#merlin the most powerful sorcerer to ever walk the earth

[merlinmylove]

Merlin, who is so powerful he doesn’t need spells because his magic is instinctual

Merlin, who’s slowly been learning spells from Guius’ book but he finds them difficult and unnecessarily complicated (so he ignores it)

Merlin, who mostly just says what he wants to do and the magic within him lets it happen

Merlin, who ends up writing his own spells in the moment because he’s channeling the magic of the earth in his hands

Merlin, who is the most powerful sorcerer in the world, son of the sky and the sea, the last dragon lord, and a mamas boy

“how did you do that? what spell did you use!”

“idk man, i just wanted the mountain to move so it did”

[raviraaa]

[WIP] The Flame Alchemist AU Moodboards

[achillesuwu]

I keep writing snippets about this fic at some point I think I will accidentally write the whole thing snjsbzbsbs

[mr-and-mr-pendragon]

merlin season 6 where arthur needs to save merlin from being the corporate santa claus + children's party balloon twister

why’d my husband just send me a photo from his work christmas party being like “yeah we have a magician here rn.” what goes on in the corporate world

[gd-dollopole]

We deserved more of just Merlin

The little head tilt, the sweet voice and the tiny smile, the moment he asked Arthur:

“Don’t you?”

To Merlin, magic had always been there for everyone to see, to feel.

He is magic, after all.

For all those years, Merlin had believed what he felt was obvious, and that everyone else felt the same way. It was strange to Merlin that Arthur couldn’t understand that the forest, the animals, even the smallest, living in it, were sacred. Because life is sacred. He couldn’t grasp the reason why the knights couldn’t feel that the old Druids’ camp was haunted, and therefore didn’t believe him. He had literally heard death, and cried because of it.

“As if everything is much more than itself.”

The phrase could refer to him too. Merlin is much more than… Him.

That’s what brought his doom. He had never had the chance to truly know himself. He was either a servant, or the sorcerer of a prophecy, or a Dragonlord.

Never just him.

And in this moment we see he had missed being one with nature, breathing in the animals’ lives. He was himself again.

He was vibrating, much like anything else there living with him.

They never went deep into Merlin’s powers, they were just there for Arthur. Merlin had lost sight of what he wanted to do with them, he even forgot he was so powerful he could have overthrown Arthur himself, if he really wished to.

Merlin was the only man alive able to see Avalon.

During the knights and the king’s quest to save Gwen, Merlin met the Queen of a Queendom no one had ever even seen.

He could have killed Morgana (and did try) multiple times, although she was an High Priestess, and simply decided not to, but he had more than just the power to do so.

The Catha, the Druids bowed to him, met him in the woods, called to him.

Merlin created a telepathic connection with Arthur the first days he was in Camelot.

He survived death multiple times.

His immortality forbid him to die.

Merlin hated hunting because he could feel the animals being scared, followed; he had recognised Gwen when Morgana transformed her into a deer; he could hear the magic around him, inside objects and inside people, like a whisper, as if it was nothing; he could call lightning from the sky.

He could stop the time, or at least slow it down.

Every magical being knew him by name only. But he was not a leader, he was just different.

“Is she like me?” “No one is like you, Merlin.”

After everything he had witnessed, even Gaius knew Merlin was special and did nothing to help him understand why he was.

Merlin was the reason Aithusa was born, why Kilgharrah was free, and we were robbed of him getting to really know his powers, both as a Dragonlord and as the most powerful sorcerer to ever walk the earth.

He literally deleted himself just to be at Arthur’ side, and it hurt him. We saw it constantly. He was sad not only because everyone and everything was against him, or because he couldn’t use magic for simple tricks, but because he couldn’t really know what he could do, both as a magical being and as just Merlin.

To study his powers meant treason and death, and Merlin forbid himself to go beyond what he already knew.

His incapacity to understand, his lack of will to know, and his indecision about who he was, literally helped the fall of the great destiny he was a part of.

Merlin’s decisions, whatever he wanted them to happen or not, helped Arthur die.

Merlin’s real enemy was himself.

[chasingwhitebunnies]

AU where Morgause and Cenred kidnap Hunith instead of Elyan in S3, knowing Arthur will do anything for Merlin

They don’t understand why this small village woman seems so calm, even amused by the situation. Does she not realise what danger she is in? Her son?

But then Merlin “I love my mum” No-Last-Name A.K.A. The Most Powerful Sorcerer Ever to Walk the Earth single handedly breaks down the castle walls and takes down their guards instantly because how dare they take his mum

Honestly, that’s the magic reveal we needed

[ramblings-of-a-chaotic-neutral]

Hello everyone! I'm back with another Merlin au idea! This story was actually supposed to be a part of my fic "What to do When an Eldritch God Decides That You're Friend-Shaped", but I decided that this idea didn't really mesh well with the rest of that fic and would probably be better off as its own separate story.

And I will say, in my opinion, that this is probably one of my best au ideas yet. I had so much fun just writing this! Also, heads up, this post is going to be very long because I really love this idea! So, I hope you all enjoy! :D

In this au, which is set post-Camlann, Morgana wasn't able to take Merlin's magic away before the battle, so Merlin was able to save Arthur and defeat both Mordred and Morgana without revealing his magic. He was also able to prevent Gwaine's death since he kept Morgana preoccupied in the battle. So, Camelot is saved, and everything is great!

Except, Arthur has some questions. He knows from Morgana's furious screams during the battle that she was killed by a sorcerer named "Emrys", but Arthur never saw him. And Arthur recognized that name from when Morgana taunted him years ago by saying "Not even Emrys can save you now."

Arthur knows that he owes his kingdom and perhaps his life to this Emrys guy, but he knows nothing about him other than that he's a very powerful sorcerer, more powerful than Morgana. This frightens Arthur, as he doesn't know what Emrys wants or why he helps Arthur. For all Arthur knows, Emrys could be just biding his time to take over Camelot and was simply doing away with his competition by killing Morgana.

After things calmed down after the battle of Camlann, Arthur decides that he needs more information on Emrys. Who he is, what are his motives, how can they find him, and a million other details that Arthur needs to ensure his people's safety. He first goes to Gaius for information, but Gaius can tells him that, according to the myths of the Old Religion, Emrys is the most powerful sorcerer to ever walk the earth and is held in high regard by the druids.

Gaius's answer only heightens Arthur's alarm, as the prospect of having to fight to most powerful sorcerer ever is terrifying to him. However, he still doesn't have any good information on Emrys, so he goes to the next best source: the druids.

Thanks to Arthur making peace with the druids after promising the ghost of the young druid boy and permitting them to use their magic for peaceful purposes only, there were a couple druid camps not far from Camelot. Arthur picked the closer one and took a day to travel there alongside Merlin and a few knights in the hopes of finally getting some answers.

When they arrive at the camp, they're met with worried glances and panicked faces, but the druid elders welcome them into the camp nonetheless, offering them all a seat by their campfire and warm meal. Once they got settled and Arthur exchanged some pleasantries with Iseldir, the druid chieftain, Arthur was finally able to ask what had been plaguing him for weeks.

"Iseldir, I know that your people hold a sorcerer named Emrys in high regard, and it's come to my attention that he was responsible for Morgana's defeat at Camlann and possibly on other occasions. Please, I need to know more about him and why he's chosen to help me."

Several people froze and tensed at Arthur's questions, including Merlin. Arthur sighed internally at Merlin's usual panic. He knew that Merlin could become easily scared in the face of magic, so he should have knows that his friend wouldn't approve of Arthur actively seeking out a dangerous sorcerer.

After a short, tense pause, Iseldir clears his throat and responds.

"I'd be happy to answer some of your questions about the god of magic!"

Wait, did Arthur hear that correctly? God of magic?! Arthur, in his shock, blurted out,

"Emrys is a god?! I had heard that he was a powerful sorcerer, not some deity!"

Iseldir chuckled a bit before responding,

"Emrys is indeed the god of magic in the Old Religion, the son of the Triple Goddess herself! He is not simply the master of magic, but rather magic itself, its very incarnation!"

