You are the royal fool and you have happily entertained the royal family for many years. This is the story of how you the fool save the royal family from a cue, three assassination attempts, the wrath of God, and at least four falling light fixtures. And the royal family is non the wiser.
#ugh dude this banter was like #so subdued because merlin is sitting there thinking #you almost died what if i didnât heal you in time what if i wasnât strong enough #and arthur is sitting there thinking #what if he was executed while i slept i could never forgive myself i almost lost you #merlin spoilers #SIGH via warp69
I know itâs 2020 but Merlin AU where Uther notices a bunch of problems that could only be solved by magic ~spontaneously~ getting solved around Arthur, and concludes that this must be a side effect of Arthur only existing due to magical intervention. An intense bigotry-versus-parental-love internal conflict commences, followed by some thatâs-pretty-hypocritcal-of-you-isnât-it-dad screaming external conflict, generally upending everything. Merlin is standing in the corner the entire time holding a serving jug of mead and sweating.
Morgana, dramatically slamming open the throne room doors with both arms: IâM ALSO UNWILLINGLY MAGIC.
Arthur: What????
Morgana, raising one fist at him: Solidarity, motherFUCKER!
Arthur: What????????
Whatâs Uther gonna do? Whatâs he gonna fucking do???? Execute his secret Scottish child, but not his nonsecret blond heir child??? Theyâre ganging up on him now. Heâs fucking cornered.
#what a way for Arthur to get dumped into this drama#IâM PRETTY SURE I AM NOT MAGIC#âyou keep killing things that can only be killed by magic thoâ#âŠfull disclosure i often donât remember it#so sometimes you black out and accomplish magical feats?#NO! ( @whetstonefires )
At some point someone mentions that an eyewitness would be great. And they all realize that Merlin is persent for all these things and start asking Merlin what it looks like when Arthur performs these magical feats. And heâs half way through the royal mead so fuck it. And he starts talking about how Arthur glows and shit. And usually Merlin has to knock him on the head to get him to stop glowing and whooshing and what not and the idea that Merlin could be saving the prince from his own magical distraction is so absurd they decide itâs just a drunk idiot telling tales.
Merlin, really getting into this: It was to save you from your own magic, sire. I had no other choice. Thatâs⊠Thatâs what you do, you see a born sorcerer and you just wham, knock them out for their own good.
Morgana, thinking about her sleeping draughts: Itâs true Arthur thatâs what they do.
Arthur: Iâm.
Morgana: But itâs fine look we just have to win Merlin over to the side of magic.
Merlin: âŠ
Merlin: I donât know guys, thatâs going to be a tough sell.
Merlin: I just. I just donât know if I could be persuaded.
Arthur: Merlin, you arenât even from Camelot. Why would you have anti-magic biases.
Merlin: But youâre always so insistent magic is eeeevil.
Merlin: Maybe you should persuade me. Tell me whatâs so great about sorcerers.
The only good thing about this quarrentine is that a bunch of people are like "Might fuck around and get back into Merlin (BBC)" and I think that's very Sexy of them
In an interview for Elle Italy Bradley said that, when he was shooting Merlin, he listened to Run Boy Run by Woodkid to prepare himself for the fight scenes and I couldnât help but imagine THIS battle with THAT song.
Hey! First I want to tell you how much I adore the things you write! Youâre honestly so talented and I love your Merthur fics sooo much!! And now for the prompt thing, itâs kind of basic but if you could write something about merthur running away to live in a farm (On canon era)? Thank you! Stay safe
I had a bigger idea for this that I might expand into a longer fic one day. But who knows if that will ever happen. So here is this instead!
Prompts + Ficlets
***
Merlin woke in a cold sweat, gasping as if he had been drowning. This was the third dream in as many days. First, he had dreamt of Gaius, sitting by a fire in a small house on the outskirts of the lower town. Merlin hadnât thought much of it. Then next night he had dreamt of Lancelot, seeing him in Camelotâs red and gold, with Gwen by his side. The dream had made him sad, but nothing too worrisome. Tonight, Merlin had dreamt of Morgana. She was sitting on Camelotâs throne, Camelotâs knights at her feet, and Excalibur in her hand.
Gaius scolded Merlin for not telling him about the dreams sooner. Merlin defended himself, saying he hadnât thought they were visions of the future. He wasnât a Seer after all. Perhaps they were visions of a possible future.
