#i have to wonder what arthur was thinking here as he watched merlin's face

[atdawn]

Sorcery will reign once more in Camelot. Is that what you'd want?

MERLIN 5.05 (The Disir)

[specialagentlokitty]

Lancelot x reader - all the flowers in the world

Hope you've been doing well and keeping hydrated😄. Glad to see that your requests are open again. I was wondering if I could request a BBC Merlin Lancelot x reader with this prompt "If I had a flower for every time I thought of you… I could walk through my garden forever." from your 2024 prompts part 2? Of course you don't have to if you don't want to. Also if you do write this, take as long as you need. Thank you🧡 - Anon 💜

You were walking along one of the trails, it’s was quiet, peaceful, and you were also using this time to collect some plants both for medical use and for food use as well.

Despite being told many times by not only Merlin and Lancelot but by every other knight as well and even Arthur, you still went out by yourself because you found it easier to find the peace in things when you weren’t worrying about other people or having to be quick.

You loved to just wonder.

However, you knew you weren’t really alone out there.

Despite his best attempts to stay hidden, it was clear as day that Lancelot had been following you to keep an eye on you.

Multiple times you had seen him, and once he near ran straight at you when you had tripped up on some tree roots, but caught yourself.

Kneeling down in a patch of wild mushrooms, you began to carefully looking over them, only picking a select few that were safe and ripe to eat.

Lancelot leant against a nearby tree as he watched over you, his hand on his sword ready to defend you at a moments notice as he had too.

“Lancelot?” You called out.

Said knight freezes, unsure if he should reply or not.

On one hand if you needed help he wanted to help you, but on the other you wanted to come out here alone and he wasn’t sure if you actually knew he was there or just heard a noise and assumed it was him.

After a moment of internal debating he walked over and knelt down next to you.

“What is it? Are you okay?” He asks softly.

Turning your head to him, you hold up a small blue flower with a bright grin to him.

Lancelot stares at your for a few seconds before he softly smiles at you, taking the flower from your hands to look at it.

“It’s beautiful…” he says softly.

“It suits you.”

This makes him laugh softly, and he tucks the flower behind his ear, smiling warmly at you.

“Well thank you (Y/N).”

Grinning at him again, you go back to picking some wild mushrooms and Lancelot just stays knelt next to you, his gaze never leaving your face.

Standing up, you carry on walking and this time Lancelot walks alongside of you, offering you his arm so you wouldn’t trip over again and so that he could keep you close.

Looping your arm with his, you rest your hand on his forearm.

“You know you aren’t supposed to come out here alone.” He speaks quietly.

“I know, it’s just nice to escape all the hustle and bustle of life at Camelot.”

Lancelot hums his head in understanding.

“I understand that, but you knew we worry about you coming out here alone, I worry about you coming out here alone. it’s hardly safe.”

“I know, but I’m so used to if you come, then the others come, and they’re never quiet, as much as I love everybody sometimes they start to become a headache.”

Lancelot laughs slightly and he nods his head.

“Believe me, I know.”

Lancelot glances down at you before he goes back to watching the trail. If you stopped he would stop and keep a watchful eye over you.

Every so often you would gather a few more ours to scatter along his chainmail, tucking the stems into the small gaps in the links.

Lancelot couldn’t help but smile as you did this.

"If I had a flower for every time I thought of you… I could walk through my garden forever." You say quietly.

Lancelot’s eyes widen slightly, but his smile never falters.

“You really think about me that much?”

You nod your head.

He pauses, making you stop as well and walks in front of you, placing his finger under your chin to tilt your head up towards him.

“If I had a flower for every time I thought of you, the whole world would be covered in beautiful flowers…” he whispers.

His smile is warm and he moves his hand to cup your cheek.

“You would be much more beautiful than an amount of flowers…”

Your smile matches his, and he can’t help but smile even more, running his thumb along your cheek.

“Will you let me court you…?” He whispers.

“I would love nothing more…”

His face immediately lights up and he carefully pulls you into a gentle hug which you quickly reciprocated.

Maybe it wasn’t so bad that he decided to come with you after all

[pigfacedbitch]

Comfort

summary : what would your boyfriend do if you had a bad day at work/school?

word count : 0.7k

type : headcanons

pairing/s : Modern! Gwaine / Merlin / Arthur (Soldier, Poet, King😂) x Reader

warning/s : asshole bosses / professors lol

here is my masterlist!

Note : Why is life so tiring? Sometimes, I just want to lay down and sleep. Slight NSFW on Gwaine's part .

Gwaine

Gwaine is evidently high-spirited but pouts like a kicked puppy when he sees you sad.

He may be a little unfamiliar with comforting someone but he knows that having fun can revive someone's soul so as a way to comfort you, he will offer a night of distraction and pleasure (I know what you're thinking and yes, you are right 👀).

From here, it depends on what you want to do. Gwaine will enthusiastically go with the flow.

You want to stay at home and play games? He will gladly lose to monopoly, uno, scrabbles, or any board games you want to play.

Gwaine is also a reliable player two in online games and will shout with you when another player is performing poorly.

"How can you miss that shot?!"

"What my love said, you muppet!"

Want to watch a movie? A pillow fort with your favorite movies, snacks, and soda coming right up!

Warning though, if you want to go out and party, don't. As loveable as he is, Gwaine is a party animal who has little self-control. He WILL get drunk before you and you have no choice but to drag his ass back to your home.

Last possible activity? Doing the deed. Might fuck the stress and sadness out of you until all you can remember is how good he made you feel, just saying. Anyways, enjoy! 😚

Merlin

This sweet baby boy will serve you like a queen, no joke.

Merlin will immediately know you had a bad day as he welcomes you in your shared home, already wrapping his (big and strong🫢) arms around your tired body.

He won't say a word but you'll know that he offers comfort by how tight his hug is, slowly soothing your hair, and gently kissing parts of your face.

"What's wrong, love?"

And boom! Here comes the waterworks. He will let you cry and vent as he leads the two of you on the sofa, lying comfortably there until you are done.

You might even take a short nap. Merlin doesn't care if you covered him with tears, drool, or snot; as long you feel better.

He will wake you up with your favorite home-cooked meal prepared on the table then taking you to the bathroom for a relaxing bath.

There would be scented candles, bath bombs, mellow music, skin care products— the whole nine yards. And no, you don't have to move. Merlin will do everything for you unless you want otherwise.

He will give you a massage on the bed after that, saying words of encouragement and support.

If you ask him to use his magic, he will. He will show you anything you want; from the wonders of the world to the vast beauty of the cosmos.

He hates using his magical abilities on you but as you fall asleep in his arms that night, he whispers a spell that will surely give you good dreams and an even better sleep.

Arthur

Let's face it, Arthur can be... oblivious at times.

Unlike Merlin and Gwaine, it will take a little longer for him to realize you feel like shit.

The Pendragons are very wealthy, and it sometimes compensates for the other qualities they lack.

He may not be as cheerful as Gwaine or provide you a satisfactory service like Merlin, but he can give you anything you want.

You want to go to another country? The private jet is ready. You don't even have to pack a bag, Arthur will buy new clothes for you.

He will let you choose the hotel you'll be staying in and book all the activities you want to do such as tours in the wildlife, scuba diving, spa days, and many more.

You want comfort food? The best chef in Albion will be brought to your home at once, paid heavily to cook whatever food you fancy.

You want materials things, jewelries and dresses? Even stationery? You got it. Arthur doesn't care how much you spend, he's practically your sugar daddy. 😂

If you just want him by your side, he will let you hug him like a koala bear to a tree and listen to your complains.

However, watch your words or the people you mention. Because Arthur will see to it that they will be dealt with, money comes with influence after all.

"So that's why they are being overly nice to me!"

"No one messes with the love of my life."

[cinnabon-sweetroll-tiramisu]

The story of how Mordred called Merlin mom and then proceeded to call Arthur dad and now he's adopted into the family

Author: Me aka @dalazygamerneko

Inspired by @tongjaitongjai merthur idea, check out it out here: 🐓x🐦=🐣

♤•°•♡•°•♤•°•♡•°•♤•°•♡•°•♤•°•♡•°•♤

It was ordinary day. Birds were singing, training went well and the maids were busy but happily chatting.

Nothing could go wrong Mordred thought as he made his way to the afternoon roundtable meeting when he came across Merlin or Emrys as he is known amongst druids, quickly he hid into an alcove and gazed in envy at Lord Emrys, no, Merlin smiling and holding a little boy in his arms.

It's moments like these that he wished he knew his mother longer but he could barely remember her. He watched quietly at the soft look in Merlin's eyes and utter joy upon the little boy's face as they hugged each other, Mordred wondered if his mother would've looked at him the same way Merlin did.

He sighed, leaning back against the stone walls Mordred couldn't help but want to revert back into being a child again just so Merlin wouldn't gaze coldly at him, albeit he probably deserved it for the words of hatred he said in his youth. He knew now Merlin never meant to lead those knights towards his camp. That the warlock was only trying to help Morgana.

"What can I do to earn your trust?"

Mordred shook his head, he'd think of something maybe ask one of the knights for help? He's noticed that Sir Lancelot and Sir Gwaine are closer to Merlin than the other knights.

'They're also the most protective of him' Mordred thought dryly, a crease upon his brow as multiple ideas popped into his mind and many he shot down knowing it won't work.

"Well, I'll just have to hope the triple Goddess guides me." Mordred mumbled, he looked out into the hallway, Merlin was gone, most likely doing chores for the King.

Mordred chuckled as he continued walking, he would never understand the relationship Emrys and the once and future King had with each other. There were times they seem like close comrades begrudging in their respect for one another and then other times they would argue fondly like any old married couple.

Not surprising when plenty of townsfolk as well as even the nobles have speculated in the past if Merlin was being courted by Prince Arthur, to any outsider it certainly looked that way therefore Merlin was given the "mistress" treatment.

Now everyone are wondering(more like waiting impatiently) when will the King announce his engagement to Merlin.

"If I remember correctly, doesn't Sir Gwaine have a bet going on?"

Mordred pondered. 'Yeah, I'll definitely join in. There's no way they're NOT together. I mean, I've seen the lingering stares they give each other as if there is no one around them.'

Soon he was at the doors leading to the roundtable meeting, nodding at the vigilant guards they let him through. His eyes slowly moved over the knights, nobles and some commoners before landing on Merlin who was standing behind the King's chair.

An unassuming figure, most often underestimated but to those who know magic deeply or follow the old religion, Emrys entire being is a vast ocean of wild magic swirling in such a magnitude that no mere mortal could ever understand or harness the power Emrys wields.

Then he locked eyes with Merlin, there is no icy stare thankfully, yet he can still see a hint of wariness in his Lord's gaze.

He bowed his head in acknowledgement before finding a seat next to the gossiping pair Sir Percival and Sir Gwaine.

"I could be at a tavern right now, drinking and charming the barmaid Stella instead I'm stuck here." Gwaine said with a miffed face, his hand gripping the air imagining he was holding a mug of ale.

Elyan who sat across from Gwaine raised an eyebrow, "Isn't Stella old enough to be your grandmother?"

Gwaine smirked whilst shrugging. "Just like wine the older one gets the finer they become, besides she has experience, I'm sure there's a thing or two she could still teach mmph—"

Leon had reached over to clamp Gwaine's mouth shut.

The ginger haired knight had just about enough of hearing Gwaine's tavern tales of debauchery to which he thought was an inappropriate topic to be discussed or heard at the roundtable meeting.

"Sir Gwaine, leave your nightly talks at the tavern only, please."

Gwaine pulled Leon's hand away and smiled cheekily at the older knight.

"Oh, but wouldn't you like to know? Stella has mentioned she likes ginger haired men with beards and I bet she could show you—"

"I am going to strangle you—"

Gwaine leaned back avoiding Leon's hands from trying to keep him quiet again.

"Sir Leon I never knew you were this kinky, I think dear old Stella would like to feel your big strong hands—ack!"

Leon finally got him, unfortunately the meeting was starting, so Gwaine was safe from being throttled by him. However, tomorrow morning during training he'll get his chance.

Mordred along with the rest of the knights chuckled at Sir Gwaine's antics and Sir Leon's annoyed expression.

���To be continued♤

[reareaotaku]

Love Thy Enemy

Summary: You can't seem to catch a break Pairings: Merlin x Fem! Reader, Arthur x Fem! Reader Taglist: None

You awoke to the daylight shinning in your face. You groan, turning around in your bed, only to have the sheets snatched from your bed. You slowly blink your eyes to see Arthur standing over you. You quickly sit up wondering what a man- much less the prince- was doing in your room.

"It's time to get up, Y/n."

"Who do you think you are?" You aggressively ask, your brows frowning together.

He disregards your tone and hums to himself, messing with your windows. You watch him closely, still confused on what was going on. Maybe it was just some power trip that he was going on because he had higher status than you.

"There is an event today." He finally says, causing your eyes to widen.

Of course! You had completely forgotten about the fair today. You loudly groan, which causes Arthur to smirk. The whole town was going to be busy and you were going to be worked to the bone.

"Ahh, I see it finally clicked. I must say, I thought it would take longer. It's time for you to get up and ready."

---

You stood by one of the many vendors, watching all the bypassers. You groan, tilting on your feet, before clicking your tongue. It was going to be a long day.

"Having fun?"

You nearly jump out of your skin when hearing Merlin's voice. You turn around, glaring at him. "Good gracious- What's wrong with you? Didn't your mother teach you not to sneak up on people?"

