#everyone has committed treason with merlin

[akelafang]

Arthur sends Merlin on some job and wants him to take a knightly escort to keep him out of trouble. Merlin: I'll take Gwaine with me Arthur: I said "keep you out of trouble" not "guarantee you'll get into it". Take Lancelot with you, he's the least likely to commit treason with you Merlin: You say that like he's never committed treason with me

[merlingenrecs]

The truth comes out—and Merlin doesn't end up on the pyre! Perhaps there is anger, a heated conversation or some temporary distrust, but ultimately all goes well. Perhaps we even get a glimpse of what a Golden Age might look like?

Today's gen fic rec theme: Magic Reveal Gone Well!

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

⚬ A Better Man by TheActualAuthor, 3k, rated G https://archiveofourown.org/works/43646655 summary: Arthur’s cursed by a witch to experience his worst fear.

⚬ Almost, but not quite by Marti1297, 2k, rated G https://archiveofourown.org/works/39236688 summary: Finally, Arthur starts to realize strange things happen around him, and he comes to an unexpected conclusion.

⚬ a drop of truth by WinglessCrows, 6k, rated G https://archiveofourown.org/works/15636450 summary: Arthur has a truth serum, Merlin lies more than he tells the truth. Who else would Arthur use it on?

⚬ Allow One To ‘See’ by mollrach13, 30k, unrated https://archiveofourown.org/works/16729350 summary: When the King is attacked in his tent on patrol and falls into an unending sleep everyone is worried. What they don't know is that Arthur is fine. In fact he is standing right here next to them, watching them all fret over his prone body. To stave off the boredom whilst a cure is found Arthur takes to wandering the castle and soon discovered a hidden side of Camelot he never knew about.

⚬ Truths Emerge by s0mmerspr0ssen, 22k, rated T https://archiveofourown.org/works/52211941 summary: When Caerleon attacks Camelot, more than one secret is uncovered. In the face of a hopeless battle, will Arthur make the right choice?

⚬ Crown of Light by s0mmerspr0ssen, 3k, rated G https://archiveofourown.org/works/52211941 summary: About four weeks after he had married Gwen, Arthur awoke with a strange, golden light around his head. Naturally, it freaked Merlin out.

⚬ darkest before dawn by merlinemrys, 1k, rated G https://archiveofourown.org/works/48216928 summary: Arthur: I never knew my mother because of it. My father died because of it. I lost my sister to it. So tell me, Merlin, what has magic ever done for me? Merlin: What haven't I done for you? – In the hours before Mordred's execution for using sorcery to save Arthur, Merlin finally snaps.

⚬ I’d Die For You by Fulgance, 4k, rated T https://archiveofourown.org/works/934552 summary: "You know I'd die for you, yeah?" – "It certainly looks like we're headed that way," Arthur says dryly.

⚬ The Reveal byArgentNoelle, 1k, rated T https://archiveofourown.org/works/6645151 summary: How long, Merlin wondered, had Arthur known? He hadn’t seemed surprised at all.

⚬ How Water by LadyAJ_13, 3k, rated G https://archiveofourown.org/works/20817572 summary: Leon shuffles, a move so unlike him that Arthur is immediately concerned. “It's about Merlin, sire.” He wonders what he's done now. Something stupid no doubt, insulted a noblewoman or broken something valuable. A day in the stocks might be required to make the aggrieved party happy. But then, that's not unusual enough for his most capable knight to be fiddling with his sword scabbard. “I believe he has magic.”

⚬ Just a Hint of Magic by Drag0nst0rm, 1k, rated G https://archiveofourown.org/works/28462047 summary: The thing was, most sorcerers didn't know enough spells to actually put up much of a fight. So when Arthur first noticed Merlin had magic, he wasn't too worried about it.

⚬ The Truths He Can’t Deny by N16, 10k, rated T https://archiveofourown.org/works/33923860 summary: Merlin had always known this day would come. An innocent girl. An arrest for sorcery. Except now it's Arthur sitting on the throne in judgment, not Uther. It was always going to happen, but it wasn't supposed to happen like this.

⚬ Treason by N16, 10k, rated T https://archiveofourown.org/works/27763306 summary: Arthur knows four things: Merlin committed treason. Merlin is loyal to him. Merlin wants to tell Arthur the truth. Merlin is scared Arthur will kill him. All he needs to figure out now is what on earth his servant has actually done.

⚬ Greater Love Hath No Man by N16, 8k, rated T https://archiveofourown.org/works/37562236 summary: Once upon a time, Merlin had been so in love with Gwen that he'd confessed to sorcery to save her from the pyre. That moment seemed like a million years and a million lies ago. But that one lie was a loose thread, and now one tug might unravel Merlin's entire tapestry of deceit. Fortunately, Merlin can always count on Gwen.

⚬ A Scar Like a Vision of Grace by nsowlwrites97, VikingSong, 3k, rated T http://archiveofourown.org/works/56321101 summary: “Please,” Arthur tried. “Let him go. If you want the book–”The man holding the sword to Merlin’s neck smirked. “Oh, that? That’s just a bonus. No, king. We’re here for this.” And without another word, he slid the sword across Merlin’s throat.

⚬ The Hand of the Enemy by N16, 45k, rated G https://archiveofourown.org/works/27567688 summary: When Arthur accepts an invitation to a nearby kingdom where magic is free, he hopes to establish an alliance despite their differences. Instead, he and his knights find they’ve been invited under false pretenses, and the queen may succeed in turning friend against friend to accomplish her own aims.

⚬ Who I’ve Been by TheActualAuthor, 3k, rated G https://archiveofourown.org/works/41350509 summary: Arthur glances at him, but doesn’t stop to reprimand, “I told him I didn’t know what he meant. Then he spoke of many things. Said I was a figure of prophecy and legend.” His voice twists around the words, mocking them, “Said I was to rule all Albion. I was about to call him out as some sort of sorcerer’s trick, trying to trap me into oaths or pride, when he began to speak of another. A man I knew well, supposedly, who walked in my inner circle.” The king takes a sharp breath and raps his knuckles on the table, making Merlin jerk his head up, “I have little doubt he meant those who stood with me at the table. When the others come, I am going to eat with them, my men and my favored. And when we are done, I will speak to them of this, and I will know who has been lying to me all this time.”

⚬ Stains Unseen by reelin_writer, 2k, rated T https://archiveofourown.org/works/33212869 summary: During the routine bandit ambush, Gwaine is mortally wounded. Merlin saves him with magic, and instead of exploding at the reveal, Arthur is overcome with guilt. Merlin has been dealing with the trauma of taking a life--alone. Nothing, not even the new powers Merlin has, can keep Arthur from wanting to protect the younger man.

⚬ Behind Me, Beside You by TheActualAuthor, 3k, rated G https://archiveofourown.org/works/37246459 summary: Arthur glares at him, “I have no love for magic, they will not help me.” His eyes narrow, “How do you know the way to their camps? We’ve been searching for their borders for years.” “I have friends among them.” He hedges. The king stares at him a moment, then sits down with a weary air, “So you also have betrayed me.”

⚬ A Moment of Truth by sakarrie, 5k, rated T https://archiveofourown.org/works/35432824 summary: Even though Merlin knows it's finally time to tell Arthur the truth, he can't stop his hands from shaking. He knows being a sorcerer is a death sentence, yet here he is—about to tell the King of Camelot. But Arthur deserves to know, and Merlin can't keep hiding from his best friend.

⚬ Stay by wryter501, 13k, rated T https://archiveofourown.org/works/39378669 summary: A different direction for episode 4.7 "The Secret Sharer". Alator goes to Camelot not to find Emrys for Morgana, but with another plan in mind... Why has Emrys failed so long in his prophetic task of restoring magic to Camelot, in guiding and instructing Arthur Pendragon, the Once and Future King? Fate seems to have handed Alator the chance to right the course of history gone awry - and he's going to take it. He's going to use Gaius to find Emrys - and then they're going to have a serious conversation. But even the best-laid plans of a canny warrior-sorcerer can be diverted... Alator finds more than he anticipated, plotting ambush in iron mines of Kemeray...

⚬ The Serving of Servants by CaffeinatedFlumadiddle, 80k, rated T https://archiveofourown.org/works/20239129 summary: When a new position is made in the royal household to oversee the servants, Arthur didn’t think much of it. It was only days later when he noticed the mysterious injuries appearing on frightened servants that the prince decided to go undercover and to find out what is going on. Meanwhile, Merlin thinks the newest servant is a mess. Or: Arthur learns what it is like to be a servant and learns some interesting thing about his own servant.

⚬ Golden Is The Dawn by TrekScribbles, 9k, rated T https://archiveofourown.org/works/54962341 summary: When Arthur finds out that Merlin is hiding a baby dragon, he devises a plan to get rid of it. But when Merlin is captured by a band of slavers, the dragon might be Arthur's only hope of getting him back.

⚬ Faithful Are The Wounds of a Friend by VikingSong, 5k, rated T https://archiveofourown.org/works/33734425 summary: Arthur catches sight of a scar on Merlin’s back which he can’t explain, so he asks each of the members of the Round Table if they’ve seen it, too. They have...but it wasn’t the same scar.

⚬ Curiouser and Curiouser by VikingSong, 12k, rated T https://archiveofourown.org/works/28588263 summary: Gwen knew Merlin wasn’t in the tavern each time Arthur thought he was...but it was Merlin, so she’d never worried about her friend’s harmless lies of omission. That is, she'd never worried until the day Merlin disappeared to ‘the tavern’ with a freshly-paralyzed fomorroh still lodged in his neck. With the threat of the dormant serpent hanging over their heads, suddenly those lies didn't seem so harmless anymore. Or: Gwen is the primary keeper of the one (1) brain cell in Camelot, which she wields to great effect in missing-scenes-turned-canon-divergence in 4x06, "A Servant of Two Masters."

[merlinemrys]

Hello there! I saw you giving some recs for Merlin fics and wanted to ask for some too if you don't mind 👉👈

Do you have any recommendations for Merthur gen angst hurt/comfort? Hell I need more angst in my blood stream

of course!!! idk if u mean merthur w a general rating or just gen fic that's focused on arthur & merlin, but just to play it safe im doing gen fic 💙 if u mean merthur fics that are gen rated then just lmk !

scorch marks and embers by southfarthing (rated t, 93k)

Summary: Everyone he trusted with his secret – Will, Freya, Balinor, Lancelot, and now Gaius – was gone. Arthur would never bring magic back to the land, and he would never let Merlin stand at his side the way Merlin had hoped he would. It was a cold awakening, years of baseless faith dashed against the fraying tapestry that destiny had made Merlin sew into his own skin, but an awakening nonetheless. Merlin is shaken out of his obsession with destiny and his blind faith in Arthur. Arthur just wishes he knew how to get his closest friend back.

New Beginnings by nsowlwrites97 (rated t, 33k)

Summary: Traitor. Merlin. Magic. Merlin. Traitor. Friend. Sorcerer. Merlin. The words seemed to lose their meaning the more Arthur tried to make sense of them, bleeding in and through each other like ink dissolving in water. The only fact he knew to be true – absolutely, permanently, irrevocably true – was that Merlin was dead.

go boldly by CaptainOzone (rated gen, 7k)

Summary: “It is not like you,” Arthur muses suddenly, and very, very quietly, “to lie to me.” Merlin’s lungs freeze in his chest. “What?” he chokes out. Or: yet another 5x05 The Disir AU.

