthur will die. And Morgana has no answer for him. Which is especially interesting as Morgana was the one to push for Arthur to go.

There is a lot to be said for Morgana and Arthur's relationship in the show as a whole, and this episode too. I could probably write a whole post about them just using The Poisoned Chalice. But I'll keep it to two main points here.

The first, and most important one, which I think is overlooked in a lot of people's take on their relationship, comes from a short line in a transition scene. There is a total of six pieces of dialogues, split between Morgana and Gwen, as Gwen fills Morgana in on the Merlin situation, which includes this bit:

MORGANA: Don't worry, I'm alright. How's Merlin? GUINEVERE: If Arthur comes back with the antidote in time, he'll be fine. MORGANA: Then he'll be fine.

Just like that. If Merlin's health relies on Arthur succeeding it is a forgone conclusion for Morgana. Arthur will not fail. She has enough faith in him that she is no longer worried about Merlin's fate. I don't think enough people consider this angle of their relationship. She knows who Arthur is. He is a good, capable man of honour. He will do what needs to be done. She never says this to his face, and actually implies the opposite when she thinks he won't go and rescue Gwen in a later episode, but that's sibling banter and desperation, baby! She's his older sister, she can't be seen hyping him up. Even when she gives him the chance to talk about his success at the end of the episode, she frames it as "bragging." C'mon. He just traveled to a place where few people come back from, defied his king, and still managed to save a man whose life was already deemed "worth less" that the cost of saving him. It's not bragging, it's a true achievement.

There has also been plenty said for Morgana being a guiding figure at first. When Arthur is stuck with indecision about going, when Uther has gotten into his head about this quest being an abandonment of his people, it is Morgana who encourages him to go, saying his people want and deserve a king who will do what is right. Which is all Arthur ever wants to do, despite the way Uther raised him.

Which brings us to the Uther and Arthur relationship. Uther prohibits Arthur from doing what is right. Calls into question his judgement ("jeopardise the future of this kingdom"? Realty, Uther?). Arrests his son. Locks him in the dungeon. Does his best to throw away all that Arthur sacrificed for to teach him a lesson about not doing things the "right" (Uther's) way. Continued to lie about Arthur's birth and magic, when given the perfect opportunity to come clean.

And yet.

Uther loves his boy. He wants to kill Bayard with his own hands, if it was true that he was going to harm Uther's son. Rants and raves to Morgana and Arthur leaving (and disobeying), putting himself in danger (could never say he's worried to his son's face, though). And in that moment, uses the exact justification he told Gaius wasn't good enough. When Merlin accuses Bayard of poison, Gaius claims "he's just a boy" and should be given leniency, which Uther refutes, saying Gaius should have taught him better. But when it's Uther's own (older) son, "he's just a boy" Morgana, not old enough to make his own decisions.

And at the end? When Uther does tell Arthur he's proud of him, despite it all? Arthur pulls this face, almost a kind of grimace. Like he doesn't know what to do with this information. How often does Uther say this? Not enough, obviously. Uther is a tyrant, a hypocrite, a terrible parent, and a father who cares so very deeply about his child(ren). The love is there, but it is not enough to redeem him. This, along with Beauty and the Beast (especially part two) are some of my top Uther episodes. Because they show how much he loves his boy, and it doesn't change anything. It cannot help either of them now.

Finally. Arthur Pendragon. My main man, in all forms, across all media.

He is at his best in this episode. In every conceivable way.

Aside from the excellent insight into his relationships with his family, in a way with more depth and nuance than most episodes, we get to see the Best Arthur, both physically and mentally.

As a man, he excels. He shows up for the diplomatic aspects of the position as Prince. His teases and needles Merlin, but it is less mean spirited than some episodes portray him. The silly hat is hilarious, but I also think putting Merlin in Pendragon red, with the family's crest emblazoned on his chest was a smart move. This is a new, incredibly untrained servant, with no idea of the decorum of the court. It wasn't Merlin's fault, but he really put himself in a bad light during the tournament by accusing Valiant and not being able to back up his claims, and he did recently confess to sorcery to the entire court...... Arthur all but putting his name on Merlin definitely would have afforded some protection if Merlin's trouble had been a little less dire. Calling Merlin an alcoholic may have been a bit harsh, but impugning Merlin's intelligence had already worked once in getting Uther to let him go, so I see why Arthur would stick with what works. Especially if defying Uther regularly gets him clapped in irons himself.

People routinely call Arthur honourable, and he really shows it in this episode. He tries to drink the poison himself to protect Merlin, after all his other attempts fail. He refuses to allow Merlin's sacrifice to go unrepaid. Even when he hears about how dangerous the quest will be, and that few who try it make it back alive, he says "Sounds like fun." There's no reality where Arthur doesn't want to go. Not even Uther pressing on Arthur's sore spots makes him want to abandon the quest, it just makes him wonder if he should. Also. On a time-sensitive quest that is more likely to kill him than not, he still stops to offer help to an apparently battered servant. It was the wrong choice, but the honourable one none the less.

He's so incredibly clever, too. I talked about my interpretation of his choice of Merlin's outfit already, but the scene with Gwen in the dungeon is so well-written. He's already in trouble. Uther has all but sentenced Merlin to die, twice. Once by forbidding Arthur from leaving the castle, and again when he crushes the flower to teach Arthur a lesson. The guards have to know this, along with the fact that the prince is out of favour enough to be in the dungeon for a week. And yet Arthur uses their perception of him, as a spoiled arrogant prince, to help Gwen smuggle the flower out. It is an exceptionally well-laid and executed plan. He has been studying to be a king (and kill) from birth. By necessity, Arthur is a skilled tactician. He wouldn't lead the army if he wasn't - Uther punishes failure harshly.

Arthur also gets to show off his physical skills in this episode. My man is STRONG and SKILLED. He carries Merlin from the hall to the physician's chambers. I don't know how long of a walk that it, but we've seen there are plenty of stairs up to Gaius' tower, and Arthur gets there without being out of breath. Incredible. Plus, in the cave, Arthur supports his entire body weight with one hand while hanging off a ledge AND waving a sword around to fight off a big spider. In chainmail. This man is Strong As Fuck. I don't think I could hang for very long, even using both hands, much less fight a monster.

We also get to see Arthur's skills with a sword. I've mentioned somewhere before that I understand Merlin was the protagonist and therefore got to be the hero most of the time, at the expense of Arthur. But damn. The cockatrice is the main reason why people don't return from this quest, a single drop of its venom is deadly. And Arthur takes care of it without a single thought. It lunges, he rolls under it, and then he THROWS HIS SWORD and spears it. How much did he have to practice to be able to throw a sword with accuracy, and enough power to be lethal? Absolute unit of a man. He fights off the spider mentioned above, and then climbs the cave wall to freedom. His arms must be so jacked. The only thing he can't carry is the weight of his father's disapproval.

This is also the only episode where we get to see Merlin and Arthur working perfectly together as they were meant to. In other episodes, Arthur is unconscious or unaware of Merlin's magic; or at the end, he is simply an audience to Merlin as the reveal at Camlann doesn't give them enough time to have a healthy Arthur and Merlin team up. Arthur only watches Merlin-as-Dragoon at the battle proper, or is too weak to do anything after.

But in this episode, Merlin, fever-ridden, dying, miles away in Camelot, is still able to provide Arthur magical aid in the cave. He lights the way, showing Arthur the spiders and the route to the exit. It is one of the few times Arthur is exposed to "good" magic. Could you imagine a world where the best swordsman in Albion and the most powerful warlock to walk the earth get to fight side-by-side? With Merlin providing magical support and Arthur the physical aspect? it would have been amazing, but this is the closest we come to it.

It also adds an interesting dimension to the idea of Merlin and Arthur being two sides of the same coin. Merlin's connection to Arthur despite the distance, knowing what Arthur is facing, should have been explored more. We only see it again when they are separated at Camlann, and Arthur wakes, seemingly knowing something isn't right with Merlin. Absolutely underused concept.

This has ended up criminally long, and didn't even cover everything I thought about during my rewatch of the episode. Thank you if you took the time to read all this.

[iamthedukeofurl]

I think we should enter an era where everybody is inexplicably making genre-crossing Arthurian adaptations. We start out simple, A post-apocalyptic Mecha story where Arthur, guided over his radio by the mysterious Merlin, is able to activate a long-dormant mech left over from the war that destroyed the world. When that Mech is badly damaged, Merlin introduces him to somebody (Possibly a pre-war engineer who resides in a hidden bunker under a lake and refuses to come out, possibly an AI CLAIMING to be an engineer), who provides him with a new one. This new mech, Excalibur, would have been the ultimate cutting-edge weapon during the war had it been finished. While the mech itself is a potent weapon, what makes it truly special is it's extended self-repair abilities. Arthur assembles the Round Table, recruiting the most skilled and noblest Mech Pilots from across the wasteland to bring order and justice to the world.

So, after various groups have put out a handful of stories in that vein, with straightforward analogues for swords and knights, we start getting a little more abstract. A Mafia Epic. The underworld is in chaos after the previous respected don was killed with no apparent heirs. Merlin, the old Don's trusted friend, finds a young orphan boy who sings a song he claims his mother taught him. This song contains the password to the old Don's vaults, revealing Arthur to be the Don's grandson, raised by his daughter who left the underworld. With the Legitimacy of his family name established, and access to his Grandfather's Vault, young Arthur must unify the warring cartels and assemble a gang of trusted lieutenants. Then, once we've spent a few years redefining what "Noble King assembles an order of Knights" means while getting away from classic heroic archetypes, we can start getting Weird with it. Aspiring Singer Martha Pend manages to extend an old telescoping mic-stand that had been stuck for years. Mert, the sound guy who agreed to let her use the studio space at 2AM when nobody else wanted it because she begged him and he needed to be there anyway cleaning up after the place got trashed by some big-name band from a major label, proclaims that she will be the greatest musician of her generation, IF she can assemble a band. After successfully handling the high-profile, and deeply contested, divorce of Grant Stone and Caroline Sword, young lawyer Arthur Pendragon is promoted to Senior Partner just as the rest of the prestigious Firm of Camelot&Anglia dissolves. Can he keep the Firm alive with a fresh crop of recent law-school graduates? Arthur is prcolaimed the Greatest Fisherman Alive after catching a Swordfish in Stonewater Bay. Something something has to win a big fishing competition in order to save his small fishing town from getting bulldozed to build a resort.

Keep this nonsense going until people are sick of Arthurian Retellings. Then start the whole thing over again with The Count of Monte Cristo.

[rychlostthespacewizard]

Here are some quotes from Ivo of the Druids

Who is Ivo?

Ivo is one of the members of the legendary party that fought back the Fiendish Incursion, along with the now King Arthur Pendragon of Camelot and Merlin of the Stars.

Quotes:

"Perhaps the world is not small, nor is life a settled fact; I want to invent my own sin, to die from my own poison, to lose your head once and for all, my mind to lose your judgment; I want to smell the smoke of burned palaces, to get drunk until someone forgets me."

"The druids are revolutionaries by our nature. We are guided by love — love for nature, love for balance, and love for the people. This our strength.”

"Decentralization never was chaos; it is our voices harmonizing with that of nature. Each druidic circle be a part to the unity in diversity.”

“Tradition is a memory, it cannot be a shackle. Let us honor the wisdom of the ancients, by exorcising the stagnant ghost that haunts us. Time flows, and so must we.”

