#just to stop Merlin from telling Balinor he was his son??? | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

supercalvin · 4 years

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Hi! I saw your ficlet that you wrote to cheer up someone who came out and didn't have a good experience with it and I was wondering if you could maybe write another one? My girlfriend and I came out at the same time and no one's taking it too well. We're both big fans of Merlin and especially your ficlets. I was wondering if you can write a nice supportive coming out ficlet to maybe cheer her up?

So I will tell you what I said to @ancient-depressed-druid over on that other ficlet: *Immediately drops all other prompts* LOOK AT ME. I’M THE PARENT NOW.

NEVER SPEAK TO ME OR MY KIDS EVER AGAIN

1. I hope you don’t mind that I based on a fic idea my friend gave me. It’s really funny, although it’s not necessarily a ‘coming out fic’ I hope its enough to cheer you both up.

2. This turned out wayyy too long again. Whoops.

3. Did I take 20 min to make that image?? YES I DID

Prompts + Ficlets

***

Balinor arrived at the oral surgeon’s office with a sigh. To say that this was not how Balinor expected to spend his afternoon would be an understatement.

“I’m here to pick up Arthur Pendragon,” He told the receptionist.

There were a lot of things about the last fifteen years of Balinor’s life that he hadn’t expected. For one thing, he hadn’t expected to run into an old flame when he moved to Camelot. He hadn’t expected her to have a little toddler at her ankles who had looked so similar to Balinor it actually knocked the breath out of him the first time he saw Merlin.

He hadn’t expected to fall back in love with Hunith or to suddenly become a full-time Dad as Hunith worked full-time at the local senior home.

He also hadn’t expected when Merlin came out to him, but Hunith had admonished him for not noticing Merlin’s small probing conversation starters before. Balinor had never been very good at social cues. Merlin had gotten all those genes from his mother.

“Da, can Arthur come over after school tomorrow?”

“Who’s Arthur? You’ve not mentioned him before.” Balinor had asked, not looking up from the wood he had been cutting. (Merlin had become an avid reader and needed a new bookshelf in his room. Merlin had said they could just buy one but Balinor had insisted on making one for him.)

“Um…Well… He’s my boyfriend. Maybe.”

Balinor had looked up at that. Merlin had his arms wrapped around himself and he had hovered by the door, as if he was about to run out.

Balinor had nodded, “Fine. But you have to keep your door open when he’s here.”

“Da,” Merlin’s face had been bright red, but he had also looked pleased.

“Get back here,” Balinor had stopped him before Merlin bolted out the door. Balinor had pulled his son into a quick hug and pressed a kiss to his hair. At seventeen years old, Merlin was skinny and soon he would be just as tall as Balinor himself. When that day came, Balinor would miss being able to coddle him so easily.

“Thanks, Da.”

“Don’t be too happy, I haven’t met this Arthur yet.”

On principle, Balinor did not like Arthur. No one would be good enough for Merlin, but especially not some spoiled brat. Hunith liked Arthur, which was the only reason Balinor tolerated Merlin having the kid over as often as he did. It wasn’t that he was mean to Arthur (of course not) it was just that Merlin was the most important thing in Balinor’s life, and there was a high possibility that young love would turn to young heartbreak. Balinor only wished he could spare his son that.

Today, Arthur was getting his wisdom teeth removed and the original plan was for Hunith and Merlin to pick him up. Apparently, Uther was on a business that had been scheduled for the same week as Arthur’s surgery. But then Merlin had had to help his Uncle Gaius at the shop and then there had been an emergency at the senior home and Hunith couldn’t do it.

Which left Balinor.

Balinor was ushered into the back room where Arthur was holding an icepack to his face, eyes glazed over.

“Arthur?” Balinor leant down to catch the boy’s eye.

Arthur blinked a few times and then he seemed to recognize Balinor.

“Mr. Emrysss!” He said with what Balinor assumed was a smile, although his cheeks were so puffed that it was hard to tell. “Ow.”

“Careful of the stitches,” The nurse said. “Maybe get a milkshake, love.”

“Milkshake,” Arthur said with wide eyes, looking up at Balinor.

Shit.

Which is how Balinor found himself driving down the road trying to remember the closest ice cream shop.

“Sorry you got stuck with me. I know you don’t like me.”

Balinor was surprised that despite the slow and slurred speech Arthur seemed aware enough to say this.

“I don’t dislike you. You’re dating my son. I’m just watching out for Merlin.”

“’das fair.” Arthur said and then poked his own cheek a few times.

“Stop that. You’ll pull the stitches.” Balinor pulled his hands away from his face.

Arthur sat on his hands, looking like a scolded five-year-old instead of a bratty teenager.

Arthur still seemed very out of it and didn’t say much for another few minutes. He might have dozed off, but he woke up again when Balinor handed him a vanilla milkshake.

“’hanks”

With a bit of sugar into him, Arthur became decidedly more chatty.

“You know, I really do like Merlin.”

“I would hope so,” Balinor said as he drove.

“I love him, actually. Haven’t told him yet. Scarred.”

Balinor’s heart tugged a bit. He wasn’t heartless. He just worried over Merlin. But he could also recognize that Arthur was also a young boy in the throes of first love too.

“Don’t be scarred of your own feelings, Arthur.” Balinor said, a phrase that he had told Merlin many times before.

“Not what my Dad says. Always tells me to get over it.”

Balinor had only ever met Uther once, but he was starting to really not like the man. Really, what kind of man had a business trip on the same week as his son’s surgery?

“You know, I really respect you.” Arthur said, “You’re always so good to Merlin. And saying things like that about feelings. Even if you’re all stoic. I like that. Wish my Dad was like that instead of just being an asshole. Shit, sorry for cursing.”

Balinor had to hold in a laugh, although it was hard. The poor kid was out of his mind on pain meds.

“You know, when Merlin invites me over on Sundays, and Ms. E makes dinner and we watch a film, it’s like the best thing that happens to me all week.”

At a stop sign, Balinor looked over at Arthur who was cradling his milkshake with reverent hands. He also was looking out the window, not really aware of Balinor. As if he was just saying his internal monologue out loud.

“Sometimes I don’t see my Dad all week and I’m alone in a big house for days in a row.” Arthur said, his voice sounding distant, “Dad doesn’t have a clue about Merlin. He barely knows I’m alive, let alone gay. So I’m glad Merlin has you,” Arthur looked back over at Balinor, suddenly pinning him in his seat with round dilated eyes. “You’re a good Dad. Maybe you don’t like me, but it’s because you want Merlin to have the best. That’s alright by me. I don’t think I’m good enough for Merlin either. But I’ll stick around because he wants me to.”

Balinor cleared his throat and turned back to the road after realizing he had been stopped at a stop sign for over a minute.

***

A week later, Arthur was fully recovering from the surgery and he had no recollection of anything he said to Balinor. As far as he was aware, he got a milkshake, took a nap, and woke up groggy on the Emrys’ front room sofa.

The following Sunday, Arthur was invited to their family dinner. Afterwards, when Arthur offered to do the dishes, Balinor quietly started drying, telling Hunith and Merlin to go pick a film.

There was tension pouring off Arthur in waves.

“We’re going on a family trip to Ireland in the summer,” Balinor said, wiping down a pan.

“Yeah, Merlin told me. Sounds nice,” Arthur said awkwardly.

“You’re invited.”

“What?” Arthur dropped the bowl back into the soapy water with a loud ‘plop.’

Balinor made eye contact with Arthur, who looked utterly baffled. “Do you want to go?”

“I mean…uh,” Arthur blinked.

“It’d be nice for you to come,” Balinor said. “Merlin would be ecstatic. You two could go off sightseeing while Hunith and I visit old friends.”

“You wouldn’t mind?”

“Arthur,” Balinor said, trying to make himself clear. “Merlin didn’t ask me. He doesn’t even know I’m asking you. I’m asking because I want you to come along.”

Arthur nodded. His mouth was still half open in surprise. “Yeah. Um. I’d like that. Thanks.”

“Good,” Balinor dried off another plate and ruffled Arthur’s hair. “Finish up here. Those two are likely picking some horrible film. I need your vote against another historical drama.”

Arthur looked baffled, but he also looked pleased.

Good, Balinor thought. Maybe it wasn’t too bad having another son around the house.

***

Prompts + Ficlets

Balinor said, “Is anyone gonna adopt this kid?” and then didn’t wait for an answer.

#merlin #merthur #merlin fic #merthur fic #ficlets #Anonymous

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kandi-pendragon · 3 years

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Arthur should have found out Merlin was a Dragonlord.

It wouldn’t necessarily have to be a magic reveal, although it would make sense if the magic reveal was paired with it. Gaius said Uther would only be suspicious of Merlin if he found out he was Balinors son, so that probably means there are some Dragonlords who don’t have magic. But if Arthur found out that Merlin was a Dragonlord, we would get him recognizing Merlin’s grief about losing his father, and maybe (this might be a little self-indulgent) Merlin would feel more comfortable keeping Aithusa close to him, and she wouldn’t have gotten captured and become crippled, because lets be honest, Aithusa was abandoned, and I will be salty about that forever.

I don’t know, Imagine if the reveal had happened during S4 ep4. (Aithusa)

Arthur and the knights were poisoned, right? And Merlin fixed it, but they kept sleeping. What if Arthur woke up? Worried about how anxious and frantic Merlin had been acting (and how Merlin wasn’t there) Arthur follows his trail up to the tower. There, he finds the dissipating smoke from the trap Borden set off, but no body. He makes his way to the giant room, and hears Merlin and Julius arguing. “But this is your chance, Merlin. Your chance to escape you meaningless life.” Arthur’s ready to jump in, but he’s frozen in place when he hears that Merlin actually wants to free the dragon, instead of their original plan to kill it. Doesn’t he know how dangerous it could be?

And then of course Borden attacks Merlin, and Arthur is this close to charging in, sword in hand, when he hears Merlin say, “I am the last Dragonlord. And I’m warning you. Leave this egg alone.” (two things could happen here, either he could see Merlin use magic to attack Borden, or he could just miss it, like he puts his back to the wall facing away from them in shock or something and when he turns around Merlin has the upper hand. Which ever flows better.)

And Merlin goes up to the egg, and Arthur has to stop him, has to confront him because none of this is making any sense, But the cavern starts to shake and the only thing he can do is hightail it out of there and hope Merlin does the same. He meets the knights once he gets out, and against his better judgement, lies to them. He tells them he just got there (which of course they don’t believe because they saw how fresh his trail was and he had an hours head start but who are they to question him) and Merlin comes out and Arthur sees how shaken he is and asks about Borden, but all Merlin says is that he didn’t get out in time.

And Arthur doesn’t say a word to him on the way back, but he eventually talks with Merlin once they’re safe in his chambers and you know the drill. Betrayal, angst, anger, the good shit. eventually they both settle down and by then Merlin is super impatient to hatch the egg and Arthur tags along (maybe) and he meets Kilgarrah and they probably don’t get on well but hey that's not the point. He sees Merlin’s tears when Aithusa is born, the huge smile on his face, and he can’t remember the last time Merlin smiled like that since Lancelot’s death, and basically just give me the softest scene and then an epilogue where Aithusa isn’t just left in a ditch somewhere.

The magic reveal we got still left so many things unknown, unsaid, and unexplored, and I get it, they were rushed, Arthur had three days to live he couldn't really have a whole midlife crisis but like. He didn’t even know the extent of Merlin’s adventures, he only got the gist and decided that was enough.

If there is a fic like this or if anyone wants to write this please let me know because I will literally worship you.

#bbc merlin #merlin #Arthur Pendragon #aithusa #aithusa bbc merlin #bbcm #bbc #the adventures of merlin #merlin s4 ep4 #god we deserved so much better than what we got

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kairos-in-wonderland · 3 years

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Day 3: Wait... What? “It’s Wednesday”

Unlike the first two days for @camelove2021 which were romantic, I chose to go with familial love for day 3, I hope you like it!

Relationships (all platonic): OC and Balinor, Balinor and Merlin, OC and Merlin

Trigger warnings: violence, death, grief

“Balinor!” Bellona called as she entered the cave, “I’m back from the markets, got you some fresh herbs. Where are you?” she looked around, but he was nowhere to be found. The fire that was usually burning in the centre of the cave was cold, not even the embers were glowing, and the sword that was usually propped against the wall had disappeared; she felt her chest tighten as she looked around at everything that was missing, “Balinor!” a sense of panic overwhelmed her, and she grabbed a dagger before rushing out of the cave.

As Bellona searched the forest surrounding their home and continually found nothing, she became more and more anxious, gripping her weapon tighter by the second. It was a couple hours before she found him, but it wasn’t what she expected. Balinor was laid against an old oak, eyes closed and arms laid across his chest with some flowers, “B-Balinor?” she mumbled, walking over to him and dropping to her knees. She tried to shake him awake but he wouldn’t stir so she muttered an incantation to wake him, “No… No!” tears spilled down her cheeks as she held him. Her mind was racing with a million thoughts of what could’ve happened – until she saw the stab wound, which could only mean one thing. Uther. Bellona let out a piercing scream, feeling her eyes burn with magic as trees and flowers flattened around her. He hadn’t deserved to die, he had done nothing wrong, but he had been killed.

She took him to the small clearing by their cave, where her parents had been buried almost twenty years before – sorcerers were not permitted marked graves but she created a small headstone when she buried him, but she did not have time to mourn. She gathered her belongings and set out for Camelot, running as fast as her legs could take her; grief, anger and adrenaline coursing through her. Bellona crossed the border into Camelot as the sun began to set and she could hear loud roars in the distance. She broke into a clearing as an enormous dragon rose into the sky and flew off; knights of Camelot were strewn across the ground with one figure stood in the middle of them. That’s when she saw him, the prince, and what better way to get revenge than to kill the son of her enemy? She drew her sword and ran towards him but the figure turned to her and her she saw something familiar in his eyes, “Who are you?” she asked.

“I’m Merlin,” he answered simply, “what were you going to do?”

“Take revenge on Uther, a son for a father,” she muttered, still not willing to lower her sword.

“I understand, but Arthur is a good man, he does not deserve to die for his father’s sins.”

“Well what if it was Arthur who killed him? I doubt Uther would’ve been hunting him, he probably went his son to do the job! If he’s such a good man then he’s probably the one who at least had the decency not to just leave him where he died!” she started to shake and her knees felt weak as she began to cry, “He may have been a dragonlord, but he did not deserve to die!”

“Y-Your father was a dragonlord?” Merlin asked, his voice wavering.

“Yes, he died long ago. And the man who raised me was one too – Balinor,” she said, and Merlin practically froze.

“Arthur did not kill Balinor,” he protested, and her eyes narrowed.

“How would you know?”

“Because I was there when he died,” he told her, tears welling in his eyes, “we had gone to seek his help. The three of us were on our way here when Cenred’s men attacked us, he died to save me.”

“Why you?” she questioned.

“I’m his son,” Merlin said, and she felt her throat close up, “I only found out days ago.”

“Y-You’re Hunith’s son?” he gave her a confused look, “He spoke of her often, the only woman he ever loved.”

