#and then when merlin goes ‘but when youre king you can change that..’ and arthurs like ‘i cant except ..guinievre(idk spell) ..to wait’ | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

longlivechips · 6 days

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A drabble on what if Arthur repealed the magic ban while Merlin wasn't there. I like the idea of Arthur thinking Merlin will be mad, he said magic has no place in Camelot afterall. And Merlin being like shit I'm gonna have to start telling the truth.

A fic where Merlin goes to visit his mother for a few weeks. It's Yule and he misses her.

While he is gone a child comes to trial. Hardly 12 and clearly terrified. She had been caught using magic.

She swears she didn't mean to, that it just started happening one day and she was so scared of what was happening to her.

The law says she is to burn.

But Arthur just can't seem to make the call. He can only think of the girl Morgana used to be when he looks at her.

He speaks to Gaius and Geoffrey about what Camelot was like before the ban. How people square magic. He learns, for the first time, more than his father had ever let him.

He's thinking of......well not reversing the magic ban. But this girl can't be evil surely.

He wishes Merlin were here, his advice is often quite sound. But Arthur is unsure if Merlin, who has been so outspoken against magic in the past, would agree with such loose laws.

But it comes down to this. Arthur cannot in good conscience kill that girl. And he can not have her as an exception. So he changes the law.

Merlin hasn't spent this long in Ealdor since before he left. He finds it quite lonely without Will to cause trouble with.

But he finds he is not ostracized like he was when he was a boy. In fact, more often than not he has to dodge mothers pushing their daughters onto him as prospects.

He is in his mother's house trying bundles of herbs to be dried and taken back to Camelot when his mother rushes in.

She stairs at him for a moment. Eyes wide, something clearly about to spill off her toung.

"Mother?" Merlin says moving closer, " What's wrong what happened? Has goodie meridan gone into labor?"

"Merlin. My boy. We just received news from Camelot. Gaius sent a letter. I....." Her face is flush. She doesn't look scared but Merlins heart drops anyway

"Arthur...." Merlin starts

"He's fine, he's fine" Hunith walks towards her son, cupping his face in her hands.

She laughs. Full belly and full of joy, her hands on his face strong, they almost hurt.

"He repealed the magic ban Merlin. Oh my boy by royal decree"

Merlins knees nearly give out.

"Surely you aren't serious....." Merlin gasps. "Do you have the letter?"

She hands it over and he reads frantically.

My good Hunith.

I write you instead of Merlin for reasons that will become obvious.

I also just request more of that dried lavender you sent last time, it does not smell the same from the north.

How is your neighbor Gregory fairing with his leg? My tonic recipe helped I hope, I would like to hear how it went.

There is news from Camelot. You might have heard, it will make fast news I'm sure.

A girl was brought to court for magic. Hardly 12 summers, she swears she did not train for magic, that it came naturally and she has no control.

Arthur was hesitant to burn her, despite the law, and tasked me with examining her.

I explained my findings, you know my friend how truly common it is to have magic as the girl does. Arthur listened well, and I sent the king off with what recommendations I could.

There are few books left on the subject but he spoke to Geoffrey. I assume he found some enlightened reading.

The next day, his verdict was as follows.

"The law of the land, as set by my Father King Uther, is that magic has no place in Camelot. I quite agree. Magic is dangerous, it has raveged my family.

But I can't help but think these laws might create more enemies. I cannot kill a girl for a crime she did not willingly commit. But I cannot banish her and create an enemy."

The council spoke on formal matters and specifics but Hunith, it is looking well. I feel hope I haven't had in decades.

Arthur has repealed the magic ban, in part. There are specifics to be worked out, and it is unclear if it would apply to Merlin. It certainly wouldn't apply to myself.

I will write again when I have more details.

I wish I could see the boy's face when he hears the news. Give him my love

Gaius

Merlin reads it. Than again. The third time he skims it he is tearing up. Looking desperately for any sign that Gaius tells a lie.

When he finds none, and there is no answer but that Gaius's words are true.

Merlin weeps. He falls to his knees and weeps.

Hunith cradles his head, spilling some tears of her own.

"oh my boy" she says. "What news. I knew Arthur would be a good king." She presses a kiss to her son's head.

Merlin cries, and wonders why he feels more scared than ever.

#merlin #arthur pendragon #bbc merlin #fanfiction #drabble #just had to get it out.

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ink-through-her-veins · 6 months

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Arthur stumbles upon the dragon purely by happenstance, but by gods is the beast a chatty thing. It goes on and on about destiny, Albion, peace, and Arthur’s favorite part how the once and future king (himself) and his fated other half (Emrys) are two halves of the same coin, and everything will become clear when they realize this. Then the beast tells Arthur that Emrys not only has magic, but is magic, and Arthur’s head begins spinning—not with fairy tale romance where he gets swept off his feet as he’d been imagining moments before—but how anyone could have magic and not be evil.

‘Merlin could do it,’ he thinks wistfully, his unrequited crush upon his manservant rearing its ugly head even as he contemplates his soulmate.

He’s pulled from his daydream by said crush ambling clumsily into the cavern, gaping wildly, and then blurting out, “I can explain!”

The dragon laughs. “I already have, Emrys.”

And Arthur’s head starts spinning again. He pushes himself off the ground, takes a single step toward Merlin, and pulls himself back as a landslide of realization clobbers him like a thousand stones. “You knew?”

Merlin looks completely broken when he says, “I didn’t want anything to change between us.” I didn’t want you to have to choose between me or your father.

Arthur’s heart aches. Tears burn behind his eyes. “Of course,” he bites out, but all he can think, is what kind of man can’t be loved by his own destiny? What kind of monster must he be?

Things do change. Merlin’s stiffer. Arthur’s quieter. The dragon beneath the castle becomes one of Arthur’s closest confidants even if it speaks in riddles and leaves Arthur’s clothes smelling so strongly of smoke even his father notices.

“I’m sorry,” Merlin whispers one night as the smell of Kilgarrah’s sulfurous smoke fills his nostrils as he prepares Arthur for bed. He misses the smell of Arthur’s sweat, and the combination of leather and grease that clings to his armor. He misses the way Arthur used to look at him, joke with him, befriend him before he knew about the magic. “I’m sorry I’m like this.”

I’m sorry I’m me, Arthur thinks as he silently raises his arms to let Merlin drop a sleep shirt over his head. He only grunts in response.

Months pass, and as the ground thaws so do Merlin and Arthur, because though he may speak as clearly as a mud puddle Kilgarrah isn’t wrong: one cannot truly hate that which makes it whole. Arthur clings to Kilgarrah’s promises. One day. One day. Hopefully one day soon.

And the day comes in late summer when Merlin’s nearly skewered by a bandit while he and Arthur are on a hunt. Arthur’s checking him obsessively for any signs that the blood on him is actually his, while Merlin swats at his hands insisting he’s fine.

“Why wouldn’t you use your magic!?” Arthur screeches shoving Merlin’s hands out of the way so he can look over every inch of him.

“So I could be burnt upon a pyre? No thanks.” Merlin manages to push himself free of Arthur and stalk away.

“We’re meant to marry one day. We’re two sides of a coin, soulmates. Do you truly think me so monstrous?”

Merlin’s eyes are big as eggs. “What? Married? Soulmates?”

“What do you think Kilgarrah meant?”

“He’s an overgrown lizard!” Merlin shouts suddenly feeling too warm and too confined despite the mild weather and endless amounts of fresh air. “That…He…Is that what two sides of the same coin means?” He’s pacing the meadow, ignoring the dead bandits scattered in the tall grass. “I’m sorry, Arthur, I am. I…I don’t think you’re a monster, and I’m sorry you have to choose between your father and I. I’m—“

Arthur sees something then in the way Merlin tugs at his hair, eyes full of concern when they swing toward Arthur. Fools, Kilgarrah had called them, and fools they absolutely were.

“There’s no choice,” Arthur murmurs, sidling up to Merlin to take his hand. “It’s you. It was you before I knew of our fate and your gifts, and it’ll be you no matter what stands in the way.”

#this got long but I’m not willing to flesh it out into a full fic either #they’re idiots in love #of course that’s what Kilgarrah meant #they’re just too foolish to realize it #Arthur and Kilgarrah should have a long chat about love destiny and marriage #bbc merlin #merthur #arthur pendragon #merlin #merlin bbc #fanfic #merlin emrys #merlin fanfic #ITHVmerthurficlet

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xjulixred45x · 2 months

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Ahhh if maybe I can request a continuation from the Guinevere!Reader request? Like after the events of 7DS when Arthur gained Chaos he slowly starts to change to how he is in 4KOA. She gets worried and Arthur assures her that he's still the same but seeing as the change becomes worse she soon after escapes and goes into hiding in hopes of finding a way to save him until after the incident in Liones (4KOA) and later is brought back to Camelot. (We'll assume Guinevere!Reader has the same power as...the loli but did a better job in hiding her powers.)

OoohhhOHHhoo this is very interesting! Specially with the trailer of the Anime recently🥺 Thank you for the Request ❤️❤️

Arthur Pedragon King of Chaos x Guinevere!Reader: 4 knights of apocalypse.