“Change is not a simple tree that grows alone, we must make it grow ourselves, we need each and every single one of you”

“Conformity is the worst thing that could happen to the druids, we are the people of nature, numbness allowing oppression is our antithesis”

“Every instance of love -every moment we tend for one another- is an act of defiance against that which we fight every day in this war.”

"I reject the invitation to define myself; You will have to take the breath out of my lungs before my knees bend before them”

“My revolution is in-definition, an act of love.”

"Something was always needed for create a better future. Those priced since their birth. Those worth a few stamps of the law. Those sitting in fear of running.”

“They don't invite me to die; they invite me to resist. My path is uncertain, but I will walk with the same firmness with which I have lived, it. If this is my last war, those after me will carry my will.”

"I was born with the foolishness to challenge what is life of today. My enemy is complacency. My love is stronger than your shields and sharper than your swords”

Some of Ivo's achievements are:

1.  Fiendish Incursion Hero: Fought alongside King Arthur Pendragon and Merlin of the Stars to repel the Fiendish Incursion, a legendary battle that safeguarded the realms from an invasion of demons and devils.

2. Archdruid Ascendancy: Achieved the esteemed rank of Archdruid, known for his unparalleled wisdom and power although never officially recognized by the druidic council due to his revolutionary activities, it is widely acknowledged by the druidic circles that his power and wisdom surpasses that of any other druid in history.

3. Revolutionary Druid: Inspired the anarchist revolution that overthrew the druidic government, championing freedom and justice for all druids and nature itself.

4. Militia Founder: Created and led militias that invaded druidic noble palaces, dismantling corrupt regimes with sword and spell, carrying the title of the Green Knight of the Wild Hunt and True Beheader as he killed more nobles than any other in history.

5.  Wielder of the Yggdrasil's Morphblade: Harnessed the power of the Vestige of Melora, the legendary Yggdrasil's Morphblade, to defend and empower his allies.

6. Dragon Slayer: When Ancient Dragons, metalic and chromatic alike, threatened the natural order, he single-handedly defeated them, besting the dragons both in combat and in wisdom.

7. Healer of Empires: Used his profound skills in medicine and natural magic to heal entire empires, restoring life and balance to vast lands.

8. Veilshroud Seas Conqueror: Successfully navigated the treacherous, uncharted veilshroud seas—four deadly seas that surround the Veiled Lands and had claimed the lives of all others who attempted the journey.

9. Global Druidic Explorer: Traveled to all the veiled lands and beyond, meeting druidic circles across the world gathering knowledge and teaching the ways of the druids to areas that had never seen a druid before. He fought against other institutions that sought to control nature and the druids, creating more self-sufficient and independent druidic circles that valued nature and freedom.

10. World Tree Embodiment: Became the living embodiment of Yggdrasil, the world tree, connecting all realms through his existence and ultimately merged with Yggdrasil itself, becoming the material plane's manifestation of the world tree and its boundless power.

[tiodolma]

Merlin saying “morgana will just harden arthur and uther’s heart”and him putting the blame on every other magic user who try to uppend the system for making magic look bad while he’s stays safe and hidden behind the castle walls and under the royalty’s protection is so deliciously ironic and hypocritic.

He’s not even piloting some kind of peaceful activism himself. He’s not even showing another means of peaceful revolt. He’s not even stirring up the hearts of people who think like him, that the pendragon heir is the right choice after all. If merlin and like-minded people wanted that change shouldnt it have been better that more people knew about arthur’s destiny with magic? Shouldnt there have been more social pressure on arthur to fulfill that? Why did that information only stay with a chosen very secretive few?

Coz look i get merlin’s motives. He doesnt want an arms struggle. He wants the change to be gradual and a smooth transition. The magic people and the current admin arent ready, etc, etc.

But how are people supposed to slowly change their stance on magic if he also isnt doing anything other than just protecting the pendragon heir without question and without recognition, without hint that magic was a weapon that can be used for safety?

Why do other magic users have to be the one to “show the way” and not him himself? Isn’t merlin just protecting his own ass while the embittered magic folk risk their own lives everyday, exposing themselves and fighting for their right to live everyday? Is it not unfair for merlin to expect good and peaceful things to miraculously happen while he keeps staying in secrecy and relative safety compared to others like him?

Enough of that. Say. He really thinks that protecting the oppressor’s life by playing God again and again is the path to justice is the right thing. Fine.

It’s still not enough. Coz his champion is ignorant and Highly Dismissive of the values he is supposed to represent in Merlin’s head: freedom for magic, fairness, equality. Arthur is stubborn and willfully blind and entrenched in his own prejudices and uprbringing.

Merlin’s tactic of “i’ll tell him whats wrong and hopefully he will listen if not i will sulk and arthur will be upset that im upset so maybe he’ll reconsider but often he will not until he realizes his mistake because bad sht that i warned about already happened then he will begrudgingly do what i told him to in the first place” isnt enough.

Merlin is just one man, he’s a man that is so low in rank compared to his supposed best friend, the head of state, that his words dont really matter until they do and its only usually because of arthur’s bruised ego.

More people should tell Arthur off jfc. The nobility, the masses, the other kingdoms. They should have all been able to apply pressure on Arthur, not just Merlin or Gwen.

Look this is what merlin needed to really spearhead his ideas or wtv bullsht the prophecy entailed

Merlin had to apply pressure on the monarchy on all fronts.

Launch a propaganda machine, spread the word that arthur is going to bring back magic. Like do write ups, spread pamphlets , give the masses smth to think about and do it under a false name, etc.

Collaborate with others who think like him and Not Hide (difficult to do since gaius loves to rat out and help imprison these kind of magic-kin despite him believing in the same prophecy)

Find a way that Arthur hears those rumors, actually drop hints that magic was protecting the kingdom all along. If not Merlin himself, then Arthur must hear those rumors of him being savior of magic from more people.

Find some noble who is sympathetic to their cause at least. (Like how morgana had agravaine and helios... that means powerful people LIKE THAT existed in merlin’s world. It is also possible that somebody out there would have allied with him and give merlin better political backing if he just tried -moot point again cause gaius would just rat them out to the king and advise against it)

Jfc Merlin should just step into his role as kingmaker in the light. I mean he already is one but he is denial.

i get what everyone here is thinking. This is too smart and “manipulative.” This is something like what Morgana and the other magic-folk do.

Then That means the magic folk were already doing so many kinds of protests and machinations to send their own message. The lot of them didnt even need to kill. They played by the rules of kingdom-making and used politics/established social order as a sort of protest to inspire the change they needed.

Example the Unicorn Guy did so much economic damage that people started to doubt the Pendragon dynasty’s claim to power. It was bad for the Pendragons’s image but good news for the magic folk since the ordinary citizens will just turn against the ruling dynasty on their own! That is an example of an effective non-arms struggle btw! It’s smart and a not a lot of people will have to die unecessarily! And it kind of spurred a temporary change of heart for arthur too!

My point is. Merlin. If he really wanted social change. Should have worked smarter and more efficiently. Governmental change will never happen with just one miracle event.

Most of the successful ones happen when the masses AND the ruling class have the same goal. If Arthur was truly a people of the masses and ruling class, then he would try to satisfy their demands in order to prevent riot or defection.

But what do i know? Maybe knowledge and tactics more complicated than “eliminate threat permanently asap” are inherently evil after all.

[nordictwin]

10 Characters | 10 Fandoms | Some Tags

Thank you for the tag, @starlight-and-thunder!

Molly aka. Eva Wei (Oban Star Racers) - this precious girl has been one of my favorites since discovering this underrated show. She's got such a great personality, and I love how a show in 2006 really said "we are going to allow this 15 year old girl to be angry, bitter and sad and have the ones responsible for it actually acknowledge their wrongdoings". Absolute gem of a character and story.

Flulu (I Was a Teenage Exocolonist) - as a lot of my newer followers probably know, I absolutely adore Flulu. She works so hard for the colony, all while also trying to take care of Sol to the best of her abilities. I love how, even if you make choices where their relationship isn't the best, you can still tell that she loves them and that everything comes from a place of genuine care.

Arthur Pendragon (Seven Deadly Sins) - my boooooyyyy!!!! Arthur is my absolute SON, and what the author has turned him into is criminal! SDS in general is a big ol' tire fire, but Arthur was the one precious, shining light in the darkness, and I hate what he's become in the sequel. Still love what he used to be, though, and that's the character I cling to.

Su Lüxia (Cheating Men Must Die) - want to see justice done for the characters who suffered, just so the so-called protagonists could have their happy ending? Well, Su Lüxia is here to do just that! She is a Queen and not at all a good person in the traditional sense, but she doesn't need to be. I like Lüxia for the catharsis she brings, whenever the bad people finally get what's coming to them, and for the hints of her true self shining through in those brief moments.

Naven Nuknuk (Epithet Erased) - a mild-mannered little man with a lot of power, who cares for a group of children and probably has a secret agenda? Yes please. I adore characters who are morally grey, but hide their intentions so well, you don't know where you've got them. Add in a soft spot for kids, and I am guaranteed to love them.

Qifrey (Witch Hat Atelier) - a mild-mannered man with a lot of power, who cares for a group of children and definitely has a secret agenda? (Wait... this sounds familiar.) I love Qifrey for all the same reasons, I love Naven, and I'm not afraid to say it. He's also just precious, and I would die for him.

Sidon (Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild/Tears of the Kingdom/Age of Calamity) - I love Sidon so much, I actually squealed at his re-appearing in TOTK. Anytime I see this man, I smile. He deserves good things, end of story.

Orie Harada (Oli Oli Soup) - Orie is a comfort character to me, living the life I dream of. Working as a bookbinder, and spending her days eating good food and being enthusiastic about it. She's funny, creative, and realistic in all the best ways.

Alpha (Yokohama Shopping Log) - Alpha and her story falls into a similar box as Orie and Oli Oli Soup: a character and story that brings me peace and comfort, even in the quiet melancholy. On every re-read I smile, laugh, and cry with Alpha during her time in a world that's slowly falling apart, but even so life still goes on.

Marak Sixfinger (The Hollow Kingdom) - the ones who know me for my Elsewhere University fanfics are aware, that Foxglove is Jareth's (Jim Henson's Labyrinth) son... but Foxglove himself is actually more inspired by Marak of Clare B. Dunkle's Hollow Kingdom books. He's cunning, he's a smartass, he's every bit the tricky goblin king I adore, with a soft spot for his not-fully-human wife. This guy is 100% why I love Foxglove and writing him so much.

100% no pressure tags: @clearwillow @stars-for-thought @lovelesskiaa

[twistedshipper]

I wouldn't say that it was necessarily stupidity (although that's part of it), but perhaps their noble status and upbringing by Uther that blinds them to the idea that there are people like Merlin (and Gwen too) who are genuine and willing to give all of themselves to aid another whom they care about without asking for anything in return.

Putting myself in Arthur and Morgana's shoes, I would think they would have observed from a young age the way in which people closest to Uther would ingratiate themselves to earn the King's favor and then as they grew older (even Arthur acknowledges this to some extent in 2x02 with how he wants to be treated like everyone else in the joust) would see how these same people say the right things to their faces because they are looking to get something in return. They would learn rather quickly that everyone is out to get something in life and has an agenda, also perhaps like they themselves do (more especially Morgana, than Arthur), whether that be to acquire wealth, status, justice etc.

So I do think that it makes sense that Arthur and Morgana would be so honestly baffled by the idea of Merlin choosing to remain a servant to aid Arthur out of the goodness of his heart since he believed this was a cause he needed to take up for the good of all, one which he was conditioned to believe in and follow against his better judgement by Kilgharrah, and to a lesser extent Gaius, to his detriment. If Merlin hadn't been groomed by Kilgharrah for what purpose (perhaps the annihilation of the Pendragons who had imprisoned him) and had simply laughed at the idea of some prophecy and walked out of Camelot, it would have saved so much tragedy in the long run.

