#king Arthur’s court

[rosalindthe2nd]

Number five in the Round Table League Table. Sorry you’re not higher, Lancelot, because you are the knightliest knight by any measure but maybe you shouldn’t betray your best friend’s trust next time. Just a suggestion.

Reasons

- One of the first to hail Arthur as King (“Sir and my liege … the fire of God Descends upon thee in the battle-field: I know thee for my King” and even before this they had each warded the other in the fight.

- Very good at being a knight in every possible way (ahem, except trust worthiness and keeping it in his trousers, obviously)

- Everyone likes him, he’s obviously charming. Even Balin, who is disenchanted with Lancelot by this point, says that “Lancelot draws From homage to the best and purest, might, Name, manhood and a grace.”

- Obviously it’s so terrible to betray lovely Arthur

- But good that it’s aged him at least (The great and guilty love he bare the Queen, In battle with the love he bare his Lord, Had marr’d his face, and marked it ere his time.”) You shouldn’t get to be treacherous and stay pretty.

- Prepared to go without the glory of wining the diamond because he thought Guinevere wanted him to stay with her in her illness. Wrong but romantic.

- Compliments Guinevere by saying hers is “the roundest arm on earth”! Nice.

[artbysarf]

Emrys and the Once and Future King

[escespace]

Merlin: I'm not ignoring you, I'm exercising my right

Arthur: I am the king! I say what your rights are

Merlin: Yes, and you have declared that I am free

Arthur: Free to be yourself!

Merlin: Exactly and myself's attention is freely directed to another part that is not you at this moment.

[papysanzonew]

Okay, probably I’m insane but I swear to God I was laughing as I drew it. I mean “Merlin, now is not the time”?? Arthur, WHEN is the right time to call someone cutie patootie?! My headcanon is that Merlin can make him do what he wants with a single blink of an eye or a simple “pretty please” Oh, and here Merlin bet with Gwaine that he would be able to make Arthur say this during the council. He won, obviously.

My other Merlin art

[sickfreaksirkay]

if i was a knight of the round table and i captured someone i wouldn’t send them back to king arthur i’d send them to bedivere or lucan or someone like that. make arthur confused about my loyalties keep him on his toes

[inamagicalhallucination]

merlin but merthur is dating except merlin doesn’t realize that their hand holding, cuddling, gift giving relationship is romantic until he fixes arthur’s crown and arthur leans down and kisses him and he’s like oh

[gaiussleechtank]

It was one of those nights: the peaceful ones where both King and Court Warlock could shed their titles and just exist as two friends sharing cups of wine beside a fire. Both were silent as they nursed their drinks and basked in the dim lighting the fire provided Arthur’s dark chambers.

Merlin was lying across the floor on top of countless pillows and blankets, parallel to the hearth of the fireplace. His feet were bare as he had kicked off his boots hours earlier and the cords of his tunic were pulled extremely loose. Merlin’s legs were crossed one over the other as one hand played with a lock of his own hair as the other blindly traced the engravings of his goblet.

Arthur was sat his chair above Merlin, facing the fire and looking down at the peaceful man. He was glad that Merlin’s eyes were closed because it allowed the King to openly stare. For someone who was regarded to be so aware of everything all of the time - Merlin has not once ever cottoned on to Arthur’s gaze on him. In a way, it was reassuring that Arthur didn’t have to fear being caught by the very man he was observing. But it another way it was far too frustrating: Arthur nearly wanted to be caught and then in turn be forced to admit his reasons for staring.

For the Goddess’ sake, how could Arthur not look anywhere but Merlin with the man lying so enchantingly in front of him, doused in the golden light of the flames?

How could he lay his eyes elsewhere when nothing and no one else brought him nearly as much happiness and fulfilment in his heart than Merlin?

How could he when Merlin was everything that he loved?

The nearly empty goblet rested on his lap with his hands encircling the rim, it would be stupid to say it.

“Merlin?” Arthur broke their silence.

Merlin hummed in response, he didn’t move nor open his eye, but the tone of his voice easily told Arthur that he was listening.

“I’m in love with you.” Oh, fuck.

The body in front of him stilled. Merlin’s hand retracted from his hair as he slowly sat up. Arthur couldn’t tell you when the Warlock’s eyes had opened but he could give you a thousand words at least on what it felt like to be under their unending gaze. Merlin didn’t look away from Arthur as he got to his feet and came to stand in front of his King.

Merlin might not have ever been aware of when Arthur’s eyes were on him - but Arthur was far too aware of Merlin’s piercing stare. The King averted his eyes and stared down at the lingering mouthful of wine in his cup, listening to Merlin’s few footsteps.

A hand slid underneath Arthur’s jaw and half cupped the side of his face: hesitantly, Arthur let himself be guided to look up at Merlin. Had it been anyone else, this would have been so dangerous - to willing put his heart and mind at risk by giving someone else so much control over him would have been a death wish if it were anyone else.

