ONCE & FUTURE KING.

❛     take heart, for when albion's need is GREATEST ——— arthur will rise again ! ALBION'S HOPE! dependent arthur from bbc's merlin.

[youngpendragcn]

❛  GWEN.     ♔

The embrace was a comfort Gwen had missed, it had been something she had wished to have but could not for so long and yet here it was once more. She had only pulled away in order to answer the question, the smallest smile still visible on her lips…even if it was far from an easy year to recall “It had been a year-an awful year for me but Camelot was doing well.” She confirmed before deciding to elaborate, “After you-after you were gone the kingdoms continued to be united but in a much greater way.” His death being past tense felt more than comforting, if she had known in that single year that she would see him again-she would willingly give that year of her life. “I wouldn’t imagine it is fun but I think I will have to agree with Merlin on this one; if it is keeping you occupied and out of trouble then there is nothing better.”I may have to find myself a job, I don’t think I could live with sitting around doing nothing.” She was happy, Gwen felt that although she missed Camelot-that all she needed was those she cared for and that would be close enough to home for her.It was also more than joyous to see the person she loved, here doing something with their life and it simply reminded her of how she would always love him no matter what. “Out of trouble and alive, I don’t think anything could make me happier Arthur.” She admitted in a single statement.

♔     ————          so she did reign as queen, GOOD.  he was sure that she would’ve if he had diedand here she was, confirming his thoughts. he knew she made a wonderful queen, but he did wish he could’ve seen itin action.  even if he were a fly on thewall, he would have loved every moment of it. he then began to speculate if she had any course of decisions to keepthe pendragon reign last.  if she had anythoughts of how she was going to have an heir.            ❛    a year ?    ❜            he questioned, eventhough she had just said it.  he neededto say it to make sure that he got all the information.  a year. It was good to know that the kingdom held after the battle ofcamlann.  It made him feel good that hedid his DUTY to his kingdom.            ❛    that’sgood.  i’m glad that the kingdoms becameunited, like how i hoped it would work out.  i am sorry that you had to rule alone, gwen.  that was not my intention, but mordred hadother plans apparently.    ❜            hisjaw clenched at the name of his enemy. venom filled his mouth, but he swallowed it back knowing that it did nouse to be upset about it now.  it wasdone.            ❛    merlin IS going to behappy that you’re here.  both of you canworry about me all you want while i see no problem.    ❜            he smiled and lookeddown, almost forgetting the dogs he was walking.  he would have to get them back soon, theywere probably getting hungry just how he was.            ❛    do you wanna join me in therest of my walk ?  i only have a few moreblocks to go before I bring the dogs back to their house.  we can talk about anything and everything youwant.  i’m sure you have plenty ofquestions.    ❜

[merthurdaily]

Top 20 Merlin & Arthur scenes voted for by you #18. S03E04: Pushing & chasing each other

[bradleyjamesjr]

[youngpendragcn]

❛  GWEN.     ♔

Her own attention had never been distracted, she needed him to truly be here because maybe that would help her adjust as she clearly had to. She took no hesitation in quite suddenly wrapping her arms around him with no questions asked “And I have missed you Arthur. So much.More than I can express.” Was it bad that she didn’t want to let him go? She felt as if the moment she did, he would jut be gone again.  “You have a job? A home?…oh that is wonderful and the job part is a little shocking but I would never doubt you.” She finally pulled away her attention settled on the two dogs for a moment before they returned to him.

♔     ————          a sigh slips on by as he hugs her back, absolutely MISSING that warmth she always carried.  it was comforting to say the least.  it was just another piece of home that settled into place in his heart.            ❛    i know thow this'll sound weird, but when did when did you leave camelot ?  i'm just curious as to how everything went after my death.    ❜            my death.  a shiver shot down his spine.  that was very morbid to say.  my death.  those two words spun around his head until it made him dizzy.  sometimes arthur STILL had problems understanding that he died. it felt      .   .   .      odd to think about let alone say out loud.            ❛    yeah, merlin helped, of course. i found the job all on my own, however. it's not as fun as one would like to picture being cooped up in an apartment all day with nothing to do.  it got boring.  it shocked merlin as well but he  likes it.  keeps me out of trouble, as he says.    ❜            a smile crept up on hisfeatures as he looked down at her.  she was just as beautiful as they day he saw her, possibly      (    if that was even possible    )      even MORE beautiful.