“I understand you wanting revenge on Uther for this, he is the reason I grew up without a father, but killing him or Arthur would only make things worse for people like us,” Merlin implored, and Bellona nodded as she sunk to her knees, sobs shaking her body. Merlin knelt down in front of her, and she latched onto him as she cried, both of them taking a moment to share their grief, “Would you like to return to Camelot with us? I’m sure my friend Gwen would be able to give you a bed for a little while?”

“I-I don’t think I could, it would be difficult for me to conceal my magic. Besides, I-I don’t exactly work well in crowded spaces,” she mumbled, wiping her eyes.

“Well, how about you just stay for the night? And tomorrow I could take you to Ealdor,” he suggested, “what’s your name?”

“Bellona.”

“Well, Bellona, I’m sure that my mother would be more than happy to take you in. I think she needs the company to be honest,” they both let out a small laugh, “would you like to?”

“That sounds nice,” she grinned as Arthur began to stir. Merlin quickly stood and rushed over to him, Bellona following tentatively.

“What happened?” Arthur asked, his breathing shallow.

“You dealt him a mortal blow,” Merlin told him.

“He’s gone?”

“Yeah, you did it,” Merlin said, and Arthur began to laugh, loudly and full of relief, “you did it.” He helped Arthur up, and that’s when the latter noticed the new presence.

“Who are you?”

“This is Bellona, she’s a friend of mine from Ealdor,” Merlin lied, “she decided to come and visit, although it wasn’t exactly the right time.”

“I-It’s a pleasure to meet you, sire,” she mumbled, “I hope it would be okay for Merlin to come with me, back to Ealdor? His mother hasn’t seen him in ages.”

“Of course, yes. But for now, we need to get back to the castle. The Great Dragon is dead and my father needs to know,” Arthur led the way to the castle, and Bellona stayed behind him with Merlin.

“Why did you tell him that he’d killed Kilgharrah?” she whispered to Merlin.

“Because Kilgharrah is the last of his kind, if Uther knew that he survived then he’d send knights to try and kill him for good. Not only would it risk the death of the last dragon, but it would also endanger thousands of lives in the five kingdoms.”

“You should be proud of yourself, Merlin. You picked up the language of the dragons quicker than most could have.”

“Well, I have magic regardless of that, Kilgharrah told me when I first arrived in Camelot that it is my destiny to be one of the greatest sorcerers to ever live, to help Arthur unite the lands of Albion… I guess it just comes naturally,” he told her as they walked through the gates. A woman ran up to Arthur and embraced him as an older man walked over to Bellona and Merlin, hugging the latter. As they pulled back from the hug, the older man looked to Bellona in confusion.

“Merlin, who is this?”

“Uh, Bellona, this is Gaius, Gaius this is Bellona,” Merlin introduced.

“Oh, Gaius! Balinor spoke of you. He said you saved him from Uther during the Great Purge, thank you?”

“How do you know Balinor?”

“He raised her,” Merlin answered on her behalf, “she wasn’t there when me and Arthur got to the cave, but she had been living with him.”

“Does Arthur know of this?”

“He thinks that I’m a childhood friend of Merlin’s, from Ealdor,” Bellona answered.

“Good. Now, why don’t you come with Merlin and I to our chambers, we can arrange a bed for you while you’re here,” Gaius suggested.

“I’m going to go and talk to Gwen about that, I’ll see you there,” Merlin ran off after his friend, the woman who had hugged Arthur, and Bellona followed Gaius into the castle. Once they were in Gaius’ chambers, they both sat down to talk.

“How did you end up with Balinor?” Gaius asked her.

“He found me after Uther had my parents killed – he was a dragonlord and she was a druid,” she started, sighing, “he came to try and find my parents after he fled Ealdor. But the only living person was me, hiding under my bed. He took me in, raised me and taught me everything about the art of the dragonlords.”

“How old were you when they died?”

“Three. I was born at the beginning of the Great Purge and they managed to hide in Essetir, not far from Ealdor. Uther must’ve gotten word that there were two magical people hiding in Engerd when he was looking for Balinor because they were killed only a day or so before he found me.”

“But Merlin and Arthur didn’t see you when they went to find Balinor,” Gaius said, “how did you know he had died?”

“I’d gone to Engerd for some supplies and when I returned and he wasn’t there, there was no sign of life, I went looking for him. I searched the forest around the cave and found him dead, I thought Uther had finally found him,” Bellona said, tears welling in her eyes.

“So that’s why you came to Camelot, you wanted revenge,” Gaius mumbled, and she nodded.

“I was going to kill Arthur, a son for a father – it should’ve been easy, he was unconscious. But Merlin was there, I looked into his eyes and all I could see was Balinor. Revenge isn’t what he would have wanted. Arthur doesn’t even know I tried to kill him, but if he knew…” she let out a small sob and Gaius put a comforting hand on her shoulder.

“You’re thinking that you could see Balinor again if you told Arthur what you did,” Gaius said, sighing, “but he wouldn’t want that either. Balinor found you and raised you, he made sure you had a nice life, he wouldn’t want you giving it up just because of his death.”

Bellona knew he was right, of course he was, but it still hurt. Her grief overcame her, and she couldn’t stop crying, she could feel her magic surging again – and then there were hands resting on her shoulders. She looked up through her tears and saw her father’s eyes, causing her heart rate to slow as Merlin looked into her eyes.

“You’re okay,” he assured her, and she stood up to hug him tightly, “he may not be alive but he’s here with you, with us,” Bellona felt tears drip onto her shoulder so she hugged Merlin even tighter, “I spoke to my friend Gwen, she said that you can stay with her tonight if you want.”

“Thank you,” she mumbled, pulling away from the hug, “I, uh… I suppose you two will be wanting to sleep now?”

“Have you had anything to eat?” Gaius asked, and her stomach growled to answer for her, “Sit, I’ll go get you something to eat,” he got up from his seat and left the room.

“Can I ask you something?” Merlin asked after a few moments of silence, and Bellona nodded, “What was he like? I only got to spend a couple days with him and he only knew I was his son for one of them – you grew up with him.”

“He was kind. When he first found me I was terrified, my parents had just been murdered for their magic; he just sat a couple meters away from where I was hiding, he didn’t try and force me out, be just made sure I knew he was there for me when I did come out from under the bed. And when I did, he gave me some food and told me that he was my father’s friend, that I could go with him if I wanted to. He asked a couple of my parents’ friends to help take the bodies to a clearing where we buried them, not too far from the cave. He helped train me in magic, not just the art of dragonlords but also the magic I inherited from my mother, he made me feel like I belonged regardless of what the law was.”

“I wish I could’ve been there with you, maybe then I wouldn’t have had to come to Camelot, we would’ve just been… happy.”

“We would’ve been, but you would’ve come to Camelot regardless,” she said, and he gave her a confused look, “if I remember what I’ve been told by druids, you’re Emrys,” he looked away for a moment, confirming her suspicions, “you said to me that you’re destined to be a great sorcerer and help Arthur reunite Albion – you can’t exactly do that if you’re living in a cave with your parents and surrogate sister. It’s dangerous here, of course it is, but you belong here Merlin.”

Gaius came in moments later with some stew and bread which she practically inhaled – with all of the anger and adrenaline coursing through her she hadn’t noticed how hungry she was. The three of them spent a few minutes in comfortable silence before Bellona said she was getting tired and Merlin left the chambers with her to go to the lower town.

“You’re really gonna like Gwen,” Merlin assured her, “she’s been kinder to me than most in Camelot since I arrived.”

“Does she know about your magic?”

“No… Uther killed her father for consorting with a sorcerer even though he didn’t know the man was a sorcerer – and she’s been accused of using magic too many times. I trust her, but I…”

“You don’t want to risk losing her,” Bellona finished for him, and he nodded, “don’t worry, I’ll make sure I don’t say anything.”

“Thank you,” they came to Gwen’s house and Merlin knocked on the door – the woman in question answered almost immediately with a soft smile.

“Hello Merlin. And you must be Bellona, it’s nice to meet you,” she greeted, stepping to the side, “please, come in.”

“I’ll be back in the morning,” Merlin said, “goodnight Bellona, Gwen.”

“Goodnight Merlin,” they chorused as Gwen shut the door. The girls had a little chat after Merlin left, but finally went to bed; Bellona was hoping to get a good sleep, she was in the most comfortable bed she’d had in years, but that didn’t happen. It couldn’t. She was plagued with nightmares of fire and destruction, and screams of women and children as they ran from the great dragon, Kilgharrah.

Bellona woke up with tears in her eyes and a ghost of a scream on her lips – she sat up immediately and her head collided with Gwen’s, “Ah! Sorry.”

“Don’t worry, it’s okay,” Gwen assured her as she rubbed her forehead, “you were screaming in your sleep. Do you want to talk about it?”

“I-I’d rather not,” she mumbled, moving to get to her feet, “did I wake you?”

“No, no, I was already awake. I haven’t been sleeping well since the Lady Morgana was taken.”

“You were close with the Lady Morgana?” Bellona asked, thinking back to the prophecies the druids had told her about Morgana.

“I’m her maid,” Gwen told her, just as there was a knock on the door and Merlin walked into the house.

“Does he just not knock?” Bellona laughed, and Gwen joined as she helped the girl to her feet.

“No, no he doesn’t,” they both walked into the main part of the room where Merlin was waiting.

“You ready to go to Ealdor?” he asked, and Bellona nodded, “Right, Arthur – for once – actually granted me some time off to take you there,” he looked towards Gwen, “I’ll be back in a few days Gwen,” Bellona gave Gwen a short hug and thanked her for granting her a bed for the night before following Merlin out to the main street. They walked up to the main square where guards were waiting with two horses, “can you ride?”

“Yes, Merlin, I can ride a horse,” she grinned, mounting the saddle as he did. They rode for a couple days to reach Ealdor, spending the daytime to engage in casual conversation which became deeper as they’d settle in for the night.

As the two of them rode into Camelot, there were lots of stares and greetings; Merlin tied up the horses to one of the gates before leading Bellona over to a house on the far side of the village, “Merlin!” The woman in the house greeted cheerily.

“Hello mother,” he replied, hugging her tightly, until she noticed the other person in the room, “uh, Bellona, this is my mother Hunith. Mother, this is Bellona, there’s something the three of us need to discuss.”

The next hour or so was full of confusion, tears and grief as each of them said what they had to – sharing their sides of the story. Hunith was glad that Balinor had lived long enough for Merlin to meet him, and Bellona told them about how he raised her in the cave, “Before you go, Merlin, there’s somewhere the three of us need to go,” Bellona grabbed both Hunith and Merlin's hands as she spoke, “we need to go and say goodbye to him.”

The three of them rode for the cave, but Bellona stopped them as they came into a clearing where three rocks stood in the middle, side by side. Her mother, her father, and Balinor. Together they finally had a chance to say goodbye, and Bellona was sure that Merlin could feel his spirit as she could – by their side forever…

Sorry if the ending feels rushed, my laptop battery is running low and I’m already over and hour into day 4 when I’m uploading this 😅 I wanted to get everything in, even if there is a lack of dialogue at the end. I hope you enjoy today’s submission, happy Camelove! 🥰💜💙

#camelove2021 #day 3: wait... what? it's wednesday #fanfic #violence tw #death tw #grief tw #oc & balinor #balinor & merlin #oc & merlin

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official-wayward-noctis · 3 years

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Merthur Bingo - Prince Merlin

Whenever You Need Me (I Will Be Right There)

Merlin and Arthur go in search for the lost prince of Balinor's kingdom only to find he was right where he was suppose to be all along.

Ao3 Link here

After escaping Camelot, Balinor meets a woman and they had a child together, but he did know, and instead of going into exile, he went on his way and built a kingdom so that his child would live in a world where magic could be accepted. No matter what Uther Pendragon said. The other kingdoms tried to start a war but it never went in their favor. After one too many scrimmages, Uther and Balinor decided to finally after years and years of war make peace. Balinor only had one heir though but he figured the boy would be good enough for Arthur Pendragon. So he arranged the marriage giving the name Emrys for his son not wanting Uther to hunt Merlin down. Emrys was his son’s name in a way if you count the name the Druids call him. He had a while to find Hunith and his son. Uther wouldn’t be finding him anytime soon. Except Merlin wasn’t where he was supposed to be.

He couldn’t find his son. Hunith had sent him to Gauis and Gauis was where he was seen last with. Uther wanted Arthur to find Emrys before anyone else. Morgana thought it was a fool’s errand but Uther mentioned the boy is dangerous. Morgana though knew that whoever this Emrys was, could be an ally to their cause. Someone that could distract Arthur and take care of Uther. So Morgause would look into Emrys while Morgana tried to keep everyone from Uther. A race began between three sides trying to find the place of the prince as the Prince himself was now taking care of his future husband. Merlin was preparing for their trip to find the lost prince that was right there in the heart of Camelot. Merlin was confused about who this other Emrys was. He knew he was called Emrys by the druids but this was someone with the name.

“Do you think the prince was hidden because he was too dangerous or someone was planning on killing him?” Merlin asked Arthur.

“I don’t care about why he is hiding, I just suppose to bring him back,” Arthur said. “He is my future husband because of the arrangements that will bring peace between Balinor’s kingdom and my father’s kingdom.”

Merlin didn’t accept that though. Why hide a prince unless there was something endangering like Uther himself. Merlin didn’t know what they would find when they found the lost prince but he had a bad feeling about it.

Merlin and Arthur were riding for days with no lead on the prince. It was as if the boy didn’t exist at all.

“There is a prince, correct?” Merlin asked. Leon looked at him shocked that he was insinuating that the prince did not exist.

“Why would you think the prince was fake?” Leon asked.

“I heard a tale about an old man named Emrys who was the greatest sorcerer,” Merlin said. “The name is more of a druid name than anything else.”

“Look, Balinor still has old religion beliefs. Maybe he named his son after one of the old tales,” Arthur said defending the prince.

“We know nothing about Balinor’s son,” Merlin said.

“He is from Ealdor,” Leon said. Arthur and Merlin looked surprised by this news. “The king informed me that Balinor’s queen is from Ealdor and it would be her son that would be the prince.”

“Then why not go to Ealdor and find out who the mother is. I grew up with the other boys that are around the prince’s age. I would know who he was upon arriving at Ealdor,” Merlin suggested.

“Fine, you and Leon make the trip while the rest of the knights and I head to the other part of the kingdom,” Arthur said.

“What if we went together?” Merlin suggested feeling better if Arthur was with him and not in any danger. Arthur hesitated but eventually agreed with Merlin as they told Leon the plan. Leon was more vocal about the prince leaving but they finally convinced him as they went to Ealdor to find more on the missing prince. They didn’t know that they were the only ones who thought of doing that. Morgause had sent men to ask about the woman who stole King Balinor’s heart was. Arthur and Merlin saw them as they arrived and listened in to their conversation. The men were talking to villagers and scaring them.

“Why send men to bother us when we are a small town?” one of the men said.

“We are only looking for the lost prince,” Arthur and Merlin both knew that Cenred was onto the two kingdoms coming together. They had to find the lost prince.

“We know nothing about Prince Emyrs. We told King Balinor that as well when he came to take his wife home,” the man from earlier said to the men attacking his village.

“Who was that woman?” Arthur and Merlin knew they had to protect the village.

