#bbc nimueh

[xviruserrorx]

MerlinRewatch2023 -> "The Mark Of Nimueh" Book Of Job ~ Masterlist [Prev <- • -> Next]

#merlinwatch2023 #viruscreates #bbc merlin #arthur pendragon #uther pendragon #ygraine pendragon #ygraine de bois #bbc nimueh #bbcm nimueh #bbc merlin edit #merlin 1x03 #bbc merlin 1x03 #1x03 mark of nimueh #what tags does mostly eveyone use for episodes? i never know... #pendragon house #yes i know the colors are weird i tried especially with those blue scenes their just so dark #i hope the metaphor gets across on this one too... #like arthur being born from nimueh's magic under uthers orders that ends up bringing them all down in the end... or something #and i wanted to wait for a different episode to do this but then i decided to do it for this episode becaus its sorta the beginning of this #please click for better quality #anyways cheers!

[nooowestayandgetcaught]

Fic: “All The King's Horses And All The King's Men”

read on AO3

Fandom: BBC Merlin

Rating:  Teen (M-rating on AO3)

Summary: On the eve of King Uther's long-awaited marriage ceremony, Nimueh convinces her lover to flee.

@flashfictionfridayofficial​

Even from this distance, Nimueh hears the ringing of the great bell.

They cordoned off the lower town not long after she stole one of Uther's thoroughbreds, pulling a weeping Ygraine on. 

"I won't marry him… if my life means so little…" "I won't…"

Bruises colour Ygraine's wrists and arms. 

Nimueh remembers a murmurous kiss and holding Ygraine reassuringly. Her yellow curls smelled of the dungeon's rotted straw. Her breath heavy.

In the dead of night, both women run. 

Ygraine begs to speak with Uther, and Nimueh fiercely denies it. He desires Ygraine. Uther would go to unspeakable lengths for a son, an heir… even befriending a sorceress unafraid of dark magic and capable of creating life…

A life for a life… it is how the balance of their world is met.

Ygraine will not be safe with him.

"I won't…"

Nimueh chases out the sounds of hooves following them, reaching the edges of the Darkling Woods. Uther's men hope to entrap them. "Bael onbryne!" she yells, lighting up the trees, clearing a path for only her and her lover. 

But… Nimueh's magic, wild with her emotions, overtakes.

Another of Camelot's knights, Uther's men, dies… unintentionally… riding into the haze. His armour turns to a molten steel liquid. With him inside.

He screams agonizingly.

Ygraine leaps from the horse, as more men surround them, their weapons out. Her eyes defiant. "By my honour, if you return us to the castle, I shall go without falter," Ygraine swears, and Nimueh mutters out her name, incredulous.

The enchanted fires slowly diminish.

"Come," Ygraine urges her, smiling courageously. "Uther will forgive."

A grieving Nimueh stares into her face. How can she not see…

"I won't…"

"On your life, my lady," Nimueh says bitterly, readying Uther's horse. "I will not."

She vanishes into the thicket, no longer pursued.

Years and years pass before Gaius seeks her out, on behalf the King and Queen of Camelot… and the Great Purge began... Nimueh wonders Ygraine's fate if she remained at the Isle of the Blessed, cruel-hearted to their pleas…

And if her people might have lived freely…

If another of those with magic had been blamed for Uther's ignorance…

Then…

No-one is safe.

Deep in her cave, Nimueh laughs, marking the Afanc's egg in her hands.

#flash fiction friday #merlin #bbc merlin #femslash #nimueh bbc #ygraine de bois #ygraine pendragon #bbc nimueh #ygraine x nimueh #nimueh x ygraine #merlin fanfic #merlin fandom #bbc merlin fanfic #bbc merlin fic

[tiodolma]

Morgana: Merlin you loved me first

Merlin: I uh

Nimueh: But he killed me first

Morgana: he killed me more times than i can count. And I killed him many times too!

Merlin: that’s not really something to be proud of tbh

Morgana (ignoring Merlin): we had moments!!! I helped him once! We saved a kid once! We even have a dragon together! I got to chain him up in my bedroom! I have nightmares about him!Take that nimueh!

Nimueh: ... WTF

Merlin (sparkle eyes): morgana i thought u hated me 🥺🥺🥺 i didnt know you cant get me out of your mind. That’s... disturbing but also hot.