New Duties by s0mmerspr0ssen (rated t, 17k)

Summary: With Uther’s death, Arthur ascends to the throne and officially becomes King of Camelot. Naturally, this means that Merlin is now the King’s manservant, not the Prince’s. What sounds like mere semantics turns out to be much more than that. As Merlin struggles to keep up with the demands of his new job, Arthur finds himself burdened by the realities of kingly responsibilities. Soon, the strain of stress puts their friendship to the test…

Treason by N16 (rated t, 9k)

Summary: Arthur knows four things: Merlin committed treason. Merlin is loyal to him. Merlin wants to tell Arthur the truth. Merlin is scared Arthur will kill him. All he needs to figure out now is what on earth his servant has actually done.

Loyalties by reelin_writer (rated t, 25k)

Summary: “Arthur.” “Merlin?” he said, instantly angry. He shoved himself into a sitting position, fumbling for the candle on the table by the bed, and blustered, “What on earth are you doing? It’s the middle of the night! I don’t know about you, but that’s when I sleep. Don’t you--” Finally managing to get the candle lit, he looked up at Merlin, fully prepared to continue his lecture. But the words died in his throat at the sight of the young servant, and he choked in the rush of panic that assaulted him. “Merlin!”

The Price of Loyalty by Obsessionist (rated t, 18k)

Summary: Uther activates a device that repels magic, but Merlin's loyalty to Arthur knows no bounds.

Loyalty Was Never A Question by ValiantGinger (rated t, 27k)

Summary: Morgana gets her hands on something that puts Merlin in very serious danger. When Arthur's manservant goes missing, he can't help but be worried about him - worry that becomes legitimate when it becomes clear that Merlin is being used as a trap to lure Arthur in. Still, it's Merlin. How can he do anything but go and rescue him?

Between A Rock and A Hard Place by LFB72 (rated t, 30k)

Summary: A visiting noble makes Arthur an offer he can't refuse, putting Merlin's secret in jeopardy. The warlock takes drastic action, risking his health and ability to respond when crisis strikes.

[myfairkatiecat]

😂 , 😭, and ❓ for the ask game since you said you have a lot. I hope you’re having a lovely evening!

I do have a lot of WIPs! Hey you know how I often say “I should make a fic about that?” That translates to “BRB going to go start a fic about that.” So like. Some of these WIPs will NEVER be finished 😭 or maybe one day they all will! Who knows?

😂 a funny or crack WIP snippet

Okay, I’ve talked a LOT about how I’m making this AU, but have never put any snippets online, so here we go!! (I gave y’all a long one since it’s taking me forever and then another forever to write it.)

—

“Now that the nightmare is over,” Kate began.

“You are not going to sing,” Constance interrupted. Kate was silent. “That was meant to be a joke. An attempt at humor. But I now see that you were actually going to sing. DON’T.”

“Was it really a nightmare?” Nathaniel winced. “It was, you know, occasionally fun.”

“It was!” Nicholas said affirmingly. “Sometimes.”

“It was not,” Constance deadpanned.

Kate cleared her throat loudly. “As I was saying, now that the nightmare is over, Reynie and I have prepared one last special performance. I have expanded my piano repertoire from Chopsticks to A Few More Chords simply for this occasion!”

“But there’s no piano in here,” Sticky pointed out.

Constance’s eyes widened. “Please tell me you didn’t save one of the Buttons.”

“Those buttons are some of my finest inventions!” Nathaniel insisted.

“The way you told it to me, it was your associate’s invention,” Nicholas reminded him.

“Well, yes, Dr. Garrison made it, but it was my idea.”

“I’m not in the least surprised,” Nicholas said with a sigh.

Kate pulled out a small black-and-white button, threw it to the ground, and the illusion took over, the room appearing to now be a stage with familiar spotlights shining down. The button itself had expanded, and while it couldn’t quite replicate an acoustic piano, it was impressive that it made an instrument at all. “Piano was one of the hardest ones, but I insisted she figure it out,” Nathaniel informed everyone as Kate sat down at the piano.

Reynie made his way to the middle of the dance floor and, much to Constance’s annoyance, began to sing.

—

The song is I See Stars from Mean Girls, but y’all don’t get a preview of my rewritten version of that song quite yet! You’ll just have to wait for it to come out…….

😭 angst or sad WIP snippet

Oh boy oh boy do I have these.

So this particular snippet is actually from a different fandom (*gasp* Katie writing for her old fandoms???) so enjoy! (It’s also from a one-shot, so I kept the snippet short!)

—

Merlin bit down on his fingers as soon as the words flew out of his mouth. It had worked against the truth potion before, but he was too late this time.

“Merlin,” Arthur said slowly, “what exactly do you mean by treason?”

“You’re the king, I figured you would know at least that much,” Merlin evaded, even with the truth potion prompting him to spill every last treasonous action he’d committed.

“Merlin.” Arthur’s voice was even, but his eyes were hard. “What. Did. You. Do.”

“I was born,” he muttered bitterly. “But I guess I’ve done a lot of things besides that anyway.”

“You’re not making any sense.”

“Do I ever?”

“Merlin!”

“I’m a sorcerer!” The truth burst forth, and Merlin cursed the potion, still in his system. “Is that what you wanted to hear? No, of course it wasn’t. You wanted to hear that I was being over dramatic and that I did nothing against the law. Well, I was born with magic! There’s the big treasonous secret!”

—

Hehe angst.

And finally, ❓ any WIP snippet you want!

I actually got the idea from reading SOS 😉 you know exactly what scene I’m talking about

—

“She’s… she’s nice,” Nathaniel said somewhat hesitantly. “And I mean it. She doesn’t seem like it, but once you learn her language…”

“She has the same emotions as everyone else,” Nicholas finished. “She just expresses them differently.”

Nathaniel nodded and was silent for a moment. Then he said, “Like me.”

Nicholas looked surprised. “Yeah. Like you.”

“You weren’t expecting me to say that out loud.”

“No, I wasn’t.”

There was a beat of silence, and then Nathaniel said, “It’s why you adopted her. I understand… I did the same with SQ.”

—

Thank you for the ask! This was fun!

[tiodolma]

anyway the self preservation thing got me thinking

.............................

Kilgharrah: this boy will be your other half and will give you freedom. teach him guide him. this is your mission.

Arthur: threatens and kills merlin's whole family and loved ones and his whole race. Constantly has to be convinced by Guinevere, Merlin and Morgana to defy his tyrant father and think for himself. Morally degrades Merlin at every opportunity just to butter him up when needed.

Merlin: I SEE GOODNESS IN YOU YOU HAVE A NOBLE HEART I KNOW YOU WILL CHANGE. YOU WERE JUST DOING WHAT WAS RIGHT TO SAVE CAMELOT. I GET MY LOVED ONES AND MYSELF ARE A THREAT TO THE GREATER GOOD. UNDERSTANDABLE. CARRY ON. IM THE SERVANT AT YOUR FEET. MY LIFE IS WORTH LESS THAN YOURS. GOD SAVE THE KING. ......................... Kilgharrah: Just kill Uther, boy. Let him die. Merlin: NOOO THAT WOULD JUST MAKE ME A KILLER LIKE HIM. GOD SAVE THE KING.

..............................

Kilgharrah: You need this kind of magic to defeat this magic user

Merlin: YES PLS GIVE ME IT. I NEED TO ELIMINATE THREAT ASAP PRONTO. EVERYONE COMMITTING OR WILL ABOUT TO COMMIT TREASON MUST DIE. GOD SAVE THE KING.

.....................................

Kilgharrah: this girl will be your exact opposite and will go against your goals

Morgana: Helped Merlin in any way she could, respected and trusted him AS A PERSON completely even though Merlin didn't show his true self to her, plotted to kill tyrant king that hurt magic folk, got betrayed by Merlin of all people, eventually turned to insurgency, necromancy and government destabilization when all options have been closed off.

Merlin: YES KILGHARRAH YOU ARE RIGHT. I CANT BELIEVE SHE DID THIS. SHE CANNOT KNOW WHAT I AM OR SEE ME FOR WHO I AM EVER. SHE IS EVIL AND SHE IS OUR BIGGEST THREAT.

....................................................

Merlin: I DID WHAT I COULD

Merlin: Also I can't believe I failed at life

Kilgharrah: none of us can escape our destiny, Merlin (winks)

[merlinfic]

group ask for lost fics #40

Hi y’all! Below are a few lost fics that us mods just can’t seem to find. That being said, we’re hoping that you lovely followers are able to help! If anyone knows any of the fics below please reply below or send in an ask with which anon/user and group ask that the fic corresponds with!

Note: previous group asks and all lost fics!

Anon 1 asked:

Hi, this is a lost fic request.  Arthur knows Merlin has magic. Merlin doesn’t know Arthur knows. Merlin gets hurt and is dying in front of Arthur. Arthur commands him to use his magic to heal himself.  I think there was a scene where Merlin tells Gaius about it when he and Arthur return to the castle

Anon 2 asked:

Hey I have two requests:

1. There was a fic where Gwen watches Arthur and Merlin have sex in ealdor in the middle of the night, and Morgana fingers her... there's a dialogue that basically goes "Merlin has no idea how many people are in love with him"

2. Definitely a long fic, where arthur finds out about Merlin and morganas magic and they go live with the druids. At the end, Arthur's supposed to take an army and sorta attack that group and mid battle he calls for a special battalion that turns against uthers army, Merlin basically unleashes hell on everyone, and Arthur gets crowned king on the condition that he can't commit treason ever again which he finds funny because he can't exactly commit treason against himself

I read them last year ig ...thanks !!

Anon 3 asked:

Hi, I'm looking for this fic where merlin had to crossdress as a woman and, and it has Arthur and the knights. They are in a village at some point, and I think Arthur and merlin posed as being married 

Anon 4 asked:

Hello! Your blog is awesome!

I'm looking for two fic but I'm not sure if they were fics or just promps(is it the right word?)

the first was while /after the lamia episode /accident. I just remember that  Arthur was arriving in the castle and the lamia is attacking but the little light orb that saved Arthur before (as merlin drank poison and Arthur wanted to get the flower) arrives and goes into the sword so Arthur could kill it, then the orb shows the way to the other knights and at least to merlin who is hurt. (was a bit angsty)

The second is Arthur gets enhanced to "freal behavior" his behavior is controlled by his primari emotions, so then he is angry he is really really "freal". It happens just after Arthur found out about merlins magic and so his freal behavior is directed on Merlin and the knights want to protect merlin and keep them apart but it just got worse. Arthur is yelling for merlin for example. In the end Merlin goes to Arthur and rather than killing merlin like the knights feared, Arthur cuddles Merlin.

Thanks for trying!

@caffeinatedanxiouscucumber asked:

Hey, hope you're doing well!

I have been trying to find this fic for the past month and can't find it and need your help.

It's a merthur canon au magic reveal fic. Arthur finds out about Merlin's magic and doesn't take it well and Merlin is feeling guilty so he wears cold iron handcuffs to block his magic and writes a letter to Arthur vowing that the magic was only ever meant for Arthur so he won't use it till Arthur tells him to. But since Merlin is magic the iron is killing him. It had a happy ending though!

Thank you!

@emrysmalfoy asked:

Hey, love the blog. Obsessed with your mods. Can you help me find these two fics?