Yet this was Merlin, the one person in his life that he would faithfully trust the world with to the ends of time.

It was sad eyes that Arthur saw. Not angry. Not disgusted. Not hurt, or even happy. Sad, sad, eyes that Arthur would nearly say were brokenhearted.

Merlin sighed with a pained and defeated expression. “Not again.”

“What?” Arthur felt his breath catch in his throat.

Merlin smiled with a soft pain, his thumb stroked over Arthur cheek as he said, “You don’t love me, Arthur.”

“I- I do.” Arthur stammered, he hadn’t anticipated out right refusal, denial and disbelief as an outcome. “I do love you, Merlin.”

Merlin swallows and seemed to choke back tears.

“No, Arthur, you don’t.” He repeated. “This is a love enchantment, this has happened before. You aren’t in love with me.”

The words were far too rehearsed, Merlin’s expression too knowing and understanding. Arthur felt like a petulant child being gently corrected on the truth. Had this really happened before? Had Arthur been enchanted to be in love with Merlin before?

“Merlin, I know my feelings, please believe me.” Arthur begged in futile.

“I don’t think you realise how badly I want to, but I can’t.”

Arthur’s eyes widened at Merlin’s confession - even though the feelings were reciprocated, Arthur was still being rejected - but he saw it. He saw all of the held back and restrained love Merlin held in his eyes for Arthur. He finally was bearing witness to Merlin’s affection, only because the Warlock was allowing him to.

“Is it really so unbelievable that I love you that you are convinced my mind is under the control of a spell of potion?”

“I know you love me - in the way friends love one another, brothers even.” Merlin stressed, his words clearly hurting himself. “But you don’t love me the way I want you to, you never have and you never will.”

“You do want me to love you like this?” Arthur countered.

Merlin closed his eyes and shakily let out a sob, his hands ran from Arthur’s jaw and face, around the King’s neck and weakly grasped at the back of Arthur’s head. He pressed his face into Arthur’s hair, Arthur pulled Merlin in closer and strung his arms around the Warlock’s waist and back: he could feel Merlin weep.

“You won’t remember this conversation, you never have, so why not?” Merlin muttered with a bitterness that surprised the King. “I have loved you for years, Arthur, what I feel for you goes beyond the devotion of prophecy and bond of friendship. I’ve always known that you will never feel the same.”

How his heart ached on the verge of breaking: Merlin loved him. He was in love with Arthur. He felt the same as Arthur but clearly awful past experiences that Arthur cannot remember are preventing him from acting on the truth.

Arthur tried to speak but was cut off before he could even utter a syllable.

“No, Arthur, please stop.” Merlin said, slipping out of Arthur embrace. He looked so guilty.

Merlin believed Arthur not to be in control of his mind and actions, he believed Arthur to be susceptible to anything. Though Merlin was nowhere near the kind of person to take advantage of someone under the influence of something mind altering. Even though this ‘supposed potion or enchantment’ was giving him what the Warlock wanted, Merlin still held back and refused.

Even such a simple embrace, the kind of embrace that was becoming more commonly between them as the years progressed seemed to wreck so much regret through the man - Arthur wanted to shake him and scream at how wrong Merlin was: that he could and was consenting to any any hold or touch Merlin could or would give him.

Arthur stood up and met Merlin far too closely. Their faces were mere inches apart, dangerously so. The King saw how badly Merlin wanted to give in, he could see the arguments and thought process that Merlin was going through.

His hand hovered over the side of Merlin’s face as leaned in closer.

“Don’t.”

He froze.

“You’re not in the right state of mind.” Merlin breathed out, more for his own sake than Arthur’s.

Arthur hand fell to his side but he didn’t move away.

“Please tell me how I can prove my honesty.” He asked.

Merlin looked down with resignation and then turned away to the doors.

“Come, Sire, follow me.” Merlin murmured as he left.

He hadn’t called Arthur ‘Sire’ in years, not even in heated arguments did Merlin enforce that distance between them. It spoke tales to Arthur on how hurt his best friend was. He dashed after Merlin, it wasn’t hard to follow the sound of weary footsteps.

They were heading for Merlin’s laboratory. Arthur caught up with broken hearted Warlock and joined their hands together - Merlin allowed it.

Met with the smell of dodgy potions, old books, strong herbs, ash and numerous other smells that Arthur had grown familiar with associating with Merlin’s experiments, Arthur saw and felt Merlin relax slightly. They were on his ground now, they followed his rules.

Arthur let go of Merlin’s hand and took his chair that he always sat in when observing Merlin work.

“You stare a lot.” Merlin said as he leafed through shelves of bottles - no doubt searching for a cure-all potion that he had concocted in earlier years.

