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thisisjustmefangirling · 21 days

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Merlin rewatch : 2x09 "The lady of the lake"

Freya must have been so cold wearing these rags…

Gaius, your acceptance/resignation towards people being sold for a price if they have magic freaks me out.

As if Merlin was going to let a defenseless looking girl stay in that cage… Especially someone with magic. He feels empathy for them.

Is that the first time we're seeing the Rising sun tavern ?

Oh Merlin is using so many spells in a few minutes, I'm loving it…

"Here, I thought you might be cold."

"I just saw you and… It could have been me, in that cage".

WHY is Merlin not stealing from the kitchens instead of bringing Arthur a rotten apple and a stale piece of bread ? The NERVE ?! I wouldn't have given this to anyone, even less my BOSS, a PRINCE.

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Arthur's indignation : "I am fighting fit!"

I think this is where we're getting started with the fatphobic jokes…

Arthur has scratches/scars on his chest ? Where did he get that ?

Merlin giving Arthur "Sire" because he knows he fucked up…

Oh Freya was a druid ?

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Merlin !!!! How did you not realise that that bathwater was BOILING and could COOK ARTHUR TO DEATH ?

"You need to warn them, Sire. The girl is dangerous. My informer told me she was cursed."

"How so ?"

"He didn't know. But he said even the druids were frightened of her. They cast her out of their camp."

So Freya is an outcast. Just like Merlin, in some way. Merlin is so powerful it'd be easy to be afraid of him once he's mature enough. He's not part of the druids. Neither is Freya.

Add butter to that bread and cheese and you get un jambon-beurre haha.

"Believe me, it's fit for a prince" hahaha no shit Merlin !

"He knows but I'm not sure he understands". => Merlin about Gaius knowing about Merlin's magic.

"Magic is not a curse. It can be a gift!" Oh baby in 1x01 you feared you were a monster ?

Merlin is lying to Gaius' face and his very inquisitive eyes…

Merlin stealing Arthur's food is supposed to be a joke, okay, but I'm not sure I like it now. Arthur is being deprived of a good breakfast and lunch. He'll be cranky come evening. Give him food.

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"Merlin is my servant, he has my absolute trust. If you have a problem with him, you come to me. Do you understand ?"

This line is doing things to my heart, oh la la…

The fact that Arthur doesn't question Merlin AT ALL about his strange behaviour, they just bicker about the stolen sausages and Arthur's weight and then Merlin just… leaves. And goes straight to see Freya.

"I scare most people away" Freya you deserve better…

"You can't always trust people."

"I know. That's why I left home."

Merlin :/ Babe <3

Let it be remembered that Merlin can make flowers appear, but not food.

"With you, I can just be who I am. We don't have to hide anything. I don't have to worry."

"Being different is nothing to be scared of".

AND THAT SINGLE TEAR ROLLING DOWN HIS CHEEK !

Awww Merlin behaving like a lovesick puppy <3

This is the first time Merlin even THINKS about leaving Camelot. He's known Freya for two days. He's just really desperate to be known for who he really is, and to be free…

Moths and woodworms : the "reasons" why Merlin is snooping into closets and bedside tables he should not be touching at all.

"Running an errand for Gaius" : excuse number 1 for weird shit and secret missions Merlin is doing.

Arthur not giving a fuck about Merlin possibly crossdressing for fun in his spare time : "As long as you do a decent day's work, Merlin, that's all I care about. […] What a man does in his spare time is completely up to him". And then the compliment : "colour suits you Merlin".

This is day three now.

"We can leave tonight, as soon as it gets dark, and we can be together".

Horses, blankets and food and they won't need more. A second kiss, and goodbye. Freya doesn't have the heart to tell him.

"There was a time when you thought twice about lying to me".

Yet Merlin said "Of course not!" which such an air of sincerity… Oh yeah, he's turning into a really good liar…

Mais Gaius t'es tellement une grosse balance, t'es là à lécher les pompes d'UTHER au lieu de régler le problème avec Merlin !

"You can never understand. Do you know how it feels to be a monster? To be afraid of who you are ?"

"Freya is very different from you. She's dangerous."

Oh I didn't remember Arthur saw her in her human form ! Lol he's just there blinking as she's turning into a bastet…

I can't freaking believe Arthur's guards and knights are running away while Arthur is trying to fight the bastet !

MERLIN ! You almost crushed Arthur to death !

He's petting her head ???

OH is Freya a rape survivor, forced to kill people by the mother of her rapist ? That's so fucked up…

"Please go."

"No. I'm not leaving you here".

The PARALLELS with Arthur's dying moments !

"One day, Merlin, I will repay you. I promise". Okay but do we actually see that happen in the next seasons ? I don't remember her.

What I do remember from years ago is directors saying that Colin held that level of intensity and sadness for hours in the rain for those lake scenes.

It's the first time he has to light a funeral pyre for a friend and it sadly won't be the last…

That last scene with Arthur always gets to me. Arthur might be oblivious to a lot of things but he pays attention to Merlin more than Merlin might think, I'd say.

"Something's been upsetting you, hasn't it ?"

Arthur has seen Merlin doing the weirdest things in the past four days or so : stealing his food, calling him fat, giving him stale food to eat, stealing a dress, being accused of hiding a druid… And he doesn't accuse Merlin of anything himself. He thinks "Oh, Merlin has been upset. I must find out why. Maybe it's because of me." and then he sort of apologises and when words fail him, he uses action to make Merlin smile again. Because seeing Merlin smile, as we'll learn in the next seasons ("I haven't seen you smile in the past three days") is important to Arthur. Because he cares. Another thing that gets to me is that when Merlin is sitting upset doing his chores, Arthur usually comes to sit next to him, at his eye level, or even UNDER his eye level sometimes. Yet, a Prince should never be sitting at a lower level than a servant or any lesser noble. He gives himself the look of a listener, and he's bad with words and feelings (because of his father's shitty education) but he TRIES.

Last episode was Arthur centric, with Arthur showing his most intimate thoughts and feelings to/in front of Merlin : his grief and guilt about his mother's death, his rage at the idea that his father was responsible for her death, that he was a hypocrite and a liar... This episode was Merlin centric. I wonder what next episode will be like.

This episode was really good at exploring Merlin's feelings about his magic, his identity as a warlock, his sense of loneliness at the heart of Camelot. Gaius cares about him but is still loyal to Uther, and Merlin is not sure Gaius really understands him and what it's like to be a warlock. Arthur... Merlin cares about Arthur and Arthur cares about him, but Merlin knows that he could end up in a cage just like Freya. And I think a part of him might resent Arthur for it. Or at least, at the end of the episode, he's tired of his chores... But no wonder. Your crush is killed by your soulmate, and you still have to show up at work the next day and shine his boots ?

#bbc merlin #merlin rewatch #the lady of the lake #freya #Youtube

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cbk1000 · 7 months

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Hey, remember how I wrote a fic that was literally just about two men driving around the countryside looking at animals and being gay for one another? And it was 90,000 words? And at the end I went, "That wasn't enough nothing, so I'm going to write a sequel to this?" Anyway, here's a preview from that sequel:

Merlin gave him a few biscuits to show they were still chums, and then rested for a bit with his forearms on the table, recovering his stamina and courage for the follow-up round. The pocket on his scrub top was torn, and his trousers had seen neater days in a byre. He wiped the sweat from his forehead with his arm. The door opened, thankfully, before he had launched himself into the next round, and in came Gaius with his stethoscope round his neck, saying, “It sounded like the Blitz in here, so I thought I’d give you a hand.”

“Yeah, did it give you flashbacks?” Merlin asked cheekily, though he did not yet have the breath to be a fully-realised shit.

Gaius rolled his eyes. “Ah, Charlie. Have you been giving Merlin some trouble?”

“He’s given me all the trouble. I’m sedating him next time.”

“It’s only an ear cleaning, Merlin.”

“That’s easy for you to say. I don’t see you in here being the David to his Goliath.”

“David won, didn’t he?” Gaius replied serenely.

“Sure, if you believe a book that says some guy talked to a burning bush and he wasn’t even tripping balls.”

Gaius rolled his eyes. “Where’s Arthur?”

“Does everyone ask ‘Where’s Merlin’ when I’m gone?” Merlin demanded.

“No.”

“He’s shopping because we’re the worst gays ever and we live like two bachelors who forgot that they have to do things like actually keep replenishing the refrigerator which, turns out, doesn’t just refill itself. But I can’t believe he’s still not here. I bet he knew Charlie was coming in today and he’s sat at home right now swigging champagne and living the high life and laughing at me cutting off dog’s balls and putting in bloody ear drops.” Then his phone went, and he slipped it out of his pocket to find there was a text notification from Arthur. “His ears must have been burning.”

Gaius put on fresh gloves and knelt down stiffly to greet Charlie whilst he read the text, which said very cryptically, Ring me; I need saving.

He did so. “Hullo, it’s your handsome, charming, taller boyfriend, saying these things because he assumes if you try and refute them you’ll ruin the bit. Who do you need saving from?”

“Oh,” Arthur said on the other end of the line. “Ok. Right. Well, don’t worry, I’ll be there straight away.” Then: “I’m sorry, Olivia, I’m afraid there’s a bit of an emergency at the clinic. Right. I’ll tell him as soon as I see him. Right. But I think it’s really a pretty big emergency and I’m needed straight away. Yes, I’ll tell him. Yes. No, it’s not him on the phone, it’s one of the front desk staff. I think he’s in surgery. Yes. That’s why I’m needed. Exactly.” Merlin took the phone away from his ear for a moment to laugh.

“Are you free of her?” he asked when he had finished snorting.

“I’m hurrying across the street now, too quickly for her to follow, so I think I’m in the clear. Or else I’ll be hit by a car; either way, I'm free.”

“Is that what’s taken you so long to do the shopping? I was about to ask if you’d gone to York.”

“I’m at our very own Morrisons right across the street. I finished shopping nearly an hour ago. She ambushed me. Trixie has rabies again.”

“Oh, for fuck’s sake,” Merlin blurted out.

“Merlin,” Gaius scolded him with a frown.

“Well, sorry, but Olivia Harris thinks her bloody dog’s got bloody rabies again, so I’m pretty confident the next thing Arthur’s about to say is that she demands I go out there and fix her up with one of those rabies shots again before she’s torn limb from limb by her 14-year-old Pomeranian. Some people are too stupid to live, and I wish they wouldn’t.”

“Merlin!” Gaius barked.

“Oh, yeah, because this whole village is going to go into mourning if she cocks up her toes. Probably give Death a plaque and a hand shake when he comes for her.”

“I’ll be there in a minute,” Arthur said. “I’ve still got to get the shopping home, but I know she’s watching me, and if I don’t pop into the clinic for the ‘emergency’ then I might as well walk into oncoming traffic.”

“Don’t do that; I need you to help me with Charlie.”

There was a long pause on the other end of the phone. “Don’t,” Merlin snapped. “You dare go home or walk into oncoming traffic. I’ll drag you right out of hospital.”

He did not walk into oncoming traffic, but through the employee entrance a few minutes later, after Gaius, citing the imminent arrival of Arthur as a reason to scurry off without having so much as scratched one of Charlie’s ears had scarpered. Merlin, sensing the presence of a fellow cow wrestler, who might have been up to the gargantuan task before him, poked his head out of the exam room, said, “Get in here,” and yanked Arthur in by his shirt, in case the command had not been clear enough.

“Don’t manhandle me,” Arthur said.

“I thought you liked that,” Merlin said.

Arthur was still fresh enough to being dicked down that he coloured, very faintly, though bamboo shoots under his fingernails would not have gotten him to confess to it. He went into the overhead cabinet for some gloves, and then knelt down in front of Charlie, though all he would have had to do to meet him eye to eye was to stoop down a bit. “Hello, Charlie. Has this twat been mucking about with your ears again?” He rubbed them.

“I’ve cleaned them out and just need to put in the antibiotic drops.”

“‘Just.’ That’s like saying you ‘just’ need to build the third Pyramid of Giza,” Arthur complained.

“That’s right, I did the first bloody two, you whingeing pillock, now man up.”

“Good morning, by the way,” Arthur said, in a tone which implied very heavily it was not. Arthur had had a rare lie-in that morning whilst Merlin slipped out ahead of him, so that their last interaction had been the night previously, a shag which ought to have put him in a better mood.

“Good morning, you crotchety tit.”

“You’d be crotchety too if you’d just had to listen to Olivia Harris for an hour.”

“Well, I’m going to have to listen to her for another hour this afternoon I’m sure, so I don’t actually have any sympathy.”

“You never do.”

“He’s a rotten liar, Charlie, I’m delightful.” He hauled Arthur in by the front of his shirt, and briskly pecked him on the mouth. “In case Charlie leaves you my war widow.”

Arthur rolled his eyes. “Don’t be such a coward; he’s like a giant teddy bear.”

“Yeah, that’s why you were thinking about walking into oncoming traffic when I said you needed to help with him.”

“I was thinking of walking into oncoming traffic because I had to talk to Olivia Harris for an hour.”

The teddy bear stood cooperatively enough for his two friends, delighted to see they had multiplied, and that the second was the lovely blonde who gave him against the express advice of his stingier partner an extra biscuit; then this friend too transformed into that vile, snakeish Judas. Arthur patted his shoulders, and said, “Up” a little wearily, though he regularly bore the weight of an animal almost as heavy. He scratched all round the ears with Charlie’s hot breath in his face, and under the lax chin whilst Merlin sidled in with the drops. He managed the right ear before Charlie had quite comprehended what was happening to him; then he lunged back from Arthur with a look to show how he had wounded him.