1. I just remember this one scene. The Knights and Arthur are meeting the druids, Merlin 8s obviously with them and then the druids recognise Merlin as their king. Arthur is hella shook. And then something goes wrong and Merlin BAMFs out. And then Gwaine says something like, "this is why the neighborhood kingdoms don't f*ck with the druids anymore, be ause if their sovereign". Arthur is super flustered and Gwaine teases him, indirectly indicating that Arthur had a crush on Merlin.

2. There are these rumours flying around that Merlin is good in bed and somehow the Knights and Arthur wind up on the round table and Arthur brings this up. And the Gwaine heartily agrees and so does Elyan. So when Merlin comes in the room and Arthur asks him about this, Merlin looks at Leon and says something like 'I told you not to tell this to anyone' and then everyone is surprised because Leon slept with Merlin and didn't tell when Arthur asked.

Anon 5 asked:

Hey there! I was wondering if you by any chance have heard of a merthur fic where they start off together but break up due to Uther and later on Merlin gets attacked at night and loses his hearing which Arthur finds out about? I read it years ago but lost it! :(

Anon 6 asked:

Hi!

i was hoping you could help me find a fic

It was canon era - outsider POV I think, and it had Merlin living in a tower and all the citizens are afraid of going up to the tower to give him his meals etc and the newest servant goes in and he sees Arthur there too and realises that Merlin and Arthur are together

thank you

As always, this post will be updated if/when any fics are found!

[ameba-from-space]

I don't think people (and merlin) understand how powerful merlin is. And when I say powerful I don't mean in a magic sense, I mean in a political sense.

Just stop a little and think about it, by the latter seasons merlin holds the highest position between castle staff, he is the king's manservant for christ sake, he could order every single one of the castle staff to do his things for him cause he is under direct service of the king, just by this regard he already has the same amount of influence a, let's say, minor noble.

Bu HOO BOY, his influence doesn't just stop there because not only is he in the highest position in the castle staff, he also is a close friend and trusted advisor of : Pretty much all the knights, a good chunk of nobles and foreign royals, The royal physician, The freaking queen and last but not least he is best friends with the king. The amount of trust and power put in Merlin's hand is gigantic, if he truly desired he could influence and change most of the royal court with just a few words.

One of the episodes that best show this is servant of two masters, we all know the iconic scene of merlin walking in the armory and just straight up announcing he is going kill the king in front of one of the knights and then walking away, this shows the amount of trust everyone put on Merlin, were anyone else doing that they were probably going to jail for treason, but since it's merlin he walks away with a crossbow and a laugh.

Should merlin have at one point wanted to turn against Camelot he could destroy tbe entire kingdom from inside and not even be suspected of being the one doing it.

Merlin is in a perfect position to control the kingdom, if someone could control merlin they could just slowly destroy Camelot from the inside out.

Merlin's opinion on someone could also help or destroy their lives in court, if merlin doesn't like you then you bet your ass that he is telling his friend the king all about how much of a douche you are, if he likes you then you know he is telling the king how nice you are. Merlin's opinion on you could literally decide how the entirety of the court will treat you. Also if you have ever hurt merlin that's practically a death sentence, you will be hated by all of the royal court, the knights and servants, and you better know they are now committed to making your life a living hell.

Anyways, merlin is one of the single most important and influencial people in Camelot, and he doesn't even know about it because he is too much of an idiot to even realize this.

[agravaineoforkney]

I mean obviously mordred if he's still available, but also literally any orkney. or all of them.

Asjkdl thank you for the excuse to talk about the orkney kids! I love them.

Mordred is the character who got me into Arthuriana and I love him. Like I was sixteen, randomly got the idea to write an Arthurian story, decided to make it about Mordred, and I've been hyperfixating on Arthuriana ever since. So he definitely holds a special place in my heart.

Man, there really is nothing like a character you project onto when you're a teenager, though. Like the whole magic system in that book was a blatant metaphor for my OCD and sleep issues. I autistic-coded Mordred and didn't even realize until I read up on autism a bit and went, "huh. Weird that he comes across that way when I am definitely not autistic" and then didn't think about it until I realized I was autistic three years later. It's so funny to me.

I did have some kinda weird takes in that story, I think, but one take I had that I still like is that almost all of the family problems go back to Uther (I mean, a lot of Arthur's problems also go back to Merlin, but definitely the trauma of learning what Uther did to his mother fucked him up). Morgan, Morgause, and Mordred really were all out here trying to kill Arthur as a form of therapy in that story and I think that was very funny of them. Anyway I think the idea that Mordred is processing trauma through committing treason is very valid and also funny. Honestly I think 'everyone is attempting to process their trauma through murder and it's not working' is a valid reading of Arthurian legend as a whole.

'Wasted potential' is only for Malory, btw (well, and for basically every single Mordred in a modern adaptation that I've read for some reason, but you know). I find it really funny that Malory sets up SUCH an interesting villain--Mordred has every reason to hate his father! He doesn't have a reason to hurt Literally Everyone Else, though. I really like villains where they've got a good reason to do what they do, but also they're still murdering people. And then Malory just doesn't do anything with the setup he's created and Mordred is evil in Le Morte D'Arthur just because. Le Morte D'Arthur gets a pass in regards to its Mordred characterization ONLY for the scene where Mordred plunges Arthur's spear deeper into his chest in order to get Arthur into stabbing range. Iconic. That was the scene that made Mordred one of my favorites. What can I say, I adore characters who would murder me in real life.

What else uhh I think the fact that he and Agravaine are friends is SO cute and I love that. Characters who are pretty mean but are still really nice to each other are just *chef's kiss* Also this is a pretty unpopular opinion, but I kinda like the versions of the legends where Guinevere commits treason with Mordred mainly because my sister bullied me into writing it when I was younger lmao. Also I LOVE fucked up evil women who commit treason and I think Guinevere deserves to commit treason. Like genuinely I'm not even sure that I ship Mordred/Guinevere so much as I think Guinevere deserves to get the chance to kill people. Anyway I need to stop talking about this before I get off track and start talking exclusively about Guinevere, but suffice to say that I think my favorite (platonic or romantic) relationship dynamics to put Mordred in are when both characters are at least a little awful, but they really do love each other a lot and try to do the best they can for each other.

Also I love the Alliterative Morte Arthure and the way it portrays Mordred. Mordred is like weirdly sympathetic in that one?? He honestly comes across as in over his head and it's really interesting.

Anyway, man, I realized my childhood writing impacted how I view Arthurian characters a lot, but I feel like I didn't realize exactly how much until I wrote this post for some reason. Huh. Also I've made myself want to get back to that Arthurian retelling.

In conclusion, I love Mordred <3 He is so transgender and mentally ill and I adore him. My favorite Arthurian character is probably either Guinevere or Lunete, but Mordred is definitely up there.

I'm going to use this as an excuse to talk about Agravaine real quick because *gestures to username* I love him. Also he was one of the characters who was really pulling his weight as far as getting me through queer Christian kid-flavored childhood trauma. I don't know WHY I decided this character was sympathetic and also queer, the workings of my teenage mind are a mystery to me. This wasn't a decision that was influenced by anything that I can think of?? I'd never come across a sympathetic Agravaine before. Anyway I have no idea why I looked at this character and decided to have queer headcanons, but I do think I made the objectively correct decision. Anyway he has SUCH middle child energy. Sure, he's a jerk, but I simply think that it's impossible to be normal when you have Gawain for an older sibling and, as a middle child, I think that middle children have the right to be kind of mean.

I think Agravaine is just self-aware enough to realize that things around him are kind of Bad and people are doing bad things, but he's not self-aware enough to actually change anything or remove himself from the situation in any way. So instead he's just sarcastic and mean and people don't like him, even though honestly there are people around him who are way worse morally speaking (didn't. Didn't Gawain slaughter his way through an entire castle for no reason in this one Dutch romance. I love Gawain and I love when he murders people but he needs help). And then when Agravaine DOES finally stop being passive and make a choice for himself, it's completely the wrong one. No!!! Don't expose Lancelot and Guinevere's affair!! It's pointless and helps no one and you will die!! But he ignores all the good advice he is given, decides instead to listen to his definitely mentally stable little brother who is definitely making good decisions at the moment, and then he dies. Agravaine is my pathetic little man who I adore.

Also, I really like siblings who are also friends AND I like siblings who dislike each other even though they also love each other. So Agravaine and Mordred, and Agravaine and Gawain, respectively. I find Agravaine and Gawain to be kind of interesting, because even though they are very different and I'm not sure they get along too much, they're also very much cut from the same cloth? They both care a LOT about their family (which is a trait all of the orkney siblings share, tbh. In most families, that would be a good thing, but in the hands of the orkney siblings it turns into Gaheris killing his own mother because she fell in love with the son of the guy who killed her husband. I'm sorry these guys are just batshit and I can't stop thinking about them). They're both way smarter than they look and use that for evil. I think Gawain and Agravaine sort of dislike each other but also can't help but see themselves in each other, even when they don't want to.

As much as I would love to do all the orkneys at once, this post is already getting very long, so I'll stop here. Although while I'm talking about the orkneys, I will say that Clarissant is Best GIrl. Thanks so much for the ask, I loved the opportunity to ramble about my bad Arthurian opinions!

[aftertheskyy]

Goblin! Gaius

for the wonderful @arthurpendragonns. happy holidays luv!!

So I guess just,,,,if Gaius was in goblin mode for more than one episode

Ik it’s out of order, but listening to Merlin’s rant (“You think I sit around all day doing nothing?”) and idk, I just imagine him imitating Merlin in the background

Goblin! Gaius going to the tavern every single night Arthur: Where’s Gaius I’ve been injured Merlin: The...tavern? Arthur: What is wrong with you people

He hits on all the old ladies at the tavern, too

All of them

And they’re all in awe of him

Like

He has this whole fan club of old ladies

Grunhilda is the president (she fought off Alice)

Let’s just say that for some nights, Merlin does not sleep in his chambers 

Goblin! Gaius sabotaging the knight’s stuff when they annoy him

Itching powder in their chainmail, etc

One day after Leon tells Gaius off, he finds himself with a bird beak

Arthur has his donkey ears

Gwaine has an elephant trunk

Elyan has duck feet

Lancelot has a pig snout

And Percival looks more like a cat than a human

Merlin is dying in the background at the zoo of knights

But he implores Gaius to change it back

Goblin! Gaius stealing Arthur’s crown

He eats it and wears it

Arthur is absolutely disgusted Arthur: No that’s fine you just...keep it *backs away slowly*

OR (again, out of chronological order) but Gaius telling everyone in the castle that Uther got railed by a troll

Or just in council meetings and stuff. He’s a complete menace Uther, talking to a prisoner: You have committed treason and are hereby execu- Gaius: *burps loudly*

Goblin! Gaius doing a catwalk down the dining room table with all his gold and stolen shiny items

OR JUST

Goblin! Gaius paired with assassin! Merlin

Imagine the chaos Gaius: *sitting at the table in his chambers, licking gold coins* Merlin: *staring at maps, plotting murder* Arthur, walking in: 

Just,,,goblin! Gaius, man

[akelafang]

Merlin and the knights playing never have I ever

At first, it's innocent stuff and Gwaine complains that it's all dull trivia and they need to start getting into the more interesting questions. Leon looks him dead in the eyes and says "Fine. Never have I ever been arrested" Literally everyone but Leon drinks.