He doesn't respond to your comment, instead pulling the conversation elsewhere. "Today's a special day. Arthur's josting infront of the whole kingdom, including his father."

You look at Merlin suspiciously. You knew he was up to no good and he seemed to sense your suspicion. He holds his hands up in mock surrender.

"I'm not going to do anything. Promise." He then gestures in front of you, "But it seems the prince has other plans."

You look over at where he gestured to see Arthur heading towards you both.

"What are you doing? Why are you both just standing around?"

"Just to piss you off."

Arthur groans, glaring at Merlin. "Get to work, Merlin. You," He gestures to you, "Come with me."

---

You pushed past the multiple men dressed up in their knight uniforms. You groaned when some gave you a knowing look, but thankfully Arthur was quick to shoo them off.

Once the tent is empty, he finally tells you why he brought you in here.

"My father is going to be out there."

"Okay? And?"

He glares at you as he messes with his lance next to him. "I'm serious."

"So am I. Why does it matter. Nothing you do will ever please that old man."

"You don't know that."

"Hmm... Why did you call me here?"

He gives you a knowing look, "You know... Merlin. Keep an eye on him."

"You think Merlin would try and ruin your reputation in front of your father."

"This is Merlin we're talking about."

"He'd never go that low."

He doesn't respond and even you know Merlin was unpredictable.

"Okay... I'll keep an eye out."

"You better.... Or it's your head."

[koalatysleep]

Just watched BBC Merlin S2E4 "Gwen and Lancelot" for the first time and despite the episode title, it's clearly about 2 couples and I'm loving it! Can't get enough of the Merthur interactions and Gwen and Lancelot being mirror characters for Merthur.

I have so many fav Merthur moments in this episode:

- how Arthur and Merlin are clearly so in synch with each other about saving gwen despite Arthur publicly 'agreeing' with Uther that servants aren't worth the risks. Merthur's implicit understanding of each other was contrasted nicely with Morgana assuming Arthur was really gonna abandon Gwen to her death & shouting at him about it. In comparison, Arthur and Merlin were both packing for the rescue mission immediately after they left court, which meant they knew what each other wanted to do, without having to talk about it at length. Love how this implies that Arthur takes Merlin into his confidence when he trusts no one else with his plans, and that Merlin knows who Arthur is.

This reminded me of their conversation in S1E13 (the one with the questing beast) when Merlin says his surreptitious goodbye to Arthur - Arthur: "sometimes i wonder if you know who I am", Merlin: "oh I know who you are".

Yes he does! Our boys are not only in love but also understand each other implicitly without words! I'm so happy!

- This implicit understanding & attunement with each other is seen again when Merlin takes 1 look at Arthur and says "oh no, I know that face, I'm not gonna like this am I?" when Arthur suggests they go through the tunnels infested with the giant mole-rats. Arthur then very sweetly tempers his description from "giant" to "baby rats" when he sees Merlin's adorably worried face. Merlin was seriously adorable in that moment and Arthur's desire & instinct to assure Merlin and reduce his worry was equally adorable! Loving this sweet tender side of Arthur!

- Arthur smearing the berries on Merlin's face was of course classic Arthur showing romantic interest in a pigtail-pulling way but also ensuring Merlin is sufficiently covered while sneaking in some physical contact under the guise of horseplay.

- when Merlin intuits Arthur really cares about Gwen after Arthur admitted he couldn't sleep, Merlin says "I've never seen you like this about anyone". Technically, Merlin really hasn't seen Arthur like this, but that's coz Merlin was dying from Nimueh's poisoned chalice at the time. We the audience however have seen Arthur like this, in magnitudes more pronounced than this as a matter of fact, and it was to save Merlin. Wish someone would tell Merlin! Arthur not only went off on that perilous journey to save Merlin alone and without hesitation, he did so knowing he would most likely die. He also directly opposed his father for Merlin, and otherwise risked everything he has ever known for Merlin, a servant who is not just a servant. So yeah, Gwen is a mirror for Merlin in this case, which means Merthur is romantically coded :)

- Arthur opening up to Merlin about his feelings in an UNPRECEDENTED way in the 'confession' scene at the stream after they've escaped the mole-rat tunnels and are washing off the stinky berries. I don't think we've ever seen Arthur as vulnerable and honest with anyone else in his life as he is with Merlin here! The 'confession' is otensibly about Gwen, but the subtly ambiguous way Bradley James played this scene was brilliant! Not to mention the way they've setup the scene also lends itself to the ambiguity.

The scene starts when Merlin finds out that Arthur didnt know whether the berries would actually work, and Arthur was obviously very charmed by Merlin's unadulterated reaction, and even apologizes in a very fond & sincere way to Merlin. If this is not a man in love in with Merlin, I don't know what is.

This scene is also set immediately after a scene where Gwen (Arthur's mirror in this case) tells Lancelot (Merlin's mirror) that she didn't know she could feel this way about somebody, to which Lancelot replies that she has given him a reason to live, much like Arthur didn't know he could feel the way he does about Merlin, a lowly servant boy who seems like a wimp but who he admires and wants to be admired by, is magnetically attracted to, cares about deeply and I'd say is in love with. And similar to Lancelot with Gwen, Merlin found his reason to live in Arthur.

Then Merlin says "well they do say love makes you do strange things" immediately after Arthur apologizes to him fondly, and Arthur's moment of hidden panic ("what are you talking about") resolved into disbelief-tinged-with-relief when Merlin clarified he was talking about gwen and not arthur's uncharacteristic and fond apology to Merlin.

Then we get the truth being pulled out of Arthur -- and this is Merthur subtext and double speak at its best:

Merlin, teasingly: "It's so obvious, a blind man can see it! Is it really that hard to admit that you like her? Just say it!",

as though Merlin's not just asking Arthur about gwen, he's also asking Arthur on the audience's behalf to admit he likes Merlin, which Merlin and audiences like me would love to hear because the Merthur chemistry really is so obvious.

(Interestingly, "it's so obvious a blind man can see it" mirrors what Bradley james said in an interview when asked to choose between romance with Gwen and bromance with Merlin. Bradley chose bromance with Merlin without hesitation, saying bromance with Merlin is "there for everybody to see". It's nice to see the actor supporting the ship when most actors would have just toed the PC line and remained non-committal!)

Arthur, the truth bursting out of him while looking Merlin straight in the eye: "I can't! How can I admit that I think about her all the time, or that I care about her more than anyone? "

Reaction shot of Merlin, smile falling off his face, as though he's realising that this is how he feels about Arthur, and that if this is how Arthur feels about Gwen, it really is serious.

(Meanwhile, we the audience are squeeling because we certainly noticed Arthur cares about Merlin more than anyone else way back in season 1, to the point of wanting to drink from the poisoned chalice for Merlin, and outright defying Uther for Merlin).

Arthur, looking Merlin straight in the eyes at crucial points, while looking away at others as though he still has something to hide from Merlin: "How can I admit that I don't know what I'll do if any harm comes to her?"

(Again, audience is reminded of how Arthur was beside himself in the poisoned chalice episode when harm was about to befall Merlin.)

Merlin, no trace of teasing left in his tone: "Why can't you?", as though he's asking Arthur not just about gwen, but also asking about himself on behalf of the audience, because he and the audience needs to understand why Arthur swings between willing-to-die-for-Merlin-in-action and insulting-Merlin-horribly-in-words.

Arthur, suddenly using the immediate term 'us' instead of the 3rd person 'her': "Because nothing can ever happen between us! To admit my feelings knowing that... hurts too much".

Merlin: "Who's to say nothing can happen?".

Arthur, again not using 'her': "My father won't even let me rescue a servant, do you honestly believe he'll let me marry one?".

I think the Merthur subtext and double speak was clearly signalled by the ambiguous dialogue where Arthur switches to 'us', 'servant' and 'marry one' instead of 'her' at these crucial points.

I think it's 100% legitimate to interpret the scene and whole episode as romantically coded Merthur, even when i'm approaching this just from a film analysis angle.

Merlin then says, surprised: "you want to marry gwen?"

To which Arthur genuinely clarifies: "No! No, i, i don't know."

After a pause, Arthur: "it's all talk, and that's all it can ever be."

I like to think this part of the dialoque is perhaps the writers testing the waters to see how far they can push Merthur from subtext into text, or signalling they are on the fence about Merthur vs Argwen, or even the writers subtly acknowledging merthur but saying it's all talk and that's all it can ever be, but that's just pure speculation on my part. Speculating's fun as long as no one takes it too seriously or get their hopes up ;)

Leaving out speculation about the writer's intentions, the dialogue then retreats from the 4th wall with Merlin saying "when you're king, you can change that", to which arthur says he can't ask gwen to wait that long for him, and then the absolute kicker of this whole dialogue drops like a foreshadowing bombshell with Merlin's reply "if she feels as you do, she'll wait for you".

First of all, Arthur very practically points out "we don't even know if she's still alive" like he's just pointing out an unemotional fact, one that isn't going to devastate him either way, which tells us that while Arthur cares about Gwen and likes her, he's not beside himself with worry or devastation at the thought of her possibly being dead.

Secondly, we find out in this episode itself that Gwen does not in fact feel strongly enough about Arthur to wait for him either, she's in love with Lancelot.

Thirdly and most importantly, we know the series ends with Merlin waiting for Arthur for 1500 years and counting, and isn't that the kicker?? The dialogue "if she feels as you do, she'll wait for you" foreshadows Merlin waiting for Arthur, because he feels as Arthur does! Romantically coded again!  Maybe the writers really did plan out the whole series outline with the end in mind, like they claimed. In any case, this dialogue is a great piece of foreshadowing that works on 3 different levels, while also validating in a very subtle way Arthur and Merlin's feelings for each other is reciprocated and requited, and strong enough to withstand 1500 years of waiting.

One of my favourite Merthur episodes!

- there are of course other moments in this episode where Lancelot as Arthur's mirror asks Gwen (Merlin's mirror) to live on for him or "everything that I am will be for nothing", which foreshadows what Merlin had to do after Arthur's death. Lancelot is also a mirror for Merlin here because everything that Merlin lived for came to nothing when Arthur died.

In this scene, the same music that played when Arthur kissed Gwen for the first time in S2E2 plays again, but the crucial difference here is Gwen is the one who kisses Lancelot, as compared to her just receiving Arthur's kiss. This again tells us her feelings for Lancelot is a lot stronger than her feelings for Arthur.

Gwen as Merlin's mirror also says to Lancelot "as long as I live, my feelings for you will never fade", which foreshadows what poor Merlin feels for Arthur, and since Merlin is immortal, it means his love for Arthur will never fade FOREVER, even after arthur's death (ah gawd my heart breaks for merlin).

- when Lancelot finds out that Gwen did not escape successfully afterall, the evil kidnapper says Lancelot's failure to protect gwen will hurt Lancelot more than he can understand, and man, Lancelot's pain again foreshadows what Merlin will feel when he 'fails' to save Arthur.

- after they've all successfully escaped, Lancelot as Merlin's mirror says "My feelings do not matter. I will not come between them", and you could see in Merlin's face that he's coming to the same decision about his own feelings, that he will not come between Arthur and Gwen, and man I wanna tell my poor sweet self-sacrificing Merlin that oftentimes, you do good in this world simply by pursuing your own happiness and well-being.

Lancelot then says "she has changed me forever, but some things cannot be", just like Arthur has changed Merlin forever and vice versus, but we know their love story cannot be either, at least not in Camelot's time.

And thus ends my meta ramblings for a great episode!!

Loved it!!

[adhd-merlin]

Merlin S1 rewatch: episode 5

here we go! again!!

today we are watching the Lancelot episode. just a few random comments because. I am so very sleepy and I deleted the first draft by accident.

A nice little episode all in all. Nice set up for an incredibly sexy recurring character. Some nice foreshadowing. What's not to like?

• I like how this episode opens. Merlin picking mushrooms, looking so baby. Eyes full of awe and wonder. Looking like... like he's never seen a mushroom in his life, in fact. Anyway, something very cottagecore about this. Fairy vibes.

• Also he's scarfless? For much (most?) of the episode? It looks like early in the series they weren’t so obsessively attached to Merlin’s neckerchief as part of his character design

• I love how Merlin doesn’t even try to use magic against the Griffin. He just falls on his back, shuts his eyes and goes, “Welp, guess I'll die”

• HOW DID MERLIN CARRY LANCELOT BACK TO CAMELOT

• “Ever since I was a child I've dreamed of coming here. It's my life's ambition to join the knights of Camelot.” -> Guy who's spent his whole life dreaming about becoming a knight of Camelot doesn’t know the first thing about the job requirements

• (No but really, the funniest thing about this episode for me is Lancelot’s utter shock at finding out only noblemen can be knights. That's, like. The first thing about the knights of Camelot, it seems like. You’d think he would have done some basic research beforehand. But that's also how I apply to jobs so I won't make fun of him too much)

• Merlin is such a hype man, “LANCELOT THEY'RE GOING TO LOVE YOU!!” This is literally what he says! He’s adorable.

• Merlin's acting like a kid who's found a stray puppy on the side of the road and is trying to convince his dad to keep him. “He’s great, you’ll love him, I promise. He won’t be any trouble I’ll walk him every day”

• MERLIN: “He's saved my life” / ARTHUR: “That's blown it for starters” -> ARTHUR IS FUNNY. I just feel the need to point out that Arthur is funny, actually. Especially when he’s being a cunt.