“Hunith,” the man said and like that it felt like Merlin’s world froze. His mother was not here. His mother had left with Balinor. Arthur seemed to realize what the man said and went to pull Merlin away so they could escape. “Her son lives in Camelot though as we told Balinor. No one would be able to find the boy. He was deep in the city and had some friends that were very powerful.” Merlin finally snapped out of it as Arthur dragged him back to their horses so they could get out of Cendred’s kingdom and back to where they needed to be. Merlin stayed quiet for most of the ride. Arthur was going to turn him in before he even had a chance to see his father who was alive.

“I won’t tell anyone what we heard,” Arthur voiced suddenly. “You didn’t know either from the way you reacted and I rather give you time to process what we learned. We can tell my father that we gathered nothing from this journey.”

“Thank you,” Merlin said. They rode in silence for a while before Arthur made them stop to make camp for the night. Merlin agreed to start getting stuff ready when he was stopped by Arthur.

“Let me help you,” Arthur told him.

“I’m your servant,” Merlin reminded Arthur.

“We both know that isn’t true,” Arthur’s words remind Merlin all over again that he was actually a prince. A prince who was tied to Arthur because of marriage not as a guardian.

“You know I was once told we were two sides of the same coin,” Merlin told Arthur. “I just figured it meant we were supposed to do something greater than getting married to unite the kingdoms.”

“Maybe we will do something greater,” Arthur said. “Besides you are Balinor’s only son. You might just decide to take over his kingdom instead.”

“What would that accomplish? It’s not Camelot. I know Camelot. I might disagree with some of the laws but I love living in Camelot. Plus I wouldn’t know how to rule a kingdom. I would just pass it on to the first person who seemed more qualified than me.” Arthur touched Merlin’s shoulder stopping the other from ranting.

“I could teach you how to run a kingdom,” Arthur told him.

“I would have to leave your side and you wouldn’t last one week without me,” Merlin told Arthur.

“Contrary to popular belief, I can take care of myself,” Arthur told Merlin.

“Who would dress you if I was gone, take care of your horses, polish your armor, and make sure you eat?” Merlin reminds him. “And that is not all my chores I do for you, my highness.”

“Well we can begin to lessen those so you can focus on other things,” Arthur told him.

“I don’t want to be King,” Merlin admitted.

“Then you don’t have to take over your father’s kingdom. Merlin, as of right now, you could continue to live in Camelot and no one would ever know you are Balinor’s son,” Arthur told him. Merlin knew he was right. “Now let’s set up camp so we get some sleep before tomorrow.” Merlin agreed. Merlin tells Arthur he would take the first watch that night knowing he needed to think about everything. That had happened to him recently. Especially knowing Arthur was not going to force any decision on him or tell Uther about who Merlin really was. He was grateful for that but part of him wondered what Uther would do if he found out. Especially that Merlin was born with magic.

The ride back continued as Arthur was allowing the silent ride instead of asking why Merlin was so quiet because he already knew the answer. He knew why Merlin was being so quiet. So now Merlin and Arthur were meeting up with the knights and they were being their normal selves and Leon noticed that Merlin was being too quiet.

“Sir, did something happen in Ealdor?” Leon asked, worried about Merlin. Merlin who was loyal to Arthur no matter what. Leon trusted whatever Merlin said about Arthur and knew Merlin would do anything even when he was accused of being unloyal.

“We didn’t find the prince or anything. Merlin feels bad about it so don’t bring it up around him,” Arthur told Leon. Leon believed the prince so he stayed quiet but he did notice how Arthur was treating Merlin differently. Something else had to happen when they were in Ealdor. Merlin probably wouldn’t say anything for a few days but Leon planned to talk with him on the subject. Merlin was his friend even if they couldn’t be friends. He knew how important the servant was to Arthur. Whatever was bothering Merlin was important enough that Arthur had made a comment about Merlin being upset. It must have been something to do with Merlin’s mother, Hunith.

Merlin knew Leon was on to them about not telling him everything. Merlin just didn’t know who he could trust. Besides Gauis but Gauis knew already. Merlin had run to Arthur after Gauis told him and had fallen asleep in Arthur's chambers complaining about how Gauis should have told him. Should have said something.

“Gauis cares for you. He probably thought he was protecting you by not telling you,” Arthur informed Merlin. Merlin knew he was right but he still had fallen asleep in Arthur’s chambers and had to deal with the embarrassment that caused him. Arthur told him it was fine but he knew that Arthur was just saying that so he wouldn’t feel bad about it. Arthur did keep his word about teaching him how to rule a kingdom. Even had Leon give him some training when the knights were.

“Why the sudden urge to train Merlin how to fight?” Leon asked.

“He almost got hurt on our journey from Ealdor and I rather have him trained so he can help fight since he is always getting himself into trouble,” Arthur told Leon. Leon agreed to train Merlin which meant Leon spent some time trying to figure out what was going on with the other man. Merlin had been going through something and he wasn’t giving it away. He just pretended that everything was normal but Leon knew Arthur and Merlin were still hiding something. He tried asking Merlin but Merlin told him nothing happened before they went back to focusing on training. Leon figured he would have better luck with getting something out of Arthur then he would with Merlin. Yet, Arthur was as closed lips about the subject. He knew he would find out whatever happened with time but for now he would have to wait until Merlin or Arthur told him.

Morgana smiled as Uther and Arthur joined her for dinner. Merlin was with Arthur though Arthur seemed annoyed that he was following him like a puppy.

“I can wait to look over those until later,” Merlin said.

“I insist that you look over those now,” Arthur said. Uther and Morgana watched the two bickering.

“I’m supposed to serve you,” Merlin reminded Arthur. Arthur gave in as he sat down frustrated. Merlin grabbed a pitcher of wine from the kitchen to make sure Arthur’s wine was topped off.

“What if Merlin sits down with us?” Morgana offered. Uther looked at her strangely as Arthur and Merlin watched her waiting for a response.

“The boy is just a servant,” Uther reminded Morgana.

“Is he?” Morgana asked. “He has been training with Leon lately.”

“There was an incident where it was just me and Merlin and Merlin can’t defend himself. I wanted to make sure that he was able to for his own safety,” Arthur responded.

“He also has been studying books.” Merlin wondered if Morgause had passed on something to Morgana.

“Books on polishing. He needs some tips. I’m seeing if reading helps him since he can read.” Arthur seemed to look at Merlin who knew he would have to tell him about Morgana. He might need to tell the prince more if it came to it.

“Leon seems to be asking about a trip to Ealdor.”

“We went to see my ill mother,” Merlin finally said. The group went to look at him. “She died when we got there just holding on to see me. We didn’t feel like it was right to tell the other knights. While there I questioned people on any missing women to find out who the prince was but that led to a dead end.”

“I’m sorry for your loss,” Morgana said. Uther didn’t see anything but Morgana and Merlin were staring at each other. Arthur noticed now though. He watched the two wondering what Merlin was hiding about Morgana. Dinner became them talking about the hunt for the missing prince. Morgana didn’t say much but she was watching Merlin with an interest that Arthur didn’t like. Merlin seemed to be quiet for the rest. Which was normal but Arthur knew something was bothering him. When he finally got away from dinner, he made sure Merlin followed him back to his chamber. Merlin worked to clean up the room but Arthur stopped him.

“What was going on with Morgana?” Arthur asked.

“It's a long story,” Merlin told him.

“Then start talking,” Arthur told him. Merlin looked at the prince and knew he couldn’t hide what he knew about Morgana but when he told the tale, he noticed he started letting Arthur hear everything which brought the prince listening to everything that happened since he got to Camelot.

“Arthur?” Merlin asked after he was done and it had been silent for a bit too long.

“Morgana is my sister who has magic, you are a sorcerer, and Gauis knows all of this,” Arthur repeated. Merlin nodded. Arthur stayed silent before he looked at Merlin. “Can you show me?”

“Show you proof about Morgana? Probably not but I think she might know. She and Morgause work together. They actually tried to kill me, remember,” Merlin was about to say more about the incident but Arthur seemed to stop him.

“I meant your magic,” Arthur said. Merlin hesitated before he made a flower appear for Arthur. Arthur looked at the flower as he held on to it. He didn’t know what to tell Merlin.

“I only use it for you Arthur,” Merlin told him. Arthur pulled Merlin close and hugged him.

“Thank you,” Arthur told him. Merlin was shocked to hear that from the prince. Arthur pulled away and looked at Merlin. “We will take down Morgana and when we become king then the land will be free and people will be allowed to use magic again without fear.” Merlin was surprised but he didn’t say anything else as Arthur told him his plans. He just knew that whatever happened he would be by his prince’s side, as a royal or not.

#merthur #merlin x arthur #merlin bbc #arthur pendragon #prince merlin

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hiimsociallyawkward · 3 years

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the wicked day

hey guys. i'm back with my random and annoying merlin thoughts. i should be studying for my bio quiz, but yk- i don't want to :,) love you @lady-ofmagic-andstars✨enjoy✨

literally every time i'm going watching i'm going to comment on john hurt that says young man instead of young boy

it's so subtle but wow. thanks i didn't need to be hurt so early on in the episode

i know i know i'm basically a child but this is so exciting

merlin is so cute

aw no not arthur being pouty abt his big birthday

I LOVE THE 'i heard that' thing so much. i love it i love it

off topic, but i love knife throwing. i've always thought that if i had to choose a weapon that's not a gun, i'd choose knifes. swords? maces? crossbows? sure. but knives?? that's where it's really at

i love arthur not wanting to overburden their citizens

ok uther? i hate him

but here? i love him

he's a good dad here. remembering arthur's birthday? that's so sweet. uther in season 4 is the only time i semi like him

AW ARTHUR AND UTHER AT DINNER

i love them

off topic but i like that arthur is wearing his 'every day' clothes, jacket and a tunic under his cape. that's it. the knights are all wearing his garb but arthur is just wearing his 'regular clothes'

hehe gwen being nervous about arthur being on the wheel is so sweet

idk why but i always get nervous at that last knife.

like of COURSe i know he's not going to get hit but it's scary.

the 'not wearing any trousers' thing omg. bbc really decided to do that

i wish we had more of this parental dynamic of arthur and uther

dam alright arthur. being out of it but still being in it enough to see the guy in the reflection? i stan

SKLFJASLDFJA uther fighting to protect arthur

literally me through his whole scene going 'oh jeez oh jeez oh jeez' on repeat.

so off topic but i kind of like the hairstyle they have for most of the guys in this show?? idk is that weird

oh jeez oh jeez oh jeez uther dying

like, i HATe him. i've been waiting for this since season 1 but this scene makes me sad

ok i don't remember the last episode of merlin so i forget what arthur says when he's dying in merlin's arms??

it's something like 'hold me' right? i feel like that has the same energy as 'stay with me' so while i can't exactly say this is sort of parallel, it's sort of parallel?

i mean, ok 1. dying in someone else's arms. 2. dying in the arms of someone you love? romantically, platonically, familial? doesn't matter. both uther and arthur died in the arms of someone they loved. 3. i'm just gonna say 'hold me' and 'stay with me' have the SAME energy, so if no one has called semi-parallels, i'm calling semi-parallels

bradley's single tear

stfu agarvaine. i'm serious. legit everytime he shows up i wanna pow pow pow him

legit. agaravaine needs to get away from morgana.

DO NOT GRAB HER ARM MISTER. LET GO OF HER

I DON'T CARE THAT YOU'RE SECRETLY IN LOVE WITH HER. LET GO OF HER RN

i've said it once and i'll say it again, i love gwen

not to romanticize death or anything but i like candle light vigils.

ok maybe slightly symbolic but probably not? ok actually i think it is, not to toot my own horn but this is also just really straightforward too.

arthur wearing 'street garb' and his 'knight stuff' sort of differentiates between 'arthur' and 'prince arthur'. the scene where merlin and arthur are looking over the vigil and merlin's talking about how there's nothing that can be done, and arthur mentions using magic, i may be off about this but i feel like he's speaking more from prince arthur rather than arthur, uther is my father.

like of course arthur's hurting, everyone knows he's hurting. but idk. i feel like he feels like he's not ready to be king. he needs more time, and he can't be king yet. so therefore, prince arthur is talking about needing to save their king.

gaius and merlin are both right here. idk what else to say.

wow merlin 'you can't stop me' love that

jeez 'maybe this is my chance to change that' little do you know what's happening soon merlin.

oh shoot.

arthur asking merlin if he would use magic to save his father? i'm just thinking back to merlin crying, but not crying over balinor because he couldn't tell arthur, and merlin having to mourn his father in secret. vs. arthur, asking merlin for advice. sharing all his worries and insecurities with gwen. begging gaius to do something more for his father. this just makes me so sad

arthur TRUSTING merlin. with everything. taking merlin's opinion on things and aw

this is dumb but tbh i really like merlin's outfit. like tbh i think i dress in the same sort of style, just ✨modern✨ sadly, no neckerchief for me but i do have a necklace that says 'heather' despite my name being 'ashley'. ily conan gray

ugh. arthur calling merlin a coward but also calling him brave?? you need to pick a side arthur

LMAO ARTHUR STOP THINKING ABOUT WATCHING MERLIN PEE

bruh arthur breaking the vase. it's so dumb but merlin referring to the vase over and over actually makes me chuckle

ok merlin going 'you have come to kill me?' reminds me of another show but i can't remember but i thought i'd put it out here anyways

oh shoot i just realized/remember that uther got stabbed on arthur's birthday. hell of a gift am i right 😭

hehe arthur 'sweeping' with the broom. silly goose

dragoon sounds so vulnerable asking for the right to use magic freely

i love you arthur. this scene, i'm like YES. arthur i love him

i love the saying 'my word'. like, i don't want people to promise me anything anymore. i want them to give me their word.

HAHA THIS IS SO DUMB. MERLIN SAYING 'QUESTIONS. SO MANY QUESTIONS'. I LITERALLY SAY IT WITH THE SHOW EVERY TIME. WHAT'S WRONG WITH ME

aw arthur just sitting there with the cup and trying not to break it HAHA he's so sweet. slightly scared after that vase yk what i mean

ok i don't like morgana and everything but that necklace? that's a stroke of genius. yes girl. make up the plan as you go along

frick you agarvaine. do not scare gwen you PERV

jeez agarvainewas SO rude putting that necklace onto uther. like yes, ik you don't like him but STILL. that's just rude

i'm going to start calling people toads now

hehe arthur closing his door and merlin being right there. it's not necessarily a trope but it totally is and i love it

ah yes. merlin and the tavern. i feel like it's been referred to before but it's still funny.

ok ik arthur carrying merlin is there for kicks for the kids but i laughed anyways

apparently i have the humor of a 10 year old

this is really dumb but the scene with arthur and the two guards. i'm just thinking 'how tall are these guards'. ofc ik that the staging/perception could be doing something that might be making arthur look shorter, but my first reaction was 'bradley is 6' just how tall are these guards??'

merlin's speech about magic makes me sad

aw 'i hope, one day, that you'll see me in a different light'

dragoon has the same effect on arthur as merlin does

uther waking up 😭

AW. UTHER'S LITTLE SIGH AND THEN 'ARTHUR' BREAK MY HEART COVEY. BREAK IT A THOUSAND TIMES.

they're both so happy. this makes me so sad now. oh jeez. oh jeez. oh jeez

oh jeez oh jeez merlin's expression. AW merlin gave arthur his word. oh jeez this is very stressful and i'm only watching this

ok obviously. merlin doesn't want to see arthur in pain. but ALSO this was merlin's chance to change things once and for all. and now uther is dead. #no liam just payne

arthur's face post crying. skf;aldjfa;ldk AW

frick you agarvaine. literally die. i can't wait for merlin to kill you

i think this scene is pretty. the light on the left and the dark on the right? ok actually, i'm going to be making an off base comparison now because that's all i do.

i'm remembering this post i saw on here and it was like, arthur uther and morgana in the throne room. in order of the way they sit in the throne room, first it's arthur, uther, and then morgana

well. the really dumb and off base comparison here is the 'light' goodness of arthur and the 'dark' evil of morgana being mirrored in the picture above.