“Whoa, there, mate,” Arthur said, catching his front legs, and pinning them to his shoulders, whilst Charlie hopped about on his hind legs, shaking his head, and whipping it about, and turning Merlin’s ministrations into something like a bloody-minded Cirque-de-Solei audition, where the interviewers were throwing roundhouses at him whilst he contorted himself for their amusement.

They were all three panting, sweaty, and dishevelled when at last the ordeal was finally over, and Charlie clumped down onto the floor, and then galloped over to the Sulking Corner because he knew that Arthur would want to make friends again with some treats, whereas Merlin would have merely called him a great baby.

“How did this morning go?” Arthur sked, squatting in front of Charlie and offering him a chicken flavoured gravy bone. “Ear drops aside.”

“Pretty well. Diggy’s bollocks are no longer amongst us, RIP. Had an emergency c-section after that; poor bitch was in labour all yesterday and still hadn’t progressed by the time her owner brought her in, but all the pups were alive and she came through the surgery just fine. Oh, and Emma says she wishes you weren’t gay. And that you’re such a soppy loser for me that it defeated her mum’s homophobia.”

Arthur looked round from Charlie and arched his eyebrow. “What? So what you mean is, today Emma confessed to being totally insane?”

“She did all but say she fancied you, so, yeah.”

“I do have a history of attracting lunatics.”

“True,” Merlin said. “It’s your arse. If you just had your personality, even crazy people would leave you alone.”

“Oh really? Maybe I should stop doing squats, then. Live out the rest of my days in peace.”

“Don’t do that,” Merlin said, and swatted him on the bum, unfortunately timed to the opening of the door, which had been opened by Gaius.

“Merlin.” He frowned.

“What? That’s one of the most innocent things I’ve ever done to him.”

“At the clinic he is your coworker, not your boyfriend. I’m not going to have another complaint from one of our clients about you sexually harassing people.”

“That was a misunderstanding.”

“So you didn’t make a lewd comment to Arthur at the front desk in front of Mrs Clarke?”

“Well I thought it was under my breath.”

“You don’t have an under your breath,” Arthur retorted.

“Arthur started it anyway,” Merlin said.

“I did not!”

“You said--”

“I don’t think Gaius needs to know what I said to know that you’re guilty,” Arthur cut in hastily.

“I’m certain I don’t,” Gaius said drily. “Nor do I want to have any inkling of 98% of what’s said between the two of you. Just keep it away from the front desk.” He jotted down something in the chart he was holding. “Do the two of you have time to see an alpaca today?”

“An alpaca?” Merlin asked.

“There’s a local breeder who’s just got a new male and bred him to several of her females without any pregnancies, and she was hoping we might nip over and take a sperm sample.”

“What am I supposed to use to collect alpaca jizz? I assume what we’ve got for the bulls won’t work.”

“We say semen, Merlin.”

“Well, regardless, semen, jizz, spunk, baby batter--what am I supposed to put it in?”

“You could use a bit of tupperware.”

“We are not using our tupperware to collect alpaca semen,” Arthur broke in.

“Calm your tits, I’m not going to make you eat out of it afterwards. Obviously we’d chuck it; you can’t erase that with a washing-up. But, yeah, not really keen on wasting some tupperware on that.”

“A sandwich baggie, then,” Gaius said with the serenity of a man who would not be sticking his hand under an orgasming alpaca.

“I’ve still got to put the shopping away. I’ll take Merlin, nip home quickly, and then drive us over to the farm.”

“You just want me to put the shopping away,” Merlin complained.

“Well I did it the last two times in a row.”

“Well I was operating on a pig.”

“You always have some excuse.”

“‘Can’t, I’m sorting out intestines’ is an extremely valid one.”

“I just find it extremely interesting that these things happen when there’s shopping to put away.”

“It’s not like I’m scheduling rectal prolapses to coincide with when we do the shopping--”

“Boys,” Gaius said.

“Oh, yeah, right, alpaca jizz,” Merlin said.

They bickered amicably all the way home and whilst refiling pantry and fridge and cupboards, comparing the number of items each had put away, and determining whether he was or wasn’t carrying a fair load, till Merlin decided to cheat by saying, “I am putting away my stuff so much faster” to ensure that Arthur finished the job.

“You’re a cock,” Arthur said.

“You’re way too easy to goad,” Merlin said.

#fic #preview #writing #merthur

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that-nerd-who-writes-fanfiction · 17 days

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Something I wrote yesterday for a chronic pain werewolf Merlin fic sitting in one of my doom folders

(I’ve been through and checked spellings a bit but please don’t be too harsh.)

—

Arthur hadn’t said anything yet, he realised.

“You’ve been through so much,” the prince murmured, astonished. His voice sounded so soft and genuine and reassuring. Merlin had heard that same voice when he spoke to people in the aftermath of attacks. “I promise you, I’m going to do everything to make sure you never have to deal with anything like that again.”

Merlin shook his head again, “You can’t promise that. I’m a werewolf in Camelot.”

“It won’t be like this forever,” Arthur tells him and Merlin hangs onto it like a prayer. A breath of destiny and hope for the future where tomorrow won’t taste of dread and ash from pyres.

Merlin doesn’t know how he’s supposed to respond to it, so instead he turns his hand over and holds onto Arthur. The promise seems so tangible here, in his room after the most terrifying morning he’d ever experienced, second only to waking up after being bitten or waiting to transform the first time after.

“Why did you come to Camelot?” Arthur asked quietly.

Merlin huffed, “Will.” His eyes stung. For all he loved his friend, Will had almost gotten him killed so many times. “He got drunk while he was visiting the capital to petition Cenred to help our supplies over winter, Cenred told him no and he said his angry werewolf friend would rip them all to pieces for being complicit in tyranny. A week later, we had knights searching the village. It was either finding myself on a pyre for sure or taking my chances. So I took my chances.”

“But why Camelot of all places?” Arthur asked, his hands were still cradling Merlin’s, thumbs tracing the callous scars Merlin had collected over his lifetime.

Merlin shrugged, “I kept getting hurt. Badly. Then I woke up with this,” he drew one of his hands back and traced a scar on his neck, jagged lines and raised pale silvery skin, usually covered by his neckerchief. Arthur’s eyes followed the movement, then tore away to look at Merlin’s face. “I thought I was dead for sure, I managed to find a patch of yarrow to slow the bleeding and I tore my shirt for bandages, then healed what I could remember, but it wasn’t safe anymore. She sent me to Camelot because Gaius already knew, she hoped he could teach me how to be a physician and take care of me until I figured it out myself. I can set bones and dislocations, stop bleeding, stitch wounds, I’m learning, but it’s… still scary.” He confessed, stomach twisting.

He felt a bitter sense of grief creep up on him. The life he could’ve had if he wasn’t a monster.

“I’ll take care of you, too.” Arthur whispered like a vow, breaking Merlin free of a spiral before he’d even taken the first step. “I know sorry won’t make anything better so I won’t say that,” his hand lifted and traced the scar at Merlin’s neck, then Arthur tenderly cupped his jaw, thumb rubbing over what felt like a faint bruise on his cheekbone. Their eyes met, and it felt like sparks attempting to fly between them. Arthur shook his head, looking away and taking a breath, then said “I was never good at words, but I’m going to prove that things can be better. And hopefully by then, I’ll have found the right words to tell you you’re too important to me to ever lose you to this. Hopefully by then I’ll be able to tell you that as long as I draw breath, you’re never going to go through anything alone. And if I haven’t found the words, then I’ll prove it in my actions.”

Arthur was looking at him again, holding his hands and cupping his cheek, eyes looking deep into Merlin’s soul like he could uncover every detail or insecurity or fear and detach it from the tentative thing he hesitantly labelled hope. Merlin leaned forward, closing his eyes against the hot tears behind his eyes and pressed his forehead to Arthur’s, breathing him in.

Arthur’s hand never came away from his face, gently caressing the bruised skin. Merlin’s back was red hot under the uncomfortable fabric of his oldest and softest tunic. Leaning forward as he was did him no favours, but he refused to pull away. Refused to lose this because of the wolf like so many other parts of his life.

—

I hate that the first four chapters of this are crap cos this bit could actually be halfway decent with a few edits.

Anyway

#bbc merlin #merlin #fanfic #unfinished #merlin fanfic #merlin emrys #merthur #arthur pendragon #hurt merlin #werewolf merlin #hurt/comfort #soft arthur pendragon #i still can’t write without it getting angsty apparently #light angst #merlin bbc #i’m bad at tagging #fic writer #i need sleep

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kateis-cakeis · 2 months

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Okay okay thinking about it, really thinking about it. My post from the other day (here) I said "you see him slip into this version of himself that is hardly recognisable, even when you compare him to his characterisation in S4" talking about S5 Merlin.

And then I really thought about, okay but what if say S1 Merlin was put into S5 Merlin's shoes, would he do any different? Would he?

Honestly, think about it.

Let's take him at the end of S1, where he was ready to give up his life for Arthur completely to save him. I mean sure he did that in S1Ep4, and tried to do it in S1Ep11, but Ep13 is where it really hits. He said goodbye after all.

This is a Merlin that was ready to tell Arthur about his magic, but was locked out of the possibility after Will lied as he died to protect him.

This is a Merlin who already tried to kill Mordred. Or well, let him die really. Not so much kill.

So let's look at lines from S1EP8 about Mordred dying vs Arthur dying, shall we? ...

"Would you let something terrible happen if it meant you'd stop something even worse happening in the future?"

"One of them's bad, really bad. And the other, it's...unthinkable."

"For once, you don't have to worry. I'm going to do nothing."

I cut out Gaius's replies because Merlin's lines are more important here. The 'something terrible' and the one that's 'bad, really bad' refer to letting Mordred be executed.

Meanwhile the 'something even worse' and 'it's unthinkable' refer to Arthur's death in the future.

He decides to do nothing as we know, he decides to let Mordred die, right up until Mordred pleads with him through telepathy.

That's the S1 Merlin we're dealing with.

Maybe if you took him from Ep1 or pre-S1 yeah he'd act differently, but S1 Merlin is as much defined by Arthur's impending death as S5 Merlin is.

The only difference is between them, S1 Merlin has destiny propelling him forward just a little more than S5 Merlin does. Whether by love or sheer dedication, S5 Merlin is even prepared to push aside his own freedom to save Arthur's life, just to condemn Mordred to death.

Would S1 Merlin do any different?

No, no I don't think he would. Not if he saw the vision, not if he saw Arthur fall.

S5 Merlin is defined by what he saw in the pool, he's defined by seeing what he believes is Arthur's death (not yet knowing he would survive for days after acquiring that wound)

If S1 Merlin, or even S2, 3, or 4 saw that same vision? I don't think they would do any differently.

Maybe he had more hope earlier on, sure, but that would be missing the way that S5 Merlin hopes. He tells both Mordred and Finna that it "won't always be like this". He hopes for freedom as much as S1 Merlin does, he's just more prepared to prioritise Arthur.

But isn't that what he's always done? S2, when he struggles to lie, but still does lie to Arthur about Morgause and his mother - He's thanked for reminding Arthur that sorcerers are evil.

The way he acts just before telling the lie is so similar to his expressions when he's about say "There can be no place for magic in Camelot" in S5Ep5.

That's the thing. I know I bang on about how S5 Merlin is so much darker and he is, he grew up after all. But I truly think if S1 Merlin saw that vision, nothing would have changed.

Nothing. Not even his actions with the Disir. Why would he, if there's a chance to try and kill Mordred Merlin always took it. Or tried to as much as he could.

S2 Merlin, put in S5 Merlin's shoes, might even edge closer to murder, that man tripped that kid up in the hope that two guards would kill him, and instead watched as Mordred killed the guards instead.

What, Merlin was innocent back in earlier seasons? That boy, that man, he was never innocent, man was down to murder from his very first day in Camelot.

So yes, S5 Merlin has ten years give or take of saving Arthur and setting aside his freedom, and that did indeed darken him and change him and mould him, but S1 Merlin already had enough experience that nothing would change.

Merlin was always going to condemn Mordred, he barely knew him early on after all, and later, he already had the knowledge of the vision.

Let's not forget that in S5, Merlin says he likes Mordred, but that he can't ignore what he saw. That he can't save the life of a man destined to kill Arthur, that he can't ignore what the dragon said. That Finna was right, he cannot trust Mordred, not after all he's been told.

I don't think any Merlin could do any differently if he was told all that, and shown Camlann.

There's no such thing as an innocent Merlin, not when it comes to Arthur's life. We can say he became too blinded, but in S4 he killed Agravaine, used dark magic to lock away Morgana's magic for a time, and took away Arthur's free will. S3 is a little harder, but he did command Kilgharrah against his will. S2 Merlin is easy, he tried to kill Mordred, and morbidly held Morgana as she was dying to the water he poisoned. S1 Merls is just people dying left and bloody right. Nimueh, god should we ever forget about the way he killed Nimueh. She fucking exploded.

All this to say, S5 Merlin didn't abandon his values because he already did that when they all first met Mordred. He just became more and more set, darker and darker over time. But if any version of himself was given that vision by the Vates, it's over, it's so over, because that's all it took.

To see Arthur fall, that's all it took. It's all it would ever take.