Nimueh (recovering): you say that but he showed me his true powers... you never saw him use magic in his true form... while I did... and he was Magnificent.

Merlin (preening): aw shucks. That’s awfully nice, nimueh.

Morgana (turning on merlin): she’s right, how dare you Emrys!!!

Merlin (carrying baby arthur): Oops we gotta book it now Arthur lets goooo

Morgana: dont take him away from meeeee

#mergana #incorrect mergana #incorrect merlin #bbc morgana #bbc nimueh #bbc merlin #what am i doing #they are so Problematc #lol

[groundbreakingdot872]

The Hag

Note: I’m leaving our lady Dolma out of this since I wanted to look into dark magic used for aging spells

The Hag is a disguise used first by Morgause, and then Morgana, to draw their support in close under the guise of a helpless old beggar woman.

It seems to be an old witch’s trick, or some a form favored by High Priestesses, as Morgause was the first to use it on Morgana. Nimueh, the first High Priestess, preferred using a ‘younger’ version as Kara, but I’m guessing she was skilled in these transformations too.

On a side note: I wonder if it takes more or less skill to become younger or older? I’m guessing it takes more skill to remain young, since Nimueh was the age as Uther when she was defeated, and Morgana/Morgause only have the wisdom of short lineage of Priestesses to go off on

Morgause’s ‘beggar woman’ disguise

Morgause first appears to Morgana with this guise in ‘Eye of the Pheonix’, and it’s apparently the first time she’s used it, since Morgana is justifiably shocked at her appearance.

This disguise is really only useful for quick meetings, if your face is recognizable by the general public or guards. But it’s very effective, completely molding Morgause’s face.

However, the downside is how vulnerable to exposure the disguise is, it most likely weakens the user, gives them a frail appearance, and their true face can be seen in mirrors or reflective surfaces (just as Mary Collins’ was exposed in ‘Dragon’s Call’).

I’m guessing both disguises work with dark magic, which has some source of power (like the amulets with blood in ‘Gwaine’ or straw doll/dead body combo in ‘Dragon’s Call’), unlike Merlin’s aging spell using a combination of good magic and a potion in ‘Queen of Hearts’.

Interestingly, the spell seems to have one advantage, which is some persuading power or spell that is tethered to the person the guise is meeting with. I only say this because of the emphasis on Morgana gripping Morgause’s hand to consent to her meeting, and then the same repeated when Morgana returns as a hag for Gwen.

Morgana’s Hag guise to meet with the Queen

In a blatant parallel of her relationship with Morgause, Morgana disguised herself as the Hag to meet with an enchanted Gwen in ‘A Lesson in Vengeance’. Another brainwashed young woman, led away by the High Priestess for the prime motive of assassinating Arthur.

This time, there is no maidservant or friend on the side to express concern for Gwen being led away, even Merlin is absent. But Gwen mirrors the movements of Morgana from years ago, Morgana taken on the same disguise when she meets with a brainwashed Gwen in season 5.

I think it’s a very tragic line Gwen is being led on, you could argue the amount of brainwashing or type that was inflicted on Morgana, but it very much reminds me of old folk tales, where the witch leads the damsel away to bargain away her youth or pretty face.

In this case, Gwen bargains away the love of her life, with no conscious decision-making on her own part, merely following the steps Morgana took long ago. This also makes me believe that Morgana was intent on using Gwen, not only as her ally, but as her partner and future lineage of High Priestess.

Think of the words she uses when she met with Gwen earlier, “Only with their allegiance will your path to the throne be clear” Her path to the throne? You might think Morgana is bluffing here, but I believe she has genuine trust and belief in this new version of Gwen, that they will sit on the throne of Camelot together, as co-rulers of a new legacy. A Pendragon for a Pendragon.

Her uncompromising tone, and vague words are also very reminiscent of Morgause’s tone when she used to smuggle magical items to Morgana to use against Arthur.

They even repeat this ‘hand consent’ thing I mentioned earlier, which might be an added persuasion spell, for these risky situations where knights of villagers could spot the mole.

It’s unfortunately clear that Morgana had intent to continue on the lineage of High Priestesses no matter the cost, and what better ally and friend to carry on the burden than her best friend?