From that point it becomes a challenge to see who's done the most outrageously criminal shit "Never have I ever been in a bar fight" "Never have I ever committed identity fraud" "Never have I ever broken someone out of the dungeons" "Never have I ever stolen from the royal vaults" "Never have I ever committed treason with the King still in the room" And Merlin. Just. Keeps. Drinking. Now it's about trying to find something Merlin hasn't done but one of the others has. The answer turns out to be "Never have I ever been banished from a kingdom"

Merlin passes out before he runs out of criminal things he's done. Magic is the only reason he's still alive the next morning after how high his blood alcohol level was.

After Merlin passes out the knight just look at each other wondering how Merlin hasn't been executed yet with all the shit he's done. Gwaine chuckles and shakes his head "Perks of being the king's mistress"

[deborahdeshoftim5779]

Merlin & Arthur’s friendship: clichés versus reality (Part II)

Following on from Merlin & Arthur’s friendship: clichés versus reality Part I, here is part II. 

CLAIM #3: Arthur *constantly* denied that Merlin was his friend

This claim assumes that Arthur was 1)- serious when he did deny being friends with Merlin and 2)- unwilling to change that viewpoint.

Arthur had no need to either deny or admit to being friends with Merlin. Even when he said in episode 2x13 that, “I know I’m a Prince, so we can’t be friends,” the implication is that he does want to be friends. After all, he was insisting that Merlin confide in him. This pattern would repeat in many episodes to come. 

Bear in mind that Arthur has described other people as friends, too. This includes people we never saw onscreen. A clear example comes from episode 5x05, when Arthur was so moved with grief by Sir Ranulf’s death that he personally led a collection of knights to bring the sorcerer Osgar to justice. He explained to Gwen that “...he was a friend. We knew each other as boys.”

So why would Arthur have trouble admitting that Merlin was his friend? The viewpoint that being more arrogant and prejudiced in the earlier seasons, Arthur would not admit to friendship with a servant, does not hold as much water as some think. As early as episode 2x05, Arthur called Merlin a “true friend”, because he (mistakenly) thought that Merlin was criticising Lady Catrina on his behalf. 

Admittedly, the best examples of Arthur accepting Merlin as a friend come from Seasons 4 and 5. 

In episode 4x01, Merlin said, “I always thought that if things hadn’t been different, we’d have been good friends.” Arthur’s response? “Yeah.” During the crucial episode 4x03, Merlin sat outside the throne room all right, facing a crossroads between the end of his dreams and remaining loyal to the king. Of course, Arthur had no idea about this, but he appreciated the gesture. “You are a loyal friend, Merlin.” In episode 4x05, Arthur called Merlin “old friend”, which is self-explanatory. 

It’s also worth noting that even after claiming in episode 4x05 that he didn’t need friends, when Merlin later said, “I’m your friend!”, Arthur did not disagree. 

Now, I could cite the example of episode 4x07, where Arthur said to Merlin, “I’ve had my heart broken once today. I don’t want to lose another friend.” Self-explanatory. But was this proof of their friendship? No. Arthur was essentially threatening to end his friendship with Merlin if the latter continued criticising Agravaine. Later, in episode 4x11, Arthur again threatened to banish Merlin for the second time (thus ending their friendship) if he accused Agravaine of treason again. This once again shows how Arthur associated loyalty with family first. 

One of the best examples comes from episode 4x13: “I came back because you’re the only friend I have, and I couldn’t bear to lose you.” Is Merlin Arthur’s only friend? No. However, out of all Arthur’s friends, Merlin was his best friend, and losing almost everyone and everything else made him realise that yet again. 

Then we have all the actions which prove Arthur considered Merlin as a friend. 

For example relied on Merlin’s opinion, as Princess Mithian rightly observed in episode 4x11. “One thing I’ve learned since being here is that Arthur values your opinion above almost all others.” 

He complained about Merlin’s periods of silence and broodiness, like in episode 3x05: “Come on: I’m missing your usual prattle!” In episode 3x09, after noting that Merlin was upset, he said, “For goodness’ sake, what is your problem?”

Another example comes from episode 5x01, where Arthur noted Merlin sitting outside the camp and took the time to find out why he was “so upset”. 

The example from episode 5x05 is self-explanatory: “Seriously, I haven’t seen you smile these past three days.” Arthur relies on Merlin’s cheerfulness to remain optimistic, because he faces the constant threat of death. Notice that shortly after Merlin’s sombre mood, Arthur stopped dismissing Osgar’s warnings about The Disir.

As if this were not enough, look at Arthur spending downtime with Merlin. A great example comes from episode 3x04, where Arthur decides on “a nice, cold tankard of mead” after hunting. In episode 3x13, both were sitting on the courtyard steps discussing the future of the kingdom. Even despite his strenuous denials and ingratitude in episode 4x05, you can see Arthur gesture for Merlin to sit down the morning after they captured Caerleon.

What about all the hunting trips? Arthur knows that Merlin hates hunting (in fact, he takes pleasure in this fact), yet still brought him along, as episodes 1x13, 3x04, 4x11, 5x03, and 5x11 show. 

By far my favourite example comes from episode 5x12, when Arthur and Merlin were playing dice at the tavern. (I don’t know iwhat this game was called.) In my view, this happened regularly. Why else would the common people watch and laugh while Merlin poked fun at their king? (Percival’s face was classic.) And why was Arthur playing against Merlin? When did Merlin learn how to play dice? Who taught him? When? 

Obviously, I do not know, but it’s worth asking. 

Despite being speechless after Merlin “won” the game, Arthur let Merlin “win” all of his money. (Clearly, Arthur was the better player: “Feel free to retire at any time.” The king only used theatrics to get the right dice roll, while Merlin cheated with magic each time. If Merlin hadn’t “coughed”, then Arthur would have rolled correctly a second time. Hence why Arthur said beforehand, “Enjoy this moment, Merlin… while it lasts.”) 

Look at Arthur, who was dressed in a plain shirt, rather than his armour and cloak. When we put this scene in conjunction with episode 3x04, where Arthur again wore plain clothes, we can see that he enjoyed these moments of normality. “There’s no better place to measure the mood of your people than the local tavern… I’m just a simple peasant like everybody else.”

So where is this strenuous denial? Nowhere. Arthur never constantly denied that Merlin was his friend. Nor did he only admit this in secret, otherwise the great dice scene in episode 5x12 would never have happened. Sure, the people might have been astonished to see their great king playing against a servant, but they must also have known that if Arthur allowed himself to be “beaten” at a game by his servant, the latter must be his friend. 

CLAIM #4: Merlin was usually/always (in the) right

Wrong. Being right most of the time does not mean being right all of the time. Merlin failed to realise this, and consequently made grievous errors throughout the series. The most grievous errors came when he tried to fight against death. Episode 3x05 shows this; all of the grief and pain suffered by Arthur, Gwen, and Uther stemmed from Merlin mortally injuring Morgana in a bid to prevent her from killing the king. 

He effectively ignored the warning to “use what you see for good.” 

Then we have the example to end all examples; Merlin’s recklessness, presumptuousness, bold-faced hypocrisy, coldness, prejudice, and most of all, jealousy towards Sir Mordred. 

Even as early as episode 1x08, Merlin almost let the boy Mordred die on account of a prophecy. At least back then he questioned it before hiding in bed like a coward. Mordred also blamed Merlin for Uther’s carnage in episode 2x11, though in the case of that episode and episode 2x03, I think Merlin’s actions were no worse than presumptuous. 

It gets far worse in episode 5x02, when Merlin yelled, “You should have killed him!”, to which Arthur rightly said, “What is wrong with you?” Mordred saw that he could not jump across the gorge, so he surrendered and walked away. (He probably knew that Arthur would arrive in Ismere soon, as his later conversation with Morgana demonstrates.) 

Later on, Arthur gave Merlin another strange look after Merlin said, “I told you, you should have killed him when you had the chance.” How could someone usually so compassionate insist on executing a man who stopped threatening them?

Remember how Merlin reacted to Arthur killing Caerleon in episode 4x05, despite having plenty of evidence that Caerleon was a threat to Arthur’s life?

By the way, episodes 5x01 and 5x02 are my favourite examples of Merlin being horrendously wrong. Other episodes include 5x05, and the crucial errors he made in episode 5x11. (I watched most of episode 5x11 last Sunday, and I was floored. It shook me more than 5x12 and 5x13, which I had also been avoiding for years.) 

Going back to episodes 5x01 and 5x02 (because episode 5x11 is too depressing): if Arthur had listened to Merlin’s “advice”, he would have abandoned his knights to a slow death in slavery. He would also have committed murder, simply on Merlin’s say-so. If you kill someone who is defenceless and has surrendered, that is murder-- regardless of whether, like Merlin, you are desperately scared of a prophecy and speaking without thinking. 

Also, if Arthur had rushed back to Camelot on Merlin’s say-so, he might well have been assassinated by Ruadan. 

Most of all, almost everything that Merlin “advised” violated Arthur’s core beliefs-- the very beliefs that made Merlin respect Arthur in the first place. It’s astonishing that Arthur had to explain no less than five times that he would never abandon any of his men, otherwise he would be abandoning his own values and the values that built Camelot. 

So desperate is Merlin to fight against death that he either quietly ignores this advice, or claims he agrees, only to try dissuading Arthur later on. 

Just to be clear: I perfectly understand that beneath all Merlin’s horrible advice and prevarication, he does not want to lose his friend. 

However, just watch Merlin’s marvellous inconsistency throughout episode 5x01. First, he plays Devil’s Advocate by asking Arthur, “Do you really think Gwaine and Percival could still be alive?” Arthur says he has to find out, because they are knights of Camelot. Merlin says, “I understand.” Of course he did. 

Bear in mind that this happened before Merlin learned of the prophecy. Some have therefore asked what made Merlin unwilling to look for the missing knights, who were his friends. 

In Annis’ castle, Merlin said, “I’m not sure we should go to Ismere.” On the other hand, Arthur, acting on reliable information that Morgana had rounded up slaves, took this as a sign that his mission was right. Merlin tried arguing, then gave up. One might assume that after two rational explanations, Merlin would see reason, particularly since even Kilgharrah could not confirm that the fated battle would take place. 

But no. After the knights left Annis’ lands, Merlin complained again that Morgana was “powerful… dangerous.” So, Arthur explained yet again that “no matter what lies ahead of me, I won’t abandon them.” Merlin respected this answer, because he said, “I understand. I wish I didn’t-- but I do.” (Why does he wish he did not understand why Arthur would risk his life for all of his soldiers?) 

But the very next day, after the ambush, Merlin turned to rage: “The two of us against Morgana, are you mad?” He tried stopping Arthur from going any further. So Arthur explained himself again. Consequently, Merlin continued following Arthur. 

The very same night, he once again insisted that, “We have to turn back.” Arthur explained himself yet again, and Merlin promised to “protect you or die at your side.”

Which one is it? Not to mention that in episode 5x02, instead of apologising for his carelessness, Merlin said, “And I told you to go back to Camelot.” This is silly, given that Arthur had already refused to return on numerous occasions until he had rescued his men, assuming they were still alive. 

The most hilarious example comes later, when Merlin says, “We can’t let them hand us over to Morgana: we need to get out of here, we need a plan.” But when Arthur comes up with that plan, what does Merlin say? “You’ve got to be joking!”, “You should have killed him!”, “Next time, we might not be so lucky.”, “We’ll never make it in there.”, and “How did you talk me into this?” 

Again, which one is it?

I know why Merlin behaved this way, of course. However, there’s a difference between the noble goal of protecting your friend, and ignoring everything and everyone else in order to reach that goal-- particularly through controlling means. Throughout the series, Merlin’s biggest fault comes from his controlling tendencies, which always backfire. And he never learns.  