[youngpendragcn]

❛  DELANEY.     ♔

                   “ you used to be a dog trainer before this ? “       she’s HALF paying attention, admittedly.  the dog that had tried to lick her seems to have given up its attempt and has decided to, instead, roll onto the ground belly up giving her free range of scratches over it’s stomach.   a smile crinkles around her eyes; she does love dogs.   sometimes they were a bit OVER EXCITABLE which is why she preferred the more calm life of being a cat owner but she did find them fun.  when she does set more attention in, however, is when the man mentions his own dogs at home.  she looks to him and away from the delighted face of a dog getting a belly rub and grins.        “ no, absolutely NOT weird names !!  knights of the round table, right ?  one of my cats is sir galahad !!  i’m a big arthurian legend fanatic  …  i also appreciate puns so i’m pretty sure SIR BARKS-A-LOT is the best dog name i’ve heard in my entire life. “

♔     ————          ❛    well    .  .  .    yeah    ------    yeah, i was.    ❜         technically, he was a dog trainer.  his dogs were just the royal hounds who accompanied him when he went hunting.  the dog he was snuggling up to had lay down on his lap, making it impossible for arthur to shift into a better position.  that would have to be his LEAST favorite thing about dogs      :      they all thought that they were lap dogs when in reality they weren't.  did he actually mind it though ?  no.  he loved whenever a dog deemed his lap the perfect resting place.  it made him feel important.  plus, you got a free personal heater      ------      it's a win--win situation.          ❛    correct.  i thought that no one would be able to recognize the names, let alone place them to where they belonged to.  i guess i was wrong.  sir galahad ?  interesting choice.  why did you pick that it  ?  just because you're a fan or due to his personality ?  that's pretty much how sir gwaine got HIS name, by his personality.  he's loud, obnoxious, annoying, a drooler, and jumps on people when excited.  sir barks-a-lot, on the other hand, was mainly for the pun.  he's the quietest dog i've ever owned.  he also seems to get very annoyed at sir gwaine at times, which makes it me picking those names even better.  speaking of arthurian legends, i'm arthur.  i do have a question for you though, how MUCH do you know of arthurian legend ?  i happen to be quite a fan of it myself.    ❜

[youngpendragcn]

❛  GWEN.     ♔

A day at most, after a year of what some would consider hell mainly for the loss she endured but she was here, in what she could only call a dream-unable to fathom the idea of being in a different place or time…at least that was how she was dealing with it for now. She had finished a conversation with a kind stranger and was about to attempt to find the living arrangements set out for her when she could barely believe her ears…maybe she was going mad? He couldn’t-no he had been gone and this was just a dream. He was not here. Her body almost froze as if she was scared to turn, scared to look upon the one person that would bring her hope once more but with nothing more than a shaky breath, her hair falling down her back she turned.  Shock was a funny thing, so much so that Gwen found herself barely able to speak “You-No…this isn’t real…you can’t be-this is just an illusion.” Her words showing the emotional cracks beneath the surface. “Please. Please tell me this is just an illusion.”

♔     ————          pulling back on the leashes, he made the dogs sit as his gaze never faltered away from gwen.  brows knitted together as a puzzled look swept across his face at what she said.  it was no illusion.  he was here.  NOT DEAD.  in fact, he’s been here some time before christmas.  still, he couldn’t quite understand why she didn’t believe it.  but could he blame her ?  she just ended up in the future with no explanation.          ❛    it’s no ILLUSION guinevere.  i’m alive and well, just as you are.  i know it’s a shock but i’m perfectly alive.  i even have a job,    ❜          he gestured down to the dogs.          ❛    i've an apartment with two lovely people and two dogs of my own      :      sir gwaine and sir barksalot.    ❜          a small smile picked up his lips before they settled down again.  he was quite fond of his two mutts.  in fact, he couldn’t wait to get back home to them.  blue eyes flickered down towards the cement then back up.          ❛    ------      i have missed you.    ❜

[youngpendragcn]

❛  MERLIN.     ♔

˚ ˖ :  *   ––––––––––    ❛    wh  —  you’re awake.   before seven in the morning ?   ——  you know you don’t work today ,  right ?   are you feeling alright ?   i feel like i should be concerned about you waking up like this on your own.    ❜