And that's the irony in this. The show opens up telling us that the fate of the kingdom rests on the shoulders of Merlin, a young boy, who comes to Camelot with no set purpose, but is literally manipulated by Kilgharrah into putting all his faith in Arthur, a man who bullies him and whom he at first dislikes but soon grows to adore like everyone does around him because Arthur is complicated and has a heart underneath that cruel facade he wears when he's most insecure. Merlin is literally conditioned to take all this on and accept it, thinking he can lead this guy to become a great king to bring about the golden age and Albion, and it never happens.

Merlin sees both the best and worst in Arthur. He is his closest confidant and also his punching bag. Perhaps, I'm reading too much into this, but I think Arthur needed to keep putting Merlin down in order to raise himself up, due to his own insecurities about his limitations and fragile ego (courtesy of being Uther's son, just as Morgana turns out to be violent for being his daughter; it's nature and nurture) and simply did not want to believe that Merlin could be something more than he let on, and perhaps he was blinded by the fact that Merlin always seemed so sincere that he fell for something he always suspected deep down, that even Merlin, whom he had fooled himself by becoming so comfortable with, had a hidden agenda as well, despite the fact that that agenda didn't originate with Merlin to begin with.

But the thing is that mission to bring about Albion and a golden age where magic users could practice their craft in peace wasn't the whole story for Merlin, but the lie all-knowing Kilgharrah fed him to do what he wanted. At the end, for Merlin, it was truly about protecting Arthur and giving his all to him despite how Merlin was treated in return by Arthur in return.

Sorry, this is getting longwinded, and I'm losing my direction with this post, but your ideas inspired me to say some thoughts that had been on my mind for a while now about this show and particularly Merlin and Arthur's relationship.

Why neither Morgana not Arthur didn't realise Merlin was Emrys? The only right answer: they were stupid...

Seriously, Morgana and Arthur shared the same sentiment: how can a powerful man of magic stay a "lowly servant"? Shouldn't he want to be free, to return his dignity and live openly as he deserves, to feel resentment towards Camelot? Arthur was shocked by this sincerely, Morgana couldn't realise that Emrys was this silent servant because of this despite the clues she had. (Plus her mind was blocked by the resentment she had towards him because he poisoned her) Neither of them couldn't really see through Merlin.

[oswinsdolma]

Proving all the Knights of the Round Table have magic part 3: Elyan

I've seen quite a few people headcanon Elyan with magic before, and it's definitely one of the more popular magic!knights hcs, so I apologise if I accidentally hijack anyone else's points xx

The most obvious indicator of this is the fact that Elyan leaves Camelot a year before Merlin arrives. This is about the same age Morgana's magic shows itself, so it would be natural to assume he left because he began showing signs of being a warlock, Camelot's laws being what they are.

It is also implied that Elyan left fairly abruptly, with Gwen having no idea where he went. He may have left in a hurry because somebody might have noticed him, and not told Gwen or Tom for fear of putting them in danger.

Perhaps in a darker note, he didn't say where he was going because he was ashamed of his magic and didn't think his family would accept him.

Gwen says that "[Elyan] always seems to be in the wrong place at the wrong time". Maybe accidents happen around him because he had trouble controlling his magic and found it increasingly difficult to cover for. This could be another indicator as to why he left.

Elyan didn't return to Camelot even for his father's funeral, and while he expresses his guilt, he doesn't give sufficient reason why: the reason? He may not be able to tell Gwen because he was still scared to return with magic.

When Gwen reveals her relationship with Arthur, Elyan is skeptical, and maybe even a little panicked. After all, would your sister falling in love with someone with the power to set you ablaze not be a terrifying concept to anyone with magic? But when Arthur comes to rescue them and proves himself to be slightly less of a prat than he may think, he tentatively agrees to return home, though I suspect this is mainly for Gwen's sake.

When the immortal army invades Camelot, Elyan manages to stay hidden and fight off some soldiers. Note that he is the only one of the group within Camelot with no Knights' training, which begs the question: how did he manage to escape? The answer could very well lie with magic.

Again, in The Darkest Hour, he is one of two knights that survived the meeting with Morgana. He is one of the more inexperienced knights as well, which suggests that he may have aided himself magically in the fight.

When faced with a seemingly unbeatable threat, Elyan says to Arthur: "tomorrow, we fight in your name, sure. For freedom and justice in this land." Now there is a lot to unpack here, but if we break it down, firstly there is the fact that Elyan places is emphasis on "your" when addressing Arthur. He has previously made a statement about the Pendragon crest, but in this moment, it seems that he cares more about Arthur than this. This is clearly indicative of the fierce bond between Arthur and the core knights, but it could be more than that: the emphasis of "your" is specific to Arthur, but perhaps more importantly, it is an exclusion of Uther. In his time, Arthur has made mistakes, but he has generally been more sympathetic towards magic than his father, and this may be Elyan's subtle way of acknowledging that.

In addition, the words: "for freedom and justice in this land" could just be in reference for Arthur's abilities as king, but this is a deep speech and one would assume it has a deeper meaning. Freedom and justice are two things that have not been afforded to those with magic for a long time. Uther's twisted "justice" involved executing anyone who disagreed with him and anyone who could be vaguely affiliated with sorcery. As for freedom, Arthur has created a fairer kingdom than his father, but magic users still live in fear. Combined with the earlier stress of "your", this is indicative that Elyan too believes that Arthur may one day come to bring peace to anyone who is born with magic.

This last point also has the implications that Elyan knows of the Once and Future King and surrounding prophecies. Though he is described as a troublemaker by Gwen before he comes to Camelot, he keeps his head relatively low upon arrival. Perhaps in the time he spent travelling, he sought help from magical communities, e.g. the druids, who helped him control his powers. This would also explain his vagueness about his whereabouts and lack of contact during the years he was missing.

I could go on about this quote but we'll leave it there for now.

Before he is overtaken by the power of the Lamia, Elyan is vocal in standing up for Merlin. This could be because he knows what it is like to be shunned by society. Magic could be a reason for that. (Also I fully believe that the only reason the Lamia didn't try and take over Merlin was because she was scared of the extent of his magic, not just because he had magic.)(and the merthur reasons when I'm in the mood)

Then Elyan falls sick, before the others begin to show symptoms. Maybe the Lamia sensed some magic and decided he was more trouble than he was worth.

Elyan was not raised by druids, and does not have the same powers as Merlin so wouldn't have sensed the power of the shrine, at least not too strongly. When he first sees the spirit though, he is genuinely sympathetic, even before the murderous intent takes hold.

In the Dark Tower, Elyan is consumed by his need to find Gwen, convinced that he is to blame for her capture. This could be survivor's guilt (and to an extent, probably is), but it is equally probable that Elyan believes that he should have used his magic to protect her.

Going off on a slight tangent here, the theme of "I have magic so it must have a purpose" within warlocks/sorcerers in the show is a) not a healthy mindset and b) uncomfortably common. Elyan may have latched onto the idea that he must use his magic to protect Gwen to convince himself to stay in Camelot, and with that conprmino, he began to fall apart. His behaviour is almost identical to Merlin's fervour regarding Arthur at this point, and it's fairly disturbing that these characters adopt this mindset that is Not Good For Their Mental Heath, Please Get Some Therapy.

Elyan dies. It's heartbreaking, and he does so trying to save his sister. But what is interesting is his funeral. When most main characters die, they are given a funeral in Camelot, e.g. Uther, Lancelot (the first time). But then Freya and Shade!Lanceot (and later Arthur) are set to rest in the Lake of Avalon. The difference between the two is that the lake funerals were arranged by Merlin, and those laid to rest there can somehow be affiliated with magic.

Now I'm not saying that Merlin knew about Elyan's magic, because sometimes he can be really not very perceptive about that (though it's always fun when fics cheerily toss that out the window because it's fun goddamnit-), but I don't believe he was entirely oblivious. Think about it: there are two of Arthur's closest friends canonically hiding magic from him and it's fairly probable that they'll pick up on Elyan's magic at some point. Even if it's just little things like his sympathies with magic or gentle arguments about the way mages are treated. There are so many avenues to explore with this it's overwhelming-

I also think Elyan may have picked up on Merlin's magic later in the series: the point of realisation was probably when Merlin rescued him during his time being possessed by the drowned druid boy, upon which he says: "you know, Merlin, you're much braver than you look." This is the first time Merlin has revealed his more BAMF side to Elyan, and in this moment, something unspoken passes between them. If not mutual understanding, it is at least Elyan realising what Merlin does beneath his carefree exterior, and despite the possession, I think he acquires a lot of new respect for his friend.

(also are we going to ignore that the lake funeral implies that it was arranged by Merlin. How close were they and what stuff did we miss out on behind the scenes for him to be trusted with this?? I need to know)

Elyan and Mordred have a friendship in series 5. If the earlier headcanon about Elyan learning to control his magic with druids is true, perhaps he may have recognised Mordred from his time there. They probably didn't acknowledge it much, but it created a bond between them.

And now for the mythological context!!

Of all the Knights of the Round Table, Elyan's backstory is perhaps the most estranged from the original legend (of course all of them are fairly disconnected *flashbacks to pope-gwaine* but Elyan's is w a c k y)

As a consequence, there is little to draw on for behind-the-scenes evidence of magic.

Elyan, or Helayn, was another Knight whose origins stem from France (the Vulgate Cycle, I think, though he could have surfaced earlier). He is said to have joined Lancelot in exile after his affair of 'courtly love' with Guinevere (go and look up this concept- it gets convoluted in the myths but is really interesting in terms of both origin and content). Anyway, his exile here could represent the time he spent out of Camelot before his appearance in s3, and relates to hiding from harsh laws, particularly if we regard Lancelot and Guinevere's relationship in the same way as we do in the Vulgate Cycle (basically keep the context with the appropriate work and it sort of makes sense)

I appreciate this seems a little like grasping at straws but that's literature I suppose ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

In the legends, Elyan is nephew to another of Arthur's knights, Sir Sagramore. This knight is less famous than some, but at one point, he embarks on a quest to find the fay. The fay are closely linked with the she, and perhaps also live on Avalon, somewhere mortals are only supposed to see moments before death. Perhaps Elyan can be associated with this magic?

In reality, there is little written of Elyan and no prose or poetry dedicated to him so it's quite hard to find stuff about him.

Also legend!Elyan is heir to the throne of Constantinople, which just goes to prove how widespread and deeply convoluted the mythos is.

[sanctummilitis]

     ARTURIA PENDRAGON ♚ SUBSISTENCE

♔ largely draws on her original 2019 run version. ♔ the major difference is switching her age to 18, as per the renewal’s version. ♔ stemming from how Uther raised her and her brother, Arturia's steadfast devotion to righteousness turned toward a passion for tales of knights ages past. ♔ following his death and Arthur’s pursuit of his murderer, Arturia chose to use the growing distance between the siblings to improve herself and give her brother one less thing to worry about. ♔ this carried over into keep an upbeat and outgoing demeanour in public, keeping the morale of her teammates high throughout training and heading into local competitions, though the existence of the loneliness behind closed doors of her family fracturing could never be refuted. ♔ in spite of their turbulence, she maintained strong relationships with her other relatives, adamant that Uther’s loss would instil in her greater than ever an understanding of the importance in valuing her supportive family. ♔ over time, her sneaking into Fibbonaci became less of a habit in order to focus on her studies and work her way into university — as much as she sought to play a part in finding Uther’s killer, she had to reluctantly trust Arthur with the task. ♔ her lack of interest in romance saw her successfully avoid any such relationship throughout school. .

