#pining!arthur pendragon

[gldnstrngs]

if merthur had actually been established as canon when the show was running then i think it would’ve been revealed unexpectedly

like you have merlin and arthur in s1 and merlin’s trying to get closer to arthur but is also annoyed by his behavior and arthur is kinda mean to merlin and will make him do chores and wear that ugly feathered hat or insult him like this is very much s1 merthur dynamic we’re talking about

and at the end of the season arthur realizes that merlin has went missing with gaius and doesn’t know what to do and is worried

he even goes to morgana and gwen to see if they knows where merlin and gaius are but they’re not sure

morgana picks up how worried arthur is and doesn’t say anything until merlin and gaius get back. arthur is relieved but doesn’t show it, instead getting angry with merlin and telling him he can’t just leave he’s his servant blah blah blah

but after that he makes sure merlin gets rest and then help gaius with morgana and gwen’s help

arthur’s about to go back to his room but morgana is quick to call him out about him being worried about merlin and arthur would deny it but then morgana’s connecting the dots (arthur’s playful punches, grabbing merlin by the collar, saving his life etc etc) and realizes that arthur has feelings for merlin and calls him out on it

arthur is obviously Gobsmacked and is quick to deny it but morgana isn’t convinced, although she doesn’t push him anymore and he goes back to his room, thinking about how stupidly in love with merlin he is

LIKE ?!???!?!?! THAT WOULDVE BEEN SO GOOD??? it would’ve gagged everyone at the time bc it would’ve been so unexpected BIT JT WOULDVE BEEN SO GOOD!!!!!

[earlgreyinpajamas]