“I always have, you’ve just never noticed.” Arthur replied honestly.

Merlin sighed for the thousandth time that hour and stood up straight and returned to Arthur, bottle in hand. It was a small vial with opaque pink liquid filling less than a third of the bottle. He stood on the other side of the work bench and handed over the vial of anti-serum.

Wordlessly and without hesitation Arthur uncorked the bottle and drank his mouthful. Setting down the bottle, he leaned closer to Merlin, head propped up by his elbow, hand under chin, staring at Merlin patiently.

The Warlock also leaned closer, gold creeping into his eyes without a single incantation as he analysed Arthur’s reaction to the potion. The world seemed to hold its breath as it waited for the two men to get onto the same page.

“Well, am I really under an enchantment?” Arthur asked after a very long pause.

Merlin’s mouth fell open as his brow and eyes once again creased into tears.

“No… You aren’t.” Merlin managed to say, covering his face as he cried.

Arthur stood up and joined Merlin on the other side of the workbench. He pulled the shocked and relieved and sobbing Warlock into another hug. Both holding onto each other equally tight.

“I love you, Merlin.” Arthur promised his Warlock firmly.

[georgies-ftts]

I love the CourtSorcerer!Merlin depictions where he’s wearing deep blue regal robes that fit him perfectly with dark trousers and leather boots that aren’t falling apart and his hair is longer and bushy and crowns his head perfectly

and Arthur believes he’s is a god sent to him by some omnipotent power and looks at him like he’s his entire world but still treats him as if he is the lanky manservant that he met all those years ago but the moment they are alone together he worships the ground that Merlin walks on and let’s his emotions fall from his face like a rain because he knows that Merlin, no matter what, can always tell what’s going through his mind

And Arthur gives Merlin a crown of silver that matches his robes perfectly, and the crown is a laurel that circles his hair and doesn’t meet in the front so his hair protrudes out and Arthur wants to play with the strands but he holds himself back and only stares because that’s all he can do without reaching his hand out to do something that the court would definitely shun him for later on

and Arthur watches as Merlin’s eyes glow molten gold and he declares it as his favourite colour and Arthur allows himself to see Merlin as he truly his, the other half of the same coin, half of his soul, his sorcerer. The man that waltz into camelot all those years ago and challenged him with gusto, the one that stood by his side through every challenge, every battle, that saved his life countless times without ever seeking any form of appraisal and Arthur stands in awe as Merlin’s power throttles onwards and Arthur let’s it happen with a smile ghosting his face because his Merlin, despite everything he was taught to believe, would never ever hurt him and now i’m just writing my own fanfiction from everything that i love but i devour it every. single. time.

[justaz]

somehow for some reason the knights take on a spell that lights up the scars that litter their bodies. arthur has the most with leon as a close second. gwaine and percival and pretty much tied for third though gwaines are much smaller - from more brawls than battles. elyan and lancelot have their fair share but less that the others. that is until they turn to see merlin lit up like a goddamn glowstick. the others (bar lancelot) had been expecting maybe a few nicks from being on the outskirts of battles or mishaps from working on a farm back in ealdor, not……this. the light (which shines through their clothes as if the fabric isn’t even there) is practically blinding on merlin, covering every inch of skin. more so than even arthur. lancelot prompts them all to move on and everyone does, holding themselves back from asking the questions they desperately want answered

[cinnabon-sweetroll-tiramisu]

"Gods look at you, it's like you were made for this."

"Uh yeah, am made for you only, yes, yes—"

"Gorgeous, so good for me, keep your eyes open love—yes, that's it—perfect."

"Arthurr, uh, please—more, more!"

"As you wish sweetheart." – King Arthur and Court Sorcerer Merlin

[Destiny has gifted him the one who completes his soul, how lucky of a King he is to have a powerful lover ruling at his side; Merlin his lovely warlock, spread wide open and needy, reaching out for him, Arthur Pendragon the High King of Albion.

It's hard to hold back his desires in public when all he wants to do is lay Merlin bare, explore all the places he's conquered and repeatedly fill the space inside his warlock with his love.]

[rosalindthe2nd]

I did not except Sir Gareth to come this high up the league table, I’ve got to be honest. Maybe he benefits a bit from the good vibes that he gets from being in the jolly, youthful, all-is-well section of the Idylls but he is also brave, unfailingly polite and a very good son so I think it’s fair enough. Sir Gareth is at a glittering number 2 in the Round Table League Table!

Reasons

- good natured about the whole kitchen boy situation: “all for glory underwent The sooty yolk of kitchen-vasslage.” I really like his understanding of glory and how it can be as much about how you scrub floors as how you joust. This in particular: “Gareth…wrought All kind of service with a noble ease That graced the lowliest act in doing it.”

- It is nice how he interrupts any foul talk from his fellow kitchen knaves by whistling or singing (and doesn’t stop when they mock him for it). I feel like some of the others might have got hoity toity or angry, which would not have helped.