#bbc merlin #merlin #look look just hear me out here #s5 merlin might go brrrr on the whole matter of Arthur #in a way that is different #but like i dont think if he was put in those shoes earlier on that it would be different #like really thinking about it - Merlin was always down to try and get Mordred killed #that's like his whole thing with Mordred #and I understand that #I don't blame him I cant because I understand the difficult position he was in #here's this kid and later older boy/man who is gonna kill someone who he's really close to #friends with soulmates with you know #like yeah he's gonna put Arthur above Mordred every day of the week #because Mordred is nothing in comparison - Arthur is everything to him #there's sometimes i feel like over the years i read things in this fandom about how it's all Merlin's fault for condemning Mordred but it's #like okay cool - but he was never gonna act differently that's just not in his character #He would never turn his back on destiny or prophecy visions and whatnot #in fact it's often Gaius saying there are many futures that steers Merlin wrong #silly Gaius not knowing of Arthur's fate - the never ending circle :P #still it's important to really look at Merlin and appreciate this is just how he is #from the very moment Kilgharrah implied that Mordred would be Arthur's death - Merlin was set to do everything he could #and the second Mordred came back into their lives - after he saw the vision - what could he do? what could he bloody do?#im still surprised to this day that he didnt just try directly - i mean i know why he still has morals but i think he was close #Merlin would have always done this that's the thing no matter at what stage - this was exactly who he was #someone prepared to do anything to protect the people he loves - not just Arthur - like again Nimueh Nimueh Nimueh #oh my god Nimueh - do you guys ever watch Merlin kill her from time to time - it's so brutal - I think that's the moment he's at his #scariest like even some of the darker S5 scenes dont match up to that

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viridiesa · 1 year

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❝ 𝐢'𝐯𝐞 𝐠𝐨𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮, ❞ ▬ 𝐬𝐢𝐫 𝐠𝐰𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐞.

𝐒𝐘𝐍𝐎𝐏𝐒𝐈𝐒; you're the unintentional victim to an attempt on King Arthur's life and wake up days later in bed, being tended to by your beloved knight. ★ gwaine x gn!reader

𝐖𝐀𝐑𝐍𝐈𝐍𝐆𝐒; angst, fear of loss, mentions of poison, mentions of death. {if you notice anything else that i missed let me know}

𝐀𝐔𝐓𝐇𝐎𝐑'𝐒 𝐍𝐎𝐓𝐄; first fic of the new account <3 requested on an old one. this is kinda a sickfic? i sorta went with the reader being unwell without the whole disease route. i love this man sm ugh.

𝐋𝐄𝐍𝐆𝐓𝐇; 1125 words.

𝐌𝐀𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐋𝐈𝐒𝐓 ★ 𝐓𝐀𝐆𝐋𝐈𝐒𝐓

Waking up to the feeling of a damp cloth being dabbed at your forehead, you slowly blinked open your eyes. The top of his shirt hanging open, sleeves rolled up, his hair slightly dishevelled, Gwaine looked tired. Attempting to wriggle into a more comfortable position, you groaned at the much your entire body ached.

“Hey,” Gwaine said softly, a small smile forming as he looked down at you, “Don’t try and move, sweetheart, you’re still very sick.”

You wanted to cry, your head felt like it was about to explode or topple right off your body. Your neck was as stiff as a board and your throat felt like gravel. “How long was I-” you began, croaking like a frog before he shushed you.

“You’ve been asleep for three days,” he explained, “Gaius thinks it should only be three more before the poison is fully out of your system.”

You frowned at that. Poison?

“At the feast,” he said, knowing just what you were thinking, “Sir Arnold’s serving girl put something in the wine. Apparently, it was intended for Arthur but it didn’t reach him funnily enough. Leon and Harry’s wife, Lady Evans also drank some.”

“I-” you started, not really having any thought of what to say. Your eyes began to water and hot tears began down your cheeks.

“Hey, hey, hey, ssh,” Gwaine whispered, reaching out to wipe your cheeks just as fast as they were wetted, “it’s okay now, you’re alright. Gaius had all the ingredients on hand and administered the antidote within the hour. More than long enough to make you better.” He continued to brush your cheek even after you stopped crying.

Putting the rag down on the cupboard at your bedside, he pressed a chaste kiss to your forehead and rose from his chair. “I had Merlin prepare you some soup in case you woke,” he said as he fetched the bowl from the table. As he returned with it, he lifted the spoon to his mouth to taste it. You frowned.

“Can’t be too careful,” he said, sitting back in his chair. He shuffled it forwards until his knees were pressed against the bed. Taking another spoonful, he held it to your lips. “Just have as much as you can, darling.”

Still relatively warm, it went down smoothly and helped the dry ache of your throat. You had a couple more spoonfuls until you swallowed too fast and began to cough. Gwaine was quick to put down the bowl and spoon before helping you sit up against the pillows.

“I’ll pour you some water.” He took the jug from beside him and filled the goblet that sat next to it. Sipping it slightly, he waited a moment before handing it to you, gently helping tip some into your mouth for you to gulp down. When you put your hand up to say you had enough he put it back.

“Why do you keep doing that?” you breathed, voice steadier than before.

“You’re not having a sip of anything again until it’s passed my lips first,” he vowed, his tone suggesting he was joking but his eyes saying otherwise. Reaching out, you took hold of his hand where it rested on his knee. He gripped your fingers tightly as you smiled at him.

“Have you eaten today?” you asked. He looked down for a moment, chuckling at your ability to be concerned even while you were the one who had so recently faced death.

“Not yet.”

“And when did you last sleep?”

“Not since you’ve been unwell,” he admitted, preparing himself for your disapproval.

“Go to bed, Gwaine,” you whispered, “there’s no sense in us both looking half-dead.”

He leaned forward and kissed your brow. “You’re a fool if you think I’m letting you out of my sight until you’re up and walking around.”

“Don’t be cruel to yourself,” you said, staring up into his eyes, rubbing your thumb along his knuckles, “you’ll end up bedridden if you don’t eat and sleep. Finish the soup.”

“That’s for you, my darling,” he said.

“I’m not hungry. Finish it and come ‘ere.” You patted the empty spot on the bed next to you.

“Only for you, my love.”

Not bothering with the spoon, he tipped the bowl back and drank the rest of the soup. When he got up to take off his boots you noticed his sword leaning unsheathed against the wall nearby. Just in reach, you thought which made your heart sink. He grabbed it before he plodded around to his side of the bed. After putting it on his bedside cabinet, he climbed onto the bedding and inched closer to you.

“Expecting a hostile intruder?” you asked.

“You never know who’s gonna try to take you away from me,” he said, wriggling into a comfortable position beside you. Retaking your hand, he brought it to his lips and laid a kiss to your knuckles before holding it to his chest. Shoulders pressed together, you let out a deep breath, eyes falling shut again.

“I’d never let them,” you murmured, “you’re stuck with me.”

“Good.” He was silent for a while before adding: “I thought I was gonna lose you. For a while there it didn’t look like… Gaius wasn’t sure you’d make it.”

Shifting with a slight wince, you turn to look at him better. You tucked a piece of hair behind his ear and he turned his head towards you.

“I’m okay, Gwaine,” you said, “I promise. It’s okay now. I’m safe.”

“No thanks to me,” he breathed, the fear in his voice breaking your heart.

“You didn’t know, how could you have?”

“I don’t know, but I just sat there for a minute. After you fell out of your seat and I had you in my arms. You were so fucking still and I just… I couldn’t move. Percival grabbed you and ran to Gaius. If he’d been any slower, if I’d- you would’ve died because of me.”

Scooching closer, you let go of his hand and wrapped your arm around his middle. He lifted his arm to put it behind your back allowing you to press your cheek into his chest. “You were in shock, it’s not your fault.”

“But it would’ve been.”

“No,” you insisted, “whoever put the poison in the wine is to blame, no one else.”

“Hmm,” he hummed, not entirely taking your word for it now, “never again. I’ll protect you from anything and everything, whatever it takes.”

“You’re too good to me,” you said, kissing his cheek, “my handsome knight.”

“You’re not so bad yourself, sweetheart,” he said, “now go back to sleep, you need to rest.”

“You best go to sleep too.”

“Of course,” he said, “Sweet dreams, darling.”

𝐄𝐍𝐃 𝐍𝐎𝐓𝐄; hope you enjoyed <3 if you have any ideas, suggestions, or comments please comment on this post, dm me or drop your thoughts in my inbox! i’d love to talk to you :))

#gwaine x reader #merlin bbc #merlin bbc fanfiction #eoin macken #🎱; writing #sir gwaine #gwaine #sir gwaine x reader

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fandomfaeofveryfewf4cks · 4 months

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5 times Merlin got Arthur a good Christmas present and 1 time Arthur got Merlin the best Christmas present

Contains: temporary angst, banter, merthur, banter, mentioned argwen (not end game),banter, no smut, banter, Christmas Carol levels of effort applied to the happy ending, banter

ao3: 5 times Merlin got Arthur a good Christmas present and 1 time Arthur got Merlin the best Christmas present

The Start of a tradition

"MERlin."

Merlin sighs at the clear sign of an unavoidable list of chores or ribbing he's about to get.

"Yes, sire." He turns to see Arthur peeking out from behind the changing curtain, shirtless, of course, before he steps out and starts strutting over. He grabs Merlin by the shoulder and says as he drags him behind the curtain, "What is this?"

"Ah, that." Merlin notes.

"I know your brain is the size of a pickled egg, Merlin, but surely there was enough room to store an adequate amount of vocabulary to describe all the unusual things you get up to for when you get caught doing them."

The unusual thing in this particular instance was the pile of assorted items wrapped in some of Arthur's old shirts.

"Well," Merlin replied, "you know that holiday Christmas?"

"I've heard of it," Arthur replies with raised eyebrows, awaiting what he's sure will be an entertaining explanation if not an original one.

"Well, it is a tradition to give gifts to people on this holiday, and there are a number of kind, hardworking people I know who I thought might enjoy a little festive token of my appreciation for them."

"And you decided to hide them in my chambers?"

"Well, Gaius has a habit of popping into my room unannounced and you've been in council meetings all day, so I figured this was a good place to wrap and store them for a bit until I could find an effective way of sneaking them into a good hiding spot."

"Mmhm. And the shirts?"

"Well, it's a shame to waste good paper when there's more reusable and decorative material at hand."

"I see. Well, ignoring your complete disregard for whose chambers these are and whose shirts those are, I suppose it is a rather thoughtful thing to do for the recipients of those gifts."

If Merlin, wasn't mistaken, Arthur may have just complimented him. How peculiar. "Thank you, sire."

"Especially since you typically have no thoughts at all."

"Of course, sire," Merlin said with minimum sincerity (which, in this case, is less than none).

"And in the case of the surprise being spoilt for me already, you can go ahead and give me my present now."

Arthur had that look on his face like he had set up Merlin to get in trouble, not that Merlin ever needed help getting into trouble.

"Your present?"

Arthur pouted comedically. "Don't tell me you forgot to get me one."

"Well, to be fair, I did say I only got gifts for kind and hardworking people."

Arthur then had his most shocked trying-not-to-smile-face break free. That was one of Merlin's favorites.

"But as a matter of fact, I did get you something."

Arthur suddenly looked skeptical. "Really?"

"Yes." He walks over to the laundry basket he had brought up earlier with Arthur's freshly cleaned clothes, and dug around for two socks, which he proceded to ball up haphazardly and place in Arthur's hands before stepping away with an exaggerated bow.

Arthur quirked his lips and squinted his eyes the way he does when Merlin calls him a word he doesn't know. Another one of Merlin's favorite looks that Arthur does. "Gee, thanks."

"You're welcome," Merlin says gleefully. "Shall I finish getting you ready for bed, sire?"

Arthur sighs and rolls his eyes fondly as he walks over to where Merlin has started turning down the sheets.

"You know, gifts are usually something one does not already own," he says as he lays part of the way down.

"Well, I thought it would be a nice reminder to appreciate what you already have, sire." Merlin said with a cheeky smirk as they stared into each others eyes, closer than they really ought to be. Merlin breaks eye-contact first and gives the covers a last pat before extinguishing all the candles except the one immediately by Arthur's bedside, which Arthur will blow out when he's ready.

"Good night, Arthur. Merry Christmas."

"Merry Christmas, Merlin." Arthur says with an exasperated sigh. Merlin shuts the door on his way out and Arthur lays his head down to feel something hard underneath his pillow.

"Ow! What the?!" He shoots up and yanks the pillow away, to find a small box.

He picked it up and saw there was a note that said "For the best dollophead one could ever have the misfourtune of working for." Arthur huffed out a laugh. He opened the box to find it was an assortment of Arthur's favorite sweets. Some of them he hadn't had since he was a child. He remembers telling Merlin about it to prove him wrong when he complained about Arthur having no concept of what makes a sweet actually good.

Arthur smiled to himself. He put the box on his bedside table, tucked the note safely in the bottom of the drawer, and blew out the candle.

2. Penny for your thoughts?

Arthur sat at his desk and pressed his hands to his face, letting out the most exhausted breath of air he'd held all day. He still had three speeches to write for various holiday events in the coming week and a plan for food rations to draw up and later present to the council. He'd already had a long morning of training. It seemed he was now in for a long afternoon.

Suddenly a tray with three scrolls on it was plopped down in front of him with a loud clatter. He looks up into a familiar smiling face. "Hello Merlin."

"Your royal highness."

"What are these?" He asks as Merlin turns to get started on dusting, if you could call his version of it that.

"Drafts for your speeches this week. I'm sure you'll find them quite well-written."

Arthur did his best to contain his surprise. "Oh, you didn't trust that I could write them myself, then?"

"I just had a feeling you were going to ask me to write them, like you always do. Besides, I couldn't bare to let all those people die from boredom by letting you be in charge of what'd come out of your mouth."