merthur fic recs masterlist

last updated:  21 Sept 2024

authors

vintagelilacs

aus and fusions

arranged marriage au, pt 2, pt 3

college/university au

different first meeting au

hanahaki au, pt 2, pt 3

high school au, pt 2

hogwarts au

modern au, pt 2

modern with magic au, pt 2

modern royalty au, pt 2, pt 3, pt 4, pt 5, pt 6, pt 7, pt 8

pride and prejudice au

regency au

social media au, pt 2

soulmate au, pt 2, pt 3, pt 4, pt 5, pt 6, pt 7, pt 8, pt 9, pt 10

s2e10 fix it

wing fic

arthur

actor!arthur, pt 2, pt 3, pt 4, pt 5

bond girl!arthur

detective!arthur

himbo!arthur

jealous!arthur, pt 2, pt 3, pt 4, pt 5, pt 6, pt 7, pt 8

pining!arthur, pt 2, pt 3, pt 4, pt 5, pt 6, pt 7, pt 8, pt 9

pregnant!arthur

protective!arthur, pt 2, pt 3, pt 4, pt 5, pt 6, pt 7

oblivious!arthur, pt 2, pt 3

spy!arthur

virgin!arthur

merlin

assistant!merlin

bamf!merlin

consort!merlin, pt 2, pt 3

detective!merlin

druid leader!merlin

enchanted!merlin

exhausted!merlin, pt 2

flustered!merlin

hurt!merlin, pt 2, pt 3, pt 4

irish!merlin

jealous!merlin

knight!merlin

oblivious!merlin, pt 2, pt 3, pt 4, pt 5, pt 6

pining!merlin, pt 2, pt 3, pt 4, pt 5

royal!merlin, pt 2

selkie!merlin

spy!merlin

virgin!merlin

other tropes and categories

00q fusion

5 + 1 things, pt 2, pt 3

accidental marriage

amnesia

angst with a happy ending

arthur courts merlin

arthur finds out about balinor

arthur finds out about freya

arthur knows about merlin’s magic

arthur loves merlin’s magic eyes

arthur’s donkey ears

arthur returns, pt 2

balinor lives

bathing

bed sharing, pt 2

bedside vigils

bets

comfort fics

coming out

crack, pt 2, pt 3, pt 4

dragon dads

drunkenness

enemies to lovers

fake/pretend relationship, pt 2, pt 3, pt 4, pt 5

fandom iconic fics

fav aus

fav fics

figure skating

flowers, pt 2

fluff

forced proximity, pt 2

fuck or die

getting back together

getting together, pt 2, pt 3

getting together with the help of technology

hurt comfort

hurt no comfort, pt 2

hypothermia

kid fics, pt 2

kinktober

love spells and potions, pt 2, pt 3, pt 4

lovers to enemies

magical exhaustion

magic reveal, pt 2, pt 3, pt 4, pt 5, pt 6, pt 7, pt 8, pt 9, pt 10

married/engaged merthur

meddling knights, pt 2, pt 3

merlin dies

merlin goes insane to get arthur back

merlin knows about arthur’s pining

merlin leaves camelot

merlin sleeping in weird places

merlin teaches arthur about sex/kissing

morgana and merlin friendship

not actually unrequited love

ot4

outsider pov

parties

protective!knights

remixes

role reversal

royal balls

scar reveal

secret relationship, pt 2

theatre/drama

time travel

truth potion

underappreciated fics

weddings

wedding stopping

wound cleaning

[cinnabon-sweetroll-tiramisu]

Me at smutty merthur: ooohhh noice, looking good you two yaasss get it boiiisss 😘

Me at pining, slow asf burn, touch-starved, 30 pages in and they finally kiss before they start pining again merthur: OMFG Asdfghjkl!? 😳 DID YA'LL SEE THAT TOUCH ON THE HAND?? OR THAT SMALL BUT TOTALLY SIGNIFICANT KISS!!? ON THE CHEEK!?! 😭😳

[papysanzonew]

～Interlude～

Part 1<

Part 4>

[ryemiffie]

What's gayer, Ford and Bill being technically canon, or, whatever the fuck Aurthur and Merlin had going on in that Merlin show?

I ask cause I genuinely need to know, I need answers! I'm leaning towards Bill and Ford but the merlin show was like five season of pure gay tension!

[pyjamacryptid]

This was always going to happen.

[He’s] been dead since the beginning.

- The Oresteia

[hopelessromantic5]

Pride Month somehow went by in a fucking flash.

Here’s a short Merthur clip inspired by a conversation between Sherlock and Molly Hooper on BBC’s Sherlock.

“You’re a bit like my dad. Even after he got sick, he was cheerful and lovely, always. Except when he thought no one could see.” A pause. “I saw him once. He looked sad.”

“Gwen.”

“You look sad.” Another pause.

“You look sad, when you think he can’t see you.”

Arthur stopped his approach on the tattered practice dummy. Flicking his eyes over to where she gestured with her own.

Merlin was polishing armor in the grass.

Arthur didn’t really think before he murmured

“What of it?” And shrugged as if this is something he could just dismiss in one perfectly executed move, just like any foe. But this is an enemy he’s faced many times and lost countless battles. His own stupid incessant bleeding feelings.

This time felt different though. They seemed to be wrapping vines around his heart and lungs. Making it hard to breathe, sometimes he could hear nothing but blood in his ears and the sound of his heart shattering over and over again.

Different people stood behind the knife each time it landed, people he thought he could trust. People he thought loved him as much as he loved them in return.

And each time, he sank to a newer low. One he thought he would never reach.

Morgana.

Uther.

Gwen.

Lancelot.

Agravaine.

The lot of them turned out to hate him for no other reason than being born to the parents that he was. Gwen and Lance may be excluded from this, but their treachery was less to Prince Arthur and closer to the real Arthur. The one that sits beneath the skin of this, now, King.

And then, there was Merlin.

[theroundbartable]

That's... That's how that scene went, right?

Edit: since no one is asking, Arthur can't see the magic in Merlin's eyes because he's fixated ok those lips.

[blackchrysalys]

Oh and this is the context for this post,

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

Merlin explaining the great purge and the banning of magic to the twins so that they don't out him to Arthur after Dipper and Mabel find out that he is a sorcerer.

Dipper looked up from his notes and shared a glance with his sister, who also seemed to feel the same, "Wow, that's messed up man." He knew magic could be controversial in the medieval times, he didn't it was this bad. No wonder he didn't want Arthur to find out.

Merlin gave a quiet nod and sighed. When the twins stumbled upon him using magic he was terrified. He thought he was done for right there and then. Thankfully the twins took it rather well. On the bright side he got to share his secret with someone else other than Gaius and Lancelot...even if they were only 12.