                POST-SUBVERSION TIMELINE ♔ 28 years old, a university graduate having studied sports and exercise sciences. ♔ as an ordinary human without any magical restraint, she’s grown to 171cm, otherwise resembling her teenage self, including primarily keeps her hair in its usual style, though has far more often since beginning university also worn it in a high ponytail. ♔ nowadays, she’s one of the more prolific athletes in the city, sticking to the track as a long runner, but often taking to marathons. ♔ she frequently fundraises for charities through challenges whether based on distance or time. ♔ will not hesitate to help someone in need and take advantage of her physical strengths to see it done, she’ll use her social media presence to volunteer or steer help towards one seeking assistance.. ♔ proud owner of a shiba inu by the name of Cadell — it’s rare to see them apart. ♔ living in a Golden Ward apartment, and that’s the area where she’s most likely to be found. ♔ since the crisis that saw the subversions sealed, she’s commissioned a sword to be forged with some resemblance to Excalibur and taken up the childhood fantasy of practicing like a true knight. ♔ her feelings regarding Saber and her past remain complicated given the vast quantity and intensity of what she was witness to, but having reunited with her family and the deterioration of the moment seemingly undone, she doesn’t hold any resentment towards the King of Knights at least. ♔ she maintains contact with her friends and teammates from school, as well as continuing to foster her relationship with her relatives (those who don’t wilfully maintain a distance), though adulthood has seen them busied by their own roads. ♔ Uther’s killer has yet to be brought to justice, and Arturia remains determined to see that change, although lacks the flexibility to follow any trail herself. ♔ though there’s some desire to travel and observe the world personally, her attachments to Spirale have always won over, meaning she’s never left the region. ♔ despite everything, she upholds a positive outlook and continues to hold the principles of her father’s influence close, hoping that her successes thus far and path onward would be enough to make him proud.

[theroundbartable]

When we talk about "accuracy", I think we hold the original sources as too important. The idea of authorship that we have nowadays binds us to "canon events", binds us to ideas we disagree with and that don't fit together the way we view it. They tie us to a surface level of story that in this legend, would make it boring and repetitive.

King Arthur has been reinterpreted in thousands of ways. There is an entire library in England dedicated to the Arthurian Legend. I myself own several different versions, most of them mentioned above in OPs post.

And that in itself is the reason why King Arthur till exists in the background of our imagination. He shapes how we see knighthood and chivalry and magic and he is transformed with every story that we write about him. Because Arthur Pendragon always adapts to our idea of righteousness. Of justice. He can't do wrong, because we will simply rewrite him if his actions stop being that. The engagement with the text, with the Idea, keeps the Legend alive.

Because with King Arthur we're not afraid of going completely overboard and change major plot points as we would be for other shows. Every Arthur story stands for itself, because the story has never been consistent, so why would it be now?

BBC Merlin has had the fantastic idea to stretch all of this even further. They created a story that is not just about Merlin. Not just about Arthur. Not just about Guinevere and Lancelot and all the other knights. It created a world that connects all their different destinies and intertwines them into one giant (relatively) consistent lore that is left open to explore further.

Is it accurate? No. Because it doesn't need to be. Because king Arthur is a King of legends and tales who exists in our minds, but can't be proven to have ever existed. BBC Merlin discards the idea of accuracy. It instead focuses on the characters, their lives, their motivations and use that to discover what each knight stands for.

Loyalty - Leon

Strength- Gwaine

Courage - Arthur

Compassion - Morgana

Love - Gwen

Etc.

It explores themes that have nothing to do with the Arthurian legend on a surface level, But it includes all areas of life and imagination, of fear and where to place yourself in the world, and most importantly, the consequences of one's actions. All things that are relatable to us today, not to people in the 5th/6th century.

Bbc Merlin is what the Legend is meant to DO, not what we expect it to BE.

That is the accuracy that BBC Merlin keeps and it's one that we tend to arrogantly judge. It criticizes today. It places the legend in an almost present day context, which other stories don't do beyond their writing style.

BBC Merlin stands for itself and it ties into a legend that has gone to every place imaginable and will continue to explore. As it should. We're even able to connect this story almost seamlessly to any other show if we like. Such as Doctor Who, Harry Potter, Fate Zero, Heartstopper (heh) and so many more. Because BBC Merlin is a story to be explored.

I'd say BBC Merlin is -in my opinion -the best adaption of the Legend. Because it's free. It's made with love. It's a silly Show that everyone involved took seriously to create it. It's a show that is complete in itself and yet open to anything and anyone to engage with. It inherited the ghost of the Legend itself. It's modernised it without having to change the time of the setting. It's as timeless as the legend itself.

But hey, I'm biased. :)

Merlin BBC UK TV Show - Opinion Piece Part 11 - How The 2008 Series Reinterprets and Subverts Arthurian Legends

I was talking to a mutual friend about movies and TV shows in the fantasy genre and this friend bought up the fact how Arthurian legends have influenced most of them.

As that conversation progressed, we both agreed that the best adaptation of Arthurian legend was John Boorman’s 1981 classic "Excalibur".

However he seemed very amused when I told him that I was a huge fan of the 2008 BBC TV series Merlin. His opinion was that the TV series was "so childish, historically inaccurate and farcical" when he watched it.

I disagreed with him profusely and decided to make this post to outline my love of the TV series. I will share this post with this person so we can have further discussions on this topic. So here it goes:

Creators wanted to reinterpret Arthurian legend.

PROOF:

Julian Murphy, co-creator and executive producer: It all began in a restaurant on Kensington Church street, where I had lunch with the writer Jake Michie. And the pitch I gave him was very simple - It was 'I'd like to do the Arthurian story, but as an origin story in the same way that the Superman story had been done in [US TV series] Smallville.' And I think from there, it evolved.

But the decision that I think was at the heart of it, which was to make Arthur and Merlin contemporaries, rather than make Merlin the old man looking after the young Arthur, was there from the very beginning.

Source : https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/fantasy/merlin-at-10-the-cast-and-creatives-on-how-they-made-the-bbcs-boy-wizard-drama/

If you are a fan of the series i would recommend to read the article above for more information and details about the TV Show.

______________________________________________________________

There has never been a concise Arthurian story. The legends are an amalgam of numerous versions, the most popular of them being as follows:

 History of the Kings of Britain by Geoffrey of Monmouth

Geoffrey’s account of the legendary king contains the first appearance of many of the iconic features of the Arthurian legend, including the wizard Merlin.

Lancelot by Chrétien de Troyes

Geoffrey of Monmouth never mentions Arthur’s most famous knight, and it wasn’t until Chrétien de Troyes wrote Lancelot and introduced the idea of an affair between Guinevere and Arthur’s most noble knight that Arthurian legend really got the ‘romantic’ treatment

The Mabinogion by Anonymous

The Arthur we glimpse in the Mabinogion is usually a marginal figure so it’s worth reading if you’re a fan of early legends containing King Arthur.

Le Morte d’Arthur by Sir Thomas Malory

This is a vast prose retelling of the story of King Arthur and the Round Table.

Idylls of the King by Lord Tennyson

Here we find the stories of Lancelot and Elaine, Geraint and Enid, Merlin and Vivien

______________________________________________________________

So for the 2008 series to collect Arthurian stories from various sources and try to repackage it to a modern audience is nothing new as the trend has already been established through works of T. H. White in The Once and Future King, Mary Stewart in The Crystal Cave, Mark Twain in A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court etc...

But it is through reinterpreting Merlin & Guinevere's storylines and using Magic as a motif that we get a brand new Arthurian story.

Guinevere

The name Guinevere means The Fair One in old Welsh.

To cast Angel Coulby, a woman of color as one of the most famous white woman in history was a revolutionary act by 2008 British TV standards.

In the legends, Guinevere is of royal blood. Gwen in the TV series is a servant of common birth who ascends to become a queen.

Here the audience come to see Gwen as the fair one based on the strength of her character and not the color of her skin.

In the TV show Arthur forgives Gwen's infidelity with Lancelot rather than having her sent to a nunnery or worse having her die. The old male authors were okay with Arthur bedding several women but expectation of chasteness placed on Guinevere always contained an undercurrent of misogyny.

In the TV Show, Gwen leads Camelot into the golden age, instead of being blamed for the downfall of Camelot due to her affair with Lancelot

PROOF : Excerpt From Hyable Article:

Meanwhile of course, Guinevere was left to lead Camelot into the golden age. “We’ve had that in our minds for about three series,” Julian Murphy says. “We felt that to take Gwen from a servant girl to a powerful and strong queen, a person who can bind the kingdom together, was the journey we wanted to do, and I think Angel [Coulby] delivered that brilliantly.”

Merlin

By having Merlin be of a contemporary age to Arthur they effectively changed Merlin from being a father figure to being a companion of Arthur.

The close bond that Merlin shares with Arthur in the TV Show effectively replicates Lancelot's close bond with Arthur in the historical legends.

Bradley James here confirms how in some legends Lancelot was in love with Arthur.

The gay subtext that was prevalent between Lancelot and Arthur in the historical legends is played out in all its glory between Merlin and Arthur .

Motiff of Magic

Throughout the history of Abrahamic religions, there has been a connection between magic and (deviant) sexual practices. From the osculum inafme (kissing of donkey’s anuses and kissing the Devil’s anus) to witches who were supposedly inserting hallucinogenous mushrooms into their vaginas. The series association between magic and non heteronormative people becomes pronounced as series progresses.

And therein lies the appeal of the 2008 Merlin TV Series. With this modern retelling it succeeds in addressing certain historical wrongs, make it more representational, address issues and highlight subtext that have been historically ignored in popular media for the time frame it aired.

Arthurian legends no longer becomes the domain of a patriarchal Judeo Abrahamic narrative about a return to the good old days but of class mobility, race, feminism, queer acceptance and the belief of a better world to come in context of the TV Show.

[akampana]

Prompt n.24 sounds very interesting. Arturia is a king, but also a knight. And the one thing a knight has by their side, is their trusted weapon...

But we know that sometimes, a weapon is not just a weapon. Sometimes its much more...

Right, Cu Alter?

24. “You will never lose me. I will always be right here beside you.”

Cu Alter x Arturia

One-shot, set in a world where Cú Chulainn and King Arthur exist in the same time period. Enjoy! Thanks for the ask!

___

A loud clang resounded within the stone confines of the throne room, and yet it was quiet compared to the storm raging hell outside, and quieter still to the turmoil that wracked King Arthur’s mind.

Tristan’s desertion was followed by those of a number of knights. The first crack in the glass foundation that kept Camelot’s flag flying high. The exposure of Lancelot’s affair, however, was the hammer that finally smashed it to smithereens. Now here she was left amongst the rubble, with an aggrieved Gawain, a conflicted Bedivere and the cold, dead body of poor Agravain, who fell victim to her excommunicated First Knight. Arturia did not know where Merlin was. Kay had left months ago with all his fortune. She needn’t be a genius to know he wasn’t coming back.

What the people demanded was revenge for King Arthur’s cuckolding: the hunt and execution of the treacherous French knight that fled to his homeland, to whom Arturia held no grudge. Her logic demanded she carry out the farce, but what remained of her sealed-up heart did not.

From this derived her conflict, which she wrestled in solitude, here at the glaringly empty Round Table that used to seat her comrades.