'light', bravery, doing what's right- being on the left. 'dark', evil, power on the right- and arthur in the middle of it, king

like i said, it's a dumb off base comparison, but at least the picture is pretty

oh jeez this scene

my heart breaks for both of them

merlin not being able to form a sentence at first.

😭😭😭😭 arthur please. you're breaking everyone's heart right now

you already knew i had to include this scene

arthur walking in there all alone

oh jeez he's all alone

dumb parallel number 2. arthur walking into the throne room with uther, father and son. merlin and gaius closing the door for arthur- pseudo father and pseudo son.

'he'll never know who i really am'

i want to do a DEH post soon but jeez. the line that hits hardest for me in DEH is 'i never let them see the worst of me. cause what if everyone saw? what if everyone knew? would they like what they saw? or would they hate it too? and jeez that's all i can think about when i think about merlin and his secrets

again. no liam, just payne

asldkfja;sldkfjas dlf merlin waiting for arthur

i have so many feelings

i love the show of affections for his father. you already know that uther wasn't affectionate when arthur was growing up, but still. forehead kiss? i love it

I DIDN'T WANT YOU TO FEEL THAT YOU WERE ALONE. i hate this and love this so much. i'm not saying merlin is completely selfless, because merlin wants magic to be leagalized and arthur is the way to do that. but omg merlin not wanting for arthur to feel like he's alone breaks me

first, merlin being physically alone while waiting for arthur. arthur was technically alone too, but he was with his father

but also, merlin being alone in the sense of his magic. no one knows except for gaius. lancelot knew and then they killed him. merlin is so alone when it comes to his magic, and morgana's enchantment only pushes merlin into his 'magic shell' more. arthur thinks magic is pure evil, and merlin is made of magic. what does that mean would think of arthur. this hurts me so much i'm so sad

friend 😭

arthur asking if he's hungry and them getting breakfast together

ok this sound track

pendragon red. i actually stan

gwen wearing a purple dress?? color symbolism?? nah i'm over thinking

ASIFA;SDLFJAD HE'S KING OF CAMELOT

IT'S LIKE I WANT TO CRY BECAUSE I'M SO PROUD RIGHT NOW.

oh jeez oh jeez.

and merlin saying 'long live the king' at the end of the episode?

chills

Anyways! I’ll be back next week to rant more about aithusa so I’ll see you then! thanks I love you bye

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spiritofcamelot · 3 years

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Twin Tales Snippet

Nornally, I wait till Wednesday evening to post what I wrote that day for @mi6-cafe‘s WIP Wed, but I’m a little too pleased with this scene I just wrote. I’m not sure it’s going to make it to the final draft, so enjoy. Oh, Razan is a scarlet dragon nearly as old as Kilgarrah.

Survey completed, Razan and Leon landed again in the field behind the citadel. To Leon’s surprise, there was a woman waiting for them. He couldn’t immediately tell who it was. One of the older noblewomen, judging by her nearly white hair piled on top of her head. She waved both arms excitedly as they landed. Only when he slid off Razan’s back did he recognise her as Lady Gayve.

She walked quickly forward. “Razan! I never thought I’d see you again.” With confidence, familiarity even, she walked right past Leon and up to Razan’s shoulders, patting her scales.

“The young and wild Althea,” Razan greeted, a wide smile on her face. “I’m surprised to see you still in Camelot.”

“Children happened and someone had to teach the girls how to properly hold a dagger.” She turned then to Leon. “Now I don’t remember the Wuldorlēan family having a dragonlord.”

“I’m not a dragonlord,” Leon was quick to correct. “Merlin is the dragonlord. He had to make a stop partway.”

She nodded, then looked back at Razan, eyebrows raised.

“Balinor’s son,” the dragon clarified.

Her eyes widened. “Of course! I can’t believe I didn’t see the similarity before. I suppose I wasn’t looking for it, though.”

Razan rose up from her crouch on the ground and she stepped back. “I’m sure we will see each other again.”

Leon watched her leap into the air and soar away. He wasn’t sure to whom she was speaking, but maybe it was both of them. He watched until she vanished into the bright sunlight. Then he turned back to Lady Gayve and offered his arm for the walk back into the upper town. “My lady, care to enlighten me how you came to be on good terms with a dragon?”

She grinned wide. “Back when I was younger than you, there were many dragonlords who came to Camelot. And all of them were lithe, strong, and delicious,” she began.

Leon wished he’d never asked.

#MI6CafeWIPWednesday #Twin Tales Previews

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lover-of-midnight · 3 years

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Difference - chapter 3

ating:

Mature

Archive Warning

Graphic Depictions Of Violence

Category:

M/M

Fandom:

Merlin (TV)

Relationships:

Merlin & Arthur Pendragon (Merlin)

Merlin/Arthur Pendragon (Merlin)

Leon & Arthur Pendragon (Merlin)

Leon & Merlin (Merlin)

Gaius & Merlin (Merlin)

Characters:

Merlin (Merlin)

Arthur Pendragon (Merlin)

Uther Pendragon (Merlin)

Gaius (Merlin)

Balinor (Merlin)

Hunith (Merlin)

Nimueh (Merlin)

Igraine Pendragon

Additional Tags:

Hurt/Comfort

Emotional Hurt

Angst

Fluff

Soul-mates AU

magical arthur

Protective Merlin (Merlin)

Hurt Arthur Pendragon (Merlin)

Child Abuse

Insecure Arthur Pendragon (Merlin)

touch-starved Arthur Pendragon

First and third POV Arthur Pendragon

Second and fourth chapter POV Merlin

Then combined chapters

Strangers to Friends to Lovers

Self-Harm

Suicidal Thoughts

Camelot's original heir is coming back

Arthur Knows About Merlin's Magic (Merlin)

Alternate Universe - Magic

Other Additional Tags to Be Added

Language:English

Arthur slumped against his desk, his homework was forgotten for a moment. He signed tiredly. He walked to the window.

There was a shadow of a doubt in his eyes as he watched children playing, women talking. Men shouting to get people to the market.

He scratched at his arm, he wished the buzz would go away the itch for his magic to get out. He could still remember ten years ago when Uther had found out about his magic.

Since that day he forced it down, trying to forget the fact that he could feel it move under his skin searching for a way out.

Arthur jumped slightly when there was a knock on the door. “Enter.” His voice was almost dead.

Gaius pressed the door open his eyes were worried. “Sire?” His voice was loud in the quiet room. Arthur sank into himself slightly.

“Don’t call me that please.” His eyes showed the plea clear.

“Arthur are you alright?” Gaius glanced to the door before he looked at the prince again.

So many years had gone by, in the beginning, Gaius had tried to help Arthur master his magic, but the fear he had developed for Uther had made him press his magic down.

Blocking it from forming and begin an aid to Arthur. In the end, it also started to make Arthur ill, his magic needed to be realised but since he didn’t. He started to struggle to sleep, concentration was a problem for him.

When Uther had a query about it, Gaius had simply told him a lie, if he had known that it was of magic that made Arthur ill he would have a breakdown again.

“No. Uther wants me to lead the men to a druid camp.” He didn’t bother to say anything else, they both know that by the end of the night the whole camp would be destroyed.

“I can’t do it, Gaius, I can’t just go and kill them, they are like me.” The last part came out almost hysterically.

Gaius pulled Arthur into his arms but when he jumped back Gaius could only look at him with worry in his eyes.

“What did he do?” Gaius knows Arthur and that he would have stood up against Uther.

Arthur glanced to the floor, his hands balled into fists. He bit the inside of his lip. “Whipping.” His voice could barely be heard.

“Let me see, child.” Gaius kept his voice gentle even if he wanted to blow up in anger.

Arthur could only shake his head, he didn’t want anyone to see the scars, how much of a disappointment he was.

“Arthur it could get infected. Let me see please.” Gaius made sure to softened his voice slightly. How many more times would he need to do this.

Barley fifteen and he already had more scars than most soldiers. It took a few tries from Gaius before Arthur worked with him.

Arthur hissed slightly when the bandages pulled away from the wound. He could hear Gaius mumbling something under his breath but he didn’t bother to try and figure out what he said.

“What happened here?” Gaius looked at the bruises around Arthur’s hips. Some of them were new and some were already turning yellow.

He could see Arthur tensing up. “It doesn’t matter.” Arthur’s voice was thick and broke slightly.

“It does matter Arthur.” Gaius walked around Arthur to look him in the eyes. All he could see was despair, someone who was let down.

There was wild desperation in Arthur’s eyes. “It doesn’t matter, nothing to be done of it.” Arthur bit his lip to keep himself from screaming, this wasn’t Gaius fault, he only wanted to help.

Gaius could only nod, he would leave pain medication and a salve for him. When Arthur was ready he would hopefully come and talk about it.

“All right Arthur, if you need an ear you know where to find me,” Gaius said as Arthur went to lay down on the bed.

His body was trembling with pent up anger and hate for the situation. He wished that he could fight back be a better person but there is nothing he can do at the moment. Hopefully soon Uther would meet the other world but Arthur knows unless it is a murder he wouldn’t go so easily.

Gaius cleaned the wounds before he put on a salve to keep infection out and then he bandages them with clean linen.

“Come to me tonight that I can redo them please Arthur.” Gaius wished that he could pull him into a hug but Arthur didn’t allow contact since he was around nine.

“I will Gaius.” Arthur’s voice was small. Gaius could only nod, as he left just before he reached the door he stilled.

“Thank you.” There was a softness to Arthur’s voice Gaius didn’t like, he sounded like the dead and Gaius wished that he could do something to change that for him.

“Of course child.” Gaius gave Arthur an encouraging smile before he left.

Arthur felt like a part of himself was slowly dying. He didn’t know how much more he would be able to take.

Every since Uther had made it clear that he didn’t care about his son, the other noble-teens would try and hurt him for being born into the royal family.

He walked to the mirror, his eyes darted to the bruising on his hips, there were more on his thighs and legs.

They had thought it would be a fun game to try and make him scream, they had known he wouldn’t be able to go to Uther with it, so they got away. He sat down heavily on the floor.

Sometimes he wished that he could only stay in his room and never leave. What does it matter that he would one day be King?

It would be better to just go and work in the fields in some village than suffer through with this bullshit.

Arthur felt tears burning at his eyes. He still had a lot of work to be done, but at the moment he just wanted to leave for a while.

And that is exactly what he did, he didn’t tell the guards at his door where he was going. He didn’t bother to leave a note.

Arthur kept his eyes on the ground as he walked to the stables, he was glad that he was still in his training clothes, so hopefully, William would allow him to work with him in the fields today.

The mare snorted when he walked to her, Arthur grimaced as he got her ready, it wasn’t far to go but he hoped that it would help him clear his head somewhat.

“Let’s go girl.” If there was anyone that could have heard his voice they would have been worried for the young one sounded dead.

With a light tap the horse started to move, Arthur allowed her to gallop, the wind was slightly cold as it sliced into his face but it gave him the courage to gather his strengths.

Camelot soon becomes a blur behind him. Arthur tried to ignore the pain in his back and bum. It wasn’t worth it to think about it.

After riding for two hours he walked into the small village, it was nothing more than a few huts and an inn.

It was one of the closeth villages to Camelot but the earth was harder to work and for the most part, it didn’t look like there was anything that really grew there. But the people work hard and they were happy.

Arthur slid off the mare, he grimaced at the movement and for a moment he had to stop and take a breath.

A sound made him spun around. For a moment it felt like his vision was going to go black but he pushed it away. He wanted to be here and he wasn’t going to allow his body to just give in on him.

“Arthur, we didn’t expect to see you so soon again.” The man’s face was covered in dirt but his green eyes shined with friendliness.

“William.” Arthur greeted the man, he was sometimes surprised that the man could be so big as he was but Arthur suspected that it came with the territory of being a woodworker.

“What are you doing here son?” William led the way to a small hut a little bit further down the road.

“Just needed to get out for a while. I was wondering if you maybe have some work for me?” Arthur kept his voice light.

William was silent for a while when Arthur had turned up the first time two years ago he was close to falling off his horse. It took a few days before Arthur had regained enough of his strength to talk and soon thereafter the guards had shown up searching for the prince.

He had fled from Uther the first time he was whipped, without taking care of the wounds he had gone for his horse, letting her go wherever she wanted.

“You can come and help me in the woods. Maria is working in the fields today.” William glanced to where a young woman was busy to get the earth ready to plant seeds.

Arthur was silent as they walked to the woods surrounding the village. The people had a saying that you could only take what you need and when a tree was done you needed to plant two in his stead.

William handed Arthur a dull axe, he watched silently as Arthur sharpened the blade before he got to work.

It looked like the work was distracting Arthur from whatever demons were tormenting him.

Too soon late afternoon was on them.

“Come and rest a little bit, I am assuming you are going home soon?” William asked as they carried the last wood to the hut.

Arthur glanced at the sun. “Unfortunately.” William gave him a worried look but there is nothing they can do for him even if he fitted in with the village people.

Maria gave Arthur a small cup of goat milk, her eyes were a warm brown, her brown hair in a plait behind her head.

“Thank you, Maria.” Arthur gave her a friendly smile. He knows when she gets married that the person would be one lucky man.

After an hour Arthur was forced to greet them, he could feel some of the wounds had reopened through the day but he didn’t care. His mind felt clearer and he hoped that he would have a chance to do this soon again.

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runawaymarbles · 4 years

Text

Merlin rec list

(more lists here)

All the Colours in Disguise | 3k | G | Arthur/Gwen

Arthur knows. Arthur knows that Merlin knows that Arthur knows. They don't talk about it. (They don't need to.)

Not A Word | 3.5k | M | Arthur/Merlin

“Goblins not asking help,” warty face said, making a disgusted expression. “Goblins trade for help. Goblins have king. Goblins give king back, for help.”

Hunting for Dignity | 4k | G |

The knights go on a hunt without a servant because Merlin is sick. Obviously it goes fantastic.

Tiercel | 6k | M | Arthur/Merlin

Arthur is constantly at war.

A Waiting Game | 6k | T | Arthur/Merlin

In which Arthur slowly loses his mind after legalizing magic in Camelot because his idiot of a manservant still won't admit he's a freaking sorcerer... No worries though. He has a plan. A well-developed, patented, highly intelligent plan that would absolutely lead to Merlin becoming his court sorcerer (because the one he has right now was a complete dimwit). Too bad Merlin also has a plan. A well-developed, patented, highly intelligent plan to not tell Arthur he has magic under any circumstances whatsoever.