"I resent that," albeit halfheartedly, Arthur notes to himself.

Suddenly, a paperweight fell off his desk. Strange, his arm wasn't anywhere near it. He bent over and picked it up. As he did, he heard the sound of something being open and shut. He looked up, but nothing seemed out of place.

"Did you hear that?" Arthur asked.

"Hear what?" Merlin asked back.

"That sound. I could've sworn I heard something."

Merlin gave him a look that told Arthur he didn't believe him. One of his least favorite looks from his manservant. "I think you're just tired, sire. Now, if you'll excuse me. I need to help Gaius with some potions and you have speeches to look over. I'll be back later."

And then Merlin was gone. Arthur looked at the scrolls before him and decided to get things over with. He opened one up and it didn't take long before he found one of the 'jokes' Merlin likes to throw in that would never be appropriate to say as a drunk in the local tavern, let alone as a future king addressing his subjects. Most of the speech was fine, but he certainly wasn't going to refer to himself as "His royal highness, Prince Cabbage Head," nor speak the plans he apparently has to give his manservant a year off.

He can't help but smile to himself as he opened a drawer to retrieve a quill for adding in the things he'd actually say in these places, which he always has to do. He never crosses out Merlin's jokes, though.

He opens the drawer and notices there's something in it that wasn't there before. It was wrapped in one of his old shirts. He picks it up, takes the shirt off of it and sees it's a journal. Nothing anywhere near as extravagant as he's used to. On the first page, is an inscription that reads

"With the face of a toad,

and the voice of a donkey,

here's a place to come up with better jokes,

Because yours are a bit wonky.

Merry Christmas Dollop-head."

He turns another page to find a somewhat poor drawing of a donkey with the face of a toad.

He thinks of the nights when he and Merlin would be sat by a fire on a trip. The calm of the night and the way the firelight cast everything from the tree branches to Merlin's cheekbones in warm shadows would often move him to write a few words of poetry on a scrap of paper.

Merlin is the only person he'd ever admitted to about his hobby. Or rather, the only person who'd found out despite Arthur's best efforts. And he always ribs him about it. Yet, Merlin is the only person Arthur trusts to read his poems without being genuinely unkind about their quality...or even just their existence. Granted there are some poems he wouldn't let anyone read, including Merlin. Especially Merlin.

This notebook would hereafter come with Arthur on trips as often as Merlin would.

3. Two Turtle Doves And a Little Wooden Bird

Arthur was currently preparing to face his worse nightmare. Dancing. In public, no less.

Every year, the five kingdoms held a winter ball to celebrate another year of peace and prosperity as well as to show that they would be ready and willing to aid and provide for one another in times of need, such as in the winter when food is scarce and travel is difficult.

This year, Camelot was hosting, which Merlin loved because it meant they didn't have to trek through the snow for days on end. He also loved it because part of this sacred tradition was for the hosts to start the ball with a dance.

Therefore, Merlin was getting the wonderful opportunity to watch Arthur prance around in frilly clothes. Finally, he gets payback for that stupid hat.

However, he enters Arthur's chambers to find him nervously practicing the steps, looking like he's going to throw up.

Okay, maybe payback is going to have to wait.

"You alright, Arthur?"

Arthur snaps his eyes to Merlin like he's just had an epiphany.

"Merlin!"

"Yes, that is my name. Woah!"

Merlin suddenly found himself getting dragged to the center of the room, Arthur circling him like he's checking the quality of a horse. This is strange, even by Merlin's standards. "Arthur?"

Arthur suddenly stops, his hands gesturing pointedly and his face looking like he's about to make Merlin do one of his least favorite chores. "I need you to help me practice for the First Dance. I only have a few days left to practice it and you're feminine enough to make a half-decent dance partner."

Merlin was certain he heard that wrong. "Come again?"

Arthur huffs annoyedly. "I need you to dance with me so that I don't make a fool out of myself in front of all the five kingdoms during the first Winter Ball where I'll be presenting myself as king."

"Ah." Merlin should've known. Every "first" Arthur has gone through as king so far has led to him being a huge ball of nervous energy. Merlin couldn't blame him. He knows perfectly well how much the weight of the land can take a toll on one's shoulders. And he's known Arthur long enough to understand the toll it's taken on him, in particular.

"Arthur, I'm sure you'll do fine. Besides, you have days to perfect the dance and you'll have Gwen to help keep you in time with the music."

"Or to be humiliated by her oaf of a husband. I've already shoveled so much responsibility on her by making her queen; a queen half the council disapproves of solely for the circumstances of her birth. I can't ask her to make up for all my short-comings on top of everything else. I need to be as much someone for her to rely on as she is someone I rely on."

To say it's rare for Arthur to be emotionally vulnerable is an understatement of great and prophetic proportions. This is always where Merlin needs to tread carefully.

"Gwen knew what she was getting into when she married you. She knew you were a leader of one of the greatest kingdoms in the world. She knew you are constantly having to talk your way into the minds and hearts of your fellow leaders, the council members with dated views on what is good and just, and even your own people, many of whom are used to your father's way of doing things, if not supportive of them.

Arthur settles a bit, though still with a tightness to his shoulders and stress in his eyes.

"She knew she would gain an immense amount of responsibility and have her honor and capabilities picked at viciously. She knew she would have to get used to protocols and traditions of which there are thousands to learn about and keep in mind at all times.

"She also knew she'd have you at her side. She knows you love her and would do anything to ensure her happiness and well-being. She knows if there is anything she can't handle, which you and I both know is not a very long list,"

He got a small smile and hum of agreement out of Arthur for that.

"She knows she can come to you for anything. She does rely on you, Arthur. As much as you rely on her, and you know why?"

Arthur's eyes light up with hopeful curiousity.

"Because you've already proven to her that she can. You continue to prove it every day."

It's true. Merlin has seen how a touch of his hand calms Gwen when the crowds or the sternness of the council gets too overwhelming. He's seen how one shared look from either of them can change the other's scared expression to battle-ready. They were both born to be leaders. Putting them together only made them each more powerful and the kingdom more secure.

"She also married you knowing you couldn't dance for the life of you, so I really wouldn't worry about disappointing her there. I'm sure her expectations aren't that high."

A laugh burst out of Arthur at that. He'd barely had stopped laughing by the time he said "Thank you Merlin."

Merlin smiled back at him, then looked away as though considering something. "You know...Here." He reached into his jacket and pulled out a small wooden carving of a bird, similar looking to the bird that is engraved on his mother's sigil. Very similar, indeed.

"I have a carving of a dragon, one of the few things I ever received from my father. Whenever, I hold it, I feel protected. Hopeful. Like I am more... capable and strong than I sometimes... feel I am."

Merlin takes a moment to swallow and gather the words he'll say next. Being emotionally vulnerable isn't all too easy for him either.

"It's also just something of a good luck charm. I just sort of figured, if you ever felt like you needed an extra bit of luck, it might be nice to have something to remind you of your own strengths. The things that make you a good king, a good husband, a good son. A good friend."

He looks Arthur in the eyes when he says this.

"You truly are destined for great things Arthur. You have everything you need within yourself to continue being a great king. And you don't have to do everything on your own. You have people who care about you. People who trust you and who will never judge you for whatever missteps you may make because they know you're only human. And that you're true-hearted enough to set things right when you need to. The people who matter will never abandon you for something as small as not satisfying the impossible standards of stuffy old farts."

"You know, you really shouldn't insult them like that," Arthur comments.

"Fine, I'll insult them even more creatively, then."

Arthur rolls his eyes. They land on the steadfast gaze of Merlin's, as strong in hue as they are in character.

Merlin holds out the small wooden bird. Arthur takes it and observes it. The detail on the wings. The familiarity of the shape. The smooth texture. He quickly glances up at Merlin before saying "You made this yourself?"

"I did." he answers softly.

"So wood-carving is one of those hidden talents you're always going on about, huh."

They smirk at one another, knowingly.

"One among many."

"I'm sure."

They're silent for a moment longer before there's a knock on the door and a guard reminds them of a meeting Arthur is being summoned for.

A few days later, the ball would take place and Arthur would actually have fun dancing with Gwen. He also, would only trip once, totally on purpose, to make Gwen smile amusedly, which she does. After a few dances, however, he's had enough. Gwen had too, and she goes to make charming conversation with their guests for a while, occasionally taking a break to converse with her ladies in waiting, many of whom, she's been friends with since before she was queen.

Arthur makes pleasant small talk with everyone as much as he can, but it is exhausting. He tries to get away so that he can banter with Merlin and just breathe, just to calm down a bit. He can't though. Everyone wants to talk to him and the room is so full of people dancing and milling about that he can't even see where Merlin is. He reaches a hand casually into his pocket and takes hold of the wooden token Merlin had given him. He thinks of what Merlin said. About his father, about their friends, about hope and strength.

Arthur will never tell Merlin this, but he truly must be a genius, because that little bird really did end up making him feel better.

4. Practice Makes Perfect

Arthur holds Excalibur in his hands. It truly is a magnificent sword. If ever there was a blade to convince you a legend was real, it was this one.

Still, Arthur has a hard time believing Merlin was being entirely truthful about the whole thing. He watches as Merlin speaks with some of the villagers. There really was a lot to do. Still, there was something he wanted to do that he didn't want to risk losing the chance to do.

"Merlin!"

Merlin immediately looks his way, excuses himself from the people he was talking to, and walks over.

Arthur reaches into his pocket and before Merlin can get a word out, shoves his old sword into his hands, much to Merlin's annoyance.

"Is polishing your sword really a priority right now, Arthur? I thought we-"

"That's not my sword."

"What?" Merlin blinked at him.

"That's not my sword. This is," he says, grasping the hilt of Excalibur.

Merlin looked delightfully flabbergasted.

"That's your sword." he continues.

"Arthur, you know I'm rubbish with sword-fighting. What am I supposed to do with this?"

"You're supposed to hit people with it. Preferably enemies. Consider it your Christmas present this year."

Merlin was flailing his mouth open and closed like a dying fish. Arthur told him as such.

"Arthur," Merlin called as he followed Arthur, who was resolutely walking away. He stammers for words. "Why your sword?"

"Practice makes perfect. Or, in your case, it ought to at least make you able to fight something bigger than an ant without getting knocked on your bottom. Besides, It's a practical gift. Don't I always get you practical gifts?"

"Yes, warm clothes and books, things I use regularly. But I hardly use a sword on a regular basis. It's not that I'm not grateful, don't get me wrong, but I just want to understand, why the change in routine?"

Arthur stops and looks at Merlin, then at the sword that he's had for quite some time. It was one of his favorites. Well-balanced, easy to wield, and not too flashy. Excalibur was clearly symbolic enough to justify the gold inlay and engravings, making it quite clear that this was not just a king's sword, but the king's sword. Arthur could feel that this sword was meant to be in his hands. Nonetheless, "That sword has served me well, Merlin. Even if your skillsets are lacking, and I worry for the safety of yourself and those around you when you have any sort of weapon in your hands, we're going to need all the help we can get now. And I trust that sword to be the most helpful to you in battle. So just take it."

He looks at Merlin intensely, making it clear that he won't back down.

Merlin sees this, and gives in with a nod. "Thanks."

"You're welcome."

Later, after they get back home and finally have time to rest, Arthur will find a new journal wrapped up for him; He had filled the last one and, evidently, Merlin had noticed, which wasn't very surprising.

This time, the inscription reads,

"Even if my skillsets are lacking,

Yes, I remember that slight.

Stop telling me I'm slacking,

I can still beat you with words if not in a sword fight.

Merry Christmas Clot-pole."

5. I'm Sorry

It was the first Christmas without Arthur. Merlin did as he often did these days, and visited the lake. He kneels by the edge, feeling the cold mud soak through the knees of his trousers, which he found vaguely comforting.

"It's that time of year again," He speaks aloud. "I've had the hardest time thinking of what to give you."

"When you gave me your sword, you told me you trusted it to be the most helpful to me in battle. I had given you a sword that I had hoped would be most helpful to you in battle. In the end we probably would've been better off if we'd have swapped, I think."

"I went through your journals the other day. I found...some poems, that sort of explained why you were always hesitant to let me so much as glance at the damn things, when I'd already seen a number of your other poems. I must admit, I feel like a fool for...well, for a lot of things. For my part in turning Morgana into a monster. For pushing Mordred to her. For not telling you about my magic sooner..."

"For not telling you-" He's near sobbing now, his tears falling to wet the ground even further.

"For not telling you everything. For all the mistakes I made. For not being able to save you."

"I'm sure, if you were here, you'd be underwhelmed at my choice of gift for you, but I truly think it's the best I can do."

"...I'm sorry, Arthur. That's my gift to you. I'm just sorry, for telling you 'there could be no place for magic in Camelot.' I'm sorry for the lies and the secrets. I'm sorry for letting you go anywhere near that battlefield. I'm sorry."

"I'm so sorry."

+1. All I Want For Christmas Is You

Merlin would visit the lakeside every year, sometimes for a very long while, sometimes for just a few moments. Eventually, he'd barely find the strength to stop by at all.

Several hundred years after that, he'd get a job as a mail carrier, with a route that goes right by the lake. He walks that route now, in the winter cold and pauses for a breath. He doesn't look. He knows it's there. He knows he's not there. Not yet. Possibly not ever, at this point.

He continues along his route, as he has done over and over again, and will continue to do so over and over again until something forces him to change his habits as things do over and over again.

Until then, he keeps walking.