• MERLIN: “You're not a nobleman by any chance, are you?” / LANCE: “haha, good lord, no” -> someone didn’t read the job description 👀

• The way Gaius pointedly glares at Merlin after telling Lancelot he’s sorry he can’t be a knight… Like, he knows his son might be tempted to do something stupid about it (commit crime)

• I did not remember Lancelot’s tragic Origin Story!

When I was a boy, my village was attacked by raiders from the northern plains. They were slaughtered where they stood, my father, my mother. Everyone. I alone escaped. I vowed that day that never again would I be helpless in the face of tyranny. I made sword craft my life. Every waking hour since that day, I devoted to the art of combat, and when I was ready, I set forth for Camelot.

"Every waking hour since that day, I devoted to the art of combat" -> Yeah that sounds like a sane and healthy way of dealing with the trauma of losing both your parents and your entire village in one go, well done my boy

• Merlin looks SO proud of his little fraud scheme! BE GAY DO CRIME

• Seriously he is such an instigator! He says, “DAMN THE RULES, THE RULES ARE WRONG”! But he can see Lancelot’s obvious reluctance so he’s like, “We're not breaking the rules, we're bending them” HE’S SO SNEAKY I LOVE HIM

• This is such a basic narrative trope (if it even is a trope) but I love first meetings of characters who are going to become famously important to one another. I'm talking, like, Holmes and Dr. Watson. Or yes, Merlin and future King Arthur. There’s just something about it that I find delightful. "They don’t even know!! They have no idea. But I do!" This is about Gwen and Lancelot.

• Such a cute Meet Cute™. I love the way it plays with what we know is going to happen. Even if we don’t exactly know how it's going to happen in the series, Guinevere and Lancelot’s romance is the stuff of legends. I love their obvious and immediate mutual attraction. The slight awkwardness. The foreshadowing! “I'm not a knight yet, my lady” / “And I’m not a lady.” NO YET, BUT YOU WILL BE!! AAAAAH

• I didn’t pay much attention to it the first time I watched this episode but Lancelot speaks in such a formal, lofty way compared to everyone else. He literally sounds like he walked out of a book of chivalric romance. "I faced it myself, Sire. Some days past. I struck it full square. I wondered how it endured"; "Arthur stands in mortal peril", like WHO TALKS LIKE THIS. BE NORMAL. But it never crosses the line into being obnoxious, and I love how his character is defined through his speech as well as by his behaviour. Well done, writers.

• LANCELOT: "Are you two...you know" -> Lancelot wastes no time in checking if Gwen is on the market. GOOD FOR HIM. (I like how Merlin finds the idea of dating Gwen literally laughable. Bit harsh, that).

• “She seems lovely. Guinevere.” / “Oh, yeah. Yeah, she is. And the best seamstress in Camelot, I promise” -> MERLIN THIS MAN DOES NOT CARES ABOUT GWEN'S SKILL AS A SEAMSTRESS OPEN YOUR EYES YOU SILLY CHILD

• (But no, to be fair to him, he did notice)

• Arthur just... just BITCH-SLAPPING Lancelot out of the blue is actually hilarious. He's a comedian and he doesn't even know it.

• Merlin still acts like a bit of a teenager with Gaius in this ep. When Gaius discovers his forgery of the seal of nobility, Merlin tells him, “if you wanna punish me for it, go ahead” and then walks off! I’m sorry, this is a teenager acting out against his dad.

• Merlin does seem to be still testing boundaries with Gaius, but in a way that's an obvious request for reassurance, too – later in the episode he asks him: “Do you even care what happens to me?” (!!) And back in episode 1x02, when Gaius said, "What do I do if you get caught?", Merlin asked: "what would you do?" Insecure teen behaviour. Please Gaius just tell him you love him!! (He does tell him here, thank God).

• The broomstick fight scene. Much has been said about it already. The rituals are, indeed, intricate. Something so homoerotic about Arthur’s attempts to poke Lancelot in the chest with his stick. What I want to know is – did they know? Did they know when they were filming it that it would look like this. Like, was it deliberate

• @sapphickittykatherine it’s not much but there are some hints of Morlance in this ep. During Lancelot’s knighting scene, Morgana looks at him with obvious interest and asks “Who is this man?” And also later at his celebration (I’ll get to it).

The celebration scene! I love it! I’m gonna break it down into parts:

• “You played God, Merlin" -> I like this line. I think Gaius put his finger on an important character trait of Merlin’s here. He always means well, but he can be manipulative and controlling. Not so much here, perhaps, but it does emerge more in later eps.

• Not Arthur looking at Morgana with incestuous intent 💀💀💀

• “Tell me, do you think her...beautiful?” / “Yes, Sire. I do.” -> Another favourite trope of mine – two characters talking to each other but having two entirely different conversations. A bit like that cursed scene in the Disir, and with Arthur just as much oblivious (actually, could someone tell the poor guy what's going on. just once)

• Meanwhile, Morgana’s making sexy eyes at Lancelot while biting into a… cherry? I can’t tell. Some kind of sexually-connoted fruit, that’s for sure. I love how she also looks murderous while doing it. Praying mantis energy.

• Merlin and Gwen’s conversation is so cute. I’ve said it before but it’s giving girlie-and-her-gay-best-friend vibes. Look at them! They are a woman and her gay friend sitting in a bar, exchanging notes about the men around them. Over drinks. The way Merlin encourages Gwen to commit mischief too! “OH YOU ARE NO FUN GWEN. COME ON, JUST PLAY ALONG. WHO WOULD YOU RATHER F—”

• Arthur or Lancelot? I think I know what Merlin’s answer would be. At least at this point in the series. (Hint: it's not Arthur).

• “I think our Sir Lancelot might have eyes for you, Gwen” -> Merlin playing matchmaker already. I love that he’s noticed, and that he’s trying to push these two together because LOVE MUST TRIUMPH. He’s such a romantic.

~ END OF THE CELEBRATION SCENE ~

• Oooh no, Lancelot’s ruse has been discovered, SIR YOU’RE UNDER ARREST

• “You are not worthy of the knighthood bestowed upon you. You never were. And you never will be” -> possibly the worst thing anyone could’ve said to Lancelot, SIR PLEASE STOP YOU’RE BREAKING HIM. CAN’T YOU SEE HE’S ABOUT TO CRY.

• All I can think about when I see gifs of Merlin talking to imprisoned Lancelot is, “it’s okay hun”

• It’s interesting to see S1 Uther so unwilling to accept that the creature they’re trying to defeat might be magic when later in the series he will relish the chance of accusing anything and anyone of being magic. ...Growth?

(The bisexuality of this scene. Off the charts.)

• It seems to me like they were setting up Lancelot to be more of an important character that he ended up being? I mean, he was important, just by virtue of being Lancelot, but he was in a grand total of 6 episodes. But, I love that we can see Arthur’s obvious attachment (for lack of a better word) to him already. A bit like with Gwen and Lancelot, it hints at what’s to come – he is destined to become Arthur’s favourite knight (I know people like to say that it's Leon, but I think it was Lance. And after Lancelot's death it was Mordred, eventually. If you must know.) I love it, foreshadowing. You can feel the future hanging heavy in the air.

• I didn’t remember that Gwen and Lancelot met again and she begged him not to go and I think they should have kissed here

• It’s so funny that while Merlin’s trying to master the spell to defeat the Griffin, Gaius goes, “Don't worry Merlin, we have plenty of time” GAIUS NO YOU LITERALLY HAVE LESS THAN 2 HOURS

• Actually this is a thing Gaius does a lot, telling Merlin he can make it when the chances of success are pretty slim, which on one hand is very sweet, like I get it he's being a supportive dad, but on the other hand it's also... setting Merlin up to be HUGELY DISAPPOINTED if he fails? I don't know, just something I've noticed in other eps.

• The scene of Lancelot killing the Griffin is actually pretty cool? I like the glowing blue spear (how did Merlin think Lancelot wasn’t going to notice) and THE SOUNDTRACK!!

• Merlin's PURE JOY after Lancelot's killed the Griffin is SO adorable, you just feel so happy for him. YES BABY YOU DID IT!!

• I love the parallel “You did it!” scenes with Arthur & Lancelot, Gaius & Merlin, and Arthur & Uther. Very nice, big fan of symmetry

• Gaius’s pride when Merlin comes back victorious is so heartwarming. I’ve said it before but I'll repeat it, Merlin and Gaius’s relationship is possibly my favourite in the show. I think Gaius doesn’t get enough credit for being Merlin’s main source of love and hugs during his Camelot years.

• “The Code bends for no man” / “Then THE CODE IS WRONG!” (!!) -> SAY IT LOUDER MY MAN!! S1 Arthur is so vocal with his father about what he believes is right and wrong, we love to see it

• Lancelot saying he must prove himself worthy of being a knight – of course, he might have been holding the spear that killed the Griffin but he wasn’t the one who actually defeated it, and this will not do. He must now abandon his life-long dream of being a knight and go fight strangers in a cage for money. It’s the only logical next step.

• LANCE I LOVE YOU BUT WHY ARE YOU LIKE THIS

THE END!!

next episode is... one no one really cares about, but I really really liked it the first time I watched it so. hopefully it will live up to what I remember :3

[thisisjustmefangirling]

Merlin rewatch, 2x10 : Sweet dreams.

Episode rewatched on the 16th of april 2024

Summary :

Dignitaries from rival kingdoms descend on Camelot for peace talks, but what King Alined really wants is war and he'll do everything in his power to stir up hostilities, even if it means using magic. 

Alined's jester Trickler puts a spell on Arthur to make him fall madly in love with rival King Olaf's daughter Vivian. Chaos reigns in the palace and Camelot is once more poised on the brink of war. 

Can Merlin free Arthur's heart before the prince loses his head in battle?

Sounds like a crucial piece of information for Arthur's future, as he is supposedly destined to unite Albion.

Alined looks as amiable as a prison door. Funny to see how he treats his servant and compare it to how Arthur treats Merlin. I wish we'd see how Uther treats his own servant but it seems like this character doesn't exist.

That knight handshake cracks me up all the time. Supposing that we don't sneeze or cough into our elbow, this is a very Covid-era like way of saying hello.

Oh hi Georgia Tennant ! <3

Arthur, you can be such a gentleman sometimes !

Oh wait THIS IS THE "Destiny and chicken" episode !!!!! Aaaaah I'm excited ! I love this line.

Why does the servant's face looks so familiar to me ? He must have acted in something else I've watched.

Vivian quickly revealing herself to be a brat like one of those Upper East side nepo babies from Gossip girl... That's gonna be fun ! I wonder what Georgia remembers from shooting this episode.

Arthur praising Guinevere <3

"She is one of Camelot's finest". "Then I fear for Camelot".

Milady. You're getting Lady Morgana's private maid. This is special treatment. Be graceful about it.

The disbelief on Arthur's face !

"Good luck with that one".

And then they laugh. How cute !

I think Vivian is an incredibly interesting character because she serves as a contrast for several character : Guinevere, and Arthur.

Let's not forget that she is acting like a spoiled brat, just like Arthur was when he first met Merlin. He's made some progress since then, and we see that in how he reacts to Vivian's behaviour.

Then, Vivian is a contrast to Guinevere : one is spoilt, demanding and arrogant, the other is hardworking, sweet, humble and kind. Two kinds of woman, two kinds of love interest.

"You should have heard what she said to Gwen".

I love these scenes between Arthur and Merlin when they're going about their daily routine, especially when they're in Arthur's bedroom being all domestic. Here, Arthur is dressing for the feast.

He had a hole in his first shirt, created by moths ! It's pretty weird that Merlin doesn't seem to care it would leave a bad impression on the five kings present at the feast. I like to think Merlin is both a bad and an extremely competent servant in his own way. He'll mess with unimportant stuff but will be extremely careful with Arthur's armor and making him look good to other people, especially foreign dignitaries. Well, that's my headcanon.

Merlin truly has no fear, he can just bring up Arthur's love for Gwen like that, out of the blue, when Arthur doesn't want to talk about it and is denying it (even after admitting his feelings about her to Merlin a few episodes ago when they were on their way to rescue Gwen from those bandits).

Arthur's threats can't make Merlin back down. He knows deep down, Arthur won't hurt him. He can keep on teasing him and laugh a bit about it.

"You're blushing !" "No I'm not."

Morgana should always be surrounded with pretty women. This should have been her destiny.

ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME ? BLUE BUTTERFLIES ? MERLIN'S FAVOURITE MAGIC SPELL ?

How can Alined treat his servant like a total buffoon when he knows he has magic ?

Also while sometimes love potions can make people act stupid and in funny ways on tv, I think we'd laugh way less if this was GHB.

Are the CROWN PRINCE'S CHAMBERS never properly guarded ? I swear ! Fuck ! No wonder prisoners keep escaping, the security in this castle is a vast mess ! And why is Arthur not waking up ? You're a soldier for fuck's sake. The way the guy pops up and down like he came from under the mattress and is going back there... Comical but illogical. Get up and leave, maybe ?

"You're dressed".

Everytime Merlin shows up to Arthur's room in the morning and Arthur is awake, up and dressed, Merlin is surprised.

"Indeed, you are very skilled... at getting people to do things for you." "That is your job".

Merlin is not afraid to spit the truth hahaha.

"I wish to make a proclamation of love".

Arthur you never speak of your feelings so openly. Ever.

Aww I love when Merlin is arranging Arthur's clothes and basically touching him as part of his job.

"Right. What will you tell your father?" "What does my father matter?" "Well, that's one way of approaching things."