I can’t imagine what would’ve befallen Gwen if they hadn’t broken the spell, if on Camlaan’s eve two traitors of Arthur’s circle would’ve stood by Morgana’s side, if the possibility of victory bene made nil by the Queen’s stance.

Morgana and Mithian - a damsel a penny

Morgana’s use of her Hag costume (then Hilda lmao) is interesting to note because this was in ‘Another’s Sorrow’ just one episode before the Dark Tower.

The writers obviously introduced Morgana’s form as an old woman here, and might have drawn the parallel to Gwen’s allyship later.

I am surprised that Morgana doesn’t attempt to use Mithian beyond this plot to lure Arthur to a trap, or think of her as an excellent candidate as a brainwashed High Priestess.

She has all the Queenly capabilities as Gwen, she’s well-educated and in a situation where her father had already tried to to marry her off to Camelot. Their castle is not so well-defended, as Morgana is able to slip in and take advantage of the father and daughter.

The only explanation would be that Gwen was not only the perfect candidate for Morgana’s partner, but the only one; which must correlate to their long-standing history of betrayal, love and friendship.

And here’s a picture of dolma as my favorite senior sorceress! (Sorry Alice)

———————

pics from my own screenshots and Pinterest 💕

#bbc merlin #witches of camelot #high priestesses of camelot #morgwen #guinevere pendragon #morgana pendragon #bbc nimueh #morgause #mithian

[kateis-cakeis]

Do you guys ever think about how Merlin was only born because Arthur was born?

Two babes born who never should have existed, pulled from the very fabric of the world, magic.

One born from a ritual fraught with consequences, a mother dead, a terrible retribution sought.

One born after a man was forced to flee, the last of his kind, taken in by a woman across the border.

And while it is possible Balinor could have made it to Hunith regardless, it seems it was only the terrible circumstances that led to him going to Ealdor at all.

Arthur and Merlin, two sides of the same coin, soulmates right down to their mere existence at all.

#bbc merlin #merlin #arthur pendragon #merthur #i just aaaaah they #it's fucking wild every time i think about it #they both should not exist - Arthur literally only exists because of Nimueh #and Merlin only exists because the price being Ygraine's life caused Uther to start the Great Purge and eventually betray Balinor - forcing #him to flee and then you know you know #soulmates in every way

[emrys-merlin]

I just love Merlin loving magic, those moments are the best ones for me. The dragon out of fire, the butterflies, the horse out of smoke, the flying lights...it's just so Merlin, and it makes your heart ache how badly he just wants to make pretty things

It's so great to see how happy magic makes him, and how badly he wants Arthur to feel that too (and not only Arthur)

It's what's so good about his character, he stays optimistic and good, despite all this hate and murder.  Even in season 5, yes. The fact that when he gets his magic back he could do whatever he wants, and he chooses to create butterflies

This particular scene makes me sad. Look at him

Merlin doesn’t have a whole lot of opportunity to use his magic for fun really, you can see how badly Merlin wants to be free. It's something tragically beautiful.

#merlin #bbc merlin #merlin bbc #merthur #arthur pendragon #merlin emrys #merlin various seasons #the best main character #the most tragic character #you can see the difference between him and Morgana #or between him and Morgause/Nimueh

[twistedshipper]

high priestesses + fire

#bbc merlin #merlinedit #merlingifs #merlin gifs #tvedit #female characters #morgana pendragon #morgause #nimueh #bbc morgana #merlin #twistedshipper #merlinladies #high priestesses of the old religion

[merlin-gifs]

Live Gaius Reaction

MERLIN | 1x04 "The Poisoned Chalice"

#merlin #merlinedit #merlin bbc #bbc merlin #season 1 #1x04 #nimueh #gaius #merlin x gaius #tvedit #perioddramaedit #* #jd

[merlinemrys]

it always gets to me how powerful merlin is because if nimueh, one of the last high priestesses of the old religion, has to say a spell aloud to just unlock a door while merlin in the first five minutes just stops TIME for funsies then it's honestly a miracle that the whole of camelot doesn't just blow up if merlin sneezes too hard

#shows #bbc merlin #merlin s1 #merlin 1x04 #merlin #nimueh #bamf merlin #text #tais toi lys #lys lb: merlin #*