On this particular day, however, he must have been due for something to change again because something catches his eyes and ears. He hears the splash of water. He sees a glint of something shiny rising out of the lake. His heart stops. He drops his bag. He runs. His joints ache. He de-ages himself as he runs, so he can get to the lake faster. He gets there. He gets there and sees a fully armored, soaking wet, King Arthur of Camelot standing before him. They lock eyes. Arthur says his name and Merlin barely keeps from knocking him back into the water as he hugs him. Arthur hugs him back just as fiercely.

One year later, Arthur and Merlin will stand together in their house that stands somewhere close enough to the city that they can easily visit many of their reincarnated friends, who'd found wonderful lives for themselves in this new modern world(including Gwen and Lance, who had already been married for two years by the time everyone's memories came back), but far enough out that they can be left alone when they wish it.

It turns out that everyone aside from Arthur had been born into this new time and had new lives. When Arthur came back, they all regained their memories, and were all happy to see one another (mostly). Morgana and Mordred would each have a number of very long discussions with everyone. Over time apologies from all parties would be accepted.

In the meantime, Arthur and Merlin would be together, talking with each other, healing together, loving one another. Soon enough another Christmas is right around the corner and Arthur says, "I may need help finding a gift for you. I truly can't fathom how one can buy things with that same small card over and over and over. Not to mention the fact that your money is basically invisible now. It's ridiculous."

Merlin chuckles as he lays his head against Arthur's shoulder, the two of them sitting on the couch together as Merlin introduces him to the masterpiece that is "Monty Python and the Holy Grail."

After a moment of thought, he responds "Honestly, I don't think you need to get me anything ever again. You came back. That's all I've wanted for the longest time."

Arthur hugs him more tightly at that. Then he says "You're not getting out of me getting you a gift, by being all sappy."

"And you're not getting out of learning about modern currency by being cute."

"But you admit I'm cute."

"I didn't say that."

"Yes, you did."

"No, I didn't."

"Yes, you did!"

"No, I didn't!"

They quickly end up wrestling each other until they've fully rolled off the couch and soon, it turns into a giggling mess of kisses and holding onto each other for dear life.

Even though he tried his best, Arthur has never been the best at picking out gifts for people. But in Merlin's book, nobody could ever beat the gift he got him that year. Nothing would ever top reuniting with the love of his life and finally living happily ever after.

#bbc merlin #merlin bbc #merlin x arthur #merlin/arthur #merthur #5 plus 1 #fanfic #fanfiction #christmas gifts #the number of headcannons I've shoved into this fic holy fuck #merry christmas #happy holidays #christmas fic

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tototototototo7o · 2 years

Text

𝑴𝒆𝒓𝒍𝒊𝒏 𝑵𝑺𝑭𝑾 𝑨𝒍𝒑𝒉𝒂𝒃𝒆𝒕

Since I just rewatched Merlin bbc and I wanted to start writing again, I wrote an NSFW Alphabeth for my boy Merlin.

English isn't my first language, so be kind with me. Especially with the commas

𝐴= 𝐴𝑓𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑐𝑎𝑟𝑒 (𝑊ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑦'𝑟𝑒 𝑙𝑖𝑘𝑒 𝑎𝑓𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝑠𝑒𝑥)

He's the sweetest when it comes to aftercare. He could easily clean you up with his magic, but he hestitates. He thinks you're the sweetest creature in the world and you deserve everything. He just wants to do something romantic and special without using his powers.

𝐵= 𝐵𝑜𝑑𝑦 𝑃𝑎𝑟𝑡 (𝑇ℎ𝑒𝑖𝑟 𝑓𝑎𝑣𝑜𝑟𝑖𝑡𝑒 𝑏𝑜𝑑𝑦 𝑝𝑎𝑟𝑡𝑠)

His : His Fingers

-> they're long and rough and never fail to pleasure you

Yours: your boobs

->this man ist a tiddie man

He kisses them, grabs them, massages them.

Even in a not sexual way he just likes to lay on your chest and listen to your heartbeat

𝐶= 𝑐𝑢𝑚 (𝐴𝑛𝑦𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑡𝑜 𝑑𝑜 𝑤𝑖𝑡ℎ 𝑐𝑢𝑚)

His favorite place to cum is inside you. He loves the idea of filling you up with his cum, making you his, and his only

But yk at that time condoms didn't exist so His second favourite place to cum is definetly on your chest.

He probably even looked up some spells in his book to not get you pregnant but it would be hella weird if Gaius had gifted him a book with such stuff inside.

𝐷= 𝐷𝑖𝑟𝑡𝑦 𝑠𝑒𝑐𝑟𝑒𝑡

He would never admit it, but he always had that thought of fucking you in Arthur's bed, absolutely ruining the prince's sheets.

𝐸= 𝐸𝑥𝑝𝑒𝑟𝑖𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑒 (𝐻𝑜𝑤 𝑒𝑥𝑝𝑒𝑟𝑖𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑒𝑑 𝑎𝑟𝑒 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑦?)

He isnt.

He obviously had jearked off, but not often. He always felt bad about doing such things in his room, while his mom or Gaius were on the other side of the wall.

So before he met you he was definetly a virgin.

𝐹= 𝐹𝑎𝑣𝑜𝑟𝑖𝑡𝑒 𝑃𝑜𝑠𝑖𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛

Any position where be can look into your eyes

𝐺= 𝐺𝑜𝑜𝑓𝑦 (𝐴𝑟𝑒 𝑡ℎ𝑦 𝑠𝑒𝑟𝑖𝑜𝑢𝑠 𝑖𝑛 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑚𝑜𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡 𝑜𝑟 𝑛𝑜𝑡?)

Depends on his mood/ the situation.

When he wants to be romantic or is kinda nostalgic or something like that, he'll be serious, looking deeply into your eyes and wispers cute things into your ear.

But if it was a good day he'll make (un)funny jokes in bed

𝐻= 𝐻𝑎𝑖𝑟 (𝐴𝑟𝑒 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑦 𝑔𝑟𝑜𝑜𝑚𝑒𝑑 ?)

He definetly isn't groomed. At that time no-one even thought about grooming. Not even the greatest sorcerer of all time.

𝐼= 𝐼𝑛𝑡𝑖𝑚𝑎𝑐𝑦 (𝐴𝑟𝑒 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑦 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑦 𝑟𝑜𝑚𝑎𝑛𝑡𝑖𝑐 𝑑𝑢𝑟𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑚𝑜𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡?)

As i said before he just wants to look into your eyes and hold you tight like he doesn't wanna let you go ever again.

And sometimes during the moment he'll just get you a rose out of nowhere with his magic and put it behind your ear.

He'll also close the curtains to let the room be in a slight read light, seeming more romantic

On special days hell even put roses all over the floor

𝐽= 𝐽𝑎𝑐𝑘 𝑜𝑓𝑓 (𝑀𝑎𝑠𝑡𝑢𝑟𝑏𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 ℎ𝑐)

He would like to masturbate often. Especially after he met you. But he always felt bad jerking off, while Gaius was in the other room.

𝐾 = 𝐾𝑖𝑛𝑘𝑠

-breeding kink

He just loves the idea of a little Wizard growing under your heart

𝐿= 𝐿𝑜𝑐𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 (𝐹𝑎𝑣𝑜𝑟𝑖𝑡𝑒 𝑝𝑙𝑎𝑐𝑒𝑠 𝑡𝑜 𝑑𝑜 𝑖𝑡)

Either his or your bed. He just likes the privacy. And he wants to take his time when he's pleasing you without constantly thinking about getting caught

𝑀= 𝑀𝑜𝑡𝑖𝑣𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 (𝑊ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝑡𝑢𝑟𝑛𝑠 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑚 𝑜𝑛?)

He gets turned on when you're using magic.

When you're using magic you're truly yourself and he wants to see it.

And of course he gets hard when it comes to your body. When your breasts peek trough the neckline of your dress he could take you right where you're standing

𝑁= 𝑁𝑜 (𝑆𝑜𝑚𝑒𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑦 𝑤𝑜𝑢𝑙𝑑𝑛'𝑡 𝑑𝑜, 𝑡𝑢𝑟𝑛-𝑜𝑓𝑓𝑠)

He wouldn't do something you don't like. And

he isn't into degradation. He wants to make you feel special and loved.

𝑂= 𝑂𝑟𝑎𝑙 (𝑃𝑟𝑒𝑓𝑒𝑟𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑒 𝑖𝑛 𝑔𝑖𝑣𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑜𝑟 𝑟𝑒𝑐𝑖𝑣𝑖𝑛𝑔, 𝑠𝑘𝑖𝑙𝑙)

As much as he loves to get a blowjob, he prefers eating you out. And he does it do fucking well.

He loves the taste of your juices on his tongue. You're his favourite meal.

Buttt if you give him head, it's like a reward for him. Your way, to tell him, that you're proud of him and that he's done good.

𝑃= 𝑃𝑎𝑐𝑒 (𝐻𝑜𝑤 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑦 𝑓𝑢𝑐𝑘 𝑦𝑜𝑢)

Depends on his mood

If he wants to take his time and be romantic, he'll fuck you slow and sensual.

But if he's in a band mood at had a fight with Arthur or something he'll thrust fast and rough into you. But in that situation he'll cum soo frickin' fast.

𝑄= 𝑄𝑢𝑖𝑐𝑘𝑖𝑒𝑠 (𝑇ℎ𝑒𝑖𝑟 𝑜𝑝𝑖𝑛𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑜𝑛 𝑞𝑢𝑖𝑐𝑘𝑖𝑒𝑠)

He prefers sex where he can take his time to please you.

When you're having a quicky, he always feels like he's just pleasuring himself and not you. He'll feel bad for days

𝑅= 𝑅𝑖𝑠𝑘 (𝐴𝑟𝑒 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑦 𝑔𝑎𝑚𝑒 𝑡𝑜 𝑒𝑥𝑝𝑒𝑟𝑖𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡, 𝑑𝑜 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑦 𝑡𝑠𝑘𝑒 𝑟𝑖𝑠𝑘𝑠, 𝑒𝑡𝑐 ?)

Nah

When it comes to fucking in public he doesn't like to take risks or experiment.

But when he can use his magic to make you feel good, he's definitely willing to do that. (only if you want of course)

𝑆= 𝑆𝑡𝑎𝑚𝑖𝑛𝑎 (𝐻𝑜𝑤 𝑚𝑎𝑛𝑦 𝑟𝑜𝑢𝑛𝑑𝑠 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑦 𝑐𝑎𝑛 𝑔𝑜 𝑓𝑜𝑟, ℎ𝑜𝑤 𝑙𝑜𝑛𝑔 𝑑𝑜𝑒𝑠 𝑘𝑛 𝑡𝑎𝑘𝑒 𝑢𝑛𝑟𝑖𝑙 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑦 𝑐𝑢𝑚?)

One, maybe two rounds. Not more.

And usually he won't last very long

When you two slept together for the first time, he came within seconds. As soon as his full length was inside you, he was filling you with his cum. He felt so bad afterwards, that he ate you out for hours.

𝑇= 𝑇𝑜𝑦 ( 𝐷𝑜 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑦 𝑜𝑤𝑛 𝑡𝑜𝑦𝑠?)

No, he doesn't.

At that time such toys weren't very spread.

But after all he still got his magic

𝑈= 𝑈𝑛𝑓𝑎𝑖𝑟 (ℎ𝑜𝑤 𝑚𝑢𝑐ℎ 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑦 𝑙𝑖𝑘𝑒 𝑡𝑜 𝑡𝑒𝑎𝑠𝑒)

He isn't often in the mood to tease, but when he wants it, he'll be such a tease. He'll be Slipping his fingers in and out, always asking stuff like "does that feel good?" And "you really want me that bad?", even though he knows the answer.

𝑉= 𝑉𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑚𝑒 (𝐻𝑜𝑤 𝑙𝑜𝑢𝑑 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑦 𝑎𝑟𝑒, 𝑤ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝑠𝑜𝑢𝑛𝑑𝑠 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑦 𝑚𝑎𝑘𝑒)

He lets out little soft whimpers but isn't loud.

But when he cums a deep groan escapes his lips.

𝑊= 𝑊𝑖𝑙𝑑 𝐶𝑎𝑟𝑑 (𝑅𝑎𝑛𝑑𝑜𝑚 ℎ𝑒𝑎𝑑𝑐𝑎𝑛𝑜𝑛)

He would never admit it, but he loves when you nibble at his ear. He always nearly cums in his pants when you do it

𝑋= 𝑋-𝑅𝑎𝑦 (𝑊ℎ𝑎𝑡'𝑠 𝑔𝑜𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑜𝑛 𝑖𝑛 𝑡ℎ𝑜𝑠𝑒 𝑝𝑎𝑛𝑡𝑠?)

Merlin's cock isn't fat butttt he's so frickin' long and fills you up perfectly.

When it's erected it lays flat on his stomach and his fat pink tip leaves stains of precum.

𝑌= 𝑌𝑒𝑎𝑟𝑛𝑖𝑛𝑔 (𝐻𝑜𝑤 ℎ𝑖𝑔ℎ 𝑖𝑠 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑖𝑟 𝑠𝑒𝑥 𝑑𝑟𝑖𝑣𝑒?)

He's usually really tired and is too exhausted from work to often have sex.

But he wishes that you two would have more sex, because he thinks it's a good way to express his feelings.

𝑍=𝑍𝑍𝑍 (𝐻𝑜𝑤 𝑞𝑢𝑖𝑐𝑘𝑙𝑦 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑦 𝑓𝑎𝑙𝑙 𝑎𝑠𝑙𝑒𝑒𝑝 𝑎𝑓𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑤𝑎𝑟𝑑𝑠)

Quickly.