Mabel slammed her hands on the table, startling the remaining two occupants and declared loudly "I-" before lowering her voice at her brother's and Merlins insistence, "Ahem, I won't stand for this. You two deserve to be closer and I, Mabel pines, promise to fix this blasphemy!"

"I don't-" Merlin spoke before being interrupted as Mabel pulled him close,

"Shh...Don't worry. You've got the power of Mabel on your side!" Mabel whispered before running off, leaving Merlin dumbfounded.

"...What is your sister going to do?" Merlin asked nervously not getting a verbal response from Dipper.

Dipper got off the chair and led Merlin to the living room, both peeking at Arthur who was entranced by the television in front of him.

"Heyo!" Mabel shouted appearing out of seemingly nowhere, scaring Arthur,

"Aahhh!...oh. It's you." Arthur screamed before calming down.

"Sorry to scare you-"

"I wasn't scared-"

"But a little birdie told me you hate magic!"

"...and why wouldn't I, Mabel?" Arthur decided to humor her.

"Because it's so magical!" Mabel said spreading her hands out and glitter everywhere.

"Uh-huh." Arthur replied, removing the glitter off him.

"And that's why we're going watch every Disney movie in existence, well except sword in the stone,"

"I didn’t quite hear that part "

"-while we do your hair and nails until you realise your Dad's opinion is totally wrong." Mabel spoke and started preparing her supplies while Arthur just looked very confused.

Merlin and Dipper watched from the sidelines, with Merlin going through thousands of emotions at once as Dipper comforted Merlin, "There, there."

"...what is even going on here?" Arthur started regaining his bearings and turned around finding Merlin and Dipper in the corner, watching, "Merlin? Dipper, what is your sister doing? Wait, where are you going? Merlin, Dipper I swear if I-wait stop! Don't leave me here!"

Merlin and Dipper slipped away leaving Arthur alone. With Mabel. Arthur felt a hand on his shoulder as slowly turned around to find it's owner, "So, what's your favorite colour?~"

[escespace]

Underrated plot in Merthur fics: Arthur being actively aware and sickeningly tired of his own "we're not friends because I'm a prince- you're servants" nonsense but only internally because externally he maintains a facade of a model part of the nobility that allows him to change the system from within.

[crystaiskiess]

the once and future kings : the sword in the stone

summary: In a land of myth, and a time of magic, the destiny of a great kingdom rests on the shoulders of a young boy. His name… Merlin.

read it on AO3

read from the start

[gdn7-dollopole]

“I want Merlin back, where is he?”

In front of your wife, pouting, while she helps you with the armour?

Sounds about right, Arthur.

[cinnabon-sweetroll-tiramisu]

"I cannot return your feelings."

"I don't expect you to."

"I'm sorry."

"...I know." – Prince Arthur and Merlin

[Arthur saw the sad acceptance in Merlin's gaze. He hated it. He hated it because he put it there. Right now he is prince, but maybe when he's king, if Merlin still loves him he'd have the courage to confess he feels the same]

[souslamer]

i have an insatiable yearning for stupid immortals just. experiencing life. through the years,,,,, and also being HORRENDOUSLY smitten for each other

[amariram]

"Off you go then," Merlin said lightly as he took off his wet jacket and neckerchief and placed them carefully in front of the fire. He heard a movement behind him, a babbling noise and a satisfied moan, a sign that Arthur had entered the tub. He was taking off his raging boots when he heard the blond's voice calling him.

"What?" asked Merlin absently.

"I need a hand here," the other complained, using the spoiled princely tone that had always driven Merlin mad.

With a sigh the boy approached the tub, grabbing from the table the cloth and the lavender essence he always used on those occasions. He curled up a little and very calmly began to rub the wet cloth over Arthur's back, massaging him slowly. He felt Arthur's muscles quiver and then relax, a sign that he was appreciating the slow movement of his hands up and down on his body.

"You know, I would have thought that after you became King you would at least learn how to bathe yourself," Merlin murmured, not taking his eyes off his work.

"And deprive you of this pleasure? Never," Arthur teased him in a low but amused tone.