In this way, Merlin shackled Arthur with unrealistic expectations about a Golden Age based on prophecies that he could not verify. Somehow, this Golden Age had now become evading Arthur’s death. He wanted Arthur to share that belief. Worse, even while his motives came from a noble goal, he treated other people as expendable. 

Another example of Merlin’s absurd reasoning comes from the fateful episode 5x05. Putting aside the fact that Merlin tried claming that sentencing Mordred to die was an acceptable price to pay “for Camelot”, he also previously claimed that, “I do care. About who you are, Arthur. Who you are destined to become.” 

This makes zero sense, given that Arthur had already taken the throne and “brought peace to the kingdom” (episode 5x03). What more did he have to achieve? It depends on who you ask: bringing back magic, uniting the five kingdoms, eternal peace, avoiding the prophecy about Mordred, bowing to the Triple Goddess, being the greatest king this land has ever known… 

Can you see how unrealistic this is? Moreover, can you see how Merlin used Arthur as a vehicle of his own unrealistic ambitions? This is why the Golden Age never happened: it was a myth. It allowed the Druids, Gaius, Kilgharrah, etc. to live vicariously through the new king. 

Bringing back magic was impossible while Morgana continued using it for great evil. (And the Triple Goddess, who complained about Arthur persecuting sorcery, allowed Morgana to continue that evil conduct.)

Arthur did take considerable steps to uniting the kingdoms, particularly when he signed a treaty with King Odin in episode 5x04. But eternal peace? Impossible, otherwise episodes 5x01 and 5x02 would not have happened. 

The unbiquitous prophecy about Mordred was never backed by evidence, leaving Merlin in a state of constant paranoia, and causing him to make horrible errors. This despite the fact that, by his own admission, “I like him [Mordred] myself.” [1]

Bowing to the Triple Goddess was nothing but blackmail using Mordred’s life as a bargaining chip. This once again shows how many sorcerers had caused chaos and misery. Remember, this same Triple Goddess used torture techniques such as controlling people’s minds using the Fomorroh, as Morgana explained in episode 4x06. 

While I believe that the persecution of peaceful sorcerers was wrong, Arthur had no quarrel with the Druids (episode 5x11), and he still had good reason for banning sorcery (also explained in episode 5x11). Nobody, not even Merlin, gave him a reason to change his mind. Kara definitely did not, for she wasn’t executed for being a Druid: she was executed for murder and attempted murder. 

As for being the greatest king this land had ever known… Well, Arthur appreciated that statement in episode 4x12. However, when Merlin spoke of the greatest kingdom in the world in episode 4x13, Arthur said, “You’re making this up.”

In episode 5x01, Merlin claimed that, “Arthur, without you, Camelot is nothing.” Arthur disagreed, saying that abandoning his men was worse than surviving Morgana. Even in episode 5x04, Arthur accepted his death. “So be it. But understand this, Odin: you kill me, and you’ll have all of Camelot to answer to.” Odin was astonished that a king could have such confidence in the face of death. 

The most important example comes from episode 5x13. Merlin said the same thing about Camelot being nothing without Arthur, to which the dying king said, “There was a time when that was true. Not now. There are many who can fill the crown.” And of course, he gave the royal seal to Gwen. Can anyone argue with this? 

I guess you could say that Arthur didn’t believe his own hype.

Indeed, Arthur felt satisfied about what he had achieved in his life. “Everything you’ve done, I know now. For me, for Camelot. For the kingdom you helped me build.” (Episode 5x13). That was it. Arthur knew that he had changed Camelot for the better, that Merlin killing his half-sister had brought “peace at last”, and that he owed Merlin an unpayable debt for helping him to achieve all of these goals. 

Why did Arthur accept the certainty of his death for so long? Because he believed his cause was right, and his death would help save the lives of thousands in Camelot. Dying in service to Camelot was his real destiny. It was inevitable, and to him, it was the most honourable act he would ever undertake. 

You cannot know how great you will be until you die. “That’s the way things work, I’m afraid. You get the glory when you’re not around to appreciate it.” (Episode 4x06). At that point, you will never see your legacy. Merlin either did not know that, or he did not want to know it. 

Arthur’s death ultimately serves as the greatest evidence that Merlin was wrong the whole time.

TO BE CONTINUED IN PART III

FOOTNOTES

[1]  I don’t doubt that Merlin liked Mordred. In fact, the scene in episode 5x05, where Merlin buried Osgar, shows how difficult it was for him to maintain his mistrust when the druid was so polite and perceptive. So why the contradiction? Why claim you like someone, yet insist that they would commit regicide? The answer is that Merlin used the prophecy as an excuse. In fact, his prejudice against Mordred had more to do with jealousy than the prophecy. After being involved in an attempt to trade Arthur and Merlin as slaves to Morgana, Arthur knighted the druid for one noble act. Did Merlin aspire to be a knight? I don’t know. He definitely wanted that same level of trust and respect given to Mordred, though, and knighthood created a bond that a servant could not have.

[blog-for-merlin]

I Can Count His Goosebumps

Author's Note: You will quickly come to realise that I can't write endings for shit but apparently a writer is his own worst critic so, idk.

Lots of of fluff and if touch is your love language, you'll get it. That said, enjoy!!

♡♡♡

"This is a cave, Arthur!"

"Oh Merlin, so dramatic! Cave... inn... they're virtually the same thing," Arthur grins with that glint in his eye which manages to simultaneously worry and please Merlin at the same time. The king doesn't tend to grin like that very often these days. There isn't much to take pleasure in. Even Gwaine's mindless idiocies failed them to the point that the knight rarely did much else than his duties.

The satisfaction of having prompted a smile from the king quickly dissipates as Merlin remembers the issue at hand. He crosses his arms, "I'm not sleeping here," he scoffs.

"Stop being a whinge, Merlin. Look," Arthur waves in the general direction of the floor, "Firm ground to rest on," he gestures to the roof of the hollow, "And a shelter from the rain. What more could you want?"

As if coordinated, a fat droplet plummets from the ceiling onto the king's face. Merlin stifles his giggle—he's not going to let Arthur think he's been convinced. A shiver runs down the his spine and he huddles tighter into himself. The winters seem to be getting more and more unbearable as the years go by, "It's cold."

Arthur groans, too tired to tease his manservant any further. Patience seems to be rationed as of late. Not just for the king, but for everyone. The gloom of Morgana's death seems to sweep over the entire kingdom. The ugliness of who she transformed into doesn't easily erase who she once was, the darling of Camelot. Swiftly, Arthur whips off his cloak and throws it at Merlin, "There. Now will you please stop complaining and just get some rest? If we're to reach Ealdor by the evening, we have to leave at first light."

He unties his scabbard belt, setting it down and attempts to seek out a dry spot to sleep on the damp ground, finding only a small space against the back wall, hardly enough to fit two men. It's not like we haven't slept in worse, Arthur thinks, remembering an uncomfortable night involving a dead rabbit, a tight hanging net, limbs intertwined so closely it felt like they were extensions of each other. A secretly fond memory from times long past. What would he have done if there wasn't a rabbit wasn't trapped between them? If there was less distance, if their faces were mere millimetres apart, if they'd felt each other's breath on their faces. What would he have done then?

Merlin's voice startles him from the rather inappropriate wanderings of his mind, "You know Arthur, you still haven't given me back that cloak I gave you,"

The king pivots to face Merlin who is wrapped adorably in his cloak, only some unkempt tufts of hair and twiggy feet poking out from the scarlet fabric, "What cloak?"

"My cloak. The blue one. The only blue cloak you have?" The king feigns confusion.

Merlin huffs and rolls his eyes, Arthur can be so childish at times, in an irritatingly endearing way that makes you forget that he's the head of an entire kingdom, "The one that you keep wearing to your hunts and getting dirty and then never returning because it needs to be washed?"

"Oh right, that one," Arthur smirks sheepishly, tugging at the back of his hair, "It's dirty,"

"Yes, I bet it is."

"Wait a minute, you know I'm the king here, right?" Arthur grabs his scabbard and throws it on the dry space in the back as Merlin follows him.

"That's what they tell me,"

"You can't talk back to me like that, Merlin. That's treason."

"If you were going to arrest me every time I committed 'treason', Arthur, I'd be long gone by now." Which was true enough, Arthur figures, as he takes Merlin's satchel from him and throws it next to his own while Merlin tries not to trip on the cloak or the slippery rock.

"Perhaps I should have, then," Arthur mutters, settling himself down next to the cave wall. Merlin pauses a moment as he realises that the tiny space next to Arthur is the only remaining hint of dryness left on the cavern floor, "Arthur!" he exclaims in dismay, "How on Earth am I going to fit here?"

"Oh shut up Merlin, you're scrawny,"

"I'm not that scrawny!"

"You're just going to have to make it work, then, aren't you?" Merlin's eyes are blazing now, and he's not amused.

"Arthur I didn't ask you to come to Ealdor with me, I could have come on my own; I've come to Ealdor a hundred times on my own already. If I were on my own, perhaps I wouldn't have to sleep in a cave in the middle of who-knows-where on the soaking ground," Arthur should be furious at his manservant's words by now, but Merlin's cheeks are turning pink to match the cocoon of cloak around them in a way that Arthur can't help being charmed by, and it doesn't sound like Merlin is slowing down at all to give him a chance to butt in, " In fact, I'd probably be there already, in dry clothes and with a full belly. So if you don't move your giant bum over right now, you prat, and give me the side of the wall, I'm leaving."

If the cold wasn't making Merlin breathless enough yet, that mouthful of a rant definitely did. Not managing to muster up any more than a tired chuckle and an "Okay, okay... calm down Merlin," Arthur shuffles himself away from the wall and lets Merlin pull himself over into his place.

Merlin gets grumpy when he's tired, and it had been a long day. This is enough to convince Arthur to let his manservant off, just this once. In reality, Arthur knows that 'just this once' has happened at least six times in the the past two months alone. Clearly, Merlin isn't as feeling as nonchalant about his sister's passing as he tries to let on. Sighing, Arthur removes his jacket, folding it into a pillow and wriggles down onto his side. He pushes himself as far away from the slimy moss as he can, digging his back into Merlin's. The unexpected contact, which is not unpleasant in the slightest, draws out a gasp from the king, which he hopes was drowned out by the sound of the pouring rain outside.

"Arthur, you're squishing me,"

"Oh would you stop complaining?" Arthur grunts. He spins himself around so that he's facing Merlin's back, draped in his own cloak. His breath hitches as he imagines Merlin huddled under the hills and valleys of red made by the fabric.

The sheerness of his shirt under it, so sheer and wet that it might as well not be there at all. He tries not to think about the paleness of his skin, and the goosebumps that must be all over it in this freezing cold. He lets out a breath he didn't realise he was holding and with it, a shiver.

Merlin feels, no, senses, Arthur's head near him. He goes as still as a stone. They're so close. But not close enough. The distance is excruciating. He feels the king's shudder and realises his privilege––not so much a privilege, but a barrier. Darn cloak. "You're cold," he says, as bluntly as he can muster.

"What? No I'm–" Arthur is cut off by another shudder.

Arthur watches as his servant struggles to unwrap himself from the cloak. Should he refuse? He is the king, after all, perhaps he does want the cloak. But these thoughts are not what appear at the forefront of Arthur's brain. Skin. All he can see is skin. Skin everywhere. So close. So damn close. "Here, take it."