"Of course" Merlin replies, and Merlin rolls his eyes, because of course even in love Merlin has to do Arthur's job for him.

Arthur you are clumsy with your feelings and how to express them even under a lovespell, but you still look extremely cute <3

You know what, this is the kind of scene that make me doubt that Merlin is bi and think he might actually be gay, and his short lived affair with Freya was more about compassion and the feeling of finally be with kin, people who understand him, that about attraction and romantic love.

"Flowers ?" "Excellent. Find some. Perhaps you should also send a note". "Brilliant idea". "Something moving. Something... from the heart. Something... You'll think of something".

Arthur relies so much on Merlin omg. I would say that this is because he's enchanted but I think I remember him making Merlin pick flowers to give Gwen in season 5.

OHMYGOD MERLIN THIS IS WHAT YOU WROTE TO GWEN ? You have strong Cyrano powers ! It never ends well. Gosh. And the flowers are in the colours of Gwen's favourite outfits : cream and light purple. Merlin, were you ever to court someone, you would have a VERY strong game. Anyone you would woo would fall under your charm instantly.

Intricate ritual : manhandle your servant as you talk about what you made him do to court the woman you are enchanted to be in love with. Touch him, grab him. And then talk about how beautiful that woman is.

Merlin you're finally picking up on something.

This is the face of someone who realised that :

A) There's something wrong happening with Arthur

B) He fucked up.

Two things to know about Merlin :

He never knocks.

He always has the lamest excuses for being somewhere and they usually involve vermin : moths, woodworms, and now rats.

I love seeing Gwen smile... Her life probably isn't easy, and it shows a nice attention like a bouquet of flowers can change someone's day for the better <3

Haha Merlin trying to get Gaius to help but he can't tell him the specifics because he can't reveal Arthur is actually in love with Gwen ! He's being a good friend.

One of my favourite lines ever from the show.

Help he's so insistent and into the food x)

He's so lucky Merlin arrived when he did! Poor Arthur, his feelings are hurt...

There is no straight explanation for this, Alined.

Arthur, you're cute. You need a hug.

"It might be worthwhile returning to your old love."

You know what, this is actually the first time I hear Merlin expressing doubts about Arthur's feelings for Gwen and their relationship.

Part 2 in another post, I can't add more pictures to this one.

[cursedonyx]

Of Creatures and Cauldrons

(Part 2)

Part 1 found here

Natsai has an idea to set Poppy up with her mysterious crush, not knowing it's Garreth. Things don't go to plan when Garreth's crush turns up.

Word Count: 3.3k

Warnings: heavy angst, unrequited love, pining, no comfort (this chapter)

_.-~*~-.__.-~*~-.__.-~*~-.__.-~*~-.__.-~*~-.__.-~*~-._

“Come on, Poppy, you know it is a good idea!”

“It’s not!” Poppy protested, walking arm in arm with Natsai towards the Great Hall. “You’re only suggesting it so you find out who I like!”

“True,” she chuckled. “But you will learn who I like also, yes? He asked me out to Hogsmeade two days ago, and I think it would be a marvellous opportunity to have a… what is it called? A double date? This weekend, yes?”

Poppy scuffed her shoes over the stone, pouting at Natsai’s tenacity. “I don’t want to stop you seeing whoever it is,” she muttered. “But I can’t just ask him out! He’s too popular, too smart, and I know he doesn’t like me that way.”

“I am sure he will see your worth once you talk to him for a while,” Natty squeezed her arm. “Perhaps… I have had another idea.”

“You and your ideas,” Poppy sighed. “Alright. What is it?”

“I will see my date for a few hours in Hogsmeade, then I would like you to join us in the Three Broomsticks,” she said. “I will also invite our friends, Imelda, Leander, Garreth, Arthur, Sacharissa, Samantha, Amit…”

But Poppy’s ears had started ringing the moment Natty said Garreth’s name, because as though he’d been summoned, there he was, bouncing along the corridor towards the Great Hall, already boisterous and beaming for such an early hour, Leander trailing dutifully along in his wake. Her breath caught as she watched him bound past, his lovely hair flopping all about his head, his smile as wide and wonderful as a Thestral’s wingspan…

“Poppy?” Natty jostled her. “What do you think? I shall invite our friends to join us, and you invite your person as an extension of my invitation, yes? That way, I have no idea who he is, and you can spend time with him.”

“Yeah, great,” Poppy said. They parted as they headed for their respective tables, and Poppy was so preoccupied in watching Garreth wolfing down bacon that she put her elbow in the butter dish.

A date. A date with Garreth! Well, no, it wasn’t a date, not really, it was all of them getting together to share a few butterbeers. But she would be there, and Garreth would be there, and she might even get to sit next to him. She hadn’t heard Natty mention Dracaena or Ominis in her list of friends to invite, and if that was the case, then maybe, just maybe, she’d be able to get Garreth’s attention and hold it for a while.

Her mind ran off with wild, vivid daydreams about what might happen, the pair of them drinking butterbeer as the rest of their friends dispersed, the light low and warm as all sounds around them faded until it was just them, and his big, beautiful smiling face would come closer and closer and she could touch his amazing hair, and…

Poppy was late for class. She skidded into Charms, red-faced and stuttering apologies, her cheeks burning more as Garreth turned to look at her. Merlin, she must look such a state, all sweaty and pink and her hair all over the place, and… oh, hell, there was Augury poop on her shoulder, too!

Ronen waved her to her seat, taking five points from Hufflepuff for her tardiness, and she hurried over, trying to scourgify her robes without anyone noticing. But she needn’t have worried. After taking note of her arrival, Garreth had gone right back to staring at the back of Draccie’s head, throwing a dark look at Ominis as he whispered something that made her giggle.

Poppy lowered her gaze and tried to focus on the lesson, but she couldn’t help but let her mind drift to Hogsmeade and the Three Broomsticks, where in only two days’ time, she and Garreth would be sharing a butterbeer and chatting about nothing. Or something. Or everything. And maybe he’d hold her hand. Maybe he’d laugh at her jokes. Maybe he’d pay attention to her properly. Maybe… maybe they’d kiss.

It seemed too much to hope for. It seemed ridiculous. Poppy knew she was a five-foot-fuck-all weirdo with an obsession with magical beasts and few human friends. Garreth was a nearly-six-foot cauldron of charm and excitement. And the object of his interest was a bloody hero. All five-foot-seven of her, her hair like melted chocolate, her eyes like the emerald of her house, all curves and bosom and legs and a laugh like a cannon. Poppy sighed. If she wasn’t so enamoured with Garreth, she might have fallen for Draccie herself. Why, why did it have to be her that Garreth liked? Why someone so nice, so brave, so tough?

Why not her?

_.-~*~-._

By the time Saturday arrived, Poppy was a nervous wreck. She had barely slept a wink, and was up with the dawn, rushing down to the beast pens to play with the Kneazles, hoping their soft fur and rumbling purrs would soothe her nerves. She had hours to go yet, they weren’t due to go to Hogsmeade until four that afternoon, but she couldn’t help it. Natty had told her the night before she’d extended the promised invitations, and all the people she’d asked had accepted.

Vibrating at a frequency high enough to shatter glass, Poppy dashed to the Great Hall to wolf down some breakfast, knowing she wouldn’t see Garreth at this early an hour. He tended to sleep in until at least ten in the morning at the weekend, but it didn’t stop her hoping.

Back in the common room, she paced around her dorm, fumbling around in her closet for something nice to wear. Most of her clothes were her grandmother’s old things, way out of date and style, but comfortable and warm, more practical than pretty. Poppy whimpered softly, pawing through her jumpers and blouses. There was nothing that would be right for a date, nothing at all! She blinked back tears. Garreth would never look twice at her if she dressed like a little old granny who’s favourite pastime was gardening and chicken-keeping! She might as well wear wellington boots!

“Dear me,” came a snooty voice. “I thought it was I that should cry over the state of your wardrobe, Sweeting.”

Poppy spun to see Sacharissa Tugwood striding into their dorm, her pink-hued hair bouncing. Far from feeling slighted, Poppy bounded to her feet, an idea springing into her mind like a crup puppy.

“Sacharissa! I need your help!” she gabbled. “You’re going to the Three Broomsticks with us tonight, right?”

“I am,” Sacharissa flicked a non-existent bit of fluff from her pristine robes. “What of it?”

“I need a new outfit,” Poppy said. “For tonight. Help me.”

Sacharissa raised a brow.

“Please,” Poppy added. “I… you’re right, my clothes are terrible, I need to get better fashion sense, and…”

“I’d LOVE to!” Sacharissa cried, a wide grin on her face. “No time like the present, Sweeting! Let’s go, you’re going to need so much…”

“I only want the one-” Poppy began, but Sacharissa grabbed her hand and bolted for the barrel door, hurtling them both through the castle and out into sunshine.

In Hogsmeade, Sacharissa made a beeline for Gladrags, where Agustus Hill leapt out from behind the counter and embraced the Hufflepuff, air-kissing her cheeks.

“My dear girl, what a delight to see you again! We have a marvellous new selection in store today, and I have some samples for our upcoming Spring Collection, straight from Pairs!” he winked, grasping Sacharissa’s hands. “Would you like to give your thoughts? We always value your imput.”

“Perhaps another day,” she said, and waved a hand at Poppy, hovering by the door, glancing at the robes, blouses and dresses with significant apprehension. “My friend here is after a new wardrobe.”

“Outfit,” Poppy said, hurriedly, as Mr Hill dashed over to her. “I only need one for tonight, I’m going to the Three Broomsticks, and…”

“Ah, I see, I see,” Mr Hill said, taking out a tape measure and waving his wand. It began to measure her, head to toe, shoulder to wrist, eyebrow to ear. “Not to worry, we’ll start with the one, but they always come back for more, don’t they, Miss Tugwood?”

In what Poppy would later term as an exercise in pure humiliation, Mr Hill and Sacharissa dressed her in a seemingly endless parade of increasingly horrifying outfits. The predominant theme seemed to be pink and frilly, pleated skirts and ruffled blouses piling on the chair beside the privacy screen as she grew increasingly hot, sweaty and irritable as she tried on item after item. Each time she stood in front of the mirror, she turned away, growing increasingly distressed as her reflection looked more and more like one of her grandmother’s china dolls, all dressed up and painted and childlike.

She didn’t want to look like that. She didn’t want to look sweet and innocent. She wanted to be dramatic and daring, sultry and seductive, just like Draccie. If that’s what Garreth liked, then she had to be that. Tentatively, she spoke up.

“Maybe something darker? Something a bit… more daring?” she ventured.

Mr Hill blinked. “My dear girl, these are the finest items from our Spring-”

“You know Dracaena Hoctina, right?” she said. “The Hero of Hogwarts?”

“Oh, yes!” Mr Hill practically bounced. “Hardly see her, of course, but I remember as clear as day when she fought off that troll that came charging through our little village…”

“Yeah, I get it,” Poppy said, sullenly. “I want to look like her. Can you get me something like what she wears?”

Mr Hill blinked.

“Well…” he rubbed the back of his neck, and Sacharissa became very interested in a mannequin. “Of course. If that’s what you’d like. But if I may… these suit you so much better,” he indicated the pretty skirts and blouses. “They compliment your…”

“I don’t care,” Poppy pouted. “Make me look cool.”

She left Gladrags an hour later, a smile on her face, a bag in her hand, her new clothes folded neatly and boxed in tissue. She’d seen Sacharissa do her makeup enough for her to know what to do, and she’d agreed to let her borrow some.

Her smile broadened. Garreth better prepare himself. He had no idea what was waiting for him.

_.-~*~-._

She was early to the Three Broomsticks, and she sat at a large table in the corner, nursing a tankard of butterbeer, her heart doing a marvellous impression of a startled Fwooper and flapping against her ribs. She tried to quell it, reassuring herself that if the looks the other patrons had given her when she walked in were any indication, not to mention Sirona’s open-mouthed stare when she approached the bar, she looked as dashing and daring as Dracaena ever had.

Her blouse was coal-grey and spidered with ruby thread around the boddice, her skirt daringly short and ending just above the knee, her stocking matching her blouse. She’d swept her hair back from her face, pinning it in place, showing off her heavily-rouged cheeks and smoky eyes. Perhaps she’d been a little liberal with the khol, but Draccie had thick lashes, even without makeup, and it seemed to make her eyes almost luminous. Her own eyes were mud-brown, but with her heavy application of the khol, surely that’d have the same effect.

Poppy jittered her leg under the table, eyes on the door, until it opened, and Natty strolled in, arm-in-arm with…

Poppy blinked. Amit Thakkar?

They were both smiling, chattering about something as Poppy’s mouth dropped open. Out of everyone in Hogwarts, Amit was the last person she’d expect Natty to go on a date with, and for him to ask her? Goodness.

Her questions stilled as they gazed around the pub, seemingly passing over her, and she waved. Natty blinked, then her features cleared, and she hurried over, leaving Amit at the bar.

“Poppy?” she looked her up and down. “I did not recognise you.”

“I know,” Poppy grinned. “Don’t I look great?”

“You certainly look different,” Natty said, smiling as she took a seat beside her. “Perhaps…” her smile became a little strained. “Your eye makeup is running a little, may I fix it?”

Poppy blinked, and grabbed for the tiny mirror she’d borrowed from Sacharissa. She peered at her reflection.

“It’s fine,” she said, pursing her lips and admiring their scarlet colour. “It’s the same way I did it.”