Merlin snorted a laugh but didn't answer, continuing to massage softly and lower down, below his shoulder blades. He decided it was a good thing not to come up with a comeback. Not when what Arthur said was simply the truth. To be able to touch him like that, when Arthur let down his defences and let himself go, blindly trusting him... it was a forbidden pleasure. A secret. One they shared only between them, in the intimacy of those rooms.

[…]

And Merlin was fine with that, and he continued to jealously guard those stolen moments.

Moments like that, in which he was taking his time to probe Arthur's body, muscle by muscle, feeling him tense and reactive to his touches. He tried to clear his brain of any thoughts as he slowly moved forward, passing under his arm to reach his chest. He heard Arthur sigh loudly and noticed his chest rise and fall quickly under his touch. He looked up and saw that Arthur was watching him, with the look that seemed to read inside him every damn time.

"Do you like what you see?" he asked him lightly, tilting his head slightly and raising the corner of his mouth in a smug smile.

Merlin smiled, strangely at ease at the provocation, and continued to wash his chest, deciding to play along.

"Hmm, I've seen better."

He almost burst out laughing at the sight of Arthur's outraged expression. He restrained himself only because Arthur almost immediately recovered from his disdain by locking Merlin's wrist in an iron grip so that he could not move his hand from his chest.

"Better, you say?" he asked, barely pressing his arm and forcing him to come closer. Merlin found his face inches away from Arthur's, close enough that he could see all the shades of blue in his eyes. He only realized he had stopped breathing when he saw Arthur's gaze lower on his lips, and he automatically did the same.

He didn't think about the fact that that was probably a mistake. A huge, gigantic, incredibly stupid mistake.

He didn't think about the fact that Arthur was the King of Camelot and he was his servant. He didn't think about the prophecies, about their fate, or about the fact that Arthur would have to marry at some point.

He wanted him. Gods, if he wanted him.

He wanted him for so long now that he couldn't remember what it meant to not have the thought of him in his brain all the time. He wanted him so badly that he became selfish, that he wanted him only for himself. That he wanted to erase that last, stupid obstacle that prevented them from really being two sides of the same coin.

They were so close now that their breaths were mixed. Arthur's hand still gripped his wrist forcing his hand to stay on his chest where he could feel the rapid beating of his heart under his skin.

Merlin felt his hand on fire, as well as his entire body. The slightest movement and their lips would touch. One movement and he would finally taste Arthur in his mouth.

[…]

- Read My Greatest Certainty on ao3.

[magicalsniper]

The Legacy of Magic

2611 words | Teen | Part 6 of 7 Author's AO3: MagicalSniper Story Link: The Legacy of Magic Part One Part Two Part Three Part Four Part Five Summary: Balinor, summoned by Uther to negotiate with the Great Dragon Kilgharrah, witnesses the devastating aftermath of the Great Purge of Magic and is forced to escape Camelot, leaving behind a pregnant Hunith. Years later, his son Merlin, who struggles to conceal his magic, becomes fast friends with Prince Arthur. Their bond is tested when Arthur learns the truth about Merlin’s magic, but his loyalty to Merlin remains steadfast, though their relationship is marred by the weight of secrets and struggles for the safety of magic users in Camelot.

The One Where Arthur Learns the Truth

It was late into the evening when Arthur looked out his window and caught sight of a familiar figure slinking towards the castle gates; the evening’s shadows all but swallowed Merlin’s lanky form. Arthur cursed and shot out of his room, his strides echoing his concern and irritation.

“Merlin!” Arthur called out, his voice slicing through the cool air and shocking the knight-watch from their naps. He threw a withering look at them before focusing back on Merlin.

At the sound of his name, Merlin’s body stiffened, and he turned slowly as if hoping against hope that some other Merlin had been called upon despite such a late hour. But no, he was under the scrutinising gaze of Camelot's most persistent royal. With a grip as firm as his resolve, Arthur clasped onto Merlin's arm, stopping him dead in his tracks. It took everything in Merlin’s power not to wince at the stronghold.

"Where do you think you're going at this hour, Merlin?" Arthur demanded, his voice a mix of irritation and concern, eyebrows arching in that all-too-familiar way.