It does have goosebumps, his skin. A hell of a lot of them. And he's shuddering like a flag in the wind, "It's fine, Merlin. You need it more than me."

"You're the king. Gods forbid, I get arrested. Isn't that right, Your Highness?" Merlin throws the cloak to Arthur, who seems to be fixated on his back. His now almost bare back. He shifts himself, moving himself back, ever so slightly, closer to Arthur. Not close enough.

Gods, Arthur. Pull yourself together. It's Merlin we're talking about. The king clears his throat, "We'll share," he announces, as nonchalantly as possible and throws the cloak over the two of them, shifting closer still, his arm arching over Merlin's shuddering body, touching ever so slightly. He can count the goosebumps now. One, two, three four, five... if he moves his head just a tiny bit more...

Arthur's hair feels soft and inviting on Merlin's back, as if enticing him, and his breath––hot and cold at the same time. Not close enough. One small movement and it'll be his lips. Without thought, Merlin seizes the king's wrist where he's holding the cloak over them, bringing it into himself in an embrace. Or into a trap? He pushes himself back into Arthur, feeling both bodies yield to the touch. Merlin keeps Arthur's hand, strangely warm, clasped tightly in his own, pressed against his chest.

Skin. SO much skin. Arthur lets Merlin push his body into him. He lets his back press into his lips. At least that's what he tells himself. He's only avoiding resistance, not participating. You can't be participating if you don't have control. And Arthur has no control, none at all. Only his body does. Only his lips. Only his hands, his chest. And so he lets his arms wrap around Merlin's stomach pulling him in tighter, closer. He lets his lips wander all over his back, searching for the skin, skin, more skin under his shirt.

Merlin feels Arthur's lips running all over his back, as if they're searching for something lost, desperate to find it. And they do, as Arthur's mouth finds itself immersed in Merlin's shoulder. Merlin forced his lips to stay closed as to not make a noise, and a deep breath is all that he allows to escape. He dares not turn back, he can't face Arthur, not like this. He lets himself bask in the darkness of the night and the secrecy of the pounding rain outside the cave. He wonders what this means, all of it. This fire is his heart, what will it amount to?

Arthur lets his lips, and hands and body and the flame in his heart take control. He lets himself forget everything. Camelot, Morgana, everyone. For Him. For His skin. For His touch, he'll let himself forget the whole world.

And under warmth of that flimsy red cloak, in that small cave, on that rainy night, the two flames finally collided. And no one could have guessed how much damage it would cause.

♡♡♡

[nonbinary-dinosaur]

Literally not even done with episode 5 of Merlin but even I know that everyone (Minus Uther) would and probably HAS committed treason for Merlin.

[thorne93]

The Softest Fire (Part 6)

Prompt: Rosaline Vaughan had it all: fame, money, power, glory, a high status job. Until, one day, she woke up, and realized something was missing from her life.

Word Count: 1821

Warnings: dealing with animals(??), anger(?)

Notes: First Fantastic Beast fic! I could NOT have done this at all without @arrow-guy​​​. They have created a counterpart to this fic, writing it from Nora Vaughan’s perspective (Rosaline’s cousin/adopted sister). Fic aesthetic done by @mrs-dragneel-stark-solo​​​.

For some odd reason, after the engagement fiasco, Tina stopped sending letters to Newt. Something that should’ve made me happy, but watching his demeanor dwindle into lethargy and sadness did anything but bring me joy. I tried desperately to keep him occupied, keep him happy, keep him doing anything but thinking about Tina. Other than agreeing to help dictate two more letters to her, I was pretty successful. To be honest, I was a little worried for this American. Where was she? Why wasn’t she writing back? 

Also in this time, my cousin was trying to deal with her own heartbreak as well. I worked diligently to lick the wounds of both my friend and near-sister. I spent most of the day with Newt, focusing on our work, keeping him occupied; and by night, I was at Nora’s bookshop, helping her, preventing her from thinking too much about Theseus and the tramp. 

It was hard work, while tending to my own heart, but they didn’t deserve to be alone. I had to be strong enough for both of them, even if both of them pretended to be strong without me. Everyone needs a helping hand now and then. 

However, in June of 1927, things began to take a strange turn. 

Grindelwald had escaped, putting fear and anxiety high in the wizarding world. For a while, I thought of returning to the Ministry. Between breaking my own heart every day for Newt and wanting to feel like I could help against Grindelwald, I seriously considered it. Yet, I waited. I wanted to be sure that’s what I wanted, and that Grindelwald wasn’t captured in the meantime. 

Three months after his escape, Newt had been called in by Theseus to the Ministry. Newt asked that I accompany him. I agreed and we arrived. Newt went into the meeting alone and I stood out in the hallway to wait for him. 

I heard someone approach as I stood in the hallway, so I lifted my head to see who it was, only to immediately scowl as she approached. Her eyes met mine and she stopped immediately, from fear or distaste, I couldn’t be sure.

“Ah, Leta, what have you come to destroy today?” I wondered in a superficial voice. “Newt’s in there. Would you like to commit another crime and blame him for it?” 

Leta shook her head, clenching her jaw, looking off to the side. “Rosaline, I am not doing this. I’m just here to meet Theseus after his meeting. We have another meeting to go after this. But if me waiting for him is going to cause issues, I’ll leave.”

“You mean run away?” I asked, pushing off the wall. “How typical of you, Lestrange…”

“Merlin, what did I ever do to you?” she snapped, throwing her hands from her head to her side. Clearly, she was exasperated with me and my assault already.

“What haven’t you done? I have no tolerance for people who disobey rules.”

“Seriously?” she deadpanned. “That was ten years ago, get over it already. I was a kid, I didn’t ask Newt to take the fall for me.”

I sneered at her, putting my hands on my hips. “No, but you didn’t exactly take responsibility did you? You weren’t a child, Leta. It wasn’t like you didn’t know the repercussions of your actions.” 

“So, what, that makes it okay for you to constantly condemn me, smear my name? You act as if what I did was commit high treason.”

I took a few strides towards her, getting directly in her face. “The magnitude of your crimes was never the issue. It was that for a full year, I had to watch an innocent boy have no freedom while I watched you traipse around the school, not a care in the world. I was with him for most of that year, did you even check on him? Did you even care? And now, you show up in Theseus’s life, and for what? What are you really after? Job security? You’re not capable of love, no Lestrange is, so what’s your real motive?” 

“You don’t know the first thing about me, or Newt, or Theseus,” she countered. 

“On the contrary, I know them very well, and I know they’re far better off without you in their life.” 

“That’s not what Theseus thinks. He seems happy enough to make me part of the family. Can you say the same for yourself?” she shot back, her eyes burning on mine. I felt my hand twitch to my wand but I closed my eyes, stopping myself. 

“Every action, every word out of your mouth, everything you do, only serves you, it always has and it always will. That’s why I don’t like you.”

“You must be this bitter because you’re alone. That’s it isn’t it? You can’t stand the fact that people care for me, that I’m still at the Ministry, moving on with my career. You’re jealous, aren’t you?” 

A smile came onto my lips quickly. “Oh, dear, no. It’s hard to envy rubbish. You’ll never truly mean anything to anyone.”

“Rubbish?!” Leta balked just as Theseus appeared beside the two of us. 

“What’s rubbish, darling?” he asked. I wanted to vomit in my mouth, but I refrained. 

“Nothing, don’t worry about it,” I dismissed, shooting a quick look to Leta. “Is Newt coming?” 

“Right here,” he said from behind Theseus. The two brothers embraced before Newt nodded to me and we began to walk out of the Ministry. 

He explained what the meeting was about on the way out. It was an offer to join as an auror and his traveling restrictions would be lifted, if he helped look for Credence. He denied, to no surprise of mine. 

Once we were outside, he suggested I go back to his flat, since the creatures had been alone all morning. I nodded and he thanked me. We set off in different directions. 

I was still at his flat when he returned and told me something peculiar while he was out. On his way home, he was met by Dumbledore who asked him to go to Paris, to a safehouse, and to look for Credence. 

“Well, are you going?” I asked as we sat in his living room. 

“I have no idea. I don’t even know what this means. Why is everyone suddenly asking me to find him?” 

“You were trying to help a lost, hurt wizard. There is nothing wrong with that. People probably just think he’ll trust you.” 

At that moment, a knock came at the door. 

“Who could that be?” Newt wondered as he answered the door and in walked two people I’d never seen. A gorgeous blonde, and a plump, well kempt man. 

Newt welcomed the guests in quickly before dashing out into the hallway.

“Tina’s not here, Newt. It’s just us,” the blonde stated before turning to me. “Oh, you’re Rosaline. I’ve read all about you in papers and stuff and in Newt’s book. You’re a real treat!”

I nodded at her. “And you must be… Queenie, Tina’s sister.” Instantly, the presence of a legilimens made me uncomfortable. 

“Mhm, and this here is Jacob.”

“Ah, the muggle,” I acknowledged, extending my hand. “Nice to meet you both. Where is Tina?” I wondered. I was curious if she would show up at all, so I could prepare myself for it. Just as I asked, Newt had already dashed out in the hallway, sending a surge of fresh pain through me. 

"Oh! She ain't here right now on account of her Auror business. She's a very busy woman."

Jacob concurred in a mumble. “Yeah, busy woman.” He then smiled a wide, goofy grin. Newt had described him as jovial, but this seemed peculiar.

For the next hour, we entertained Jacob and Queenie until we had Queenie remove the spell on Jacob, then they got into a fight and she disappeared to go to her sister in Paris. With that, it was all Newt needed for an excuse to go search for Tina as well as Queenie.

 He asked that I come along for help, in case we ran into trouble. I climbed in the suitcase and Newt called that he was going to see if Nora wanted to join us. 

We stopped by her place, and of course she joined us as well. We followed Newt as he tried to track down Tina. All four of us were on the street when suddenly Jacob and Newt had disappeared. Following them into what appeared to be sewers, a flash of light and I dove around the corner, startling the man we’d been following.

I stunned the mysterious man who had drawn his wand on me, pressing my foot into his chest, daring him to make a move. While I held him down, Nora released Newt, Jacob, and a woman I'd never seen from a gated off section of the chamber. 

“Don’t hurt him,” she requested. “We need him.”

I narrowed my gaze at her. The idea of taking orders from someone I didn’t know did not set well with me. 

“You mean you need him,” I snapped. “Who are you anyway?” I wondered.

Newt stepped up half a step and gestured between the woman and myself. “Rosaline, this is Tina.”

My world felt like it had exploded. Up until now, Tina was an unseen entity, something I could combat, something I could ignore, something I hoped to quash while she wasn’t in London… But now she really was a breathing, living, woman in front of my eyes, and I couldn’t ignore her. I couldn’t pretend she didn’t exist. I couldn’t pretend Newt hadn’t chosen her over me. 

My jaw set before my eye twitched slightly. I tried to keep the indignant expression off my face. Thankfully, Nora touched my arm, bringing me back down from my rising aggression. It was a foreign feeling, jealousy. All my life, I had never been told no. I had anything my heart desired. When I was a hit witch, it was never personal, only a job. I never felt sympathy or anger for the wizards or witches I was after. The closest thing that came to this rage was I felt when we encountered people abusing the creatures Newt and I found. 

But that was different. That was seeing injustice be done to an innocent creature.

What I was feeling in that moment, when Newt said Tina’s name… It was as if I’d been impaled. Rage, hurt, jealousy, want, and fury stormed through me.