Pursue the man she’s forgiven or stay her hand? Give the people what they want or stand by her own beliefs?

Arturia flinched as cool metal brushed against her fingertips, her startled eyes climbing to meet orbs the color of the wine she just spilled.

“King—!” the glare he sent her stilled her tongue at once, his inhuman crimson eyes glowing in the dim candlelight.

“Cú,” she corrected herself, wrapping her cloak tighter around herself. Her thinner night garbs did little to hide the secret of her sex. In the dead of night, she wasn’t expecting any visitors. Especially not at the Round Table, which was devoid of all life at this hour.

“Has your fire gone out for the night?” she said, twisting her father’s silver ring around her thumb as she spoke, “I will arrange for a servant to assist you at once—”

“Forget it,” interrupted the brutal warrior, reclining himself into Lancelot’s former seat as he poured his own goblet. “Can’t sleep in all this racket.”

She knew instinctively he didn’t mean the storm. Regretful green eyes inspected the mess in the corner, wasted wine that was a victim to her ire. Briefly, she wondered how the foreign king could hear her from all the way in the east wing, but it was hardly important. Cú was already a man of few words. He wouldn’t waste any on small talk.

“Yer gonna chase the bastard, aren’t ya? It’s what yer subjects want,” came his raspy declaration, cutting in through the silence just before a crack of lightning illuminated the room. Their eyes clashed in the glaring white light, blood orbs against evergreen.

“I can...I cannot deny them the justice they expect of me,” she answered, grief lacing the small voice that barely carried itself through the thunder.

“So you deny yerself. Just like you’ve done all yer life. Ain’t that right, Arturia?”

It took King Arthur a moment to fully grasp what had come out of his lips. Her breath began to labor as she wracked her brain for an excuse. Panic settled into her bones faster than the snow outside seeped into the grass. Before she could formulate anything, however, she felt Cú’s fingers encircle her wrist.

“Relax. I ain’t telling no one. Weapons don’t talk, remember?” he soothed, as much as an emotionless killing machine could, anyway.

“You are not just a weapon. We have been over this.” Arturia shot back, momentarily forgetting the source of her stress.

As her frantic breaths began to still, she managed a small question. “How long have you known?”

His claws released their grip, lamenting the small indents they left on her skin. “Since ya wasted yer fourteenth seat on a foreign king that once would have torn yer land asunder.”

Cú reached past her arms, lifting the wool cloak from the short king’s chest. Sure enough, he now had his confirmation, a modest chest that was so cleverly hidden behind her armor plates.

“‘Tis of little consequence to me,” he voiced, replacing the garment she pulled so closely around herself. She watched him as he gave her another glass of wine, trying to discern if he spoke the truth.

“I don’t bloody care about what’s between yer legs, the same way you never cared for this fucking tail that trails behind me. All I need to hear are yer orders,” her allied king continued, flicking away a loose strand of hair with the scaly appendage.

“If ya wanna kill Lancelot, Arturia, I’m with ya. Point me in the way of France. But if not, then gimme some other fucking command. I don’t give a shit, as long as it’s what ya want.”

The King of Knights pursed her lip, still unaccustomed to hearing her real name from one who wasn’t supposed to know her secret. Especially when the one who used it was someone she did not expect: the displaced King of Connacht, who was more frequently an envoy serving at her court as an allied Warrior of the Round Table than the ruler of his late queen’s territory. The latter job, Cú had delegated to Fergus, as the “Mad” King had chosen to dedicate his freedom to the one that liberated him.

Arturia shook off his crass manner of speech. After nearly a decade of having him by her side, she’d grown accustomed to his language, even if he was frequently scoffed at by Agravain and Gaheris when the siblings still lived.

The reminder of her knights’ deaths led her gaze back to her table and its empty seats. There were so few that still belonged to the living. Some of them were never to be filled again. Arturia turned to her right, to where Lancelot once sat, meeting ruby eyes instead of onyx ones.

“Then how about this,” she suggested, imprinting the Irish King’s face into her memory the same way she’d done for the rest of her knights. Slowly, she slipped off the silver ring she’d been fiddling with and slid it onto his pinky.

“Return to your homeland with as much gold as you can carry and my eternal gratitude. Take a fourth of the cattle. Reward each of those in your service with one and keep the rest to enrich Connacht.”

Thunder raged on outside the castle walls, but it was the silence of the king before her that unnerved Arturia to a ridiculous extent. For while neither were as talkative as her remaining nephew, the quiet had never been quite so tense.

“The hell?” Cú finally asked, glaring at the Pendragon ring with disgust instead of honor. “You’d have me run? Do ya think me a coward—”

“—I think you are a king that should not die for the flag of a kingdom that is not his,” she cut him off, grasping his hand before he could tear her father’s ring off. “You asked for an order. This is it.”

Cú Chulainn’s claws dug into the collar of her cloak, as he pulled her to his face, a menacing look upon his countenance.

“An order?” he grunted harshly, “Or a feeble attempt at driving me away before I can leave you?”

Arturia’s struggles suddenly ceased, her limbs going limp before the foreign king finally let go of her clothes. The chairs screeched as each ruler fell back onto them, the older one far more irate than the younger.

“That’s what this is about, isn’t it?” Cú murmured, his voice soft as his fist thudded onto the circular table. “Ya’ve been an absolute tool since that depressing redhead turned in his rank, and some thoughtless fools followed. Then ya let Lancelot leave, don’t even bloody try to tell me he got away.”

Arturia turned her head, hiding her eyes behind her hay-colored hair. It mattered not how her charisma could sway crowds, her tongue knew not how to lie. Green eyes searched the empty room, counting the few chairs that would be occupied tomorrow. Her sister’s remaining sons’, Bedivere’s and...oh, how very few.

Arturia rested her hand on his fist, urging him to keep the heirloom as proof of the great service he gave Camelot.

“Go home, Cú. I cannot...I cannot lose you, too.” the British king sighed, getting used to the chill of solitude. She’d always known that a life as king was a life alone. At least with Cú, she could choose the day he left, instead of spending her time counting the days till he made his exit, just like her knights, her wizard, her brother.

“Don’t ask something so fucking stupid then go looking so damn pitiful,” he responded, flipping their hands and dragging her into his space till her lips touched his.

There was a reason Cú had stayed, pawning off Connacht to someone else that deserved it more and joining Camelot’s court instead. Not only had Arturia broken the geis that kept him tied to Medb, but she also gave him purpose.

Cú never spoke of it, but he remembered their first meeting like it was yesterday.

It was on the battlefield, back when he was still bound by geis to serve another mistress. Medb, the sly vixen, had tricked him into her service, forcing him into the frontlines till he’d slain every single one of his former comrades.

Bathed in the blood of his friends, the red clouding his vision, the man who was once Ulster’s proudest warrior was no more. His valiant face was replaced by a monstrous visage, his armaments were stained black. Upon his head sat a crown of thorns, forced onto his head by a queen who knew nothing but chaos.

Before long, the name he was proud to take up had been given new meaning. He was no longer Ulster’s guard dog, but Medb’s rabid hound, who sunk his teeth into anything and everything that so much as irked the devilish queen. Cú Alter, she called him, now that she’d bent him to her tastes. Cú Alter, a fitting name to a warrior forced to tarnish his own title.

As the bodies piled up around him, no rhyme nor reason for their slaughter, Cú began to see himself in a darker light, grasping at straws for some sort of purpose behind all the mindless killing.

He must have been a monster. A monster that massacred all that stood in his way regardless of honor and glory. Yes, that must have been it, he convinced himself, finally submitting to the dark cage that his hated loathsome queen had put him under.

As the black chains dragged him deeper and deeper into his own personal hell, he took up his spear once again. It lashed out whenever he touched it, staining itself dark till the vibrant red he used to wield was nowhere to be found. Once more, to the battlefield, said Medb. Once more, he tore across it with a godlike ease.

Then suddenly the cursed spear collided with its match, a sword of shining light that glowed as bright as its wielder. He remembered the moment so clearly, his breath hitching at his throat as his strikes were pushed back, the wind pressure whipping his hood out of his face. His heart pounded with adrenaline as his gaze fell down to his opponent: a tiny little thing, so small they should have fallen to his last strike, but there they still stood, defiant green eyes staring up at him with no fear.

Rage overtook his figure, fueling his strikes as he tried to cast the small warrior back, but all his efforts were met with equal force.

“My name is Arthur Pendragon, King of Camelot.” a small voice, too fragile to have been a man’s, rung out across the battlefield. Spear met sword once again, pausing in their dance.

“Your name, knight.”

Even though he stayed on his feet, it was like the king had pulled the rug from under him. Their eyes locked once more, and he saw himself within the green irises, staring mouth agape at his opponent.

His name? His name? How long had it been since he’d been asked for his name? How many foes had he slain since then? How many nameless faces had he sent to the grave? How could this person, this puny king, take one look at his monstrous form and face him like a knight regardless?

“Cú Chulainn,” came his raspy voice, which too often had been used to roar like a beast. It felt foreign on his lips, which had ‘til then spoke nothing but bitter resentment.

That day, Arturia saw more than the monster. More than the weapon he’d disillusioned himself into being. Cú followed the king after Medb’s defeat, intending to find some proof that it was all a fluke, but it never happened. Arturia never treated him or her knights like a weapon or a tool. Arturia treated him like an equal.

And now, years spent the line, she was robbing him of that feeling, sending him away with glory and riches. If he were younger, he’d have jumped at the prize of heroic fame, but that was no longer what he wanted. What he wanted was to be right here, right next to the person that made him feel human again.

As their lips parted, Cú sent a glare through the empty seats of each of the deserters. He’d never understand how they could leave their king behind. He’d met his fair share of monarchs— hell, he technically was one—and even as belligerent a person he was, he wouldn’t wield his spear for any other.

“You will never lose me,” Cú declared in between rough kisses. “I will always be right here beside you. Understand?”

The Irishman returned her ring as she nodded, breathless, into his shoulder. She had one. Even if the world were to turn on Arturia, she still had one. One that would stay forever beside her.

Beside her...

Beyond Cú, the shorter king saw the backrest of Lancelot’s former seat, and finally, she knew just what to do to settle the people and follow her heart at the same time.

“Disregard my previous orders. Heed this instead…”

As the words left his king’s lips, Cú Chulainn proudly grinned.

[cinemajunkie70]

Arthur: Swear faith to me, and you shall have mercy! I need battle lords such as you!

Uryenes: A noble knight swear faith to a squire?

Mador: NEVER... NEVER!

Arthur: You are right.

Arthur: You're right... I'm not yet a knight.

Arthur: You, Uryenes, will make me a knight. Then as knight to knight... I can offer you mercy.

Merlin: What's this? What's this?

Mador: Keep it, Uryenes!

Uryenes: In the name of God, St Michael and St George, I give you the right to bear arms and the power to mete justice!

Arthur: That duty I will solemnly obey, as knight and king.

Merlin: I never saw this.

Uryenes: Rise... King Arthur.

I am your humble knight, and I swear allegiance to the courage in your veins. So strong it is, its source must be Uther Pendragon's. I doubt you no more!