Genre: Headcanons

Reader: female

Warnings: SPOILERS FROM THE MANGA OF NANATSU NO TAIZAI AND 4 KNIGHTS OF THE APOCALYPSE!! Arthur with chaos, Angst- some comfort, some soft yandere?? rather Arthur in 4kota being his own warning, reader has the power of a kaleidoscope (can see the future), mentions of death, somewhat long work, I think that's all.

FIRST PART FOR CONTEXT

You didn't like to remember what happened during the holy war. Neither of the you two wanted.

All the humans who died, the friends lost, how Arthur had died, even if it was temporary, it was something that would remain forever in your mind and heart.

only for the total destruction of Camelot to occur shortly after.

The war was won, yes, but at what cost...

It took a toll on both of them.

A part of you felt guilty for not having been able to prevent this future scenario with your power, but Arthur was always quick to tell you you didn't have to feel that way, after all going against destiny was much more dangerous and unpredictable.

Arthur, even with all the loss he had suffered in that time, was happy that you were safe and by his side, he wouldn't change that.

Even if the words of support felt good, you could see right through him, and how the situation had definitely damaged him severely.

not only for his lost arm, but for his damaged spirit.

and it was something else that changed him...

The chaos.

Of course, at the time you did not accept that Merlin used Arthur as a vessel for that thing, but it was not in your power to decide, now, with things as they were, you could see more clearly how Chaos affected Arthur.

Even if it was in his general aura, it made him more threatening, colder...menacing.

He did not direct this attitude towards you! With you, in general terms, he was still the same Arthur that you fell in love with, that you married... but he started to change little by little.

Arthur became considerably more clingy after all the trauma he had gone through in the holy war, at first you even considered it normal, if it weren't for the fact that later it could have been seen as a warning sign.

Arthur is more clingy with chaos, he slowly clings to what he has left in the war, in this case, YOU.

For this reason, he begins to show certain tendencies or amplify those he already had, for example, his protection over you.

I have the personal hc that at first Arthur's outbursts due to the chaos only came to light (initially) in moments of high tension(like in the anime), so the first stage of "infection" so to speak passed quite unnoticed.

However, it does not mean that it did not have worrying moments.

Related to the above, Arthur would literally have quite serious fits of rage if you went on, for example, a small reconnaissance mission with Knights and ended up injured.

and I'm not talking about just "getting angry" I mean he might even deploy his sword with them (you'll have to do something if you want the Knights to come out alive, another warning sign...).

At this point, Arthur begins to show more of the side we see in 4kota, although quite Lowkey.

but it doesn't mean he doesn't say some pretty dark things.

For example, his dislike of other races is becoming more and more evident. especially demons.

Even if you want to understand what's happening to him, you can't, not when you see it and you KNOW that this will end very badly...

I don't think Arthur is confrontational, but you definitely don't sit back and watch him talk bad about the races he fought SIDE BY SIDE in the war. Didn't that matter to him anymore? Now they were all the same to him. the?only evil beings who want to harm humanity?

Arthur has the ability to not shout or take fights to extreme levels, but the worst thing is that he also does not deny anything or leave the argument halfway. which only confirms that his ideas are becoming increasingly solid and dangerous.

Unfortunately you cannot see a future where you change his ideas permanently. at least not now. while Arthur becomes more radical day by day.

but at least you know VERY well what this change is due to: Chaos.

It's the first step in undoing the damage, but it's difficult to do it on your own while Chaos has more and more control over Arthur.

He continues to be a good and loving husband to you... I listen to his opinions and ideas... you don't know what to do.

By the time he has the whole plan to use Britannia to rebuild Camelot at the cost of the lives of the other races and to destroy EVERYTHING in favor of an "eternal kingdom"... that's when you start planning.

you need to find a way to get Chaos out of Arthur.

But first you should get away from him, no matter how discouraging it may be. You love your husband, but for that reason you must leave him to SAVE HIM.

Using your Kaleidoscope, you were able to find the perfect way out of "Camelot" before anyone noticed.

and as soon as you were out of that bubble, you began your journey towards Britannia.

To say that Arthur was distraught at first would be an understatement.

Let's say that at first Arthur thinks you were kidnapped, it's that serious.

He has his knights rushing out to go look for you (fearing for their lives when they return without you or clues to your whereabouts) and Arthur is VERY tempted to go on his own to look for you in every corner of the continent.

but he cannot leave the kingdom for too long. Plus he doesn't want to scare you (when he realizes that you left of your own free will).

and Chaos in a way operates a little on their thoughts so that the following happens.

In the time that follows, you continue traveling to various parts of the continent in search of a cure for Arthur.

Have you tried to go with fairies, with giants, alchemists, magicians, etc.

but you can't find anything useful.

apart from the fact that you are constantly avoiding Arthur's Knights, whether they are specially sent to look for you or they are simply there for "recruitment".

You were able to easily keep a low profile, hiding your Kaleidoscope power from people knowing that that would be what could (probably) give you away.

Having seen everything the small towns had to offer, and unable to return to Carmelide safely by Arthur's knights, you made a hasty decision.

You went to see the deadly sins to ask them for help. but first of all, to King Meliodas.

without knowing that that was precisely what Arthur wanted.

Arthur knew you well enough to know that even if you knew you shouldn't avoid the future, he had to be cautious about when he wanted to bring you back.

From there, he wouldn't care much about the matter of destiny, but definitely with the prophecy of the Knights of the Apocalypse around, he saw the perfect moment to start his plan.

NOW, during this time, Arthur became the version we know of 4kota, deceptively friendly but very lethal, more sadistic, but more relaxed so to speak.

He sees this situation as even fun now (being completely infected by chaos), and he honestly can't wait to have you back and see what trick you had up your sleeve.

The Knights know it, "Merlin" knows it, all of "Camelot" knows it, he misses you. and he is anxious for you to return to him.

He was definitely anxious because you did a good job hiding for so long, he lost track of you many times (it's not like his Knights had it easy), but at least now that he's sure where you're going, he can send someone who KNOWS finish the job at once.

After a while, you arrived in Liones, determined to reach Meliodas, when you saw the vision...

you being taken to Camelot by a knight named IronSide.

damn.

change of plans.

There wouldn't be time to find what you originally came looking for, but maybe you could warn them about Arthur, change things, for the better.

but it would be difficult to keep a low profile, especially knowing that Arthur's Knight would be lurking. It took you a while to get close.

Meliodas was happy to see you after so long! but he definitely got serious when you said your reason for coming was for Arthur. that he was planning something against Liones, that he had to protect the children from the prophecy (especially Percibal).

and not kill Arthur before you could find a cure for him...

It was at that moment that Megagaland attacked.

oh geez, you have to hide again. you thought and went to your current hiding place.

You weren't that surprised to see that someone was already there...

Ironside...

Arthur could feel when you and Ironside entered Camelot, he could only think 'finally'.

finally someone does their job well, finally everything is back to normal-

You are finally back with him.

The feeling he had before of anticipation becomes more palpable, he is anxiously waiting for you to get to where he is, in the throne room.

and he feels calm, knowing that now he not only has the tactical advantage in this little war, but that he has his dear companion with him. What more could he ask for?

He's anticipating what he's going to say to you... after so much time.

Surprisingly you are also anticipating. You don't know if it's a good thing or a bad thing.

You have closely followed the atrocious acts that Arthur has done in the past and continues to do. He is even willing to kill children in order to follow this "everlasting kingdom" for the love of God...

But you know he won't hurt you. He didn't do it before, he won't do it now. no matter how much it changes.

and even if it is difficult to admit. you miss him. He is your husband after all.

but you also miss how everything was before Chaos intervened.....how you would like to help him-

No, you're going to save him...somehow.

even if now you'll probably have to help him with your kaleidoscope...

is what you think as you go with Ironside to what appears to be the lair of the Knights of Chaos.

You (without Ironside, apparently) are transported to the throne room, and see, for the first time in years, Arthur.

He's barely changed physically, advantages of chaos, you suppose, he looks so deceptively innocent...

and meanwhile Arthur can only be grateful that you are finally here...

Do you have any idea how much you worried him when you left? with nothing to say, just leave... but you came back, he can't be mad at you, not when he's been waiting so long to have you this close again...

Far from being angry or minimally irritated with this "act of rebellion," he seems rather amused, even touched, as if what you had done was adorable...he seems happy.

and in some ways, it's contagious. You don't let your guard down, but you can allow yourself this little moment with your husband...

But when he stands up from his throne, he turns towards you and with an expression that reminds you of when everything was fine, he tells you:

-"welcome home, my queen"-

Shares, reglogs and comments are very welcome!

@cattivedonne i hope You like it✨thank You very much for the Request ❤️

Now i'm going to sleep bc i have doctor tomorrow morning😭

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oneknightstand-if · 5 months

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Say deep into the romance(the notorious L word has been said and everything), how protective of the MC's are the RO's? And how would they handle losing the MC(i,e the MC died in the final battle/sacrificed themselves to win the day or something angsty like that)?