âBut LancelotâŠâ Merlin said, his voice trailing off and his heart sinking. âIt must have been Gwenâs dreamâŠâ
Gaius shook his head, âI will try to find some explanation today. Now off you go before Arthur comes looking for you.â
Merlin thought about mentioning the dreams to Arthur. It had been a year since Merlin had told Arthur of his magic. Although Arthur had come to understand Merlinâs decisions, Merlin feared these visions would be too similar to Morganaâs nightmares for Arthur to trust them.
That night, Merlin went to sleep and almost as soon as he closed his eyes, he was opening them again. Except this time he wasnât in his room, but in an open field. He blinked at the bright sky above him. Where was he? He wandered down the rows of wheat until he came across a small cottage. Merlin squinted and he could see a small village down the lane.
âThere you are. Where have you been?â
Merlin turned around and was surprised to see Arthur. This far out in the country he had thought he might see Gwaine or Percival. He looked around, trying to see who Arthur was talking to, but no one else was around.
âWhat are you looking at? Close your mouth, you look like a startled stoat. Come on,â Arthur wrapped an arm around Merlinâs shoulders and tugged him along.
In his three previous dreams, no one had ever acknowledged him. He could walk around and speak, but it was like he wasnât there at all. Merlin stumbled along, trying to piece together what was different. All his other visions were of places he had been before, but this place was completely unfamiliar. It must have been something of Arthurâs memories.
Arthur led Merlin to the cottage, but instead of going inside, Merlin was dragged around the side to where there were even rows of vegetables and herbs. Clucking and pecking between the plants was about a dozen chickens. Merlin blinked at the scene before him. It reminded him of Ealdor.
Arthurâs hand slipped to Merlinâs neck and playfully ran over Merlinâs hair.
âLook!â He said with the sort of smile Merlin so rarely saw. It wasnât like the polite smile Arthur used with his counselors, or the comforting smile he used with while holding court, or even the roguish smile he used with his knights. It was a barely-there tilt of his lips with his eyes almost closed with mirth.
Merlin was so distracted that he didnât see what Arthur was pointing at.
Arthur rolled his eyes and turned Merlinâs head to the back of the cottage, towards a lavender bush. Only one or two of the flower bundles
had popped open to reveal the light purple blooms, but Merlin could tell it would be in full bloom in a few days.
âLavender?â Merlin asked, looking at the plant. It had obviously been well kept, trimmed and watered.
Arthur stared at him as if he had grown two heads. âArenât you happy?â
âUh,â Merlin gave a wary smile, âItâs very niceâŠ?â
âNice? Youâve been yammering about your stupid bush for weeks, waiting for it to bloom so you can dry it and use it in poultices, and
now that it is, itâs just nice?â
Merlin opened his mouth, about to say that this couldnât possibly be a vision. Merlin must have eaten something off before falling asleep. This couldnât be Arthurâs vision for the future.
âThis is my lavender bush?â
âYes, of course it is. Did you think I dug up yours and put in a new one?â
Merlin looked down at Arthur, just now taking in the fact that Arthur wasnât in chainmail. He wasnât in his usual well-crafted clothes either. He was in a loose-fitting white shirt that was unlaced at the chest, exposing tanned skin. His boots were scuffed and his hands were dirty, as if he had just been working in the garden behind the house.
âI was feeding the girls when I saw the new blooms. Iâve been trying to find you for ages. Were you off in the woods practicing your magic?â
There was too much in that sentence to digest. All Merlin said in response was, âThe girls?â
Arthur gestured to the chickens, as if that was the sane thing to do.
âAre you alright? You seem... off.â Arthur asked, before shaking his head, âNo matter. Letâs go inside and we can have some of that rabbit stew you promised me.â
Arthur walked into the cottage, which must have been Merlinâs. Merlin looked at the lavender bush and the small cottage. Did Arthur⊠Did Arthur want Merlin to leave Camelot? Was his dream for Merlin to practice his magic where Arthur didnât have to see it?
Merlin stepped into the cottage cautiously. The first room was a large space with a large pot hanging over a fire. There were shelves of food with a table that was cluttered with bottles and dried herbs. There was another smaller table off to the side which was obviously meant for eating. So far, it looked like a nice home. Merlin wouldnât mind living in, if the dreaded feeling that Arthur wanted him gone wasnât overwhelming him.