Merlin's cheeks flushed red, almost matching the banners lining the castle walls. "Just a... a stroll, yes, an evening stroll, Mother." He stammered, shifting his weight from one foot to the other, but couldn't resist adding a cheeky grin. “Fresh air does wonders for the—"

"Stroll?" Arthur cut in, his tone laced with disbelief and a hint of amusement as he ignored the jab. "With your belongings packed and that look on your face? You appear less like a man enjoying the evening and more like a thief fleeing a scene."

"Ah, well, about that…" Merlin fidgeted under Arthur's unrelenting grip, the words tumbling from his mouth in a torrent of nerves. "You see, there was this—this thing I remembered. Urgently. Very urgently. And I thought best to—"

"Merlin," Arthur interjected. "If you were more transparent, I could use you for a windowpane."

Merlin couldn't help but let out a huff of laughter, albeit a nervous one. "Transparent or not, I assure you, I have very important matters to—"

"Attend to outside the safety of these walls? Without informing anyone?" Arthur's gaze softened just enough to betray his worry beneath the stern facade. "Come now, Merlin. Out with it."

Merlin's shoulders sagged; he knew his ruse was thinner than the parchment in Gaius's cluttered chambers. "It's just… I need to be… elsewhere," he concluded lamely, the desperation in his voice doing little to mask the terror beneath. He couldn’t understand why Arthur insisted on playing around rather than letting him leave.

Arthur frowned deeply, pacing a few steps before stopping abruptly and turning to face Merlin. "Elsewhere is not a destination, Merlin," he said, crossing his arms over his chest. "And we both know your strolls don't typically involve disappearing acts."

Merlin swallowed hard, glancing nervously at the gates again. "Arthur, please, just let me go."

Arthur's eyes narrowed as he stepped closer, his voice softening. "You look like you're about to run from the gallows. What's going on, Merlin?"

Merlin then glanced around the courtyard, then back at Arthur, meeting his gaze. "I... I'm afraid," he admitted, his voice barely more than a whisper.

Arthur's expression shifted from stern to concerned in an instant. "Afraid of what? You can tell me."

Merlin met Arthur's gaze, a silent plea in his eyes. Words failed him, leaving his desperation stark and bare.

"Arthur, I..." Merlin swallowed hard, his voice a mere whisper against the clamour of his heart. He looked behind himself at the gates that were calling him to freedom. "I..." His eyes darted nervously to the guards patrolling the walls and then to Arthur. They were the eyes of a cornered creature, desperate for an unseen burrow in which to vanish. “I… I don’t want to die.”

Arthur's hand fell away, and he stepped back, raking a hand through his hair in frustration. "Merlin, you can't seriously think..." he began, his voice rising with disbelief. He paced for a moment, the tension evident in his rigid posture. "This is madness!" His tone softened as he turned back to face Merlin, his concern breaking through the frustration. "You believe I would let that happen?"

"Please," Merlin whispered, his voice fragile and barely audible. "Don't make me stay and face that fate."

Silence hung between them, as dense and suffocating as the heavy tapestries in the great hall. Arthur saw the fear carved into every line of Merlin's face and heard it in the quiver of his voice, like a leaf trembling in the wind. It was a side of Merlin he rarely saw, the vulnerability he kept hidden behind a facade of sarcasm and smiles.

"Merlin," Arthur finally spoke, his voice steady despite the turmoil within. "You will not face execution. Not while I'm here."

Merlin refused to meet his gaze, so Arthur tried a different approach. "Where would you even go?" Arthur's voice was gentle yet firm, his words cutting through the thick tension. "Please, come back to my rooms, and we can talk." 

Merlin's heart battled with his instinct to flee, but the familiar pull of loyalty won out. He nodded, the muscles in his jaw working as he swallowed the lump of fear. They walked back to Arthur's chambers in silence, the echo of their footsteps against the stone corridors a sombre rhythm to their thoughts.

Once inside, the door shut firmly behind them and locked, and Merlin couldn't help but fidget. His fingers twitched at his side, and he did nothing but stand by the door. Arthur watched him for a moment, an unreadable expression on his face before he gestured toward the hearth.

"Sit," he said, more a request than a command.

Merlin hesitated before he dropped his bag by the table and went to sit in front of the fire. They said nothing for a while, and the crackling fire cast flickering shadows across the room, playing light against dark in an endless dance.