Circle 'round the Truth | 8k | T |

They know about the magic. Or, more accurately, Merlin's magic is the truth the knights circle around, and Merlin's loyalty is the one 'round which they rally. (A character study with some yelling, an action sequence, and a bit of walking.) Post-S4.

journey into the interior | 10k | NC-17 | Arthur/Merlin

'Arthur' chokes and flushes, as though they're not standing in an erotic massage parlour, as though 'Arthur' doesn't have a copy of Penthouse held loosely in one hand. "I'm hardly trying to pick you up, Merlin." He chuckles a little bitterly. "Look, d'you really not know who I am?"

Loyalty Before Royalty | 10k | T |

I hate that Gwen and Merlin's friendship kind of withered away in the later seasons so here's a oneshot about her and Merlin abusing her new royal powers because that's what happens when your best friend becomes queen.

A Prince's Tale of Cats and Warlocks | 12k | M | Arthur/Merlin

Arthur finds out about Merlin's magic, and he reacts badly. In the aftermath he's left to deal with the consequences and the pieces of a life that refuse to fit together as they used to. On his way towards understanding (and, perhaps, reconciliaton), he gains an unexpected, albeit reluctant ally – of the furred and four-legged kind. It takes more than a few words of regret to earn a warlock's forgiveness, though.

As a Sea Shell | 12k | T | Arthur/Merlin

He would say he doesn’t miss Merlin, not even a little bit, but that would be a lie. When Arthur discovers Merlin’s magic, he banishes him from Camelot. But Merlin is destined to serve Arthur until the day he dies.

Returning the Favor | 12k | T | Arthur/Merlin

Balinor lives. Arthur will do pretty much anything to get the man to stop saving his life.

Pining for the Moon | 13k | M | Arthur/Merlin

First, there is the rage, and then there is a knife at Merlin’s throat.

In which Merlin Reveals His Magic, Arthur Embarks on a Quest, and Uther Absolutely Does Not Admit He Was Wrong, About Anything, Ever | 13k | T

“I’m afraid this will be difficult to hear,” Father said. “But it seems that…Merlin is a sorcerer.” Arthur had known that for literally moments already, but said out loud, it still sounded absurd. It wasn’t at all difficult to say incredulously, “Don’t be ridiculous. Merlin?”

Onfindan | 16k | M | Arthur/Merlin

Arthur didn't speak to him for a week after he found out.

Fool Me Once | 18k | T | Arthur/Merlin

Uther finds out about Merlin’s magic, but can’t seem to kill him. Merlin is just trying to protect Arthur. They become a begrudgingly effective duo. Arthur doesn't understand why they think he isn't noticing this.

Dying to Return | 20k | T | Arthur/Merlin, Arthur/Gwen, Gwen/Lancelot

When they try to hang him, he floats. They put him on the pyre at dawn. He doesn’t burn.

Tintagel | 20k | E | Arthur/Merlin, Nimueh/Ygraine

They would pay any price that was asked, Nimueh whispered at the end, trembling with exhaustion, desperate, pleading, anything, anything at all. Just give her this child. Give her the son he stole from her.

Beauty in the Ashes of Our Lives | 21k | T |

After Merlin is executed for Uther's murder, Arthur's world falls apart.

Sweeter Dreams | 35k | T | Arthur/Merlin

Following a rather different ending to 2.10 ("Sweet Dreams"), Merlin and Arthur head to Olaf's kingdom of Valden to put things right. In the process, Merlin racks up an impressive series of treasonous crimes: insolence, incompetence, tripping while running for his life, and accusing the crown prince of snoring are only the beginning.

The Sorcerer and the King | 85k | NC-17 | Arthur/Merlin

Canon AU -- Merlin's death is only the beginning; with no-one to protect the kingdom, Camelot falls to an enemy sorcerer and Arthur is forced to serve in the court that he once ruled. When an escape attempt goes horribly wrong, Arthur is rescued by someone he never expected to see again -- and it's their destiny to put things right.

Rend and Rebuild | 103k | T |

One wrong move in the heat of battle changes everything. Merlin is a sorcerer, and Arthur has stabbed him.

#merlin #arthur pendragon #merthur #fic rec #op

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emrysarthurpendragon · 4 years

Text

Running out of time

Merlin woke with a start and looked around, collecting his memories. Oh. Right. He moved chambers a couple of weeks ago, when they came back from Morgana’s fortress and his friends now know he has magic. They were all supportive and, thank to them, his demons had been quiet since then. But today, he felt something was amiss. Rubbing his eyes, Merlin threw his legs outside his bed and perambulate in the room. Think. Think. Think. There must be something. He never woke in the middle of the night for no reasons.

Emrys. Emrys, I’m scared…

The voice echoed in his mind; it belonged to a child. A little one he could feel through his magic. Like a string connecting their bodies and souls. If he moved closer to his window, the bond straightened. The closer he gets to the door, the weaker it became. He had to go. Go find that person, that child, whoever it was. Alas, when he opened the door, there stood Arthur and his bright smile. Lately, the new king kept surprising him and of course, today was one of these days. Yes, you read well. New king. Uther passed not long after they came back; murdered by Agravaine.

“Are you ready, Merlin?” he asked, almost as excited as a kid. The warlock just pictured a mini-Arthur jumping up and down.

“Do I have a choice?” the boy asked, faking hope.

“Nope. It’s your birth right and I won’t take ‘no’ for an answer.”

“I hate you,” Merlin mumbled, making his friend laugh.

“No, you don’t,” Arthur answered, pressing his lips against Merlin’s. The warlock felt his resolutions melt away when Arthur pulled him closer, at least until a servant walked past them and snickered at the sight of the two men. Their cheeks flustered, they closed the door and hurried together to the main hall. Before they could step in, where people were already gathering for the big event and gossiping about Merlin, Arthur pulled him into another room. The area was empty exception for a chair and clothing hanging over them. Confused at first, Merlin felt his boyfriend’s hands push him and helping him out his usual attire. Especially his neckerchief. “What the…”

“You can’t attend knighting ceremony like this.”

“Why not?”

“I’m the King, you obey, or I’ll punish you,” Arthur purred, sliding his hands under the warlock’s shirt. Merlin shivered under the soft touch.

“Prove it,” Merlin laughed, hoping to avoid the knighting by doing so.

“Maybe later. If we are too long, Gwaine’s going to come here and all Camelot would have a graphic depiction of our bodies.” Arthur explained, quickly adding in an ushered tone: “You’re mine, I don’t want them knowing how beautiful you are.”

“Prat.”

Arthur laughed when he noticed the redness over Merlin’s face and he helped him with his new, clearly expensive, furniture. Hunith came all the way from Ealdor and the king wanted to see Merlin’s face when he would see her among the many faces. From now on, his soon-to-be mother-in-law would stay here, in Camelot and Arthur gave her a room across her son’s. Now fully dressed, Merlin faced Arthur; the blond gasped. Instead of his usual rags, Merlin stood there, wearing a blue shirt and black pants. Arthur ordered new boots too and… Merlin looked regal.

“One more thing,” Arthur said, taking a small package from the table. “Open it, please.”

Curious, Merlin ripped open the parcel and froze. It couldn’t be … was it … memories from a specific winter came back in his mind and he knew Arthur remembered too. The day he travelled to collect the knights and Gwen’s cloaks. With gentle hands, Merlin unfolded the piece of furniture and smile. The inside was made of fur, to protect its owner from the cold. The outside was bright red with Camelot’s lion embroidered on it. Arthur carefully wrapped it over Merlin small frame and smile, happy with the result.

“Perfect. Now, follow me. It’s time for you to join us.”

Nodding his agreement, Merlin followed Arthur. They walked hand in hand and reached the huge door separating them from the others. They were taking baby steps in the change of Camelot. First, Merlin’s ceremony. Then, the ban of magic. One thing at a time. Arthur walked into the room first and all murmurs stopped. Merlin started counting in his head. One. Two. Three … eight…

Emrys. Emrys, save me, please… Mum… Dad…

Merlin jumped, darting around for something or someone in need. He stood alone in the corridor and shook that feeling. Still, he wanted nothing more than run and find the voice. What was he supposed to do? Walk in the room, following today’s plans and all … or leave without a second glance to find the kid?

“Arthur is going to kill me,” Merlin thought, still pondering with his two options. “It’s just a matter of minutes, I’ll go after.”

Emrys please, it hurts!

Merlin bit his lips, walking one step after another. Arthur stood there; a smile plastered on his face. Their friends all waited front raw with equally bright expressions.

He saw a dark room, without windows. Water dripped from the walls and fell on several bodies. Prisoners were huddles together in one cell, except for one. In a cell, a person with dirty blond hair hanged limply. Her wrists had been chained to the roof, placing her in a painful posture. These were not ordinary cuffs though, as he noticed magic-repels runes on them.

His heart fastened and he kneeled on the steps facing the king. Wait … was it his mother, standing next to Gaius? Oh, Lord! She came! With his body tensed, Merlin repeated the same promise to the people of Camelot. Like all the red knights did before and will do after him. He swore servitude and protection to all, rich or poor, strong, or weak. Inside, Merlin silently added ‘magic or not’ and knew Arthur followed his thoughts. They smiled at each other’s and the King took his sword, touching Merlin’s shoulders with it. When the former manservant stood again, he was no longer Clumsy Merlin but Sir Merlin, son of Lord Balinor, king of the lost kingdom of Avalon. Or was it lost? Merlin had a feeling that they may find it again.

Emrys, find me, please…

The world started spinning. The new lord had to focus on staying up but he spotted Arthur’s eyes. The King noticed his sudden change and worried. They had to thank all their friends, Merlin hugged his mum with a bright smile splattered on his face, but they still made their way out the throne’s room. Just when he was ready to explain, he felt the connection shut. Just like this. Had the child died? Merlin felt panic rose in him. He should have gone and find her, follow her track to wherever she was held captive.

“Merlin? Merlin, what’s wrong?” Arthur asked, blue eyes searching him for any injures or whatsoever. Did he mention how protective the king was lately? From behind them, Gwaine exited the room and eyed them curiously. He too noticed their strange behaviours.

“Merlin? Princess? What’s wrong?”

Arthur barely rolled his eyes at the nickname.

“I don’t know yet. Merlin?”

“I … not here. It’s about my uh … thing.”

“Your penis?” Gwaine asked, making Merlin blushed when servants walked past them, shaking with laughter either because of the comment, or the young lord sudden redness. “Kidding. Hey, relax Merlin, it’s just a joke…”

“Mother…” Merlin squealed, mortified. Yes. His mother walked behind the knight when he formulated his stupid comment. Still, Hunith just giggled and ruffled his black hair.

“I’m so proud of you, Merlin. Your father would be too, I know it. Before you were born, he often talked of the life he wants for his kids, if he ever had some. A good life and faithful friends. That’s all, and you have it all.”

“He told you, about his inheritance? His lineage?”

“All the time, but shall we talk in my rooms? It’s about your … thing.”

Merlin nodded after sending a death glare toward Gwaine. He had to keep an eye on both him and his mother. He feared what Hunith may tell his friends if they had a chance. One word about his ‘pants’ allergy’ and he would never hear the end of it. All Camelot would know about two-year-old Merlin running with his wee shaft flapping around, in the paths of Ealdor. He started wearing proper clothing at age seven, after a cold so powerful he almost died. Knights, King, Hunith and Gwen all walked to the woman’s room and sat randomly on the floor, chair or the bed. Merlin talked first, since his visions were far more important than whatever his mother could share about his father’s past. Balinor was dead, this could wait. The child may still be alive. So he told them everything. The voice he had heard in the middle of the night and every now and then before and during the ceremony. He shared his vision, the cell where people were held captive and a child restrained with anti-magic chains. Not like the ones in Camelot’s vault, no. More powerful.

“These are dangerous. I only heard glimpse of what they do. No normal users could use their powers with these on but … she had to, when she contacted me. She’s strong. Probably born with the gift.”

Leon paled when he heard the warlock, that did not go unnoticed.

“What is it?” asked the king, his attention turned to his oldest friend.

“How old was she?”

“Can’t tell for sure. Maybe three or four.” Merlin said, frowning. “Why?”

“I knew someone from Camelot, their child was born with magic and they hid her the best they could. It helped me see the law had some flaws,” he said, his eyes fighting back tears. “Two years ago, their village had been raided and their girl died. Killed by those people.”

“Their or your child?” Merlin asked, remembering something. When Leon’s wife had been pregnant, the young woman went to her family’s house and stayed with them for the last six months. One day, Leon had left after he was handed a letter from his better half and no one seen him but when he came again, he was even jumpier whenever someone mentioned magic. They all thought nothing of it, until that day. With Yseult close to term, the knight took some days off and rode back alone to Camelot. Questions were asked since they all thought the family would travel together but he told them about his baby’s health. She’d been sick, fragile as glass, and their physician insisted on keeping her close to the ocean. For a couple of years at least. Merlin’s eyes widened. He remembered a wild, brand new, magic once upon a time. Like the one he felt this morning. Could it be? No. Leon child was like … 6? 7? Still, Leon sudden nervousness spoke for him. Silence fell upon their small group, all knights processing what they just learned. Leon had a magic child. And she died or was taken by mercenaries. If taught by the wrong people, she may become the biggest threat Camelot ever face. No. She probably died and now, another child waited for them.

“I’m sorry for your loss, really. But we don’t have time. Someone else is looking for their girl and we need to find her. Wherever she is,” Merlin said, feeling awful for brushing away his friend’s sadness like this. “If we don’t help, her magic can… I don’t know. But you don’t want to find out.”

“Ok; everyone got ready. We leave in two hours sharp.”

* * *

While servants readied their horses and supplies, Merlin stayed in his room and focused. He closes his eyes, searching for the girl magic. He thought the bond broken, but it was here. Weak but pulsing like a small heart. Through it, the warlock felt all her current emotions. Fear. Hurt. Sadness. Mix feelings and betrayal. Someone promised her protection and now, she was locked up and scared. He focused on the string between their souls and found her location. No. Not really, but the path they need to follow if they were to find her. Just like hours prior, depending on where he was heading, Merlin felt the bond grow stronger or weaker. With Arthur riding beside him, on his left, and Lancelot at his right, Merlin led the way and focused on his magic. He followed the invisible trail. For hours, they barely spoke. Night fell, they set up camp and shared stories about their previous adventures. About how they met but also, how Merlin with his new rank. They teased Merlin too, with his romance with Arthur. Gwaine, for instance, kept saying his new life happened because he had been ‘really nice’ with the King; resulting in a sudden scream when the blond kicked his friend.

“Merlin’s not like this. Show some respect.”

“Ouch. Unfair! I was just kidding!” Gwaine whined, rubbing his sore leg.

“Leave it, Arthur. No harm done,” Merlin murmured, sending an apologetic glare to his best friend. With Lancelot. “We’re just messing together.”

“Joking about your virtue is fun?” asked Arthur, clearly confused. “I don’t understand.”

“That’s why I do the thinking. You know nothing, Pendragon,” Merlin laughed, howling as Arthur tackled him to the floor. They struggled together, encouraged by the knights’ cheers. Merlin rolled on top of his king, gently kissing his nose.

Emrys? Emrys, are you with daddy?

Merlin stopped, eyes wide open and paler than usual. Through the child eyes, he saw a memory. A blurry face of a man with curly, blond hair. A man with a vaguely familiar voice. The thing was the girl’s memories were fading. She was forgetting her family.