That... was a rather frightening prospect, and it confused Arthur even further. Why would magic itself fight against Morgana? Why take Arthur's side? And, perhaps more importantly, was Arthur going to have to fight a god in order to protect his kingdom?!

Iseldir continued before Arthur's hysterical thought could bubble up to the surface.

"As I said, I'm happy to answer your questions, but please know that there are some secrets that Emrys has entrusted our people with that we cannot divulge, and there are some truths that might be... difficult for you in particular."

Arthur frowned at Iseldir's answer, unsure of what to make of it.

"What do you mean it might be difficult for me in particular?"

Iseldir winced a bit, grimacing like he didn't know how to respond without warranting a negative response.

"Well, there are some elements of Emrys's story that intertwine with your own life in some ways that you might not expect or be ready to hear at this point. Your life and Emrys's are highly connected, King Arthur, even if you don't know the extent of it yet."

Arthur's eyes widened at this admission. His life was connected to this mysterious god of the old religion? How could that possibly be true? He had didn't even know that Emrys was a god until a few moments ago! However, as curious as he was about what Iseldir could be talking about, he had more pressing matters at hand.

"We can discuss how I am connected to Emrys later. For now, I need answers to more important questions. Why does Emrys help Camelot? What is he hoping to get out of it?"

Iseldir looked much happier to answer this question, speaking calmly with a serene smile on his face.

"Emrys had many reasons to stand against the witch. She frequently hunted down and killed more peaceful magic users who did not share her taste for vengeance and bloodshed, including our fellow druids and even the Catha, a small sect of priests of the Old Religion that followed Emrys's will. Emrys fought against Morgana to protect these followers of his from her wrath."

Arthur nodded at Iseldir's explanation. As odd as it felt to have something in common with a god of the Old Religion, he could understand very well the drive to protect his own people. If Emrys's people were also in danger because of Morgana, it made sense for him to join forces with Arthur, even if Arthur was unaware of that alliance. Seeing Arthur's understanding, Iseldir continued with his explanation.

"Emrys also fought against Morgana in order to punish her for her hubris and use of dark magic. There are certain dark arts that take the power that Emrys grants us and twist it into a horrible force, bound only by the will of its user. Such arts are expressly forbidden by Emrys, and he cannot control what sorcerers do with such magic after its been corrupted so thoroughly. Morgana frequently used such forbidden arts and claimed the title of high priestess while ignoring the will of the gods, even the one that she drew her power from. Emrys is normally slow to anger, but for such transgressions, he became furious with Morgana and sought to punish her for treason against magic itself."

Arthur understood that a little bit less, but he could also relate to Emrys's reasoning as a king who had also had to punish some of his own citizens for treason.

"I can see that Emrys stood opposed to Morgana, but does Camelot have anything to fear from him? I can understand why he might not be very forgiving towards us considering my father's actions during his reign."

To Arthur's immense relief, Iseldir shook his head slightly before providing an explanation.

"No, Camelot has nothing to fear from Emrys. He knows that not everyone in Camelot agreed with your father's actions, and he can see progress that you've made since the end of your father's reign. In fact, Emrys has assisted Camelot many times even when Morgana wasn't involved!"

Arthur reeled backwards in shock at Iseldir words. The god of magic, helping Camelot freely? Despite everything his father had done?! Iseldir's explanation forced Arthur to re-evaluate what he knew of the Old Religion.

He had always seen the Old Religion and its gods as monstrous and barbaric. However, that wasn't the case, was it? Emrys had saved the kingdom that sought to destroy him. The Disir had shown Mordred mercy, even though Arthur had rejected their offer. The White Goddess had restored Guinevere's soul at the Cauldron of Arianrhod and healed her of Morgana's curse. Were all of the gods and goddesses of the Old Religion so benevolent and kind? Had Arthur misunderstood the Old Religion for his entire life?

However, Arthur was still shocked at Emrys in particular choosing to help Camelot, supposedly with no ulterior motives besides a common enemy in Morgana. That was how Camelot had survived against such odds? How could it be that magic itself was on their side?!

As Arthur looked at Iseldir again however, he noticed that the druid chieftain's face had pulled into a grimace again. Arthur certainly knew that look, he had seen it on the faces of his council members frequently.

"There's something that you aren't telling me, isn't there? I know that there are some things that you may be hesitant to divulge, but please, I must know everything I can about Emrys, for the safety of my kingdom."

Iseldir paused again, sighing deeply. He sat still for a moment, as if pondering how to proceed.

"Truthfully, there is another reason why Emrys assisted you, but it involves what I spoke of earlier, wen I said that your life and Emrys's are connected in ways that you may not expect. I am willing to tell you such things, but these truths might be hard for you to hear."

Arthur leaned forward, his curiosity piqued again.

"I have learned many uncomfortable truths about my own life through the years, so I will ask you: how could my life be connected to the god of magic?"

Iseldir nodded at Arthur's words and began speaking with a serious, nearly grim, voice.

"I assume that you are familiar with how life is exchanged in the practice of the Old Religion? For any life give, a life must be taken."

Arthur flinched backwards at Iseldir's words, already recognizing what topic was about to be brought up. He had come to terms with the truth of his birth years ago, but hearing it again didn't make it any easier. Blinking back tears, Arthur responded.

"Yes, I... I know. I'm aware that my father made a deal with the priestess Nimueh to secure an heir, and I know that my mother was the one who paid the price in the end."

Arthur heard quiet gasps coming from the knights around him, while Merlin silently put a comforting hand on Arthur's shoulder. Iseldir, after a moment, continued with his explanation.

"You are correct in your understanding, however, there is one part of the story that you are unaware of."

Arthur jolted in shock at Iseldir's words. There was more to the story of his birth? Frantically, Arthur started asking questions.

"What do you mean? What haven't I been told?"

Iseldir patiently and softly answered Arthur's questions, trying to soften the crushing revelation that he was about to tell Arthur.

"The balance of life and death is at the very core of the Old Religion. However, it is not the power of creation. The power over life and death was used by the high priestesses to resurrect and bring life to someone who has already passed. To magically create a new life, a new soul, from nothing is an act of creation, something that takes far more power than manipulating the balance of life and death. An act of creation takes the power of a god."

"I... I don't understand. What are you trying to tell me?"

"I am sorry that you had to find out this way, King Arthur. But in order to successfully ensure that your mother and father had an heir, Nimueh called upon the power of her patron god: Emrys."

This time, it was Arthur was gasped in shock at this information, hysteria rising in him once again.

"Are you telling me that Emrys was responsible for my very creation?! That it was his power that created me?!"

"More than that, I'm afraid. To create your soul, Emrys did more than just weave his own power into a life. He cut out a shard of his own soul and breathed life into it, thus creating you. While we don't know his reasons for doing so, Emrys created you from a part of his own being."

Arthur felt like his breath had just been punched out of him. What... what did this mean?!

Iseldir must have seen his panic, and further clarified.

"In the eyes of the gods, this made Emrys your true creator and, in the eyes of the magical world, your father."

At those words, Arthur stopped breathing entirely. Unbeknownst to Iseldir, who kept going with his explanation, Arthur entire worldview was collapsing in on itself.

Magic itself was his father?! What did that even mean?!

And oh god was he even a Pendragon? Did he even have a legitimate claim to the throne of Camelot?!

Arthur's panic was so strong that he could barely feel how Merlin's supportive hand on his shoulder was now clenching hard enough to bruise.

(Meanwhile, inside Merlin's panicking mind: WTF??! Oh shit I owed HOW MUCH to Uther Pendragon in child support?! Am I a deadbeat dad to my own best friend??)

"This is why you triumphed over any foe, magical or otherwise. Emrys forbade any magic from truly harming you, and he rose to protect you when you needed him. He will always fight by your side, as you are, in many ways, a part of him."

Iseldir paused, now noticing Arthur's hyperventilating.

"I assume that you have many questions following this news. Please, feel free to ask anything, there's no need to be scared by this!"

Arthur took a deep breath and tried to keep from laugh hysterically. No need to be scared?! His entire life had just been turned on its head!