Well, a bunch of the ROs will already be trying to protect the MC as much as they can even before any romance, so there's not too much room to improve there. Also high affinity platonic bond can trigger this as much as any romance.

Merlin: Already the resident bodyguard/babysitter/cat-herder of the group. May give the MC a bit more attention when the group is in danger... but they're already watching over you. They'd perhaps feel more regret if they had to cut the MC loose.

For them, MC's death is... expected. Human lives are so ephemeral, after all. They'll always remember you... even thousands of years later and will bring the MC up in random conversations to random people. Probably MC's most embarrassing moments. For anyone paying attention & talking extensively to them in the game, Merlin already has repeatedly brought up their last longterm lover.

Biggest change here would be Merlin nearly killing themself to make certain that the MC's soul doesn't get dragged to Heaven or Hell. That's the fate that they'd find horrific for a loved one, not the natural death expected of all mortals.

Adrian: He's already potentially carrying the MC away from danger through half the city whether they like it or not so there's no room for Adrian to get more protective without going full yandere on you.

If the high affinity MC is dead, then Adrian is also most likely dead as well. He's the most ride or DIE of all the ROs and this already has implications if you go through the route where the MC refuses to leave their apartment and gets kidnapped by Merlin and Adrian.

Arthur: Due to his nature, he's already MAXIMUM THE PROTECTOR. He may be paying a bit more attention to you during times of danger, but he's already protecting you to his full capability and won't be acting any differently... after all, he's the High King and can't prioritize your safety over all others.

The same goes for the MC's death. The Post Apocalypse is still going to be a complete clusterfuck so he won't have time to stop and grieve. (The same as he won't have time to stop and grieve the fall of Camelot and the deaths of most of the people he knew because unlike the other Harbingers who reincarnated or who actually lived through the 1500 years span of time, to him Camelot fell last week.)

He'll create a suitable memorial customized exactly to the MC's tastes once things have calmed down. And Merlin will sneak over to comfort him, because Merlin's one of the few who can see past Arthur's strong front.

Percy: He's going to be hanging around a high affinity MC a lot, romanced or not. You're probably not going to notice much difference protection-wise as he's the sort who'd jump in to help you without a moment's notice even if he didn't like you.

At the MC's death, he'd probably disappear into a forest for several weeks without anyone being able to find him. He'll eventually return to the group though because he knows that he's needed. The MC would've been his first romantic love... and most probably will be his last as well.

4̷0̸4̸ ̷E̷r̷r̵o̴r̵ ̶N̶o̴t̷ ̴F̵o̸u̵n̶d̵: [SPOILERS]

Cassandra: She's a cop, so she's already keeping a protective eye out on the entire group as a whole. She'll be making extra special precautions for a high affinity MC. (This is probably one of the safest positions to have during the Apocalypse... as long as the MC behaves themselves).

Cassandra has some pretty traumatic stuff in her background, so this won't be the first lover she's lost. Her reaction will also depend on how you went... in an awesome blaze of glory (she'll build a statue for you) or something painfully drawn out & full of regret (heads will roll).

Vivian: Uh... you are probably going to need to have a 'discussion' with Vivian regarding her protectiveness. It can get a bit overwhelming at times. Like Merlin, she is well aware of the inherent ephemeral nature of a mortal.

So wouldn't it be better if she just 'took care' of all those people who approach you, just in case they turned out to be dangerous? And actually, why don't you stay with her at the bottom of the lake from now on? All the time. That would be very safe.

Otherwise, whatever killed the MC better hope it's already dead before Vivian gets at them.

Gwen: She's more the type that people protect than the type who protects people. The support from the background type. But you get close enough, that will not stop her at all and she will absolutely try to protect you to the best of her ability. Like right up there in the frontlines. You both may need to end up saving each other in that case.

About the MC's death... it's fine. It's fine. You've already died and reincarnated once. It can happen again. She'll be waiting for you. Eternally if necessary.

Lorelei: She'll already be highly protective of certain types of MCs (romanced or otherwise). Unlike some of the others, there'll actually be a noticeable change in her demeanor.

She's not the type to ever abandon someone in danger, but she will absolutely prioritize a romanced or high affinity MC over others. To the point where highly skilled fighter MCs may need to tell her to take a step back because she's jumping in even when it would be better that she did her own thing.

Will be quietly having a BSOD upon the MC's death (which she' ll blame entirely on her failing to protect and be there for the MC at the last moment). She'll eventually come back to the group as the icy version of Wrath, barely interacting with others while still carrying out her duties. (The other Harbingers are going to really have their work cut out for them there.)

Broderick: Another one who's demeanor will change after getting close to him... especially after what happens in his subplot. He'll be constantly protectively hovering over high affinity MC. But just during the dangerous times. (Which is actually all the time.) The MC will probably need to work through a few issues with him.

He'll be completely gutted by the MC's death and not really functional for quite awhile after that point. Definitely a changed man (and not for the better). It might take years for him to recover.

#Having so many Dead Ends in the game means I've already basically ironed out how the others would react #At least in the way they present themselves throughout the first book #oks-asks #oks-ROs

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merrilinie · 5 months

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CW: violence and immortal mcd (so not really), child death

Merlin who is able to tell the weather and state of nature and season not because of magic, but because of how he grew up.

The small village was in a rather unfortunate place, at least to most. It was stuck between a forest and meadow with a large river bed that often flooded and took out numerous of their crops. It helped greatly with a permanent water source but every good thing had a fault.

So, Merlin learnt quickly when to tell it was going to rain by the humidity and clouds, so he could better help his neighbours with any preparations. He learnt what soil was best for planting what plants, what of those would be worthy he effort of growing, what could carry bugs and other insects that could house disease or venom. He learnt what habitats snakes and spiders liked, what caves could be good to hide in if the rain came in too quick or bandits came too close to the village.

That was what he learnt most, without ever really wanting to. He learnt when to tell if the air changed with the eagerness of bandits ready for a fight. He learnt how to spot traps after getting caught in two as just a child, the long jagged scar along his leg a permanent reminder of the danger he had to watch for.

Merlin learnt through trail and error, tasting the poisonous berries to know they were as such. He knew how to treat venom bites, to stay still as a rock when a snake caught onto his flesh, what to eat and drink when he had something wrong, how to get out of cruel traps made to rip a man apart by simply not passing out and keeping a clear head.

The knights and Arthur do not know this. They don’t know of his magic, if they did they would assume like the Druid’s did that he simply used that, which he did at times. They just assumed he had a knack for these kinds of things.

Then they go to his home for a rest stop as they target a group of bandits. This is where a elder hears the Knights making fun of Merlin and he marches right up to them and he tells them off in a way that both mortifies and compliments Merlin.

“Listen here, you ignorant fools! This young man had done more for this village than any of you have done for the Kingdom! It’s Merlin who learnt how to make the soil grow our crops properly, he who taught the children what food is okay to scavenge for! It’s this boy who warns us when the floods are most likely and helps us prepare, even though his home is on the other side of the village! Do you know how many times I’ve had to watch this boy nearly die because he took it upon himself to make sure the bandit traps were set off before a child got caught? He once spent two full nights in a cave with a broke leg after my daughter got lost, just to find her and bring her home even though-… even though she’d already passed.”

Merlin goes to his friend and hold so to his hand, trying to comfort him as memories flood his frail mind.

The man finishes his ramble with a pat to Merlin’s cheek, “You do not need strength and armour to be a good man. The selfishness of man has never once touched you, my boy. I will not allow such blasphemy to your name, not by a king or a pauper.”

Merlin only gives a single look at the Knights and shrinks under the pity and shock, deciding instead to take his friend back to his home so they can visit his daughters grave. He had died that first night when he looked for her, his first death and how he discovered his immortality.

He tried not to remember it, the pain and agony of starving and bleeding and a deep burning in his leg that made his body squirm with phantom pain.

The next day the Knights are quiet, Arthur watching him without ever looking away. They only ask him if what was said was true when they set camp up three nights later. So, he lifts up his pant leg to show his mangled flesh and gives them a soft smile that doesn’t reach his eyes,

“Don’t worry, I know how to heal things properly now if it happens to any of you.”

A tear slides down Gwaines face.

#bbc merlin #merlin emrys #merlin #arthur pendragon #bbc merlin angst #merlin x arthur #merlin angst #merthur #knights of camelot

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earlgreyinpajamas · 1 year

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Any recs for merthur and time travel? Or like, modern au when Arthur gets out of the lake? Thanks!!!!

time travel

Complementarity, Entanglement and the Uncertainty of Destiny —or— A Feminist Mage in King Arthur's Court by Jenrose (@jenroses), procoffeinating (@procoffeinating)

Merlin was once told that Arthur would rise again at the hour of Camelot's greatest need. But a thousand years pass, with no Arthur. When the last war comes, and the world dies, and Arthur still doesn't return, Merlin suddenly realises that the hour of Camelot's greatest need… was a thousand years ago. Sometimes he's a bit slow on the uptake. Fortunately, he's figured out how to go back. What would YOU do if you had 2000 years of experience in the body of a 17 year old, and absolutely nothing left to lose?