“Merlin.”

“Shh!”

Focus, Emrys. I’m not far. Please. I wanna go home.

Merlin’s eyes burned gold. It felt like someone took control of his body. Someone with secret knowledge. He was seeing more. More than what mortal eyes were supposed to witness. Here it appeared for the first time. The golden trail between the trees, over hills and across the water. This reminded him of a myth, a legend. Long ago, a woman named Ariana got lost in a labyrinth and created a magic cord. The bond united her soul to his lover’s and that way, she found her way out the trap set by a creature of magic. Ariana, queen of her folks, was brave and gave her life for the kingdom. The deal was: if she somehow got out the maze, she’ll live, and her people would be safe. Anyway, King Minos lied and created a terrible creature with only one purpose: kill the young, mundane queen. The Goddesses and Gods, shook by such courage, sent magic knowledge to the Queen. Hecate helps her and, for ages after, protect her pupil’s family. No one ever managed to conjure Ariana’s lead since then. Until now. Was the child a descendant? Naturally gift? Behind him, Merlin heard voices calling his name, but the bond was stronger. He saw then, in a distance, a glowing light. He knew the world was pitch black but far away, in maybe two days ride, a building called for him. For them. Elyan stopped beside him and, as they all gathered, Merlin whispered:

“I know where she’s locked.”

I’m coming, kid. Don’t worry, he added mentally.

They waited the night before moving forward. They escaped Morgana using teleportation and with a specific location, they now could do the same thing to find their prey. No. Not prey. Worst word choice ever.

“Just know I can’t take the horses with us. I have powers, but not that much,” warned Merlin after they packed the next day. “Grab your weapons, anything you think essential for our mission, and whatever’s left stay here.”

It took them another couple minutes, enough to let Merlin prepare his spell. Last time, he acted out of instinct, fearing for their lives but now … he had to do the same on purpose. Of course, with his luck, things went slightly off topic. He appeared near the ruins but alone. He was alone and, judging by the signals, with a handful of mercenaries and prisoners inside the old building.

Following his courage, instinct or whatever, Merlin walked inside with his magic ready. He hoped the others weren’t so far. He needed their help, he noticed, when a man attacked him from behind, alerting all the others.

They fought hard. Sword against sword. Magic finding its way and killing offenders. Called it miracle or mere luck, Merlin stumbled into the dungeons and felt nauseous. A dozen people were huddled in the first cell, most of them magic if he were right, and they opened wide eyes at his sight.

“Emrys…” whispered a man, placing thin hands on the cold bars. “I can’t believe it. You’re…”

“Don’t mind us. Save her, please…” another voice asked. A woman directing him to the second cell. “The thing they’d done… We can’t help her… We tried, but our magics are too weak.”

Merlin nodded, breaking the lock before hurrying to the girl. She was all alone. Her body smells a mix of death, tears, lack of proper hygiene. When her body fell – once Merlin used a spell to break her chains – the warlock caught her with ease. He laid her on the floor, studying her wrists and ankles. Irons were still there, controlling her magic. These runes belonged to another age. When Emrys legend first appeared. When a person, scared to the core, sold its soul to a greater devil to control the children of pure magic. Those who were born from the Source. These were made for him. His powers shy away when he touched the metal. It burned his skin, as much as it did to the girl. Her skin showed how strong she had been. He could almost see her bones where the burns were too important. These prove all the times her magic managed to escape the manacles. All the moments she called for help, even if it meant more pain.

“I’ll free you. I’m here. I’m so sorry…” Merlin whispered, his golden eyes burning again and the metallic noise of the shackles disturbing the almost quietness of the room. Once he freed them, most prisoners escaped. All exception for the man who reached for him when he entered. “You’re safe now. We’ll take you out.”

He didn’t know if he was heard, but he suddenly realised how stupid of him it had been to take off the bonds now. Like water behind a dam, the child’s magic had been suddenly freed. In his arms, he saw – behind dirty blond hair – two golden pearl stared at him. He heard a frightened scream and the walls started shaking.

“My King, we must go!” yelled the man that waited for him. Merlin wanted to protest, claim that he was no king, but decided against it. They needed to hurry out before all the place collapse on them. “Give me the girl!”

Feeling a sudden protective urge, Merlin shook his head and held the little thing against him. As they ran, he chanted various spells. He tried to calm her but couldn’t. Years of restrained magic flooded outside her body. Like a river, a storm locked away for too long. On their way out, Merlin sprained his ankles and swore. It hurts. Still she clung to him and screamed in his mind. She was begging for help and he carried on. She won’t die here. Not now. Not when he finally saved her.

Emrys. I can’t breathe!

“I know, darling. I know. Listen to my heart.”

A criminal ran past them, trying to escape. His neck snapped and he fell to the ground, dead. He had not done that. He had to make the girl focus on something else, or she may kill an innocent.

“Tell me your name, ok sweetie?”

Gaia. Papa’s a knight. Where’s papa?

“I don’t know yet. I’ll help you find him. I’ll protect you.”

I’m a monster…

Merlin froze. Where did this come from? Before he asked, images flooded his mind. Gaia had killed before. Accidents whenever the mercenaries came to her. From the night she’d been captured. From that woman who came to her, acting all nice until she realised Gaia was just … too pure. Too good-hearted to become evil. Morgana. Morgana hurt a child. She was lost for humanity then. The one she used to be helped people.

“You’re not. You are an amazing little girl; your parents love you.”

No. No. No. Bad. Bad. I’m sorry.

They never reached the tower’s entrance. The construction collapsed. Merlin held the younger warlock against his chest, protecting her with his own body. Pain filled him. Silence fell. Darkness surrounded them.

* * *

Elyan barely stopped Arthur when the building collapsed in front of them. They helped the prisoners and killed mercenaries. Some people were healing each other’s with magic’s help or plants.

“Merlin!”

No. It couldn’t be. Arthur shook his head in disbelief, leaving his friend’s grasp. He had to find him. Find them. Merlin was not allowed to die. He gave an order!

#whumptober2020 #no.4 #buried alive #collapsed building #merlinbbc #fic #hurt child #mention of torture

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arthur-rex · 4 years

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ooc: fic/RP idea for a retelling of The Last Dragonlord

Strap yourselves in this is a long one… just didn’t know when/couldn’t stop with the overly detailed plotting! xD

Note: I saw the actual episode two days ago. That’s why it’s all quite vivid still in my mind ;)

So the story starts with Kilgharrah haunting Merlin’s dreams and telling him Camelot’s doom is at hand/the legacy of Uther Pendragon will be terrible to behold/his bloodline will be cursed forevermore for his acts against magic-kind. Merlin works out from this that Kilgharrah is dying and the dragon is invoking some sort of ancient powerful magic in the moment of his death. Merlin has failed to free him from his chains basically, and now the imprisoned dragon is getting his revenge through other means…

Flash forward to the next day. Merlin and Arthur are doing their usual things but Merlin notices Arthur being a bit more hungry haha not like that than usual. He’s also developed a bit of an itch to his skin that continually distracts him whilst training the knights. So he asks Merlin to draw him a bath that evening and while undressing Merlin notices shock horror the skin on Arthur’s back is literally peeling off! More sinister than this, it appears that something that looks suspiciously like golden scales lie underneath… Arthur asks Merlin what’s up and Merlin is just so horrified he literally plays dumb and tries not to panic, just focusses on getting Arthur ready for bed.

That whole night he’s at the books with Gaius, trying to make sense of the curse that Kilgharrah mentioned and what’s happening with Arthur. They come across some page in a book that tells them about possession/mad kings/the significance of the Pendragon line…

And it suddenly just clicks with Merlin oh shit Arthur’s turning into a dragon. Camelot’s Champion is turning into Camelot’s fiery destruction. What does this mean for his and Arthur’s supposed destiny together? What can he do to stop the curse? What will Uther do when he finds out what’s happening to his son??!

Gaius tries to calm down an obviously distraught Merlin at this point and advises that they try and bring Arthur discreetly to see him. Maybe some of Gaius’ potions and salves can slow down the transformation/buy them time until they can work out what to do.

Merlin finds Arthur in the morning completely freaking out. More of his skin is gone and this time Arthur has noticed. Arthur’s nails have also grown pretty sharp. He’s scratched and cut himself in a few places. Merlin realises Arthur’s a bit fragile mentally as he hasn’t got a clue what’s going on. Arthur asks Merlin if he’s turning into a monster. Merlin is of course stuck in a quandary, just as he was with Morgana. He can’t tell Arthur everything as that would reveal his magic, but he also doesn’t like to see his friend so upset. He suggest they quietly go to seek Gaius’ help. At various points during their dialogue, Arthur starts to lose his temper with the whole situation. He shouts into Merlin’s face for being so damn calm about it all and then unexpectedly a gust of flame and smoke almost sets Merlin’s hair on fire! Arthur shuts his mouth pretty quickly, absolutely mortified. Merlin just doesn’t even know what to say. Arthur tells Merlin his father mustn’t know. Uther must never ever know. Merlin agrees.

They go back to Gaius who’s been preparing some herbal salve to put on Arthur’s cracking skin. There are more gold scales everywhere now and Merlin doesn’t know how much time they have. Worringly, Arthur has started to mutter a strange language under his breath - seemingly trying to fight some sort of strange magic that is taking him over. When Arthur goes to sleep (Gaius gives him some sleeping draught to help him along), Gaius tells Merlin about the Dragonlords and Balinor and tells him if anyone knows of a way to break the curse, Balinor will. He also advises Merlin that whatever might become of Arthur out of this, hard decisions might have to be made and Merlin could possibly be forced to reveal the secret of his magic with Arthur in order to save him. Merlin is torn, fearful of the consequences while Uther is still king.

So then the next day in the early hours of morning Merlin and Arthur saddle up on their horses and head out to seek Balinor. Merlin is trying to be cheerful but Arthur feels dreadful. They have had to cover him now with a huge cloak as his face is beginning to change. He’s growing horns. His mood swings are also turning more violent and unstable. He keeps slipping into the dragon language when his mind wanders and Merlin has to do everything to stop that happening. Every night when he sleeps Arthur dreams of Camelot burning and hears whispers of the Great Dragon telling him this is his destiny and when he wakes up panting and scared shitless his eyes have turned golden and his pupils have become slitted like a dragon’s. As they near to finding Balinor, a worn out Arthur takes Merlin to one side for The Talk. The Talk consists of Arthur basically giving Merlin his sword and saying to Merlin. Hey look. If this mission to find a cure spectacularly backfires, you’re going to have to kill me with this sword if I’m no longer able to do it myself. Merlin looks at it and says he can’t but Arthur makes him promise. Merlin reluctantly agrees. Arthur tells Merlin to tell Gwen he loves her, if when the time comes he cannot.

They find Balinor like in the episode and Arthur’s getting really edgy but Merlin just sticks with the plan and tells Balinor his friend is really sick and needs help. A group of mercenaries appear at this point and attack the three having heard a tipoff from the tavern that strange beasts were abroad that needed slaying. This action pushes Arthur into savage beast mode(!) and as this overlarge human dragon hybrid he swipes his claws and lashing his tail at them. He kills the mercenaries and saves Merlin and Balinor but at a cost as the transformation really starts to set in and Arthur starts to lose grip of his consciousness due to the strain of resisting the effects of the change/losing his identity. He doesn’t even get a chance to tell Merlin to kill him before he’s out unconscious.

Merlin and Balinor then carry Arthur together back to Balinor’s cave where they have their little chat and Merlin asks Balinor if there is a way to reverse the effects. Balinor is a bit ‘no comment’ on this and questions why Merlin would want to stop a young dragon from coming into the world. A changeling of this kind is extremely rare, or else this is a person of royal blood under a curse. Merlin goes a bit tight-lipped after that and Balinor eventually works out this must be Arthur Pendragon with him. Feeling vindictive, Balinor says it serves Uther right, for all he did to destroy the Dragonlord people and outlaw magic in the kingdom. It’s nothing more than delicious irony that his son and heir will destroy the kingdom his father created. Merlin counters that this isn’t about Uther, this is about Arthur, and that it shouldn’t have to be the son that suffers for the sins of the father. Balinor hesitates, but he says that although he bears no ill will towards Arthur this has clearly been chosen as his destiny and he can’t avoid it. Merlin (who knows that Balinor is his father thanks to Gaius telling him) makes the sort of vague comments he does to try and make Balinor realise he is his son - they discuss Uther’s purge, Ealdor, and what all this might mean if dragon!Arthur simply burns it all down. Merlin asks one last time if Balinor will help him. Balinor refuses once more.

Merlin leaves the cave deeply upset. He picks up the sword and remembers his promise to his friend. He’s going to have to kill Arthur. Grimly resolved he goes back into the cave to do The Deed, but only to discover that Arthur has awoken and although he still looks very dragon-ish he appears to have regained command of his mental faculties. Balinor seems to imply that Arthur and he have ‘struck up a friendship’. Merlin is a bit confused/suspicious of this but realises perhaps this means Balinor does know of a way to restore Arthur to his normal self. Balinor agrees to go with them to Camelot, implying that if they travel to the place where the original dragon enacted the curse they might be able to reverse its effects.

On the way back to Camelot, Balinor and Merlin have a further chat which culminates with Merlin telling Balinor he is his son (like in the episode). Balinor is shocked, humbled, and immediately proud of his boy (as he is in the episode). He begins to tell Merlin all will be well now, the power to save Merlin’s friend has been inside him all this time, but suddenly they are stopped by patrols of Camelot’s knights. In the days since Arthur and Merlin snuck out of Camelot on their mission, Uther has set up a mega operation to find Arthur and kill/take prisoner those who dare thought to kidnap his son. Balinor and Merlin try their best to conceal Arthur but someone gets the cloak off him. By this point Arthur’s original features have been twisted so much he isn’t easily recognisable as himself, and the knights all draw their swords to slay the monster. Arthur becomes highly distressed to see his former knights and friends turning on him and this sadness melts into anger which of course triggers the full onslaught of the curse and Arthur pretty much metamorphoses all the way into a large golden dragon (about ¾ the size of Kilgarrah). Driven by the madness of his curse, he burns most of the knights alive before flying off towards Camelot. Presumably to enact his ‘destiny.’

In the wake of the destruction, Merlin emerges to find Balinor horrifically scarred by the dragon fire. He’s been burned within an inch of his life, and he is dying. He and Merlin have a final chat where Balinor tells Merlin he was right. Arthur should not have to suffer for the sake of his hatred of Uther. He then shares his secret with Merlin, that he as the last Dragonlord is able to speak to dragons and thereby tame them. He says Merlin as his son has this power too, and he must find Arthur and tell him who’s boss calm him and bring out the best in the beast. Balinor then dies.

Merlin travels on to Camelot by himself. Arriving outside its gates he finds the city already burning. It looks exactly as Arthur described to Merlin in his earlier nightmares. He fears for Gaius and Gwen, but he knows he’s got to find and subdue dragon!Arthur first. He tries to get the dragon’s attention by riding round a horse and shouting up at it. He avoids using magic initially and outright, as he still harbours this deep sense of shame for hiding it from Arthur all this time and revealing his magic now and using it offensively against him would just hurt/piss off his best friend more. Merlin then has An Idea. He searches for Gwen and takes her with him to the green clearing, thinking that Arthur’s feelings for Gwen will draw the dragon to them. It does.