[dollopheadsandclotpoles]

The fact that in ep 1x09 they went with the choice to dress Uther and Gaius up like Merlin and Arthur is making my brain draw comparisons I really don't want it to draw

#bbc merlin #Gaius's loyalty to Uther despite his treachery against his own kind??? #Uther still trusting Gaius despite knowing he practiced sorcery once #a thing that Uther canonically despised even BEFORE it “”“killed”“” his wife??? #Gaius being the only one who knows about Nimueh!?!?!? AND MORGANA!??! #HELLO /hello!!!!!!!! #they were the original failed merthur the gods were like we gotta do this again but we gotta do it right this time #LITERALLY IN THIS SCENE UTHER IS LIKE YOU'VE ALWAYS BEEN A GOOD FRIEND DESPITE MY TEMPER #I hate this so much #this is the ep where uther is even like you and Arthur have a bond huh #like he’s thinking back to his own fractured relationship with Gaius #am I reading too much into this? you decide

[morganaconda]

#look at my sidebar on my blog for more! #merlin #merlin bbc #nimueh #lady of the lake #merlin crack #text posts #merlin text posts

[ehlihr]

nimueh sketches

#my art #nimueh #merlin #bbc merlin #merlin bbc

[star-rie]

i’m so disappointed that we didn’t get to see a really big conflict regarding Arthur’s birth when the show was building up so much to it back in season 1 and 2. And i feel like we could have seen so much more.

we could have seen uther’s corruption from a wise king turning into a tyrant over the years, we could have gotten more about ygraine’s origin story and who she was as a person, and we could have gotten uther-nimueh/magic relationship before arthur’s birth. they could have shown to us so much more why arthur, merlin and gaius cared so much about keeping uther alive even though he’s a bitch 24/7

okay yes, there was that one episode but with morgouse, but arthur thought it was a lie at the end, and it never got revealed to him

#bbc merlin #merlin bbc #merlin #arthur pendragon #arthur bbc #uther pendragon #bbc uther #king uther #nimueh #ygraine pendragon #ygraine de bois

[tiodolma]

Morgause preferring undead, zombies and ghosts over actual ppl is so funny tho. Ig it’s easier but she cant build a culture with that.

Nimueh the conjurer is even worse.

Or are high priestesses just doomed to be kinda introverts and hate interacting with people in general?

Morgana’s got an edge over them coz she actually likes people or thrives in being among them and working with them.

Merlin is more Nimueh-like as well.

#bbc morgana #bbc morgause #bbc merlin #bbc nimueh #thots #is it pride #fear of people #general distrust

[gramnel]

Previous

what a bloody trio

#merlin alphabet #merlin #bbc merlin #morgana #morgana pendragon #nimueh #lady of the lake #odin #bbc odin #morgana le fay #merlin bbc #bbc morgana #art #my art #artists on tumblr

[emrys-merlin]

Ok but Nimueh is THE high priestess of the series.

She was the only priestess who truly seemed to actually care about what the Old Religion had to say. She wasn't a good person but never acted like a "psychopath". She never underestimate Merlin.

This character is so interesting that I'm not convinced she would fully support Morgana and Morgause. Yeah she would have joined them, but I don't think she would have "obsessively" tried to kill Merlin and Arthur. They are her enemies, yes, she tried to kill them, but she didn't truly want them dead. And that would be a problem for Morgana/Morgause.

Nimueh knows about the prophecies. She knows about Merlin and Arthur's destiny. She literally wanted to put Arthur on the throne by herself and she kept dancing around Merlin's because she had sussed who he was and wanted the opportunity to recruit him.

The way she kept dancing around Merlin's request to take his life, and how she said numerous times that she had no control over who lived or died but it seemed to make sure it avoided Merlin and when Gaius requested his life suddenly it was very accurate Imao. She knew what she was doing.

It would be so cool to see a villain also try to fulfill the prophecy but in their own twisted way.

She shouldn't have died!

#merlin #bbc merlin #merlin bbc #nimueh #arthur pendragon #morgana #the wasted potential of this character #she was amazing #she should've been the current vilain with Morgana #i'm not even sure that she would have revealed Emrys' identity to Morgana lol #also Arthur was born thanks to her