Note: E-rated sections clearly tagged, can be skipped.

~~~

we can't talk about time travel without talking about this fic: i.e. the finest 100k words fix it

2. time, mystical time by andiwriteordie

Finally, the man tears his gaze away and meets Arthur’s eyes once more. “I seek the aid of your Camelot,” he says, but his voice sounds more hesitant now, as if he’s had to change his response for some strange reason.

Merlin can’t help but believe that reason is him.

“As for who I am,” the man says with a bit of a chuckle, and he glances around the room again at familiar faces, at his friends. “I am Arthur Pendragon, King of Camelot.”

Or:

When a mysterious stranger shows up to Camelot claiming to be Arthur from the future and seeking help for his sick consort, Merlin learns some things about himself, about Arthur, and about a future he never dreamed was possible.

~~~

wonder who that consort is

3. you can call me dangerous (these are the sins of my youth) by wastefulreverie (@wastefulreverie)

When an accidental spell sends Camelot's future crown prince spiraling into the past, it's up to Arthur to navigate secrets past and present.

Or: Arthur and Merlin's son cannot keep a damn secret.

~~~

i'll admit that it doesn't have the most conclusive of endings, but i had a blast reading this fic ergo the rec

arthur returns

A Faire Fight by Zaharya (@zaharya)

Arthur caught sight of Merlin when there were maybe fifteen of them left. He faltered, jaw dropping open, and it was pure luck the man charging at him had terrible aim, or he would’ve failed out of the melee right then and there. Pulling himself together, he made quick work of his attacker, before putting some distance between himself and the others to collect himself. And, perhaps, to stare just a little. Merlin was… magnificent. He wielded his sword like an extension of his own body — a lesson most of Arthur’s knights had never truly mastered. His movements were quick and precise, yet fluent, graceful in a way Arthur had never seen before, as he landed disqualifying hits on two, three, four opponents in rapid succession.

Or: The one where Merlin brings a returned Arthur to a medieval faire and they fight in a tournament.

~~~

safhjsdfhjdl so cutee

2. Let’s Talk by Salamandair

Merlin has had a terrible, awful, no good, very bad week. So, he goes and vents to the one person who would understand

~~~

as far as i am concerned, this is what happened in the last 5 minutes of merlin season 5

3. I think of loss and I can only think of you by wanderingtrickster

Arthur comes back... but not the way Merlin expects. On top of that, he can hardly believe it's real. Seriously, he... hardly believes it. Though it becomes easier when Camelot's former king tackles him into the bathtub and they both end up soaked. On top of that, Arthur is being surprisingly affectionate.

In his own way that is.

~~~

one of my fav arthur returns fics

#bbc merlin #merthur #merlin #merlin fic #merlin x arthur #merthur fluff #merthur fanfiction #merthur fic #merthur fanfic #merthur fic recs #merthur fic rec #merlin bbc #arthur returns #time travel #modern au

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sexy-sapphic-sorcerer · 3 months

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asking about your piss take headcanon that merlin and dr who take place in the same universe

hell yeah!

ok so in Journey's End (4x14) the Doctor explains that Gwen from Torchwood looks exactly like Gwyneth from The Unquiet Dead (1x03) due to 'spatial genetic multiplicity'

Russell T Davies described it as the 'repetition of physical traits across a time rift'.

Oh, the time rift in Cardiff? the time rift only 16 miles away from Caerleon, where Camelot was supposedly located

which is interesting because you know who else bares a striking resemblance to Gwen and Gwyneth? Lady Helen from the first episode of Merlin

(and I think she also low key looks like that actress Eve Myles, but maybe that's just me)

if this isn't enough to convince you, need I remind you that the characters of Arthurian Legend very much exist in the whoniverse

the Doctor's involvement in King Arthur's life is incredibly convoluted and contradictory, even within DW canon. But many stories involve the Doctor intervening to ensure that things go according to Arthurian Legend and earth's history remains consistent

for instance, there is a plot in Classic Who where Arthur's body is placed in a spaceship at the bottom of the lake, in an effort to follow the legend that he is "in eternal sleep until England's greatest need", as Ace quotes. The Doctor says that Merlin must have been involved and yet the spaceship is activated by the Doctor's voice, which is "exactly the kind of thing (the Doctor) would do". Leading Ace to ask:

clearly, some of Merlin's actions are fixed points in time and the Doctor must confirm that those things come to pass at some stage in his future

so, when does the Doctor go back to intervene with Arthur's burial and various other events? is it during the Seventh Doctor's run? One story suggests that it was the Eighth Doctor

but I would argue it was the regeneration after that. The version of the Doctor who attempted to make peace during genocide against his race and was betrayed and defeated. The last of his kind, desperate and ruthless

the version of the Doctor that sounds eerily similar to Kilgharrah (and also a bit like John Hurt)

you know, Kilgharrah, who manipulates Merlin to act in accordance with an abstract fate that only he understands

"but the Doctor can't be Kilgharrah, he's a dragon!"

bet. 2 words: chameleon arch

it can modify a Time Lord's biology, turning them into a different species. Sure, usually into a human, but who's to say that it can't work for dragons?

Time Lords still retain their time sensitivity, which would explain how Kilgharrah has an innate knowledge that some events are fated and others are subject to change

and then Kilgharrah's laments about "watching civilisations rise and fall" and his vengeance against Uther are repressed memories from the Time War

maybe it was while the Doctor was a fugitive from the Time War and he decided to kill two birds with one stone and go into hiding as a dragon. and then also make sure that the Arthurian Legend timeline was in order

so, destiny doesn't exist at all, it's just the War Doctor spouting out bullshit riddles to keep the time stream straight

of course, if these characters exist in the same universe, what about Merlin/Jethro, Uther/Mr Finch, Gaius/Dr Constantine, Gwen/Katherine, Percival/Jeff, Nimueh/Lady Christina, Lady Vivian/Jenny, Will/Cline, the list goes on

I have crack theories for those too, each one more deranged than the last, but this post is long enough already

#I feel like I'm at the tip of the iceberg with doctor who lore. tardis wiki is fucking intense #so if anyone has stuff to add. please do #< so long as it affirms this theory. I don't wanna hear “actually merlin existed in the universe before universe” that means nothing to me #I'm having a fun silly time. miss me with your gatekeeping #bbc merlin #merlin #bbc merlin meta #doctor who #doctor who meta #eve myles #john hurt #russell t davies #tenth doctor #gwen cooper #torchwood #seventh doctor #7th doctor #war doctor

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morganalefae · 6 months

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s3 morgana being "beyond redemption" is soooooo crazy to me like yeah trying to kill the evil tyrant king whos been murdering every last one of your kind is sooooo evil lock her up and throw away the key!!

such a prime example of a kick the dog character too. like they cant condemn her for just fighting for her right to exist so they have her executing civilians and trying to have gwen executed to make her into the villian.

and! the same goes for morgause! literally what did she ever do wrong? uther conquered camelot (said by him in the episode where gili fights in the tournament) and then executed hundreds if not thousands of people with magic but morgause trying to kill the king is a step too far? why? its almost like the show is actually on uthers side 🤨🤨🤨🤨

which leads me to: the fact that we essentially watch the entire show through the pendragon perspective. merlin protects arthur so everything we learn about the purge and magic and the old religion is from uther/gaius. so, biased, to say the least. one of the most important things they tell you when researching history is to consider where your information is coming from and how that persons perspective influences their discussion of it.

which is why i also dont consider nimueh to be a villain. shes an activist! yeah she tried to kill arthur that one (?) time but he didnt even die so. doesnt count <3 but we SEE her having a conversation ALONE with uther where she says she didnt know what would happen to ygraine and i just cant imagine why she would lie. if she really wanted to hurt him she could have said she'd known and killed her on purpose but i dont think thats the case at all. she says she never would have helped him if she'd known what would happen. like, surprise, if you hunt and kill people for the crime of existing they will fight back and its not going to be the way you like it and innocent people will die. because thats war. you ruthlessly slaughter her people and she will slaughter yours.

worlds most unstructered post. professors hate her. anyway the show eventually starts to take on a very firm, "merlin has magic but ues not LIKE those other magic users therefore hes ok :) everyone else is evil tho. except the druids (sometimes :|)", whereby merlin using magic is only allowed if hes helping or saving arthur (except all those other times but we dont talk about those i guess) and his stance on magic eventually warps until hes just kind of horrible about it.