Dragon!Arthur arrives and lands near to the two of them, looking very interested with Gwen (she’s absolutely petrified - Merlin hasn’t really told her everything that’s going on does he ever). Noticing Gwen is frightened by his appearance, dragon!Arthur gets very agitated and beats his wings, roaring/etc. Gwen gets thrown on the ground in the commotion, banging her head against something and falling still. Meanwhile, Merlin has his inner Dragonlord awakening moment, and finally speaks the language of dragons.

He calms dragon!Arthur until he settles on the ground, utterly docile. Then Merlin notices the dragon is crying. He’s looking at Gwen’s motionless body. And he’s looking back at Merlin. Merlin senses Arthur’s pain. He thinks he’s killed his girlfriend, he’s destroyed half of Camelot and he’s feeling upset/shocked/betrayed by Merlin, who (although he’s managed to stop his crazed rampaging) has been keeping his powers secret from him all this time. Merlin reaches out and touches Arthur’s snout to console him. Then he goes over to Gwen. He finds she’s still alive, but desperately needs Gaius’ aid. He asks dragon!Arthur to fly them all back to the castle. They ride on Arthur’s back up to the Keep.

Once Gwen is safely in Gaius’ care, a whole legion of knights with Uther among them spills out onto the courtyard. The sight of Uther causes the deep well of poison in the curse to flare up again in Arthur, and it looks like the dragon is going to murder the king. But Merlin places his hand on the dragon’s side again and calms him. A few of the knights fire arrows at dragon!Arthur and Merlin. Aware that Merlin wishes to keep his magic secret from people who know him, Arthur shields the warlock with his wings before picking him up in his claws, carrying him away.

They land outside the castle. Merlin comforts dragon!Arthur as best he can. He can sense Arthur’s despair in his head. He’s tormented by what he’s done to the knights and people of Camelot as a dragon and believes he’s going to be stuck as a monster for the rest of his life. He’s lost his home, family, friends. Everything of his past life. Merlin reminds Arthur of what Balinor said about returning to the place where the original dragon cast the curse in order to revoke it. He tells Arthur to not give up hope.

They travel together deep underground into the pit where Uther chained Kilgharrah. There they find the crumbling bones of the deceased dragon and the heavy chains that have fallen away, and are lying open. Merlin pauses, unsure what they are meant to do. It takes a few moments, but dragon!Arthur eventually realises what must be done (he can feel/hear the ancient magic of the Old Religion speak to him while he is a dragon) and nudges at Merlin to do it. When Merlin realises via their telepathic link, he disagrees - no, no, no there must be another way! - but Arthur knows there isn’t.

To break the curse on their bloodline, the son of Pendragon must suffer to be chained as Uther had imprisoned and persecuted those with magic before. The deep wrongs perpetuated against magic kind must be atoned for.

So dragon!Arthur submits to Merlin casting the enchantments to bind him to the rock where Kilgharrah was once chained. Merlin asks Arthur why go through with this? If it means he can never be free - what point is there in breaking the curse?

Dragon!Arthur speaks, and for the first time it’s not in Merlin’s mind but spoken out loud like a proper Great Dragon can speak. He wishes to right the wrongs of his father. As a dragon he has witnessed first hand how those that are magical are hated and hunted down, through no fault of their own but simply for being. He wishes for a future society of kindness and that the intolerance his father perpetuated be locked away underground and never be seen again. Merlin tells him he’s being a pompous self-sacrificing arse. Dragon!Arthur merely laughs and threatens to burn Merlin’s hair again if he disobeys. As Merlin wipes his nose on his sleeve and leaves his friend chained in the darkness, he tells him he’ll visit everyday. Dragon!Arthur just tells Merlin to have a life of his own for once, and to tell Gwen he loves her.

Flash forward to a few months into the future. Uther Pendragon, the King of Camelot, has fallen ill to a strange wasting illness. He’s literally dying, becoming more and more (metaphorically) chained to his bed as each days passes and his strength fails. The king’s ill health leads to civil unrest in the kingdom with rival factions warring over the succession to the throne. It’s all the besieged Knights can do to keep the peace. Prince Arthur has not been seen for months. He is presumed to be dead, although some blond men pretending to be Arthur keep miraculously popping up to try and claim their supposed ‘birthright’ to the throne. It both really hurts and pisses Merlin off.

Anyway, when Uther finally dies, Merlin senses a seismic shift in magic around him. Hardly daring to analyse what this means, he runs downstairs deep underground to the lair where his friend lies in the darkness in chains.

Dragon!Arthur is not there. Instead there is simply a large egg. And a blond, naked man lying in the dust curled around it. Pretty much like Daenerys from GOT in that scene

Merlin runs over and grabs his friend in a tearful hug and a shivering Arthur goes “hey I’m naked and cold, give me something to wear.” They have their moment and then Merlin tells Arthur all the latest news in Camelot. Arthur grieves the passing of his father. But then he picks up the dragon egg in his arms, and for a fleeting moment, feels the young (Pen)dragon inside moving. And he is reminded that life goes on.

The two then carry the egg with them back into Camelot, where Arthur will claim his throne, usher magic back to the kingdom and become the first royal in over a thousand years to hatch a dragon egg (with a bit of help from his court sorcerer). They call the baby dragon Kilgharrah in honour of his grandfather and he grows to become Protector of the Realm.

And there you have it.

I call this monstrosity of an AU “The Last Dragonlord and his (Pen)Dragon. Note: I am sorry if many of the ideas in this fic are cheesy as sin and/or badly abused tropes. I am so sorry.

#ooc #//wow that one got out of hand #S2E13: The Last Dragonlord #Merlin RP #BBC Merlin #Dragonlord!AU #The Last Dragonlord #dragon!Arthur #v. the last dragonlord & his (pen)dragon

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hayleysstark · 4 years

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Hi, Sugar Plum Queenie here with more fake fic titles! Loved the concepts you came up with for my last batch, they all sounded very interesting! ("Warmth", and "Heartbeat" especially would have MURDERED ME and I would have thanked you lol) New titles: "Thicker than Water", "Missing Pieces" "Stars" and "Keepaway"

send me a made-up fic title and i’ll tell you what i would write to go with it {{y’all, please don’t send in any more!! i’ll answer the ones left in my inbox and call it a day.}}

ahh, my Queen!!!! you grace me with your presence 😔🙏💖 and I’m glad you liked the ideas!! i don’t generally put a fic concept out there until i have the opportunity to really think on it, and refine it a few hundred times, so this is a real neat change of pace for me tbh!!

all right, all right, Thicker than Water honestly makes me think of a (very) loose retelling of Anastasia (1997) except with Merlin. hear me out, okay, this might be a bit of a reach, but it just popped into my head and i’m gonna test it out.

Let’s say, it’s S1 timeline, but Uther is already dead, and Arthur, at twenty-one, has already ascended the throne. But Uther left a pretty big mess for his son to clean up when he died - when he started the Purge, Nimeuh started a magical resistance movement.

Uther added some serious fuel to the fire when he publicly executed the most prominent member of the movement, the dragonlord Balinor. He claimed he had already put Balinor’s young son, a child born with legendary power, to death, but there was just such little fanfare, and he never presented a body, and the magical resistance holds out hope that, even if the beloved Balinor is dead, his heir might have made it out alive.

Now there’s an all-out war between sorcerers and--erm, not-sorcerers, i guess, and Camelot can’t keep up the war forever. Resources and funds are at an all-time low, the royal treasury is exhausted, and the Camelot knights suffer dozens of casualties by the day.

Arthur comes up with a plan to stop the war - to present Balinor’s long-lost heir, and turn him over to the magical resistance, if only the war is ended, and peace returns to the kingdom. Except. Balinor’s long-lost heir is, well, lost. But, hey, a lookalike with a little bit of magic is good enough, right? And there’s a gangly kid called Merlin who certainly looks a hell of a lot like Balinor...

And as for Missing Pieces, i actually already wrote a fic with this exact title a few months back - just for practice, though, i never bothered to polish it up and post it, but it was basically a quick look at how,,,,, sad Merlin is in S5, how much his destiny weighs on him, and how much Camelot has taken from him, all through Gaius’ eyes. let me see if i can find it, hang on, i know there was a whole-ass paragraph that tied into the “missing pieces” theme and i’m in the mood to share it oH HERE IT IS, HERE WE GO:

How much more, Gaius has to wonder, is destiny going to demand of Merlin? How much light will be left in his smile, in his eyes? How many more pieces of him are going to go missing? How much more of Merlin is going to disappear?

How much more of Merlin is he going to get to keep? How much more of Merlin is he going to have to lose?

there!!! very obviously a practice fic lmao but it was a lot of fun and it helped me establish Gaius’ character and his relationship with Merlin when i hadn’t touched on it previously except in Quiet.

And Stars--ahh, okay, so I know all of the other fics on this list are for Merlin, yes, I know, but this title just straight-up begs for a Treasure Planet fic tbh. maybe just a quick little then-and-now piece, where we see, at some point on the Legacy, Silver shows Jim a few constellations he’s never gotten to see before - he never left Montressor at all before the voyage, so the only night sky he’s ever seen is Montressor’s - and, a few years later, long after Jim’s gone back home, he has to wonder if he and Silver will ever be under the same stars again.

Keepaway, honestly, sounds like the absolutely perfect name for a really quick humor piece where every scene is set in a different kingdom with Arthur, Merlin, and the knights always on some quest or another. every time, they find a tavern/shop/marketplace Gwaine is absolutely, unforgivably banned from. every goddamn time.

Thanks so much for the ask, Queenie!! 💖

#ask #queenie

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tlcyellow · 6 years

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merlin s2 ep13 the last dragonlord

- season 2 finale lets gooooooo

- things have not kicked off on a positive note lmao. camelot is on fire, people are crying and dying and some are doing both at the same time

- the cause of this is of course the Unhelpful Dragon who has reached a whole new level and has decidedly crossed the line from unhelpful into full on malicious

- camelot is out of water and gwen bravely runs into the chaos to fetch some while gaius is like “GWEN DON’T” but doesn’t move at all and it’s vaguely reminiscent of that scene in willy wonka and the chocolate factory where gene wilder is like “stop. no. come back”

- arthur saves gwen from the dragon which is very romantic and chivalrous and merlin does magic in the middle of the goddamn square where anyone could see him but what else is new

- shirtless bradley james yyyyyyyyYYYYYYEEEEEESSSSS (i swear im a grown woman and not a twelve year old girl)

- uther tells arthur he cant go off in search of someone to tame the dragon and arthur’s like “cool cool i hear what youre saying and im gonna respecfully ignore it. PEACE” which, like, mad respect

- ooh also leon’s there and that is so far he only positive thing that has happened in the episode next to bradley james taking his shirt off

- OHMYGOD IS THIS THE EPISODE WITH MERLINS DAD

- IT IS HOLY SHIT

- no merlin dont cry!!!! hes too emotional about his father!!!! also gaius said he always treated merlin like a son which is beautiful so i might cry too

- i think i’ve mentioned this in the past but I LOVE how whenever arthurs like “i must take this journey *pause for dramatic effect* ALONE” and then five seconds later is like “alright merlin saddle up we’re off on an adventure”

- bradley james taking his shirt off again YESSSS (i hate myself im so sorry. i have a college degree)

- aw arthur notices that merlin is emo. we stan an emotionally sensitive boyfriend

- arthur is like “i know we’re a prince and we can’t be friends. but if i wasn’t a prince.... i think we’d get on” DIRECT QUOTE. more like “get IT on” amiright ladies?? talking about sex

- some random thief man tried to steal arthurs armor and arthur grabbed his arm and it was SUCH a jumpscare i actually yelled out loud

- balinor (merlins dad and also the dragonlord) quote “hates everyone and everything” and lives in a cave. mood.

- what if merlin’s dad was played by colin morgan just with some age makeup and hair extensions? that would be fucking hilarious

- okay so arthur is totally unconscious because of his previous dragon related injury so merlin and balinor have time to #bond

- the dragons name is kilgharrah which is a super ugly name to match the super ugly cgi

- so balinor is very reluctant to help because he hates uther and wants him dead which DONT WE ALL but i dont want anyone else in camelot to die so i sure hope he helps out

- arthur is MUMBLING MERLIN’S NAME IN HIS SLEEP WHAT IS THIS

- we are flashing back to camelot in ruins and everyone is like running in slow motion and its really dramatic and i would expect nothing else from this show

- balinor refuses to help and merlin is like “gaius talked of the nobility of dragonlords. clearly he was wrong” SICK BURN MERLIN

- romantic bro chats by the fire!!!!!!! they’re teasing each other and its adorable. this episode is really making me return to the good old days where i innocently shipped merlin without understanding that it was total queer baiting and the problematic implications that go along with that

- merlin HAS DROPPED THE BOMB that he’s balinors son and theyre both like crying and then arthur just wanders in and ruins the moment

- ohshit merlin gets to become a dragonlord!!! and balinor said “goodnight son” and merlin smiled SO WIDE and was like “sleep well father”. shit i know balinor dies dude this is gonna suck ass

- holy fucking shit balinor is dying right the fuck now. the very next scene. i did not realize this was going to happen so soon. ohmygod this is depressing.

- merlin is actively sobbing and arthur shows up and he has to pretend like he hasn’t been crying at all. this is so rough.

- arthur is announcing to his knights like “we’re gonna fight the shit out of this dragon and we’re almost definitely gonna die. who’s with me????” and my precious baby son sir leon steps forward like the brave little soldier he is WOW I LOVE HIM

- merlin is very stressed and upset which are my two main emotions and he’s like “gaius do you think i’m strong enough to face the dragon?” and gaius pauses for WAY TOO LONG and says “only time will tell”. damn way to be encouraging

- merlin and arthur are very casually joking about the fact that arthur is ready to die today

- WHY DO THEY NOT GIVE MERLIN ARMOR WHEN HE GOES OUT WITH THE KNIGHTS?? like that really just seems unfair that they all get to be like suited up and merlins just in his neckerchief

- okay the dragon immediately knocks everyone off their horses and sets the knights on fire and merlin is like “PLEASE STOP” which as im sure you can imagine is not the most effective way to go about things

- holy shit arthur is ready to face the dragon all on his own which is both incredibly brave and unfathomably stupid. classic gryffindor. he immediately is knocked tf out and its up to merlin to deal with this on his own

- merlin is screaming in dragon language which is kind of cool but as an actor idk how colin morgan did this without laughing

- damn the dragon really has the fucking nerve to be like “please don’t hold me accountable for my actions” even after he torched an entire kingdom

- because he’s the last living dragon merlin spares him with the promise that if he returns to camelot again he will be killed. the dragon flies off which is lucky because i was getting real sick of his bullshit

- arthur comes to and merlin lies to him and says that arthur killed the dragon before he was knocked unconscious and arthurs like “yep that sounds like me. i will not question you further”

- this was a solid season finale except for the fact that morgana wasn’t in it at all :(

next episode: the tears of uther pendragon part 1

#tylers merlin rewatch #merlin #colin morgan #bradley james #angel coulby #katie mcgrath

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turnsoutnoonewasexaggerating · 3 years

Text

Merlin (BBC) fic part 1

You were the one to teach me how to use knives

Welp I wrote a Merlin fic. It has been inevitably brewing for about 9 years, it’s honestly a wonder I left it this long.