"If... if Emrys is my true father, what about Uther? Do I even have a claim to my throne?"

"Ah, there's no need to worried about that. While Emrys might be your father in terms of your soul, Uther is still your father in terms of blood. Do not fret, King Arthur, you are still of Pendragon blood and have every rightful claim to your throne."

Arthur calmed down a bit at Iseldir's words, breathing much easier now. This explained so many things about Arthur's life, how he had survived in situations that he by all means shouldn't have. Still, he had many questions for Iseldir.

"If I am truly the son of magic itself, am I even human, or am I some sort of demigod?"

At this question, Iseldir shook his head.

"That, I truly do not know. I'm sorry, but I don't think anyone knows the answer to that question except for Emrys himself."

Finally, an idea occurred to Arthur. He stiffened as he blurted out,

"Can I speak with him then? Is there any way to summon him?"

As soon as the idea took root in Arthur's mind, he couldn't get it out. Emrys had to have been looking out for Arthur for many years now, using his power to protect him. This notion of having a secret father who had been caring for him for years almost felt like having a second chance.

Arthur never had the relationship with Uther that he wanted. There was no affection, no bonding, and no comfort to be found there. Only expectations and demands.

But Emrys had apparently been helping Arthur for years with no expectations and no demands. Arthur had fantasized as a young boy about what it would have been like to have a kind, caring father, the kind he saw doting on their children in the marketplace. Now, it almost seemed like he had another chance of having a father, one who truly cared about him!

So naturally, Arthur wanted to meet him! Both the druids and the knights look slightly confused at Arthur's excited outburst about wanting to meet Emrys, but the druids tell him that they have everything that they need to perform a summoning ritual, but they'd need some time to set it up.

Arthur asks if they can set it up for him, and they nod and walk away to begin preparations. Meanwhile, Merlin and the knights ask Arthur if he's just lost his mind. They know that this must be shocking for him, but does he need to summon a god?!

Merlin shows the most vocal opposition to Arthur's plan, saying that they still don't even know if they can trust Emrys. All they have to go on is the word of the druids, and they seem pretty biased in Emrys's favor.

Arthur smiles and tells Merlin that he appreciates his protectiveness, but this is something that Arthur needs to do. He needs this closure, this chance to connect with his last living parent.

Arthur does take Merlin's concerns into consideration though, and orders for his men to leave the camp and take Merlin with them, so they're far away and protected if Emrys turns out to be untrustworthy.

(As the knights drag a struggling Merlin away, Merlin is frantically talking with Iseldir in his mind about what the summoning ritual entails and what it looks like. If he magically pops up next to Arthur right as Arthur does a ritual to summon Emrys, even Arthur would be able to put two and two together!

Luckily, Iseldir informs him that the summoning ritual will summon his soul, not his body, and Arthur wouldn't be able to recognize him. Still, Merlin tried to talk the druids out of the ritual, because Merlin doesn't want his soul to get yanked out of his body! But there was little that the druids could do with Arthur insisting on the ritual.)

After preparing the materials for the ritual, the druids take Arthur back into a tent to get him ready. Arthur's heart pounded in his chest with both excitement and fear as the druids walked him through what he had to do.

First, they gave him some plain but comfortable robes to change in to. They explained that Emrys preferred his followers to come to him in the garments of peace, not war, so his armor, chainmail, and weapons would have to be left in the tent.

After changing into the robes, Arthur felt strangely both vulnerable and comforted. As the druids rubbed some flowery smelling oil into his arms and then led him to a small wooden altar, Arthur couldn't help comparing this experience to approaching Uther.

Whenever he was meeting with his father, Arthur was expected to show no weakness, no flaws. He had to look the part of the warrior prince, trained since birth and hardened by battle. However, here with Emrys, Arthur was dressed in comfortable clothes and told to simply ask for Emrys's presence before the altar. He didn't need a sacrifice or penance or any sort of challenge to summon Emrys. All that the druids told him was to "call for him, and Emrys will answer."

Placing one hand gently on the wooden surface of the intricately carved altar, Arthur cleared his throat wetly before saying aloud to the empty space in front of him,

"Emrys, I'm... I'm not sure if you're here, but I'm your- your son, Arthur. You probably know me already, though, since you've been helping me and protecting me for a long time now. I- I wanted to thank you for your help. So, I would appreciate it if you could appear, so I could meet you and thank you in person."

There, Arthur thought that was a pretty good introduction! This was his first time meeting his new father, so he needed to make a good first impression!

Arthur stood, awkwardly shifting on his feet as he tried to push down his disappointment with each passing moment that Emrys did not appear. Maybe Arthur did it wrong? Maybe Emrys hadn't heard him? Or maybe Emrys had heard him, but was disappointed in Arthur and deemed him a weak son, just like Uther had?

As Arthur tried to swallow down his hurt, suddenly, there was a bright flash of light above the altar. It was so bright that Arthur had to throw his hand in front of his eyes and turn away, but his heart leapt at the sight.

Was this it?! Was he about to meet his creator and have another chance at having a father?

As soon as he could, Arthur lowered his hand and opened his eyes, anxiously awaiting his first glimpse at Emrys! As the light died down, Arthur was able to make out the outline of something...

As the light slowly dwindled, Arthur could see a bright, glowing ball of golden light, very similar to the one that had saved him from that cave so many years ago, floating above the altar. His eyes widened as he realized what, or more likely who, this light must be.

Emrys was a god after all, Arthur really shouldn't have assumed that he'd look like a human. The god of magic taking a human form, what a crazy idea!

Taking a deep breath to compose himself, Arthur called out to the light.

"Emrys? Is that you?"

At his words, the light floated down from the altar until it was hovering right in front of Arthur, an arm's reach away. Arthur fought the urge to reach out and touch the light, just to see if it was real and not just a product of his own wishful thinking.

After a couple seconds, the ball of light flashed, and Arthur heard what sounded like multiple voices coming from it, speaking in unison.

"Hello Arthur. I'm so glad to finally be able to meet you. I am Emrys."

(Elsewhere, Merlin mentally patted himself on the back for making his soul-self sound sufficiently inhuman and speak in a manner that was completely unlike his usual self. Arthur couldn't possibly figure his identity out now!)

Arthur let out a sound that was something between a joyful laugh and a sob. Emrys actually came! Clearing his throat, Arthur tried to calm down his excitement and nerves and put on his best diplomat voice. He needed to start off strong here!

"I'm glad that we could meet as well. It's come to my attention that I have many things to thank you for, including Camelot's victory over Morgana in our latest battle. You might have saved all of Camelot, and I owe you a debt of gratitude."

Emrys silently floated in place for a moment, making Arthur sweat with nervousness. Had he already blown his one chance of having a caring parent?

Finally, Emrys's... orb body (what else was Arthur supposed to call it?!) glowed again and spoke with his multiple voices overlapping in harmony.

"You do not owe me anything, Arthur. There are no debts between us. We are family, tied together by our very souls. You never have to feel indebted to me for protecting you and Camelot. I do it not for a reward or recognition, but because I care for you."

Arthur's eyes misted over as he took in Emrys's words. How many times had he wished to hear anything like that from Uther? How many nights had he lied awake wondering what unconditional love from a parent would feel like?

As tears started silently rolling down Arthur's face, Emrys drifted closer to him. Arthur was startled by this move and didn't really know how to respond. Hesitantly, he lifted his hands to ball of light, unsure of what to do.

Slowly, the light moved towards Arthur's outreached hands. Arthur almost expected to flinch back upon contact, but instead, when his hands finally touched the ball of light itself, he was only met with a warm, comforting sensation, and he instantly relaxed and leaned into it. The only thing he could compare it to were those warm hugs that Merlin gave him whenever he felt down, which he would never admit to Merlin that he enjoyed.

Arthur gently guided the light closer, until he was hugging it against his chest and that wonderful warm fuzzy feeling was spreading through his entire body. Arthur wondered if this counted as getting a hug from his father, and then immediately decided that the answer was yes. And his new father apparently gave very good hugs.