100% unpopular opinion but gaius should have died in s2 or 3. he influenced merlin far too much and basically never for the better. sorry to gaius lovers but i do NOT like that old man. he advises merlin EVERY time to not tell morgana about her magic (which she has no control over and therefore is manifesting in ways that will absolutely get her caught), to never help any of the unfairly persecuted people of the episode or even to use magic at all. hes a bootlicking coward who only helped people he cared for or when it suited him. how many people do you think he watched burn simply because he didnt agree with the way they used magic, whether it actually "evil" or not.

merlin's only friends who know about his magic are an old conservative man and a guy who dies right when merlin could have used the support of someone to help him "come out" to arthur about his magic.

im firmly of the opinion that had he told morgana about his magic everything would have been literally fine. because alone and with loterally no support system at all, is it any wonder that morgana would go down the road she did? after years of fear and watching people just like her be burned for the crime of existing, with no prophecy or friends to tell her that it wont always be this way. you dont have to be afraid because youre not the only one and i wont let anything happen to you. oh wait. she did get told that. by MORGAUSE. not about the prophecy but how can they be judged by trying to bring about change by themselves. by trying to kill a king whos killed so many of their own people.

if the intention of the show had been to give a poignant message about the cycle of abuse (morgana succumbing to bitterness and hatred just like uther) or how fear can control you (merlin eventually becoming essentially the bad guy, judging everybody who doesnt use magic the way he sees fit, staying silent and contributing to persecution of magic people because living in fear can make you paranoid and bitter (sound familiar?)) then i would applaud because wow did that make me fucking cry! and hit actually very close to home! and it was tragic and horrible but also inevitable

but as far as i can tell that was not at all the point, because in the end kilgharrah tells merlin the prophecy has been fulfilled, albion is united and magic returned! hurrah! but. um. did i miss something? when did that happen? oh, you mean when gwen is queen....? so.... gwen unites the land of albion and returns magic to the land? except, merlin seems to have lived on until the 21st century of our world and magic is not what i would call flourishing atm.

so i guess my question is... well actually i dont have a question. actually wait i do. what the fuck?

#whoops long and probably confusing post #oh well #merlin #bbc merlin #morgana pendragon #arthur pendragon #uther pendragon #merthur #gaius

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angelsarrm · 4 months

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Sorry but I’ve been having soooooo many thoughts about Merlin au I’m just going to throw them all in here. Details like Patrick’s magic being tied to music. There are so many mediums for magic (spells, potions, runes, etc) and Patrick’s is singing. He starts drumming when he’s younger, just generally with his hands and later with actual sticks, because it’s a version of music that doesn’t do magic outside of his control, so drumming is freeing bc he can just make music without risking getting caught. And everything has a different sound when you drum it, so it’s like hearing the heartbeat of the world and echoing it back like that’s how Patrick comes to learn magic at first. He goes to Camelot to learn to control the rest bc there has to be a use for it and he wants to be able to make music but it’s dangerous. Pete at some point hears him singing and later when they’re in the prince/manservant roles he’s constantly trying to get Patrick to sing for him, teasing him about being a bard, about how he won’t let anyone else sing about his heroic deeds it has to be Patrick so Patrick’s trying to avoid doing that or at least channel it into magic that won’t be noticed. And I keep thinking about the poisoned chalice story. Pete being in a rough place mentally, but having to act fine for a delegation coming from another kingdom for a peace treaty. But then there’s this chaos about poison and Patrick’s in the middle of it and they’re about to try and make him drink it so Pete grabs it and drinks it before they can. Patrick and Andy trying to find the antidote. Andy as a knight who likes being able to help people but hates the rules around knighthood and being at the mercy of orders from the king, and uses his position to try and help undermine things that are unfair, help people with magic escape etc. Joe as Lancelot, Andy helps him fake his seal of nobility so he can join. Pete finding out about Patrick’s magic way earlier in the story than in the actual show, but being against the kings stance on magic and so then the four of them are working to change things together. Sorry, I’ve lost my entire mind. Love your art!

OH NY GODDDD I LOVE THIS DUMP SO MUCH THANK YOU????? and yes i see them all going pn adventures together and at first andy finds out about his magic, but is in support of patrick and promises not to tell, joe being the next to find out because patrick saved him in a fight (cough Gryffindor).

for the big merthur reveal i imagine it goes the same, pete is wounded but not fatally and is mad about patrick keeping secrets from him. patrick DOES get him to the lake in time and . conclusion except theyre all happy yayyy

alternatively canon merlin ending of arthur dying: pete isnt scared of patrick's magic and wants to see it willingly before kicking the bucket and so patrick sings to him as a last moment of their prince/manservant. patrick must live for ages until the moment the king returns (IMMORTALITY)🤕🤕🤕🤕

the guys are all reincarnated in pop punk's greatest time of need... thus the creation of fall out boy . patrick hides his true age. they don't need to know the full story of him not being reincarnated and is actually the original patrick. GOD

#im going crazy merlin is like my favorite show of all time #i have real merthur brainworms #anon

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witchthewriter · 2 years

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𝐁𝐞𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚 𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐟𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐌𝐨𝐫𝐠𝐚𝐧𝐚 𝐰𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐥𝐮𝐝𝐞

⤷ female, ambiguous race, and any size reader. Requests are open, thank you for reading!

ᴹᵃˢᵗᵉʳˡᶤˢᵗ

SFW🌿

⭑ Being taken by her charm and mystery

⭑ You met when she was still at Camelot, but she was still planning to kill Uther

⭑ You were sent to court Arthur, but were too enamored by Morgana to even think of marriage.

⭑ You liked Merlin and Arthur - they welcomed you to Camelot with open arms. And you felt like you could stay there forever

⭑ But there was something about the cousin of the would-be King

⭑ You bring such light to Morgana - you always look on the brighter side of life. You’re hopeful and tentative

⭑ Merlin tries to keep you from Morgana. “She isn’t ... you shouldn’t be around her.”

⭑ Which doesn’t help

⭑ Because absence makes the heart grow stronger

⭑ Eventually you tell Morgana how you feel, even though you have no clue what she’s planning. And she’s stunned. Utterly and completely. Surely this is a trick? Who put you up to this?

⭑ You leave with Morgana and don’t care that she’s ‘evil.’

⭑ What makes a person ‘bad’, ‘evil’?

⭑ And why isn’t Uther seen that way?

⭑ You completely understand Morgana’s point of view, and definitely agree with her. (I mean, she has a point?)

⭑ And who is Arthur? One man? What makes Merlin so important?

⭑ You want Morgana to teach you magic, and she does. She shows you everything she knows.

⭑ Being so in love that you would sacrifice yourself for the other

⭑ Merlin tries to stop Morgana by turning his attention to you. And at first he thinks you might be under a spell, but to his horror, he realises that you’re not.

⭑ Arthur always lets you go free if he has you trapped, he doesn’t have the heart to kill you

⭑ You use this to your advantage

⭑ Her pet names for you are: ‘my love,’ ‘my heart,’ ‘my life’

⭑ No one dares talk back or down to you. You are Morgana’s partner, her other part, her betrothed.

⭑ Will never put you in the line of danger, and if someone hurts you, she will obliterate them

⭑ She loves doting on you, and will get her people to find you the most elegant dresses and jewelry

⭑ Likes brushing your hair and braiding it

⭑ Washes you in the evening, after a long day, while the two of you converse about the day, what you’ve found out and what to do next

⭑ You’re the only one who knows her plans

⭑ And she NEVER makes you involved (if you don’t want to be)

⭑ Morgana feels like she doesn’t deserve you, and tells you that you can go back to your family, or to Camelot. That she would never hurt you and you can be free.

⭑ But you’re always stunned by this -

⭑ You would rather die

⭑ She loves when you play with her hands, fingers, and palms. A shiver always goes down her spine when you do it.

⭑ You’re the only person who can truly make her laugh

⭑ Relationship Tropes:

✧ Pure and Confused (You) x In Denial (Morgana)

✧ “I care about you!” x “You shouldn’t!”

✧ Cheerful Optimist x Grumpy Asshole

NSFW🔞minors dni!

⭑ She likes being dominated

⭑ And you’re usually the top

⭑ Which surprised Morgana incredibly, because you seemed to pure, so innocent?

⭑ “I know a lot of things my love, I’ve read about them!”

⭑ You love smutty books and read them out loud while Morgana is getting changed

⭑ She focuses a lot on your breasts; squeezing, massaging, and playing with them.

⭑ And she loves blood play - whether it’s from a bite, or period blood. It makes her feral.

⭑ Definitely into sex magic, and spells are extra strong while you’re having sex (if you’re curious it’s an actual real thing)

⭑ Morgana is quite loud, especially when she cums. She’ll moan your name, whining and panting as she reaches the height of her orgasm.

⭑ Likes to push you up against a wall and place her hands on the wall, either side of your head.

⭑ She feigns being the dominate one and everyone thinks you’re the sub but she will do whateVER YOU SAY

“On your knees, Morgana.”

“Yes, my love.”

⭑ Very good at aftercare - Morgana likes to keep you comfortable, safe and warm. She will set herself on fire if that meant you would be warm.

#morgana #morgana x reader #bbc merlin #merlin bbc #bbc merlin headcanons #merlin headcanons #merlin bbc headcanons #merlin #king arthur bbc #morgana bbc #bbc morgana x reader #morgana headcanons #headcanons #evil morgana x reader

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adhd-merlin · 1 year

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merlin's personality type (mbti)

Post inspired by my own poll, which was in turn sort of inspired by a post calling Gwaine and Merlin "extrovert bisexuals". This baffled me at the time because, to me, Merlin was obviously an introvert. But when I stopped to think about it, it wasn't actually all that obvious.

As I mentioned previously in my own tags, I think you could make a decent argument for either Extrovert Merlin or Introvert Merlin. After some flip-flopping, I think I've gone back to my original position (for now). Introvert Merlin still feels right.