I had little time to process these feelings however, because a roar erupted through the room and Nora noted that it might be time to leave. 

We captured a zouwu (well, Newt did), and now, we were at the safe house to which Dumbledore had directed Newt, the mysterious man passed out as soon as we set him on the chaise.

~~~~~~~~~~~

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[angstbotfic]

Fic: Her One True Love’s a Sailing Ship Ch43

Read at AO3

Hearing the door to her office open, Regina looked up from her ledger, ready to snap at whoever had barged in uninvited. Emma would still be at the hearing, so there was no one who-

“Marian!” Smiling she got up and met her half way across the room with a tight hug.

Marian hugged her right back, and when they pulled apart she held her at arms’ length for a moment, turning her from side to side a bit.

“What?” Regina prompted finally.

“Look at you. Desk job. Paperwork. Next thing you’ll have eyeglasses. You’re getting soft on me.”

Regina snorted in amusement, saying “Hush,” and pushing her hands off. “I’m so glad you made it. Did it go well?”

“Well enough. Caught sight of one of George’s, but couldn’t catch it. Then we had to turn around. Henry would never forgive us if we missed his birthday,” Marian said solemnly, but with a twinkle in her eye.

“Never,” Regina agreed.

“How are things here?” Marian, chuckling.

“It’s been mostly uneventful. I’ve been up to my nose in party preparations. Though there was that one lunatic trying to commit treason-”

To her surprise, Marian laughed outright at that.

“What?” she demanded. “Why is that funny?”

“Because he thought you killed his wife. Who is very much alive.” Still smiling, she shook her head. “It’s pretty absurd.”

“Wait, she’s alive? How do you-”

Marian just raised an eyebrow and waited for her to get there.

“No,” Regina said when she eventually realized. “That’s him? Ew,” she blurted, before adding, “Sorry.”

“Don’t be. He was a good man once, but not for a long time.”

“I’m glad you got rid of him and came to join my crew.”

“Me too,” Marian said, contemplative.

“Speaking of which,” Regina said, turning back and flipping through the neat sheaf of parchment on her desk, “I have something for you.”

“You do?”

“It’s time we make this official, don’t you think? Emma wanted to have a big ceremony, but I know that’s not your thing.”

“Not really, but- wait, what?”

“I had several reports come in today, I just need to- Here.” Regina found it at last and held it out. “A promotion, to captain of the Jolly Roger. And your own charter as privateer.”

Marian just stared at her for a long moment, eyes suspiciously moist.

“Are you getting soft on me?” Regina said, though her voice wavered a bit too.

“You’re giving me your ship?”

“She’s been as much yours as mine for years, Mar,” she said gently. “And you deserve to be recognized as captain.”

“This is too much, I-”

“Take as good care of her as you have of me all these years, and we’ll call it even,” Regina said firmly. “Go plunder for the crown, and you’re welcome back here any time.”

Marian’s hug was fiercer this time, and Regina held her just as tight.

**

It was time. Regina signaled to the groom, standing unobtrusively at the entrance to the garden, then nodded to Emma once he had slipped out.

Emma smiled, then raised her voice to carry. “Attention, everyone.” Regina noted with satisfaction that they all quieted immediately.

“As you all know, Henry is getting to be quite old.”

“How old is he?” Marian called out. The courtiers looked scandalized, but Emma just chuckled.

“Almost a young man, in fact. A fine, kind, smart young man.” She smiled tenderly at him, and he managed to contain his embarrassment enough to smile back at her, and Regina’s heart felt impossibly full watching them. “And he is in fact so old that I think it’s time for him to begin some young man things.”

That was Regina’s cue. “Bring him in, Jerome,” she called.

The groom entered the garden, leading a gorgeous black war horse. Regina had picked him out, assuring that he was well-muscled and high-spirited but not overly excitable.

“For me?” Henry exclaimed, all eager little boy in this moment.

“Your very own. You’ll grow and train together, and when the time comes for you to learn to joust—much, much later—” she emphasized, getting a chuckle from the party guests, “you’ll have an appropriate mount.”

“Thank you!” He ran forward and threw his arms around her, and Regina glared at the few courtiers who looked as if they thought a son hugging his mother was in any way inappropriate until they dropped their eyes.

After a long moment they pulled apart, and Regina thought probably no one else would hear the little quaver in Emma’s voice as she announced, “And now, let’s have some cake!”

**

Regina gave her best diplomatic smile and toasted to Henry and Emma’s health along with yet another minor noble. The routine was getting quite old, and if she hadn’t unobtrusively switched the contents of her flagon for water long ago she would be well on her way to drunk by now.

“Regina!”

Turning, she saw Merlin approaching her and found her genuine smile for the first time in at least an hour. “Excuse me,” she said politely to the noble.

Merlin swept her up in a firm hug, then pulled back, looking worried, “Oh, should I not?”

“Probably,” she said. “But Emma is determined to resist all those stupid rules.”

“Fair enough,” he said, smiling down at her. “It’s good to see you.”

“And you. You’re looking well. Being first officer suits you,” she said conspiratorially.

He snorted. “It’s only been about half an hour since Marian promoted me.”

“It’s well deserved.”

“Yes?” And here he was, the uncertain man who’d asked to join her crew to try to forget his dark past all those years ago.

“Yes,” she said firmly. “You’ll be a good first officer. You could have been at any time if there had been a place.”

“It’s not the same without you,” he said, a little wistful.

“No,” she agreed, because she missed it too. “It’s not.” And yet-

“But this is what’s right for you.”

She looked up at him intently. “Yes?” She asked not because she was uncertain, but because she needed to know that he wasn’t, that he didn’t feel like she had abandoned them.

“Yes,” he said firmly.

**

Regina couldn’t help scanning the crowd for any signs of trouble. She loved that Emma was kind, but she couldn’t agree with her choice to let Robin off with just a warning. It was trouble waiting to-

“There you are!”

Half jumping out of her skin, she turned to see Tink. “Are you done circulating yet?” the fairy asked.

“It’s good to see you, too, Tink,” Regina deadpanned.

“It is,” Tink agreed. “You’re looking really well. Almost radiant.”

Regina let out an inelegant snort at that. “Come on, radiant?”

“Yeah,” Tink said, serious for the first time. “As much as I hated that you refused at the time, it was the right choice. This is better than any soulmate.”

Regina just stared at her for a long moment, unsure what to make of that.

“I mean it,” Tink insisted. “I think this is really what you were destined for.”

“To shack up with Snow White’s daughter?”

“You can’t say it’s not pretty good revenge,” Tink said with a wink, and Regina couldn’t help but laugh.

**

The evening was starting to wind down before she found Marian again. She was sitting by the apple tree looking pensive, and it felt like such a reversal that Regina had to sit down beside her. “You okay?”

“What?” Marian was surprised. “Oh. Yeah, definitely. Just taking it all in. My own ship. I never thought it would happen.”

“Maybe it was selfish to keep you as my first officer for so long instead of letting you grow.”

“No, no. That isn’t what I meant,” Marian assured her. “I just thought it would be us and the Jolly Roger and the sea forever.”

Regina felt a little pang of guilt. “Me too.”

“It makes it easier to let you go knowing that you’re so happy with Emma.”

Regina felt vaguely disgruntled that everyone could apparently tell so much about her emotions.

Marian snorted, seeing right though her as she always did. “Regina, your face is like a lighthouse beacon when you look at her. It’s admirable. And she’d better treat you right.”

“Oh yeah?” Regina chuckled.

“Yeah, or else she’s gonna find all her ships plundered.”

**

When she re-entered the main garden, she found it deserted except for Neal trying ineffectively to rouse a sleeping Henry to take him to bed. Glancing up, he grinned at her. “Guess I’ll have to just haul him like a roll of canvas.”

“I can call the servants-” Regina began, but he cut her off.

“You have somewhere else to be,” he said, tipping his head toward the tower where Emma’s chambers were.

“But-” she felt torn between taking care of Henry and going to Emma.

“Hey, what’s the use of Henry having three parents if we can’t trade off sometimes?”

“What?”

He shrugged. “That’s how I’ve been thinking about it, anyway. None of us got to raise him so far, but we’re all getting the hang of it now, together, right?”

“But, me?” She was so fond of Henry, but was it mutual?

“He missed you so much when you were gone. And, for all he’s growing up, he still has a head full of children’s stories. He loves the idea of his mothers the queens ruling the kingdom together.”

“I-”

“I know you don’t want it, but it’s how he sees you.” He chuckled. “So I guess you’re stuck with him now.”

“Gladly,” Regina said, feeling tears pricking her eyes.

“Anyway, get going.” He picked Henry up. “I’ve got this one.”

[donotleavemeagain]

In His Defense Part 1

Merlin held his head high as he walked through the market clad in iron shackles. He knew this day would come. Of course he knew. It was only a matter of time before he slipped up and someone found out about his magic. It was only a matter of time before it was reported to the king and he was arrested. It was only a matter of time before Uther Pendragon sentenced him for the pyre. He used magic too often for it not to happen. But he held his head high even as the townsfolk threw rotten food at him. He was caught using magic in defense of Prince Arthur. One who he would never have hesitated to call his king. He was proud of that.

The funny thing is: Merlin's not even sure how the king found out about his magic. The last time he had used it had been when an assassin somehow managed to find his way into the prince's room while Arthur was training the knights and Merlin was cleaning his room. He never actually figured out what the assassin had planned because he immediately sent the man through the window, but either way he never would have let it happen. Although Arthur had seen the man fall even he never once suspected that Merlin used magic. In fact, he spent the next several hours berating Merlin and telling him how lucky he was that he wasn't killed by the probably highly trained murderer. Someone else must have seen him. A servant or something must have come into the room while he did his magic and fled before he noticed them.

It was the next morning as Merlin was out picking herbs for Gaius that the knights surrounded him and told him that he was under arrest for practicing magic within the castle walls. He could have put them all to sleep and run away, hidden in the shadows until old age claimed Uther Pendragon, but he was so tired of hiding. Instead he held out his hands and let the knights of Camelot, though none that he recognized, fasten iron shackles to his arms and legs. At least they weren't unkind to him. They didn't roughly pull him any faster than his hampered feet could walk and they didn't say any cruel words to him. They only fastened the chains around him and escorted him back to Camelot where his fate would be decided.

As the castle grew ever closer, Merlin felt tears in his eyes. What would happen to this place once he was gone? Would Arthur survive to become king without Merlin there to thwart all the assassination attempts? Would Albion fall before it ever began and Camelot come to ruin? Would Arthur miss him?

Probably not. Merlin smiled wryly. Arthur was probably just as mad at him for this as the king was. Even if he did somehow accept the fact that Merlin had magic, which was unlikely, he would never forgive his friend for all the lies that he had told over the years. He only hoped that Arthur would deign to be at his execution. If only to see the man that he had fallen in love with one last time before the fire overtook him. Because it would be fire, he knew. Uther had to make an example of him for practicing magic in such a close proximity to his son.

Merlin sighed.

If Arthur was there he would bow to him and name him the Once and Future King of Albion. Then anyone in the audience who practiced magic would pass that knowledge to others and all would know that he would bring about peace between magic and Camelot. Then, hopefully, they would stop trying to kill the prince and they too would attempt to protect him. It would be the last thing that Merlin could do for Arthur and he only hoped it would work.

If Arthur was even there. If not, he would just proclaim that he would always remain loyal to Arthur as the Once and Future King. It probably wouldn't have as big of an impact as if Arthur was there, but hopefully it would still be enough.

Suddenly, the attack of the rotten vegetables stopped and the bright light of the sun dimmed. Merlin looked up, not even realizing that he had bowed his head in thought of the prince, and saw a knight of Camelot holding his cloak up to shield Merlin from the townspeople and wrapping another arm around his waist comfortingly. Yet, this wasn't a normal knight of Camelot. He wore more armor than they did, as though he were going to a duel instead of Merlin's execution, including a metal helmet that kept his face from view, and it was only his rich red cloak that marked him as what he was.

