#merlin is goot at swordfighting

[onceandfuturewarlqck]

you cant tell me that merlin hasnt learnt how to use a sword after 10 years of following arthur and the knights around and watching them training.

you also cant tell me that arthur didnt personally decide to train merlin after he realized that the fool was going to follow him everywhere, head first into danger.

and you also don't dare telling me that gwaine, protective gwaine, the one that calls himself merlin's best friend (there is a bet going on about who is merlin's best friend, I'm pretty much sure, and merlin knows about this and just messes around with the knights for fun), didnt march straight to merlin, grabbed his arm, took him to the training grounds and shoved a sword to him because 'i won't have you dying for princess' sake, he already believes himself important enough'.

and you just TRY telling me that everyone else didnt jump on this train and started giving merlin tips or used him as a sparring partner as an excuse to teach him some swordfighting, and this goes on for years, and it becomes something natural and familiar between the inner circle of the knights, and then word spreads also outside of it and all the other knights, especially the new ones, are way too confused about who exactly this boy, this servant, is.

you shouldn't even open your mouth against me about how one day merlin is sparring against leon and they are just chattering and doing light footwork until things get animated and it turns into a real (even if friendly) fight and, under everyone's unbelievable eyes, merlin disarms leon, first knight leon, the second best after arthur. and merlin just shrugs this off, fawning over leon because 'you're not hurt are you??' and. leon just laughs. he completely cracks down and start laughing and gwaine swears under his breath and arthur is still looking at merlin like he has grown a second head (and, maybe, there's also some pride there. and something else we wont name) and percival whispers 'has leon been possessed?'

and youd be wrong if you think that, after that day, arthur doesnt call merlin into his chambers one evening and makes him sit at his table and there is a sword on it. and arthur tells merlin to pick it up, to tell him how does the blade feels in his hands, and merlin is like, 'sire, have you forgotten how to use a sword?' but arthur just ignores him and tells him to try it. and merlin does it, and tells him, a bit begrudgingly, that it's the best sword he has ever had his hands on, it flows perfectly, no hitch at all. and it is. it's beautiful and the hilt just fits perfectly in his palm, the engraved lines of a dragon pressing against his skin, the blade thin and light like air, almost bending at merlin's will. arthur nodding at this with something in his eyes.

and you cant change my mind that, when merlin goes to give the sword back to arthur, arthur just steps forwards and fasten its sheat at merlin's waist, ignoring the confusion on his servant's face (and if the tips of his ears are red, he doesnt say anything). 'you keep it,' arthur just says, brushing his hands against merlin's for a second, before clearing his throat and turning away.

you wont make me think that merlin didnt just stare at his king, at arthur, and then at his new acquired weapon, and then smirked (or tried to, it probably was a softer smile than he had intended), and said 'of course, my lord'.

and if, when in thoughts or anxious, merlin's fingers naturally touch the hilt of the sword, and if, when worried and agitated, arthur takes it upon himself to personally check that his manservant always has the sword he gifted him on his body, well. that's between them, and none is the wiser.

#merlin #merlin bbc #arthur pendragon #merthur #merlin and arthur #merlin emrys #merlin is goot at swordfighting #you cant change my mind #i wrote this #my writing #merlin fic #merlin ficlet #headcanon #arthur is definitely weak for powerful merlin #bamf merlin #you cant tell me this boy didnt spend ten years with the best knights in the freaking kingdom for him not to learn how to fight #merlin doesnt need a sword but it certainly helps