♔     ————          ❛    yeah, i’m awake.  i KNOW i don’t work today, i’m just up.  what’s so wrong about that ?  back in camelot, i was up before the sun plenty of times.  why should it now start to concern you ?    ------      i STILL want those muffins and bagels.    ❜

[youngpendragcn]

♔     ————          it was just a normal friday      :      he woke up, took a shower, dressed, ate, then went to his FAVORITE job in the world      ------      dog walking.  he adored all the dogs he walked and then some !  today it was just three dogs due to the owner’s of two being home.  he put in headphones then pressed shuffle on the playlist that merlin made him a couple of weeks ago.  he was content.  arthur was on his merry way down the familiar route he took everyday.  everything was just PERFECT.  merely by chance, he looked around, not expecting anything but something caught his eye across the street.  it was a figure.  familiar, of course.  craning his neck, he tried getting a better view of the person.  no luck.  with a quick glance both ways, he trotted across the street, dogs leading the way and made his way up to the person.  he’d know that curly brown hair anywhere.          ❛    gwen,    ❜         he breathed, reaching out to touch her shoulder.

starter for @somuchheartofkindness

[youngpendragcn]

❛  SPENCER .     ♔

“Where is the best place for coffee?” The brunette muttered, talking aloud to anyone around her. “I’ve been in the library so much I’m on a first name basis with the homeless guy that sleeps next to the microfiche.”

♔     ————          ❛    i’m not so sure about the BEST place, but i do know that there’s a small cafe just around the corner and down a couple of blocks.  they have some DECENT coffee there.    ❜          he did his best trying to remember the exact location of it.  he wasn’t one hundred percent sure      :      more of a eight percent.  he knew it was around the corner but not TOO SURE of how    “down a couple of blocks”    was.

[youngpendragcn]

❛  ISABELLE .     ♔

these things kept happening to her. a guy who can’t keep his hands to himself and ends up with his face on the pavement, blood pouring from a wound on their hand. looking up with the hint of a grin on her features, she met the gaze of someone else. “ they will be fine. it’s more of a scratch than anything else. besides it’s not like they don’t deserve it. ”

♔     ————          ❛    i’m quite sure that they deserved it.  by the looks of it, it’s going to leave a mark, which is great for LEARNING EXPERIENCES.    ❜          arthur offered the girl a smile before glancing back down at the man who was laying on his back.  he scoffed at the ridiculous sight then back up at the girl.          ❛    you’ve got a wonderful aim, i must say.    ❜

[youngpendragcn]

♔     ————          ❛    ------    MERLIN !  bring me the finest muffins and bagels in all the land !     ❜

an amazing starter for @magicitsclf

[youngpendragcn]

❛  DELANEY .     ♔

she had her response and that was all she needed for an a-okay. she hardly even registered his warning.   “are you their official dog walker? sounds like a dream job.”   she shucked her bag off her shoulder, letting it drop with a thud onto the ground, then shuffled forward to squat down to the dogs who, most of which, seemed to pull forward to inspect their new guest with sniffs. delaney had two cats at home who she adored to the end but she was as much a dog person as she was a cat person, in the end.  “hey!”  she shares a grin and reaches forward to ruffle the first dog head she can get her hands on. she chuckles at the tickle of a nose against her pants then laughs when a wet nose presses to her cheek, sending her off balance from her squat and having her plopping to a sit onto the pavement.   “ugh, i love dogs! my cats are gonna hate me when i get home!”  she grins at one of the dogs, both hands on his face, before he darts forward to lick her.

♔     ————          ❛      heh. i GUESS you can say that it’s a dream job. i love dogs and really did miss training them.      ❜               he shrugged, sitting down where he stood. he enjoyed watching the dogs meeting a new person      ------------      it was GOOD for them. they needed more interaction and surely they would get adopted. absentmindedly, he pulled one of the dogs close to him and snuggled into it’s coat, loving the warm against the cooler weather around him. his gaze never leaves the dogs interacting with the girl. this is what they all want      :      someone who LOVES them unconditionally and plenty of rubs and scratches.               ❛      you have cats? that’s nice! i have two dogs myself      :      sir gwaine and sir barksalot. very WEIRD NAMES, i know, but they are my world.      ❜               a fond smile stretches across his lips as he thinks about his two mutts, who are probably laying on his bed, curled up together.