He often only has time to clean you up until he falls asleep.

One time he definitely fell asleep between your thighs while cleaning you up.

#merlin bbc #merlin #merlin x reader #bbc merlin x reader #merlin smut #female reader #female s/o

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its-hyperfixation · 1 year

Text

"i'd lay down my life for you."

Merlin gets hurt when he knowingly walks into a trap. Arthur isn't happy with him.

Word count: 2k

for my beloved, @bellamyblakru. i love you forever and i would truly do anything for you. hope you like this :)

special thank you to my bestie @kandi-pendragon for proof reading it for me!!

Merlin knew he shouldn’t have gone alone. Gaius had tried to stop him but he hadn’t had a choice. Morgana had threatened Arthur’s life if he didn’t agree to meet with her. He couldn’t risk anything happening to Arthur. His Arthur. He had to go.

He thought he was prepared and ready to handle anything she threw at him. He was Merlin Emrys after all, the most powerful sorcerer to ever walk the Earth. He knew Morgana was going to try to kill him but he wasn’t afraid of her. He could handle her.

Unfortunately, he was wrong. It was a miracle he had even managed to make it back to Camelot alive. He had truly thought he was going to die where Morgana had left him after inflicting the worst pain he had ever felt in his life. He could feel his blood dripping out of all the wounds she gave him, making his head woozy from the blood loss. He could feel his bones, broken in more places then he could count. But he couldn’t die out here. He couldn’t leave Arthur defenceless against her. He had to make it. For Arthur.

Making it to the lower town had been the easy part. Getting to Gaius’ chambers undetected was the real challenge. Merlin could barely walk without screaming in pain but he had to stay quiet. He didn’t want anyone to see him like this and tell Arthur. He had only made it to the cathedral when he fell to the ground with a shout of pain.

He tried to get up quickly, but he heard footsteps approaching.

“Merlin! Merlin, what’s happened?!”

Percival and Elyan came into Merlin’s view as he tried to gather himself. “Nothing, I- I’m fine,” he said.

“Are you mad?” Elyan shouted, “Merlin, you look half dead!! What happened to you?”

“Nothing, nothing. Please just- just get me to my chambers.” Merlin struggled to speak as he coughed and tasted the metallic tang of blood in his mouth.

“I’ll go and get Arthur-“ Percival started before Merlin shot up and grabbed his arm. “No! No, please don’t tell him!”

“Merlin, I have to!” he yelled before pulling his arm away and running towards the castle.

“Elyan, Elyan, ple- please stop him! Please just take me to my chambers,” Merlin cried.

“I’m sorry, Merlin. We must inform Arthur. Now come, put your arms around me.”

Merlin could do nothing but oblige as he cried out in pain when he stood up while leaning against Elyan. After the most excruciatingly painful walk to his chambers he had ever experienced, Merlin nearly collapsed as Elyan kicked the door open and shouted for Gaius.

“Oh! Merlin!” Gaius cried as he ran towards them, “What happened to you?!”

“Please help him, Gaius!” Elyan said as he helped Merlin further into the room.

Gaius quickly cleared his work table as Elyan brought Merlin over and they helped him on to it. Merlin cried out in pain as he laid down, hot tears rolling down his cheeks.

“Gaius, please,” he cried weakly, “please stop the pain.”

Gaius quickly moved to grab a pain relieving medicine when the door burst open once more.

“Merlin! Where’s Merlin?!” Arthur was shouting as he rushed in but then he stopped in his tracks when he saw him. His Merlin. Covered in blood, sweat, and tears, writhing in pain.

“Merlin,” he whispered, his breaths coming in short gasps, before he slowly came over to his side and fell to his knees. Tears gathered in his eyes as Arthur carefully grabbed Merlin’s hand, fully taking in all of his wounds.

“Sire, I need to treat him,” Gaius spoke gently, trying to get Arthur to move away from the table.

“Right, right, of course,” Arthur replied as he slowly stood to his feet. Just as he was about to step away, he felt Merlin’s hand tighten around his.

“Don- don’t go,” Merlin rasped out, trying to open his eyes to see Arthur standing before him.

Arthur moved closer again, now gripping Merlin’s hand in both of his. “I’m not. I’m not going anywhere. You’re safe now.”

Merlin nodded slightly before trying to smile when his eyes rolled into the back of his head and everything went black.

He could feel something heavy resting on his arm. He tried to open his eyes but they wouldn’t budge. His entire body felt like lead and he let out a groan as he tried to shift around a bit. Whatever was weighing on his arm was definitely not helping.

Merlin used all his energy to force his eyes open, only to cringe at the light coming in through the windows. Slowly, he tried to look around as he realized where he was. He was in Gaius’ chambers. Safe. He heaved a sigh of relief.

His body felt completely numb, but at least it was better than the nauseating pain Morgana had left him in. Suddenly, Merlin’s arm began to prickle but he couldn’t move it out from under whatever was on top of it. With great difficulty, he raised his head to try and see what was pressing down on his arm. When he saw what, or rather who, it was, Merlin gasped and quickly laid his head back down.

Arthur.

What was Arthur doing here?! And laying on his arm?!

Eventually, the tingling sensation in Merlin’s arm began to feel unbearable, forcing him to try and move it out from under Arthur’s head. As he wiggled it around and flexed his fingers, Arthur began shifting, murmuring something in his sleep.

“Not now Merlin… Mm, go away,” Arthur mumbled, nestling his head further into Merlin’s arm. A moment passed where neither of them moved. Then, Arthur’s eyes flew open.

“Merlin!” he shouted, shooting up into a sitting position, “Merlin, you’re awake!” he laughed, before leaning down and hugging Merlin, pressing his face into the crook of his neck.

Merlin’s body went stiff. What is going on?!

He had never been more confused in his entire life. Arthur’s hair tickled against his cheek as he continued to hold Merlin. Suddenly, Arthur’s shoulders began to shake slightly. To say Merlin was shocked would be an understatement.

He tried to speak but nothing came out. After clearing his throat and swallowing a few times, Merlin finally spoke, “Si- Sire? What’s happened?”

Arthur froze. Slowly, he pulled away from Merlin, keeping his head down.

“Sire?”

When Arthur looked up, Merlin felt like the floor had been pulled out from beneath his feet. Arthur’s eyes were red, his cheeks stained with tears. Merlin’s heart pounded rapidly in his chest.

“Merlin,” Arthur whispered, sniffling, “You were gone, Merlin. Gaius said- Gaius said you might not ever wake up. I thought…”

Merlin couldn’t believe what he was hearing. Arthur gently grabbed Merlin’s hand before continuing, “I thought I’d lost you.”

The only thing Merlin could do was stare at his king in stunned silence.

Suddenly, Arthur’s demeanour shifted completely. His body stiffened as he let go of Merlin’s hand and stood, turning away and wiping the tears off his face. When he looked back at Merlin, his eyes were no longer soft. Instead, they were filled with something else. Rage.

“Merlin,” he spoke harshly, causing Merlin to gulp. “Who did this to you?”

Merlin had never seen Arthur look like this before. He shook his head slightly as he struggled to sit up before attempting to speak, “Arthur, it’s nothing-”

“Nothing?! You call this nothing? Merlin, you were dead!” Arthur shouted as Merlin flinched at the volume. But that didn’t stop him from continuing.

“You’ve been asleep for six days! Six days, Merlin! Do you have any idea what I’ve been through during that time?! I thought I’d lost you forever!” he was breathing heavily now, tears building in his eyes as he paced across the room.

He paused, gathering himself before turning to Merlin and speaking in a low, guttural voice, “Tell me the truth. Who did this to you?”

Merlin could do nothing but comply, “It was… it was Morgana.”

“Of course it was,” Arthur sighed, running a rough hand through his hair as he continued pacing, “How did she get to you? Did she have you kidnapped? I’ll have a word with the utterly useless guards who let that happen-”

“No, no, Sire,” Merlin interrupted and Arthur stopped to look at him, waiting to hear what he had to say.

“I- I went to her willingly…” Merlin looked up at Arthur to see his eyes wide and he tried to continue, “She sent me a message and I-”

“Are you insane?! Merlin, why on earth would you ever go see Morgana alone?!”

“She said to come alone, or else she would-”

“Or else what, Merlin?!” Arthur was fully yelling now. “What could possibly be more important than your life?! You could have at least told Gwaine or Lancelot! I cannot believe you would do something so stupid! I really expected better from you Mer-”

“You.”

“What?” Arthur asked, confusion replacing his anger for a moment.

Merlin looked down at his hands, picking at the edge of a bandage before quietly speaking, “You asked me what could possibly be more important than my life. The answer is you.”

Silence.

Merlin heard nothing but the sound of his own laboured breathing for a few moments. He risked a glance up at Arthur, his heart pounding in his throat, only to see Arthur staring back at him.

He cleared his throat as he looked down again before continuing, “She sent me a message saying that if I didn’t come meet her, alone, then she would spare no effort in ending your life. I knew it was a trap but I had no choice, my lord. She knows too much about the inner workings of Camelot, I just… I couldn’t risk your life like that. I’m sorry.”

“No, don’t-” Arthur sighed as he hesitated, “Don’t apologize.”

Merlin looked up at him to see that his eyes were soft again. Unsure of what to say next, Merlin gave his king a little smile.

Arthur chuckled at that, shaking his head before looking at Merlin again.

“You’re a dollophead, you know that?”

Merlin laughed before clutching his ribs in pain.

“Careful!” Arthur scolded, quickly rushing to Merlin’s side.

Merlin groaned before looking up at Arthur, only to see his face was just a few inches away. The breath left his lungs as his ears turned pink at the proximity. Arthur gazed into his eyes so lovingly that Merlin began to feel woozy.

“Don’t ever do that to me again, Merlin,” Arthur spoke softly, scanning every inch of Merlin’s face.

“No promises,” Merlin breathed out.

Arthur smirked, shaking his head again before glancing at Merlin’s lips.

Merlin gulped, unable to process what was happening. If this was what it took for Arthur to finally make a move then he would’ve gotten nearly killed a long time ago.

Arthur looked back into Merlin's eyes before saying, “I love you, you know?”

Merlin wasn’t breathing at this point.

“Y- you do?” he gasped out.

“Mhmm,” Arthur nodded, a little smile on his face. He stepped impossibly closer and placed his hands on the table on either side of Merlin before glancing back and forth between his eyes and lips.

“Uh, well…” Merlin struggled to speak, trying to build up the courage to reply, “I uh… I love you, too.”

“Is that so?” Arthur teased. Merlin’s face was actually on fire and he could do nothing but nod.

Arthur began leaning closer and just as Merlin closed his eyes, the door burst open and Gwaine came strolling in, munching on an apple loudly.

“Merlin!” he shouted happily with his mouth full, as Arthur jumped away from the table, “You’re awake!”

Gwaine practically ran over and pulled Merlin into a hug, “We thought you were a goner!” he said, patting his back roughly.

“Ow, Gwaine- You’re hurting me,” Merlin squirmed in his grip.

“Sorry, sorry,” Gwaine giggled, softening his hold on Merlin, “I just missed you so much.”

Begrudgingly, Merlin wrapped his arms around Gwaine to return his hug, making eye contact with Arthur over his shoulder.

His king suppressed a smile as he scratched the back of his neck before shrugging.

The day he was fully recovered, Merlin was gonna kill Gwaine.

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adhd-merlin · 9 months

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Merlin S1 rewatch: episode 4 🌼

4 episodes in, and our boys are already tripping all over themselves to die for each other. Insane.

I don't have many funny comments to make about this one. It's a solid episode.

Arthur is an incredibly brave and chivalrous knight, Merlin is an extremely powerful sorcerer, and Uther is an utter bastard. Characters effectively distilled to their essence.

random thoughts & comments

• For all that it's a silly family show, the sets and locations are so beautiful. Look at this!

• Nimueh is so gorgeous in her blue turban. I can't blame Merlin for the flirting.

• Her fake name is Cara (!). But spelled with a C. Caras/Karas are not to be trusted, I guess

• They were really going all in with the red & blue juxtaposition

• I love Arthur red studded jacket. Why did they deprive him of his fun little outfits in later seasons! He's even wearing jewellery!! Wtf is this necklace, btw

• Stupid question but how did Nimueh know Arthur would end up with the poisoned chalice?? She just put it in the box

• Well done Gaius for identifying the poison in 0.5 seconds. That's got to be some kind of record. Does he train for that? Does Camelot hold an annual speed poison-identification contest?

• Luckily Gaius’s book contains all the information needed to retrieve the flower required for the antidote – what it looks like, where to find it, what to expect when you get there. Top 10 restaurants in the area. It's all in there.

• I've missed Uther! He's a great character/antagonist. "I can't stand by and watch [Merlin] die." / "Then don't look." (!) Banger of a line. And Anthony is an amazing actor.

• After having watched the entire series, I feel like S1 Arthur comes across as more of a noble and good guy than in later seasons? I can't put my finger on why, exactly. Perhaps the way he stands up to Uther with no hesitation. I don’t know.

• I like that Arthur gets to defeat the Cockatrice all by himself. So often in the series it's just Merlin (literally) working his magic behind the scenes and Arthur taking all the credit, but in this episode he very much deserves to be called a hero.

• Speaking of which, the way Arthur just defeats that Cockatrice and then carries on like it was no big deal is kind of funny. (Like... he just threw a sword at it? And it died? Alright.)