"Remember when you tried to make a cake for my birthday and nearly burned down the kitchens?" Arthur chuckled, the memory igniting a spark of joy in his eyes.

"Hey," Merlin protested, though the smile that quirked his lips betrayed his anger. "I'll have you know I've improved significantly since then."

"Ah, yes," Arthur drawled, amusement lacing his tone. "To merely singeing eyebrows instead of full conflagrations."

"Exactly!" Merlin shot back, his gaze meeting Arthur's. They both laughed, the sound rich and warm, filling the space between them. “It’s not like you did much better trying to bake one for mine.”

“I never tried to make you a cake!” Arthur lied vehemently, his cheeks telling the truth, his lips refused to.

“Mmhm,” Merlin said with a raised eyebrow, remembering an eleven-year-old with a giant pout on his face covered in flour in the middle of the kitchens.

“Merlin,” Arthur shifted, his eyes narrowing in thought. “You said you were born with magic.”

Merlin sighed heavily and leaned his head back, his eyes staring at the ceiling. “Did you know our parents used to be really good friends?” Merlin turned to Arthur and smiled sadly.

Arthur's eyes widened in surprise. "Like they... they..." He moved his hands around frantically, trying to find the right words.

Merlin shook his head. "No, but many thought they were. Before your mother came along, bets were made on how long it would take for Uther to ask Gaius if he could court my mother." He threw himself back on the rug, cushioning his head with his arms. 

"Wait," Arthur interrupted, clearly struggling to process the information. "Uther and... your mother? Seriously?"

Merlin nodded. "Mother, Uther, and my father, Balinor, grew up together here. My father was a noble, heir to be leader of the Dragonlords and a gifted sorcerer. My mother worked with Uncle Gaius and her parents to learn about healing, and Uther was a young prince."

Arthur frowned, trying to imagine his stern father as part of a close-knit trio. "Uther, a young prince hanging out with a sorcerer and a healer? It sounds... almost unbelievable."

"I know," Merlin continued, "But my mother told me that the three of them were nearly inseparable. Uther was even there when my father took over as leader of the Dragonlords; Mother said Uther gave him the most beautiful sapphire cloak with the Pendragon crest."

Arthur's eyebrows shot up. "My father gave a sorcerer the Pendragon crest?"

"Then Uther ascended the throne after the sudden death of your grandfather," Merlin explained, "And he made my father a knight and leader of sorcerer relations— they’re called court sorcerers now, I think."

“During one of the many feasts, your dad saw Ygraine across the room, and it was love at first sight,” Merlin said softly, unable to help the smile that crossed his face as Arthur stared at him eagerly. “They were married a fortnight later, and Mother says she had never seen Uther happier.” His face dropped, and he grimaced. “And then the darkness fell,” he whispered.

“The darkness?”

“Ygraine and Uther tried to get pregnant, and your mother had multiple times, but she always lost the baby.” Merlin swallowed heavily. “Uther asked my father what he could do because if anyone could figure it out, it would be him, but…”

“But?”

“Father warned Uther that magic didn’t work that way, that there were dire consequences for trying to create life with it.” Merlin coughed and ran a hand roughly through his hair. “This angered Uther, and so he turned to Nimueh, a Priestess of the Old Religion.” Merlin winced, “Father begged him not to go, but Uther wouldn’t have any of it. A month later, Ygriaine was pregnant with you.” He turned his gaze to Arthur and smiled, his hand reaching for Arthur’s, hesitating above it.

Arthur flipped his hand over and took Merlin’s in his, squeezing tightly as a silent command for him to continue. “To create a life, something of equal value must be taken in its place,” Merlin whispered.

“My mother…”

Merlin nodded, “She died giving birth to you, thus completing the exchange. Uther was furious, and the next day, the Great Purge began.” He swallowed heavily, “No one was given time to prepare; known sorcerers were killed in the streets, and some were dragged out of their beds and died in front of their children that very evening. Mother says the cobblestone was stained red from the blood of all the sorcerers he ordered killed that day.”