Arthur stayed with Emrys for several more minutes, until the sun was setting. From there, Emrys told him that he had spent too much time in the mortal realm and couldn't hold his form for much longer without taking time to rest. Panicking, Arthur asked if he would be able to see Emrys again, he couldn't lose his new father so soon after meeting him!

Emrys reassured him that they'd see each other again soon and that he'd be by Arthur's side the whole time, even if Arthur couldn't see him. Comforted by this news, Arthur bid his new father farewell, and the ball of light slowly dissipated.

Arthur then returned to Merlin and his knights, who had a million questions for Arthur. Arthur answered their burning questions as best he could, and they were relieved to see that Arthur was safe and not scarred by the experience of talking to the god of magic.

The next day, they returned to Camelot, and Arthur soon realized that even if he couldn't see Emrys himself, he could certainly the effects that Emrys had on the world around him.

Arthur never fell sick, his rooms were never too hot or too cold, his muscles were never sore from training, his attackers that snuck into the castle never managed to land a hit on him, his kingdom's crops prospered, and a million other things went right in Arthur's life, and for the very first time, Arthur understood.

Magic loved him. And, more importantly, his father loved him.

And it didn't escape other people's notice either. He had told the knights that he had brought with him to the druid camp to not discuss the revelation of his relationship to Emrys, but one knight got drunk at the tavern and told his friend, and someone overheard, and now everyone in the kingdom had heard the news that King Arthur was apparently the son of a god.

The fact that Arthur had secretly prayed for Emrys's help when Gaius reported about a deadly plague in the lower town, only for Emrys to immediately appear again as a ball of light in the middle of a council meeting in front of dozens of witnesses didn't help Arthur keep it a secret either.

(Meanwhile, Merlin hears all of Arthur's prayers for Emrys. He's able to take care of most of Arthur's concerns just as Merlin, but a very powerful/emotional prayer from Arthur actually summons him in his "Emrys" form, leading to some awkward moments, but he makes it work for Arthur's sake.)

On the bright side of Arthur's heritage being revealed, other kingdoms were now much more open to peaceful negotiations and trade deals.

And on one occasion where a very foolish king tried to declare war on Arthur, the enemy king's army only made it a hundred yards of Camelot's forces before the earth itself broke open into a wide chasm that started swallowing the leaders of the enemy army whole. No one was stupid enough to attempt an attack on Camelot after that.

Life goes on like this for about a year, until Arthur catches Merlin using magic for some mundane purpose. Arthur is shocked of course, but magic has been legal for a while now. When he questions Merlin on where he learned magic from, Merlin stammers and says "Well... uh, Emrys..."

Arthur cut Merlin off, yelling because apparently his father was teaching Merlin magic behind his back?! What was that about!

Merlin then decides to take this misunderstanding and roll with it, because there's no way in hell that he's looking Arthur in the eyes and telling him that he's actually Arthur's magical father.

Merlin spins a story about how Emrys had been slowly teaching Merlin magic so Merlin could help Arthur out and always have someone nearby with magic to protect him! Arthur accepts this story, but is secretly a little bit jealous. How come Emrys chose to teach Merlin magic and not his own son?

After Arthur asks Emrys about this, Emrys apologizes to Arthur, saying that he didn't know if Arthur would be interested. He then starts trying to teach Arthur magic (to pretty much no success). To further apologize to Arthur, Emrys gives him a gift! Emrys had apparently heard about how Uther had forbidden Arthur from having a pet as a child despite Arthur begging for one, so Emrys decided to remedy this by giving Arthur a baby dragon to take care of and to train to protect Camelot.

Everyone else is alarmed by this, but Arthur is almost moved to tears because he loves the little dragon so much already!

And this au is already wayyyy too long, so I'll cut it off there! I'm tempted to call this the "Arthur gets catfished into a healthy parental relationship" au lol!

I hope you all enjoyed this au! Sorry about it being longer than usual, but I had a lot that I wanted to write about this au idea! And if you want to see even more of this au, feel free to let me know if you'd like a continuation!

And, as always, thank you for reading through my (very long) ramblings! :D

[overlyspecific]

Part 6 of Merlin Hood

Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 7, Part 8, Part 9, Part 10, Part 11, Part 12

Still in the past at Merlin’s magic trial, next part will be back to the present!

The first thing Merlin notices when he wakes up is that it’s daylight. He should have waken Arthur up hours ago, but somethings not right. Merlin knows he didnt need to wake Arthur up today for some reason, but what was the reason?

Uther: Merlin of Ealdor, you stand accused of using magic and treason to the crown. What do you have to say for yourself?

Oh, that’s right, its because Merlin is to be put to death today.

Uther: Well, do you have anything to say?

Merlin: *mumbles under his breath*

Uther: *angry* What was that?

Merlin: I said, ‘What makes me any different?’

Uther: 😡 What?

Merlin: Its just that you’ve murdered thousands of sorcerers and magical beings and never listened to them. What makes me any different?

Arthur: Merlin!

Merlin: No, Arthur, I’m already going to die, no thanks to you. I’d like to finally get the answers to questions I’ve been silent about my whole life.

Arthur looks at Merlin with a look on his face between apologetic and confused. Merlin has always found that look adorable, but under the current circumstances he has to look away. Arthur cant save him now.

Uther: You said you have your questions. I am willing to hear your last remarks. Ask away but do not expect any answers.

Merlin: Great! First question, when you decided to keep the last great dragon under the castle, did you do that just so he could torture me with half truths and vague prophecies or did he decide to do that on his own?

Uther: The great dragon?

Merlin: From the look on your face, I’m going to take that as a no and that you maybe didnt even know he could talk. Next question: the law says its illegal to ‘study and practice magic’ if I didnt study it, but just practiced it, would it still be a death sentence or could I be let off with a time served kind of deal?

Gauis: Merlin!

Merlin: What! I’m gonna die anyway, might as well see if there is any leniency.

Uther: So, you admit to practicing magic, then? Guards, take the prisoner to the pyre! I dont want to hear another word.

Merlin: *smiling a little too wide to be friendly* …And here I thought you actually wanted to hear me out. *Merlin shakes his head* Oh, Uther, you see, I don’t just practice magic. I am magic.

As the guards approach Merlin from all sides, he snaps his fingers and disappears.

Uther: Find him!

Merlin: *appears right behind Arthur* Arthur.

Arthur: *spins around too quickly in fright and tumbles into Merlin, who catches him* Ahh!

Merlin: *smiling while trying to keep Arthur upright* I don’t have much time.

Uther: There! *points at Merlin* Get away from my son!

Merlin: *takes off his neckerchief* If you ever need me for any reason, *starts to hand the neckerchief to Arthur, but Arthur doesn’t take it* seriously, Arthur, I’m trying to have a heartfelt moment here, you utter prat.

Arthur: *starts to smile at the insult, but quickly hides it with his blank princely expression* Merlin, you have to leave.

Merlin: That’s what I’m trying to do! *hastily ties the neckerchief around Arthurs wrist* If you need me, leave that in the darkling woods and I’ll be there as soon as I can.

Merlin jumps onto the throne that Uther vacated when Merlin vanished.

Merlin: People of Camelot! I will not die at the hands of King Uther in his unjust war on magic. I am Emrys, the most powerful warlock to ever walk the Earth. The Once and Future king is the only one I serve. I will be back when he reigns. Until then, however… *Merlin looks directly at Uther* …I’m going to make your life a very difficult. *turns to Gwen and Morgana* If anyone needs me I’m only a call away. *Merlin snaps his fingers and disappears again*

In Merlin’s absence, flowers fill the room and nobody says a word just staring at the flowers around them completely covering the floor.

Morgana: *picks up a flower and puts it in Gwen’s hair* Beautiful.

Gwen: *smiles, before creasing her eyes in worry* Do you think he’ll be alright?

Morgana: *looking over at Arthur who is staring solemnly at the neckerchief tied around his wrist* I’ll think he’ll be just fine.