— Excalibur (1981)

Directed by John Boorman

[merlinmeta]

Honestly I think my biggest issue with Arthur in this show is that the narrative spends so long propping him up as this destined savior and it’s literally never even slightly shown. It’s especially egregious in the ending where he’s apparently supposed to come back to save Britain and honestly, he really doesn’t deserve to be resting in Avalon. He’s not very impressive nor an especially good leader. He just exceedingly ordinary, which would be fine if the stupid prophecy and the narrative wasn’t trying to pretend he was some otherworldly king. He either has to be average or exceptional and he certainly isn’t the latter. I do like him but it doesn’t feel like he is the one who HAS to be king, which isn’t good when Merlin ends up having to do some pretty horrible things to save him with the only reason being that Arthur must be king. It feels like Merlin is basically sacrificing his humanity for a guy who has done nothing to prove he deserves it. It’s also why Morgana and the other villains have to become such caricatures (though this is also a holdover from Uther since reasonable people don’t side with genociders so they have to make all the antagonists with justified griefs suddenly omnicidal). If they’re shown to have valid points then Arthur might actually have to confront this and become better but the story won’t allow it. Sorry for the random rant, I just needed to post this somewhere.

LMAO honestly you're right like. what could canon Arthur POSSIBLY contribute to literally any modern issue, political or otherwise? That premise only works if Arthur is like...a force of nature, driven to bring people justice and revolutionize broken systems no matter how hard it is or what stands in his way.

Though I disagree that "it's never even slightly shown," because we DO see that side of him in some of my absolute favorite scenes in the whole series! The problem is that the writers prove again and again that they are committed to maintaining the status quo above all else, to the extreme detriment of their characters and the story they promised to tell in literally the first episode. They don't make changes that really mean anything.

But there are a lot of Arthur scenes that could have laid GREAT narrative foundations for legend-worthy change, and that's really what makes him so disappointing to me. (Shameless plug: I'm writing a fic about one of those scenes, even if it's on break right now because Life.) Someone recently recced me a fantastic essay called "The Triumph of Uther Pendragon" by Araeph on AO3 with a chapter about how the showrunners had to literally, physically bludgeon Arthur into ignorance (aka knock him unconscious constantly) out of fear that he would change the narrative otherwise. To be honest, I think that's giving canon Arthur a little too much credit, because quite a bit of his ignorance is self-inflicted throughout the entire series. But I think that view of Arthur is exactly the character he SHOULD have been.

I think the legendary version of Arthur is someone who was raised in hatred and ignorance--but when something comes along to challenge his beliefs, he CAN'T ignore it. Even if it's easier to just listen to his father when he says magic is evil, even if he tries to go back to the way things were because believing otherwise would be complicated and guilt-inducing and hard, he can't hide behind his pride and arrogance for too long when people are suffering. Maybe he falls back into old habits; maybe his deeply ingrained fears and biases rear their head again and again. But he keeps trying to learn and grow because he can't be satisfied with anything less than the best he can offer his people.

Show me Arthur fighting the outdated mindsets of his people and his advisors as his beliefs become more and more radical--struggling to reestablish communications with Druids, learning about the Old Religion and the people who practice it, listening to the people who hate him, refusing to live in ignorance. Shattering Uther's whole system the moment he has the power to enact change and dealing with the consequences of doing so.

Arthur shouldn't have just been sorta better than Uther in some ways. He should have blazed his own path--not Merlin's, not Uther's, not Gaius's or Kilgharrah's or anyone else's, even if they guide him at times. He should have kept on surprising us (Merlin included!) all the way to the end with how hard he is willing to work and keep working for justice, how humble he could be when facing those he had wronged, how ready he is to challenge his father's legacy.

He should have been a revolutionary.

[panharmonium]

last bit about 2.02 and then i swear i’m moving on with my life

“have you found someone to play our knight in the tournament?”

“absolutely.”

“he’s a farmer,” says merlin, nodding along with himself, “from one of the outlying villages.  and...no one will recognize him.”

hoo boy.  okay.

here’s the last last thing i gotta say about this episode before i move on with this rewatch.  

i’ll circle around to the point in a minute here, but first - have i mentioned before that merlin has only ever had two honest friends? 

have i mentioned that, once or twice?  or six thousand times?  yeah, i might’ve; okay, well, look, once again - merlin has only ever had two honest friends. 

his two honest friends are very different people.  but certain facts remain the same in both cases: they both get pulled into merlin’s mess of a “destiny,” and they both stick their necks out for arthur pendragon (willingly or, y’know...less so), and they both die right in front of merlin as a direct result of that neck-baring, and both of those losses impact merlin in dramatic ways. 

the difference between these two situations is that lancelot’s loss is recognized.

his loss is acknowledged by people who aren’t merlin, in both the immediate and the long-term.  lancelot's life and his sacrifice are honored and lauded in every corner of the kingdom.  he is respected; he is remembered.  everybody in camelot listens to arthur eulogize “his courage, his compassion, his unselfish heart.”  everybody in camelot knows his name.  he lives on in their stories.

and that’s as it should be, of course; lancelot is my forever fave and he deserves every bit of camelot’s love and much, much more, but it does make for a striking contrast with our boy prince william, who merlin believes deserves the same kind of recognition - for leaping into harm’s way, for lying to keep merlin alive, for loving merlin when no one else cared.

but of course that's not possible.  will dies not just in obscurity, but in ignominy, and the circumstances surrounding his death make the whole situation an utterly unbroachable topic.  every element of that little detour in ealdor makes the entire incident untouchable as a subject.  it’s forbidden territory.  it’s That Of Which We Do Not Speak.  arthur doesn’t want to think about it.  merlin doesn’t want to talk about it.  and the nature of the false confession william used to buy merlin’s safety ensures that merlin can’t ever discuss his friend honestly, anyway, so why bother?  

merlin does not like being unable to explain to people what lancelot and will really meant to him, but lancelot, at the very least, is memorialized and honored in other ways, by merlin’s immediate companions and an entire kingdom of people besides.  will died wrapped up in a bold and tremendous lie, the protective nature of which no one will ever see or understand or appreciate, and, unlike lancelot, he can’t ever be acknowledged for the fastness of his friendship or the bedrock firmness of his loyalty.  

no one will ever recognize him.  

and this is fundamentally painful for merlin, who is already hurting from losing him in the first place.  

so - in 2.02, when arthur dumps this stupid scheme in merlin’s lap and is like “ok go work out the details” - of course merlin immediately goes ‘omg.  this is it.  my Moment.'  

i mean -

arthur: i need you to invent an imaginary knight to enter the jousting tournament in my place as our pretend competitor; it’s got to be convincing and he needs a name and heraldry and a lineage so be careful and do your research and take your time with it but basically he’s got to be a hero-type, you know, knight material, someone honorable and brave, and essentially he’ll just take the field to absorb the respect and appreciation of hundreds of cheering people

merlin: *has geoffrey’s entire genealogy book of 3000 names to choose from*

merlin 0.0001 nanoseconds later, not opening it:

boom.  done.  instantaneous.  never a question.

merlin makes that choice on purpose.  in an episode that’s all about teaching arthur, the princliest prince to ever prince, some humility, in an episode that’s all about calling arthur out on his “i’m not a noble i’m just a regular dude/i don’t care about titles” hypocrisy - merlin does that on purpose.  not for anybody else to see, not for anyone else to understand.  just for himself.  just a little gesture, to make himself smile.  a knighting by proxy.

but of course then it all works out SO MUCH BETTER than he expected, and the whole of camelot ends up roaring with applause not for arthur but for the fake knight merlin named, which is honestly the best, brightest ending i could possibly imagine.

i love getting to see merlin at the end of this episode.  after five straight episodes of him dealing with all this heavy stuff, from 1.10 to 2.01, after all of that stress and sadness and fear - to see him here, when arthur declines to claim the trophy and sends out their Farmer Knight and every single person sitting in the lists is on their feet cheering for some nobody peasant farmer from a little nothing town who merlin just happened to name william for his own purposes

he is so

so

happy

he’s so tickled.  just.  delighted.  he’s laughing and shaking his head to himself at the end there like he can’t even believe how ridiculously great this is.  it’s so much better than he could possibly have planned.  it’s cosmic justice.  

later, uther says, “we have a new champion, sir william of deira” - and the camera immediately cuts to merlin having a private laugh

because you know, as it turns out, camelot’s new kingdom-wide champion - the name to be recorded in all current and future reference texts, written in official, indelible ink - goes down in the history books as “SIR WILLIAM”

and merlin thinks that’s just perfect.  

[loki-lover84]

Season 01 Episode 01: “The Dragon’s Call”

I stormed down the cold stone corridors determined to get away from Uther, Arthur and any of the guards, once again Uther had sentenced another person to death for having magic and he honestly didn’t show any signs of remorse. That thing is cruel, petty and an abomination to the human race; he has the power to dictate who in Camelot may live and who must die but instead of executing the people that commit horrific crimes he goes out of his way to track down any that may possess the gift of magic and put an end to them just because they exist. I have slandered him and called him a coward many times, he kills what he can’t even begin to understand. Magic itself isn’t the issue, the issue only occurs when it is used for evil that is something that once again Uther can’t seem to understand.

In my fury I’d ended up bumping into Guinevere and knocking my sisters dresses onto the hard dusty stone ground.

“Oh Gwen, I’m so sorry I didn’t mean to!” I apologised picking up each delicate silk gown from the ground.

“Lady Y/n, you needn’t apologise. I was in the way clearly.” Gwen attempted to reason.

“Gwen, I’ve told you countless times to refer to me as Y/n you don’t need to add the Lady part I don’t like it especially not when it’s coming from you, my friend.” Gwen smiled timidly at me as I walked with her to the scullery to assist with cleaning my sisters dresses.

“I’ll never understand why you insist on doing the chores assigned to us you’re supposed to-“

“Get bored after doing nothing in my room or wander the castle aimlessly as I’m forbidden to venture anywhere else, yeah not my fancy.” I interrupted.

“What did King Uther do this time?”  She questioned as we waited for the fire to do its part and heat the water up.

“He’s sentenced another to death for practicing sorcery, whether the man was or wasn’t doesn’t really matter all too much to him just as long as he gets the power to say they live or they die.” I huffed as I began to scrub away the dust and dirt off the first of Morgana’s dresses.

“He believes he’s keeping the kingdom safe.” Guinevere attempted.

“The kingdom isn’t safe from his bad decisions though; let’s face it they’re a greater danger than magic.” I ranted causing Gwen to sigh but she was amused by my statement.

“You keep scrubbing at the rate you are you’ll have me out of a job.” She laughed trying to lighten the mood.

“Never, for you shall receive the credit and they shall be none the wiser.” I smiled before continuing, “What’s next on your to do list today then?”

“I was going to go out to the lower town, I need to get some supplies.”

“Great I’ll join you, anything to get me away from here for a while.” I respond as we air out the dresses.

“Are you sure that’s wise I mean, King Uther’s already angry at you is he not what if today’s the day he catches you?” My friend asked anxiously.

“I don’t fear him besides what’s the worst that’ll happen?”

Guinevere walked alongside me she kept seeming like she wanted to say something, anything to change my mind but knew it’d be like talking to the castle’s stone walls. Eventually we reached my room and I pulled out the chest that was tucked under my bed and out of sight before revealing its contents of commoners clothing which to me was actually rather charming but to most people was all they could get. With some of Guinevere’s assistance I was able change out of my noble clothes and into my common ones.

With Gwen’s usual aid in keeping the guards occupied I was able to sneak around and out of the castle without a single guard harassing me, we’d arranged to meet up in the lower town so we could purchase everything she needed, everything was going to plan until a swarm of the townsfolk sped up the courtyard capturing me in their tight knit hoard. I was so close and now I was back in the courtyard unable to move and forced to behold the treacherous sight I desperately wanted to avoid…

The execution.

The drums began their solemn steady beat as two guards brought forth the man whose life was about to be stolen from him.