Natty’s smile was still fixed. “Poppy, you look lovely as you are,” she said. “Perhaps, whoever it is you wish to impress would like to see the real you, and not see you hiding under this paint?”

Poppy pouted. “But this is what he likes,” she said. “He likes dramatic looking girls.”

“Dramatic?” Natty said, faintly. “Poppy, I do not wish to presume to tell you what you should wear, but…”

“Oh, do you like my outfit?” she spread her hands, puffing out her little chest. “I think the embroidery’s really nice, don’t you?”

“It is beautiful,” Natty agreed. “But I thought you would wear something you are comfortable in.”

“I am,” Poppy insisted. “Alright, it’s a little hard to move if I stretch, but that’s fine, right?”

Amit made his way over to the table before Natty could respond, bringing three tankards with him.

“Ah, Poppy, how nice to see you,” he said, with a genuine smile. His eyes lingered on her face a moment before he turned to Natty. “How many are we expecting?”

“A good ten or so others,” Natty replied, her smile softening. “It will be quite the evening.”

Poppy kept quiet as they chatted, preferring to stare at the door, occasionally shifting in her seat to try and find the right pose to show off her figure in her new clothes. They soon stopped trying to draw her into their conversation, and she nibbled her lip, tasting the cloying lipstick. It didn’t feel great, none of the makeup did, but that wasn’t the point. Garreth couldn’t miss her now!

And then there he was, striding into the Three Broomsticks with as much confidence as if he owned the place, Leander at his heels. His smile was wide and perfect, his hair flopping all about his head like a playful Kneazle kitten, his step bouncing. Poppy drew a quick breath, fumbling to sit up straight as she watched him pay for a pair of butterbeers, her heart racing faster with each step he took to their table.

He paused, his brows rising as he took her in. She batted her eyelashes the way she’d seen Draccie do, and gave him a wide, lipsticky smile.

“Hi, Garreth!” she said, a little breathlessly. “Leander,” she added, almost as an afterthought.

“Poppy…” he blinked a bit, then set the tankards on the table. Next to her. Her breath caught, just for a moment, then Leander slid into the seat next to her, half-blocking her view of the Gryffindor she wanted. “Nice to see you. You look… um. Great.”

Her heart soared, and Poppy thought she might take flight.

“Thanks!” she said, brightly, so focused on him that she didn’t notice Sacharissa, Arthur and Samantha join them. She heard Sacharissa’s light gasp, but tuned her out. “How’s your weekend going?”

“Great, thanks,” Garreth said, sipping his butterbeer. “Was looking forward to this.”

Was? Why past tense? Oh, Merlin, had she done something, said something to make him not enjoy it? Poppy’s mind scrambled, a light panic settling on her shoulders until Natty cleared her throat.

“We are mostly here, let us perhaps play some games,” she said, with a wide smile.

“Oh? Who else are we expecting?” Amit said.

“I expect Dracaena and Ominis will join us shortly,” Natty replied, and Poppy’s heart plummeted as Garreth sat up straight.

No… no, it couldn’t be! Natty hadn’t said they were coming! Why was she coming?

“I… didn’t know Draccie was joining us,” she said, meekly, glancing at Garreth. “I thought she had something else on.”

“No, I asked, she said she would,” Natty said, peering at her. “Do you not remember?”

“Oh, yeah,” Poppy said, lamely. “Sure.”

She stared down into her tankard, suddenly bereft. If Draccie was coming, she had no hope of keeping Garreth’s attention now.

And as if on cue, the doors opened, and in she walked, Ominis by her side, his wand out to guide him. Poppy’s heart nearly shattered as Garreth twisted so fast he cricked his neck. Her own shirt was coal grey, like Poppy’s, but the embroidery was emerald, her high-waisted trousers tight and tucked into knee-high boots, a dark cloak about her shoulders.

It was so simple, and so elegant. She wore not a lick of makeup, but somehow, her face was the most stunning in the taproom, the ease of her movement lending an almost ethereal quality to her. Poppy pouted, trying to tell herself that Draccie’s arse was too big, her thighs too thick, her nose turning up too much at the tip, but she couldn’t do it. She couldn’t lie about her friend. Draccie was stunning, to the point that even her blind best friend could clearly tell.

She swanned over to their table, butterbeer in hand, parking herself next to Natsai as Ominis drew her chair out for her.

“Evening all,” she said, her voice loud and cheerful. She blinked as she took in Poppy’s appearance, and suddenly, she realised how stupid she must look, how obvious her imitation must be, how pathetic her attempt to woo Garreth was.

“Damn, Pop,” she said. “I almost didn’t recognise you! You look amazing!”

Poppy froze. “What?”

“Look at you! So bold!” Draccie gazed at her, earnest admiration on her face. “Can I borrow that idea? I’d love my eyes to stand out like yours! And that blouse! I love the colour!”

“Yeah, she looks great!” Garreth said, in a rush. Poppy turned to him, a feeble hope lighting in her, though she knew as well as she knew Jobberknolls loved grubs that he was only saying it to impress Draccie. It was something, at least, to be noticed.

But all the same, as her friends chatted together, laughing and joking and growing more boisterous as the evening wore on, Poppy withdrew into herself, even slipping away to the bathroom to check her face. She almost wept as she took in her appearance, the black eyes and red slash of her mouth, her rouged cheeks standing out like a clown. She looked awful. She scourgified the makeup away, sniffling as she took her hair down, hoping she could slink away from this disaster of an evening.

But no such luck. Draccie was at the bar, and caught her.

“Help me take these over?” she asked, indicating several tankards. She peered a little closer. “You okay, Pop?”

“Fine,” she muttered. “I was just thinking of heading back.”

Dracaena frowned. “You sure? We’re going to play two truths and a lie, and I’ve got some mean lies to tell.”

“I’m sure.”

She couldn’t bear the thought of Garreth mooning over her for another instant. She gave a brave smile, hugged Draccie tightly around the middle, and hurried out, stepping into the cool air.

Only when she was sure there was no one around on the long walk back to the castle did Poppy step off the road and huddle by a tree, weeping softly. Tonight had been a disaster. She’d made herself look a fool in front of Garreth, and for what? She should have known Natty would have invited Draccie, she was the most popular student in the whole school. She should have known better than to draw attention to herself like that.

Poppy sighed, wiping her face. At least she had her beasts. They wouldn’t be stupid and ignore her. If she went and cuddled up with her Puffskeins, maybe she’d think of another way to get Garreth’s attention.

[maplemind]

I’ve just watched S2 Ep6 (Beauty and the Beast II) and I have fallen down a massive whumpy rabbit hole…

Despite having rewatched this episode half a dozen times (probably more), I’ve only just realised something major.

***TW discussion of suicide***

*** Seriously I’m about to go all-in on Arthur’s apparent suicide. If that’s going to bother you then please click away now ***

… Uther thought Arthur had taken his own life.

When Uther bursts into Arthur’s chambers and sees him lying there, he immediately assumes that Arthur drank poison because he had nothing left to live for after everything Uther had done - not just disinheriting him, not just screaming abuse at him (in front of the whole court), not just treating him like he was worthless and like Uther didn’t want him around anymore…

…In that moment Uther recognises that he’s never been a loving father to his son. He’s always treated him like just one of the knights (other than when he wants to parade him to boost his own ego).

It’s a shame we didn’t get to see Gaius delivering the news that he’d found Arthur dead in his chambers. I would love to have seen how Gaius played it, and Uther’s reaction.

How quickly did he start to realise he’d done something unforgivable to his son? How quickly did the panic set in? Did he imagine Arthur sitting alone in his chambers, desperately depressed, seeking out a poison to end the years of compounded loneliness, self hatred, and feelings of being a failure?

Did Uther wonder how long his son had been thinking about it? Did he wrack his brain trying to work out if he’d missed the signs of Arthur’s deterioration? Did he desperately replay his memories of their last conversation to see if Arthur had indicated his intention, if Arthur had been saying goodbye?

Did he wonder how long Arthur lay there on the cold floor before someone found him? Did he wonder if Gaius and Merlín had tried to save him (an antidote, CPR, anything) or if they were just too late?

As a grade A whumper, I really wish we’d had more scenes around that.

And I realised that Merlín and Gaius deliberately set it up to look like Arthur had taken his own life. I would love to have seen more discussion of that. I can really see Merlín and Gaius being slightly vindictive about it - “he treats Arthur like he’s worthless, let’s make him pay for it” - and I can see Gaius smirking behind Uther’s back as the king tears along the corridors to reach his son.

Did Gaius outright say “it seems his took his own life” (it would have been Merlin that found Arthur, and Uther would definitely have accused Merlin of killing him), or did Uther put the pieces together himself, realising how poorly he’s treated his own child?

And where was Merlín? Surely they didn’t leave the antidote back in their chambers and he had to go back for it? Perhaps Merlín couldn’t keep the look of satisfaction off his face at the idea of Uther’s pain, so he had to stay out of the way.

And what happened afterwards? When Arthur is alive again - did Uther hold him tight and whisper his gratitude (“thank God you’re alive, I thought I’d lost you”)? Did he apologise properly? Did he ask Arthur if there was any truth to it, if he had struggled with depression and suicidal thoughts? Did he implore Arthur to please speak to someone, anyone, if he started to feel that way?

Did Uther lay awake that night, thinking it over, remembering how it felt to hold Arthur’s lifeless body in his arms, feeling the real fear of losing his son and the relief that he was ok this time.

Or did Uther just sweep it all under the rug with his usual self-centred attitude and act like nothing had happened? (Let’s be honest, we know that’s exactly what he did).

Wooooooh I’m in a Whumpy maelstrom here. And I love it.

[oswinsdolma]

iejust saw a post by @emrys-merlin aboit the scene where merlin summons the butterflies in s5 but i didn't want to hijack so i'm here

there is something so fucked up about how, in that moment, when he could have done anything, merlin summons not just beauty, but butterflies. butterflies who live as larvae and caterpillars, only to cocoon themselves before they emerge, metamorphosed into something fleeting and beautiful. because that, i think, is what merlin wanted to be. the incubation of destiny had been stretched so far, he was dying for the final act, for the deliverance of that destiny that had remained a constant hypothetical at the end of the line. and it's because this scene is so full of hope, not for destiny, but for humanity.

do you know how long butterflies live? it varies between species but on average, few tend to live longer than a month. when we look at butterflies, we are struck by their intense beauty and grace, but if you think about that, it's all over before it began, all those weeks, in some cases years, of living as half formed versions of themselves thrown away for a brief flash of life before it ends. when merlin summons the butterflies in the cave, you could argue it foreshadows the final episode, that brief moment of acceptance, blooming bright and the culmination of everything that has ever happened between them, but all of this is painfully eclipsed by the shadows of mortality. all of that build up little more than tragic beauty.

but there's more than that, because there's more to the story than that. arthur dies, but merlin lives, perpetuating their story through the ages and watching as his friends turn from memory to legend. then there is gwen, who takes arthur's foundation and keeps camelot alive. and from this perspective, the butterflies seem less tragic than just quietly sad. because a butterfly's strange, wretched existence is one thing merlin will never have. he wants it so badly, to once again have a soul that was human, finite and wonderful, but he cannot. the destiny he wanted most for himself was the one he could never have. and i think this represents the quintessential dilemma of merlin: he constantly treads this dichotomous line of who he is and who he should be, never quite able to make a choice between the two. his humanity is intrinsically linked with his destiny in that he needs it to care about arthur, but it is also what prevents him from seeing the larger picture. he is constantly poised between longing for mortality and duty to stay, and he envies the beauty of the butterflies, freed from destiny and alight from being alive. and in that moment in the cave, maybe the release of those butterflies is the release of a final dream, an elegy to a future that was and a duty ignited once again. it's a choice of who, and what, he intends to be.

it's easy to forget, amongst all that though, that while we can read the butterflies as a literary device, to merlin, they are just hope. something lovely borne from the monstrosities of the world. and of course there is something deeply pongiant about the way he does this, an expression of that humanity within, but i think that to himself, the butterflies are almost a promise. his future may be endless and futile, his destiny doomed and eternal, but there is something so powerful in his refusal to forget the memory of mortal beauty, to look at the patterns of the wings on a butterfly and see in its soul a reflection of your own. because the cave is, essentially, a metamorphosis, but not in the way he hoped it would be, his destiny not a brilliance of life, but an eternal vigil. though there is no degree of denial anymore, what the butterflies represent here is defiance. defiance in the face of horror and death, and a promise of vibrant beauty despite the listlessness of an eternal life. the butterflies are his memories, tinged by their finity but beautiful in what they were, and that will never go away. in the end, merlin doesn't put his feet down on the side of humanity or fate, beauty or death, but marries the two with his hope. a fragile butterfly borne from miracles into a new age.

[forsakenmissives]

A Question That Has Never Been Posed Before

“There’s something about you, Merlin - I can’t quite put my finger on it.” Arthur's not an idiot; he can see the glimmer of gold in Merlin's eyes. But he's hesitant to call Merlin evil, and he's even more hesitant to call Merlin out on his sorcery. He won't lose any more than a night's sleep over the boy, however, and he certainly won't try to figure out what it is about the boy that has him so captivated. He won't. [A sort-of fix-it to 1x01.]

Rating: G

Word Count: 1.1k

Full text and author's notes under the cut.

Or, read on AO3.

A/N: Written for Merlin Watch 2023! I’ll try to do something for every episode, but no promises, LOL. Thanks for suggesting this little challenge/event, @bellamyblakru! ^_^

Title taken from episode one, too. Not beta'd.