• Nimueh is so bad at acting like an innocent damsel in distress. Definitely nothing at all sus about her situation. "Please help me, good sir! Why, yes, I do know where to find the flower you're after. Just follow me into this dark cave. No need to take your sword." Arthur are you dumb (don't answer that)

• Nimueh is like "it's not your destiny to die at my hand!" Mmkay if you know who's going to kill him what's this all for then 👀

• I LOVE Merlin guiding Arthur to safety with his magic. I've said it before but (ironically) there isn't enough magic in this series. I think this is perhaps the coolest act of magic we ever see Merlin perform. And even if the CGI is at times hilariously bad, this globe of light looks pretty cool. Quite powerful, both visually and symbolically (and also literally. Merlin’s not even conscious).

• Uther has done some truly fucked up things (both on screen and implied) but crushing the flower needed for the antidote is just so needlessly cruel that I still think of it as one of the worst things he's done.

• Gwen to the rescue <3 I know everyone goes on about how sweet and kind she is, but she can also be shrewd when the situation calls for it. She's good at thinking on her feet under pressure, and it's a trait that shows in other episodes.

• Arthur and Gwen cooperating to save Merlin – love to see it. (Arthur, that's your future wife! Look at him. He doesn't even know. He doesn’t know he'll turn into a complete simp for this woman.)

• Interesting that Gwen's first reaction to Gaius's "We might need to use magic to prepare the antidote" is "but we can't! it's forbidden!!" GIRL, THE BOY YOU FANCY YOURSELF IN LOVE WITH IS DYING. MAYBE CHILL. But I guess it says a lot about Uther's reign of terror that this was so unthinkable to her.

• If I remember right (and I might not), Gaius uses magic only 3 or 4 times in the entire series and always to save Merlin's life (or to save Alice, once). It's a fairly consistent trait throughout the series that he's actually quite reluctant to use magic (whether because he's vowed not to, or because it brings up unwanted memories. Or both). It's always a last resort. I know no one cares, I just find it interesting.

• GWEN AND MERLIN'S KISS! I wonder how Arthur would have reacted at finding out that Merlin kissed Gwen first. WE WERE DEPRIVED WE WERE ROBBED

• Why didn't Uther question the fact that Merlin survived?? First he's s all intent on letting him die to teach Arthur a lesson, then he goes "haha, well done son, you were right to defy me" (??) Did he find out about Gwen and Arthur’s subterfuge to get the flower to Gaius? He must have, I suppose, but he's remarkably chill about it (I'm surprised he didn't accuse Gaius of using sorcery to save Merlin)

• Something tells me we haven't seen the last of Nimueh yet. I don't know what. Just a feeling.

#all my rewatch commentary is funny and insightful and original btw #if you were wondering #now with paragraph spacing!#and probably typos because its 1 am #rewatch1.jls #merlin's body count: still 1

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arthursbubblebutt · 10 months

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So I have been thinking

This fic where Arthur doesn't become king and other fics where Morgana is the regent when he's away and maybe a webtoon I have read made me have an idea where Arthur became Morgana's knight and supported her ascension to the throne

And when everything is just too peaceful, Merlin comes in as Gaius' new apprentice, and Arthur gets a little too distracted during meetings with the physicians shadow in tow.

Morgana on the throne and being the girlboss that she is doesn't necessarily want a husband/king yet and just wants to focus on her people, but the council has been pressuring her for an heir of course she has said that Arthur is her heir but even then Arthur has stated he does not want to even be considered on the throne and just wants to be her guard/advisor

Now that's just context. The scene I'm thinking of is like

"If they want an heir, then they'll have an heir." Morgana stands and walks to the window to watch over the people down in the courtyard.

"And how are you going to manage that, dear sister?" Arthur says when he grabs an apple off her plate and takes a bite, watching her brow furrow.

"I do not want to be married at this time, and the councilors have been pushing their sons at me, similar to how you would stuff your face with bacon." Morgana's grimace twists into a smile when she hears an indignant squawk made in the direction where she left Arthur.

"So, not one of their sons which have been given to you on a platter."

"Don't talk with your mouth full, Arthur."

"Hmm."

"A noble would just want to covet the throne for themselves - they would undermine my rule until they are the only one the councilors will listen to."

"A commoner then?"

"Yes, but even then, they would use the child as a way to say they have a right to the throne." Morgana's gaze never strays from looking out the window trying to think of something. She could have Arthur's children as an heir, but who knows when that will be or even if that will happen, and she doesn't want the councilors foaming at the mouth to introduce their daughters to her brother; eager to have their family mixed in the royal bloodline. She rolls her eyes at the thought.

Bloodlines, she huffs at that. She would rather adopt, but then she doesn't want to deal with the headache the council will induce when she brings up the thought.

"A contract then, and someone who will honor that contract." Arthur muses outloud.

A flash of familiar raven hair catches her attention as well as when they fumble a basket full of herbs she recognizes the royal physician having. A smile curls her lips when the thought of her brother flustered in being bandaged up by the kind apprentice. An idea forms in her mind then.

"Someone of common birth and that does not desire the position they could potentially hold." She turns to her brother then, eating another fruit from her platter.

Arthur sees the traces of mischief in his sister's eyes that he has grown to be wary of in their youth. He straightens his shoulders when she walks over to the table and takes a grape from his hand. "I was going to eat that," his eyes narrow when she just laughs and eats the grape.

"I think I know the perfect candidate."

"Really?"

"Yes."

"Someone who is of common birth?

"Yes."

"Someone who will stay in their position when they could easily climb the latter to a luxurious life beside the Queen?"

"Indeed, dear brother."

"And who's the idiot that would do that?"

"Merlin."

#potentially mergana but could also be morgana wanting to give Arthur a push #she sees them pining and wants their heads screwed on right #merthur #arthur pendragon #morgana #bbc merlin #drabble #fic idea #dinner writes itself

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clotpoledestiel · 1 year

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For all the times Gaius tells Arthur to check the tavern, he never actually goes there (that we see), so this is my attempt at depicting what might have happened if Arthur actually had checked the tavern. If anyone has already done this, my apologies; I have not seen anything already written about this.

Arthur Checks the Tavern, 1.4k

“MERLIN!!!”

Gaius could hear him coming all the way down the hall. He looked about the room, even though he knew Merlin wasn’t there, just in case Merlin had somehow mysteriously appeared behind his back since he had last turned around not five minutes ago.

Even though he had been expecting it, Gaius still startled when the door banged open and Arthur came storming into the room.

“Have you seen Merlin?” Arthur asked after quickly glancing about the room and looking behind the door. “I need him.”

Gaius thought it might be fun to play a drinking game every time he heard that; but then he did not wish to die of alcohol poisoning.

“I’m sorry, sire, I have not seen him all day.”

Gaius thought he could actually see smoke coming out of Arthur’s ears, and wondered if that was even something that could actually happen. In all his years of medicine he had never encountered such a thing, but he would not put it past Arthur to be the first; especially when it came to Merlin. He hoped for Merlin’s sake that Arthur did not find him while in this state, but he hoped for everyone else’s that he did.

“Well where is he? I need him to write my speech for Bayard’s arrival. He’ll be here in two days!”

Gaius thought Arthur was being a touch too dramatic, as usual, but of course he would never say anything. He supposed that would be considered treason. He genuinely did not know where Merlin was, and did not know if he was up to mischief of the magical sort, or just of the Merlin sort, so he was unsure if he needed to cover for him or not.

He figured he’d better cover, just in case, and, being the quick thinker that he prided himself in being, said, “Have you tried the tavern?” Okay, maybe he wasn’t as quick a thinker as he thought. That could be tomorrow’s problem.

Arthur’s face broke out in a scowl just to the left of unbecoming and he let out the most world-weary sigh.

“The tavern. Of course. All right, but if I find him there just know that you might not see him again.”

With that, he was out the door again, banging it even harder than he had upon entering.

“Of course, sire! I would expect nothing less!” Gaius called out after him, muttering to himself, “I hardly see him as it is already…”

Just then it hit him. Arthur was actually going to check the tavern? Oh no. What he’ll do when he doesn’t even find him there I dare to think.

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

Evoric had just finished cleaning all the dirty cups in preparation of the evening rush when the door to The Rising Sun banged open and in walked… not his usual evening rush. Well it was a rush all right, but made by only one person: the king himself! Evoric was only allowed a moment’s thought that it was odd he was alone when the answer came to him. No, it literally came right up to him. All of a sudden the king was in his face going on and on about something and looking frantically about, so even though he could hardly understand a word, the message was clear all the same. The king was looking for Merlin.

“My Lord, he is not here. I have not seen him all day.”

“How is it that somehow NO one has seen him all day? Does he have powers of invisibility that he didn’t bother to mention? Don’t answer that question,” Arthur added when Evoric began to open his mouth. He shut it with a snap.

Arthur began to look under the tables and even came behind the bar, as though somehow Merlin would have had time to dive behind it undetected in the mere milliseconds it took Arthur to enter the inn.

“Where is he?” Arthur practically whined, and Evoric might have laughed had it been anyone other than the king, and if he did not look so pathetic. He almost felt sorry for him.

“My Lord, Merlin is hardly ever here, unless he is with you. He wants to do as many things without you as you want to do without him,” Evoric dared to add. Somehow he sensed that it would be all right to say such a thing.

“So everything then,” Arthur groused, though the look behind his eyes told Evoric that the meaning of his words had not been lost on him.

“Well thank you, Evoric, first round is on me,” he said, pulling out a fistful of gold coins from his purse and placing them on the counter.

“That is very generous of you, My Lord. I hope you find him.” Evoric did not know if he had meant any words more sincerely than he did these.

Arthur turned back from where he was at the door and gave him a small smile. “I hope so too.”

With that, he was gone and Evoric was left to pray to whoever and whatever would listen that Merlin would turn up soon.

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

“Gaius! He’s not in the tavern. I’ve looked every…” Arthur came storming back into Gaius’ chambers only to see Merlin sitting right at the table as though he’d been there all day, looking as innocent as ever.

“MERLIN! Where WERE you? I looked everywhere! I even went to the tavern! Now I’m sure Evoric thinks I’m some kind of a crazy person.”

“Oh so you mean he just thinks normally about you?”

“Merlin! This is not the time for your jokes! And how many times have I told you that you’re not funny.”

Merlin looked at him unbothered, which only succeeded in making him more irritated.

“Again I ask, where were you?”

“I was mucking out your stables. You know, my chores? What I’m supposed to be doing.”

Arthur narrowed his eyes at him suspiciously. “What you’re supposed to be doing is helping me write my speech for Bayard’s arrival. And how come you don’t have any dirt on you? I can’t imagine that you would manage to get out of the stables clean. And I checked the stables earlier. You weren’t there.”

Arthur had come up close to Merlin and leaned down right in his face. “So what were you doing? And don’t lie, we all know you’re a terrible liar.”

“I was mucking out your stables, Arthur. You just must not have seen me when you came in. I’m so good at what I do that people tend to not even notice I’m there.”

“Now we all know that isn’t true. Well, no matter. I’ve finally found you so you’re to come with me at once and help me write this speech.”

Arthur had picked Merlin up by the back of his tunic and was dragging him towards the door.

Merlin, unfazed and acting like this was a normal occurrence (which it was), began to argue with him.

“Bayard isn’t coming for two days, why do you need to write this speech now? And why do you need my help? You and I both know you’re just going to have me write the whole thing anyway. No need to involve you in the process.”

“Do you question your king, Merlin? These are important matters of state and I would not see you cause the downfall of Camelot because you can’t even fulfill your basic duties.”

“The downfall of Camelot? Arthur, Camelot wouldn’t last a day if I left everything up to you.”

“You’re getting dangerously close to treason, Merlin.”

“Oh, I’m terrified. You’d better put me in the dungeons for the night so I can come to my senses and you can focus on writing that speech.”

“Merlin…”

“Goodbye!” Gaius called out as the door shut behind the two of them. He sighed as he listened to their bickering fade down the hall and muttered something under his breath that sounded suspiciously like, “Those boys…”

Gaius knew Merlin felt under-appreciated for all the times he saved Arthur’s life and no one knew, but he thought the real hero here was himself for having had to put up with those two for so long.

#merthur fic #merthur ficlet #my writing #i attempt to write #two idiots of the same coin #merthur #merthur humor

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onceafk · 4 months

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Touching Grass

//Media: BBC Merlin (2008), whatever else you want to bring in.

Premise: Magic Arthur AU where Arthur knows he has magic + magic reveal, trying to keep it not too dark or angsty. Also, camping in an idyllic setting! (Haven't quite decided when this takes place so feel free to assume whatever times and titles you want or we can work it out as we go.)

Seeking: All muns and muses welcome. As usual, Arthur's reciprocation of romance goes to Gwen and/or Merlin muses. All roles available, just stick your muse in anywhere! They can be among those who Arthur brought but they don't have to be.

Today was shaping up to be an especially good day...

Arthur had cleared his schedule for a week when he was getting stressed enough that the random object or two on his desk, or in the armory, or wherever, would fly off of its own volition. "Oh, accidentally knocked it over..." He'd said as an excuse when whoever was with him would look over, as he went and picked it up. Good thing no one had been hurt! And he called Merlin clumsy. Making the excuse that he needed a break had been easy, after that. His people were giving him concerned looks. Gaius had agreed with the idea enthusiastically.

The young man thought some time away from the castle camping might soothe him, so he arranged a hunt and brought with him a small party he felt comfortable with and some supplies and headed off with them, all on horseback, at a leisurely pace. It was like a weight had been lifted from his shoulders and it was making a huge difference. "I should do this more often!" He sighed in relief, grinning, and pet Llamrei, his horse, lovingly. He sent a glance around him seeing how the others were doing. Satisfied by what he saw, he navigated towards a favorite clearing he knew of from years of exploration.