While Arthur went to look at the stew, Merlin quickly took at glance at the only other room. There was a bed, larger than Merlin had ever had. In the corner was a wardrobe and what made Merlin pause was the chest in the corner. It looked identical to the chest that sat in Arthurâs chambers. Then his eye caught on the table next to the bed. Excalibur was leaning against the bedside table.
âMerlin?â
Merlin turned on his heel to see Arthur leaning in the doorway.
âLooking for something?â He was smiling, his brows raising, almost as if to implyâŠ
Merlin blinked at Arthur, his mind connecting the clues but not wanting to allow himself to believe it.
âThe food will get cold if you dawdle any longer,â Arthur said, but he didnât seem in a rush. No, in fact he seemed happy to take his time.
Happy. That was the feeling Arthur seemed to be radiating. Not the pride of Morganaâs vision, the love of Gwenâs, or the peace of Gaiusâ. He was so inexplicably happy, and Merlin had never seen him like this before. So at ease in his own skin.
Merlin opened his mouth, his throat closing with emotion.
âWhat is it, love?â
Merlin closed his eyes at the endearment that rolled off Arthurâs tongue so easily. So natural that Merlinâ heart ached at the sound. Merlin could feel himself shake. He tried to calm himself, knowing that too much emotion would likely wake him. He couldnât risk that, not when he was so close to understanding.
âMerlin,â Arthur stepped up in front of Merlin so that they were eye to eye. âIs something wrong? You seem upset.â
Merlin opened his mouth, but no words came out.
Arthurâs dream was to be a farmer. A dirty farmer on the edge of some kingdom, with his knightâs armor piled in the corner, as if a forgotten past. Arthurâs impossible dream was to be here, in some unnamed village, with rabbit stew, and chickens, andâŠMerlin.
Merlin tried to keep an even expression, but he could feel his lips tremble, and Arthur began to blur as Merlinâs eyes watered.
A king could never be truly happy. It was a fact that both Merlin and Arthur had come to understand a long time ago. Merlin knew that Arthur would have to make choices that would weigh on him. Arthur had already lost so much through this war, and it was only the first step to a united Albion. They both had a weight on their shoulders that they could never escape.
Arthur reached out, his hand resting on Merlinâs neck, his fingers skimming into his hair. âDo you want to lie down?â Arthur asked, his voice so sweet that Merlin felt like he was about to choke on his own tears. âIâll take the stew off the fire and we can lie down for a bit.â
Arthur turned to leave, but Merlin could not let him. He grabbed Arthurâs tunic, his fingers clenched in the thin white fabric, holding him in place.
âDonât go,â Merlin whispered, ashamed at how desperate he sounded.
âOh, love. What happened?â Then Merlin was being wrapped in Arthurâs arms. He could barely feel those strong arms wrap around him, his face being pressed to Arthurâs neck, before his eyes opened and he felt his own small bed underneath him.
He choked out and raised his hand to his face to find that he had started crying in his sleep.
âMerlin?â Gaius rushed into the room and when he saw Merlin, he sighed. He sat on the edge of the bed, âOh, my boy.â Merlin let Gaius wrap an arm around him, feeling ashamed at his tears. Only the night before he had dreamt of Morgana taking the throne and that hadnât thrown him into a fit. But a single lavender bush and an uninhibited smile from Arthur, and he was trying to keep himself from falling apart entirely.
âItâll be alright, it was only a dream.â
If only Gaius knew that Merlin wished it wasnât.
hi hello so um i made a which knight of the roundtable are you? quiz and uhhhh iâd really appreciate it if you took it!!!!!!! like please. itâs 2:23AM and i made myself cry writing the character descriptions. anyways. uh. please.
so that whole archive of old merlin pics just came out and
are these the guard boyfriends that adopted the statue that merlin turned into a dog in valiant? where is their fic? what is their ship name? what did they name the dog?
Personally, this is hilarious to me because Alex was new to the set by Series 5 so he hadnât been around when the creators constantly got bashed for being âhistorically inaccurate.â Not that they ever cared. In the commentary for s01e01 the Julians have a pretty funny line about how there shouldnât be tomatoes or talking dragons but its fantasy so who cares?
Also, Colin constantly referring to himself as Merlin is what makes this great
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