...

Despite popular belief, Arthur is not an idiot. In fact, it may be that he’s the smartest of them all, and everyone else is bumbling, absolutely dumb.

Because here is this Merlin, some commoner – no, some peasant! – with zero muscle mass (Arthur is surprised he can even handle the flail), looking like a twig always one strong wind away from breaking, words lilted and movements clumsy, and Merlin may be the stupidest of all because, contrary to expectation, Arthur is not an idiot, and he can see the glimmer of gold in Merlin’s eyes when he stumbles back, when he trips on a rope, when his foot gets caught in a bucket. It’s a shaded area, for God’s sake! Arthur can appreciate a good romantic description, but even he knows blue eyes don’t turn gold in the sun, and most definitely not when they’re in the shade.

But also Merlin hasn’t actually tried to kill him, and Merlin is clearly more of a threat to himself than to Arthur or anyone else, and Arthur is still physically stronger than him, and he knocks that confidence out of him easily, leaving the patch-up process to Gaius. Arthur doesn’t know what to make of it, and he doesn’t know what to make of the old physician, who levels Merlin with a glare that says… something, that suggests he knows of whatever it is that may make Arthur softer on the boy. At least, as soft as not immediately having him executed for sorcery is.

       ✶ ‎

That night, he finds himself hopelessly awake, thinking of the fool. He meant what he’d said – there was something about Merlin. Not just the magic, but his fire, that spark that had him standing up to Arthur in a way no one else ever had. Arthur liked to think himself not so easily swayed, he was more than a moth and Merlin was not an actual flame, but he found himself caught anyway. 

Logic said all magic is evil, and perhaps logic sounded an awful lot like Uther, but the man was king for a reason. Arthur rolls over, staring at the wall until the shadows all merge into one, a phantom figure dancing about the room. He squeezes his eyes shut, brows furrowing. He’d only met the boy a day ago. He’s met kings of distant lands, countless beautiful princesses dressed in the finest fabrics and draped with jewels, bards with tales of epic romance, of knights defeating dragons, knights whose descriptions tended to greatly match Arthur’s – Arthur has met a vast array of people, more than an ordinary man could hope of meeting, and none have captured his attention quite like Merlin.

God. He’d only met the boy a day ago!

Arthur grabs one of his many pillows and puts it over his face. He does nothing as undignified as yell into it, but he squeezes it rather tight and wonders if perhaps suffocation is the only solution to his insomnia. It would certainly put an end to his problems. If only for a little bit.

       ✶ ‎

Arthur’s not sure if it’s a sign of his intelligence or if it’s just another part of that something Merlin has that makes him hypersensitive to magic. Surely he hasn’t always been this aware of it? Then again, what magic has been performed around him before? 

He can’t do anything about the Lady Helen – or not Lady Helen, he supposes, as his father would surely never invite the woman to Camelot, no matter how good a singer, if he suspected she so much as asked about magic – but as it turns out, he doesn’t have to. Merlin is there, still shadowing Gaius, still just in Arthur’s periphery, and Arthur doesn’t know if his eyes were blue or gold or if he said something to have the chandelier be up one second and down the next, but he does know – suddenly – his actions are not caught up with his mind. 

He wants to look to Uther, to see if the king has any clue what sort of web they’re caught in now, but his eyes do not move, only his thoughts racing from one point to the next, and his muscles only catch up to his mind when he’s on the floor, tucked under one of Merlin’s twig arms, staring at the dagger embedded in the chair he’d just been in front of.

Arthur rolls away from the boy and pushes himself up from the ground. He does not help Merlin back up. Uther is saying something, praising Merlin in that roundabout way he does when someone is finally worthy of it, thanking the boy, but Arthur can’t give the exact words Uther uses because he knows Merlin has magic, he has felt Merlin’s magic, whatever it did to him and the rest of the hall in those agonising, extended seconds, and because he knows Merlin has just used magic to save him – magic saved him. He swallows, finally turning to his father, who seems completely unaware of just how exactly Merlin saved his son’s life. It’s hard to reconcile his father’s insistence in reward with the gold he’s seen in Merlin’s eyes, with the feel of his heart as it slowed its pounding in his chest. 

It’s only when Uther gets to the specifics that Arthur’s ears register what they’re hearing. “You shall be awarded a position in the royal household. You shall be Prince Arthur’s manservant.” His father looks proud, like he doesn’t know what he’s just allowed inside, like he doesn’t know the turmoil he’s set off in his son’s still-pounding heart. Arthur’s voice cracks as he protests, so strongly opposed to the idea he is, but Uther only nods decisively and strides off, certain that he knows what’s best.

As Arthur has just learnt, been forced to learn very quickly, he does not always know what’s best. He turns to Merlin, who looks equally unamused and extremely ungrateful, and Arthur swallows down a groan. Magic is not something he’s ready to get acquainted with, but it seems he has no choice. Perhaps this could be a blessing in disguise – there’s that something about Merlin, only intensified after his sudden bout of heroism. This new role could help Arthur figure out what exactly it is. Arthur watches Merlin stumble over air on his way over to Gaius. Or… perhaps some questions, no one is quite ready for their answers.

...

A/N: Is this OOC and puts way too much faith into Series 1 Arthur? Yes. Do I care? Yes, but I'm being so brave about it. But, like, sorry, but all of y'all townspeople are insane if y'all can't see Merlin's obviously blue eyes go gold out of nowhere. Like... be serious. I say this all in good fun, though; I love you, BBC Merlin, my beloved little comfort show. Thank you for the laughs.

Also, I'd consider it completely AU'esque as canon has proven it very untrue, but still, I love the idea of Arthur's birth leading him to pick up on nearby magic users or creatures. Gaydar? Nah, Arthur only has mage-dar.

Anyway, again, this is also posted to my AO3, so please consider giving it a kudos and a comment there if you enjoyed! And if you're reading it here, it would mean the world if you not only liked this post but also reblogged it. ^_^ Besitos!

[pippin-katz]

Dragons Love Gold Teaser

Hi, I'm back again to say that yes, I am still working on the 10+ drafts I have of Merthur one shots, and a couple of them are getting close to being finished. However, it is impossible to estimate how long they are going to take, so I'm dropping a snippet of one of my WIP stories here for you guys to enjoy!

When the fic is finished, you'll be able to click here for the link.

Click the keep reading divider to read the excerpt below! I hope you enjoy it and feel free to share your thoughts/predictions! :3

Dragons Love Gold (Excerpt)

Summary: Merlin successfully rescued the dragon's egg from the Tomb of Ashkanar and brought it home to Camelot. Now he has to figure out the next steps of hatching and raising a baby dragon, while also keeping the egg's existence a secret from Arthur, who definitely notices his strange behavior.

He stood off to the side of the banquet room, dazed. He couldn't focus on anything. All he could think about was the egg waiting for him in his room, and the tiny dragon inside it. It felt like something was pulling at him. The way he was feeling somehow reminded him of his mother. She was always so worried, so focused on his needs rather than her own. Merlin noticed the similarities and wondered if he was developing maternal instincts for the egg.

Merlin drifted between the tables. His body moved on its own out of routine as he absentmindedly filled goblets. He was so zoned out that he nearly spilled the pitcher while pouring wine into Arthur's glass when he spoke. "What is wrong with you today, Merlin?" he asked, making him jump. He eyed him up and down, eyebrows furrowed in thought. "You've been acting weird since this morning. Well, weirder I guess."

"Sorry Sire, I think I'm just tired," he replied. He offered an unconvincing smile. The king scowled now, evidently not approving of his response. Merlin swallowed nervously under his scrutinizing gaze. "Would you like anything else?"

"I'd like if my servant was honest with me," Arthur said. Fear dropped like a stone in Merlin's stomach as he silently watched the king. He took a sip from his now filled goblet. He looked annoyed and suspicious as he set it back down, glaring slightly. "Because he's definitely lying, and I expect him to tell the truth if he doesn't want to be given double chores tomorrow."

Merlin swore in his mind. As much of a dollophead Arthur could be, he wasn't as oblivious as he seemed. He could always see through him when he was upset or troubled. Just tell fragments of the truth, he thought to himself. Then you won't be lying, and he won't pick up on it.

"Sorry, I have a lot things on my mind tonight," Merlin said honestly. "Gaius and I were trying to find some information this afternoon. We were scouring through books for hours, and I honestly feel like my brain is going to explode with the amount of information."

Every part of his statement was true. He held Arthur's gaze, firmly standing his ground. He had no reason to hide; he hadn't lied. The king inspected his face some more as he took another sip from his goblet. His piercing eyes stared at him over the rim of the cup. Merlin was honestly starting to turn red for entirely different reason because of the intensity of how Arthur was staring at him. He willed the warmth that had filled his cheeks away, hoping it wasn't noticeable to the man sitting in front of him.

"That doesn't surprise me considering how small your brain is," Arthur finally replied, returning the goblet to the table.

Merlin rolled his eyes, but his shoulders relaxed. He didn't bother with a retort. He was too tired, and he wanted this feast to be over so he could return to the egg. Flashing an offended frown and huffing, he turned and returned to his work.

The rest of the meal passed by in a blurry haze as he made his rounds. Merlin had to hold back his elation when Arthur announced he was going to retire for the evening. He handed off his pitcher to another servant and followed closely on his king's heels as he strode out of the room.

Once within his chambers, Arthur motioned for Merlin to help him prepare for bed. He tried not to show his impatience as he helped him out of his armor, chainmail, and fine clothes. The king then disappeared behind the changing screen to remove his breeches and tunic. Merlin retrieved night clothes and hung them over the top for Arthur to put on. He bounced on the balls of his feet as he waited for him to reemerge, heart beating a bit quicker with the anticipation of returning to the egg.

The sky he saw through the window was already dark. All he needed was Arthur to dismiss him for night; then he could get the egg, and take it with him to call Kilgharrah. Merlin zoned out, staring at the abyss that coated the city. Stars were beginning to poke their way through. The way they sparkled reminded him of the egg's exterior.

"Could you put out the candles, Merlin?" Arthur said, though the manservant was too much in thought to hear. "Merlin!"

The increase in volume and sharpness of his voice broke him from his trance. He whipped his head toward him, freezing as he tried to think of what he had said. The king stared at him expectantly, but Merlin's mind was blank, too full of plans for the egg to register what he'd been told. "Sorry, what?" he asked, smiling bashfully in a way he hoped as charming.

"Gods, your name suits you. You have the attention span of a bird," he said exasperatedly. He spun around and tossed himself onto his bed. "I said could you put out the candles? Honestly, do it quickly, you seem to desperately need sleep or something. You're even more annoyingly absentminded than usual."

Merlin didn't need to be told twice; well, told three times he supposed. He hurried his way around the room, blowing out all the candles. He managed to bump into the table with a muffled curse. A snort came from the bed where Arthur was laying, but the manservant stubbornly ignored it as he left the room. The door shut behind him a little too quickly for it to be considered normal, but Merlin frankly did not care.

He hurried down the castle corridors. He moved as fast as he could without breaking into a run. Gaius was awake when he got back, but he was in his nightgown and preparing for bed. The old man looked at him expectantly. "I know you're going to talk to the Great Dragon this evening about the egg, so be careful," he told him with a nod.

"Yeah, I always am," Merlin rushed out as he walked past him to his room.

There was doubtful grumbling from the physician that he couldn't make out. He tuned it out as closed his bedroom door behind him. The egg sat where he left it, glistening from the moonlight beginning to shine through his window. Merlin sighed happily as he moved forward. He slid down to his knees to be eye level with the egg, reaching out to put his hands on its sides. The familiar feeling of warmth flowed from the shell to his hand.

Merlin slowly stood up and scooped the egg into his arms, cradling against his chest. He felt his heartbeat match against the faint one beating within the egg.

"I can't wait to meet you," he whispered to it.

[fandomficsnstuff]

Witches and Wizards - 7

(Warnings: Some death, a little bit of fluff and character death(Not OC))

Note: I once read parts of a fic where the reader has magic and goes back in time, meeting Merlin. I sadly can’t find it anymore. Also Fred didn’t die in this.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ophelia gently knocked before entering the room, her bag over her shoulder and head as she quietly walked inside, giving Gwen a soft smile when she looked up at her. “Lady Bl-”

“Ophelia, please, I don’t like the title, it makes me seem… posh, I guess… I was thinking that maybe you needed rest? I can watch over him… I once worked for-... i-it’s a place called a hospital. A very large physician’s quarters, hundreds of healers and beds for those ill and wounded. I worked there for a few years” Ophelia admitted as she walked a bit closer, Gwen hesitating before sighing, nodding briefly “just a few hours-”

“You’re no use to anyone if you drop dead, Gwen… I tried it, remember? Get some food and sleep, it’s alright” Ophelia stated softly, Gwen nodding with a soft smile, leaving the room, Ophelia sighing as she approached Uther, sitting down at his bedside, a look of indifference on her face. “I haven’t been here very long… but the things I’ve heard about you…” Ophelia shook her head slightly, her face briefly pulling up in disgust at the dying man before her. “What you’ve done to people… I may be a Black, but like my dad and uncle, I know that people’s blood can never be who they are, I know that some people are born into whatever family but that doesn’t mean that they’re not good people. You’ve murdered men, women, elderly people and children, for what? For something they never asked for? Probably never used?...” Ophelia muttered with disgust, once again shaking her head at him. “I hope you can hear me, I really do, because no one seems to have ever spoken out against you. Your son made me an advisor but like you he never seems to think of me more than just someone who floats around in the corridors. Why? Because I’m a woman? Or did Arthur figure my mum wasn’t wealthy? Would you consider me ‘tainted’?... Your son is a good man, I can only hope and pray he wouldn’t execute children for a gift they never wanted or asked for” Ophelia stated in an indifferent voice, staring down at Uther for a while longer before turning and walking over to a chair, pulling it to the bed and sitting down, unaware that Merlin had come to find her to tell her that he was leaving with Arthur, a frown on his brows as he listened to her spiteful words, hesitating to step out from the dark so she could see him.