Why, you didn't ask?

Below I ramble about MBTI types despite actually knowing very little about the whole system. Read at your own risk.

(I want to clarify that I don't think there's anything scientific about MBTI classification. I like to think about it in the same way I would try to sort a character into a Hogwarts house. It's just fun.)

Since it was proving tricky to pinpoint Merlin's position on the Introversion/Extraversion spectrum, I decided to first narrow it down to a few MBTI types that might suit his character.

The 16 MBTI personalities can be divided into four “macro-categories” (known as “temperaments”):

Guardians

Artisans

Rationals

Idealists

To me Merlin obviously belongs in the "Idealists" group, which would make "NF" the "core" of his type (xNFx). This leaves us with two orientations still to be defined: "Extroversion vs Introversion" and "Judging vs Perceiving".

(The 4 MBTI dimensions)

Potentially, Merlin could be an:

INFP – The Mediator

ENFP – The Campaigner

INFJ – The Advocate

ENFJ – The Protagonist

Judging vs Perceiving

One thing I find interesting about Merlin is his decision-making process.

There are some momentous decisions that Merlin spends a considerable time agonising over – for example, whether to kill Morgana or, later on, Mordred – but once he's made a choice, he tends to actually be quite inflexible about it.

Seriously, good luck stopping the little guy once he's decided that something Must Be Done.

“Don't try and stop me, because...you can't.” (The Wicked Day, 4x03)

(That's right, Gaius. Fucking deal with it.)

Merlin will BULLDOZE his way to his goal regardless of anyone's opinion, sometimes even in the face of actual evidence suggesting this might actually be a Bad Idea™.

There is one significant occasion in which Merlin backtracks after having made a huge choice, and it's when he resolves to save Morgana's life after an accident he involuntarily caused (her fall down some stairs) left her deadly injured.

I'll come back to the reasons behind Merlin's change of mind later. What's interesting to notice is that, even in this case, once Merlin’s made his decision he sticks to it quite stubbornly.

He has to ask Kilgharrah for help to heal Morgana and his exchange with him, in case you don’t remember, goes something like this:

Kilgharrah: Merlin don't this is a terrible idea

Merlin: JUST FUCKING DO IT

This stubbornness – or better yet, inflexibility – makes me lean towards Judging rather than Perceiving as Merlin's preferred mental function.

While it's true that Merlin sometimes defers making a decision until it's no longer possible (see: freeing Kilgharrah), which is superficially similar to the way Perceivers prefer to keep their options open for as long as they can, Merlin doesn’t do it to see if new information might come up and help him make a better choice. He only needs time to internally evaluate the decision and consider how it aligns with his moral values.

Once a choice is made, Merlin can act very impulsively – as I've joked about here – and is very reluctant to deviate from the plan, which is typical of "Judger" types.

I also think this becomes especially apparent during the whole Mordred situation. Merlin never really pauses to take Mordred's actual actions into account when deciding whether or not he poses a threat to Arthur – despite Gaius trying to at least make him consider that Mordred might not mean the king any harm. Once Merlin decides that Morden is dangerous and needs to go, there's no turning back (not until it's too late).

Extroversion vs Introversion

(A typical introvert, according to most people.)

Merlin tends to make decisions based on his own values and feelings first. Yes, he will consult others in moments of doubt – like Gaius or Kilgharrah – but his first instinct and tendency is to do what feels right to him even when it's not the wisest or most logical course of action based on the facts at his disposal.

(Incidentally, I find this interesting when compared to Arthur, who – in my opinion – turns to others for counsel far more readily [Merlin, Gwen, Agravaine] and gives more weight to the advice he receives. Arthur’s actually more open and flexible than Merlin when presented with evidence that contradicts his worldview – see his attitude to magic at different points in the show, perhaps most notably in episode 5x05, when he decides to return to the Disir.)

Merlin's decision-making progress is very much inward focused, which makes me think of an Introvert rather than an Extrovert.

I'm thinking of Introvert vs Extrovert (or Extravert) in a Jungian sense here, which is to say, not (just) how someone interacts with others and how social interaction might drain or energise them – quite a subjective metric* – but rather whether they have a tendency to turn inwards or outwards to process information and react to external stimuli.

Or, in Jung's own words, whether someone is "more influenced by environmental influences or more influenced by subjective factors".

An introverted consciousness can be well aware of external conditions, but is not motivated by them. The extreme introvert responds primarily to internal impressions. (x)

In this specific sense, I think Merlin acts more as an Introvert than an Extrovert, which would make his MBTI personality type “INFJ”.

INFJ – The Advocate

INFJs are also known as Advocates, Protectors or (rather aptly, in Merlin's case) Counsellors.

I won’t go into a description of this personality type here – like I said I’m no expert, and you can Google it just as easily as I can.

I’ll just highlight a few INFJ traits that I think are very relevant to Merlin.

Once they have formed an intuition about something, INFJs tend to stick to it very tightly, often to the point of being single-minded in their focus. INFJs are sometimes viewed as stubborn and unyielding. (x)

Because the INFJ has such strong intuitive capabilities, they trust their own instincts above all else. This may result in an INFJ's stubbornness and tendency to ignore other people's opinions. (x)

Something typical of INFJs is also having strong "hunches" (what Arthur would call "a funny feeling"). They are very much a "mystic" or "visionary" type.

INFJs have uncanny insight into people and situations. They get "feelings" about things and intuitively understand them. (x)

Of course, much of Merlin’s intuition is based on magic, but that isn't always the case.

When Gwen Comes Back Wrong™ from the Dark Tower, Merlin can sense she isn't quite the same. When Gaius asks him to elaborate, however, he is unable to articulate exactly why he feels that way, because there is nothing obviously different about Gwen.

MERLIN: Have you noticed anything about Gwen of late? GAIUS: Nothing unusual. Why? MERLIN: I'm not sure exactly. GAIUS: Something she’s said? Something she's done? MERLIN: No. It's nothing in particular. (A Lesson in Vengeance, 5x07)

I'd like to point out that 1. Merlin looks especially hot in this scene, 2. his "funny feeling" has nothing to do with magic here. In fact, it takes him stalking Gwen and digging for evidence to discover that she is conspiring with Morgana.

Advocates tend to carry around a sense – whether conscious or not – of being different from most people. With their rich inner lives and their deep, abiding desire to find their life purpose, they don’t always fit in with those around them. (...) Many Advocates feel that their life has a unique purpose – a mission that they were put onto this earth to fulfill. For people with this personality type, one of the most rewarding aspects of life is seeking out this purpose – and then, once they’ve found it, striving to do it justice. (x)

Merlin's search for purpose is one of his main drivers (if not the main one). He almost immediately asks Gaius if he knows why he was born with magic and is quite heartbroken when Gaius can't offer a satisfying answer. After Kilgharrah tells him about the prophecy that concerns him and Arthur, Merlin throws himself into his destiny wholeheartedly, readily adopting it as his life's purpose.

Another INFJ characteristic which I think fits Merlin’s character quite well is that INFJs are harmony-seekers and deeply concerned about others’ feelings.

We see it at times in Merlin’s interactions with Gaius – although the two of them have their disagreements, and Merlin can be quite vocal about his opinion, Merlin's first instinct is usually to keep secret anything that might upset or worry Gaius too much.

For example, when Gaius earnestly pleads with Merlin not to meet with Finna (The Kindness of Strangers, episode 5x10), Merlin gives an evasive answer rather than confronting him, despite having already made his decision.

Being at odds with Gaius is truly distressing to Merlin – as shown in episode 3x09 (Love in the Time of Dragons), where Merlin's dejection after an argument with Gaius is evident enough for Arthur to notice and try to offer his advice.

Although INFJs rely primarily on Introverted Intuition (their dominant function) this is supported by Extroverted Feeling, their auxiliary function.

Extraverted Feeling is the secondary function in INFJs. Deeply concerned with the energy, moods, and feelings of others, INFJs have deep insights into people and situations and make decisions based on how they will affect people. (x)

In stressful situations, an INFJ might try to rely on emotions when making decisions, especially if it means pleasing other people. (x)

I think the best example of the above trait is Merlin deciding to save Morgana’s life in episode 3x05 (The Crystal Cave) after his initial decision to let her die. He does not do this because of any new evidence or information – he still has every reason to believe Morgana poses a threat to the king and kingdom, if not immediately at least in the near future – but because he's witnessed how her imminent death is affecting those he cares about (in this case, Arthur and Gwen).

It could be argued that Merlin’s choice not to reveal his secret to Arthur is also partly motivated by his Extraverted Feeling tendencies rather than just self-preservation.

"I didn't want to put you in that position" – he tells Arthur – again, showing a keen awareness of other people's feelings and a desire to maintain social harmony.