[onceandfuturelesbian]

*council arguing why arthur shouldn’t marry merlin*

merlin, over the loud bickering: if i may add something

*everyone quiets down, looking at him with irritation, arthur with curiosity*

merlin: as i’m the court sorcerer, you know i have magic, but you do not know everything.

merlin: the druids refer to me as emrys, the most powerful sorcerer to walk the earth, literally magic incarnate.

merlin, ignoring the shocked stares: not only does that make me immortal, it makes me the closest thing the druids have to a king. to sum it up for you, arthur would not be marrying his former servant or camelot’s court sorcerer, he would be marrying the king of magic.

*council is dead quiet*

arthur, smiling deadly at his betrothed: and why, merlin, am i only hearing about this now?

merlin, shrugging, not at all phased by arthur’s poorly disguised irritation: wasn’t relevant until now.

arthur, shookened by the fact that he’s basically engaged to a god: WASN’T RELE-

arthur: y’know what? nevermind. *turns to face the council*

arthur: so as you can see, you need not be concerned with our betrothal, council dismissed.

cue the council scurrying out of the room like a herd of sheep, arthur just being exasperated with merlin (and a little awestruck but don’t tell merlin that)

king arthur and king merlin lived happily ever after

the end

[earlgreyinpajamas]

Hey! Do you have some Merthur fics where its either Drunk!Merlin or Drunk!Arthur

Thank youu

If You Wish by justiceformerthur

Looking back, Arthur wonders what it means that he’s been doing and saying things from the start solely for the sake of seeing what they do to Merlin’s face.

~~~

this is the third part to a series, and i highly recommend reading the previous two parts bc the pining is chefs kiss

2. Dare by justiceformerthur

The first time it happens, Arthur does it in front of all their friends.

~~~

there is a little bit of drunk arthur in here and surprisingly arthur is the one who figures out his feelings first

3. At Arm’s Length by sirencalls (@naydran)

“I’m sorry, there must be a mistake.” Uther furrows his brows. “That is my son’s manservant.”

“This is Emrys, the most powerful sorcerer who will ever walk the earth. It is our deepest honor to be able to offer his hand to your son.”