“You’re a horrible man, from all that I’ve heard, Uther… and yet… you have a son who knows right from wrong, even though he doesn’t seem to care much for my advice… I suppose it’s a good thing, not needing an advisor, it means there’s peace… a peace your son achieved, your son who is brave, strong, stupid as blood hell… your son who knows that mercy is never a weakness and that people are just that. People… that means there must be some sort of good in you…” she murmured, wondering out loud with a genuine frown on her brows as she watched him. “I hope you’re proud of him, Uther… where I’m from he’d-... he’d belong amongst a group of people… those who know right from wrong and have courage… he’d wear the colours of Gryffindor well… he is already, actually…” she added quietly, gently shaking her head and sighing, looking down “not that any of it matters… I’m really just here to make sure you won’t die while Gwen is actually getting some rest instead of watching over you day and night for Arthur’s sake… and I still hope you get better… for Arthur’s sake, even though he’s a twat at times…” Ophelia added quietly.

Merlin hesitantly entered the room, Ophelia looking up at him, her eyes wide in shock, as though she had hoped she would be alone and was embarrassed that she wasn’t. “Merlin-”

“It’s alright” he stated softly with a smile, Ophelia hesitantly looking at Uther before getting up, taking slow steps towards him. “Arthur and I are going to ride out to find someone… a wizard…” he whispered, looking at Uther and Ophelia understood, gently taking his arm and leading him across the room so they could speak somewhat freely without the fear of Uther hearing it. “A wizard??”

“It’ll be me-”

“WHAT?!” Ophelia snapped, Merlin shushing her briefly “it’s alright, he won’t recognise me, I’ll be an old man-”

“You’re not drinking an Ageing Potion, Merlin, last time I saw that happen two fourteen year olds turned into white-haired, bearded, elderly men!”

“That’s the point-”

“Merlin’s Beard, Merlin!” Ophelia hissed quietly, Merlin unable to stop grinning “you’ve really gotta stop saying that around people” he half-joked, Ophelia staring at him for a few seconds before scoffing, a smile on her lips and she tried to hide it, a laugh bubbling in her chest and she began to chuckle, Merlin joining in and she nodded. “Take care, Merlin… I’ve lost enough friends in my life, I don’t want to lose you too” she murmured before almost reluctantly taking a step back, turning and walking back to a still unconscious Uther, giving Merlin a tiny smile before looking back at Uther as Merlin left.

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Ophelia was sitting near Gaius, reading one of her old Herbology books when Merlin burst through the door and hurried up some stairs, Ophelia listening to him and Gaius as they talked and when there was finally a pause, she just smirked a little “I half expected you to have long grey hair” she teased out loud, not looking up from her book as she heard a brief yet soft scoff “white, thank you very much” Merlin mumbled, Ophelia smirking even more as she continued to read. As Merlin hurried off to his room, Ophelia gently closed her book, looking up at Gaius before standing up and walking over to Merlin’s door, gently knocking before walking inside, Merlin looking up at her with slight confusion, Ophelia sitting down on the bed not far from where he was sitting with crossed legs and books splayed all around him, her eyes on the floor instead of on him and it only concerned him more to see her like this, serious and silent. “This means a lot to you?” she asked softly, looking up at Merlin who nodded, swallowing thickly “if this goes right, we don’t have to live in secret, Ophelia… we don’t have to hide who and what we are” he answered softly, Ophelia’s eyes filling with tears and she nodded, sighing, wiping away the tears before looking back at him “I might know a potion, if your magic somehow won’t work or it doesn’t work well enough” she admitted before sighing, standing up and walking out of the room without another word, heading for her own room to dig through her potions kit.

It was evening when Merlin hurried to her room, it wasn’t dark out, but it wasn’t far behind either. He burst through the doors without announcement, quickly closing the doors, hurrying over to Ophelia who stood over a cauldron that was bubbling and sizzling with a green liquid inside. “What-”

“Ageing Potion…” she mumbled, a frown on her brows and she looked genuinely concerned. “Did you brew it right?” Merlin spat out, only realising afterwards it sounded like he knew better than her and didn’t think she was capable of making it correctly, but she just nodded instead, clearly not thinking as much of it as he did. “I did, I just-... never-... I’ve never tried it before… I don’t know how long it’ll last, I know it’s not permanent, and I know the more I drink, the more I’ll age, I just-... it could take a while before it wore off” Ophelia admitted before waving her wand, the liquid flying into a small vial that Ophelia took, putting a cork in it, holding down on it as she shook the potion a little, the liquid flying around in the small glass vial, mixing together with itself. “So… I’m only going to be there as-... backup, sort of, I’ll make sure my eyes will be a different colour, my hair will be white so that’s no problem” she stated nervously before moving over to a drawer, pulling it out and revealing a long, black robe with a large hood, the sleeves a little longer than her arms and the robe stopped just before it’d hit the ground. Ophelia sighed heavily, her fingers gently running over a crest on the right side of the robe by the chest area, Merlin frowning as he saw the crest with an eagle and the blue and silver colours Ophelia seemed so fond of, ‘Ravenclaw’ written in a banner under the crest itself. “So… what’s the plan?” Ophelia asked quietly, looking up at Merlin who frowned a little but ultimately shared the details of the plan, down to the last detail.

-------------------------------------------------------------

Ophelia nervously chewed on her bottom lip, waiting for Merlin to be done with his ageing spell, which still shocked her, that he was able to do it without the help of a potion. Deciding to just rip off the bandaid, she pulled out the cork and drank half the liquid in the vial, already feeling her body change and when she heard footsteps, she turned, horrified at first until she saw his eyes, a nervous smile forming on her lips “well? Do I look old enough to be an ancient witch?” she asked nervously, the elderly man - no - the ANCIENT man grinning at her as he wobbled closer “you look-... beautiful” he murmured as if in a trance, his eyes locked on hers and she blushed a little at the thought that it was her eyes he saw, not her wrinkly, old skin, Ophelia letting out a nervous chuckle before looking down at her only slightly wrinkly hands “not old enough then” she murmured jokingly, taking another large sip and she winced at the pain in her back, her hand moving to lay over her spine when she heard the old Merlin cackle a little “you’ll get used to that” he murmured, Ophelia smiling at him, she felt tired, weak, sore all over and she hadn’t done anything but standing. She waved her wand and her eyes turned a deep brown, her wand hidden in the inside of her robe, the Ravenclaw sigil hidden from sight, every trace of colour turned black for now. Ophelia nervously looked at Merlin before nodding “here we go” she mumbled, frowning a little at how… old she sounded, following after Merlin, wobbling only a little less than him, the two of them sneaking in and appearing behind Arthur himself. As Arthur turned, he had a sentence waiting on his tongue when it died out, his eyes landing on an elderly woman at the old man’s side. “Who is this?”

Ophelia internally panicked, looking at Merlin who was clearly trying to come up with an excuse. “This is… my… wife!... Ephelda…” Merlin spouted out, Ophelia nervously smiling at Arthur, taking a weak step forward, stretching out her hand, internally cringing when Arthur hesitantly took it and placed a hesitant kiss on her wrinkled skin when all she wanted was a handshake. “My husband told me of your promise. I wanted to see if you were truthful” she got out with a soft, croaky voice, Arthur glancing between the two of them with a sceptical look but eventually he nodded. “We must hurry” he turned to hurry away, Ophelia, or Ephelda as he thought it was, about to follow him when Merlin stopped her “hey! I am led to believe that the King’s Palace is that way” he sneered, gesturing to the palace itself, Arthur looking at him with slight annoyance “I can hardly be seen walking through the main gate with a known sorcerer, let alone his wife as well” Arthur rationalised, Merlin gasping “so you are already going back on your word?! You promised me that my wife and I would not have to live in fear!”

“Mer- Mmmy husband… you have yet to heal the king, follow the prince instead of croaking and moaning about it” Ophelia, or Ephelda, scolded, her shoulders still haunched as she wobbled towards Arthur “now come on, you oaf” she called, Arthur unable to not smile at Ephelda, Ophelia trying to hide her smile “don’t mind him, old oaf, always bickering, always complaining” she squealed, holding up the appearance of an old wife as Merlin grumbled while walking after them. “I swear, I should have married Torfaen down the road, never complained, that one, always did his work” she continued, trying to hide her amusement, remembering how her grandmother used to talk about her first husband, the one before her grandfather. “But what can you do? We love who we love, even if they are pig-headed oafs-”

“I heard that!”

“I know” Ephelda quipped back, a smirk on Ophelia’s lips as she looked over her shoulder at Merlin “dear wife, perhaps you should have stayed home after all?” Merlin tried with slight annoyance, Ophelia turning to smirk at him “nonsense, dear husband, now come on” she urged in a softer voice, giggling lightly as Merlin caught up with them. “Is this really as fast as you can both walk?” Arthur asked with slight annoyance, Ophelia rolling her eyes as she took a small break by the edge of a wall, holding onto it and placing a hand on her hip, Merlin scowling at Arthur “when you are as old as us, we will see how fast you can walk” he sneered before turning to Ophelia as she began to walk again “just the old hip, dear” Ephelda muttered casually, Merlin grunting “told you you shouldn’t have come-”

“Are we really starting this again?”

“Can you two please be quie-”

“You dare interrupt my dear wife?!” Merlin sneered, Arthur sighing in frustration, keeping his mouth shut as Merlin helped Ophelia walk. “Think I drank too much of the potion” she whispered with a scoff to Merlin before forcing herself to pick up the pace again. “Can you two really not walk fa-”

“Then perhaps you should carry my dear wife? Her knees aren’t what they used to be” Merlin sneered, Arthur frowning “I thought it was her hip?”

“It’s my everything” Ephelda mumbled bitterly, both Ophelia and Merlin shocked to see Arthur bend down, ready to carry her on his back and Ophelia couldn’t help but grin at Merlin, the two of them breaking character while Arthur couldn’t see it, Merlin eagerly urging her silently to get on and she did, making a big show out of groaning and mumbling about her ‘old hip and knees’, her feet gently kicking Arthur as though he was a horse. “What are you waiting for? Your father is dying” Merlin sneered before Arthur could say anything, the prince rolling his eyes and Ophelia and Merlin shared a quick glance of amusement as Arthur continued once more. Ophelia subtle got out her wand, pointing it at Merlin as he walked behind “Wingardium Leviosa” suddenly Merlin was lifted from the ground, his eyes wide in shock but Ophelia just smirked at him, Merlin grinning and before Arthur could question the lack of sound, Ophelia kicked him again “a young man like you should have no trouble with carrying an old crone like me, now come on!” she urged, Arthur doing as told as Merlin just accepted the fact that he was literally floating after them.

Ophelia was waiting around the corner with Merlin, the two of them trying to remain quiet as Arthur dismissed the guards “what was that?”

“Levitation, now shh” she whispered with excitement, Merlin smirking at her, following after her as Arthur cleared his throat, the two of them popping out from around the corner.

Ophelia watched as Merlin let the drops drip into Uther’s mouth, her heart racing and as Merlin picked up the herbs but before he could light them, Arthur stopped him. “Wait!”

“Is something wrong?” Merlin asked gently, Arthur looking like he was torn between two worlds, both of whom he felt like he needed to trust. “My father has taught me to never trust magic, and now I’m using it to save him…” he muttered, Ophelia nervously glancing at Merlin before gently placing a hand on Arthur who looked at her “magic has saved your life more times than you know. It’s all around us. It is not good, it is not evil. Magic is as natural as the trees. The trees can be used to build houses and homes, but it can also be used to make arrows that kill, but it is never the trees’ fault for what they’re used for. You do not blame the knife that was used by a person who stabbed another… not all sorcerers are terrible people, in fact only a handful are. One bad apple spoils the bunch. My-... my husband and I can only hope, pray, that one day… you’ll see us in a different light… you’ll see us for who we really are” Ephelda spoke softly and gently, Arthur watching her with tears in his eyes before nodding, removing his hands from Uther’s body and giving a nod to Merlin, Ophelia softly retracting her hand and giving a brief nod to Merlin who began the spell.

Ophelia watched with bated breath, trying not to seem as nervous as she truly was. She flinched when Uther woke up, her feet slowly taking her from the foot of the bed to stand beside Merlin, joy clear on her face as Uther and Arthur saw each other, spoke words, although there were only two words that they each truly said. And then it happened. Uther frowned, groaned, his eyes wide as though he was in so much pain that he couldn’t even make a sound, Ophelia’s eyes wide as she stared at him, his last breath leaving him and instantly she gently pushed Merlin aside to lean down and examine him “He’s-... he’s dead” Ophelia admitted with shock, looking over her shoulder at a shocked Merlin. “What did the two of you do?! What have you done?!”