It was his favorite for good reason. Sheltering trees, a good place to build a fire and lay down bedrolls, there was even a lake nearby they could take baths or swim in with a river going into it that could be used for drinking that had these tiny little waterfalls. Colorful flowers and berry bushes grew nearby it. Grass was plentiful for the horses as well. Seeing the old place again, with the fire pit there that they could rebuild, still waiting for him brought him even more joy. He dismounted, fed Llamrei an apple and ordered camp to be set up.

#sfw roleplay #open roleplay #sfw rp #open rp #open starter #open to all #open to everyone #roleplay starter #open to anyone #Merlin rp #bbc merlin rp #merlin roleplay #au rp #au roleplay

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cbk1000 · 11 months

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Another preview for that veterinarian fic I’m working on, because it’s up to 60,000+ words, and they still haven’t fucked, and since I’m not going to post this till it’s finished, I’m just sitting here in clown makeup right now. Need to start writing about smarter characters.

Uther was returned once more, and so Merlin was condemned alone to those cold wet hills which in Arthur’s presence had felt, not necessarily smaller, but less vast: vast in the old, Brittonic sense of scale, the illimitable wilds, when the world was a few scattered lights in the fen. Now the hills were those dim lumpish creatures of folklore, lurking behind veils of rain, and looking to do mischief. He was colder, literally, because Arthur always remembered whatever miscellany of gear he had forgot, or ruined, and chucked it in his face before getting in the truck; but colder too in the metaphorical sense, when the absence of one particular human suddenly recalls the world to what are all the lone hollows of it, where the wind is shrieking into nothing. He was wrangling sheep by himself, and diagnosing white line disease by himself; and when he tripped over a stray bucket or smacked his head on a wooden beam, there was nothing but concern, rather than mocking. He fell over his own x-ray machine, and thought how much Arthur would have liked to see it, and when he had got the truck bogged down in a field, and had to push it out using only his own stubbornness, and some advice from a farmer, there was no one to say, “Just come from your natural habitat, then?” when he emerged from the ordeal as muddy as a pig, or bog creature.

He was turning over the matter of his bisexuality all the while. Because Gaius had told him not to, the natural urge was to fly immediately to the farm, and announce, in front of Uther and God, “By the way, I fuck men.” He had thought when Arthur was released back into the barns, he would make some casual mention of it, trotting it out, nonchalantly, when Arthur had made that heteronormative assumption of gender-exclusivity in mocking the taste of Merlin’s past and future partners: but for weeks he worked out in the paddocks and barns and hovered round the truck hopefully before hope was extinguished. He had not even seen him briefly whilst he was taking a client round the facilities, or glimpsed the blonde head through the rain whilst it was going from the lab to the office.

“He had a big fight with Uther,” Morgana told him whilst she was restraining a stallion, and Merlin was examining it. “Someone was going to purchase one of our mares who’s produced several stakes winners, and backed out because Arthur disclosed some information Uther didn’t want him disclosing.”

“What kind of information?” Merlin asked, straightening, and stretching out his back. “Just a little fungus, for him. We’ll just need to apply a hoof dressing.”

“That she’d produced multiple winners, but she’d had some difficult births, and her last was a stillborn. Uther thinks she’s still a few good breedings in her, but didn’t want to risk them himself.”

“How much did he lose out on?” Merlin asked.

“Nearly a million pounds.”

Merlin whistled.

“She’ll go to auction, but he’ll probably get less now than he was hoping for, and naturally that’s all Arthur’s fault.”

“Seems a bit, you know, ethical to disclose something like that to a potential buyer about to drop a million pounds.”

“Uther doesn’t like people being ethical if it costs him money. Anyway, there was a huge row. Uther said some very ugly things, in front of an audience; Arthur came down to the barns the other night after you’d already gone, and Uther went after him, and they had it out again, in front of the grooms. I wasn’t here, else I’d have clocked the old man, but I heard about it later. He got absolutely torn to pieces for being a failure. Brought his mother into it even. She died, all so Arthur could be a huge disappointment, etc.”

Merlin felt there was a little cold feeling of homicide in him. “He said what?”

“Oh, common theme here. You know she died of cancer shortly after she had him? She was diagnosed during her pregnancy, and delayed treatment because she was worried it would harm him. It mightn’t have saved her anyway, if she’d started it immediately; who knows. But she delayed it with plans to start after she gave birth, but it had metastasized and in the end she opted for comfort measures and passed away when he was only a few months old. Uther uses it to control him whenever he feels Arthur’s slipping through his fingers. If you can make your son feel that he killed his own mother, the great love of your life, it makes it far more difficult for him to tell you to piss off.” She stroked the horse’s nose. “He’s been trying to make up for that all his life.”

“That’s…fucking psychopathic to tell your child he killed his mother by being born.”

“Oh, he never says it outright; he lets implication and Arthur’s self-esteem do that for him.” She looked at him over the horse’s head, her face bracketed by the fine velvet ears, and said, very solemnly, “He’s very easily hurt. So don’t hurt him. I like you; I’d hate to add you to my list.”

“Ok?” Merlin said in confusion. There was nothing that could be done, so far as he could see, by a bisexual to the heterosexual on which he had a very small but inadvisable crush; but she was staring at him, and seemed a capable murderer: and so he said, “I wouldn’t. I like him. When he’s not being a complete testicle.”

She gave him a look which he felt was too knowledgeable for his comfort, scratching one of the flicking ears whilst he turned away to rummage about in his bag, under the guise of treating the hoof, so that she would not see his ears had gone hot, which he could not see, but expected had manifested as a kind of unseasonable strawberry on either side of his head. He had been careful not to make the ‘I like him’ anything more than an offhand comment on the passing acquaintance; there was nothing burning in it, but only a little observation that Arthur was a member of the human race whom Merlin, occasionally, did not completely abhor. But as he stood he saw that she was looking at him as if he had said, “I am on one knee; I am proposing to your brother; I am taking him away from his rubbish father”; not only an unfair imputation, but an inaccurate one. “Arthur’s fine. He’s ok. Sorry about his shit dad,” he said, in defence of himself, because his mouth had never met a situation on which he could have improved by simply not talking, and simply not bloody talked.

Morgana smirked at him; and he gave her the instructions for the dressing, and hurried away into the rain.

#merlin #merthur #fic #preview

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merlinwriter · 1 year

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Ch 2: Sickness and Health

Merlin quickly grabbed Arthur’s breakfast from the kitchen, clearing his throat he entered the chambers without knocking as usual. He set the tray beside the bed and swiftly opened the curtains letting the sunshine through.

“Rise and shine, sire!”

He heard a groan from underneath the covers and a ruffled Arthur peered through, his eyelids peel open, the glow from the massive fluorescent light prompting him some heavy blinks. His golden hair messy and toned chest bare. Merlin always liked this part of the day, apart from having to drag him out of bed every morning, grumbling and throwing stuff at his head when he’s tired. Like a child. The thought of Arthur being dragged across the floor had Merlin force down a smile.

When Arthur suddenly realized who he was, he abruptly sat up straight from the bed.

“Merlin! Where have you been?” He demanded, looking at him as if he hasn’t seen Merlin in a whole week.

“Um..just caught a little hay fever, so Gaius decided for me to stay in for the day. But I’m better now!” Merlin gave him an assuring grin.

Arthur stared at him, his eyes roaming around Merlin’s face and his brows furrowed. “Really? You look as if you would kick the bucket soon.”

“Seriously, I’m fine.” Merlin stated.

Arthur looked at him again for another few seconds before smacking his lips, “Well, If you are so fine then you can clean out my stables, do my laundry, sharpen my armor and clean my boots.” He said simply before reaching over to grab his breakfast.

Merlin rolled his eyes. “Yes, Sire.” He said before turning to leave.

Merlin felt awful. His head was heavy and his body was aching. He knew how much Arthur despised George, so he couldn’t take another day off. Guess this is his punishment for leaving Arthur with him. He was sharpening Arthur’s armor and started a coughing fit. His body begged him to rest but he had work to do, otherwise Arthur might order him for more tasks for being lazy.

He was on his way back to Arthur’s chambers to put away the clothes he cleaned, some of the servants were looking at him in concern while others ignored it. Untik he ran into Gwen and Morgana. He hit the ground with a thud, Arthur’s clothes sprawling over the floor.

“Oh! Merlin my apologies! Are you alright?” Gwen asked with concern in her eyes.

“Yes, are you okay? If Arthur didn’t have you running around everywhere at once, we might have not hit you.” Morgana added.

“I’m quite alright, thanks.” Merlin said, picking up the clothes on the floor, when he stood up he was hit with another wave of dizziness causing him to crash against the castles stone wall. He groaned from the impact and the sudden heat whelming up in him.

“Merlin!” They both yelled, Gwen immediately rushed to his side and placing a hand on his forehead, looking back at Morgana with worried eyes. “He’s burning up.”

“I’m fine.” Merlin mumbled, trying to wave Gwen away.

“Like hell you are, Merlin. Gwen take Merlin to Gaius, I’ll bring Arthur his laundry. I need to have a talk with him.

“Of course, my lady.” Gwen said while wrapping an arm around Merlin’s waist and hoisting him up. “It’s going to be alright, Merlin.” Nodding goodbye to Morgana, Gwen walked them to Gaius. Morgana on the other hand, picked up the basket and headed to Arthur’s chambers.

“Gaius!” Gwen exclaimed. Gaius was seated at the table and looking through a book, his head shot up when he heard his name and his gazed dropped to Merlin leaning against Gwen, head hung low. Immediately, Gaius stood up and rushed over to them.

“What happened?” He demanded.

“I don’t know, he suddenly fell backwards and he’s burning up.”

“Take him to his room.”

Gwen nodded and stepped up the stairs into his room, it was a bit of a hassle but they made it work.

She laid him down carefully, making him comfortable. Merlin kept grumbling words she couldn’t decipher, his voice sounded so weak, as if it was hard to even speak. She grabbed a nearby chair and placed it next to him, sitting down, Gwen grabbed his hand into hers. Hopefully bringing some kind of comfort for him.

Gaius entered the room holding a glass vial, looking at Gwen. “Could you please get me some water?” He said while placing a hand on Merlin’s forehead.

“Of course.” Gwen nodded, letting go of Merlin’s hand she stood up and exited the room.

Gaius scanned over Merlin’s face, his breathing was quick and sweat built up on his face. Gaius sighed, he shouldn’t of let him leave until he was properly healthy.

A mumble was heard from Merlin and Gaius leaned closer.

“Not…your fault.” Merlin said, his voice barley audible.

Gaius looked at him softly, placing a hand on his shoulder and saying, “You’ll be better soon, Merlin.” He promised.

Gwen entered the room again with a bowl of water and a wash cloth hung over her shoulder, Gaius gave her his thank you’s and sat the bowl down next to Merlin, grabbing the cloth he dipped it into the water and gave it a little squeeze so it wouldn’t drench Merlin.

He gently patted down his face with it to cool him off, then he placed it on top of Merlin’s forehead.

“Here, help me take off his jacket and boots.”

They both took off his jacket and boots and Merlin seemed comfortable enough besides the bed he’s laying on, but it would have to do for now.

Gaius have him the vial, lifting up his head and pouring bit by bit into Merlin’s mouth so he doesn’t choke.

“Will he be okay?” Gwen asked, biting her lip as she looked at Merlin.

“He will, he has a fever but he just needs some rest then he will be back on his feet.” Gaius answered.

Gwen exhaled in relief, “I’m glad.” She gave a small smile.

“Arthur Pendragon!” Morgana’s voice boomed behind the doors until she shoved them opened, walking over to him and slamming down the basket on top of his desk where he was sitting. He jumped slightly at the sudden noise and glanced at the basket.

“I can see that Merlin can’t even do the simplest tasks.” He rolled his eyes.

“Don’t you even start, Arthur.” She scowled at him.

“What the bloody hell are you talking about, Morgana?” He blew a huff of annoyance from being interrupted of his work.

“Tell me, where is Merlin?” She gave him a death glare.

“He is supposed to be doing his job, as my manservant I suspect him to be doing them, but with you here. I’m guessing he isn’t.”

“You really are blind, Arthur. Merlin is sick and you overworked him.” Morgana stated.

“Merlin would tell me if he was sick.”

“Well you’re wrong. Merlin almost fainted trying to get up. Gwen had to help him get to Gaius.”

“What?” Arthur immediately put the papers down he was staring into, and stood up from his chair.

“Is he alright?” Arthur questioned, with anyone else they would see a normal expression on his face but not Morgana. She knew he was deeply concerned about his manservants well beings, but he wouldn’t dare say it.

“I don’t know, Arthur. He seemed in pretty bad shape.” Morgana said softly.

Arthur stilled for a moment before walking straight to the door and opening it in one motion. He speed walked towards Gaius’s home and leaving Morgana in his chambers. Throwing open the doors he stepped in.

“Where is he?” Arthur asked.

Gaius seemed to hear the worry and impatience in the kings voice, he answered simply. “He’s in his room, sire.”

Arthur nodded in thanks, stepping up into Merlin’s room where he found Merlin laying in a uncomfortable bed, looking awful. Gwen was next to him. She looked up at Arthur and gave him a smile and nod, looking at Merlin one more time she turned and left.

“Merlin?”

next chapter might be final part!! let me know what you think so far as this is my first time writing merthur!

#merthur #bbc merlin #merlin #merlin emrys #fanfic #fanfiction #writing #fic prompt #popular #trending

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