“Let this serve as a lesson to all, this man Thomas James Collins is adjudged guilty of conspiring to use enchantments and magic. And pursuant to the laws of Camelot, I, Uther Pendragon, have decreed that such practices are banned on penalty of death.” I woman shoved passed me to get a closer look causing me to fall onto a raven haired man.

I utter a small apology to him and continued to glare up at Uther.

“I pride myself as a fair and just king.” He continued.

“You’re a delusional, arrogant, pigheaded King.” I scoffed under my breath causing the raven haired guy I’d just bumped into to titter slightly.

“But for the crime of sorcery, there is but one sentence I can pass.” Thomas was forced onto his knees his head on now held against the block.

I looked around anywhere I could to avoid the inevitable and saw my twin lower her head in disgust as she beheld the sight. Knowing she was watching this made my stomach fall, I’d always tried to keep her distracted and away from these events but today it seems she chose to watch. Unable to look at my sister I scowled at Uther and watched as without a care, without remorse he lowered his hand signalling for the executioner to behead Thomas. The boy next to me gulped and tensed, I’m not sure what he was expecting to happen seen as though he’d willingly come to see this but his reaction certainly held elements of shock and fear? The rest of the crowd gasped, at least they had some elements of humanity in them.

“When I came to this land, this kingdom was mired in chaos, but with the people’s help, magic was driven from the realm. So I declared a festival to celebrate 20 years since The Great Dragon was captured, and Camelot free from the evil of Sorcery. Let the celebrations begin.” Uther dismissed his face gleaming with pride.

The crowd started to disperse until a woman cried loudly gaining everyone’s focus, even Uther remained upon his balcony.

“There is only one evil in this land and it is not magic! It is you. With your hatred and your ignorance…you took my son.” She cried to Uther as the crowed cautiously backed away from her. “I promise you before these celebrations are over, you will share my tears. An eye for an eye; a tooth for a tooth… a son for a son!” My heart pounded not Arthur yeah he could be a royal prat sometimes but he didn’t deserve to lose his life over Uther’s decisions.

“Seize her!” Uher commanded.

The old woman began chanting something in a high pitched squeal before she eventually disappeared from sight and creating a sudden gust of wind. Cautiously everyone disbanded and I snuck back out among the crowd to help Gwen once again.

I’d remained quiet the entire time I spent with her, I’d witnessed not only the execution but the threat on Arthur’s life. Arthur was like a brother to me we grew up together Arthur, Morgana and I we’d always been there for one another and now because of Uther, Arthur’s life was in danger.

The sun was setting by the time Guinevere and I had finished in town and it was probably best that we got back to the castle to perform our respective duties, Gwen’s to work and mine to float around the castle looking pretty and being the envy of others much like my sister, if only they knew. I scurried back to my chambers, Brenna my maid assisted with my redressing to look my part.  Brenna and Gwen were my closest friends and I knew I could trust them with anything all the servants knew I helped them out but, only they knew and helped me sneak out of the castle.

“Thank you Brenna,  I got caught up Gwen today I apologise for my absence.” Brenna smiled at me and shook her head.

“Hey, you’ve got to do what you’ve got to do to avoid our pompous King.” I couldn’t help but laugh at her boldness, she’s always true to her opinions and to herself and that’s what I love about her.

“Have you seen Morgana today?” Brenna shook her head as she made my hair look presentable. “She witnessed the execution today is all and I just want to make sure she’s alright.”

“Well from what I’ve heard she avoided everyone today and requested for time to think.” I find it great that if the slightest thing happens around Camelot somehow Brenna is the first to know.

“Thank you so much, I’m going to go and check on her hopefully Uther hasn’t completely corrupted her yet.” With that I left Brenna to her own devices and searched for my sister.

I was at the bottom of a stone staircase when I heard Uther conferring with Morgana.

“What is this? Why are you not joining us at the feast?” Uther’s voice sounded.

“I just don’t think chopping someone’s head off is cause for a celebration. That poor mother.” Morgana replied.

“You’re starting sound like your sister, it was simple justice for what he’d done.”

“To whom? He practiced some magic. He didn’t hurt anyone.”

“You were not around 20 years ago. You have no idea what it was like.”

“How long are you going to keep punishing people for what happened then?”

“Until they realize there is no room for magic in my kingdom. You will be with me when I greet Lady Helen.”

“I told you I want no part of these celebrations-“

“I’m your guardian! I expect you to do as I ask. If you show me no respect, at least respect our finest singer. You should stay away from your sister more she’s a horrible influence on you!” With that Uther began to storm away.

“You know, the more brutal you are, the more enemies you’ll create.” Morgana called to him as I walked up the stairs.

“Morgana, are you okay?” I ask gazing at my sisters infuriated expression.

“I see what you mean about him Y/n I really do.” The pair of us stood in a peaceful silence for a moment before heading back to our chambers for the rest of the evening.

 “Aren’t you glad all you did was brush my hair?” I teased Brenna.

“Yeah, it would’ve been a shame if one of my amazing styles was only worn for fifteen minutes.”

“You can leave no you know.”

“But-”

“But nothing, get home and take care of yourself I see us as equals, you should too.” With that Brenna left and went home knowing she didn’t actually need to come back and ‘work for me’ yet she still does all the same.

 The Next Morning

 Brenna and I met up with Gwen and decided to help her dry the rest of Morgana’s dresses out of the windows as it was a pleasantly warm day.

“Keep hold of that especially tight, it’s one of her favourites.” I said to Brenna as I wafted another out of my window. “Hey look, surprise, surprise Arthur’s being a prat again.”

Guinevere and Brenna stopped what they were doing and stood beside me.

“I wish someone would just put him in his place sometimes, he can be so rude.” I grumbled.

“He’s just showing off in front of the other knights.” Brenna chimed.

“He still shouldn’t treat him like that though.” Gwen said clearly irritated.

“Tell me about it. Oh wait what’s happening here?” Brenna asked getting excited.

“At least someone’s trying to help.” Gwen sighed.

“Arthur’s not going to like that…Geez that was unnecessary!” I gasped as Arthur twisted a raven haired boy’s arm behind his back before motioning to the guards. “Arthur don’t be such a prat!” I growled as the guards took the lad away.

I left angrily leaving Gwen and Brenna to finish the remainder of the dresses in attempt to defend this stranger. Sadly by the time I got there he was already in the cells and he wasn’t allowed visitors either that or I was still forbidden from going down there after last time.

As night came Gwen got Morgana ready and Brenna helped me get ready for our guest performer, I didn’t want to be there but Uther demanded Morgana’s presence and she’d requested my emotional support so how could I refuse my own twins plea for help. Once we were prepared we stood waiting patiently in the throne room Gwen stood behind Morgana and Brenna stood beside me. Eventually Lady Helen arrived and Uther hurried to greet her.

“Lady Helen. Thank you so much for coming to sing at our celebrations.” Uther welcomed as she curtsied before him.

“The pleasure’s all mine.” Lady Helen smiled at him.

“How was your journey?”

“Oh the time it took sire.”

“Well, it’s always worth the wait.” Uther charmed as he politely kissed the back of her hands.

“It will be.” Lady Helen says ominously as she fiddles with her necklace.

After the welcoming of Lady Helen we’re quickly dismissed.

“Seriously, I spent longer doing your hair than you did wearing it like that.” Brenna grumbled as we walked back to my chambers.

I couldn’t help but laugh, no matter what she can always get a smile out of me.

“I’ll keep it up like this until I actually go to sleep if you’d prefer then your efforts wouldn’t be wasted.”

“Yes, do that.”

“I will.”

“Good.”

“Good.”

Our faces were hard and firm until we locked eyes and ended up laughing at our extremely childish behaviour.

“Now go to the tavern and have fun for me.” I say ushering her away.

“Of course, Lady Y/n whatever you say.” With that she grinned at me and hurried off to the tavern to spend her wages.

 I’d snuck out once again with Guinevere only this time it was in hopes of finding Brenna she hadn’t shown up in my chambers earlier which was fine, she probably had a hangover but a few hours went by and she still wasn’t here so I found Gwen explained the situation and we hurried off to find her.

“She’s a nightmare that Brenna, keeps us all up takes our money then passes out knocking over my ale in the process. As if leaving me broke wasn’t bad enough!” I purple faced man complains loudly as he staggers out of the tavern clinging onto his red faced friend.

“My first time going to the tavern is not going to be just to take home my unconscious friend. Gwen pretty please can you get her, I want our first time to be special.” I ask childishly admiring the tavern.

Gwen shakes her head at my behaviour but goes in by herself nonetheless. Seconds later a swarm of giddy children rush by me, as much rotten food in their hands that they can carry. Curiously I follow them and I’m led right to the stocks, where the raven haired guy from earlier is as food is flung at his head. Remaining out of the line of fire I approach him and his breathtaking blue eyes meet my e/c ones. Okay he’s far more attractive than I initially gave him credit for, he’s looking at me. Y/n say something!

“Hi.” I squeak out. Well Y/n that was pathetic congratulations at being useless when talking to boys.

“Hello.” He smiles up at me despite his predicament.

“I’m Y/n, I help out around the castle sometimes.” I introduce, well it’s not a complete lie and I had to say something right?

“Right. Well, I’m Merlin…” He offers as much of his closest hand as he can and try my best to shake it giving the situation. “Although most people just call me  ‘Idiot.’”

“No, I saw what you did, it wasn’t particularly smart but it was brave of you to stand up against royal prat.” I complimented or at least I hope it came off as a compliment.

“It was stupid.” Merlin laughed to himself causing me to smile slightly.

“Y/n.” Guinevere called from behind me with a half conscious Brenna hanging off her. “I’m Guinevere but most people call me Gwen, I’m Lady Morgana’s maid.” She introduced herself.

Merlin’s eyes brightened when he look at her, of course what guy wouldn’t find her to be stunning?

“Merlin.” He smiled at her as I took Brenna off her so she could also shake his hand.

“I saw what you did, it was so brave.” Gwen stated smiling at him.

“It was stupid.” Merlin sighed this time instead of laughing his self-deprecating laugh.

“Well I’m glad you walked away, you weren’t going to beat him.” Gwen said as she charmingly fiddled with her dress.

How can someone do that without looking even the slightest bit weird? I’ve got to ask her at some point.

“Oh, I…I could beat him.” Merlin says almost cockily if it weren’t for the slightly anxious laugh that accompanied it.

“You think? Because you don’t look like one of these big muscly kind of fellows.” She teases cocking her head to one side.

“Thanks.” He replies.

I might as well just leave the pair of them alone and take Brenna to her home until she’s feeling better.

“See you around Gwen, Merlin.” I call as Brenna and I stagger back to her home.

Wow I’m useless with men, it comes so effortlessly with other women, why do I fail miserably at it?

“Aw Milady blew off a lovely gentleman to take care of me I’m honoured.” Brenna slurred a silly grin on her face.

“Yes well the lovely gentleman likes Gwen so I thought we should leave them be.” I attempted to reason with my drunken friend.

“Pfft that won’t last.” Brenna giggled.

“Why not?” I asked genuinely intrigued.

“She likes Arthur, Merlin’s destined to like you.” She sing songed.

“Ah yes because Uther will allow Gwen and Arthur to marry and Merlin is what, my destiny? You lose grip on reality when you’re drunk.” I laugh as I make her some broth.

“It’s true! I promise!” She pleads.

“Okay I believe you now eat up so you can get into bed and be ready for tomorrow.” I kissed the top of her chestnut brown hair before leaving her home and heading back up to the castle walking passed a laughing Merlin and a giggling Gwen.