“It wasn’t us! Why would we risk everything, our lives, if we didn’t want this to work?! You promised us freedom and safety, and we came here, willingly, unarmed and unguarded, to what? Kill Uther? If we wanted him dead we wouldn’t have put ourselves at such risk!” Ephelda snapped, Ophelia’s eyes filled with confusion as she looked Uther over, her brows furrowing as she hesitantly reached for something under his tunic, her head tilted, but before she could inspect further, Arthur began to shout and yell “YOU KILLED HIM! You’ll both die for what you did!” Before the sword could touch either of them, Arthur flew back, Ophelia eyes wide and while Arthur was down she grabbed whatever it was around Uther’s neck, ripping it off and quickly hiding it in the same inner pocket as her wand. Ophelia instantly grabbed a shocked Merlin, apparating out of the room and behind a wall just outside, Merlin quickly drinking his potion, offering some to Ophelia but she just shook her head, making him drink it all instead. “Don’t you dare get caught, I’ll be in my room” Ophelia ordered softly, Merlin nodding as he slowly changed back, Ophelia digging through her pocket, finding the necklace she ripped off and handing it to Merlin “this was around his neck, hidden under his clothes” she informed and the second they were no longer touching, she apparated, disappearing on the spot, ending up in her room, waving her wand to close the blinds and lock the doors.

[cynthia39100]

Merlin rewatch -- S1E13: Le Morte d'Arthur

Morgana

I didn’t realise how cold Merlin was to Morgana in this episode. It’s bad enough that he was the one to drag her away from the courtyard, for a moment he almost looked annoyed.

I think he was just troubled, but his expression was hard, in contrast to Arthur who looked more confused. I understand Arthur needed to send her away since he was about to lead men into a deadly quest, but Merlin knew Morgana’s power and he didn’t seem to take in what Morgana said at all. The way he talked to Morgana on the stairs sounded pretty dismissive as well. Don’t learn gaslighting from Gaius…  

Then there was the complete rejection in the corridor when Morgana came to warn him.

I get that he was occupied in his sacrifice. He thought he had fixed things and didn’t want to hear more bad news. But it’s sad that Morgana was dismissed by him twice. (I do wonder why she suddenly decided to talk to Merlin instead of Gaius who did ultimately listened to her in Sophia ep)

And there were so many unnecessary Morgana-waking-from-the-nightmare scenes in this episode without leading into anything. In Sophia ep she had been relatively proactive but here, after she screamed at Arthur in public there was nothing.

I get that Gwen and Arthur need a scene together before the season ends but I really hope Morgana could have some things to do other than watching Arthur from the window expressionless or saying cryptic things to Merlin.

It’s so bizarre. She was so frightened for Arthur at first why would she have zero reaction when it actually happened? She didn’t even have to go tend to Arthur (even though I’d prefer that), she could be in her room dreading and refusing to face the reality. Not very in character but at least that’s something.

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[ur-urmom]

my very first request from @nifflersravenclaw

i hope this lives up to your expectations!! :D

Good Morning - Arthur Pendragon x Reader

Genre - fluff

Warnings - none, but if war is a sensitive topic for you, then yes

Summary - When Arthur returns home from war, his lover Y/N is nothing but ecstatic. Going so long wondering whether or not their darling dearest would come back safely, Y/N is finally greeted with Arthur’s warm and affectionate embrace, and neither of them care to let go anytime soon.

They should be back by now.

They should have been back by now, is what my mind kept telling me.

I knew I was just worried, I need to have wishful thinking. Wars can last for so long, but I yearned for this one to end so my beloved could come back home safely to me. So our friends and his trusted comrades could come back home to their families and sleep peacefully in their own beds.

In every war there are always casualties, always good people who are lost — on both sides — and I was scared, so scared, that Arthur would be one of those people.

Or Gwaine, or Percival, or any of the other knights, or everyone for that matter.

It was inevitable, death was just something that followed war, my wishful thinking would only undoubtedly cause me more pain in the end. I was getting my hopes up.

Even Merlin and Gaius went, so I was left behind to take Gaius’ place as the physician until they came back. I had been learning and shadowing the both of them for a while now, so Gaius thought I was ready to do his job for the time being.

It had already been about a week and a half, and the palace just felt so empty without everyone here.

Without Arthur.

But he’s strong, in more ways than one, so I know he’ll win this battle... or he’ll die trying.

I was pulled out of my thoughts when a mother and her young daughter stood at the door with a gentle knock to the threshold’s wood. I looked at them with a small and welcoming smile on my face. Gesturing them in, I stood from my seat and made my way towards the middle of the floor.

“Hello, what can I do for you?” I asked, my gaze going back and forth toward the older woman and her child.

I could tell it was her little one that needed help. She was clutching her stomach with a frown while dribbles of sweat dripped here and there.

“Um, my daughter. She has a fever and she says her abdomen isn’t feeling well. She’s weak.”

“Oh no, I’m so sorry to hear that. I’ve got just the thing for you, though.” Stepping towards the counter with all of the different medicines and herbs, I began to grind and blend a few things that would do the trick. “What’s your name?”

“I’m Rennie, and this is Blythe...” The mother smiled at her daughter, her hands on her shoulders. I glanced at them, Rennie lovingly stroked her child’s hair. “Say hello, Blythe.”

The little girl shyly looked up, exhaustion in her features, but she still put on a tiny grin with a small wave.

I did the same, but more enthusiastic.

After mashing everything up and draining it into a vial, I kneeled to Blythe.

“Here you go dear, drink half of this okay?”

She nodded, pouring the liquid into her mouth. I stood back up, getting ready to explain what it was to Rennie.

“This tonic mainly consists of ginger, elderflower, and peppermint. This will help bring her fever down and settle her stomach.” I watched as the girl handed the half drunken potion to her mother. “She needs to drink the rest of it tomorrow morning. It’ll also give her a little energy boost, so don’t be surprised if by tomorrow afternoon she’s bouncing all over the place.” I finished with a light hearted laugh.

“Thank you!” Rennie grabbed Blythe’s hand, appreciative of what I gave her. “Gaius was right to let you take over.”

I smiled, genuinely happy to hear that I was doing well by the people.

As the two of them were walking out, someone yelling could be heard from outside the palace. I furrowed my brows in confusion, because once one started a few more were shouting, then what sounded to be like claps erupted right afterwards.

Curious, I followed the noise, making my way outside and stopping at the top of the stairs. I saw men and women beaming with joy, others sobbing, but most importantly I saw our army arriving, trotting on their horses through the gates.

“It’s over...” I muttered, my mouth agape. I ran down the stairs, waiting at the bottom as I scouted for Arthur. I knew others were missing, their lives lost, the families that cried their heart out told me that they didn’t come back. Men and knights were jumping off their steeds, eager to find their own loved ones that have been waiting for them. More and more were crossing the line to enter the kingdom, though evidently less than what they originally left with. Some were injured worse than others.

My eyes widened when I saw Arthur’s most trusted knights, my heart swelling with warmth. They were safe, thank the heavens they were safe.

Gazing at the last few, my joy only heightened when I saw Gaius, and Merlin...

And Arthur.

He was the last one, and when the people saw him all they could do was cheer with triumph.

Me, on the other hand, I stood there, tears forming with my hand gently placed over my lips.

It hadn’t been that long, but it felt like years since I last saw him, and under the circumstances that we were in, it almost felt as though I was seeing a ghost. It felt too good to be true.

His eyes found mine, and a tired yet loving smile formed on his features.

He slid off of his horse, quickly pacing towards me.

The closer he got, the more tears threatened to spill down my cheeks.

“Y/N...” He whispered, his arms stretching out as he reached me. He crashed my body into his, pulling me into his embrace. His right hand held my back, while his left rested on the baseline of my head, holding it to the nape of his shoulder and pressing the side of my cheek against his armor.

I didn’t care how cold the metal felt, all I cared about was the man wearing it.

“Arthur!” My arms snaked around him, clutching him tightly in an attempt to make sure he didn’t leave again. “I was so worried.”

To my dismay, he let go, and instead cupped my face in the palm of his hands and studied me. I held the back of his hands in place with my own.

“Are you okay?” He asked.

“You’ve just come back from war and you’re asking if I’m okay?” I let out a soft chuckle.

His thumbs wiped the stray tears away. Ignoring my response, he leaned towards me. His lips met mine with passion and longing, and I eagerly followed his action. When he stopped my eyes were still closed, but he rested his forehead on mine without ever letting go of my face.

“You need to rest.” I said softly, moving away from him but still close.

“No, no I only need you.”

“You’ve got to rest, Arthur. Come on.”

I took his hand in mine, leading him up the stairs and into the comfort of his castle. I was taking him to his room, and when I opened his chamber doors I let him walk the rest of the way while I went further into the room to start a bath for him to help him relax.

“I’ve missed you.” He spoke, now beside me as I got everything ready. The water was nice and hot, the perfect temperature to his liking. “I’ve missed you so much.”

“As have I...” I turned towards him, helping him take off his heavy armor. We were close, so as I worked with taking off the pieces near his neck, I placed a gentle kiss on his jaw, then his cheek. He leaned into it with a tired sigh.

I stopped when I got most off his weighted items off, not wanting to cross any boundaries.

“You can get the rest?” I asked, and he nodded. I have a him a sweet and small smile as I moved past him. “I’ll be outside the doors.”

Arthur turned abruptly, almost in an attempt to get me to stay, but he reluctantly closed his open mouth and agreed to my actions.

I didn’t want to leave him either, but I’d only be a few feet away and he could let me know when he was done, he needed this time to himself after everything that he’s been through. Stepping out, I closed the doors behind me and sat to the side of them. I wondered how Merlin and the others felt, what they were doing right now. I would have gone to look for them, but I knew I couldn’t leave Arthur just yet, and I didn’t really want to either.

At this point it was already after dark, and I had been waiting for a little over an hour, smiling and waving at any guards or others who passed me in the corridor.

My knees were held up to my chest with my chin resting in the palm of my hand, the other playing with the fabric that covered my legs. I had been lost in thought when I heard the creaking of the heavy boards open beside me. Arthur walked out, first glancing to the other side of me, then in my direction. His eyes lit up when they met mine.

He was dressed in his night clothes, but he looked fresh and clean.

I got up and followed him in his room with a bright grin. He closed the doors behind us, and walked over to his bed where he sat down.

I stood in front him, grabbing his hands in mine as I fiddled with his fingers.

“You should get some sleep.” I broke the comfortable silence, leaning down to kiss his forehead. “Goodnight, love.”

As I went to leave, he gripped my hands tighter so I couldn’t.

“No, please stay. Stay with me.” Arthur pleaded. He let go and scooted farther onto his mattress, patting the spot next to him. I lovingly gazed at him, whispering, “Okay”.

Turning out the light, I crawled beside him and the both of us got situated under the sheets. Facing each other, we studied the features on our faces. I moved closer to him, resting my hand on his chest while my head lied near his shoulder.

“I want to hold you like this for eternity.” He wrapped his arms around me, and I snuggled deeper into his body. I could feel him breathing beside me, I could feel the beating of his heartbeat and I could feel the warmth of his skin on mine, and that was enough to put me to sleep, and him as well not long after.

Sweet dreams greeted me for the first time in a while as I lied in his touch, ones that you never want to wake up from, but I didn’t mind waking up if it meant I was still next to Arthur. When I squinted my eyes open, the sun was peeking through the windows. This illuminated the room with a beautiful golden hue, and when I saw the sleeping man beside me his face was lit up by the warm rays, accentuating all of his handsomely sharp features.

I raised my hand up to his forehead, moving a little strand of hair out of the way. Leaning forward, I placed a gentle peck on the top of his nose, and to my surprise I saw his lips tug into a sly smile before quickly going blank again. I let out a soft giggle, of course he’d be pretending.

“Good morning.” My voice was raspy from sleep.

I didn’t get a reaction, so I poked each side of his mouth up into a grin, about to squeeze his cheeks. I didn’t get to do the last thing though, because he finally winked an eye open, then the other when he realized I’d caught him.

“Good morning, my love.” He replied, another cute toothy smile appearing. “It certainly is with you next to me.”

I laughed at his flirting this early in the day, a tiny blush creeping it’s way to my appearance.

“I’m so happy you’re back.” I said. “And if you need to talk to me about what happened there, I’m always here to listen... whenever you’re ready, darling.”

His finger traced my cheekbone, and his thumb met my bottom lip.

“I only need you.” Arthur whispered. I felt the pace of my heartbeat speed up and a little flip of my stomach occur. “I want to wake up next to you every morning, and I want to fall asleep next to you every night.”

I felt a little emotional by his sudden romantic statements, out of love of course, and I kept listening to him when he continued.

“I love you, I only want you for the rest of my life. I want you for forever, Y/N, my forever and your forever.” He said. “Am I selfish?”

“Of course not, Arthur. My dear, I love you too.” I replied. “If you’re selfish then what am I?”

“Beautiful.” Arthur blurted. “Lovely, amazing, kind, smart, gorgeo—”

I cut him off with a loud giggle, “Okay! Okay...”

He laughed with me, and when both of our noises died down he took my hands in his and freckled little kisses all over my knuckles.

“Do you have anything to do today?” Arthur asked, and I shook my head no in response.

“Good, cause I think we should stay like this for the rest of the morning, and afternoon, and evening, and night... and maybe the rest of our lives.”

“Oh really?”

“Mhmm.”

“Sounds like a plan.”

“Wonderful.”

And somewhere within the next hour, I fell back asleep in his arms, finally back in his arms after the time he’d been gone.

Arthur was the once and future king, and I had no doubt that our futures were definitely going to be spent together, for the rest of our lives.

For forever.