[youngpendragcn]

❛  DELANEY .     ♔

“can i pet your dogs?”    the guy’s got like, what, six or seven dogs around him?  surely he’s not going to be selfish with this and say no.  she’s heading home from practice with a duffle bag hanging from one of her shoulders and it’s freezing and maybe she’s got some aches and bruises but she’ll be damned if she doesn’t pet every single dog he has.  she grins at the dogs before giving a hopeful look to him.

♔     ————          he loves his job.   then again, who WOULDN’T love to walk dogs all day   &   play with them?  it was an amazing job   &   he could not complain.  today he was walking the dogs from the animal shelter      ( his favorite )      so he has more than his usual three or four.  he was SEVEN.  does it bother him?  not at all.  he was used to training more than one dog at a time   &   in all honesty, these dogs KNEW that arthur was the alpha in every situation.  it took some time before he got up to that status with some of the more dominant dogs but he eventually came out on top.               ❛      uh, yeah?   they’re not really MY dogs though.   they belong to the animal shelter.      ❜               he said in response to this girl’s question.   he was a bit shocked when she came up to him but figured that if the dogs sensed that something was wrong they’d let him know.   they had enough trust for that, right?      ( he could only hope )               ❛      just      ------------      just be careful with dexter, the german shepherd.   he likes to nibble.      ❜               arthur knelt down next to the dogs   &   patted the tops of their heads before looking back up to the girl, a small smile on his lips.

[youngpendragcn]

"It's Tradition!" ( morgana || summusacerdos )

♔     ————          it did take arthur some time before he actually TRUSTED morgana.   this one was from BEFORE she became wicked  &  tried to destroy camelot by taking the throne for herself.   after he got used to her this way ,  it became EASY between them again.   they went back to their old selves      ————      always bickering  &  the rare occasions where they actually had a heart to heart  &  got along.   in hindsight ,   it made sense to him that they would be related.   they were more alike than different ,  which makes them clash NEARLY 24/7.      (  poor merlin.  )      HOWEVER ,  morgana didn’t know that they WERE siblings.   merlin told him not to mention it yet ,  that they would do that together      .   .   .

IT APPEARS THAT THAT NIGHT WOULD BE TONIGHT!

he nearly CHOKES on the glass of wine he’s been sipping throughout the night when she says those words.   he’s attacked with a bought of coughs that seemed not to let up as he sets down his glass on the near by coffee table.   his eyes go wide as they shift to look at morgana.   with the coughing still happening ,  arthur QUICKLY shakes his head as he does his best to stifle the coughs behind his hand.   as he regains his breath ,  he’s STILL shaking his head.               ❛      oh ,  morgana!   i have to tell you something  &  it’s RATHER IMPORTANT.     ❜               he takes a deep breath ,  trying to figure out how to go about this.   how can you tell something that you’re their sibling?   even after knowing another family?   this was going to be rather difficult for the young pendragon to do.

❛      you’re my sister.  i’m NOT kissing you.     ❜               ————      or      .   .   .        maybe NOT that difficult.

NEW YEAR’S EVE KISS MEME.          //               @summusacerdos   ,          accepting.

[youngpendragcn]

❛   COSETTE .     ♔

              COSETTE HAS COME AND GONE FROM THE APARTMENT, yet arthur has not moved. she hesitates for a moment before leaning against the arm of the couch,       “ is there anything i can get for you? a drink or some food, perhaps? —– you do have to EAT, you know, i do not believe that merlin would be very pleased if you died of starvation. ”

♔     ————          he knew that cosette was telling the truth.   he SHOULD eat, but he couldn’t.   he was in a state of dizziness that was not going away any time soon.   if he ate, he wasn’t sure that he would be able to keep it down.   the solution to this problem was plain  &  simple     :     don’t eat.   he’s gone days without eating before, he could do it again.   he KNEW he could do it again.               ❛      seriously, cosette, i’m not hungry.   besides, you shouldn’t worry about me, i’m fine.   i know that merlin won’t be PLEASED but how can i possibly eat if i’m not hungry?      ❜

[youngpendragcn]

❛  COSETTE .     ♔

               “ —– Are you okay? ”

     ♔     ————          ❛      uh      .  .  .          yes.   thank you,  m’perfectly fine.      ❜               LIES.   he wasn’t okay.   he still was wrapping his head around the fact that he was in 2016.   it had been a LONG TWO DAYS      &      he had spent them curled up in a blanket      &      never parting from merlin’s side.