You can read more about the INFJ personality type here:

Portrait of an INFJ and INFJ & Relationships

INFJ Personality

INFJ: Introverted, Intuitive, Feeling, Judging

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*I've stumbled upon this article which elaborates on cognitive Extraversion/Introversion, as opposed to introversion and extraversion as they are commonly understood: Typing Tutorial

#i've typed most of this on my phone ok #and decided not to even proofread it properly #so don't take it too seriously #(listen I don't know all episodes by heart or anything. I've literally watched the series once)#also I might change my mind tomorrow #merlin #bbc merlin #merlin meta #merlin emrys #mbti #merlin mbti #faccio ridere ma anche riflettere

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lexa-gui · 1 year

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Motivated by this poll post

Ahaaaa, time to share my brainrot with the world! \o/

Here's a cleaned up version of my ted talk that absolutely no one asked for on why 'Sunlight' by Hozier is the best merthur song:

The whole vibe of the song. It's incredibly reverential -- a perfect Merlin pov on Arthur.

Sunlight is a perfect and well-known analogy for Arthur in fandom -- the glorious golden airs and all that. Remember that scene in The wicked day where Arthur comes out of the room after spending all night mourning his father and you see him appearing over Merlin's shoudler basked in sunlight? Perfect visuals.

The song starts out with our POV subject shunning sunlight (for like 3 lines) -- I would shun the light, share in evening's cool and quiet/ Who would trade that hum of night/ For sunlight, sunlight, sunlight. What happens at the beginning of the show? Merlin meets arthur and he is *not* a fan.

(Rip Merlin's patience lol)

Immediately the POV subject changes his mind though, and goes on to say "But whose heart would not take flight?/ Betray the moon as acolyte/ On first and fierce affirming sight/ Of sunlight, sunlight, sunlight". And what happens? Merlin needs one (1) bit of attention and validation from Arthur in episode 2 to go: 'Oop, guess I'll devote my life to him'.

(Look at his boi, he is *so gone*)

"I had been lost to you, sunlight/ And flew like a moth to you, sunlight, oh, sunlight" -- The reverential tone remains, and I associate this part with 'Le mort d'Artur', when Merlin thought Arthur was lost to him, and refused to accept it. He did everything he could to stop it,

which leads us to: "All the tales the same/ Told before and told again" that can be associated with Merlin going above and beyond, riking his own life in the process, to save Arthur's. The cup is even a recurring symbol here.

"A soul that's born in cold and rain/ Knows sunlight, sunlight, sunlight/ And at last can grant a name/ To a buried and a burning flame/ As love and its decisive pain/ Oh, my sunlight, sunlight, sunlight," this part would fit in great in a 'queer in a hostile world' narrative. One could say he's been denying that part of himself for incredibly long, but when it (sunlight/Arthur/love) shines, it's so absolute and consuming that there can only be one name for it even if he's never applied it before or didn't even think he knew how to.

And "love and it's decisive pain" also hammers in the fact that this is a tragedy, because (as we all well know) it ends in pain.

"All that was shown to me, sunlight/ Was somethin' foreknown to me, sunlight, oh sunlight" We can even take this literally for everytime Merlin told Arthur he would be 'the greatest king this land has ever known' so candidly it seemed he could feel it in his very bones. Because he's been told and retold about that prophecy so many times, and every little thing that Arthur does that implies he might be the man for it, just drive Merlin's determination further. It's something Merlin has known and believed with all his heart since almost the literal beginning.

"Oh, and these colors fade for you only/ Hold me, carry me slowly, my sunlight" Merlin's mood is almost 99% of the time related to Arthur. When he's down and Arthur mentions he hasn't smiled for 3 days -- it's about him -- everytime he's sad about his impeding doom, he's the one causing it to save Arthur from the same fate -- plus we have all those times where he's sad because Arthur's not appreciating him or is mean to him, etc.

"Each day, you'd rise with me/ Know that I would gladly be/ The Icarus to your certainty" I really love this part (and the next). Here we can see that Merlin is always by Arthur's side, every single day ("He's always been there -- at Arthur's side" from Gwen), and he knows to some degree of certainty that the affection and care he feels for Arthur is somewhat returned (Servant of Two Masters) -- or even the certainty that Arthur is alive and well and ruling would be enough. It just emboldens his devotion and willingness to do everything and anything to protect him ("Whatever I have to do, I will do. His life is worth a 100 of mine." to Nimueh), including giving up his own life, like we see time and time again. And Arthur is the sun in this analogy, so Merlin being Icarus means he doesn't care whether he singes his wings if he gets too close to him -- because it's worth it ("I'm happy to be your servant, until the day I die" to Arthur). He doesn't care what happens to him as long as he can be at his side ("I swear I will protect you or die at your side"). Which we also see time and time again, and Merlin's own priorities change from 'bringing magic back to the land' -- his destiny -- to keeping Arthur alive. He gives up on magic and betrays his own kind for Arthur in The Disir ("There can be no place for magic in Camelot").

(the certainty of Arthur's care, which they so rudely cut from the show :(( )

And this part just reaffirms this: "Oh, my sunlight, sunlight, sunlight/ Strap the wing to me/ Death trap clad happily/ With wax melted, I'd meet the sea/ Under sunlight, sunlight, sunlight". He'd happily go to his death -- for Arthur.

And then it just ends and goes on with "Oh, your love is sunlight/ Oh, your love is sunlight/ But it is sunlight" Which would again be an analogy for Arthur's love <3.

And this ted talk has been completed.

(Also if you wanna check out the vid I did with this song click here ehehe).

Disclaimer: this is my interpretation of a song and a ship, other ships and interpretations are just as valid and never do I mean to put anyone down for having different opinions.

#merthur #merlin x arthur #bbc merlin #merlin #merlin bbc #sunlight #hozier #alex goes crazy in 1k words #and rants into the void of tumblr

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fluffypotatey · 2 years

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OMG, so Soft™, Merlin bby, ofc they like you.

I put my vote in for Roland being Merlin's unofficial squire, bc A) just as Extra as Merlin, and B) gets many more excuses to Stab. Like, "Yes, sir, I'll stay right back here while you fight sorcerous assassin du jour and if your magic doesn't work, this dagger will."

A child learning morals from the morally dubious would be A+ content.

Merlin: Agravaine is the traitor, I'm certain of it.

Roland, immediately: I can put a viper in his sheets.

Merlin: ........as much as it pains me to say, please do not do that.

Roland: Well, okay, but if you ever change your mind, I can get one in, like, an hour.

Merlin: *deep inhale*

Also, I don't know why, but I'm picturing Roland as a girl. Like, maybe she heard about Morgause challenging Arthur or even saw the duel happen herself and was like, "Huh," and when Arthur does away with the 'nobility only' rule, she's like "Huh," and immediately goes for it. But girls still can't apply for knighthood (yet, bc gotta take baby steps with social change like that) so maybe Roland is her family name or a brother/cousin, and she just lops her hair off, steals some trousers, and falls in with the lads. She's young enough when she joins that she can pass for a boy. When they get a little older, well, by then her bros have all twigged but also know she can and will kick their asses, so they just make sure she gets tunics that are always a little too big. Bonus if legit nobody else notices this, including Merlin, and the only person who does know is Gwen, and she ain't saying a damn thing. Double Bonus if the first person to notice is Arthur, and the Squires immediately and without hesitation straight up lie to the fucking KING.

Arthur: *squinty eyes*

Arthur: Is.....is Roland......a girl?

SotRT: What? No, of course not, sire, don't let him hear you say that, you'll hurt his feelings.

Arthur: ........uh-huh.

Cue Gwen cracking tf up in the background like, "JFC, I married the biggest himbo in the Five Kingdoms, Arthur, you're lucky you're pretty."

(Also, here are my tokens of returned affection in courtship: 🌹🌸🌼🌺💐💍👑💎)

same gwen lmao

*slams hand on table* ROLAND IS ONE OF CAMELOT'S BEST SQUIRES AND YES SHE WAS INSPIRED BY MORGAUSE

she didn't really ask merlin if she could be his squire. she just started hanging around him, helping him with chores, being his lookout until a couple knights asked and she said: "uh duh, i've been his squire for three months now" "your my WHAT?!"

roland had and will cut a bitch if they threaten merlin. oh, you're glaring menacingly at the king's manservant? roland is breathing inside your walls, have fun sleeping bitch. you told merlin to count his days?? count your seconds, bitch, roland is behind you, axe poised and ready to strike--

all of agravaine's inconveniences, that's roland. ok sure, merlin said no to the snakes, but he never said no to rats! he didn't say yes either but why would you question the method to the madness? his saddle never fits right. his food is always cold. his clothes are always dirty. agravaine knows something is up, but none of his spies are able to find out who is causing all of this???

the other squires help her plan the pranks and very illegal tampering with noble goods, but he called merlin "nothing more than a chair for the king" and they are out for blood.

agravaine complains to arthur about how unruly the squires are but arthur cannot believe it. because that meant that his knights couldn't handle them, but they could and that's a slight on his men which he cannot forgive. it's one of the only things agravaine couldn't trick arthur into believing. roland later soaked agravaine's sheets with spoiled mead, serves him right!