“Your father…”

“He was given a pardon, or that was what they thought. In reality, Uther was just biding his time for his ultimate plan— to rid the world of magical creatures, specifically dragons. He knew he would never get them into Camelot during a magic purge without my father to command them. Several years after the start of the Purge,… he convinced my father to bring the dragonlords to Camelot, stating he merely wanted to make peace…”

“Merlin?”

“My father watched all of his friends die that day and then had to leave Khilgharrah locked up in the cave under the castle. He fled, but my mother stayed behind,” Merlin took a stuttering breath, “for her safety and to help Gaius.” He coughed and squeezed Arthur’s hand. “Your father found out and told her he would protect her, but only if Balinor wasn’t my father. She lied and said I was a product of rape; that’s why we have been able to continue staying here.”

Silence settled over them as Merlin's story ended. Arthur watched his friend, the flickering firelight casting shadows on his weary face. How much have you kept hidden, Merlin? he wondered, his heart aching with the weight of secrets finally unveiled. "You said you were sickly," Arthur said softly, his voice betraying a hint of guilt for not seeing the truth sooner.

“I was confined to the Physician’s Quarters mostly because I had yet to get a handle on my magic. Truthfully, there are times when I still struggle. I’d been doing magic since I was in the womb; that wasn’t a lie: dancing vials, flying books. When I was born, I levitated bottles and toys towards me. Once, a blanket when I was cold.

“I was a handful, especially for a woman who did not have magic to help keep mine under wraps, so she sent notice to my father. Since I was three, I would spend several weeks with the druids every season to help hone and control my magic. That’s what I was doing at the camps this week. I was getting chewed out for not practising, but the point of being there is to hone my skills.”

Merlin fell silent then and focused on Arthur, wondering what would happen now that everything was out in the open. 

The silence was thick, punctuated only by the crackling fire. Its warmth starkly contrasted the chill of the revelations in the air. Merlin's eyes drooped with an exhaustion beyond the physical—an exhaustion born from unburdening a soul laden with secrets.

"Arthur," Merlin mumbled, his eyelids drooping.

“Yes?”

“Thank you.” A slow breath escaped Merlin and, with it, the last vestige of wakefulness. His eyelids fluttered closed, sealing off the vivid blue. His head lolled to the side, finding a makeshift pillow in the folded fabric of his sleeve, his chest rising and falling in the steady rhythm of deep sleep.

From across the dying embers of the fire, Arthur watched over his friend with a gaze that softened at the sight of Merlin's peaceful repose. A small, unbidden smile crept onto his lips, one that held no trace of the princely facade he wore like armour. It was a smile reserved for the quiet moments like these when it was just the two.

Arthur pushed himself up with a quiet grunt, feeling the day's battles and training settle into his muscles, each step a reminder of his duties. Arthur gently slipped his arms beneath Merlin's frame, lifting him with a care usually reserved for fragile artefacts. "For someone who causes so much trouble, you sure are light," he muttered, more to himself than to the sleeping Merlin. Merlin stirred slightly, a soft murmur escaping his lips as Arthur lifted him but did not wake. "Clotpole," Arthur whispered affectionately under his breath, the term of endearment echoing their countless shared jests.

“A-r,” Merlin mumbled before turning his face into Arthur’s neck.

Moving towards the bed, Arthur was acutely aware of every step, the way Merlin's breath ghosted against his neck, the slight shift of his friend's weight as he adjusted his hold. He laid Merlin down, tucking him under the covers with a reverence usually reserved for hallowed grounds.

For a long moment, Arthur stood still, watching Merlin's chest rise and fall, the flickering firelight casting dancing shadows across his peaceful face. The firelight painted him in hues of gold and amber, an ethereal sight that seemed to soften the harsh lines of worry that had etched themselves into Merlin's features lately.

A battle was waged within Arthur, where duty and desire clashed like swords on a battlefield. His role demanded distance; a prince could ill afford the luxury of open affection. But here, away from prying eyes and the criticisms of royalty, Arthur allowed himself the simplest pleasures—a brief reprieve from the mantle of the future king.

He hesitated, then gently placed his cloak over Merlin, its weight a silent vow of protection. Leaning down, he kissed Merlin's forehead softly, chaste. "Sleep well, my friend. I'll watch over you," he whispered, his voice barely audible over the crackling of the flames.