“Merlin?” Arthur asks, looking across the hall. Merlin looks the palest and the smallest Arthur has ever seen him. He looks like a scared animal that knows it’s about to be trapped, and that’s when it clicks for Arthur that no part of this is a joke. None of it. “Merlin, what are they talking about?”

~~~

there is a drunk!arthur scene here and honestly this fic just slaps so hard you have to read it

[starrieisdelusional]

uther erased merlin

merthur au where uther finds out that merlin is the most powerful sorcerer ever walked on earth and he decided to not only kill him but literally erased his existence (using magic) so that no one remembers him.

But arthur remembers and everyone thought he went crazy for being obsessed with someone who doesn’t exist.

So in this story, arthur tried everything in his power to reverse the curse, but it’s not as simple as exchanging a life for a life like what the cup of life does because merlin doesn’t exist

perhaps what happened to arthur can be the price that uther payed for erasing merlin, or maybe it’s also because of something else

[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.

[hoopoo09]

Just a reminder that 9 times out of 10 Merlin doesn't actually NEED to cast a spell to do magic. For pretty much every other magic user in the show it's the other way around, they can do some nonverbal magic but usually need spells to accomplish most things. But for Merlin the spells seems to be more of a way for him to harness his magic and once he learns a skills he no longer needs to cast a spell.

take making fires for example in the early season he'd say a spell and something would catch fire, but in the later seasons he can just make it happen.

Also remember that Gaius was shocked in the first episode when he learned Merlin could do magic without casting spells

And I think that shows that he truly is the most powerful Sorcerer to have ever walked the earth.

[lightasthesun]

I wish merlin had had more BAMF moments. More 'most powerful sorcerer to ever walk the earth' and 'magic itself' moments. Like when he slams his hand on the ground to save Arthur in 5x05? and creates a goddamn earthquake. We should have gotten more scenes like that like I'm so serious. We didn't get to see merlin at his full potential even after he walked out the crystal cave in dotd and had seemingly accessed the height of his power in the battle. Like!!!! MAD

[startledstoat]

Arthur's disbelief when gaius said merlin was the most powerful sorcerer to ever walk the earth was so funny bc merlin had the same reaction when he was told that Arthur would be the greatest king the world ever had.

(but anyone try to imply there was king or sorcerer that was better than them and there would be bloodshed)

[thedeadestartist]

To Kill Magic Itself

Fic inspired by prompt by @obsessionrepression

"Kind of want a fic of Arthur being sent on a quest to kill Magic itself, the god of magic, the most powerful sorcerer to walk the Earth, Emrys, and Merlin is just standing in the background sweating Ok, so maybe Uther hears from some captive druids about Emrys and how he’s magic itself, god of magic, so on so forth. So obviously, to get rid of magic in the world, this Emrys guy has to be killed! So Uther sends Arthur on a quest to get rid of magic once and for all, and of course, Merlin is along for the ride. This could be a pretty cool concept and magic reveal I think. I’m no good at writing though so please someone write this"

5.5k words

You can also read it on ao3 if you prefer, here.

“Please, I don’t have much time before the guards return,” Merlin pleaded.

Yet still, the young man did not move an inch. From behind the iron bars, Merlin could see the boy he firmly grasped to his body. 

Uther must have threatened to kill the druid’s son.

“You’re right,” squeaked a small muffled voice.

“Hush now, Arawn,” the father spoke quickly. And then he shifted slightly, turning his hooded face further away from Merlin.  “After what I have done, I cannot dare to look upon you, Emrys.”

“Then I won’t ask you to look at me, but please, I need to know.”

“I did what I had to do and-

“And I forgive you! Now, come on, I am begging you. Tell me what it is that Uther knows!”

The man in the cell clasped the boy in his arms ever tighter. Merlin steeled his heart.

“You, Emrys. He knows how to find you. He thinks you are the source of all magic. He thinks that if he kills you, he kills it all.”

“But how will he know how to find me?”

“I gave him an ancient device - the Argannwyf. It traces the strongest magic. I’m sorry, Emrys,” the man started to sob. “He promised to leave me and my family in peace.”

Merlin felt a scream burning in his throat but, instead, bit his tongue. All of this time, despite every close call, he had managed to hide his greatest secret from Arthur. But now, because of someone else…

“It’s okay,” he said in a hushed tone. “I forgive you, so please- when you escape from here, never come back. Live safe and free.”

The druid finally looked up at him, his eyes wet.

“Thank you, Emrys. You are the very best of us all.”

A distant shuffle prompted Merlin to quickly scramble to his feet and hastily turn back to his quarters. As he left, he turned back one last time and saw the druid’s son staring after him. The young child was too far away to hear, but Merlin could tell it was surely some words  of desperate gratitude. And pity.

…..

In the Physician’s chambers, Gaius listened to the young warlock's account of the druid’s statement in patient silence. When the young man had finished, he stared solemnly at the boy he had come to love as a son. Then he started,

“Merlin, you have to listen to me very carefully. If what the druid has said is true, you are in the most danger you have ever been in. What he has offered to Uther is incredibly powerful, and will expose you instantly, to Arthur, to everyone.”

The young man’s breath caught in his throat. He was no stranger to the threat of being revealed, but it sent a shock down his spine every time. To lose Arthur, his home with Gauis, the friends he had across Camelot…

He would argue it was a fate worse than death.

“So what do I do then?” he said quickly. “There must be a way out of this, surely, Gaius?”

Gaius’ brows furrowed as he rapidly attempted to recall the vast years of knowledge he had accumulated. There must have been something in all those books he had committed to memory before he was forced to burn them. Some way out of this trap that had been set before them.

“I don’t know,” he said finally. “At least not right now. I’m sure I will think of something by the setting of the sun but until I do… Merlin, prepare yourself for a worst case scenario.”

And once those chilling words, a heavy knock resounded from their door. There was a pause and then a servant boy entered.

“Court Physician, sir? And Merlin too? The King has summoned you both for an important announcement. He demands your presence.”

Gaius nodded quickly, “Thank you, boy. Run along, we’ll be right after you to the Council Chamber.”

The boy nodded and vanished as quickly as he appeared.

Merlin trembled slightly, and asked hurriedly, “Gaius, they haven’t used it already! Surely?!”

“I really doubt that, Merlin,” Gaius answered. “The Argannwyf and other magic tracing devices must be charged by magic first. The druid probably promised to do so upon the day of his release, to ensure Uther keeps his word. Well, at least, we must hope so. Let’s go find out.”

…..

Uther was filled with complete and utter glee. Everyone in the Council Chamber, from anxious Merlin to the servants pouring the wine could taste it in the air. If the situation weren’t so dire for Merlin, perhaps he would feel just as at ease as the rest of the council members. But instead, he felt as if he was being marched towards his death. 

The only one, it seemed, who dared to sour the mood, was the beloved prince of camelot.

“My dear council!” Uther exclaimed, a little tipsy from the numerous chalices of wine he had downed. “Our fight will finally have been won!”

Arthur turned sharply at the King’s words and exclaimed, “But, father, are you sure we can even trust them!” 

Uther solemnly clasped his hands together before he answered. The question had already circled around his head many times since the druid had spoken. But this opportunity was too good to pass up; a way to rid his kingdom of magic, once and for all? They had to at least try.

“My boy, it would serve you well to remember what our greatest enemy is - what it always has been. We must cleanse our kingdom of magic, no matter the cost. Besides, even if the druid has lied to us and magic in its entirety does not die with that sorcerer, there is one less sorcerer to bring downfall upon Camelot. The most powerful sorcerer on this Earth! That’s worth the quest to kill him, is it not?”

The Prince grimaced and asked another question, “What if it’s a trap? To tempt me away from the castle and launch an attack with some other druids hiding in the shadows!”

Uther laughed heartily.

“Then, Prince Arthur, I would defend my kingdom as I have successfully done for the past 50 years as its King.”

Then he motioned to Gaius, standing beside him.

“And even then, Gaius has assured me that if indeed the druid and his Emrys-seeking device are nothing but a desperate man’s attempt to save himself and his family from the pyre, then he would die according to the rules of his own magic.”

“Unlike other sorcerers, the ways of the Old Magic are absolute,” Gaius ad libbed. “When a druid takes an oath, it must be honoured - or death dealt. There is no trickery when it comes to the oaths of the Old Magic.”

When Uther had revealed that the druid had ‘sworn’ the device would work upon being granted freedom, Gaius had quickly spun a lie that a druid’s word was absolute. For now, it was important that the druid’s sacrifice would not have been one made in vain.

“Well, there you have it, my son. Prepare to ride with your knights in two days time. If the druid is still alive, then he must be telling the truth. And we will never have to live in fear again, once you’ve disposed of this… Emrys. You are dismissed.”

Arthur gritted his teeth and turned on his heel.

“Merlin, escort me to my chambers,” he ordered as he exited the doors of the Council Chamber.

And just before the heavy doors swung closed, Merlin slipped through behind him.

“Are you okay, Arthur?” Merlin asked cautiously, though he couldn’t help but find it incredibly ironic that he was having to ask such a question when he himself was trembling in fear.

Arthur did not answer and continued stomping his way to his personal chambers, throwing open the doors.

“Arthur?” Merlin prodded.

As the door shut itself behind him, Arthur turned to look at his servant.

“Merlin, what I am about to tell you must not leave this room. Do you understand?”

The young man nodded quickly.

His prince sighed.

“Merlin, do you think what my father said is true? That if we kill this one sorcerer, all the magic in the kingdom will be gone also?” He asked earnestly.

“I–”

“And be honest, Merlin. Don't treat this question as if I am a prince. Pretend we're both peasants or something.”

“I don't think you'd be a great peasant Arthur if I'm hone–”

“Merlin! Just answer the question. Please.”

“I don't know, sire.”

“Yeah, I don't either.”

Arthur collapsed into his chair, his hands over his face.