- Does what his mum tells him even though she’s so manipulative and constantly calls him a silly goose. This is really pleasing to me as the mother of children who (though tbf much younger than Sir Gareth) are not always to be relied upon to do what their mother tells them with such good grace.

- Very brave

- Puts up with a lot from that snippy Lynette (I actually have some sympathy with her being annoyed at being lied to when she finds out who Gareth is, but she’s way too nasty before that)

- Not clear who he marries at the end which I like, hopefully he values himself too highly to marry such a whinging pom as that Lynette.

[whydon-twego]

Merlin is expressing his displeasure so that the whole castle can hear him while Arthur lies in bed and rolls his eyes because the situation seems truly ridiculous to him.

"You are an idiot! An imbecile! A dollop-head! What the hell were you thinking of-?"

"Merlin, really, do we have to discuss this much longer? As you can see I'm perfectly fine."

Merlin's eyes go golden for a few seconds and Arthur rolls his eyes but shuts his mouth.

"Perfectly fine? You don't look perfectly fine to me because your side is bleeding and I just pulled an arrow out of it!"

Arthur wants to retort that in all the years of their acquaintance he has suffered far worse and that, really, he is fine but Merlin does not allow him to open his mouth.

"It could have been a poisoned arrow. It could have hit you in the stomach and then what would we have done, huh? It could have been a cursed arrow and you could have suffered for days while I tried to figure out how to cure you. Where the hell did you get the idea of putting yourself between me and a damn arrow?!"

Arthur is unimpressed by that speech and lies better in bed because he knows his court sorcerer won't let him go anywhere, at least not that day. "It could have been anything but in the end, it was a very normal arrow," Merlin is about to interrupt him but Arthur doesn't give him time "and even if it had been any of those things you listed it wouldn't have changed anything. I don't care if you are the most powerful sorcerer to ever walk the face of the earth, Merlin, before all this you are my friend and if I see you are in danger I will do everything in my power to save you"

Merlin tightens his lips and lowers his eyes to Arthur's wound as he runs a medicated cream of some kind over it.

"It's because you're an idiot, that's why," Merlin's voice is a bit broken as he tries not to start sobbing because he doesn't want to hear that he's such a girl from Arthur, not at this moment.

But his king apparently really is an idiot.

A brave, stupid, loyal, dollop-head, altruistic idiot.

Merlin could never have hoped for a better King. Or friend.

[escespace]

Merlin: You know, not every problem can be solved with a sword.

Arthur: Not all problems can be solved with magic

Merlin: ...

Arthur: I will stick to what I said

Merlin: ...

Arthur: Okok but you can do this *proceeds to do sword tricks* and I could do it with two!

[papysanzonew]

Sometimes, when the burden of being the King and the Court Sorcerer of Camelot is too heavy, all you need is to get away from the court for a while and be together and hug each other.

My other Merlin art

[fuckyeaharthuriana]

I bought a copy of A Young Connecticut Yankee so I could have a good quality video of handsome Galahad

[liridi]

Heyy, I'm starting to get interested in reading the Arthurian Legend/Story/Mith (?), and I was just wondering if you have any reccomendations on where to start with what books? I hope you have a nice day, Take care!

Oh thanks for the ask. I can only half answer this? I'm much better with my Greek myths. I've read a fair number of arthuriana texts but there are so many arthuriana blogs on here that faaar outmatch me with regards to the texts they've read.

I would personally start with Gawain and the Green Knight, I think it's a great entry point and one of the strongest texts in arthuriana. If you enjoy that one I think you're pretty much green lit to continue on.

Then it's a bit of a question what you want to do?

If you want an oversight of the "plot" of Arthuriana (ie. the rise and downfall of Camelot, from Arthur's conception to his death) you either want to start with the Vulgate Cycle (long but well written, the translation by Norris Lacy is recommended) or Le Morte D'Arthur by Sir Thomas Malory (based on the Vulgate Cycle, it's shorter but still long, and worse written, but definitely the basis for later/modern arthuriana). These are inaccesible bricks of reading material, I'm still slogging through Le Morte, two years later. But they're pretty much the bedrocks at the bottom of our modern arthuriana "canon" (no such thing but you know what I mean) so :///

If you want more readable later adaptations that cemented our modern arthuriana "canon", you either want Alfred Lord Tennyson's Idylls of the King or The Once and Future King by TH White.

If you want to keep reading short stories set in the Arthuriana world I recommend by personal favorite, the Wedding of Sir Gawain and Dame Ragnelle. I've also been highly recommended The Knight of the Cart by Chretien de Troyes, the introduction of Lancelot and his affair with Guinevere. Courtly love!!!

But here I defer to @queer-ragnelle they can definitely give you a better answer.

Good luck!