Summary: Merlin chose to save Mordred against the dragon's advice. He should have made the same choice for Morgana. In which Merlin is more than a little fed up of old men and old dragons telling him what to do, and gives Morgana some hope. Maybe it won't change the dark path she's destined to walk down... Or perhaps in doing so, Merlin saves all of Albion from her wrath. Featuring the emotional catharsis and continuity we were denied in canon and a systematic re-writing of what could have been

Chapter summary: The Nightmare Begins (Part One)

Merlin decides to let Morgana in on one of his secrets instead of sending her to the druids

Read on Ao3: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28387470/chapters/69556197

Fic under the cut

Merlin couldn’t sleep. It wasn’t exactly an unusual occurrence. When he first arrived in Camelot, it was the noise of the city that kept him awake. Or, more accurately, the lack of farm noise. Merlin had been falling asleep to the sound of cows mooing as they settled down for the night for 19 years. So that first week or so in Camelot? It was the silence. Now, what keeps Merlin awake, after witnessing countless innocent sorcerers be beheaded, a singing enchantress, a snake shield, an afanc, being poisoned, a griffin, a creepy beetle-obsessed madman, the first in what Merlin just knew was going to be a long line of Arthur getting magically enchanted into falling in love with some beautiful woman, having to decide between letting a child get murdered or ignoring the advice of an ancient dragon, an undead knight, losing Will, thinking he’d lost Arthur to some magical unicorn poison, killing people to stop them killing a King who would execute him in a second if he knew what he was, almost losing Arthur, his mother and Gaius during the Questing Beast fiasco (and the power that ran through him, that deadly, furious power that felt so… good), a raven-themed madman, and, just last week, foiling yet another assassin hell-bent on killing Arthur, it’s the nightmares that keep him awake now.

Nightmares have been on his mind during the day too, but not his own. He huffed and rolled out of bed, fed up of tossing and turning. He had meant to go to the dragon early the next morning instead of this late at night, but Merlin doesn’t think there’s currently a curfew in place. Probably. With all the stuff that Camelot has had to fend off in the last year and a bit since Merlin’s been here, it’s hard to keep track of when Camelot’s in lockdown or not. He was going to ask the dragon for the location of the druids. They could help Morgana and then Merlin wouldn’t have technically broken his promise to Gaius to keep her in the dark. When he got to the top of the passageway however, he couldn’t convince himself to go any further. Instead, the words kept swirling around in his head.

I'm scared, Merlin. I don't understand anything anymore. I need to know what's happening. Please. Morgana’s begging, the usual no-nonsense woman distraught, practically on the verge of tears, won’t leave his mind. His feet stick, incapable of travelling further down the passage. Merlin’s nearing that verge himself. It’s too much, too much to expect of him. He’s not even yet of age, a year younger than Arthur but the fate of what feels like the entire world on his shoulders. Gaius helps, gods, even the dragon helps sometimes, but neither of them know what it’s like to bear this burden. To struggle, over and over again, to be kind where he wants to be furious, and furious where he wants to be kind. Would he be able to live with himself if Mordred did grow up to kill Arthur? Probably not. But he would be able to live with himself if he’d left Mordred to be caught and executed by Uther? Also no. And now, Gaius and the dragon want him to leave Morgana in that darkness? They want him to repay the woman that risked her reputation and even her life for him and his family, with betrayal?

Merlin had to believe the prophecies were real, had to believe that Arthur would make a better kingdom for those with magic. He couldn’t risk that prophecy for anyone, not even Morgana. The dragon said that Morgana had evil in her heart, that she would be the dark to Merlin’s light. Perhaps that will be true, perhaps Morgana will ruin him. But he knew that she had saved Uther instead of killing him, had forgiven him despite everything he had done. Not forgotten, no, she was not that kind of person. She’d forgiven him though, and Merlin didn’t think that sounded like evil. He thought, perhaps, that sounded like someone capable of the best kind of love. Why was he expected to judge her on her future actions? What if betraying her now, with his silence, with his lack of action, was what caused her to become evil?

The Merlin that turned away from the passageway and went up the stairs had been influenced by a single conversation, not that the man himself would ever know it. A single conversation that Merlin wasn’t even really a part of.

The conversation had happened months before, when a Lord that Merlin can barely remember the name of now had come to visit Uther. In another life, the Lord would be waylaid by snow for a couple of days, and the entirety of his trip would pass while Merlin and Arthur were on one of Arthur’s many hunting trips. In this one, he’d made it to the castle before Arthur’s hunting trip, and so it was Merlin who was serving Arthur wine at the Lord’s welcoming banquet. It had been a fairly boring evening, as Arthur had not been drinking nearly as much as Uther and his Lord, and so Merlin had not had much to do. In his clumsiness, he had tripped on his way towards Arthur, just a minor stumble, no wine even spilled, but the clatter of the jug as he kept it balanced drew the attention his way. The Lord had frowned at him, not in the same scowl-like way as Uther, nor in the exasperated (but fond) way Arthur did, but with confusion. He clicked his tongue a moment later, hands waving unsteadily.

“Uther, do you not think he looks like Balinor?” Uther, drunk enough to not be quite so curt but still, well, Uther, straightened.

“The boy, Merlin?” Merlin froze, eyes downcast. “No I don’t see it. Besides, Balinor died in the first few months of the Great Purge, hunted down like the traitor he was.”

“Hmm, true, true.” The Lord had said placatingly. “The man was ever so much fun at a party though. Do you remember the time he enchanted you to-”

“It’s getting late.” Uther said, with finality. “And you’re getting old and much too drunk.” The Lord had chuckled and they had retired for the night. Merlin had gone through the motions of getting Arthur ready for bed in a bit of a shaken daze, not used to ever being noticed by Uther. He wasn’t actually sure Uther knew his name until tonight.

He’d gone back to his quarters with Gaius, who’d noticed immediately that he was looking a little off. “Is everything alright Merlin?”

“Yes, yes, fine. The Lord that Uther is entertaining tonight, he just made a strange comment, said I looked like a man they used to know. A sorcerer by the sounds of it, who was killed during the Great Purge.”

“Who?” Gaius said, worry lacing his tone, as it did every time magic was mentioned. Merlin knew why, had nightmares weekly about why, but it still cut some part of him, the way that magic was spoken of in whispers and fear even here.

“Balinor.”

“Balinor!” Gaius exclaimed, though still in hushed tones. He shook his head, turning away from Merlin’s curious eyes. “What did Uther say? Merlin, what did he say?”

“He said he couldn’t see it himself. Gaius what’s going on?” Gaius exhales in relief.

“Merlin you’re not to go near that Lord again, do you hear me? I’ll tell Arthur I need you urgently for apprentice tasks, until he’s gone.” Merlin was surprised by the fervour at which Gaius demanded this, used to his uncle pleading his case instead.

“Gaius, what are you talking about?”

Gaius shook his head again, mumbling under his breath. “I promised Hunith I would never speak of this… But you must understand the danger you’re in. Merlin, Uther cannot think that you are related to Balinor, or he’ll have you on the pyre before you can blink.” Merlin held up his hands placatingly.

“Alright Gaius, well that’s fine because I’m not related to this Balinor fellow, whoever he was. Uther said he died before I was born.”

“And that is how we must keep it. Uther must never know that Balinor could still be alive.”

“Gaius you’re not making any sense. Why did you make my mother any promises about this man I’ve never heard of?!”

“Merlin…” Gaius gripped Merlin’s shoulders, smiled sadly down at him. “Merlin, I have always treated you as if you were my son.” Merlin softened, a smile lighting his own face. “But that is not who you are. The reason the Lord thinks you look like Balinor is because he is your father.”

Merlin stumbled out of Gaius’ hold, smile dropping from his face. “My… My father? W- What-”

“Balinor was a Dragonlord. He could do a little magic too, but his main power came from his ability to talk to and tame dragons. As such, he had a title, here in Camelot, back before the Great Purge. If I remember correctly, he was a favourite of Queen Ygraine, Arthur’s mother. And then… After- After, I helped him escape. I sent him to my sister’s, despite the danger it put her in. Uther eventually located him, and sent knights to Ealdor to hunt him down. He fled, to protect your mother. Hunith… He has no idea you even exist Merlin. She didn’t find out she was pregnant until he was long gone.”

“Why did neither of you ever tell me this?!”

“It was too dangerous, and Hunith didn’t want to hurt you. Uther is of the opinion his knights were successful. If he’s alive, no-one knows where he is.”

“I had a right to know.” Merlin snarled, eyes welling up. “He was my father. I had a right to know.”

Merlin doesn’t consciously know that finding out who his father was- not long before, in another life, he would have found out anyway- is the reason he turned away from that passageway tonight, but that same feeling of righteousness, that dark empty pit inside of him that screams to find somewhere to belong, the one that is only sometimes quietened when he and Arthur work together to solve some quest (usually unbeknownst to Arthur), it gets louder when he thinks about how alone Morgana is, how terrified she is, and by the time he’s stood outside Morgana’s door, he knows exactly what he’s going to stay.

Knock, knock.

The rap of his knuckles against the door is quiet, wary of the guards patrolling the castle. Still, he supposes he could simply pretend he was here to deliver another sleeping draught, and by the way Morgana’s face drops when she answers the door, that’s what she thinks too.

“Merlin, I told you I don’t want another remedy-”

“I’m not here with a sleeping draught. May I come in?” Morgana searches his face with her clever green eyes, but, though she is as beautiful as ever, Merlin is focused on the dark shadows under her eyes, the tremor in her hands.

She steps back to let him in and watches with trepidation as he closes the door behind himself, fastening the latch. “Merlin, what-”

“Morgana, what you advise me to do, if I told you I had a secret that could help you, but doom everybody else? If I told you this secret would save you, but it would put everyone I care for in danger, my mother, Gaius, Gwen, Arthur, even you? That would definitely kill me. Could you understand that there are some things I cannot say that you could, because of the position you hold? Could you understand there are many times I have agreed with you and not been able to say so? Would you ask me to tell you my secrets anyway, knowing the risk?”

“I… No, Merlin. I wouldn’t ask that of you. Not to save myself. But I don’t understand-”

“My Lady, I know we are not the closest of our lot.” Merlin smiles wryly, thinking of the way Arthur had kissed Gwen, the way Gwen brought flowers for Morgana every day she could, the hours spent gossiping with Gwen in laundry, the days spent mutually saving each other’s lives with Arthur. “And I know it is not appropriate to consider you a friend, probably not even appropriate for me to be here right now. But you risked your life for Camelot’s people, and you risked your life for Gwen’s father and you risked your life to come to the aid of my village. There are things I cannot tell you, for the reasons I have already stated. I hope, when you eventually learn them, you will forgive my secrecy in light of the consequences. But for all that you have done, and the goodness I know you have, I must tell you something, because I cannot stand for you to feel alone.” Merlin cleared his throat. “Morgana, I believe you. You know of what I speak. I’m sorry I did not say it before; I was too scared. Because, Morgana, your protection here holds only as long as this is unknown. You are already so vocal about the injustices you perceive. You are too sympathetic already. Too suspicious. Do you understand?”

“You did not say it before… Because you believed I was safer in ignorance?”

“Yes. I still believe you are. But I realised I feared more for what feeling alone would do to you than what could happen to you if anyone found out.”

“I need to hear you say it Merlin. Please. It is driving me mad.”

“Morgana,” Merlin takes one of her trembling hands and clasps it in both of his, “I believe you have magic.” Morgana shudders, equal parts relieved and terrified, eyelashes wet with tears. She takes several deep breaths, and then squeezes his hand and takes hers back, looking steadier than she has in days.

“Alright, now what?”

“First of all, I will keep your secret. I won’t betray your trust.”

“I know, Merlin.”

“Then I have another thing to tell you, so I can prove that I trust you in return.” Merlin cannot give her the core of him, not when it could be the death of Arthur. But he can tell her something that should only harm him. “My father was magic. He was born with it, just like you. And through him… I know enough. I can help you control it. Train you. If you’d like.”

“I’ve never heard you talk about your father, I guess I know why now.” Morgana says, eventually. “Is he…?” Merlin shakes his head.

“Uther.” He says, softly, and that’s all it takes. Morgana’s eyes blaze with a fire he knows is not aimed at him.

“Of course.” She says, scornful. Abruptly, she softens. “I’m sorry Merlin.”

“Thank you.”

“I want to learn how to stop the nightmares. So, if you’re sure, I’ll gladly accept your tutelage.”

“There are limits to what I can teach you, I don’t know many spells. You could perhaps learn more going to the druids. But I fear if you were suddenly to disappear, Uther would not think you had left of your own accord.”

“And then he would take it out on the druids.” Morgana nods. “I won’t put them in danger. All I really need to know is enough to stop the dreams. Anything else would be more dangerous than sensible, with the court as it is.”

“I will not be able to teach you how to completely stop the visions, Morgana. If I’m right, you’re a Seer. The visions shouldn’t keep you from sleeping, however. I think because your magic is pent up, it’s escaping into your dreams. If you can get rid of the excess magic, you should be able to get through a night’s sleep.”

“What do you mean, a Seer?”

“Not all your dreams,” Merlin cautions, “but some of them; they’re prophetic. Do you remember when you dreamed of Sophia drowning Arthur?”

Morgana frowns, puzzled. “Yes, but I was wrong; Arthur became besotted with her and you managed to talk him out of it.” Merlin smirks, but it fades as he remembers the way Arthur had sunk into the lake, out of Merlin’s reach.

“Not quite. Her father had enchanted him to become enamoured with her. Sophia was mostly innocent,” but you still killed her Merlin, “but she did try to drown him. The heart of a mortal prince is a very potent ingredient in some dark magic spells. I-” Merlin coughs, can’t keep eye contact with her. “I killed her father. I didn’t tell Arthur the plot was magical in nature. Didn’t want him trying to track down Sophia.”

Morgana stares at him with appraising eyes. “You’ve saved him more often than he knows, haven’t you?” Merlin laughs, without a trace of humour.

“Yes.”

“He doesn’t deserve you.”

“He will.” Merlin says, with all confidence. “Arthur will be the greatest king the world has ever known.”

“You truly believe that.”

“I do.” Merlin smiles at her disbelief. “Arthur is not his father.”

“Perhaps not.”

“I already think, if Arthur became the king tomorrow, magical people would only be executed if they did something bad with it. He’d probably still banish anyone else; I’m not condoning that. But I hope he has the chance to see magic be used for good. It is difficult for him to have to relearn everything he’s been taught, especially when magic has been used against him so many times.”

“Not as difficult as it is to live in constant fear of being killed for something you can’t control.” Morgana says, hotly. Merlin inclines his head.

“No. That’s true.”

Morgana shakes her body a little, resetting herself. When she straightens, she’s back, for a moment, to the Morgana he first met, proud and strong and fierce. He can’t help but grin broadly at the sight of her. “Enough about Arthur. When do we start with my training?”

#my fic #my writing #merlin #Merlin fanfic #YWTOTTMHTUK #Arthur Pendragon #Morgana #Fix-it fic #AU

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