[youngpendragcn]

❛  MERLIN .     ♔

come in early ,  stay later than needed.   that was merlin’s work schedule.  he didn’t take sick days & he worked holidays.   but for this   ——   he would have left even if they said he would be fired.   his coworkers were shocked when he sprinted back ,  informing them with a half-assed excuse of his apartment flooding ,  then sprinted away without waiting for an answer.   officer jordan was waiting for him as he pulled on his coat & he smiled at the sheriff with a nod telling him he was ready to go.   it was an active effort to make it seem like his heart wasn’t about to leap through his chest.

there the was the possibility of him just having a wishful ,  BEGGING heart.   he hoped it wasn’t.   he hoped his eyes weren’t fooling him when he saw the photo of the strange arrest the officer made last night.   he hoped this wasn’t some sick dream he was about to wake up from.   he had waited too long ,  TOO LONG ,  to be fooled in that way.

walking to the station seemed like seconds.   going back to the detainment cells ,  a blink of an eye.   everything seemed to go so quickly after living so long.   but staring into the one at the end to the man dressed in full chainmail & armor who was cuffed on the cold bench  ——  felt like hours.   hours of only hearing his heartbeat in his ears.                  ❛    ———  arthur ?    ❜

@youngpendragcn

                              ♔     ————          this wasn’t how he planned his night to go.   not at all.   not in a MILLION years.   first, he woke up in a STRANGE land, surrounded by loud noises, bright lights,      &      large castles made of glass.   nothing made sense.   his senses were going into overload, which usually meant ONE THING      :      danger.   with sword in hand ,   he turned around in a circle.   he saw people swerve away from him.   he heard their screams.   he saw mothers clutching their children close, trying to protect them.   all he wanted was some answers!   couldn’t anyone see that?   didn’t they know who he was?   he felt tears prickle behind his eyes.   all he wanted was the FAMILIARITY of camelot.   all he wanted was to go HOME.   everything started to blur together.   he couldn’t think straight.   his mind was racing.   his heart was pounding.   his senses were on overload.               ❛     this is SORCERY!     ❜               he bellowed.   that had to be the only reason for this!   sorcery was TRULY an evil.

he hadn’t even realized the cops showing up.   the uniformed men wanted him to put down his sword.          (     like THAT was going to happen     )          they kept asking him to put it down.   didn’t they know that arthur was trying to PROTECT himself?   he was new in these lands!   he didn’t understand what was happening.               ------------          a jolt of pain.   a scream of agony.   a harsh impact on the cold ground.   he felt his body seize as the jolts kept running up      &      down his spine.   he didn’t know that sorcery could be THIS painful.   the world around him was REALLY spinning now.   he tried to fight pass the pain just as he always did.   back in camelot he could’ve been stabbed but as long as he could hold his sword      &      fight ,   he was FINE.   but now          .  .  .     he wasn’t FINE.   he couldn’t fight back.   he had failed himself          ------------          his moral code.

arthur woke up on something cold.   was he in the dungeons?   he sat up          (      a bit TOO quickly      )          &      found the room to be spinning once again.   too much spinning has happened in the short time since he woke up.   he felt nauseous      &      doubled over, hoping that that will get him over this sickness.   when his vision started to focus he was able to look around properly.   he was in a cell.   so ,   was he in the dungeons?   no.   this wasn’t the dungeons.   they were         .  .  .     CLEANER.   maybe a bit TOO clean?   who knew that that was possible.   he TRIED getting to his feet but found out that he was cuffed to this bench.   confusion spread across his face.   why would they do this?   he wasn’t a danger!   he was in danger!               ❛     LET ME GO!   i need to go back home!     ❜               there was no response except a cruel laugh from the guard.   even arthur knew that laugh meant ‘no’.

he had no hope.   that had fled him when he fell to the ground last night.   hope was something he didn’t know he would be able to get back ,   not until he heard that familiar voice.   the familiar voice of his best friend.   he looked over to see merlin standing a few yards away from the bars      &      smiled.               ❛     merlin          .  .  .     oh merlin please ,   help me.     ❜