The two men sat in silence for a few moments.

“All my life, my father has sent me on these countless conquests to vanquish magic. Yet magic persists.”

The Prince sat up, folding his arms upon his desk and laying his head upon them. Even though Merlin couldn't see it, he could perfectly picture the tired expression on Arthur's face. Uther was growing old, and Arthur was growing tired of his father refusing to acknowledge so. All of the quests he was sent on, felt like just another excuse to postpone allowing Arthur to ascend to the throne. And it wasn't as if he was desperate for it. He just knew that his father needed to rest and that he, himself, had to learn how to lead and rule.

“Besides, is it really right to go hunting for someone who has not attacked us first?” Arthur pondered aloud. “What if this guy, the most powerful magic sorcerer in the world, has been choosing to be peaceful? What if our attack unleashes a greater threat to Camelot? What then?”

Merlin stood perfectly still. The Prince’s thoughts were words he so desperately craved. If Arthur were in power, would he be a better King than Uther? Surely he would, he did not have Uther's hardened heart. And with the words he spoke just now, there was opportunity for peace with all users of magic. Peace for Merlin. It sounded almost too good to be true.

“Arthur, I–”

But Merlin's words were interrupted by a soft knock at the door.

“Sire, may I request Merlin's presence?” Gaius’ voice spoke through the wood.

Arthur dismissed Merlin with a wave, without even raising his head from the desk.

“Merlin, don't forget we're leaving in two days,” he mumbled as his servant walked away. “Make sure to have everything we need packed by then.”

“Yes, my lord,” Merlin spoke as he softly closed the door behind him.

…..

Back in the Physician’s quarters, Merlin drew in a long deep breath. He had been pacing around the room since Gaius had explained the plan.

“And you’re sure it’ll work?” he repeated for the seventh time. “My life is on the line here, Gaius.”

“I can’t be completely sure until you’ve done the spell and Uther activates the device, but it’s your best chance,” his mentor answered.

“Then what are we waiting for?” Merlin spoke. “Let’s do it, right now.”

“But, Merlin. Be aware that this type of magic is very risky. It is not to be taken lightly,” Gaius warned.

The young man stopped pacing and looked at the old man.

“I know. But like you said, this is my best chance.”

“Then I'll gather the ingredients and prepare the potion, while you check the incantation and process in the book,” Gaius nodded.

In theory, the plan was simple enough. The book provided a guide to a spell on how to split one’s magic. If Merlin could split his magic and the stronger part were placed elsewhere, it would lead them away from the castle. Somewhere far enough for Merlin to either have the device ‘accidentally’ break or find some other way to convince Arthur that killing the strongest sorcerer would not bring down all magic. Either way, he needed to buy enough time for the druid and his son to get out of Camelot.

In reality, both Merlin and Gaius knew it was not so easy. There was no guarantee that it would work at all. And if it did, there were other complications. Magic outside the body must be bound to a complete physical object or it would naturally return to its sorcerer. How would he get the separated part of his magic far enough in time, before they had to leave? What if someone else found the object and took it, or broke it? What if without his full force of magic, Merlin was unable to protect Arthur during a surprise attack on the expedition?

“Merlin,” Gaius spoke softly, shaking the man from his thoughts. “The potion is ready.”

“Let's do this then,” Merlin smiled nervously.

The Physician pulled a locket from his pocket and placed it on the table before the most powerful sorcerer to have ever lived.

“This is a locket that my mother passed on to me before she died. She always said it brought her luck, and I think you need that more than me,” Gaius spoke. “You can bind your magic to this, and bury it as far from as you can before you leave.”

Merlin picked it up and felt the coolness of the metal through his fingertips.

“Thank you, Gaius,” he said.

With a nod, Gaius handed the potion to Merlin, who downed the liquid in one swig. Once the contents had reached his stomach, the sorcerer spoke the incantation and the locket glowed a fiery red. It burned so hot that both men could feel the heat on their faces. It glowed brighter and brighter, blue and then white, and then– 

It was over. The locket looked just as it had before. But when Merlin took it in his hands, this time he could feel the fast pulse of magic.

“I think it worked,” he said cautiously.

“Then you must go now. Bury it and be back before you're due to leave, quickly,” Gaius urged.

“Thank you, Gaius,” Merlin said, “Not just for this, but for all you've done for me.”

“You are very welcome, my boy,” Gaius smiled, pushing a bag of food into Merlin's hands and ushering him through the door. “Now go, and be safe.”

…..

“Where is Merlin!” Arthur demanded. “We’re supposed to leave in an hour and he's nowhere to be seen!”

“Maybe he ran off, your majesty,” Gwaine grinned. “We're trying to kill the most powerful sorcerer. He probably just didn't want to run to his death.”

“We're not going to die,” Arthur muttered. “I've fought many sorcerers before and I'm still alive.”

“Yeah, but none of them were the most powerful, were they?”

“Sir Gwaine?”

“Yes, my lord?”

“Shut up.”

“Yes, my lord.”

At the close of that exchange, the door to the Knight’s quarters flung open. And Merlin appeared, doubled over out of breath.

“There you are, Merlin, you useless servant,” Arthur said, anger flooding his voice and drowning the hint of relief in his tone. “Where have you been these past few days! I couldn't find you anywhere!”

“Oh, you can't have been looking for me that hard if you couldn't find me anywhere,” Merlin grinned mischievously, ducking away just in time to avoid a swipe from Arthur. “Besides, I was doing what you told me. Everything's packed, the horses are all ready, we can leave at your word.”

“Oh,” Arthur frowned. “But it surely can't have taken you that long, why weren't you there when I needed you for other things?” 

“What other things?” Gwained piped up. He did not avoid the incoming punch to the shoulder from Arthur.

“Nothing. Gather the knights, Gwaine. We leave now,” the Prince declared.

Arthur swiftly left the quarters, Merlin right behind him like a shadow.

“Yes, my lord,” Gwaine shouted after him, rolling his eyes. “Okay, men, let's get ready to ride!”

…..

At the gates of the Castle, Uther held the device high as he spoke to Arthur and his knights as they were due to depart. 

“With a drop of the druid’s blood, this device will activate and we will finally be able to defeat magic forever. This is the end of an era, and the rise of a new one. A new era in which no one ever had to live in fear of magic again!”

To the knights, the device looked quite small in Uther’s hands. It was circular, and no bigger than the circumference of a quiver. 

Uther handed the device to the druid, who used a sharp rock to slice the tip of his finger. Once a drop of his blood fell upon the device, the shallow carvings upon it lit up and reformed into an arrow, pointing vaguely south.

“As we have agreed,” Uther spoke firmly to the druid, “you are now free. But you are never welcome in Camelot, so leave and never return.”

“Thank you, for your generosity, your highness,” the druid said, his head bowed low to hide his gritted teeth. “I swear, you will never see me or my son again.”

As Uther left to pass the device to his son, the druid hastily sped down the stairs - child in arms - and rushed through the open gates. 

As he passed Merlin, he whispered, “May the stars protect you, Emrys.”

Arthur swung himself up onto his horse, device in hand.

“Knights of Camelot, let us depart,” he announced.

The sound of hooves echoed long after the last knight rode through the castle gates.

…..

The journey was surprisingly quite peaceful. The prince and his men diligently followed the arrow upon the device, riding through light-filled forest and the occasional small village. The party of knights had been riding for at least 3 hours in a mixture of silence and slight idle chatter when suddenly there was a heavy thud.

“Merlin!” Lancelot shouted after the young man who had fallen off his horse.

The knights quickly slipped off their own horses, swiftly crowding around their friend. He lay crumpled and still for a beat before he stirred. All the knights breathed a sigh of relief. And though no one would have seen, Arthur’s eyes softened immediately.

“Are you alright, Merlin?” Leon asked as he propped his torso up tenderly.

“I – I’m alright,” he replied, a little unsure of himself.

Gaius has warned him earlier about side-effects to the spell. Magic was thought to often be the source of a sorcerer’s strength, and that seemed to ring true. Ever since he had sealed most of his power away into the locket, he had felt more tired in less time, less aware of his surroundings. Merlin didn’t want to admit it to himself, but the feeling of being so powerless… it filled him with fear.

“He probably just hasn’t had enough to eat or drink,” Elyan suggested, pulling a flask and a roll of bread out from a bag strapped to his horse. “Perhaps we could all take this as an opportunity to rest for a little and refresh?”

Prince Arthur looked carefully at Merlin, catching his servant’s eye for a split second. In the pit of stomach, he felt a sense of unease. He didn’t know why.

“Alright, men,” he agreed. “Take a little time to drink, eat and stretch out your legs. But then we need to be ready to ride again as soon as we can.”

“Yes, my lord,” the knights chimed in unison.

Once Merlin had sipped at some water and finished the bread that Lancelot had handed them, they resumed their quest. Yet again, the journey was peaceful – no bandits, no wild animals, no villain hell bent on derailing them.

“You’d think the most powerful sorcerer in the world would have at least tried to stop us by now,” Gwaine murmured.

“Why not just be thankful instead of opening your mouth?” Percival remarked.

“I’m just saying, if I were an all powerful guy with magic I would set up every trap to exist and –” 

Gwaine’s words were cut off by the Prince suddenly pulling his horse to a stop.

“We’re here?” he spoke, confusion filling his tone.

Slipping off his mare, the Prince held the device and turned on his heel. He paced around, his eyes focused on the device. No matter how he orientated himself, his hand or the device, the arrow seemed to be pointing to a non-descript grassy area to the side of the woods.

“But, no one’s here,” Leon commented. “Not even a house or even any trace that a person’s been here!”

“Is the device broken?” Lancelot asked.

“Maybe you’re holding it wrong,” Gwaine grinned.

Merlin knew it was time to enact the plan. He peered over Arthur’s shoulder, as if to confirm what the device was showing them.

“Maybe, it’s supposed to show us where to meet the sorcerer,” he suggested slyly. “Magic works in weird ways, maybe the sorcerer will come to us if we stay here?”

Lancelot thought for a second and then shrugged, “Sounds like a good as lead as any.”