#*gasp!* beloved anon do not feel the need to gift me things in this courtly love of ours tis my part to play #truly i appreciate your tokens and will wear them with pride the next tournament don't you fear #i tap anon's shoulder causing them to look right but it was a trick & so i smooch their left cheek & run away giggling like a lovesick fool #obviously none of the squires prank her majesty #they'd never dare because she is notorious for being the best prankster ever (elyan and leon have the stories)#ok ok so baseline we have roland who was once squire to elyan and later switched to merlin #lucan i'm on the fence with him being squire to percival or leon #nathan is squired to elyan #bors is squired to lancelot #galahad is squired to lancelot #bedivere is squired to gwaine (he now knows the taste of illegality and craves more)#dagonet is squired to leon (and would TOTALLY kick nathan's ass if he were a man with less self control but he's gentleman so nate lives)#fierefitz is squired to percival and lucan TOTALLY isn't jealous or anything definitely #squires of the round table #knights of the round table #bbc merlin #headcanons

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bitsandbobsofwriting · 2 years

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The List has been updated, Gang!!

A few have been crossed out, but to make up for it, I’ve added 7 new ones!!

Check which ones have been crossed out!

and to make things easier on y’all, here are the new ones:

58. The Knights ask Merlin just how close he and Morgana used to be (which they all find incredibly weird because, bar Leon, none of them met Morgana more than in passing before she went batshit insane). They push him too far and he decides he’s sick of lying. ULTRA angst, FORMER Mergana :( Everyone is super surprised, especially Arthur, but also sympathetic, because they can’t imagine how hard this has been.

59. Merlin is Tristan Du Bois’ son?? Making him Arthur’s cousin?? He came to Camelot knowing full well who he was, with the intention of killing Uther in revenge, but accidentally fell in love with someone (Gwen? Morgana? Leon?) and decided to give Arthur a chance. The Gang find out when they’re captured and the truth is revealed. Arthur isn’t too mad because his bestie is actually related to him!! :D

60. Merlin as a very unsettling Guardian angel, revealed by Morgause when everyone gets captured.

61. Really short fluff fic of Leon telling Arthur all about Igraine. Brotherly bonding and fluff :D

62. The gang sort through Lancelot’s room a few days after he dies, and discover that he had a secret partner. Merlin finally reveals that it was him when they find a certain something in amongst the stuff, and everyone feels like shit because… he’s been grieving alone and no one knew. Super angst, but also a fluffy part two in which they save Lance (something to do with the Shade and very strong magic).

63. Merlin taking a REALLY blasé attitude towards the magic reveal, in which the gang are talking about magic and how bad it is until he scoffs and goes “Y’all clueless, magic is common, useful, and loved everywhere except Camelot, you knobs”. Cue “… you grew up outside of Camelot, right? Can you do magic?”, which results in Merlin looking at them all dumbfounded, going “of course I can do magic?? I’m actually very good at it?? I use it every time I go home to help out my mum? Did you think I couldn’t do magic??!” and everyone is so taken aback that they just… leave that as it is.

64. FREYLIN!! In which Merlin managed to save Freya, and after a few years of sneaking away to visit her every couple of weeks, finally decides Fuck Destiny and Fuck Arthur and Fuck Camelot and runs away to live with her. Merlin manages to lift her curse and they get married and build their perfect little home and have a very adorable child, but it all comes crashing down when King Arthur and his closest knights, one of whom is very badly injured, stumble upon their home. Magic!! Love!! Reconciliation!!

Let me know if these change any of your votes!! I am sorta desperate to write #58 at some point soon, but don’t worry, I shall finish #7, #49, and hopefully #32 and #48 before then!

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gedeonburkhard · 7 months

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FROM GEDEON

Award-winning actor Gedeon Burkhard stars opposite Brad Pitt in the much anticipated Quentin Tarantino film Inglourious Basterds. Burkhard plays American Jew Sgt. Wilhelm Wicki who serves as a translator for Pitt’s character. Some of his other film credits include: The Last Train (directed by Joseph Vilsmaier), Melodies of Spring (directed by Martin Walz), Golden Times (directed by Peter Thorwart) and Making Up (directed by Katja V. Garnier).

Burkhard is the recipient of the Best Actor Bavarian Award for his work in Acting It Out and also received a Romy for Best Actor for the acclaimed his television series Detective Rex, which went on to sell to over 140 foreign territories. In addition, he also helmed a successful television series Alarm for Cobra 11 that aired in 120 countries.

Burkhard’s success in film and television has catapulted him onto the main stage in one of the most highly anticipated movie releases of 2009, Inglourious Basterds. IFQ caught up with Burkhard on the eve of the film’s premiere at the 2009 Cannes Film Festival.

IFQ: You play opposite Brad Pitt in the much anticipated Quentin Tarantino film Inglourious Basterds. Without revealing too much about the film, can you tell me about your character Sgt. Wilhelm Wicki?

Gedeon Burkhard: He’s a Basterd! One of 8 Jewish American, Nazi killing predator’s, in a world gone awry. Especially for Jews! As far as his history goes, he was born in Austria, immigrated to America in the early 1920’s, became American and was one of the first in line to go fight when the US entered the war. Aside from killing and mutilating, he also translates for Brad Pitt’s character, Lt. Aldo Raine.

IFQ: You are an award-winning star of consecutive top-rated television dramas in Germany and over 120 territories worldwide, as well as starring in many films in German-speaking territories. How did you cross over and score a supporting role in Tarantino’s film?

GB: Ten years ago in Vienna, I come home from a night shoot and find one of the greatest Directors of our time, fast asleep, on my couch. As it turns out, my girlfriend at the time, Emma Hickox, and Q are old friends. Actually, one of the characters in Inglourious Basterds is named after her late father and director Douglas Hickox. One year later in L.A., Quentin tells me about this character he has me in mind for and then, very generously, gives me eight years to prepare for the audition.

IFQ: How did you prepare for this role? Were you previously familiar with the old school WWII epic films?

GB: When I was 11, working on a miniseries dealing with the rise and downfall of the Third Reich, I was confronted with the subject matter for the first time. Since then I have played a Jewish prisoner picked from a concentration camp to act in Jud Süss (Anti-Semitic propaganda film) and a Jewish boxer fighting for his family’s survival on the way to Auschwitz. So since a lot of research was already in place, I mainly concentrated on playing around with knives, handling guns, slitting throats, scalping and so forth. As far as WW II epics go, any existing gaps where closed by Q’s weekly screenings during preparation.

IFQ: What was your initial reaction when you first read the script? While shooting, did Tarantino make everyone stick to the script or was there any room to improvise?

GB: My initial reaction was, God I can’t wait to see this! And, who do I have to kill to be in it?! I’m not quite sure about the order. Who, in his right mind, would want to change a Quentin Tarantino script? You’re just happy to be one of the lucky f***’s chewing his dialogue. But Quentin is the easiest going Genius I ever met and he is always open for someone bringing something to the table.

IFQ: How was the experience working with Tarantino himself? What’s his working process like on set?

GB: A film set is always the realm of organized chaos and to me, Quentin is King Arthur and Merlin wrapped into one! So being one of his chosen Knights, I naturally look to him for direction and guidance, which he readily gives. But Quentin also likes to let you run free in his magic castle; his only demands are devotion to the cause, passion and concentration.

IFQ: What was it like working alongside such a diverse cast: Brad Pitt, Eli Roth, Samuel Jackson, Maggie Cheung, Julie Dreyfus and Diane Kruger? What was your rapport like with them on the set?

GB: I never had the pleasure of meeting Maggie or Samuel. Quoting Quentin, Brad’s not a star; he’s a planet! And still he manages to be nothing but inspirational and a pleasure to be around. He is a wonderful colleague whose huge talent just drags you along, making you be the best you can be. Eli is a great buddy, but on set he was also our boss, Sgt. Donnie Donowitz! So if you mishandled your weapon, on or off camera, he chewed your ass out! Julie and Diane are both gorgeous, inside and out! I didn't have the honor to work with Julie but Diane, who I worked next to for weeks, was an endless fountain of entertainment and laughs.

IFQ: How do you think the German population in general will react to the film? Will they be able to separate history’s past and appreciate it as an entertaining film on its own merit?

GB: Quentin has managed to deal with this difficult subject matter in a way that gives everybody in his right mind the possibility to access and partake in the story and the ones that don’t, can as far as I’m concerned go F*** themselves!

IFQ: You have worked on both German-speaking and American films. Can you compare and contrast working on German-speaking films/TV and the USA/Germany co-production film Inglourious Basterds?

GB: Crew size and Production value. Aside from that, everybody is trying to do the same thing: make a good movie!

IFQ: Can you tell me how your educational background has allowed you to play both American and German speaking characters?

GB: Being an impossible child and always getting kicked out of schools was, not at the time but in retrospect, a good thing. It led to me being educated, first in England and then in America, giving me the gift of two languages and two cultures.

IFQ: Since Inglourious Basterds will premiere at the 2009 Cannes Film Festival, will we see you there?

GB: Since I have never been to the Cannes Film Festival, you can bet your ass you’re going to see me there this year!

IFQ: Any upcoming projects?

GB: I just finished shooting a film called Mazel. It‘s a Jewish take on My Big Fat Greek Wedding.

#gedeonburkhard

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