"Don't worry," said the knight, "I'm going to protect you." The voice sounded familiar, but it was too dulled by the metal helmet to truly recognize.

"There's nothing you can do," Merlin muttered. "Please go before someone accuses you of aiding me."

"Never," said the knight. "I'm going to protect you."

Despite himself, Merlin felt utterly happy. Someone was actually trying to help him. Even in his last moments when everyone wanted him dead there was still at least one who would stand beside him. Someone actually accepted him for what he was instead of what he always pretended to be or what he needed to be for destiny's sake. Just him, a boy who was born with magic. The only thing that would make it better would be if it was Arthur standing next to him, but Merlin knew not to expect that. "Thank you," he whispered because he knew that no matter what this knight did he would not save Merlin from the fire, but at least he gave Merlin the only thing that he had ever truly wanted.

Arthur did not stand by his father when they arrived in the courtyard. Nor did he stand with Morgana where she cried for Merlin on her balcony. He did not even stand looking through his window to watch the fate of his manservant. He was nowhere to be seen and Merlin had to conclude once and for all as his heart broke that Arthur hated him now that he knew about his magic. He had known that this would happen, but some part of him had hoped that Arthur would somehow defy all odds and come to his aid at the end of most need. That small part of him was now crushed and it was only now that he realized it had been his heart.

"You have been accused of practicing magic," the king was saying. "What have you to say?"

"In defense of Prince Arthur and the people of Camelot I have used magic," Merlin said. No matter how much his heart hurt, he would not betray the loyalty he had always had to his king. "And I would gladly continue to do so in order to protect the Once and Future King Arthur of Camelot." To announce someone other than the current king as the king, even if it was the prince, was nothing short of treason, but Merlin would already have the death sentence bestowed upon him so he didn't really care. Word would spread of this and all would know that Arthur would be the one to unite Camelot with magic as it was foretold even without Merlin's help.

"You dare speak his name!" the king yelled. "You who have bewitched my son." Merlin was shocked by those words. The only reason that the king would think his son was bewitched is if Arthur had tried to stand up for him. Was it possible that Arthur did actually still care about him despite all his crimes? "You will burn in the pyre for your crimes."

The pyre already stood tall beside him and Merlin wasn't at all surprised that it had been set up before they even captured him. Normally one who practiced magic would have at least the night before facing the fire, but Merlin was too close to the royal family and he needed to be eliminated as quickly as possible.

"No," said the knight who had followed Merlin through the town and into the courtyard as he threw down his gauntlet before the king. All other knights pulled their sword, but no one dared move closer. A challenge was clearly given. There was no way that they would make their king seem like a coward in front of his people by taking it for him. "I challenge you for his life."

Merlin's eyes widened. Was that even possible? He had never really paid much attention to the knight's code as that was more Arthur's thing than his, but he did know a little and he had never once heard of someone throwing down a gauntlet in order to save another's life.

The king did not move. "You dare to challenge me boy?" he scowled, but it was clear that he didn't know what to do either. If he did not accept the challenge it would be like saying he was a coward, but if he did accept the challenge than the people would think it a possible way to save everyone on death's row. "You would sacrifice your life for a sorcerer?"

"I would," said the knight.

"Than you will be charged with aiding him. I will accept your challenge and I will kill you for the crime that you have committed."

"And if I win you will release him without harming him."

The king scowled again, but said nothing. "The battle will be tomorrow at dawn," he said.

"And Merlin, as the prize of this battle, has to remain unharmed until then."

"Take him to the dungeons," the king waved him away. "You have a stay of execution for now, but by tomorrow evening you will burn."

Merlin stared wide-eyed at the knight who saved his life for a night as the others took him into the castle. He was honestly not expecting that to work at all. He knew that Uther had his pride as an undefeated knight, but he didn't think that would ever overcome his lust for a sorcerer's head. He had actually thought that Uther would sentence the knight to death for attempting to aid him and damn the consequences until a later time, but the chance of having the people think him a coward was apparently enough incentive for the king. That was probably also the only reason that the knight was not currently joining him in the dungeon. It would be seen as unfair and therefore cowardly if the knight was not given the chance to ready himself for the coming battle.

Merlin did not sleep well that night and it had nothing to do with the uncomfortable sleeping arrangements. Nor did it have to do with the worry of the coming battle, though that did cross his mind. He did not sleep because he hoped all through the night that Arthur would find a way to come and visit him despite Uther's command that no one see him. He had stayed up all night hoping to see him slip quietly up to the cell door as he had done to others he believed wrongly accused, but he never came. It could be that he did not have Merlin to help him escape his room, George would certainly not help him against the King's orders, but it made Merlin doubt that Arthur truly did believe in him. Maybe he had stood up to him at first because he didn't believe that Merlin could be a sorcerer, but after thinking about it he would have put the pieces together.

When the dawn arrived, Merlin had bags under his eyes and he would barely be able to keep his eyes open if it weren't for the fact that the guards were pulling him out of his cell. "Where are we going?" Merlin asked, not really expecting an answer.

"The prize is always present during a duel," one of the guards said.

"You're the prize," said the other.

Shocked that he actually received an answer, Merlin remained silent. He had heard many stories of sorcerer's treated unkindly by both the knights and the guards of Camelot. It was one of the things that he hoped Arthur would fix in his people, but not something that he thought would ever change when Uther still reigned. Yet, as they walked, the guards and knights that he was passed onto held him gently and slowed whenever he so much as slipped.

And then there was a chair for him as they reached the arena. It wasn't in the king's box like Morgana's, who was the normal prize for such events, but it was still a relatively nice chair. Merlin honestly couldn't tell if Uther was trying to make a mockery of him or if someone had been kind enough to set it out for him. The look on Uther's face when he sat rather awkwardly on the chair told him that it most certainly wasn't supposed to be there for him.

"How are you?" asked Gwen once Merlin got as comfortable as he was going to be in his chair. It startled him because he hadn't see her there.

"I'm fine," he said, "but what are you doing here? Shouldn't you be with Morgana? You could get in trouble with Uther."

"Morgana asked me to be here for you," she said. "If Uther has anything to say about it, she'll defend me. We both wanted to be here for you, but you know she can't be seen to be cohorting with someone who the King claims to be a criminal. This is as much defiance as she is able to outwardly show." She patted the chair with a grin. "Don't worry. We're going to get you out of here."

"Gwen please," Merlin said. "Even if the knight wins this, I don't think Uther will let me go free. He won't let any sorcerers free under his reign."

"He has to," Gwen said. "It would be against the knight's code to do anything else."

"Whatever you say Gwen," Merlin said with only a slightly forced smile. Of course Gwen would know more about the knight's code than he. "Do you think that Arthur will come?" he asked. He knew he shouldn't have. It wasn't his place anymore, but he just wanted to see the prince one last time. "I don't see him here yet."

"You don't know?" Gwen asked. "Arthur tried to fight for you. He said that you've been using your magic to save Camelot for some time now and that that alone was sign that you weren't evil."

"He knew?" Merlin gasped.

Gwen nodded. "He tried to attack Uther when he said that he wouldn't pardon you. That's when the king said that he had been bewitched by you and locked him in his room. No one's seen him since."

Merlin honestly didn't know what to say to that. All this time Arthur had known and he had never said anything about it.

Suddenly silence overcame the crowd as the knight came onto the field. He was still wearing his helmet and Merlin thought that was a little disrespectful to the king, but he understood. Even though this knight was willing to help him, he couldn't risk everyone know who he was. That would be damaging to not only himself but also his family name. Besides, if he did lose there was still a chance that he might escape since no one knew his face. Merlin could feel a bit of his magic even behind the iron shackles and he was perfectly willing to use it to help in the escape.

"Well," Uther said, a brow raised, "you are the challenger. You decide to what end this duel will go."

"Until someone yields," said the knight. Those were the normal rules for dueling and Merlin sighed with relief. He had for a short moment feared that this duel would be to the death. Arthur would never forgive him if his father died because someone was saving his life. He wasn't worth that.

"Very well," Uther shrugged. "You will die at the end of it either way."

"Not if I defeat you," said the knight.

"You are very confident boy," Uther sneered. "I will show you your true place." Then he put his helmet on and crouched into a fighting position, not even bothering with the normal respectful before battle rituals. Merlin cringed. Uther truly did not like what this knight was doing, which meant that he would be particularly cruel in this battle.

The fight started slow, each knight trying to gauge to what lengths the other would go, and then suddenly Merlin couldn't keep track of it anymore. He was never good on a battlefield and didn't pay much attention to the parries and thrusts Arthur tried to teach him, but he could usually at least tell who had the upper hand in the fight. This time, however, it was going back and forth between the two that he just couldn't keep track.

Merlin's knight was the first to come to a disadvantage when he lost his shield, but it did not last for long as Uther's shield was knocked away soon after. A blow to the leg had Merlin's knight limping, but he one-upped Uther by knocking his helmet off.

Merlin watched in fascination. Other than Arthur he had never seen anyone hold themselves so well against the King.

"Oh my god!" Gwen gasped.

"What?" Merlin asked, eyes straying from the battle to look at her. She was staring with wide eyes at the two combatants with her hands clasped over her face. Perhaps she recognized the knight. Or maybe at least his fighting style. Merlin didn't care enough to recognize people by their fighting styles, but he wouldn't doubt if Gwen could. "What's wrong?"

Before Gwen could answer, the clattering of a knight falling brought Merlin's attention back to the field. The King was on his back, his shield long since missing and his sword just barely out of reach. "Yield," said Merlin's knight.

"Never!" the King yelled.

The knight lifted his sword high and Merlin suddenly realized how this would go. If the King would not yield than the knight would have to kill him. Merlin couldn't let that happen. Arthur would hate him. He didn't want that. He had to protect the king.

"Wait!" he yelled lifting his iron clad hand up to grab the sword if need be. He hadn't even realized that he had used his magic to transport all this way, but the fading golden light in his eyes told all. "Please wait," he said.

"What-" the knight gasped, his arms shaking with the effort of stopping his own sword.

"Please don't kill him," Merlin said. "Arthur will be upset if you kill him."

The sword through his chest was completely unexpected, but Merlin thought that he should have expected it. King Uther held no qualms against killing sorcerers and Merlin had just gotten in his way. Not only that, but Merlin had practically dishonored him by running onto the field to protect him. And not even for his own sake. "Out of my way sorcerer!" the king yelled, tossing Merlin to the side.

"Merlin!" the knight yelled and suddenly Merlin felt really stupid. How had he not recognized him before now? Above all else, though, he would always recognize the way Arthur called his name. He should have known the only knight who would be willing to protect him even against the wishes of the king was Arthur himself. What an idiot he was.

"Arthur," he whispered before the pain overtook him and his world went black.

As an introduction to this blog, I thought I would post a fic that I posted on my archive account. Hope you guys enjoy. 

Part 2 here