“Then we’ll set up camp here for the night,” Arthur spoke. “Let’s hope for that druid’s sake that you're right, Merlin.”

The next hour was spent under the setting sun, with the men preparing to set up camp – gathering firewood, heading into the woods to hunt for some rabbits, or forming tents from the largest branches they could find. Once all the knights had found something to do, Merlin quietly slipped away. He had to find the locket quickly. He still wasn’t entirely sure what we would do when he had found it. 

Perhaps he could cast a simple sleep spell upon Arthur and the knights? Just for a few days until he was sure the druid had fled Camelot. And in that time, he could break the device. Convince the knights that they were tricked by the powerful sorcerer. It wasn’t a great plan, but it was the only plan he had, until he could think of a better one.

“Merlin, what are you doing? I doubt the greatest sorcerer of all time would be buried in the ground.”

Arthur’s voice was full of bemusement. But also a little softer than his usual cutting tone.

“Oh, sorry sire, I was just digging a pit for the fire.”

“You really do only have half a brain, you know that, Merlin? A fire pit doesn’t have to be deep enough to bury a body!”

The prince shook his head and under his breath muttered, “And to think I was worried you’d ended up collapsed somewhere.”

“What did you say, my lord?” Merlin asked, not having catched the last sentence.

“Nothing, Merlin,” the prince spoke. “Just talk to Elyan, he’s got the firewood so you can make actual use of your ‘firepit’.”

“Oh, I will talk to Elyan then,” Merlin said, as Arthur turned and walked towards some of the other knights.

By the time night fell, the knights were eagerly gathered around the fire, fully ablaze, roasting rabbits. They chatted merrily, deep into the dark hours, until most decided to head to sleep. Before long, only a very sleepy Merlin still sat by the glowing embers.

Fighting to keep his eyes open, the young man stumbled as he tried to get back to his feet. This was his best shot, while the knights slept. He needed to find the locket now.

If he concentrated, he could feel the pulse of his magic in the earth. Unfortunately, he couldn’t tell exactly where, but it had to be nearby, right? He tried to follow the sense of magic, but in his fatigue it felt near impossible.

Then, in his head, an idea appeared.

The device! It was a guide directly to his magic, to the locket!

Merlin stumbled over to Arthur’s horse and felt through all the bags for the device, but even after triple checking every one, it was nowhere to be found. It dawned on Merlin, that the prince must have taken the device with him when he retired to sleep.

Of course, it wouldn’t be that easy.

Not to be deterred, Merlin turned and made way towards the prince’s tent. Running on little more than his last energy reserve and sleep-deprived convinced, Merlin descended upon the sleeping Arthur, swiftly feeling through his pockets. 

And there it was. The cool of the metal and the slight warmth of magic radiated from the device through to Merlin’s fingertips. He pulled it out slowly, trying not to stir the prince. Luckily, for Merlin, Arthur barely stirred at all. 

Desperate to find the locket and reunite with his magic, Merlin shuffled out of the tent and held the device aloft. In his hands, it glowed brilliantly, the carvings dancing across the surface. They formed various animals, from eagles to deer and mice to dogs, before forming a bright arrow.

“Finally!” Merlin breathed, following the arrow to a spot several paces from where the fire had now completely burned out. 

On his hands and knees, he tore wildly into the dirt. The pull of his magic was so strong, he couldn’t stop himself now even if he tried. Merlin kept scratching at the dirt until he finally saw the silver of the chain. He yanked the locket out of the ground and clasped it tightly, feeling the pulse of his magic echo through him.

He needed his magic back. It was a deep longing inside of him to be returned whole.

If he hadn’t been so sleep deprived, then his rational brain would have probably stopped him, but at this point it was too late. Without thinking, the sorcerer uttered the incantation to reverse the spell.

For a second, there was a silence.

Then a giant wave of energy crashed outward from the locket, flinging Merlin back, far into the forest and echoing throughout the area with a large boom. 

At the sound, the knights scrambled awake from their sleep, swords drawn. It didn’t take them very long to notice that the device had gone missing.

“Spread out, find the device, find the source of the noise, find anything!” Arthur demanded, cursing himself for trusting the druid.

It must have all been a trap. They had been all lured out to a secluded area and were about to be ambushed.

The knights searched around the camp, peering into the woods.

“Why didn’t anyone stay awake as nightwatch?” Leon mouthed, slight anger in his tone.

“Why didn’t you think of that before we went to bed?” Gwaine disputed.

“Why don’t you both shut up and just focus on searching!” Lancelot added.

The knights’ comments soon descended into a full quarrel. With swords drawn, sleep interrupted and anger rising high, they had almost seemed to have forgotten what they were doing. Suddenly, Elyan’s voice cut in:

“Errr, guys? I found the device but – why is it pointing at Merlin?”

Elyan’s question immediately silenced the knights’ argument.

Arthur rushed immediately to Elyan and his eyes settled upon Merlin, who was leaning against a tree, clutching at his side. And then, the prince’s eyes drifted towards the device. It lay upon the grassy ground, but glowed more violently than it had before. And that bright glowing arrow, pointed directly at Merlin.

“Merlin,” Arthur started, slowly. “Why is the device pointing towards you?”

“I don’t know,” said Merlin, breathless from being flung across the air.

Arthur raised his sword towards the young man.

“Explain yourself, now!” he demanded.

“I said, I don’t know!” Merlin insisted, trying to feign ignorance.

But as he spoke, the hand in which he held the locket began to glow with the gold essence of magic. The glow flowed from the dangling locket, up through the chain and through Merlin’s hand and arm towards his heart. It was his magic returning to him. And it was happening right in front of Arthur.

“Merlin!” Arthur roared. “What is the meaning of this?”

Before Merlin could even speak, Arthur had rushed over to him, sword in hand. With nowhere to go, Merlin was pinned against the tree – the tip of Arthur’s sword resting upon his throat.

The knights rushed towards the commotion, but once they had all gathered they felt unable to interfere. Thoughts rushed through their minds, from feelings of confusion to surprise to fear. They didn’t know what to do.

“You have magic?” the prince spat, his voice flooded with anger. “All this time! You had magic!”

The sorcerer felt the last of his magic return to him as the locket turned cold. He couldn’t find the words to tell Arthur the truth, even though he now knew. 

“Arthur…” he breathed, trailing off when no words could escape his lips.

Rage burned in the prince’s eyes. Betrayal running hot through his blood. He pushed closer towards Merlin, the sword almost breaking skin. As he drew closer, the locket brushed against Arthur’s leg and he jolted slightly.

“Merlin,” Arthur spoke, calm but stern. “You are the most powerful sorcerer in Camelot? Answer me truthfully.”

“Yes,” Merlin answered meekly, staring directly into Arthur’s eyes. “I am.”

“You have magic?” Arthur asked.

“Yes.”

Arthur stared for a long time in silence at the man at the end of his sword. The servant he had come to know and love. A man he trusted just as much as any of his knights, if not more. A man who had hidden from him something almost unforgivable. Almost. 

“Merlin, swear to me that you’ve never used magic to harm Camelot.”

“I swear!”

Prince Arthur lowered his sword and struck his sword into the ground, turning around to look at his knights.

“From now on, anyone who uses magic for the sake of Camelot and not against it, is under my protection,” he cried.

After his declaration, breathing heavily, Arthur turned back towards the camp leaving the knights confused and concerned. Lancelot rushed over to Merlin's side.

“Are you alright, Merlin?” he spoke quickly.

“Yeah, I’m fine, just confused,” he answered, rubbing his neck where the sword had nicked his throat.

“Well, it’s not like he could actually kill you,” Lancelot shrugged. “That man loves you more than any of us.”

“You could kill a puppy in front of him and he’d find an excuse for you,” Gwaine added, pulling Merlin in for a hug. “But how come you never told me, eh? Am I not good enough for the sorcerer supreme?”

“No, I just didn’t th–” Merlin started.

“Shh, I’m only kidding,” Gwaine smiled, ruffling his friend’s hair. “I can’t imagine it's something you could just spit out.”

“So, you’re all fine with me having magic?” Merlin asked nervously.

The rest of the knight shuffled uncomfortably.

“I’ve never known a time in which we haven’t been ordered to destroy magic,” Leon admitted. “But I do know you, Merlin. I know you’re a good and honest man.”

“Yeah, if you were all evil, you would have killed Arthur long ago,” Percival shrugged.

“You’ve saved my life before,” Elyan spoke. “What kind of a knight would I be if I forget that just because you’ve got magic?”

“See,” Lancelot smiled softly. “You are greatly loved. Magic or no magic, it’s all the same. Now, let’s get back home. We’ll figure something out to tell Uther later.”

-----------

As the rest of the knights stood and conversed about their plans to ride back to the castle and convince Uther the plan had failed, Arthur slipped away to take a seat next to his dearest servant.

“Thank you, Arthur,” Merlin spoke softly. “Thank you for trusting in me.”

“Merlin,” Arthur started. “You have been by my side all this time. Even when my father has killed your kind. Even when I had blindly followed his wishes to follow in his footsteps. If, like he said, all magic was evil, then why would you have stayed.”

“Arthur, I–”

“I should be thanking you, Merlin. All this time, you’ve been protecting me, haven’t you?”

“Well, it wasn’t just–”

“You’ve used magic to protect me? And don’t lie to me. I saw it all, when I touched the locket. All the memories of when you had used your magic to save me.”

“...”

“You used magic. For me.”

“Yes.”

“Then how could I ever kill you? How could I ever kill magic?”

“But what about your father?”

“I’ll convince him.”

“But it’ll be hard.”

“I’ll convince him. I have to. If not for you, for every man, woman and child of magic that has been killed because my father was afraid.”

“Arthur, I need you to know; I would never use magic against you, Arthur. Not ever, I swear it.”

“You don’t need to. I believe you.”

Merlin let out a long breath and felt his eyes water.

“Are you crying?” Arthur asked, concerned.

“No, no, I’m just tired,” Merlin spluttered, the last several hours catching up to him. “I just need to sleep.”

The most powerful sorcerer felt his body finally give in to sleep, falling to the left. But before he could hit the ground, Arthur caught him and gently pulled the man’s body towards him, letting Merlin’s head rest on his shoulder. 

“Rest now,” he whispered. “The most powerful sorcerer in the world is forever worthy of sleeping on my shoulder.”