Upon arrival I changed into my exquisite f/c dress that complimented everything I had to show before pinning back some strands of my hair to speak with my sister.

“Morgana, do you have a minute?” I asked her as I poked my head around her chambers door.

“Of course sister, I have all the time in the world for you.” She smiled brilliantly at me.

“So, you have more experience with boys than I do and I need some help.”

“Which dashing prince stole my sisters heart, or maybe which knight?” Morgana teased as she pulled me into her room.

“Well I don’t know if he has you know because I haven’t the slightest idea when it comes to these sort of things. How am I supposed to feel?”

“Well when you like a guy usually your stomach feels weird and you become flustered so much so that you even sometimes forget how to speak coherently.” She began to explain.

“Okay and how am I supposed to feel when he talks to pretty girls?”

“Well everyone’s different, some people don’t mind it others get angry and annoyed, some become forlorn and feel like they’ve lost all hope.” Morgana calmly answered.

Great so ticks all across the board for liking a guy I hardly know, way to go me.

“Has someone else caught the attention of your love, sister?” Moargana asked a beautiful features contorting into strained ones expressing concern.

“Oh what no, nothing like that happened to me, I’m writing a story and needed help with the relationship front of things, got to pass time somehow around here.” I stuttered before giving her a false smile and leaving quickly.

In my hurry to escape from everything and just get back to my chambers I ended up colliding straight into someone. I tripped on my dress and hit the cold stone floor as did the other person. They were already up on their feet by the time I’d even turned around to take in my surroundings.

“I’m terribly sorry I wasn’t looking where I was going.” A familiar voice apologised profusely as they held a hand out to me.

I must’ve done something horrific if this is how life decided to play with me. I kept my head angled down but accepted his assistance in standing up. It’s not always easy when your corset is too tight.

“Thank you, I’m partially to blame though so don’t try to carry all that burden Merlin.” Oh why did I say his name  I’m so stupid!

“Y/n?” Merlin asked as I looked up at him, “I thought you said you helped out here, but you’re-“

“I’m a dear friend of Morgana’s and she gave me one of her dresses for the celebration tomorrow night.” I hurriedly lied, “So, bye Merlin it was nice bumping into you literally.” Before scurrying away.

I’m weird I’m very, very weird . I mean good lie, failed on every other front though. I sighed audibly as I hid my flustered face in my hands and skulked back to my chambers were I spent time clearing my head by leaning out of my window and surveying Camelot in all her beauty. Once again night fall came and Camelot’s truer beauty shone brightly the flaming torches allowed finer parts to look even more exquisite thanks to the assistance of the dramatically casted shadows cascading on to any surface. I took a deep breath and gazed longingly at the moon, now that, natures own creation was the truest beauty of them all.

 Once again the sun rose and Brenna was by my side eagerly waking me up in the most obnoxious of ways.

“Thank you for yesterday off, I really needed the recovery day.” She grinned.

“Yes, I know, you nearly scared Guinevere and myself to death when you didn’t show up and, the state you were in once we found you but hey, at least you gambled your way to fortune the other night.”

“Ah yes I’m a professional at predicting the future drunk and sober.” Her smile weakening slightly as did mine.

“It would be great you know if you really could see into the future like one of those, oh what are they called…”

“Seers, magic folk that can see into the future.” Brenna finished.

“Yeah a Seer it would make my state of mind better if you were one but then again Uther would have you killed so it’s probably for the best that you’re not one eh?” I laughed and Brenna shifted slightly.

After that we spent a few hours just talking about random things but we did make an arrangement for my first tavern visit which I was now eagerly awaiting with baited breath.

“Let’s do visit Lady Morgana and Guinevere I’m sure they’ll need our assistance with Morgana’s dress for tonight.” Brenna said randomly as she pushed me out of my room.

By the time we reached Morgana’s room Chambers we saw a very smiley yet flustered Merlin lean and came face to face with a beaming Gwen. Not what I wanted to see ever but yet there it was.

“So, it’s whether I wear this little tease, or give them a night they’ll really remember.” Morgan said deviously showing her dress options to us.

“Anyone in particular you’re after, maybe a certain blonde haired prince?” Brenna teases. “I’m pretty sure everyone except from him is aware of your intentions towards him.”

“I believe you’re right there Brenna at this rate though I wouldn’t be too surprised though, unless it’s fighting he’s not the sharpest tool around.” Morgan sighed sadly.

“I’m certain he’ll notice you tonight though, don’t worry.” Brenna winked as we decided upon her wine red dress that whilst left little to the imagination also provided a great sense of elegance.

“Y/n what about the boy you like do you have an idea of which dress you’ll wear to recapture his attention?” Morgana asked.

“Y/n you like someone?” Guinevere asked this being obvious new  news to her.

“No these two are just convinced that I do for some reason.” I lied, wanting Gwen to be happy.

“Fine, but you still need to look stunning!” Morgana insisted whilst the other two agreed so I was now shoved all the way back to my chambers after being shoved all the way to my twins.

In the end we decided upon an elegant dress with a dark blue and silver burst and a greyish blue skirt with some light floral embroidery. I didn’t want to go to the celebration in the slightest but, at least I’ll look good while I’m there.

 The celebration arrived sooner than I anticipated and Brenna and I were running late.

“I want you to blow everyone away tonight.” Brenna insisted as we hurried down the corridor my heels clacking against the ground as I held my dress up to run.

“I don’t know why, nobody will be looking at me, it’s either going to be the Lady Morgana or Lady Helen.” I argued.

“Yeah but now, thanks to me you’re another option for them.” Brenna replied.

“I don’t want to be!”

“Merlin will be there.”

“What?” I was amazed she’d even remembered his name, she was barely conscious and yet she somehow knows that, ugh never mind! “He likes Gwen, Gwen likes him we can just let them be happy.” I finally said as we reached the grand hall.

My twin had just entered and had immediately captivated Arthur as well as every other mans attention, I could’ve sworn Arthur murmured “God have mercy.” Whilst she strutted past him but I could be wrong. As I watched her walk with confidence I saw Merlin gazing at her before getting a disapproving look from Gaius.

“In you go.” Brenna ushered but I didn’t move.

“I can’t.”

“You promised Morgana you’d be here with her.”

“Yeah but that was before things go complicated besides she’s got Arthur and everyone else’s attention now.”

“Okay so while they’re all looking at her you and I can sneak in.” Brenna did have a point we could just sneak in now and hopefully remain unnoticed.

“Fine .” I entered the grand hall and walked to the opposite side of the room as Morgana, Arthur and Merlin whilst keeping my head turned away from most people.

Brenna and I chatted amongst ourselves for a while until.

“Don’t look now but a certain Mr Merlin is looking at you with his mouth hanging open.” Brenna whispered.

“It’s not nice to tease Brenna you know that there’s so lines we don’t-“  Before I could finish my sentence she turned me around to face Merlin and she had indeed been telling the truth.

Merlin was looking right at me his mouth slightly agape as Gaius lectured him before walking off. I turned back around to apologise to Brenna when she was suddenly next to Merlin saying something to him with a devious smile on her face as they looked towards my general area. Great I’m being looked at and I’m alone and back to looking like a weirdo. Well until my twin and Arthur came over to me.

“Y/n you scrub up well.” Arthur said.

“Wow geez thanks, as do you my royal prat.” I reply jokingly with a mock curtsey.

“Hey, I was trying to be nice.” He defended.

“Ah leave him be Y/n I’m afraid that’s as silver tongued as our dear friend gets.” Morgan playfully insulted threading her arm through mine.

“That’s not fair there’s two of you and only one of me.” Arthur huffed.

“Yeah that is how twins work you know, two of them all the time.”  I reply before sneaking a glance Merlin’s way whom now had Gwen by his side but at least Brenna was there also so they couldn’t have alone time.

Why do I care I’ve hardly spoken to him, she knows him so much better than I do, I don’t get a say in any of this.

“…Don’t  you agree Y/n?” Arthur asked.

“Hm what?”

“Where is your mind tonight?” Arthur asked.

“Oh is it him, is he here?” Morgana asked peering around the room.

“He, who?” Arthur demanded.

“No one, Morgana and Brenna are convinced I like someone so they keep acting weird and made me dress up like this tonight.”

“Okay so who do you reckon our lovely Y/n’s type is? Mybe it’s him?” Arthur said pointing to someone.

“No, I think more him.” Morgana said pointing at one of the knight’s, “ Or maybe-“ Morgana was cut off by the sound of the horns indicating for everyone to stand by their seats for the King’s entrance before they could actually sit.

“We have enjoyed 20 years of peace and prosperity. It has brought the kingdom and myself many pleasures. But few can compare with the honour of introducing Lady Helen of Mora.” Uther introduced causing an applaud from everyone present, even me out of politeness as he joined Arthur, Morgana and I at the head table.

Lady Helen stood upon a makeshift stage at the back of the hall to perform her song. Her voice was indeed beautiful but the words she sang were not English, there was an enchanting aura to everything about her in this moment, we were held captive to her talent. Slowly and gracefully she approached our table people succumbing to a sleep as she past them. My eyelids felt undeniably heavy and it became a challenge so stay awake to the side I could make out Merlin covering his ears as the room became cooler and darker with each note, Uther was already asleep quickly followed by Arthur and my sister. I fought to remain awake but it felt futile all my energy was being drained, the last thing I saw was cobwebs slowly appearing before I was out.

Minutes later I woke to a dark cobweb infested cold grand hall with the old woman from the execution trapped beneath our once hanging candelabras whom quicker that a flash threw her dagger right at Arthur, had it not been for Merlin, Arthur would be dead.

“You saved my boys life, a debt must be repaid.” Uther spoke to Merlin.

“Oh, well…” Merlin began.

“Don’t be so modest. You shall be rewarded.”

“No, honestly, you don’t have to, your highness.”

“No, absolutely. This merits something quite special.”

“Well…” Merlin sighed shrugging his shoulders slightly.

“You shall be awarded with a position in the royal household.” Uther says clapping his hand against Arthur’s back who in turned looked disgusted by Uther’s suggestion. “You shall be Prince Arthur’s Manservant.”

Poor Merlin, it was as if he’d been punished instead of rewarded for saving Arthur’s life. Everyone else applauded as Uther began to walk away.

“Father!” Arthur complained as neither he nor Merlin seemed particularly happy with the outcome.

People began to leave the grand hall Merlin included as Arthur pouted.

“Arthur, give him a chance. He saved your life treat him with some element of respect!” I said before also leaving the hall.

I was barely out of the doors when I was pulled to one side out of sight from the guards and passersby, a hand was over my mouth to prevent me from squealing in shock. I was up against a wall when Merlin’s bewitching blue eyes met my wide e/c ones once again.

“You’re just a close friend of the Lady Morgana are you, I didn’t think even close friends would be allowed to sit at the King’s table nor influence the prince like you do.” Merlin smirked as he slowly drew his hand from my mouth.

I didn’t know how to respond, I didn’t know if I was even capable of responding, my heart pounded against my chest my breaths uneven, I felt dizzy.

“I-I’m the Lady Y/n, the Lady Morgana’s twin sister.” I stuttered my eyes never leaving his.

“Well then, good night my Lady.” He smirked once again kissing the back of my hand before walking away leaving me dumbfounded using the wall against my back to keep me upright.

“Y/n you look…I honestly don’t know how to politely describe you right now, what did I miss?” Brenna asked a mischievous knowing grin on her face.

“Merlin.” I sighed almost swooning still looking down the hall Merlin just left down.